John Mueller Meat Co

Visited back in April 2016. My coworker recommended this place as a good alternative to Franklins without the crazy wait. The line in front of the trailer was about 10-15 minutes. We ordered the brisket, pork ribs, sausage, potato salad and baked squash. The sides were good but no where near as amazing as the meat. Staff was super nice too and didn't charge me when I went back for more sauce and drinks.

I absolutely love this BBQ spot. It has all of the taste and quality without all of the unbelievably long lines like at Franklin's. Their pork ribs and brisket are excellently spiced and literally melts away. You can also easily get a 1lb beef rib here if that's your thing. Their sides compliments their meat very well, I've always gotten their squash and will always continue to get it.

I've been away from Texas for 2 months, and my arteries started clearing up. This is not good. So, when I heard that John Mueller had just started a new BBQ joint again, I had to make sure I have some brisket in my system within 12 hours of landing in Austin. I've always been a fan of John's ever since he started J Mueller's on S 1st St. Stories and gossips aside, this man know his BBQ and knows it well. This iteration of brisket was a lot more peppery than his last one, but still stayed true to his less is more principle. Brisket was tender, flavorful, with a crispy charred bark. And of course, the Beef Ribs were also excellent. There's not a whole lot of places in town that does beef ribs, and this is definitely one of the better one (if not THE one). With a location more discreet, and a line lot shorter than the hipster commune that is Franklin's, this is definitely worth visiting.

Finding good BBQ in the late afternoon can sometimes be a challenge, but at John Mueller Meat Co. we didn't have that problem. Admittedly, after 7 stops we were tired and starting to fill up at this point, but if John is still open and has food to sell, who are we to deny him the opportunity to sell it to us? We arrived about 4:00 pm, just as their day was ending. This brisket was excellent and still moist and tender late in the day. The bark had a nice crunch and the flavor penetration was perceptible throughout. This ranked right up there with the best brisket of the trip. No doubt about it--when John Mueller is on his game, his product is hard to beat. We look forward to a return visit soon, and will make sure it's earlier in our trip so we have time (and room!) to sample the complete menu.

Mueller Meat Co. is a good every day BBQ. Whereas La BBQ has this royal, fatty, luxuriant brisket, Mueller's is much more manageable. Not quite the same black crust on the outside, but very delicious. I really enjoyed the Andouille sausage that they had when I last went as well as the cheesy squash. Super good. One gripe, however, was that the staff was not friendly at all. My friends and I and spent about 150 bucks on a few pounds of meat and they only gave us 5 pieces of bread and one container of sauce. We had to keep going back for more and they kept getting mad at us. Just give us the right amount in the beginning! Anyway, this may have been because Mr. Mueller himself was not managing the kitchen that day. Still a great place to grab some authentic Texas BBQ.

Maybe we went on an off day but the brisket was super dry. The beans were good and the sauce has a yummy little kick to it. The prime rib was probably the best out of the meats we tried--brisket, prime rib, and pork shoulder. We got there around 11 on a Sat and it was an hour wait. By the time we got to the front, they had run out of beef ribs, pork ribs, sausage, coleslaw, squash, and water so be sure to get there early if you want particular things.

A worthwhile pilgrimage for some of the best BBQ in Austin! One of the founders of of the Austin BBQ scene, John Mueller is still doing great work and staying true to his roots. The staff is super friendly and eager to give you samples of their fare while you are waiting for your order to be fulfilled. While a bit out of the way, you'd be remiss to pass this place up since, unlike its competitors, we did not have to wait in line to order.

It would be uncouth to compare John Mueller's new business to that of his sister/former business partner's down the street - family drama might help feed a tabloid frenzy, but certainly won't feed a hungry BBQ lover. So I will merely say that while I do slightly prefer La Barbecue, John Mueller Meat Company is unquestionably worth a stop on your next BBQ grand tour. Way back in the J Mueller trailer days of 2012, I would have put Mueller's brisket right up there with Aaron Franklin's - an amazing peppery, crusty bark, with plenty of beautifully marbled fat around the edges and a moist molten core of brisket flesh. His new stuff is different; not necessarily worse, but it tastes slightly different. When I was there, the fatty edging along the deckle had a delicious crisp tinge to it that I've never had anywhere else, which made up for the rest not being quite as moist as I remember. The beef ribs were great - big blocks of tender rib flesh that went well with the brisket. Prices are $8 for a half pound of brisket or beef ribs, $7 and $6 for pork shoulder and sausage respectively. He does that annoying nickel-and-dime thing where jalapeños are 40 cents. I didn't try the sausage or the pork shoulder, but a guy visiting from Chicago sitting next to us did, and he seemed to enjoy them plenty. The sauce has to be some of the most distinctive I've ever tried, with all kinds of complicated flavors to go along with the basic tangy, sweet base of typical barbecue sauce. I didn't try the sides either, but next time the squash is definitely going to have to get a whirl, and maybe the coleslaw as well. Obviously the meat is the main attraction, but good sides never hurt. I don't think it was quite as good as his former haunt, but when I was here the other day, that same visitor claimed that La Barbecue had a four hour wait, which would make even the staunchest, most seasoned Franklin fan blush. True or not, the line moved fast at JMMC and the food was excellent, so on the whole the only downsides I can see are that it's cash only, it doesn't offer free beer like Some Places do, and it's maybe not QUITE as good as its two more famous rivals in the neighborhood. Oh, and apparently you might get some of the legendary John Mueller customer service experience if he feels like it (he was perfectly pleasant to us, the first people in line on a Tuesday morning). Definitely give it a try.