Stiles and Switch BBQ has sausage so sinful you’ll need to go to confession after eating
- Scott @ BrisketBus
- Aug 26
- 2 min read
Address:
6610 North Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78752
Phone: (512)-380-9199
Hours:
Sunday - 11am-8pm
Monday - Closed
Tuesday - 11am-8pm
Wednesday 11am-8pm
Thursday - 11am-8pm
Friday - 11am-8:30pm
Saturday - 11am-8:30pm
Year Opened: 2011
Additional Locations:
Accolades:
2025 Texas Monthly Top 50 Tucked inside the retro Violet Crown Shopping Center, Stiles and Switch has been slingin’ cue since 2011, and they’ve got the pedigree to back it up—multiple Texas Monthly Top 50 nods, “Best BBQ Austin” from Austin Monthly, and a pit crew led by Lance Kirkpatrick, a man who’s forgotten more about smoking meat than most folks will ever know.
We rolled into Stiles and Switch hungry enough to gnaw the smoke off the walls and ordered up a 3-meat plate: brisket, jalapeño cheddar sausage, and pork belly burnt ends. Sides were mac & cheese and vinegar slaw—because balance.
Let’s start with that sausage. It’s downright sinful, the kind of link your cardiologist would put on a watch list. The cheese oozes just slow enough to make you stare, hanging on the knife like it’s not ready to say goodbye. Perfectly in that Goldilocks zone—neither too crumbly nor too firm—with a little snap and just enough heat to make you sit up straight.
The pork belly burnt ends are dangerous in the best way. Pop one of these little cubes of joy in your mouth, and you’ll be halfway through the pile before you realize you’ve got a cholesterol problem brewing. There is a choice of a chimichurri or serrano glaze, try ’em with both sauces—trust me on this one. If they don't bottle and sell the serrano glaze they're missing out.
Then there’s the brisket—absolute perfection. First bite hits you with that bark-fat-meat harmony, pepper forward but not overbearing. Mid-chew, your nose picks up the smoke, and it lingers just long enough for your taste buds to start writing thank-you notes. No sauce needed, but if you must, the chili lime is a nice dance partner without stepping on the brisket’s toes. The balsamic BBQ leans a little sweet for my liking, but it has its fans.
The sides were decent in that they were good flavor balances but the mac and cheese needed a little more gusto because while the texture was great the flavor got list while competeing against its meaty cousins.
Verdict: Stiles and Switch isn’t just a BBQ joint—it’s a tribute to Central Texas BBQ legends. If you’re chasing old-school flavor with a side of Austin nostalgia, this is one stop worth making. Just keep one eye on your plate and the other on your long-term health plan.
Visited Lamar Location
August 2025
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