Inside ACL Festival: Barrett Black's BBQ Pop-Up & Legendary Beef Shank Tacos
Black's BBQ delivered a two-weekend barbecue experience like no other, serving thousands with slow-smoked brisket, Wagyu beef shank tacos, and exclusive festival creations.
Check out the ACL Festival Pop-Up
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The Austin City Limits (ACL) Festival is known for two things: incredible live music and top-tier food. While music lovers gathered for the biggest acts in the industry, Black’s BBQ was behind the scenes, preparing to serve thousands of festival-goers with legendary Texas barbecue—fast, fresh, and straight from the pit.
Weeks of Preparation for a Two-Weekend BBQ Extravaganza
Bringing Black’s BBQ to ACL isn’t just about showing up with a few briskets. It’s a massive effort that takes weeks of planning, coordination, and hard work from a dedicated team. Every detail matters—from selecting the right cuts of meat to designing a fully functional barbecue kitchen on festival grounds.
"We may never have the longest line, but we are going to serve the most people," said Barrett Black, fourth-generation pitmaster of The Original Black’s BBQ, ahead of the two-weekend event.
With multiple tents, a makeshift kitchen, and a streamlined serving process, the goal was clear: serve as many people as possible without sacrificing quality.
Building a BBQ Kitchen in the Middle of a Festival
Setting up at ACL isn’t like opening a regular restaurant for the day—it’s about creating a fully operational barbecue station in the middle of a massive outdoor venue.
The team constructed a multi-tent setup, bringing in smokers, grills, and prep stations to ensure that everything ran smoothly. As the lines grew, the team ran like clockwork, churning out orders for happy music lovers.
Weekend Two: A Special BBQ Pop-Up with New, Exclusive Creations
For the second weekend of ACL, Black’s BBQ went beyond the regular food tent—they were invited to participate in a one-of-a-kind BBQ pop-up, featuring a different pitmaster daily and an entirely new menu of creative barbecue-inspired dishes.
This special pop-up pushed the boundaries of what festival BBQ could be. Some of the standout dishes include.
On the menu for Black’s BBQ pop-up?
- Chargrilled Coleslaw – A smoky twist on a classic BBQ side, adding depth and flavor to every bite
- Candied Brisket Kettle Corn – Sweet, smoky, crunchy, and completely unexpected—this became an instant favorite
- Unique BBQ Creations – Wagyu beef tacos, a first time menu item for Barrett.
‘Brisket Diplomacy’: Taking BBQ to the Stage
Everybody loves BBQ, right? During the festival, Barrett Black knew it wasn’t just about feeding the crowd—it’s also about connecting with artists, crew members, and festival organizers. Black’s BBQ made sure to deliver some brisket straight to the stage, sharing Texas hospitality with musicians and VIPs behind the scenes.
“Brisket diplomacy,” Barrett said.
Music and barbecue go hand in hand, and there’s no better way to bring people together than with a plate of slow-smoked brisket.
Looking Ahead: Will Black’s BBQ Be Back Next Year?
After two incredible weekends of barbecue at ACL, one thing is clear—festival-goers love Black’s BBQ. With the success of both the food tent and the special BBQ pop-up, fans are already wondering: Will they be back next year?
If history is any indicator, the answer is yes, but stay tuned for an announcement about whether or not we will be there!
For now, those who missed out can visit Black’s BBQ locations in Lockhart, Austin, New Braunfels, or San Marcos—because no matter where it’s served, great barbecue is always worth the wait.