Stubbs BBQ – Austin, TX

Rating: All-Star

Part of our Austin, Texas series — a look at the journey, the food, and the finds along the way.

Stubbs is just a short walk from the hotel, and it definitely feels more upscale than Cooper’s. Instead of laying everything out on butcher paper, it’s menu ordering here — but still with that Texas BBQ soul.

I went with the pulled pork over a salad (ranch dressing), with sides of fried okra, cornbread, and sweet potato fries. The food was hearty and well-executed, but what really stood out was the service. Our waitress split the bill for us before we even asked — avoiding that classic post-meal moment of awkward math with the one guy who always manages to short everyone. That small gesture alone elevated the whole experience.

Overall, I’d call Stubbs a step up from Cooper’s. Both are worth visiting, but Stubbs brought a little more polish to the BBQ table. After this meal, though, I think I’m set on salads for at least a year to balance things out.