There’s something unquestionably romantic about an old-school barbecue joint that’s been operated by the same family for decades. Diners love the idea of brisket and sausage made using the same multigenerational recipes, vintage smoke pits with plenty of wear, and a charmingly ramshackle decor scheme with no airs or pretenses. We cherish these businesses and praise them as rare examples of the “real” Austin … but, in some cases, we let our nostalgia blind us to the reality: Just because a barbecue spot is old doesn’t mean that it’s good.
Recently opened on Burnet Road, Bird Dog Pit BBQ straddles an interesting line. It occupies the former home of Big O’s Pit Barbecue and the Pit Barbecue, two related barbecue spots that operated in that space for over 50 years. Bird Dog Pit BBQ’s owner and pit chef, Rudy Rivera III, has a familial link to this history; his uncle ran Big O’s and he spent time there tending the pits and getting to know the business. But Rivera also trained at Le Cordon Bleu and worked at polished Austin spots like Wink Restaurant & Wine Bar. Rivera’s culinary background, paired with the fact that Bird Dog shut down for two weeks in September to make upgrades that they described as a “whole new chapter,” gave me hope that this restaurant would honor its heritage while also offering high-quality ingredients and chef-driven spins on barbecue staples.
I’ll start with the good news: Bird Dog’s interior renovations were well worth the time and effort. The team maintained the rustic wooden exterior, but once you step inside, the decor scheme gives Grandma’s-house-meets-hunting-lodge vibes. Royal blue walls, framed vintage paintings, wooden spindle chairs, and a mounted stag’s head all combine to create an invitingly retro environment. If you’re a barbecue fan who prefers to eat indoors with air conditioning, Bird Dog BBQ will set you up nicely.
Another Bird Dog positive? The gracious and friendly service at the front counter. Rivera himself bops between the counter and the kitchen, and he’ll be there to greet you cheerfully, to present the menu, and to answer any questions. When I browsed the options, I immediately noticed that Bird Dog’s barbecue offerings are practically identical to that of every other barbecue spot in Austin. Brisket, sausage, turkey, chicken, ribs, potato salad, Frito pie … you can find these items all over town, so if a new joint wants to make a name for itself with Central Texas staples, then they better come correct.
And I regret to tell you that Bird Dog’s versions of these barbecue classics don’t hold up to their most esteemed competitors. I don’t know whether it’s because Bird Dog uses venerable smokers or if they’re playing around with a mixture of wood that departs from the typical Central Texas post oak, but when you take a bite of any of these meats, the smoke flavor will hit you right away. It’s aggressive, and its strength might appeal to barbecue fans who want to taste smoke above all else. But if you’re looking for nuance, it’s in short supply here.
The cut of meat that fares best under Bird Dog’s heavy smoking is the St. Louis-style spare rib. The fat content delivers a buttery richness to each bite, and while the pork itself isn’t especially flavorful, the bark that forms on the surface of the rib more than makes up for it. Smoke and spice melds into a deep and dark lacquer, and while I’m not generally a scrape-the-bone rib eater, I really let my front teeth get involved with this one.
Bird Dog also finds some success with their sausages; the jalapeño sausage featured snappy skin, appealing amounts of fat and salt, and a gentle burn on the finish that clarified the presence of jalapeño. Were the flavors complex and multilayered? No. But it’s a pleasant sausage that I’d be happy to order again.
The cut of meat that fares best under Bird Dog’s heavy smoking is the St. Louis-style spare rib, with the fat content delivering a buttery richness to each bite.
Alas, Bird Dog’s other proteins proved less resilient to this spot’s all-smoke-all-the-time cooking technique. More delicate meats like chicken and turkey were overwhelmed, and while the on-the-bone chicken managed to retain some juiciness, the turkey dried out completely. If you’re really craving smoked turkey and nothing else will do, order yours in sandwich form. The sweetness of the Martin’s bun balanced the assertive smokiness, and if you ask the Bird Dog team to give you some of their (tangy, dilly, and excellent) pickle chips to layer over the turkey, you can make a nice handheld snack.
The Texas tailgating classic known as chopped beef figures prominently on Bird Dog’s menu. While I appreciated the hearty, substantial texture of the beef, I found the taste strangely subdued. I attribute this lack of flair to Bird Dog’s watery and bland barbecue sauce; tossing the beef in this sauce does nothing to offer any panache. What’s more frustrating is that Bird Dog subs their chopped beef in for chili when making their Frito pie. Without the peppery notes and heat content of good Texas chili, Frito pie just tastes like a pile of corn chips with ground beef scooped on top. Sadly, you won’t get much more than that from Bird Dog’s rendition. Bird Dog’s chopped beef is a better match for their baked potatoes; after the Bird Dog team spreads a pat of butter in the sliced potato, you can order it loaded up with either chopped beef or brisket, and Bird Dog also adds shredded cheese, pinto beans, and sour cream. The texture contrast between the shredded beef, the soft potato, and the crispy potato skin proves pleasant, and while the beef would still really benefit from some seasoning-related personality, the sour cream’s tang offers a bit of dimension.
As for the brisket, it follows the same pattern as the other meats: lots of smoke, very little moisture, and an absence of unique character. Bird Dog serves both standard brisket and “moist” brisket, and while the moist version involves a $3/pound upcharge, it’s worth the extra expense. The texture still doesn’t come close to the tenderness you’ll find at places like Franklin or Interstellar, but the extra fat brings some lush character that makes the super smoky bark less in-your-face.
Sides are all serviceable here; you won’t be blown away by the church-picnic-style potato salad, slightly sweet coleslaw, or creamy mac & cheese, but they deliver what you might expect from traditional barbecue accoutrements, and I didn’t mind digging my fork into any of them. As for dessert, go with the banana pudding. But do yourself a favor and take a cup to-go, stick it in your fridge, and then enjoy it the next day. This will give the vanilla-dominant pudding enough time to sink into the Nilla wafers on top, and if you give the pudding a good stir, you’ll get a perfect bite of softened wafer, sweet and smooth pudding, and banana chunks.
Rivera named Bird Dog in honor of his own pooch who accompanies him on hunting trips. I’d like to see that hunter’s spirit reflected on Bird Dog’s menu. Wild game may hold up better to Bird Dog’s smoke-forward style, and it would give this venue something to distinguish itself from the many other smoke joints operating in Austin. If I could make one wish for Bird Dog BBQ, it would be for Rivera & Co. to pivot away from the expected BBQ dishes and allow their imaginations to occupy equal territory instead of ceding all control to the space’s history.
Bird Dog Pit BBQ
4707 Burnet Rd.
This article appears in November 1 • 2024.