TV Restaurants

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

Best Thing I Ever Ate, Season 8 Austin, Texas

Current status

Open

As of October 2026, La Barbecue is open — confirmed via Wikipedia, November 12, 2024.

What the source shows: A fresh check found La Barbecue's own site (labarbecue.com), Yelp (updated September 2026), OpenTable, and Facebook all showing current hours and active operation at 2401 E Cesar Chavez, Austin, consistent with the prior Michelin-cited verified status. How we decide a status →

What happened after Best Thing I Ever Ate? 2 episodes

Best Thing I Ever Ate, Season 8, Episode 1

"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.

Food Paradise, Season 14, Episode 12

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.

The episodes Best Thing I Ever Ate

Episode 1
Air date not confirmed
Title: Worth the Wait · What was featured: Texas-style smoked brisket and BBQ platter
Food Paradise, Season 14, Episode 12
Air date not confirmed
Title: Tasty Traditions · What was featured: Central Texas smoked brisket and housemade sausage

Also in Season 8 Best Thing I Ever Ate

Season 8: 63 of 80 still open · 5 renamed, moved or under new owners

All 13 Season 8 episodes →

Nearest restaurants By distance from 2401 E Cesar Chavez St

  • Juan in a Million

    Austin, TX 0.1 mi away

    Man v. Food

    Open

  • Kemur Tatsu-Ya

    Austin, TX 0.3 mi away

    Best Thing I Ever Ate

    Open

  • Launderette

    Austin, TX 0.4 mi away

    Best Thing I Ever Ate

    Open

  • Suerte

    Austin, TX 0.6 mi away

    Best Thing I Ever Ate

    Open

  • The Brixton

    Austin, TX 0.9 mi away

    Bar Rescue

    Closed

  • Industry

    Austin, TX 0.9 mi away

    Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

    Open
All 304 TV restaurants in Texas →

Before you go: 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.

Sources we checked 3 references

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Barbecue
  2. labarbecue.com https://labarbecue.com/
  3. labarbecue.com http://www.labarbecue.com/
See something wrong?

We work hard to keep every status accurate and dated, but restaurants change fast and our sources aren't perfect. If something here is wrong — a status, a name, an address, anything — tell us what you're seeing and where you saw it, and we'll check it.

Tell us →

Share

Record btiea-0558 · checked by Cal Marchetti.