The Salt Lick

The only reason I gave it a one star, is becuase I couldn't give it a 0. Just plain it up like this not all what it's cracked up to be. NO CASH WTF? If I owned a BBQ joint I would wanna make it painless for my customers to give me money, would not be so concered with cash income and tax frad. Lots of rules like that they are at the bottom of the menu here are a few, No separate checks, Cash Only, 15% Gratuity added to parties of 8 or more, Minimum Charge: $4.95 per person. Talk about being inconvenient to the customer. Meat was good but not worth the money. Go to Rudy's or Coopers in LLano, much better and they take CC and no Minimum Charge, and no rules. I won't be back. Pros: Could being own beer and just sit and listen to live music Cons: See below more

Tried it twice..both times the brisket was chewy. Hate the honey/mustard sauce too. Anyhow, a lot of people rave about the place, but I don't get it. Maybe it's because I went to the one in Round Rock. Maybe the original is better. Pros: not many Cons: the brisket, the sauce more

02/08/09 BBQ Fans \r \r I am so glad that i was able to eat at this great bbq restaurant before relocating in the next week. I've heard of the Saltlick before but never really had the urge to drive out and try it, boy am i glad that i did.with there one of a kind open pit, the smell of the bbq was phenomenal and the taste was even better. The meat was plentiful, the brisket was smoked perfectly with the very noticable smoke rings outlining the meat, the sausage was tasteful and the pork ribs were so tender that the meat was literally falling off the bone! I had my 5 year old niece with me and she had there smoked chicken, thank goodness she was nice enough to share a piece and just like she said "" it was delish!!!!"" while waiting to be seated, we were able to review the menu. Since my brother has a sweet tooth, he was determined to order the blackberry cobbler, well, like all younger brothers, i followed and i ordered the the split cobbler which consists of peach and blackberry cobbler in a bowl with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream right on top!!! Since it was our first visit, We had no idea that it was B.Y.O.B which kinda made my sister in law a bit upset, she tends to like a cold beer with her bbq. Another little con was that it is a cash only place, thank goodness they have an ATM on site, but of course it charges $2.50 for each withdrawl. Other than that, this place was Awesome! I am definitely going back with a cooler full of beer and a pocket of cash and enjoy some of the best bbq i've ever had. See you soon Karen! ( waitress) \r \r San Antonio Tx. Pros: Food Cons: Cash Only more

This is great BBQ. A unique sauce and perfectly cooked meats - I mean the ribs, sausage and brisket are cooked perfectly here. Unlike so many other places in Texas - the meat is not oversmoked! So good! Plus for 17 or 18 bucks you can get the all you can eat platter with all the sides. We take visiting friends and family here and they go crazy for how good it is. One buddy makes 2 trips a year now just to get to Salt Lick. Seriosly it is that good.\r Pack a cooler (which you can bring in and proip up on a bench) drink beer and eat until you drop. They don't push you at all to get out. Great service by the way.\r Best in Texas. more

We had heard about Saltlick from friends, TV, etc, and had read some bad reviews. On 11/22/08, we tried it. It was great! The ribs were fantastic as were the sausage and brisket. The service was exceptional! One thing though - since we had three differeent people serving us, we left a substantial tip hoping that it was a collective effort and the tip would be split. We will return! more

My boss and I visited this place while attending a convention in Austin. It was recommended to us by a friend that lives in the area, though told it was a little out of the way. It was only 18 miles from where we were, and the food was out of this world! Some of the best BBQ I have ever had in my life. The pork ribs and brisket were to die for. The meal came out in about four minutes and the dessert in about two. The staff was extremely friendly and kind. The prices were also very low and affordable for anybody. It's definitely a place that would go back to again and again and again. Pros: The food! Wait staff and meal prices Cons: A little out of the way, but well worth it. more

although the service was good and fast, the food was not at all what i was expecting. personally i did not like the sauce that they smother everything in. it didn't go with the BBQ but my husband loved it. to each their own i suppose.\r PS I went to the new location in Round Rock near the Dell Diamond more

This is the best BBQ in Central Texas and no other place can compare! The drive is somewhat out of the way but for the food and the location, you'll be glad that you made the drive. Pros: Excellent food Cons: the drive more

I drive by Salt Lick frequently - always packed. I have been there to eat - once with a small group for dinner and twice at a fundraiser in the pavillion. Not one of those times was the food up to par for all they hype they get. The brisket is fatty, the sausage has mystery nuggets, and the potato salad is less spectacular than the tub stuff you get at the local grocery store. The pickles are okay.\r My guess is folks are just afraid to go against the rest of the sheep and admit the place is so-so.\r So, if Baaaad BBQ is what you are looking for then this is the place for you. Pros: pretty property Cons: food more

The drive to Driftwood, near Buda, is worth it. In fact, I'd say that the drive adds to the experience as you get away from the city and into the real Texas flavor of the countryside. Leave your high heels at home bc this is a down'home place complete with gravel parking, wood picnic tables (higher end, not the standard type at parks), and benches. Despite the signs, we didn't realize it was a cash only restuarant until we saw the ATM machine and wondered why the heck it would be way out there. We were seated pretty quickly though we did feel just a little lost when we walked in the screendoor and weren't sure we had used the correct entrance. The server was very friendly, attentive, and effective. The food was unbelievably good. I had the chopped beef sandwich, but sampled the others' dishes that covered all the types of meats offered and they were all outstanding. The sauce was particularly good, with a touch of sweetness that I liked. The blackberry cobbler was okay but the peach cobbler was better. We will definitely make this part of our routine when we have out of state guests! Pros: authentic country ambiance; great food! Cons: cash only; bread is not anywhere near County Line's quality more

I've been eating at the Salt Lick for years and I've always enjoyed the bbq. It's a favorite around my household. My children will pass up going to the movies with their friends or even a day at Schlitterbahn if I tell them we're eating at the Salt Lick that evening! A great place like this has it's drawbacks...\r \r A few pointers:\r 1.Always check your to-go orders. They are famous for forgetting to put things in your bag....especially the essential bbq sauce!\r \r 2. Never try to talk to the management to get anything resolved. I had an issue with my food one evening and the general manager, a shorthaired blonde woman, was so rude I couldn't believe it! She told me they didn't need my business because they were busy enough! She didn't offer to comp my meal, apologize, or try to make me happy. My server was more helpful than she was.\r \r 3. It's BYOB, so bring an ice chest (or even a keg if you have a large group...) and it makes the 2 hour wait worth it!\r \r I give the place 3 stars because the food was great but the management ruined our experience. We will continue to get Salt Lick to-go! oh, and to the review below mine....there are signs EVERYWHERE that say ""cash only"" so you shouldn't be surprised...maybe that was a lack of attention. Pros: delicious :) Cons: way the heck out there...have plenty of gas, plenty of beer, and plenty of cash. more

Just pass on this place. A friend of a friend recommended Salt lick BBQ, now I have one less friend. Salt lick failed in two of the three factors of a good restaurant. The service was bad. We had to ask what the people at another table had that didn't appear to be on the menu. Turns out they had another menu with just specials that the waitress seemed put out to go get for us. Then we finally see at the bottom of the menu that it's a cash only business, be nice to know before you're seated. We were told we could use the ATM but the waitress didn't know what the fee was. Food came soon enough. I got the sampler so I can honestly say it was all sub-par. The sausage was okay no better or worse than Hillshire farms (yes Hillshire farms). However it was the pork and brisket where they set themselves apart from other BBQ restaurants I've tried from Carolina to Arizona and everywhere in between. It was extremely dry and totally lacked any flavor what so ever. There regular sauce could have came from a store brand bottle with mustard added and their habanero sauce that I had hoped would save the meal ended up being even sweeter than the regular sauce and had no kick at all. I guess some restaurants get a good reputation due to the ""I have to say it's good because everyone else says it good"". However I would feel very bad if I recommended this to anyone. Pros: Nice building Cons: food, service, cash only more

After so much great talk about Salt Lick BBQ, I made it a must for my next trip to Austin. The only meal time my wife and I could make was a weekday lunch ( maybe its better on nights and weekends). The pork ribs and brisket I was served were flavorful but tough and chewy. The potatoe salad was dry and tasteless. Also ordered their version of peach cobbler which was a mistake. Instead of a traditional Texas cobbler, they used some kind of cake and peach mixture, not what I call cobbler. I'm a native Texan and have eaten bbq all my life and I'm sorry to say that I rate Salt Lick BBQ mediocre at best.\r \r more

First of all the review two below is kinda funny. The Davenport Location lost their lease back in January, so the review of that location is bogus.\r Salt Lick is what it is- Texas bbq out in the country. Nothing fancy, but good. more

No question about it: if you're after local Texas character and down-home food, this place is worth the haul from Austin. The brisket was tender enough to cut with a fork; the sausage had just the right amount of bite; the sauce has enough character that hot sauce, while an interesting addition, isn't necessary--and I'm a confirmed hot sauce fiend. The sides offered round out the meal perfectly (seems to me there's more than a little German influence in the potato salad and the coleslaw), and the atmosphere is definitely kid-friendly (a big plus if you happen to have your 20 month old granddaughter along, as we did. Moreover, the service was very prompt, accommodating, and friendly.\r \r If you need/want white glove service with an extensive wine list, this isn't for you. But if you want to get on the outside of some honest, forthright barbecue, set up your GPS to make the drive. Pros: Down-home atmosphere; friendly service; quality for the money Cons: Couldn't get on the outside of a couple of cold Shiners...at least I know next time. more

If you go to the Salt Lick in Driftwood, check out the benches as you walk in, to the left. Inbetween the planks of the table top you will find fresh, not so fresh, old, and then, crusted residue of old food that has fallen between the cracks and never been cleaned. This is disgusting and filthy, and I am a forgiving person.\r \r The Salt Lick progeny, in Austin, in Davenport Ranch, has meat so dry it is difficult to swallow. I have had better barbecue in a Banquet TV dinner. Pros: Filthy Cons: Filthy more

Everyone says you haven't had BBQ until you eat at the Salt Lick, so I was all excited about finally eating here. \r \r First of all, the parking situation is ridiculous. They have cops directing parking as soon as you turn in the driveway, and they don't let you drop off guests at the entrance on the way, or you'll get yelled and whistled at by the cops like you've committed a first rate crime. It doesn't matter that you have your handicapped mother who has difficulty walking and who uses a cane with you. Go drive to the furthest spot way out in a gravelly field, and make your handicapped mother trudge through vast, uneven gravel to the main waiting area. Nothing says friendly, down home BBQ like a harsh, loud, and unwelcoming beginning to the evening!\r \r The wait is looong. Even if you have a reservation! Bring plenty of beer so you have something to do while you wait. The family style all you can eat plates are expensive, and sort of defeat the purpose of getting family style or all you can eat. Everyone would be better off ordering their own plate. The sides are bland and forgettable, but yes, the meat is good. There are no real vegetarian options if you happen to have vegetarian friends in tow, though many BBQ places in Austin have no problem carrying vegetarian dishes. The peach cobbler is gummy and a waste of time and calories and our wait staff was absolutely horrible. We had one waitress who did not even try to do her job, and who messed up every order and task she had. It's also loud, so be prepared to yell. Lastly, for a place that has so much business it has its own traffic cops, it's ridiculous that they are cash only! Paying for your meal takes forever. Yes they have an ATM, but be prepared to wait in line for a while to use it. This is far too much trouble just to have some pretty good BBQ (not the best, but good). Save yourself the trouble of eating at the over hyped, over priced, over rated Salt Lick -- eat somewhere else. Pros: good BBQ meats Cons: everything else, over hyped, loud, rude, cash only more

Wonderful Bar-B-Que! The ribs will fall off the bone with no effort at all. The sausage is wonderful and the brisket is amazing. The sauce is also top-notch. The sides are not so great, but I go there for the meat, not the potatoes! This place is so good that it is always busy! Family-style all you can eat is great for super hungry college guys which makes its proximity to Austin a perfect match! If you don't want to eat that much, they also offer plates and sandwiches or you can simply order meat by the 1/4 pound. The Salt Lick should be on everyone's list as a required Austin destination. Its worth the drive and the wait! Don't forget to bring enough cash, they do not except checks or credit cards, but there is an ATM onsite if you do forget. Pros: Wonderful meats and all you can eat Cons: The side dishes don't live up to the Bar-B-Que more

My family and I have been going to the Salt Lick Restaurant at 360 N. Capitol of Texas Highway in Austin TX for years and love everything about that restaurant!\r \r Where is it now? We went there to eat Sunday evening , April 6, 2008 with out of town company and it is not there anymore!!!!\r \r We ate there not long ago and did not sense that it was closing. Will we have to travel for almost an hour now to get to the Salt Lick in Wimberly? Most of us will only do that once a year versus 10-12 times a year in the City.\r \r Thank you! more

Nice place to meet friends and converse on the patio while you're waiting to be seated. Bring your own ice chest, watch the Hill Country sunset, and listen to live music on weekends. Unfortunately that is the best part. The food is average at best. If you're from up north or the west coast it may seem good, but if you're a ""Born Texan"" you will know the difference. A good place to take your out-of-town guests if you want to show them local atmosphere and are not that concerned about the food. Pros: Outside atmosphere Cons: Food more