Biographical information courtesy of the Austin Chronicle.
See below for Austin Chronicle BBQ Links.

Green Mesquite

1400 Barton Springs, 479-0485;

2700 W. Pecan (Pflugerville), 251-7388;

7010 Hwy 71 (Oak Hill), 288-8300;

Scholz Garten 1607 San Jacinto, 474-1958

An old-fashioned Texas country beer garden in the middle of the city -- times four. Tom Davis' flagship location, among the pecan groves on Barton Springs Road, was one of the first inhabitants of the now-thriving restaurant row. But it has retained its laid-back, rustic charm and unhurried pace through the years, and it's still a pure delight on a summer evening. Branches in Oak Hill and Pflugerville retain the original's comfy formula of hearty fare and live music on weekends; and the venerable Scholz Garten, added to the GM family a couple of years ago, fits in perfectly. (Scholz's, of course, has its own rich history -- as a traditional German bier garten founded in 1866 and as a notorious politico hangout immortalized in Billy Joe Brammer's The Gay Place.)

The menu at Green Mesquite has broadened some over the years -- it includes such Southern standards as burgers and chicken-fried steak, and the catfish plate has long been a staple -- but the barbecue has remained solid throughout. Their claim to fame is probably still the great pork ribs: plump, juicy, and absolutely gigantic. Along with the other standard meats -- sausage, chicken, and brisket -- they also serve smoked turkey and ham. There's a good selection of side dishes as well; favorites include the big, thick onion rings, the quite tasty cornbread hush puppies, and one of the better coleslaws in town. --N.B.