Uncle Sean

Some folks chase fame, others chase fortune. I chase brisket. By the end of a long Saturday BBQ road trip with my daughter, I was chasing one more stamp and one last slice of smoky glory. TL;DR: Brisket late in the day? Risky. Brisket this good? Worth it. Banana pudding? I didn’t even look for a spoon, I just used eye contact. Louie Mueller is still strutting on the TM Top 50 list for a reason. The truck was aimed home, the gas tank was half full, and the stomach was running on hopes and hickory. At 3:30 p.m., with 30 minutes to spare, we rolled up to Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, Texas. The place looked like it had been smoke-seasoned since the Eisenhower administration, and I mean that as a compliment. I waltzed up to the counter, cool as a smoked cucumber. “Brisket only,” I declared. No distractions. No fluff. No sides. I’m here for the meat sermon. But just when I was about to close the tab, someone behind the counter winked at my soul and whispered the two magic words: banana pudding. Now let me tell you something. I may be strong, but I ain’t made of stone. I caved. And Lord, am I glad I did. The brisket was doing its full smoky strut. Peppery bark with just the right crunch. Juicy center with zero dry patches. It was like biting into a piece of Texas gospel. And this wasn’t some leftover 3:30 p.m. afterthought brisket. This was full-bodied, bold, and tender enough to make your eyes water and your belt cry. And then came that banana pudding. Y’all. It looked like it had been whipped by angels and dusted with sass. Creamy? Yes. Sweet? Naturally. The wafers? Crunchy and holding their own. I don’t usually go for sides, but this wasn’t a side. It was a flirt. My wife, the Side Dish Queen herself, would’ve fallen in love with it on the spot. I didn’t even offer her a bite. She wasn’t there. And if she had been, I would’ve fought her for it. Louie Mueller brought the heat, even when the coals were cooling. The brisket was worth the detour and the banana pudding walked away with its own trophy. The old-school atmosphere? You can’t fake that. The smoke-stained walls have stories, and one of them now has my name on it. This was stamp #32, and it earned every drop of ink. We’re deep into the Top 50 now, and Louie Mueller just smoked its way into the highlight reel. Only 18 more to go before I need a new passport, a gym membership, or both. Dad Joke Sign-Off: Why did the brisket get promoted? Because it meats every expectation.

+2

Mistelle Nebeker

Best brisket we have had and my hubby was taught how to make texas brisket from his dad. He is a brisket snob. The huge sandwich our son got was incredible. We got there about 11:30 and walked in, no line. By 12 noon the line was out the door! Pays to come early! We've tried a lot of bbq places in Austin area and this is definitely worth the drive and the hype

Daniel Sellers

Was awesome!! We came for the beef ribs it was awesome!! The atmosphere is so down home feel a real Texas BBQ joint! Great seeing Wayne right there working.

+3

Mark Kahny Jr

A lot of people always saying Austin has the best beef ribs. No doubt they are great, but don’t sleep on Louie Mueller’s out in Taylor. If you’re a local, you’re lucky. For the rest of us, it’s worth the trip or as Shane McAuliffe says, “Worth a stop on the Texas Bucket List”. Been twice now and both times extremely happy with my meals. Beef ribs both times, but sampled the other meats as well. Spare ribs are excellent, brisket is a sleeper and the jalapeño sausage is overshadowed but excellent. Beef ribs is so tender and moist, if you can afford it, it’s a must! I was slight disappointed at first the sausage didn’t have cheese, but once I ate it I had come to the conclusion that the cheese sometimes takes away from the jalapeño kick…this had some bite to it and it was delicious! The customer service was great and I was able to have a nice conversation about the history of the establishment with Michelle. She was so friendly and I appreciated her efforts. This place is old school and classic. I highly recommend it. Come out and support your local restaurants and avoid chains!

+13

Austin Ivey

We loved everything about Louie’s! I can’t believe I’ve never been here before despite being a native Texan. Just a short 30 to 45 minute drive from most ofAustin. We brought a large group so we decided to order a selection of almost all the meats and sides that they offer. The brisket (both lean and moist) was deliciously tender and smoked just right. The group’s favorites were the smoked chicken and the whole beef rib. The beef rib was out of this world tender and delicious. Sides were on point our favorite was the potato salad. Lots of seating and quick service…our large order was out fresh in under 10 minutes. The setting in the center of old fashioned Taylor is also perfect, can’t wait to return!

+12

Wayno

We took a vacation to Texas for our anniversary just to go to Louie Mueller!! It was absolutely worth it!! We got the BEEF RIB, 2 house sausages & a chicken sandwich with Mac & Chesse!! The beef rib is the best bite of BBQ we have ever had!! Seasoned and cooked perfectly, beautiful bark and Wayne Mueller himself cut and plated our meal!! Couldn't ask for anything more!! What an experience! Just walking in the building was worth the trip. After we got done eating, we hung out just enjoying the restaurant for about an hour and a half!! The house sausage was awesome, hands down my favorite sausage!! Packed full of flavor and history! The chicken was really tasty and tender!! We had plans to go to another barbecue restaurant on our last day in Texas, but we will be returning to Louie Mueller!! 🤜💯🤛🔥

We love the bbq! We live in Nacogdoches and any time we are going to be near we make plans to stop. This visit was on the way to pick up an off road vehicle near Pfluggerville and we were towing a …

We love the BBQ! We live in Nacogdoches and any time we are going to be near we make plans to stop. This visit was on the way to pick up an off road vehicle near Pfluggerville and we were towing a tr…

OMG, born and raised in Texas and have been to many bbq competitions. This is the BEST BBQ I've ever had. The beef rib is a must!!\nWe also loved the sliced brisket and burnt ends. End with the b…

When Texans say BBQ we mean brisket...and I have never met a brisket I liked better than at Louie Mueller BBQ. They have everything you want in a Texas bbq joint: old world atmosphere, food to die …

Old school Texas BBQ! Brisket was superb, slaw was excellent, and the Jalapeno sausage was great, too. Definitely no frills, but if you don't care so much about ambience but want some of the best B…

Its dark, its smoky, its hot and that describes the food and the restaurant. This has to be the definition of the restaurant is the food. Visiting from the UK to learn about texas bbq, we poppe…

Its dark, its smoky, its hot and that describes the food and the restaurant. This has to be the definition of the restaurant is the food. Visiting from the UK to learn about texas bbq, we p…

The five stars are for the food, which is all a BBQ joint is about. We were shocked by the per pound cost ($37) of the beef rib until we ate it. Best barbecue that we’ve ever had! The brisket …

Outstanding BBQ and fast service. It was a Saturday and we expected tons of people but pleasantly surprised that there was a great flow of customers but never a line extending out the front door. F…

The pulled pork sandwich was tasty, but not worth the $14.95 price tag. A pound of brisket is $33 when it's much less expensive (and just as good) elsewhere.

B Tizzy

They have been well known for a long time for the beef ribs. On my one past visit I skipped it and wanted to rectify that. I came for a mid-week lunch. I arrived right at opening and it was empty. It did fill out pretty quickly. Large space with indoor and outdoor seating. It has all the character you would want to see in an old school BBQ. You order at the country and they put your meal on some paper, and if you have the option if you want pickles, onions, and bread. I went with 1 beef rib, 1 jalapeño sausage, and potato salad. It also comes with a little bbq sauce and some small bean soup thing. It wasn’t my favorite, but it was free. The rib was fantastic and lived up to the hype. Juicy with a great salt and pepper bark. Not over-smoked. It was a 10. The sausage was good, not great. Good bite, not much heat. I would say an 8. The potato salad was a little salty. Pairing that with the beef ribs that already had plenty of salt wasn’t working for me. I give it a 7. I would try another side. Overall, very good lunch with the beef rib being the highlight. It’s not cheap though. My meal was just about $100. The rib is the priciest thing on the menu.

+5

Di Leigh

We took a motorcycle ride out here on a beautiful Saturday afternoon because my husband had heard/read about this place having “the best” BBQ in Texas. So of course we had to go taste it for ourselves. The place is easy to find - right on Highway 79 in downtown Taylor. Parking was available right out front. We arrived around 11:45am and there was maybe 6-8 people in line. The line forms along the left side of the dining area which is in front of the drink station. Which is good and bad. Good because you can grab a drink while you’re waiting to order but bad if you need to refill your drink while eating. You have to maneuver in between the people waiting in the line which is awkward. When other reviews say that they’re slow at taking orders, they are correct! They really should look into upgrading their ordering system! Or maybe it’s the people ordering- review the menu UP ON THE WALL prior to stepping up to order! This would help them speed it up tremendously. It literally took us 20-25 minutes to get up to the staff member taking the orders - by hand. It also took about 5 additional minutes to get to the staff member working the cash register. Seems like they don’t want to upgrade their technology to make the whole system move more quickly and efficiently. Just be aware, you’ll be waiting for a while to order and pay. Also, they don’t do debit cards - only cash and credit. If you’re paying via credit card expect to have an additional 3.5% added to your tab. I understand the extra fee for using credit but why not allow debit??? Now let’s talk about the claim of “THE BEST” BBQ in Texas. We have eaten a lot of BBQ at many different places in Texas so in my opinion this was NOT the best BBQ I’ve ever had. It was good, just not the best. Now I did not get their beef ribs which are supposedly superb. I got their moist brisket along with some Mac-n-cheese and beans. The beans were tasty but the Mac-n-cheese wasn’t even warm- probably would have been better if it was. The brisket was moist and did not need any sauce to taste good. To sum it up - if you’re in the area or passing through, stop in and see for yourself if it’s the best bbq in Texas. The next time we’re out for a motorcycle ride on a beautiful sunny Saturday, we’ll be heading to another BBQ spot!

Tony Trinh

This is an old school barbecue place that has solid barbecue and good sides. The moment that you step inside you will definitely smell the Smoky aroma which will be imparted on your clothes and pretty much everything that you bring into the store. That may or may not be a bad thing depending on your perspective. The moist brisket was actually meatier yet also moist and the ribs were very tasty. While the sausage I think was great. The casing was spot on and the tenderness of the sausage really was something that I had enjoyed. If you're in the town of Taylor and want some solid barbecue it's worth the trip.

+2

Kitty

They had been open five minutes and there was a line almost out the door. Old school/retro (not updated) bbq eatery. Nice enough folks. Good enough food. My mate loved the meat (I didn’t). I loved the sides (he didn’t). Just shows you— food is very subjective. I’m a fan of clean and modern— the smoke smell was so dominant here, we had to air out jackets for some time to get the smell out. It’s obvious this is a well loved place in small town Texas.

+22

Food looked good. So, I ate it! \n\nLean brisket, sausage, pork ribs, potato salad, cole slaw, beans and mac. Plate was served with 3 bbq sauces to try. All the meat had lovely texture and tenderne…

Food looked good. So, I ate it! \n\nLean brisket, sausage, pork ribs, potato salad, cole slaw, beans and mac. Plate was served with 3 bbq sauces to try. All the meat had lovely texture and tender…

Food looked good. So, I ate it! \n\nLean brisket, sausage, pork ribs, potato salad, cole slaw, beans and mac. Plate was served with 3 bbq sauces to try. All the meat had lovely texture and tenderne…

Rustic decor. Service is friendly and they have a pretty good assembly line style of system to move people through. Brisket was good. The lean cuts were a bit dry, but they give you a small cup of co…

food looked good. So, I ate it! \n\nLean brisket, sausage, pork ribs, potato salad, cole slaw, beans and mac. Plate was served with 3 bbq sauces to try. All the meat had lovely te…

There's Shiner Beer neon sign, but alas...no Shiner (or any other beer) to wash down the very tasty bbq. I will definitely make a return visit next time I'm in the area! \n\nEdit: Apparently you ca…

There's Shiner beer neon sign, but alas...no Shiner (or any other beer) to wash down the very tasty BBQ. I will definitely make a return visit next time I'm in the area! \n\nEdit: Apparently you …

Commuted in from Houston. service was really great. We are not picky, people ahead of us were and the patience and kindness exhibited by the staff was impressive. Love the Mac n cheese. The beef …

If you want to go here for legendary bbq then go to check it off your list. The atmosphere is true old school bbq style...walking in history while taking the smoke with you when you leave. The serv…

Mueller's is good to average-good bbq for Texas. It is a bit overpriced in my estimation. There is no air conditioning so it's uncomfortable in hot weather. Everyone has their own way of doing briske…

Mueller's is good to average-good bbq for Texas. It is a bit overpriced in my estimation. There is no air conditioning so it's uncomfortable in hot weather. Everyone has their own way of doing bris…

Mueller's is good to average-good bbq for Texas. It is a bit overpriced in my estimation. There is no air conditioning so it's uncomfortable in hot weather. Everyone has their own way of doing bris…

Sadly, this once good BBQ joint has become an overpriced tourist trap. The brisket is good, but not worth $15.50 for a small 5 ounce sandwich with a dried out bun. Paid almost $50 for two sliced b…

Stephen Boyce

Phenomenal food but incredibly expensive for the serving size. It seems Texas BBQ has grown so much in popularity that they think it’s Michelin quality food and price accordingly. It’s 5 Star food but the price makes my review - average. You won’t be disappointed.

Rachel C

I came here for dinner by myself. The stuff were really nice. There were a few items that were excellent, but most were OK. The beans were not my favorite but the potato salad was great coleslaw not great. The meat was OK.

Jonathan Bane

I live in Austin so I’m not really ever out this way. It has been a minute, but it’s definitely changed now again, I’m all for one believing that there may be an off day or person but today’s food experience was not great. Very little meat on the ribs. Brisket was chewy, not the melt in your mouth flavor I h e been used to with Louis Miller. Maybe it’s just an off day, and I’ll be willing to try it again to see if I’m right, but for now my review is what it is.

+1

Rollyn Toliver

The best thing I like about this place is the atmosphere. It may not be the best-looking bbq restaurant, but it will give you the feeling of real authentic barbecue. It has a lot of history and all . We ordered 2 meat with mac and cheese, and we are quite disappointed 😞 I honestly was very hopeful that my husband and I would enjoy it. Having watched it on The Insider and hailing it as the best bbq place in central texas, we were actually very excited to try it. Their 2 meat is more like a sample plater for 2 meats. If you're hungry and really wanna enjoy their food, then you have to go for by pound. Otherwise, it's going to be a sad tray of food with nothing really much. As for the taste, their brisket is good, and so as the sausage. The rib is a bit dry for me, and the mac and cheese is bland almost tastes like it's from a box.

+1

Delicious brisket and pork ribs. meat serving lacking and chintzy. Brisket plate + $4 and literally one unimpressive slice. We will not come back.

Super friendly service and great atmosphere. The food was good - but the meat was either room temp or cooler than room temperature. The pinto beans were fine and the mac and cheese were pretty stan…

The pork ribs were delicious. Just good seasoning and smoky flavor. Didn't need any sauce at all. If that was the only thing we had I would say 5 stars. However, everything else was average at be…

We were really looking forward to dining at this renowned BBQ restaurant. Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to its reputation. Wife had mediocre pulled pork sandwich and I had mediocre bris…

Don’t miss the beef ribs. We ordered most of meat on the menu and the beef ribs blew the others away. The rest were good by most standards but I am a bbq snob. The potato was sold out by 1…

Don’t miss the beef ribs. We ordered most of meat on the menu and the beef ribs blew the others away. The rest were good by most standards but I am a bbq snob. The potato was sold out by 12:…

We drove from Houston to Taylor to visit Louie Mueller's. When we arrived, there was no crowd and a 2-person line. The staff were super friendly and very helpful getting us exactly what we wanted…

First timer.. Very friendly employees. First timers.. Ordered Brisket plate and Plain sausage plate with Potatoe Salad and Beans and the other with Potato Salad Beans and Coleslaw.. Disappointed the TEA was good and sweet BUT WAY too STRONG. 😢 Potato Salad tasted wonderful( meaning all correct ingredients, BUT... EXTREMELY SALTYYYYY 😢 Cole Slaw is my FAV at any place. Also had the perfect ingredients.. BUTTTT, ABSOLUTELY NOOO SWEETNESS of any kind was added.. Just like eating PLAIN chopped up, ( lots of Pepper), and SALTY CABBAGE. 😢 MY Sausage was suppose to be "plain", BUT... it tasted like Jalepeno sausage Extremely SPICY.. I had to go ask them again ,IFFF, they made a mistake and gave me the Jalepeno BUTTTT, they assured it was correct.. BUT, WORSE than that... the Sausage 'casing' was absolutely TOUGH and chewy... so I took the time to PEEL each piece , which was tedious work and made me lose my appetite.. So, unfortunately , I do not believe we will be returning UNLESS, they can CORRECT it all.. Overall....IT ALL Smelled good and tasted good but it was just Edible !

Sorry but this is the worse BBQ I ever had in my life. I had the 2 meat plate with brisket and chicken. The chicken was dry and the brisket was very salty for my two sides. I had coleslaw beans the…

I went here a few years ago, and I have to say the hype just isn't it. The spare ribs are just over seasoned. The atmosphere. The way the door slams, and the staff. The coleslaw tastes worse than…

I went here a few years ago, and I have to say the hype just isn't it. The spare ribs are just over seasoned. The atmosphere. The way the door slams, and the staff. The coleslaw tastes worse than a…

The most disgusting bbq I have ever had in my life. Seriously. We paid $47 for 2 brisket sandwiches (one chopped and one sliced) and 2 sides of Mac n Cheese plus 2 drinks. At first bite of the Mac …

Grew up and lived in Texas all my life, over 75 years, have consumed my share of Texas BBQ, been here before and didn't have a good experience, decided to give it another try due to all the reviews, …

Grew up and lived in Texas all my life, over 75 years, have consumed my share of texas bbq, been here before and didn't have a good experience, decided to give it another try due to all the revie…

incredibly overpriced!! go literally anywhere else and you will have a better experience. the lady at the register was rude and condescending. the brisket was good but nowhere near worth the 24 dol…

Rude employees and dry brisket…. Edit: Since the current owner seems to take criticism very well….here we go. I walk in, get a sideways look from your employee. Doesn’t greet, just gets straight to business. I ask for no pickles on my brisket sandwich, we’ll get to that later. Go to your cashier with my card in hand ready to pay, ready to give your business money. I’m told to wait for the customer ahead of me. No customer ahead of me though? Oh wait, he’s at the drink machine talking on the phone taking his time and mixing drinks and trying it. Why should I wait? Don’t want my money? Interesting. Finally get to paying after 5 minutes of waiting for someone to finish their call. Then your cashier didn’t know how to work the machine, card kept declining. She says insufficient funds. Funny, wouldn’t show up without dough. I literally wait 30 seconds and try the same card again, all of a sudden it works….. but I’m being played as the idiot. Cool, I leave, and there’s pickles on my sandwich…. Pulled them off but didn’t matter. Brisket tasted like the wood used to smoke it. But hey this is a fake review apparently. Do better guy. Most of your customers must be from out of state because this trash is extremely overrated.