The Salt Lick

The first time I went to a Salt Lick restaurant, it was in Las Vegas. That's when I heard about the original one in Driftwood, TX. This past Easter Sunday, I was able to make a trip out to the original Salt Lick and it was even better than the Vegas Lick! I saw the original fire pit with the brisket, links, and ribs cooking all around it. The food just smelled and tasted as down home bbq should taste. It had a nice smoke flavor to it and the sauce compliments the smokey taste of the meats. When I come back to Austin, I'll make sure to drive out to Driftwood for some more of the original Salt Lick BBQ. Pros: One of the best bbq I've ever had Cons: It can get crowded on Sunday at lunch more

OMG! I have to be honest MY HUSBANDS BBQ is the BOMB, but when I want it without having to cook it.......HANDS DOWN this is the absolute best! AND WORTH THE EXTRA MILES, since I live in The Woodlands TX, own one of the largest catering and event production companies in North Houston, and an EXECUTIVE CHEF.......my recommendation is without a doubt priceless. RUDY's and County Line don't even compare, and the service so far has been perfect everytime.\r \r If you go you MUST GET THE ALL YOU CAN EAT, it gives you an opportunity to try nearly all the meats, and at around 15.00 or less a person you cannot go wrong! \r \r When we go to Austin, we make a point to always have the Salt Lick as one of our pit stops for our trip....I know there is one in town, but the original location is where I go too! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! \r \r Pros: EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS PLACE IS A PRO Cons: NO CONS BABY! more

\r \r The Salt Lick BBQ is one of the greatest places to hang out on a Friday/Saturday nite. It's BYOB ( I like this ), and some of the best BBQ in Texas ( not to mention the USA) ... plus there's always some great live Austin/Texas music playing. How could you miss with a combination like this ? Not bloody likely. The drive to driftwood is very pleasant and a chance for most city dwellers to get a breath of country air. The pecan pie is to die for, that is ... if you have room after eating an ample portion of BBQ. Greasy ? no way ... tasty ? you bet ... loads of taste. Be-sides, mean people will be asked to leave ... know ... how could you not love a place like this ? Pros: Great food ... great fimes. If you don't know how to relax ... then this place is not for you. Cons: I'll have to let another notch out on my belt. more

We are from the North, Cleveland. We ate at the one in Las Vegas at the Red Rock. We absolutely loved it!! It was probably the best BBQ we had! The portions and the price were great!! We hope they'll get a chain up in Ohio!! more

I might be a yankee but this is the greatest bbq in austin. I recently moved to cedar park and i still make the trip to the Salt Lick in driftwood. Theres also one on 360 but that place isnt as good. They have hardwood floors and stuff dosent seem right for barbeque. Soon as you step out of your car you can smell the meat cookin on the open pit. Family style is what i usually get with there habenero bbq sauce. Also ive not once seem people with guns and as far as the cash only goes they have a ATM on site. So go and experience BBQ at its best. Pros: A carnivore's paradise Cons: They dont have places like this on the east coast more

Oh come on. We drove ALL the way down to this place which is one step above lame. Way overpriced, average food, pain to get there, stupid rules on the menu and country folk raffling guns outside. AND it's cash only so my question is, why bother? Stay close to Austin, save on gas and go to something local like Ironworks? -- Or this place on 12th / East of the 35 fwy. YUM! Whatever you do, don't ""waist"" your hard earned dollaz on this tourist trap. Pros: Nice toilets Cons: Everything else more

Part of Austin's legendary barbecue tradition, it's more than just the rustic, Hill Country setting when you go to Salt Lick. I like the aroma. It's a fabulous aroma. Once inside, I always get great taste from the three meats I order most frequently: the brisket, sausage, and pork ribs. They are well-smoked and full of flavor. Their sauce is more of a Carolina-flavored creation, a mustard-based liquid that's quite tangy. So that is very unique here. The potato salad is different from what you see at most places, as Salt Lick offers a more German-style selection, and the texture is different. It's probably due to the German heritage that has a history in Central Texas. The other sides are quite good as is the fresh-baked, pull-apart bread. If you want great ambience to go along with great food, it is definitely worth the drive on 1826 in Driftwood. Oh, and bring some cash, too. Pros: Smoked meats, Hill Country atmosphere, a unique mustard-based Sauce, good service Cons: No credit cards, parking lot can be muddy if it rains more

Salt Lick was one of the first places I tried when moving to Austin and I have to say- I wasn't impressed. The food was Ok- not the best I've had. The serivce and atmosphere was great- it's a really neat place that really feels like a BBQ resturaunt should but that's about it. The food is so/so- surprisingly bland and not what I would call ""Texas"" BBQ. It is popular and is a fun place to go but don't expect much from the food. Pros: Neat location; good ambience Cons: Food is not worth the drive more

The place is busy, since it is an Austin institution, so I wasn't surprised at or annoyed at the wait. What did surprise me was what I was waiting for-- the food was just so not worth the wait or the drive for me. I'd rather travel out to Taylor to get Mueller's or to Llano get to Cooper's than come out to the Salt Lick, which is only 20 minutes away from my house.\r \r Overall, I would have to rate the food as being average to okay, in terms of Texas barbecue. The brisket is sloppily cut, greasy, and you have no choice as to the moistness of the cut you'd like to eat. The meat isn't too seasoned, which is fine, but the sauce is so god-awfully sweet that you're better off just using salt and pepper and nothing else. The sauce is a bizarre, sickly-sweet honey concoction that tastes like something you'd eat out of a bucket at KFC. The ribs are covered in another sauce, which totally detracts from their natural flavors. I'm not a fan of sausage, but I will commend them on having a decent sausage.\r \r Even the sides are bizarrely sub-par. I didn't know you could mess up potato salad, but apparently you can. The cole slaw is okay but not particularly good, as are the beans. They serve pickle spears instead of chips and thick, pull-apart bread loaves that are dry, crumbly, and not easy to fold over into sandwiches.\r \r The prices are high. $15 for ""eat until you get sick"" style but it is $10 for a plate with over half a pound of meat and half a pound of sides. I suppose the normal person can do just fine with the single plate, but I think most people would go for the family style since they expect to be able to eat themselves into a coma. Honestly, I think the grease would prevent that. I ended up sharing a plate with another guy and we were plenty full. We did not order dessert, but it was expensive anyway.\r \r Save your money for a butcher-paper-on-a-tray over-the-counter sort of joint. I don't trust these ceramic plate ""barbecue"" places anymore. Pros: Neat location, BYOB, Great to bring out-of-towners who don't know better Cons: Cash only, Not for Texans who know good barbecue more

One word describes Salt Lick....g-r-e-a-s-e. Great flavor, but all meats are greasy; which is better than too dry. The ribs are the worst. Sauce is ""different"" but good; more like a Tennessee or Georgia sauce. Sides are average. Biggest draw is the ""all you can eat"" approach. Brisket is your best bet. Be sure to take two of your Lipitor pills before you go. Very nice setting in the woods. Great special events pavillion on the creek. Pros: Beautify Setting; Sauce; Ambience Cons: Drive; Price; Grease more

Cannot wait until they open the Williamson County location this year--yes, the conservatives deserve great bbq also!! more

i have two words about this place...diaherra maker. too greasy, makes me sick every time, but god it is good!!! more

Lets be serious- this not the place for serious BBQ lovers - a place that is showcased for out of town visitors only for the ambiance and the location\r A place that the natives know is just for showcasing and travel channels - I was caught so off guard when I saw thsi on the travel channel and I refuse to take my out of town visitors here - there are better places that does good BBQ right down the road Pros: location- atmosphere Cons: BBQ - not as I know it more

Salt Lick is definitely a great place to go to with a group of friends or a few out-of-towners. One of the best things about Salt Lick is that is BYOB, so take advantage and bring all the beer and wine you want! There are only a few suggestions I have to those that have never been. 1) Bring CASH... they don't accept credit card. 2) Bring loose pants cause you are going to get stuffed. 3) Bring clothes you don't mind getting BBQ sauce on. When you go to salt lick during a peak time (which is lunch or dinner), you will more than likely have to wait anywhere from 30mins to about an 1 1/2 hours. With the long wait though, I think that the worth is it (every once in awhile). I strongly recommend the Family Style platter which will give you all the greasy ribs, brisket (yumm!), and sausage you could ever want. The platter also comes with a few sides like cole slaw, bread, pickles, mashed potatoes, and maybe a few other things. I will have to agree that all these sides are below par, but you don't come to salt lick for the sides! The BBQ sauce is sweet and there is also a habinero BBQ sauce to compliment your BBQ, but dont expect the habinero sauce to actually be ""spicy."" Overall I recommend this place to anyone that is a true carnivore! Pros: Great BBQ and BYOB! Cons: You can definitely over eat easily! The drive is pretty far too. Long waits. more

This is a great place for BBQ! The sauce is unique and the setting is ideal for large groups. When we have friends and family visit from out of town, we like to take them to Salt Lick. Pros: Delicious food, big portions. Cons: The family style (buffet plate) is a bit pricey and you can't share it. more

The atmosphere is unique and comfortable. The food is great! The sides are small in variety but big in quality. The eat till you pop family style is a great value. It's one of those Austin Treats you save for company. more

I ate dinner here in Oct 06 and the food was great. The brisket is exceptional and the ribs are even better. Order the family style all you can eat, with a drink about $20 bucks. Pros: Great BBQ Cons: 20 Min drive from downtown more

So I was in Austin for business and asked the hotel front desk where to get some good Texas barbecue and I was directed to the Salt Lick. Located ... more

I have no idea why people like this place. If you like RuDy's (NOT RuBy's), then you will most likely NOT like Salt Lick. The meat was not good, the sauce worse, the sides (allow me to be grammatically incorrect by saying ""worser!""). I would not advise eating at this place. Save the time it takes to wait and go to RuDy's for the ""Worst BBQ"" (that is how they advertise it, but it is the best, IMO). My husband and I were so disappointed when we waited for over an hour to eat awful bbq. I am a native Texan from Houston, so I think I know how good, Texas BBQ tastes... Pros: makes you pine for good bbq Cons: everything more

Everyone needs to visit the Salt Lick at least once to see what it is all about. On a great day/night, it is a perfect place to sit outside, visit with friends and drink the cold beer that you bring with you. The meat is great, but I don't love the sauce. And, the sides are a little lacking. Dessert - now that is another story! Save room for dessert!! Pros: Ambience, Great place for large groups Cons: Sides are boring and the sauce is too sweet for my taste more