Our first visit but won’t be our last!After a LOT of research we made our way to Interstellar on Sunday. We had read that queues can be long and that sometimes when you get to the front items have run out, so we decided to do the waiting earlier in the day to ensure we were sorted.We arrived at 9am and were first in the line so were able to have some great chats with the staff (in particular how they had weathered the storm the previous night ensuring all smokers were tended to so that we could eat today!).It did not take long for others to arrive and by 11am the queue was LONG and the anticipation was building! Once the doors were opened (by John Bates, no less!), we ordered Half a pound of Brisket, Peach Tea Glazed Pork Belly, Half a pound of Pulled Lamb Shoulder, Smoked Scalloped Potatoes, Mac & Cheese, Jalapeno Slaw, Banana Pudding and Mexican Chocolate Rice Pudding.From the first bite we knew why this restaurant is currently Texas Monthly’s #2 for the state - it truly is next level!The brisket is amazing and the pork belly bites well, let’s just say I will still be talking about those for some time - they were that memorable!! And the sides and deserts were also in a class of their own. In particular, the potatoes are not what you’d expect at a standard barbecue joint, they were creamy and seriously so delicious and the Banana Pudding - I just wished we’d ordered two so I had even more to take home!Whilst we were eating we were visited by the man himself, John Bates, and he genuinely was interested in how we liked our meal and also discussed our travels. I thought it was a nice touch that he said hi to all his customers and took time out of his day to do so.With very full bellies and our leftovers packed up, we left having absolutely no doubt that we will return one day - although I expect the lines will be even longer next time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jalapeno Slaw, Smoked Scalloped Potatoes, Lamb Shoulder, Banana Pudding, Moist Brisket, Gouda Mac and Cheese
Sergio Manrique
After eating here I was able to see why Interstellar BBQ is Texas Monthly #2 BBQ joint – it's an oasis where the flavors of Texas take you on a cosmic joyride through smoked perfection.From the get-go, John, the owner, greeted us like old friends, tipping his hat to his stellar team. It's refreshing to see a boss who knows that a huge factor of his success comes from his great team.That first bite of brisket? It's like a Texas time warp, where Willie Nelson serenades and oak smoke fills the air. And those ribs? They were so tender and packed with flavor.The lamb taco was an intergalactic dream, perfectly smoked lamb on a fresh and warm flour tortilla. Topped with cilantro, onion, and salsa: it was perfect.But the real star of the show? The Scalloped Potatoes. Each bite's a flavor explosion that'll have you saying, "OMG, this is damn good!"Don't skip the Mexican Hot Chocolate Rice Pudding. It's like a warm hug from grandma – comforting and incredibly delicious. Top 3 BBQ dessert for me.With five smokers smack dab in the parking lot. It's a scene straight out of a Texas dream.Interstellar BBQ isn't just a restaurant; it's a cosmic escape for your taste buds. So kick back, order your perfect BBQ tray, and get ready for a flavor trip you won't soon forget. Cheers to you, Interstellar BBQ! I can’t wait to be back!
sat in a line for 2 hrs; bbq culture in Central TX has become a craze! anyway, me & my wife got peach pork belly, brisket, pork ribs, beef kielbasa sausage, cream corn, mac n cheese, mexican hot chocolate rice pudding, sweet tea, potatoes, and butterscotch blondie.things I liked: sausage, pork belly, ribs. these were, imo, the stand-out dishes.things I felt so-so about: sweet tea & butterscotch blondie (they were both almost too sweet for me — which says a lot; I’m from Texas!). mexican hot choc rice pudding (there’s no cayenne pepper, so would more accurately be an oreo choc rice pudding; it let us down w/ the name!). brisket (was a bit too salty).things I didn’t like: corn (it was flavorless!). mac n cheese (just a wet noodle/flavorless as well!). potatoes (bland!).maybe I went on a bad day. because it’s a bit of a trip for me & I wasn’t quite blown away, I likely won’t return, but I’m glad I finally tried it!
Food: 3
Service: 3
Aiden Smith
The employees here make 0 effort to move the line forward and have 0 sense of urgency. The BBQ is fine, nothing out of this world (lol). Very expensive for the taste but that’s standard in Austin.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
MadMax
Took my BFF and her hubby who were visiting us from FL to try one of the best BBQs in Texas. The BBQ was absolutely WOWed our guests. The bonus was we had the great honor to talk to Mr Warren McDonald ( aka War Dog) who shared the touching story of the birth of an amazing local business. Th story is truly a reflection of American traditional value in community support and Texans’ selflessness and kindness. Highly recommended Interstellar bbq. All the waiting in long line is absolutely worth it.Vegetarian options: Best salad ever, especially Tomato/zucchini salad is so refreshing and tasty!
Drove from wichita falls tx to eat there..nope!!!Was in line at 1 told us at 120 that by the time we got to the counter they were gonna be out of everything.Pissssssss pooooorrrrrrWE LIVE ELSE WHERE!!!!
Chris schaeffer
First time visiting Austin, stopped in for lunch. Hour wait in line when they opened, but the food I worth the wait, everything we ordered was amazingly good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Smoked Scalloped Potatoes, Ribs, Gouda Mac and Cheese
Alex Doe
The greatest BBQ in ALL of Texas. You can’t go wrong with any dish, side, desert, or drink you order! We are talking authentic Texas BBQ with the most amazing twists on the sides. This and snows are all that matter! Personally talked with chef John Bates today while eating. Dude went out his way to check on the folks in his spot, turned out to be a nice chat about the heritage of Texas bbq, innovation and fun while keeping it REAL! Man, John if you see this, much love brother! -Alex
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
recan777
It is an excellent BBQ place, but is not worth the hype.I arrived at 1130 and did not get to order until 1345 and we were told that people were waiting at the door since 0900. Waiting 2 hours for this BBQ is not worth it. If you can get here when there is a short line then you should go but if that is not the case then I recommend you go somewhere else. Also parking can be hard to find. Besides that everything on the menu was delicious except the sausage, that is the one thing I do not recommend.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pudding, Pork Ribs, Rice Pudding, Lamb Shoulder, Banana Pudding, Moist Brisket, Ribs, Mac and Cheese, Gouda Mac and Cheese
Long wait but WORTH IT. Arrived at 11:30 AM on a Friday & didn’t get to the counter to order until 1 PM. I’d advise you to get there at 11 AM because by 1:40 PM they started running out of their top items like brisket & scalloped potatoes. We got the absolute last serving of brisket at 1:30 PM & there would be little sense of waiting in line with most of the menu sold out. Vegetarian sides are fantastic including the zucchini salad and mac & cheese. Pro tip: the Slackers brewery in the same retail complex sells beers & wine to go which is a nice way to pass the wait time.Vegetarian options: Zucchini and Mac and Cheese were both outstandingParking: Free parking lot in the broader retail shoppingKid-friendliness: Have high chairs available for kids
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Tomato Zucchini Salad, Smoked Scalloped Potatoes, Rice Pudding, Moist Brisket, Scallop Potatoes, Mac and Cheese, Chopped Brisket
Rocky Kwan
You gotta come early, they sell out very fast. The must try is the pork belly
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Sama
The food was incredible and the staff were all so helpful and friendly. Had the pork belly and the pulled lamb and both were outstanding! Totally worth the wait in line and can’t wait to go back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 2meats 2 Sides, Smoked Scalloped Potatoes, Lamb Shoulder, Mac and Cheese
Our first visit but won’t be our last!After a LOT of research we made our way to Interstellar on Sunday. We had read that queues can be long and that sometimes when you get to the front items have run out, so we decided to do the waiting earlier in the day to ensure we were sorted.We arrived at 9am and were first in the line so were able to have some great chats with the staff (in particular how they had weathered the storm the previous night ensuring all smokers were tended to so that we could eat today!).It did not take long for others to arrive and by 11am the queue was LONG and the anticipation was building! Once the doors were opened (by John Bates, no less!), we ordered Half a pound of Brisket, Peach Tea Glazed Pork Belly, Half a pound of Pulled Lamb Shoulder, Smoked Scalloped Potatoes, Mac & Cheese, Jalapeno Slaw, Banana Pudding and Mexican Chocolate Rice Pudding.From the first bite we knew why this restaurant is currently Texas Monthly’s #2 for the state - it truly is next level!The brisket is amazing and the pork belly bites well, let’s just say I will still be talking about those for some time - they were that memorable!! And the sides and deserts were also in a class of their own. In particular, the potatoes are not what you’d expect at a standard barbecue joint, they were creamy and seriously so delicious and the Banana Pudding - I just wished we’d ordered two so I had even more to take home!Whilst we were eating we were visited by the man himself, John Bates, and he genuinely was interested in how we liked our meal and also discussed our travels. I thought it was a nice touch that he said hi to all his customers and took time out of his day to do so.With very full bellies and our leftovers packed up, we left having absolutely no doubt that we will return one day - although I expect the lines will be even longer next time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jalapeno Slaw, Smoked Scalloped Potatoes, Lamb Shoulder, Banana Pudding, Moist Brisket, Gouda Mac and Cheese
After eating here I was able to see why Interstellar BBQ is Texas Monthly #2 BBQ joint – it's an oasis where the flavors of Texas take you on a cosmic joyride through smoked perfection.From the get-go, John, the owner, greeted us like old friends, tipping his hat to his stellar team. It's refreshing to see a boss who knows that a huge factor of his success comes from his great team.That first bite of brisket? It's like a Texas time warp, where Willie Nelson serenades and oak smoke fills the air. And those ribs? They were so tender and packed with flavor.The lamb taco was an intergalactic dream, perfectly smoked lamb on a fresh and warm flour tortilla. Topped with cilantro, onion, and salsa: it was perfect.But the real star of the show? The Scalloped Potatoes. Each bite's a flavor explosion that'll have you saying, "OMG, this is damn good!"Don't skip the Mexican Hot Chocolate Rice Pudding. It's like a warm hug from grandma – comforting and incredibly delicious. Top 3 BBQ dessert for me.With five smokers smack dab in the parking lot. It's a scene straight out of a Texas dream.Interstellar BBQ isn't just a restaurant; it's a cosmic escape for your taste buds. So kick back, order your perfect BBQ tray, and get ready for a flavor trip you won't soon forget. Cheers to you, Interstellar BBQ! I can’t wait to be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pudding, Pork Ribs, Smoked Scalloped Potatoes, Moist Brisket, Ribs
Awesome Food but only issue is, brisket finishes too early.. ????we specifically went for that..
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Pork Ribs, Banana Pudding, Ribs
sat in a line for 2 hrs; bbq culture in Central TX has become a craze! anyway, me & my wife got peach pork belly, brisket, pork ribs, beef kielbasa sausage, cream corn, mac n cheese, mexican hot chocolate rice pudding, sweet tea, potatoes, and butterscotch blondie.things I liked: sausage, pork belly, ribs. these were, imo, the stand-out dishes.things I felt so-so about: sweet tea & butterscotch blondie (they were both almost too sweet for me — which says a lot; I’m from Texas!). mexican hot choc rice pudding (there’s no cayenne pepper, so would more accurately be an oreo choc rice pudding; it let us down w/ the name!). brisket (was a bit too salty).things I didn’t like: corn (it was flavorless!). mac n cheese (just a wet noodle/flavorless as well!). potatoes (bland!).maybe I went on a bad day. because it’s a bit of a trip for me & I wasn’t quite blown away, I likely won’t return, but I’m glad I finally tried it!
Food: 3
Service: 3
The employees here make 0 effort to move the line forward and have 0 sense of urgency. The BBQ is fine, nothing out of this world (lol). Very expensive for the taste but that’s standard in Austin.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Took my BFF and her hubby who were visiting us from FL to try one of the best BBQs in Texas. The BBQ was absolutely WOWed our guests. The bonus was we had the great honor to talk to Mr Warren McDonald ( aka War Dog) who shared the touching story of the birth of an amazing local business. Th story is truly a reflection of American traditional value in community support and Texans’ selflessness and kindness. Highly recommended Interstellar bbq. All the waiting in long line is absolutely worth it.Vegetarian options: Best salad ever, especially Tomato/zucchini salad is so refreshing and tasty!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Smoked Scalloped Potatoes, Jalapeño Sausage, Moist Brisket
Drove from wichita falls tx to eat there..nope!!!Was in line at 1 told us at 120 that by the time we got to the counter they were gonna be out of everything.Pissssssss pooooorrrrrrWE LIVE ELSE WHERE!!!!
First time visiting Austin, stopped in for lunch. Hour wait in line when they opened, but the food I worth the wait, everything we ordered was amazingly good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Smoked Scalloped Potatoes, Ribs, Gouda Mac and Cheese
The greatest BBQ in ALL of Texas. You can’t go wrong with any dish, side, desert, or drink you order! We are talking authentic Texas BBQ with the most amazing twists on the sides. This and snows are all that matter! Personally talked with chef John Bates today while eating. Dude went out his way to check on the folks in his spot, turned out to be a nice chat about the heritage of Texas bbq, innovation and fun while keeping it REAL! Man, John if you see this, much love brother! -Alex
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It is an excellent BBQ place, but is not worth the hype.I arrived at 1130 and did not get to order until 1345 and we were told that people were waiting at the door since 0900. Waiting 2 hours for this BBQ is not worth it. If you can get here when there is a short line then you should go but if that is not the case then I recommend you go somewhere else. Also parking can be hard to find. Besides that everything on the menu was delicious except the sausage, that is the one thing I do not recommend.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pudding, Pork Ribs, Rice Pudding, Lamb Shoulder, Banana Pudding, Moist Brisket, Ribs, Mac and Cheese, Gouda Mac and Cheese
Restaurantji Recommends
Long lines. Place order ahead of time.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Pork Ribs, Banana Pudding, Ribs
Long wait but WORTH IT. Arrived at 11:30 AM on a Friday & didn’t get to the counter to order until 1 PM. I’d advise you to get there at 11 AM because by 1:40 PM they started running out of their top items like brisket & scalloped potatoes. We got the absolute last serving of brisket at 1:30 PM & there would be little sense of waiting in line with most of the menu sold out. Vegetarian sides are fantastic including the zucchini salad and mac & cheese. Pro tip: the Slackers brewery in the same retail complex sells beers & wine to go which is a nice way to pass the wait time.Vegetarian options: Zucchini and Mac and Cheese were both outstandingParking: Free parking lot in the broader retail shoppingKid-friendliness: Have high chairs available for kids
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Tomato Zucchini Salad, Smoked Scalloped Potatoes, Rice Pudding, Moist Brisket, Scallop Potatoes, Mac and Cheese, Chopped Brisket
You gotta come early, they sell out very fast. The must try is the pork belly
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
The food was incredible and the staff were all so helpful and friendly. Had the pork belly and the pulled lamb and both were outstanding! Totally worth the wait in line and can’t wait to go back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 2meats 2 Sides, Smoked Scalloped Potatoes, Lamb Shoulder, Mac and Cheese
Long wait but the best BBQ I've ever had.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4