Stiles Switch BBQ (North Lamar).

Stiles Switch BBQ (North Lamar)

Lance Kirkpatrick learned the pits under Bobby Mueller in Taylor, and he runs this one with Ewan Hardeman.31 The serrano glaze comes standard on two things, the pork ribs and the fried brussels sprouts.1

Why go

Shane Stiles opened the North Lamar room in 2011 and it cooks over post oak in an offset smoker.41 Daniel Vaughn put it back on Texas Monthly's Top 50 in 2025 after it missed the 2021 edition, and points at the specials as the sleeper: the chimichurri sausage and the smoked picanha.1 Eater: The Brentwood barbecue restaurant is a solid, no-fuss neighborhood spot, with plentiful seating, meats by the pound, and minimal lines.3 Nicolai McCrary scored it 7.5 for The Infatuation the year before Vaughn's visit and disagreed with him about the brisket.2

Order this / avoid

• Sausage, whatever it is that day. We've had these range from classic pork sausages to a veal-and-pork smoked weisswurst. They're consistently snappy, moist, and one of the highlights of any meal here.2
• The spicy St. Louis ribs, which carry the serrano glaze.1
• Brussels sprouts, fried and then tossed in that same glaze, spicy and sweet at once.2
• Whatever is on the specials board, which runs smoked prime rib, chicken wings and enchiladas through the week, and the brisket enchiladas are the ones Austin Monthly says not to miss.34
• Oak smoked wings, with a caveat: the smoke on them can run over the lighter dry rubs.2
• Avoid: the coleslaw, which McCrary calls among the most forgettable he has had.2

What locals & experts say

• Daniel Vaughn put it on Texas Monthly's unranked Top 50 for 2025: The brisket proved to be superb over several visits, and the spicy pork ribs were consistently well executed.1
• Nicolai McCrary, The Infatuation, 7.5, August 2024, on the same brisket: Both the lean and moist parts of the brisket are seasoned well, with a nice smoky finish. They tend to be a bit dry, though, and need a generous amount of barbecue sauce to properly enjoy.2
• On the queue, Texas Monthly again: It feels like cheating to get a tray this good without much of a line to contend with.1
• Chronicle readers made it a finalist for the city's best barbecue in 2026, alongside Franklin, KG BBQ and la Barbecue. LeRoy and Lewis took the vote.5

Good to know

• Three doors trade under the name. This is the 6610 N Lamar original. A second runs at 800 W Whitestone Blvd in Cedar Park, and there is a Cajun-focused offshoot in Dripping Springs. Everything here, the inspection record included, is the North Lamar door.37
• Long hours, indoors and out, every day but Monday, and counter service with takeout you can order ahead.13
• Austin Public Health scored this kitchen 89 on 26 March 2026, then 91 in May 2024 and 95 in September 2023, on a scale where anything below 70 fails. It is registered as Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew at 6610 N Lamar Blvd.6

Jeff's take (his words)

• His pick, in conversation (Jeff, first-hand, 9 August 2026): Stiles Switch does dinner. That is why it is on his list.

Verdict

should-visit — Walk in. Order the sausage first, because it is the thing both writers agree on, and argue about the brisket afterward.