Carnivorous connoisseurs can attest to the magic of the perfect barbecued bone-in ribs. Brisket might be the favorite child of Austin’s finest barbecue joints, but the city’s beef and pork ribs are often touted as the best in the country.

1. Micklethwait Craft Meats

1309 Rosewood Ave
Austin, TX 78702(512) 791-5961 Visit Website Michelle Obama famously ordered a smorgasbord of barbecue goodness from this trailer which includes a hefty slab of pork spare ribs worth gobbling up. Of course, Micklethwait offers big and sloppy beef ribs as well that are meaty, peppery, and made of meaty dreams.

2. Franklin Barbecue

900 E 11th St
Austin, TX 78702(512) 653-1187 Visit Website Austin’s most accoladed barbecue destination is known foremost for world-class brisket, but the seared and smoky pork rib doesn’t disappoint. Aaron Franklin touts the beef rib as his favorite cut of barbecue for its rich and decadent hedonism, so look for his version on the menu and gobble it up.

3. Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew

6610 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78757
Austin, TX 78757(512) 380-9199 Visit Website Beef short ribs and pork ribs are on the menu, and both prove to be seasoned well. The pork ribs are particularly noteworthy, with a sweetness peeking out of a generally smoky bite. 

4. La Barbecue

2027 E Cesar Chavez St
Austin, TX 78702(512) 605-9696 Visit Website Arrive early to be on the front-end of the long lines that form for this truck’s fantastic fare before it relocates to Quickie Pickie on East Cesar Chavez —where ribs are definitely on the menu by way of pork by the pound or rack and gargantuan beef weighing about 1.5 pounds each. These puppies get an almost-hard candy consistency of sweet char on the outside with deep smoke on the inside.

5. Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que

217 Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78701(512) 474-4227 Visit Website Right in the heart of downtown for ultimate barbecue convenience, the famed Llano spot brought its infamous smoked meats to Austin, and happens to stay open for late night hankerings. Ribs are offered in beef and pork form and either animal offers a juicy, tender, and salty treat. A rib-induced meat coma can definitely be had. 

6. Freedmen’s

2402 San Gabriel St
Austin, TX 78705(512) 220-0953 Visit Website This campus restaurant is so much more than a college haunt. The pork spare ribs are bathed in a sweet and spicy glaze of cider vinegar and jalapeno syrup that crisps up to a peppery sweet finish. 

7. Lambert’s Downtown Barbecue

401 W 2nd St
Austin, TX 78701(512) 494-1500 Visit Website Lambert’s is lovingly known by insiders for its rich man’s barbecue. Although it might be more upscale than others on the list, the country-style pork ribs are decadent and good, rubbed with fennel and coriander and oak-smoked with a maple glaze. Lambert’s also offers a non-traditional appetizer of crispy wild boar ribs with a sweet honey and buttermilk blue cheese drizzle. 

8. Kerlin BBQ

1700 E Cesar Chavez St
Austin, TX 78702(512) 412-5588 Visit Website Kerlin’s beef rib is more contained than those of its Austin barbecue brothers, smoked with pecan for a wonderfully nutty flavor. The pork variety are sweet and peppery and fall away from the bone. 

9. County Line on the Lake

5204 Ranch Road 2222
Austin, TX 78731(512) 346-3664 Visit Website The beef back rib at County Line manages to be full of flavor without all of fattiness that a short rib tends to harbor. The restaurant serves slow-smoked baby back pork and beef ribs from its many locations or place online orders. 

10. Black’s BBQ

3110 Guadalupe St
Austin, TX 78705(512) 524-0801 Visit Website Austin’s outpost of this Lockhart favorite serves a dreamy, giant beef rib where the bone is guaranteed to be at least nine inches long, with about two inches of marbled beef goodness piled on top. While there are pork spare ribs are on the menu, the beef rib is something special. 

All credit for this delicious list goes to Austin Eater. https://austin.eater.com/maps/best-ribs-austin-barbecue