Definitely want to have one BBQ place, one Mexican, one campus-area greasy spoon, and one upscale choice. I may have to differ on specifics, though:

The County Line: It’s got all the great barbecued meat that the other places have, but their specialty enormous beef ribs and high quality bar area make it the best. Also, from campus it’s a significant enough drive to make going there a special trip, but not as far as the Salt Lick which pretty much eliminates half your night.

BurgerTex: Everyone loves Durty’s so much, but BurgerTex has better burgers AND bulgogi (Korean barbecues beef) on the menu. Mmmmm.

Chuy’s: I know it’s become so cool that it’s uncool, and I know that it’s the least original choice for Mexican food in Austin I could possibly have come up with. But I love the Elvis Presley Memorial Enchilada platter more than I know how to say. Plus: free chips while you wait.

Eddie V’s: I like Eddie V’s. I like live music on Thursday nights. I like Steak Oscar (not on the printed menu, but it’s filet with crabmeat, asparagus, and bearnaise). I like Godiva chocolate cake. I like that I once ate there one table away from mack Brown and Greg Robinson. And I like eating there when someone else is paying.

El Chile
Fonda San Miguel
Salt Lick
Clay Pit

for cheap/quick food, my top 4:
El Chilito
Burger Tex (on Airport)
East Side Pies
Go Bites

THEN: These are the places I ate the most while attending the University of Texas. I’m amazed I didn’t weigh 400 pounds.
Player’s: If you got drive-thru, no matter how close you lived, the bag was soaking with grease by the time you got home.
Mr. Gatti’s (MLK Blvd.): We had a box of coupon books dropped of at the fraternity house. Rather than dirstributing them I kept them all. There was a coupon for a buy-one-get-one-free buffet. My friend and I ate there what seemed like every other day for a semester for $5.
Dirty Martin’s Kum-Bak Place: OT Special, a double bacon cheeseburger with a fried egg on top. It used to be so wonderful, and it sounds so disgusting to me now.
Ray’s (Closed): When my parents would come into town we would always go to Ray’s steakhouse on Guadalupe. It was awesome! I was in Austin with my wife last year and we were going to go to dinner there, I was so disappointed to see it was closed.

Now: These are the places I go now when I visit Austin.
Eddie V’s
Magnolia
Trudy’s
Salt Lick

I know it may not be popular, but I feel as if it is my duty to educate those Trudy’s mex-mart pundits that they are WAY overrated. The best margaritas in our fair town reside at Matt’s El Rancho. Period! Trudy’s bartenders are instructed to pack those shakers as full of ice as they can and they are required to meticulously measure and keep track of their pours, trust me I bartended at Matt’s in college and have made countless batches of their house margaritas and they do it up!!! The key isnt the brand of tequila as much as they use only fresh squeezed lime juice and not that nasty sweet and sour mix that goes into most places “gringo-ritas”. Honestly I cant stand other places ritas after getting used to Matt’s. Trust me!!!

South Congress Cafe- I just had the brunch there and it was outstanding. Dinner has always been good.
Flemings-yes it’s a chain but they have really good steaks and a pretty good wine selection (from what i’ve been told, but I don’t drink wine).
Chuy’s-my wife and I went on our first real date here, sentimental reasons, although I do enjoy the food.
Hut’s-I love the sink burger.

I am not a seafood lover, but my wife is and she loves Eddie Vs, Trulucks and McCormick and Schmicks, for what its worth.

1) Hut’s- A burger with bacon, cheese and Guacamole? Hell and Yes.

2) Manuel’s- Always seemed out of the way, but damn it was good

3) Magnolia- Sentimental reasons, but their sandwiches and breakfast should not be underestimated.

4) Moonshine Patio Bar and Grill- Partly sentimental. Great chicken fried steak, and any number of Texas staples.

Honorable Mention-
Bistro 88
Chango’s

in no particular order, varying cuisines:

ciscos, vespaio, uchi, green pastures($$$$, but worth it. try the texas game sampler)

alternates: el caribe, phils ice house, casino el camino

Remember, these aren’t necessarily the BEST restaurants in Austin, just the top institutions. Here are mine

1) Cisco’s – Every game day begins at Cisco’s and every hangover ends there.
2) Guero’s – The other day I left work, went to lunch at Geuros, had a beer, saw the mom from Friday Night Lights (Mrs. Coach), and petted a guy’s pot-belly pig at the table next to us. These are the things that happen at Gueros
3) Shady Grove – It was either this or Hula Hut’s. Unplugged at the Grove puts this trailer park over the top. I could spend 6 hours at Shady Grove and not even notice it.
4) Hut’s – Are they the best burgers in town? No. But don’t tell that to the people who wait 45 minutes for a lunch table on a Tuesday. Plus…it’s freaking HUT’S MAN!!!

My apologies to: Magnolia Cafe, Casino El Camino, Z Tejas, NXNW, Katz’s, Hula Hut’s, Iron Works, Fonda San Miguel, Chez Zee, and SAM’S FREAKING BBQ (shh, don’t tell anyone about it, but they’re open ‘til 3am)

I’ve linked to the websites for my Top 4.

I. Hills Cafe: Best burgers in town, hands down, and if you haven’t spend a Sunday night on the back patio with a schooner of Shiner listening to a country band, you are missing out. Also, try the White Wings appetizer, its amazing. The building is historic, an old courthouse. Great place for a large group (unlike Trudy’s). Check out the schedule, they have tons of great free shows.

2. Vivo’s: This is the best Tex Mex in the city (to me). Located right off of Manor road behind the Disch, this is a great date place, dark,, great art on the walls, a nice bar. Every girl that goes gets a single rose. The patio is really nice, but I prefer the indoors. Looking for a cool date place with amazing Tortilla Soup, try this out.

3. Juan in a Million: The floors and tables might be dirty or more likely filthy, but to me, nothing beats getting over a Friday night hangover than a Don Juan on Saturday morning. I know breakfast tacos are a whole other thread, but I love this place and its number one for me in that department. By the way, Juan is best on Saturday mornings, Sunday Mornings you gotta be at Shady Grove with a Bloody Mary or 3.

4. Green Mesquite: The BBQ is is always good. Have a great patio, amazing location with a great patio and stage. My favorite thing to eat there, and I think they are the best in Austin, are the wings. Smoked buffalo wings with a tangy sauce. They’re great. Also, great lunch menu and daily specials close to downtown so you can get in and out.

Honorable mention: Flip Happy Crepes, if you can get there when its open…

First of all, you are all wrong – unless you agree 100% with me :-)

1. Mueller’s BBQ in Taylor. Yeah yeah, not Austin, but it’s better than Rudy’s in my opinion. When the son had to close his off Manor, it was a sad day.
2. Titaya (Thai) on Lamar just south of 2222. Austin lacked great Thai for a long time, and it’s here.
3. Sunflower on 183 and Peyton Gin. Awesome Vietnamese.
#4 is kinda hard for me. Most other places, I go for a specific item (migas at Cocina de Consuela, burgers at Hill-Bert’s or Casino or Billy’s on Burnet, El Chile, Sambet’s for sandwiches, Elsi’s for Mexican), but I am gonna go with Hoover’s on Manor. I think he makes the best wings in Austin, and the rest of the menu is consistently above-average. Awesome desserts.

But I’ve got to try Nubian Queen’s at some point.

Native Austinites can’t do this, since it requires explording a lifetime of eating out. I’ve been to restaraunts I loved once, returned and hated it. I’ll try my best, though honestly, some of the best food I’ve had wasn’t at restaraunts, but at fast food joints like Taco Cabana afterhours:

1. Cliche has to be Maudie’s. Whichever location matters not, it’s a popular Austin restaraunt that everyone knows name. I like comfort food, and I know my way around their menu.

2. Thundercloud. I can’t find a better sammich in any other city, and I’ve tried.

3. Dirty Martin’s Dirty’s. No explanation necessary.

4. Kenichi. Everytime my gf comes in town we hit up Kenichi and, although it has been hit or miss on service, I’m a big fan of the food. It’s nice enough where she likes it (she’s from Dallas) but not too pricey, and not too inaccessible.

Rudy’s and “Good BBQ” should never, ever, under penalty of law should be uttered in the same sentence. Or even the same paragraph.

When we have two meccas of BBQ with 30 minutes of Austin in two directions—Lockhart and Elgin.

I defy you to eat real BBQ picked off the pitt from either Smitty’s Market or Kruez Market in Lockhart and then try to defend Rudy’s.

Or fill up a plate of brisket and sausage from Southside Market in Elgin and then try to compare that to Rudy’s - or any where else in Austin proper. It’s like comparing Earl Campbell to Ramonce Taylor. Just criminal.

Any way. With that vent out of the way, I leave you with the definitive Mount Rushmore of Austin Cuisine:

Rosie’s House of Tamales (officially Bee Caves, but who cares) —besides great food, besides cheap great food, and besides being Willie Nelson’s favorite restaurant (with a plate named after him) -- Rosie’s House of Tamales is BYOB since they don’t have a liquor license.

I’ve seen small coolers full of PBR, I’ve seen large coolers filled with an assortment of Shiner, Lone Star, and Bud Light. I’ve seen people making Sangria at their table. I’ve on two occasions seen people bring in their own blenders to make frozen margaritas at their table.

I don’t know why you’d go anywhere else.

Hoover’s - because there is just no better food served anywhere in Austin. And it’s the only place to get buttermilk pie.

Katz Deli —the place never closes. NEVER. The doors have not closed -- not even for a minute since 1983. The food is quite outstanding (the same guy who supplies Hutt’s burger patties supplies Katz). It’s some of the best people watching in all of Austin. And on Sunday morning, the Katz’s Kolossal Cinnamon Roll is perfect.

Chinatown - while Uchi might be the best sushi bar in town (OK, no argument, it is the best in town), Chinatown is a close second but a much, much better value.

It took a lot of soul searching considering the absurd burden of cullinary wealth in Austin, but here’s my stab at it:
1. Hoover’s – On a Saturday night in the Fall, there may not be anything better post game than the otherwordly smothered porkchop. The banana pudding cheesecake is also mindblowingly delicious.

2. Juan in a Million – Perhaps the only place I consistantly jones for living 1300 miles away from town. They’re only open until 3, but I can’t think of many a better way to start a game day than getting some Juan in you.

3.Evita’s Botanita – Some of the best chips and salsa pre-meal you’ll ever enjoy anywhere not to mention tremendous food. The tamales are also so absurdly good my family’s purchased them several times in bulk for holiday gatherings.

4. Rudy’s County Store & Bar-B-Q – The only franchise and I’ll mention but a worthy addition. The sauce is so good I request a bottle for Christmas each year to take back with me (perhaps I should start requesting plural). The extra moist brisket is to die for, and just about everything on their menu is great. The poster above is being an absolute hater. Comparing those nationally top ranked barbeque joints (and also 45-minute+ drive away) to Rudy’s is hardly a Earl Campbell-to-Ramonce Taylor comparison. It’d be more akin to cursing Mack for staying local and recruiting J.C. instead of going to Washington to chase Jonathan Stewart; it’s far enough out of the way to be an inconvenience and while one may be very good-to-great, what you’re getting is still worth writing home about.

Couldn’t let a sleeping dog lie… I echo 40AS on the hidden gem that is Burger Tex. I like Hut’s but rarely think it’s worth the wait. Honestly though, if Tarrell Brown and Ramonce have me in an SUV full of weed with a gun to my head and I have to cure their munchies in 30 minutes or less or they’ll off me, I’m going with Top Notch. I’m pretty surprised no one’s mentioned it up to this point, and while it’s frustrating in this day & age they don’t accept credit cards, this blast from the past featured prominantly in “Dazed in Confused” has arguably some of the finest burgers in town.

When I was pregnant, I dreamed about queso catfish from Shady Grove. nothing better.

I don’t know if it’s my top 4 either, though. This is so hard! There are so many great places. I’m also surprised nobody said Las Manitas, even though I know there’s some bad blood. But, my faves are probably:

1. Hut’s
2. Trudy’s
3. Salt Lick
4. Kerbey Lane

I don’t know if the Drafthouse counts as a restaurant, but it’s probably my mostest favorite place to eat and whatnot.

I’m glad I was able to provoke such scintillating conversation.

There were a bunch of places yall mentioned that hurt me to leave out (Dirty’s Fried Egg Burgers, Hoover’s Country Fried Steak, Shady Grove’s Queso Catfish, Moonshine’s steak, to name a few).

I’m thinking next time I’m back in Austin, I need to tack a few extra days onto my trip, so I can revisit the old favorites AND try some of these new ones.

Everyone’s listing such awesome places, I feel like I may be repeating a bit.

1. North. Yeah, it’s located in the Domain, and for the most part, it’s pretty un-Austin. However, I love that Italian place. There’s only one other North restaurant (or maybe two) in the country, though, so that makes it fairly special. Sitting out on the patio on a nice night and eating dinner while a two-man band plays in the adjoining courtyard is really cool. If anything, just go for the bread and sun-dried tomato butter. The tomato soup is pretty rockin, too.
2. Rudy’s. Gotta agree with a lot of people here. Rudy’s has great brisket, and it makes an awesome gameday, tail-gating meal. Plus, it’s pretty convenient in just about any part of town. And the sauce? Delicioso.
3. Dirty’s. It’s location was also über-convenient when I was still in school. Maybe that influenced my taste buds, but Dirty’s still has the best burger I’ve tasted in Austin, regardless of what I got on it (though I must say I did enjoy the fried egg topping). Like another poster mentioned, though, the new Might Fine Burgers is quickly gaining ground, especially since I’m living up north now…
4. Gumbo’s, Downtown. I tried this place for the first time a little over a year ago and have gone back on numerous occasions since then. I simply love everything on the menu, and it’s usually fun to just walk across the hall to Brown Bar after your meal.

I didn’t include a Tex-Mex place simply because I couldn’t narrow them down. I pretty much love them all—Trudy’s, Chuy’s, Matt’s El Rancho, etc, etc. I love the food in Austin.

Mexican – old school Austin El Azteca on 7th, gosta go East Side

BBQ – The Pit on Burnet. Rudys Brisquet is Dry and does not have the smoke

Mandelos on Lamar. THe Suggots for 7? -Yah

Sarahs Market – Whole Swarma chicken for 6. 1000 time better than HEM. Not swimming in a pool of grease

Phils Ice House on Burnet. Get the 78704 with Guacamole. You have to finish it with a spoon

...of my interests. Food is a hobby for me and the wife. Here are the best bets.

1) Castle Hill Cafe – Consistently great, solid changing menu, cheap wine prices. Ask for Sharon, she’s our favorite waitperson in Austin. Get the pate to start. The top line is usually the instant winner, the beef dish, usually tenderloin. Finish with a slab of peanut butter pie.

2) Evangeline – The best Cajun in Austin. If you haven’t been to the smallish joint down on Brodie, you owe it to yourself to take in some Turbo Dog, Oysters Contraband, Red Beans and Rice, maybe a po-boy, but you must finish with a praline stuffed pistolette. AWESOME!

3) Musashino – Ok, Uchi is the hip choice, but if you want pickled jellyfish or painstakingly prepped eel, a bowl of loving miso and the great avocado-kama, oh and the freshest raw recently swimming things off any coast. Sit in front of the ged master, ask for what is best (not what’s fresh, that’s an insult implying anything isn’t fresh). BTW, good sake ain’t hot. Might I recommend a bottle of Sho Chiku Bai Ginjo (affordable, crisp) to get started in my new beverage addiction.

4) Las Palomas – This family owned eatery NEVER disappoints. The mole enchiladas, Cochinita Pibil and verde enchiladas are outstanding. If undecided, get the Las Palomas plate featuring all three. The Caviche appetizer is often in competition with the pork empanadas. If you are still undecided, the pork soft tacos (corn tortillas, of course) are a hidden treat. FLAN!

1. East Side Cafe – Amazing dishes and remarkably fresh. They grow a lot of their veggies, fruits and spices in their nearby garden. Some of the best desserts in Austin.

2. Trudy’s – Food, atmosphere, and good drinks. A classic at the University of Texas at Austin. This is a must visit whenever I get back to Austin.

3. Rudy’s – Another great tradition. Not the best but good and quick. Always a fun place to go to eat.

4. Shady Grove – food & atmosphere. It’s my favorite outdoor dining spot in the city.

mmkay….

1. Hut’s. Nothing hits the spot better than #7 Hut’s Favorite, plus a split basket of fries and o’rings. Just a personal preference, really.
2. Austin Land & Cattle. Best steaks in the city, plus the second most knowledgeable staff in my experience.
3. Andiamo. Tiny Italian place up north, but it’s been there a while, and its the closest thing to authentic Italian food that Austin has. Home of the most knowledgeable staff (our waiter could recite the wine list and which ones go best with which entree). Plus the free dessert aperitif wine was amazing.
4. East Side Cafe. As fresh as it gets, original, and genuine. I’m having my graduation meal here next week.

Honorable mention: The best meal in town resides at Jasper’s in the Domain. I did not include it above, since it’s not an Austin original (the first one was in Dallas, second in The Woodlands, third in Austin). Start off with one of the large specialty martinis, preferably the ODB. For the appetizer you must get the Maytag Blue Cheese potato chips. Main course, get the ribs (surprisingly some of the best you’ll ever eat, and nationally rated in the top 3 by Bon Appetite mag). They come with a creamy baked potato salad that is indescribably delicious. For dessert, you can’t go wrong with anything; the entire dessert menu is unreal, but for my money the cherry limeade pie is the most amazing dessert I’ve ever eaten. I am never as satisfied after a meal as I am when leaving Jasper’s. The place reeks of Dallas, but the food is fantastic.

1. Kreutz Market for BBQ. I know it’s not in Austin, but Lockhart is close enough.
2. Threadgills I know it’s a bit cliched to love this place, but I think their food is fantastic.
3. Players. Amazingly kick ass shakes and burgers
4. Broken Spoke. I was in town this past weekend and enjoyed some food and music here. The chicken fried steak is possibly the best I’ve ever had.

What I love about this thread is that there are so many places I’ve never even heard of! You can live in Austin for 8 years and not come close to hitting every great restaurant. Best city hands down for good food.

My short list is:
1. Shady Grove (I often come down in March, when the wildflowers are ablaze in Texas and we’re still tramping through snow in New York—nothing better than kicking back on the sunny patio with a margarita)
2. Salt Lick
3. Mi Madre (best carne guisada anywhere)
4. Kerbey Lane (talk about an institution)

I cant believe no one has mentioned Pluckers yet??!! If you lived or live in Austin, you had to tried fried pickles, fried twinkies and pluckers wings!!
The old pluckers by campus were kinda small and dirty, but the new pluckers, which they built like a block away, got lots of TVs, game systems, and great food. Not to mention a full bar…haha

And I don’t think anyone has mentioned Hoovers in Austin off of Dean Keaton. This place has the BEST Chicken fried steak EVER. This soul food place will give you the “itis” and put u right to sleep.

BTW, I think the players owner changed, because the burger is not as greasy (or juicy) as it used to be.

Is that true? I always loved that place. Best pepperoni rolls ever! I don’t care what anyone says about Double Dave’s. Hell yes, Double Dave’s pepperoni rolls are good, DAMN GOOD, but to me, Gumby’s were better.

Over the years, I believe Gumby’s was the primary contributor to Hardin House girls gaining the freshman 15 (or 20).

Speaking of wonderful pizza joints that have closed, Conan’s Pizza was awesome. It’s too bad it had to close. At least Kerby Lane took its place, can’t complain about that.

yeah..i was sad the day they closed..they had great pizza at a great price…:(

p.s. they contributed to my fresh 15 too…lol

I’ve already mentioned Gumby’s, Ray’s, and Conan’s, but I just remembered Bongo’s Barbecue.

I lived at the Waterford for a year and I hit up Bongo’s all the time. It doesn’t even belong in the conversation if you are talking about best barbecue, but the atmosphere was fantastic. There are very few places where you can buy a plate of ribs and sausage then walk outside and buy a keg of Keystone and a couple packs of cigarettes. Their burger was great, chicken tacos were delicious, and they had the very best cheese fries I have ever had. Oh, how I miss it so. I still have a T-shirt from Bongo’s with the naked ladies on an oil rig.

Crap, I just thought of another place! Nau’s Pharmacy! I heard that it closed as well. If you lived in West Campus, chances are you have eaten there. Your parents could even set up an account so you could go by whenever, order what you wanted, and your parents got the bill. Best grilled cheese in town! RIP.

I lived in West Campus the whole time I was at school, graduated in 2002. After 6 short years, West Campus looks almost completely different. Sad, makes me feel old and I’m still a long ways from 30.

My list is comprised of places that in my mind are inextricably linked with my childhood of regularly visiting my Dad’s family in Austin and then when I finally showed up for school. In other words, they may not have had the best food (or even good food), but these are the places I’ll always remember eating at in Austin:

1. Tres Amigos (290E location): I don’t know why, but this restaurant is where my grandparents always suggested we go when my family was in town. I used to salivate for the cheese enchiladas there.
2. Taco Cabana: If the meal wasn’t fancy enough to be at Tres Amigos, Taco Cabana was the only other option in my grandfather’s mind. College solidified its standing in my mind. I still maintain TC to be the best “fast food” on the planet. (And yes, I know it’s not just in Austin or even founded in Austin, but I’ve never been to one outside of Austin.)
3. El Patio: Sweet lord, I can’t believe none of you have mentioned El Patio yet, if for nothing else than for the kitsch value. Saltines with your salsa, mofos!!!
4. Double Dave’s (under the Castilian): I swear to you that I did not eat in a different restaurant for any of the Sunday nights my first two years of college. I will also swear that I elbowed many a kid in the head to keep them away from the fresh pizza rolls.

Yeah, when comparing all of your lists to mine, I realize that my time in Austin was probably wasted from a culinary point of view. Oh well, I’ve made up for it since…

Magnolia Cafe
Trudy’s
Threadgill’s (one on Lamar)
Amy’s Ice Cream