TV Restaurants

Is La Barbecue Still Open? Best Thing I Ever Ate Update (Austin, TX)

Open verified

As of September 2026, La Barbecue is open — confirmed via the restaurant's current website/social account, accessed November 12, 2024.

Primary source
Wikipedia ·
Secondary source
labarbecue.com ·

Last verified

What the source shows: Wikipedia cites a Michelin star awarded in November 2024 and continued 2024 press coverage, and the restaurant's own site, checked 2026-09-08, showed live hours, an active Toast online-ordering link, and recent Google reviews.

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What happened after Best Thing I Ever Ate?

"Best Thing I Ever Ate" featured La Barbecue's Texas-style smoked brisket in the "Worth the Wait" episode (S8E1), spotlighting the line that regularly forms outside the East Austin restaurant. La Barbecue was established in 2012 on East Cesar Chavez Street in Austin, Texas, originally opened by pitmaster LeAnn Mueller. According to Wikipedia, the restaurant received a Michelin star in November 2024 (Texas Monthly, 2024-11-12), and Eater Austin reported on 2024-10-04 that Dua Lipa dined there during ACL Music Festival. According to KSAT-TV (2023-10-10), a former employee sued the restaurant following a workplace injury, in a case tied to a 2022 indictment of owners Ali Clem and LeAnn Mueller over a backdated insurance policy. Eater Portland reported on 2025-06-13 that a sibling restaurant, Lil' Barbecue, was planned for Portland, Oregon. As checked on 2026-09-08, La Barbecue's own website listed current hours, an active online-ordering system, and recent Google customer reviews.

This episode's Austin segment returned to La Barbecue, spotlighting its Central Texas-style smoked brisket and sausage served from its East Cesar Chavez Street location. According to the restaurant's own website, La Barbecue also offers catering for private and corporate events.

Featured on Best Thing I Ever Ate

Season / episode
Season 8, Episode 1
Original air date
Not confirmed
Episode title
Worth the Wait
What was featured
Texas-style smoked brisket and BBQ platter
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
La Barbecue
Season / episode
Season 14, Episode 12
Original air date
Not confirmed
Episode title
Tasty Traditions
What was featured
Central Texas smoked brisket and housemade sausage
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
La Barbecue

Frequently asked questions

Is La Barbecue still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, La Barbecue is open — confirmed via the restaurant's current website/social account, accessed November 12, 2024.

What happened to La Barbecue after Best Thing I Ever Ate?

"Best Thing I Ever Ate" featured La Barbecue's Texas-style smoked brisket in the "Worth the Wait" episode (S8E1), spotlighting the line that regularly forms outside the East Austin restaurant. As of September 2026, La Barbecue is open — confirmed via the restaurant's current website/social account, accessed November 12, 2024.

Where is La Barbecue located?

2401 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate featured La Barbecue?

Season 8, Episode 1 of Best Thing I Ever Ate. The episode is titled “Worth the Wait”.

What do reviews say since Best Thing I Ever Ate?

As checked on 2026-09-08, La Barbecue's own website listed current hours, an active online-ordering system, and recent Google customer reviews. We summarise what dated sources report; we do not publish our own rating.

Every status on this site carries a confidence label and a date, and names the source it rests on. Read the Editorial & Corrections Policy for what each label means and how quickly we act on corrections. The questions above are generated from this record's own published fields — we never publish a question we cannot answer from the data.

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Visit info

Address
2401 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
Venue type
restaurant
Official website
labarbecue.com

Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

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