The music lineups change from weekend one to to weekend two. The food? Well that’s banging whenever you go. Much like Austin’s food scene, the food at ACL Fest has grown and the bench is deep. Even just perusing through my posts over the years, it’s astonishing to see legit pizza and regional Mexican tacos enter the ACL Eats lineup.
Now my thoughts turn to three spots that churned out bangers at ACL Eats this year. In no particular order, here are three must have bites from ACL Fest 2025.
The Vitals:
the spot: Gus’s Fried Chicken 117 San Jacinto Austin TX 78701 // @ACL Eats Main Food Court
the eats: Fried Chicken
the bucks: $$
the full nelson: Please just eat here
I tried Gus’s fried chicken last year and became an instant fan. I do believe they fry the best yardbird in town. The import from Memphis fries their chicken in peanut oil which makes it delicious but also a reason to take caution if you have an allergy like my son does.
I also tried the tenders and honestly the bone in is where it’s at.
The Vitals:
the spot: KG BBQ 3108 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78723 // @ACL Eats Main Food Court
the eats: Brisket rice bowl, Lamb chops, Lamb ribs
the bucks: $$
the full nelson: Texas BBQ with an Egyptian twist
Texas BBQ paired with pomegranate, sumac and lamb might sound unusual but that’s precisely what makes KG BBQ so special. Pitmaster Kareem Ghayesh is a contemporary Texas BBQ success story whose accolades include James Beard nominations, recognition by the prestigious Michelin guide and a Netflix bbq competition series.
Since you know he is the real deal, you should deal with his obsession with lamb, most notably the rosy red rack of lamb chops featured at ACL Fest.
The Vitals:
the spot: Iron Burger // @ACL Eats Main Food Court
the eats: Burgers, chicken tenders
the bucks: $$
the full nelson: the sleeper meal of ACL Fest 2025
I’ll be real right now. Some of the food that hits the best at ACL Fest is . . . bar food. A big old messy bacon cheeseburger hits perfect. And you don’t need fancy frills to make it perfect. There is a time for a dressed up burger. ACL Fest is a time for a burger that’s pure comfort.
But the burger is 6/10 compared to their chicken tenders. Move over Raising Cane’s . . . Iron Burger serves up the best chicken tendies in town.
It’s been a true gift to attend 10 years of ACL Fest. A big thank you to C3 for setting me up with Media passes so I can share the great FOOD from the greatest live music festival there is.
See you in 2026!!
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