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Artz Rib House - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Barbeque Event Planning & Services Caterers Barbeque, Caterers [Edit]
2330 S Lamar BlvdAustin, TX 78704
Neighborhoods: 78704 (South Austin), South Lamar District
(512) 442-8283
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
144 reviews for Artz Rib House
Review Highlights
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"What I really enjoyed was the sweet potato pecan pie." In 12 reviews -
"I recommend country style pork ribs with extra barbeque..." In 9 reviews -
"The baby back ribs are outstanding here." In 36 reviews
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144 reviews in English
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Review from Marshall J.
Austin, TX
5/10/2012
Hurts my heart to see the big "CLOSED" sign on the Artz Yelp listing, but for more than a decade, this was a neighborhood hangout and pretty much the only BBQ action in town. But once-Bubba-centric South Austin continues its tilt from country-style pork ribs and mustard potato salad toward food you're supposed to eat with your pinkie finger in the air.
For those missing the Artz Ribhouse ribs: Jax at 29th and Rio Grande says its kitchen has been "taken over" by Artz. Not sure what that means, but it looks like they're offering the same ribs (no word on the other menu items): http://jaxjoint.com/blog/ -
Review from Dawn M.
Austin, TX
5/10/2012
Holy Jeez people, this is not fine dining, it's a Texas down home barbecue joint; get a grip. I'm vegetarian now, but Artz was arguably the best in town for years. Meat eaters on the South side will be sad to see them go; they also had veggie options.
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Review from Joe B.
Austin, TX
3/24/2012
We ordered Artz from Eat Out In - when our meal arrived (about an hour later), half of my wife's meal (Artz famous Ribs) was missing. She only got her baked potato. They offered to take them off the ticket which was nice but my wife was hungry and they are known for their Ribs. Seems like they would have made more of an effort. It could have been our first time to try Artz. I ate my meal while it was hot and she got her ribs about 25 min later. When your customers have to adjust their schedules or plans because you messed up their order, is not good service!
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Review from Debbie Chiou S.
Los Angeles, CA
3/3/2012
Baby back ribs dry rub with BBQ sauce on the side? Yum! Service is a bit awkward and slow here. Music is fun. Decor is super divey. The rest of the menu didn't look that interesting and they pretty much ran out of everything else, so I can imagine that being pretty annoying if you wanted something else, but all in all a decent experience for us.
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Review from James H.
2/11/2012
7pm on Saturday and we're told they have no ribs or chicken. Left disappointed and thinking a name change was in order.
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Review from Jenny L.
10/1/2011
Surprise! This is another place a meat-eater and a vegan can eat.
The veggie burger (minus mayo & cheese) and a side of potato chips. Super tasty!
The meat-eater ate ribs, and I could not look over at him, because he was eating "tooth food," and that is gross. Wings, ribs, corn on the cob, chicken legs... All tooth food, all gross.
Anyway, Artz is usually empty, from what I've seen (maybe it gets busy at night?), and the waitstaff is empty as well. Maybe they all hate their job. Maybe "Art" beat them with rib bones in the back.
I don't know, but I do know the veggie burger is nice, and the meat-eater likes the ribs.
Ta-Daaaaaa!Listed in: Vegan and the Beast
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Review from John E.
Cedar Park, TX
3/23/2012
Decent price for their lunch specials but for being called a rib house their ribs are sub-par. While they looked pretty good after I took the first bite I was very mistaken. They were dry and tasted like they put no effort to put any rub on the meat. Not to mention the meat tasted exactly like the cheap meat I pick up at my local grocery. The sides were pretty good and for lunch their pretty decently priced... But stay away from the ribs as they are pretty bad.
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Review from Lindsay F.
Austin, TX
9/26/2011
I love the smell of smokey b-b-q that is experienced when you step foot in here.
During the week, the lunch specials are way better than on the weekend (because the menu changes and there are no specials on the weekends).
I like the turkey and chicken, usually....
The husband LOVES the meatloaf but again, that is only served Mondays - Fridays.
We went this past Saturday.
The atmosphere is very relaxed.
Sometimes, there are bands playing there.
The prices are decent for what you get.
We were just hoping that they had meatloaf or even mashed potatoes on Saturdays and they do not.
I ended up getting the teriyaki burger. It was okay. Nothing too special but the service and food were fine so there you go. -
Review from Leslie H.
The husband and I stopped in here yesterday for the first time, and we enjoyed the experience! It was about 5:30pm on a Sunday and the service was fast and friendly, so I'm not sure if it gets super busy at any other times.
My husband ordered the full rack of baby back ribs, and I ordered the chopped beef sandwich. He said the ribs were "pretty damn good" on their own but add barbeque sauce for the best flavor. He also said that the ribs were better than County Line. With the full rack of ribs, you get all three sides (pinto beans, potato salad, and cole slaw). The potato salad was good, but the pinto beans need some seasoning. My husband didn't find them bbq-joint worthy.
My sandwich was pretty delicious. Lots of tender, lean meat on a toasted seeded bun. The toasted bun gave it a nice crispness in each bite, and there was so much meat that one small bite would turn into a large bite of meat.
For dessert, we split the raspberry peach cobbler a la mode. I was disappointed in its size compared to its price. It wasn't really big enough for two people to split, but we didn't want over $9 of our bill to be in dessert so we sucked it up and tried to take even bites. It was very tasty, although we wished there were crumble on the top and it's more cake-like than cobbler-like. You get a good amount of ice cream with it, though.
For two people with a full rack of baby back ribs, chopped beef sandwich, iced tea, and cobbler, the total was $32 before tax. Not too shabby for a bbq place. We'll go back if we find ourselves on the south side of town again.Listed in: Stick-To-Your-Ribs BBQ
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Review from Jennifer H.
Austin, TX
2/19/2012
The place is packed, live music and staff is running to meet demand. We took our order to go. The half chicken was ok. The baby back ribs were very nice, good consistency. The smoked brisket...could have been less chewier and more moist. The beef rib was a lot of fat, not enough meat...a bit on the too salty side. the food comes with bread, pickles and onions. Cool place to hang out with cool live music. three food itself..just ok.
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Review from JC G.
Austin, TX
7/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hmm ... where to eat? A question that has plagued humankind since the first restaurant opened in ancient Egypt some 2000 + years ago. I think that's why Marc Anthony killed himself.
Marc (to Cleopatra): Where do you want to eat?
Cleopatra (to Marc): I don't know where do YOU want to eat?
Marc: Just pick some place!
Cleopatra: Whatever you want is fine.
Marc: OK, let's go to (fill in the blank).
Cleo: Oh, I don't want to go there!
Then it hit me! I haven't had my Artz fix in a while. Off we (my wife and another couple) go for a full rack of the best baby back pork ribs in town (in my humble opinion). Crispy on the outside & smoked to perfection on the inside. And they had FRESH (not pickled) jalapenos, which I love in my potato salad.
You can't go wrong with Artz ribs! Oh, yeah, I have EBS (that's eyes bigger than stomach) so there's a full half rack in the fridge! Can't wait for breakfast time! -
Review from Tom M.
Hays, TX
6/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Looking for cheap leather shoes? For only $13.99 you can get three of them if you order the country style ribs. The only thing missing were laces and the two hobos that wore them in. However, in all fairness, they may have been busy cooking. They also may have been responsible for the 50 flies that joined us for our meal. It was like a Sally Strothers commercial.
Also, If you order the country style ribs you may want to bring your own beverage to wash them down, because they won't bother to refill your drink. After I started turning blue from choking on the hobo shoe jerky, we finally just stole our own pitcher of iced tea. I was close to death ( I hate to burst your bubbles but I didn't see any tunnel of light, it was just darkness).
The positives: the water wasn't terrible and the slice of white bread was not stale. Thank goodness for that because I only ate 1 of the 3 shoes they brought me.
Even after complaining (which I never do) there was no response or effort to make my experience a little better.
We're still waiting on the straws we asked for. -
Review from Jason D.
Cedar Park, TX
8/15/2011
I'm a longtime fan of Artz and have been coming here a few times a year for almost a decade. This weekend, I brought some out-of-town relatives here for a lunch Saturday. They were craving Texas barbecue and we were in the area, and I've always preferred Artz' ribs to County Line, and the Salt Lick was out of the question.
The place was unusually quiet, and they were out of many staple items such as beef ribs, turkey, and country ribs. Our waiter obscurely mentioned some sort of "trouble" and things "not great"... which set off some warning bells, but we decided to order.
The food was excellent, as always. The baby back ribs met with glowing approval, and my relatives all enjoyed the beans and potato salad (which I've always been a bit ambivalent about). The kids enjoyed their cheeseburgers, etc. A good time was had by all.
I hope they overcome their problems. I'd hate to see such a classic place go under. -
Review from Jason S.
Austin, TX
1/12/2012
You know what's really good here? Ribs.
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Review from justin p.
Jersey City, NJ
7/11/2011
The Ribs were some of the best I've had. Me being from the north and all I guess that does skew my opinion a bit or maybe it makes me less bias.... Either way. The ribs were soft and tender but not too much. Anyone who like ribs knows precisely what I mean... I also added a nice piece of sausage to my meal... That was indeed an excellent choice as it was almost as good as the ribs. The potato salad and beans were also top notch.... BUT the coleslaw was just a little too dry. The GF had a chicken sandwich which she said was good but its hard to make a bad chicken sandwich. Super cheap as well? If I am ever back in the beautiful city of austin I will seek Artz out again....
P.S. The sweet potato pecan pie will punch you in the face and make you cry. -
Review from Martin A.
Lubbock, TX
10/17/2011
We were waiting for our food when my husband saw a live RAT! We told the waitress who said "Oh, sorry, it's a really old building and we just get them." Then she proceeded to discuss the number of rats that are runnning around in the morning when they arrive. Our food arrived, it looked great but I just could not eat. Our waitress was friendly and apologetic but did not get the owner who was there and did not offer to pay for our food. We just wanted to get out of there. I have reported the rat to the Health Dept.
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Review from Urwhatuea T.
Austin, TX
2/5/2011
For Heaven's sake, don't rate Artz on the merit of their cuisine alone! This is an Austin Institution, it's a wonderful place, great music, good BBQ, good people. If we the people of Austin lost Artz, it would be sad, sad, sad, very sad indeed. Heed my warning, Austinites!!
When I was younger, I loved Artz for their ribs, but as I get more health conscious as I grow fatter and older, I now like their turkey and crisp slaw. Maybe it's not "THE BEST" bbq in Austin, but it's VERY GOOD, much better than average, and give a place a break, look how much competition there is out there in the Texas BBQ category, come on! We have never been dissatisfied with anything we've been served here (which is more than I can say for a lot of places I've seen highly praised on Yelp!)
Check their website for the music schedule, pick something you might enjoy, and come in for something fun and down-home Austiny with your dinner. (Don't worry, it's not LOUD live music, so it goes well with food.) I guarantee the experience adds a lot more something special and memorable to just the food, and makes for a great dinner date.
This is the kind of thing that makes me love our old Austin. Patronize them now before you have to listen to canned techno muzak pumped in over your dinner at a high rise condo's overpriced 'New American' restaurant for the rest of your Austin days. -
Review from Linda H.
Austin, TX
1/7/2012
Consistently great baby back ribs. Always good service.
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Review from Bob Z.
Austin, TX
12/27/2010
For a place called a Rib House, i think better ribs are required. Very mediocre ribs. Tried baby back, beef, and another now i can't recall. none of which is any good. The store itself was mostly empty when we went in, maybe that's the reason for the poor ribs. The meat is dry and slightly tough. the sauce is meh. the service is surprisingly slow considering the lack of action. But the waiter was friendly enough.
I ordered one time previously and took the ribs home and they were not very special from what i recalled. i had hopes that a meal in shop would be better. But apparently they just don't have the goods. -
Review from Michelann Q.
Austin, TX
Updated - 7/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I hadn't been to Artz in a while, and now I'm not sure what's up. The hub and I both ordered the country style ribs, and both our orders were dry, chewy, and overcooked. The bread was also dry and stale. We went early since we had the toddler in tow - it was almost as if we were served reheated leftovers. I'm hoping this was a glitch and not a trend.
Listed in: My 'hood, Gluttony or Sloth?, I want to go to there.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/1/2007
Artz is the perfect Austin joint. They have live music most of the week, usually folk-country… Read more »
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Review from Phil A.
Austin, TX
1/26/2011
Holy cow! I came to Yelp because I heard rumors that Artz had closed. I was blown away at the handful of 1-2 star reviews.
My wife and I have been to Artz on many occasions, frequently bringing out-of-towners here also. We've recently become almost vegetarians, but on the rare occasion, if we decide to go for meat, Artz baby back ribs is the choice.
Honestly, in all the times we've been here, I've never once had thoughts about poor service, and I can get really steamed over half-assed servers.
Okay you show up at the door with a few people waiting outside for a table (frequently the case... duh, must be because the food or service is so horrible??)... you expect to wait a few minutes to get your food.
Entertainment? Yeah, it's no A.C.L., just honest folkie/blugrass trying to be entertaining.. I don't always find the music mesmerizing, but I DO always appreciate the fact that Artz provides a venue for home-grown groups, and I always leave these hard-working musicians a tip.
Now.. on to the food. First of all... duh... you don't go to a RIBS house to get brisket or fried chicken. And any ribs aficianado will tell you there's only one kinda rib: baby back.. Just forget all the rest, order the baby backs and forget the rest.
We usually order a full rack each, eat half if we can, and take the rest home for a couple of day's meals afterwards. What better bargain is there? And how dare anyone compare the sad-assed tourist grub at the Salt Lick to these ribs? (They don't even serve baby backs at Salt Lick).
You don't order ribs for the sides, yet we always found all the sides to be as good as any other BBQ joint in town. Of course, you can just move the wonder bread off to the side, as in any other place in Texas.
Now, let's get to the best part... The Sweet Potato Pecan Pie. Why, oh why has no one else mentioned this incredible concoction? That pie with a big dollop of BlueBell is the final coup de grace!
The whole thing adds up to a huge artery-blocking fantasia, and the reason we only allow ourselves an Artz expedition about once every 8-10 months or so.
But when we do decide to go, there is always much anticipation, followed by overloaded taste buds!
I won't comment on the socio-political issues regarding their back taxes, responsibilities to employees, or any other other elements not directly related to the enjoyment of the best damn baby back ribs in the country.
I'll leave the other issues to those who would rather spend their time whining than enjoying a great meal! -
Review from Nancy P.
8/26/2010
When I first arrived in Austin, everyone wanted to take me out to eat for either BBQ or Mexican. It got to the point that I wanted to touch neither within a month.
A Co-worker invited me to her Aunt's 85th birthday party. Once there I found out they were having BBQ. So I start planning my escape. Her Aunt wouildn't let me go, so I sat down for yuck more BBQ. Then WOW, this was good BBQ. It was Artz's. To this day, many years later, I still don't do much BBQ except Artz's.
I made the long trip down to South Lamar, and Yes, I did my usual wrong exit. Drove around downtown until I found Lamar again.
Don't go expecting anything fancy. The parking lot is a land mine full of potholes. The building looks like it should be condemmed. The interior is dark and dingy. The furniture should be tossed in the trash.
The service, well, it been a long time since I ate in. It was slow. But when ordering take out, you sit at the bar and service is fast.
Oh, my baby backs are so tender and flavorful. I don't add the extra sauce they give you. These are to die for.
The sides, meh, I remember them being better. The potato salad tastes sour. Not mayo gone bad but more like they add vineger to it. Not my style. The slaw is okay, nothing special. This is the only resaon Artz's doesn't get five stars.
I will go back and get more baby backs and maybe some sausage next time.
Ordered my Baby Backs and a pint of Potato and cole slaw, To Go. -
Review from Ahlennah B.
Los Angeles, CA
3/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great beef ribs! AMAZING pecan sweet potatoe pie! I am no bbq expert by any stretch, but I really enjoyed the flavor of the meat and there was just the right hint of sauce on the ribs.
the salad was amazingly fresh! i wasn't expecting much from a ribs joint in the greens department, but it was excellent! crisp, delicious greenleaf and fresh cucumbers!
We got the baby back ribs and an order of the beef ribs - between those two, it was more than enough for the two of us. both were delicious, but the beef ribs were especially good. sauce comes on the side, too, if you like more of that. -
Review from Kurt G.
Austin, TX
10/8/2009
A tale of two sittings.
I have been to Artz twice, the first time I waited for 30 minutes with 8 people, had dinner, good service, it was all better than average bbq. The second time I walked right in with a friend for lunch, ordered the South Austin Cheeseburger, waited 40 minutes for our food, they brought out meatloaf, took it back, waited 15 more minutes.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
At night with live music, beer, and good enough bbq everything average about Artz seems ok. When you go in at lunch with a business associate and your food takes an hour and the air conditioner drips on you while eating (it actually dripped in the middle of a guys plate at the table next to me) average would have been a big improvement.
A dickens of a cheeseburger.
After ordering ribs on my first visit and finding they weren't as good as what I cook at home, we were determined to order the South Austin Cheeseburger (all the way). Jalapenos, grilled onions, cheese, tomato, lettuce, mustard. It was as good as the green chili cheeseburger at Shady Grove, maybe better. -
Review from Amber J.
Austin, TX
7/4/2010
Where to begin. Apparently this is not a place you want to go when there is any sort of crowd. But there really wasn't a crowd. There was about a 20-minute wait on the 4th of July ... and they were apparently understaffed, as they didn't think they would be busy. I would say poor planning on their part.
Our party was a small party of two and when we were seated the hostess asked for our drink order. We both ordered waters. As we were being seated the table behind us was getting their meal. We waited 5 minutes...10 minutes...15 minutes...without our beverages. About 20 minutes after being seated and no one speaking to us we flagged down one of the waiters and asked him for our waters. We waited 5 minutes ... 10 minutes before a waitress finally came and took our order. She did apologize for the wait. Finally, after our food order was put in we received our water ... it was right around that time that the table behind us was finishing their meal. We waited their entire meal before even receiving our drinks.
The food did come out relatively fast (way faster than the water). We both ordered the chopped beef sandwich. The beef seemed to be more of chunked beef than chopped beef. And it desperately needed more sauce. However, we were not spoken to again until halfway through the sandwich. At that point by the time the extra sauce made it to us we would have already completed the meal. The potato salad was more like mashed potatoes attempting to be turned into potato salad. Real potato salad should have chunks of potatoes and be COLD (in my opinion). As far as the sandwich I have to say it was more stick to your teeth than stick to your ribs.
I left feeling unsatisfied by the food and alarmed by the service. I don't recommend eating here anytime soon. -
Review from Bernadette D.
Austin, TX
12/19/2009
Once upon a time, I didn't like ribs. I thought it to be lame. I journeyed to Austin, now I love ribs. I live happily ever after. THE END. Oh wait let me continue with a story.
MMM...ribs. I went here for lunch and the place wasn't that packed. The food was decent and the ribs were awesome. The sides were okay and the service was decent. -
Review from Nicole A.
Austin, TX
8/12/2011
If only no stars were an option...
I took my out of town friend to Artz rib house last Sunday. We were starving after our long kayak trip down ladybird lake. I'd never been to Artz myself and was eager to try something new. I can't say I'll ever go back. First, the entry way smelled like farts. Then, as soon as we adjusted in our wobbly chairs, the HEATER came on. It was only 108 degrees outside...Why use the A/C?
I decide to get the brisket and she gets the pork ribs. We figure we will trade each other half and half so we can each try both entrees. I get my plate, which came complete with soggy beans, wheat bread and potato salad. I tasted my brisket, which was dryer than the desert and chewier than gum. I am instantly disappointed. After she tasted my brisket she didn't take another bite. Luckily we agreed on the entree swap BEFORE our meals arrived, so I got to have 3 of her pork ribs. They weren't the worst I've ever had. The potato salad was probably the only acceptable item on my plate. I felt fairly embarrassed for bringing my friend to this joint. We both left hungry.
Honestly, I was absolutely shocked there were many decent reviews regarding this place. Hasn't anyone ever been to Rudy's? Now THAT'S great BBQ. -
Review from Shani S.
2/5/2009
As a concerned Austinite who wants to do her best to support local businesses, when I saw that Artz was in a bit of a jam, I told myself, "Self, if we're ever down South for lunch, it's Artz's we'll be trying!"
I am pretty good about listening to myself most of the time, so after attending another ridiculous training, a co-worker and I headed on over to give it a try.
It was Tuesday.
The special was beef ribs.
They were ok, but I have had better many, many times over and they were barely lukewarm and quite dry.
The potato salad was tasteless.
The coleslaw was tasteless.
The waitstaff was simply awful; we ran out of our drinks and never got refills, nobody ever checked on us... it was awful.
Gee, wonder why they are in trouble....?
I did my part to support a local business and I won't be back. -
Review from Emily P.
5/21/2009
OK, you know that restaurant where you can pretty much expect bad, slow service, but the food is so good you can't resist? ok, that's Artz.
I swear, I had already warned my brother that the service was horrible, but that still didn't prepare us. Our waiter carried our tea around (we could see him the whole time) asking other patrons if they needed anything....even at one point going to get something for them while still holding our teas....seriously, it took him like 5 minutes to get to our table with our tea! by the end of it, we were laughing because it was so ridiculous.
So we get our ribs....deliciousness....I love their friday special of spare ribs, but they were out because we were a little later that night and so we shared a full rack of baby back ribs with sides....i love it all. their barbeque sauce may be the best i've ever tasted, seriously. It reminds me of the place we used to go to out by the strip in Lubbock when I was little. Their cole slaw is vinegar based instead of mayo, so it's more refreshing than heavy....their potato salad is delish and they serve it with onion and pickles (really, are there people out there who can eat bbq and NOT need these two items???....I could eat almost half a raw onion in the course of this meal....and those pickles are addicting)
Their beans....ah, the beans.....and this is coming from someone who up until about 3 years ago, wouldn't eat beans.....but I love Artz beans.
We ended up getting up after waiting for about 10 minutes with empty plates in front of us....I just walked up to our waiter and handed him our debit cards since it didn't look like he was ever going to return, but that's Artz. He said he was sorry...and I know they're busy. Thing is, I think they do a lot of plating and drink preparation instead of that being separate at most restaurants. Believe me, I don't think they're lazy servers....maybe they just have too many obligations to be attentive? We said "it's cool"...waited for him to come back with the receipts and left with a full stomach.
Eventhough service is slow....really slow....i've never had a rude server....it's really kind of like you're eating bbq at someone's house....I've even been tempted to jump up and refill my own glass at times....
but believe me.....you will leave happy....regardless....because their food is sooooo damn tasty. -
Review from Chris B.
Austin, TX
1/30/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Artz is one of the best BBQ joints in all of Central Texas..
Ive been a loyal customer for over 15 years.... I hope to make it another 15 -
Review from Olivia G.
Austin, TX
5/21/2008
I f-ing LOVE Artz. In fact, you can either curse them or thank them for being one of the deciding factors in my and my husband's decision to move to Austin.
We went there on a Monday and got their plate of the day which consisted of two (or three?) ribs the size of my forearm, the most delectable potato salad and rootin' tootin' baked beans for about $7 bucks. Best.Ribs.Ever.
The broken windows, slightly surly waitstaff and dilapidated building only added to the experience and we decided then and there to pack up and move South.
Thank you Artz, your ribs will always hold a place in my (probably overworked from eating too many of your mouthwatering ribs) heart. -
Review from Mike B.
Seattle, WA
5/11/2010
I'm shocked to be writing this review after reading so many good ones for Artz. Dad and I tried Artz on a weeknight, maybe 7 cars in the lot, no one waiting when we walked in.
Now this might be the type of local's place that you ignore the "Please wait to be seated" sign and just seat yourself, but being our first visit I decided to heed the sign. Mistake. We stood for ten minutes waiting to be seated in a room full of empty tables. Three servers walked by us, looking at us and not saying a word. Was this the "not born in Austin" test?
Finally, we seated ourselves, only to endure another ten minutes of walk-bys and not a speck of service. I finally asked one of the passing servers if we could get some menus. The male server then had to have a discussion with a female server as to who was going to get the table as we had obviously set at her table but asked him for menus. Boy lucky us, HE took our table!
We quickly learned that this Brian Posehn clone server had three modes of operation, "Slow", "Disinterested", and "Doesn't want to be here".
Now, since my reading, meditating and sincere contemplation of the Tao, Wayne Dyer and Eckhart Tolle, my increased levels of patience, denial of ego, and lowered levels of "I'm ready to beat the hell out of somebody" have made my life much more enjoyable. All of that was now in jeopardy as I had entered Artz for some great ribs and now I'm contemplating just walking out or start turning tables over to get some service.
Oddly, the snail pace service gave me time to contemplate Art'z as a whole. Quite frankly, the interior is disgusting. From the blackened, filthy ceiling tiles around the air vents, showing you exactly what's blowing down on you and your food, to the dead flies and brown withered plant on the window sill next to our table, this place needs more than a coat of paint.
Finally, an order is made and arrives at our table amazing quickly. The full rack of baby-back pork ribs was HUGE and my dad's pork ribs were VERY large. I'm not a huge fan of dry ribs but these were in fact pretty tasty.
Now, you bring me five pounds of dry ribs and put one small silver cup of sauce on my plate, maybe 1 ounce! Really? Nope, no squeeze bottles of sauce on the tables either. Looks like someone is trying to save money on sauce. Yes, I ask Brian robot clone for more sauce, and shockingly brings 2 cups of sauce, wow! Their sauce is not to my liking either, very watery and tomatoey, reminding me more of European ketchup than barbecue sauce.
We, and the table next to us, spent the rest of our meals swiping flies off our food, bodies and off the table. Flies everywhere.
Enough said. We won't be back. Maybe we just got Art'z on a bad night, in every conceivable way. Yes, Keep Austin Weird, but please keep the flies and air conditioner gunk out of my food while doing it. -
Review from Ardie S.
7/12/2008
Artz. What good is BBQ without decent sides? I guess someone forgot to tell Art that. Oh yeah, and the BBQ isn't even that great.
I went here about a year ago to meet up with some friends after work to hear Carolyn Wonderland and Shelley King. That was the best part of the night, other than the beer. I was warned ahead of time about the sides. I thought about eating someplace else, but decided it couldn't be all that bad.
Back to the food. Potato Salad and Cole Slaw. The difference is that the Potato Salad is chunky and nasty and the Cole Slaw is stringy and nasty. Should've asked for the BBQ without sides. The brisket was OK, but just OK. The sausage casing needed a chain saw, perhaps you could call it "sawsage".
I'm trying to think if there is worse BBQ in Austin. There is, and it landed me in South Austin Hospital for three days. Thankfully, Artz food isn't toxic to your system, it's just hard to forget..
Go here for cold beer and good music, but skip the food. -
Review from Abi T.
Nashville, TN
9/12/2008
My favorite BBQ in Austin!
It's precisely run-down and sunken-in with additions on every side, a tin roof and red and white checkered table cloths. I'll often see local celebrities digging in to heaped up plates, but I always run into friends there, too. Music is down home folk and country and blues and darn good.
For the food, it's really hard for me to get anything other than the Country Style Pork Ribs, I just love them so much. They are more like giant pork chops than ribs, and even the small is enough for dinner and lunch the next day. Some folks want all sorts of options for sides, but I'm all about the lack of choice. Art thinks potato salad, cole slaw and pinto beans go best with his ribs, and I agree. The slaw is especially good, more on the vinegar side than the mayo. BBQ Sauce is on the side and a little spicy, not too sweet. Wash it all down with a Shiner Bock, save a little room for Sweet Potato Pecan Pie or Banana Pudding and you have had the full experience. You'll smell like a smokehouse when you leave, and everyone you meet for the rest of the day will start to salivate.Listed in: Restaurants I love..., My Austin Recommendations
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Review from Noelle G.
Austin, TX
9/13/2009
Stopped in on a weekday with my husband, and was pleasantly surprised. We were seated immediately. There was a band setting up which made be a bit nervous because I hate having to yell over dinner, but the music was very nice, and not obtrusive at all.
I ordered the Jumbo Beef Ribs and felt just like I was eating a slab of dinosaur from the Flinstone's. The sides were fine, but it was the potato salad that I wished I'd had more of. If I go back, and Im sure I will, I'll be sure to order a double portion.
My husband ordered a hamburger with green chiles, and thought it was OK. I was too busy trying to finish off my ribs to pay attention to his plate, and frankly so was he! I'd definitely get ribs again, but maybe a more manageable baby back rib.
I also felt like it was very reasonably priced for what we ate. We both had big meals and beers, and it came out to under $30. -
Review from Omar Z.
8/9/2009
Oh Artz, we almost lost you....I admit, I did not make it to the benefit event at Scholtz's but it was only because I had a newborn at the time.
I am forever true to the BEST ribs in Texas.
While there is a full selection of BBQ, I believe the pit at Artz is optimized for the beef ribs. Beef Ribs are the fattiest BBQ choice, for sure, but you get a lot of tasty meat here at Artz. They don't have the "all you can eat" mass produced meat by the ton shtick here. You almost feel that the pit master labors over each cut of ribs by hand and with attention. So the quality shows.
The baby back ribs are outstanding here. Meat falls off the bone.
In past lives there have been vegetarian girlfriends (gasp!) in the picture. And they can eat at Artz too! The token grilled veggie plate and veggie burger are only worth mentioning because they have saved a few relationships down the road.
Let's talk sides: Beans and bread are served as a matter of tradition. You don't have to fill up on them. The potato salad is outstanding and you'd be wise to pour some sauce over them and chow down, but make sure it isn't filling up your "meat stomach".
The sauce: tangy, mildly spiced, slightly sweet. I love it.
The last time I went, they did some kind of South Austin BBQ taco which was a special I think. It was cool!
I love the cobbler. It's unique. If you're married to a biscuity vision of cobbler, please execute the divorce papers now. This is a bit different. It's almost like a moist yet solid bread pudding that really shines a la mode.
Artz is also a music venue, which is swell. A while back, I was watching what looked like an informal group of old dudes doing some hot country jamming. I didn't realize until later that the steel player, Bert Rivera was a legend.
Many people are religious about brisket. This won't be your favorite place for that. What I've had is a tad dry, but I won't dock the fifth star, because, damn it, this is Artz Rib House.
Yeah. -
Review from Rebekah W.
Seattle, WA
11/28/2007
Maybe I ordered the wrong thing or maybe it was a bad night, but my meal was awful. We took my dad to Artz tonight, and we all ordered the Country Style Pork Ribs. Mine and my dad's were charred and chewy. I almost sent them back. The cole slaw, potato salad and beans were standard. Not bad, but not great either. The bread pudding was mediocre.
Despite the disappointing meal, I'd go back to try the baby back ribs.
Edit:
We went back on a Friday night about a month ago. The service was bad. We waited a while for a table and they weren't very busy. Then we were ignored by our server most of the evening. He seemed annoyed that he actually had to be helpful.
I had the chicken this time. It was really good and enough food for two. My boyfriend got the pork ribs again, and they were much better this time.
We shared the cobbler for dessert and, like the pecan pie, it wasn't great. It was like something you'd buy frozen at the grocery store. -
Review from Sarah C.
10/18/2008
Cheap = Good.
Inconsistency = Bad.
Burger = Two thumbs up
Brisket = Negative amount of thumbs
Better burgers than brisket and sausage? What the HELL?! I thought you were a Barbecue joint?! I feel robbed.
This place is OK if the place next door happens to have a line and you don't feel like waiting in it. You suddenly see that Artz's doesn't have a line so you suggest going over there. You eat a delicious meal and say to yourself.."self, why did we not come here earlier?!" You vow to never again forget about this place. You make a mental note.
A few weeks later you go back to your old friend who pleasantly surprised you happily looking forward to devouring the BBQ goodness.
Then, SURPRISE!!
This old friend fails you. Fails you hard. You become bitter and realize why you live your life like a hermit. The second you peek out of your shell the sad, bitter world (in this case bad, BAD BBQ) bites you in the ass and then makes you pay for it. -
Review from Stu R.
8/3/2010 1 Check-in Here
The ribs are soooooooo mediocre. The sauce is kinda funky. Chairs are all sorts of busted and uncomfortable to sit on. Service is friendly... maybe a bit apathetic. I couldn't wait to leave to get away from the live music singer/songwriter action they had going on...
Can't really recommend anything here. -
Review from L H.
Austin, TX
10/16/2008
There's the girl you are head over heels in love with and then there's the girl you really like.
I really like Artz. The cheesy live music acts just add to the appeal. It's sort of like listening to your Uncle Joe play some tunes he just learned on the banjo. Or that fancy Eastern European stringed instrument he bought on E-Bay. Folks, always remember to bring a few extra cash dollars for them.
Anyway, the best thing about Artz of course is the country pork ribs. I have had pork tenderloin that wasn't this delicious. They are huge and meaty and juicy and just sooooo good. If you order the three meat combo you will be surprised when you get a huge plate of meat, sausage, and then these two enormous slabs show up, but you just have to eat them...
If the Salt Lick had never appeared on the map, I would have bestowed upon Artz 5 stars. Artz is the girl you call after the girl you want says no. Artz is the girl who always says yes.
