Stiles Switch
| Address: | 6610 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78757, USA |
| Phone: | +1 512-380-9199 |
| Site: | stilesswitchbbq.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | Closed 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–9PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 6
JI
Jimmy Ho
The movie Dazed and Confused was filmed around the Austin area back in the early 90s. The pool hall where Matthew McConaugheys character hangs out at is where Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew is located. The first time I went to Stiles Switch I wore a Franklin Barbecue. The owner saw me and said he had to change that so he hooked me up with a free shirt. The pitmaster, Lance Kirkpatrick, used to work at Louie Mueller Barbecue. With that kind of expertise, you would think Stiles Switch would have decent to good barbecue. Lets find out. Today I ordered a slice of moist brisket, one pork and beef rib, and a link of sausage. I thought the brisket was kind of dry. The flavor was good, but I felt like something was missing. The pork rib was decent. It was tender but not falling off the bone. It could have used a little bit more smoke. The beef rib was good. Coming from someone who used to work at Louie Mueller, I did not expect anything less. It had a peppery bark going for it. There were three different sausages, and I went with the Switch Original. They had an all-beef one and also a jalapeno cheese one. The Switch Original had a good grit, snap, and fat content. It was good, but it was spicy! You have now been warned. I have also tried the macaroni and cheese, potato salad, coleslaw, and beans in prior visits. They were all good. At Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew, all the meats were solid. I tried the chicken before, and it was tasty. Poultry is one thing I do not order often. Stiles Switch is open for dinner and has a lot of local beers on draft. It is a great place to meet friends for dinner. They are one of very few joints open all day serving up some good cue. "All right, all right, all right"
DE
Dennis Cao
Im so glad that there is a decent BBQ joint that doesnt require you to drive all the way outside of Austin, towards downtown where parking is an issue, or wait in hr+ long lines. Stiles Switch offers HUGE portions on their platters with some of the best customer service that is synonymous with southern hospitality. Their brisket is very moist and has a strong crust of seasoning. It is on the fatty side, but you can always cut the fat off so whats the fuss? Their pork ribs are smoked so well and they too have a great crust packed with flavor. Fans of thick sweet BBQ sauce may be disappointed with their offering, but I personally think that it goes well with the seasoning of their meat. Their sauce is more on the lighter side and has more consistency of say vinegar than ketchup. Its so thin that I usually use it more like a dip. They also have all of the typical sides like potato salad, cole slaw, mac & cheese, but my favorite is their corn casserole. Recently I noticed that they started to offer more "healthy" sides that dont show up on their menu online. You could get their green bean salad or cucumber & cherry tomato medley. Both are light, fresh, and come packed with a tart vinegar flavor that will cut right through the heavy, greasy BBQ flavor profile from the main entree. If you have any room after your platter, if so, you can seriously eat, be sure to try some of their peach cobbler. Its always nice to finish up a nice BBQ meal with something sweet!
CA
Casey Dyer
This was my second visit to Stiles Switch. I decided to give them another try after I heard they got a new pitmaster(s). In my first visit I was not impressed. This time around I ordered some "moist" brisket, turkey, and jalapeño cheddar sausage. The brisket was mostly flavorless, dry and criminally undersalted. It tasted like it was very likely reheated brisket from the day before (which is a possibility since this place has extended hours, not like the were open until we sell out guys). Fat was almost non-existant on my cut even though I requested it. The turkey was underwhelming, too be nice. It hadnt seen moisture since Clinton was president and the taste was average at best. I choked it down with the help of some pickle slices and some prayer. The jalapeño cheddar sausage was tasty, but nothing special. It was finely ground which is a negative in my book (personal preference) and nothing better than you can get at 100s of BBQ joints. Not great, but not bad. About the only thing I enjoyed thoroughly was the mustard BBQ sauce that I unfortunately had to dust most of my meal with in an effort to keep the dry meats from suffocating me on their way to my stomach. Avoid this place if youre looking for outstanding BBQ. You have plenty of other much better choices with a few miles radius. Just say no.
MA
Mark Sheridan
Im no BBQ aficionado, so Im not qualified to say whether or not this place has the best brisket in town etc. I do know that every time Ive been here, its been a delight. Ill typically go for brisket and/or pork ribs, but I can attest that the beef rib and the turkey are also both great. What I love about this place is that its rarely crowded during the week, even at prime time, and so if you want to bring a visitor for genuine Texas BBQ but you dont want to wait for hours in line, Stiles is perfect (though expect to wait on Friday and Saturday evenings). Whats more--and its weird to say this as someone who lives nearby and eats here at least once a month--it feels like a place where locals actually eat, with little or no fanfare, on a regular basis. But Stiles also has history: its known as one of the filming locations for Dazed and Confused. Its wholesome, but not pretentious. The staff are always friendly, funny and generous. There are usually a couple decent local beers on draft, and a wide selection of bottles. The sides are just fine--nothing to blow your mind. Im inclined to give this place five stars, because Im so fond of it, but Ill settle for four right now because you shouldnt expect miracles at Stiles: just a solid BBQ experience.
DE
Dea Sorride
Meat has a bitter taste, where the crust is, really bitter it was also too fatty and unflavorful. The sausage was overly salty & spicy, I also didnt appreciate the attitude of the meat cutter or the owner. They both happened to be at the meat cutter station and I did not know they didnt have any greens and they both were unprofessional in their answers and demeanor. You would think I was there to waste their time. I am from the neighborhood and it was my first time there and I asked questions that were met with rudeness and indifference. Everything is very overpriced too. Alas this is a characteristic of many Austin businesses, overpriced products and a poor attitude. I have to say for the most part, the staff with the exception of the older grumpy meat cutter and equally as unfriendly owner are nice. The lady at the register, the nice guys who give you beverages and condiments you would think they owned the place based on their enthusiasm, pride and courtesy. But between the ridicioulusely overpriced menu, the below average quality of the meat, rude owner and what not this place is not worth it. I gave it 2 stars only because the rest of staff was really sweet.
MA
Mason West
Walking through Stiles Switchs door resembles a fall from Kansas into a barbecue Oz. The air stands thickly redolent with the sweet smokiness of slow-cooked meats. The carvers and wrappers offer me a sample of brisket that virtually melts in my mouth. I buy a half-pound of brisket, a half-pound of ribs, and,for me since Im the only one of the three of us who likes it, a single link of the Switch Original sausage. Everything tastes blissfully delicious, and the accompaniments provide the perfect counterpoint: the corn casserole, thick as mac & cheese, comes disguised as the best comfort food I never had; the potato salad belies German origins, with big chunks of new potatoes lightly feathered with dill and creamed with mayo; and even the dill wafers and onion slices provide a high trill to contrast with the incessant sensuousness of the bass note of the meat. Ive eaten at perhaps a half dozen barbecue joints over the past few months, but Stiles is so rich it could bring even a cowboy to Nirvana.
