Cele Store

Fantastic return to the old days with great barbecue, music, and a diversity of people.

I highly recommend the ribs and brisket. The ribs are so good with the bbq sauce. The brisket is really tender. Make sure you bring some cole slaw. It is bring your own sides. The pickled jalapeños are awesome. Make sure you get your dessert :)

This one’s gonna have a special place in our hearts.
Went there for Saturday lunch. Our 4-​year-​old thought we were going to a haunted abandoned building, which upped the cool factor for him significantly.
Warmly greeted by the owner, Don, and our lovely waitress. We ordered bottled beers and when you order water, that comes in a bottle, too. Took a while to take in the whole ambiance … It’s just one of those really cool, authentic places that you hope to stumble upon a few times in your life. Nothing pretentious here, no siree.
Ordered two three-​meat plates — ribs, beef and sausage — for $ 15 apiece. There’s no menu — you just get the lowdown from the waitress. It was more than enough for our family and everything was exactly as delicious as everyone says.
After our meal, Don treated our son to a frozen ice cream and gave us a tour of the place. The pit is the real deal, seasoned from years and years of use.
I can’t wait to return and bring some friends, especially on a Friday to get the full experience.

First off… cash only!!!
The external condition of the building will make you wonder if you are in the right place, but give it a chance… the building is part of the charm. The BBQ is amazing!!! There are no sides unless you consider pickles, onion and cheese sides. The lady serving us said you are welcome to bring in sides if you like. I have also stopped in for a beer on a Thursday night and it is like a family gathering. The food and the atmosphere make it a «must visit» in my book!

Great food, wonderful service! You’re treated like family here. Some of the best ribs I’ve had. The ribs and all meat is respected; no sweet sauce dumped on it. The sauce is served on the side and is a good balance of acidity and savory. Well done Cele crew. The staff are the friendliest around; outstanding. Well worth the trip.

Cele store is a fantastic, rustic, southern barbecue joint! Food is always good! Make sure you have reservations so you get a table and food. You get lots and lots of meat, all of it delicious! Brisket, sausage, ribs, cheese, and pickles. Excellent food and excellent service every time we have eaten there!
Make sure you have reservations so you get a table and service.

Great bbq. Serves only brisket, ribs, sausage and cheese. No sides besides onions, pickles, jalapeños and sauce. Cash only. Great atmosphere. Definitely worth the drive

Loved this place! The BBQ was solid. Great sausage, great ribs and great flavor on the brisket. But it was cut up in smaller chunks and very lean. I like a more fatty brisket. No potato salad or beans, but «you can bring your own». :-). What is great about this place is the county ambiance. There had just been a wedding in the venue and the beautiful bride was still there in her awesome dress. A blue jean shirt, sparkly cowboy belt and billowing white tutu. I wanted to take her picture but didn’t dare. The owners all came over to talk to us and bring us mounds and mounds of awesome BBQ. Pure Texas in a 100+ year old country store. Cheap long necks and priceless people. Made my day.

The BEST BBQ I’ve ever had. Unbelievable taste !
My wife brought us to the place where they filmed the MOVIE «Second Hand Lions » …the BBQ was out of this world, even with no sauce there meat is seasoned just right. RIBS … Brisket, and the sausage. mmmmm were gong back this weekend.

With so many great bbq places in the Austin area, the service sets the Cele store apart from the rest. Always a good meal, and unique historic building.

A true taste of Texas can be found on a back road where Pflugerville, Hutto and Manor meet-​The Cele Store. Getting there is part of the charm of this uniquely classic BBQ roundhouse. And for me it was well worth the trip.
Cele Store’s limited operating hours of Thursday, Friday and Saturday add a certain mystique to the dining experience. With the lovely Mrs. G occupied elsewhere I made my way there this past Saturday for a late solo lunch. Contrary to the recommendation of other Unilocalers I didn’t call ahead. Whether I lucked out or not it wasn’t an issue. A cheerful waitress seated me promptly and recommended the 3 meat plate-​ribs, sausage and brisket-​accompanied by pickles, onions and a wedge of cheese (yummy).
The BBQ was as good as I’ve had anywhere.
While the ribs were fine the standouts for me were the brisket and sausage. The cubed style brisket was full of flavor with a consistency more like smoked sirloin. The sliced sausage was just the right combination of firm and moist. A delightful surprise was the sauce, slightly sweet with just a hint of bite.
The absence of sides, disclosed in advance of my order by my server, enhanced my focus on what really matters… the meat! The plate was more than full.
Adding to my experience, I received a table side visit by Don the proprietor who told me of the live music they feature. I will certainly take him up on his invitation to return, perhaps in the company of Mrs. G for some Texas Swing… and great BBQ!

The kind of place only locals know about. Great experience but call b-​4 you go to make sure they have bbq. I think lunch on Fridays only.

This place reminds me of growing up in Austin and why I love being from Texas.
Live music, BBQ, beer, dancing.

The words that come to mind when thinking about my first trip to Cele Store last week… Charming, mouth watering, quaint, friendly, inviting, delicious… need I go on?
The brisket was amazing and I don’t usually go for brisket. The atmosphere is super cool if you’re looking for a good old Texas experience. Everyone was super friendly.
DO bring your own sides when you go… they don’t make them… DO make a reservation… and DO bring cash — they don’t take credit cards.

First time I’ve been there on Saturday… Good crowd… First time I ate there was on a Friday afternoon… And was the best barbecue I’ve ever had… Today was also the best barbecue I’ve ever had… Being a native Texan I know my barbecue and Cele is a must to go have dinner or lunch.
Be sure and call ahead of time to check hours… Or make sure they are still serving lunch… Today «Saturday» we got there at 2 PM and they were still serving lunch until three…
Very cool atmosphere… Can’t wait to take some my friends from out of town there… Very Texas very laid-​back lots of fun… There is a good olé Texas bar You can sit and watch the game or have a cold beer!!!
Be sure and use your GPS getting there… its a little tricky… Had no idea where Cele Texas was and I grew up in Austin my entire life… :-).
Once again excellent BBQ!!!

Out in boonies you’ll drive and drive and drive… keep driving. Eventually, you’ll find a very authentic «general store» that’s not a general store.
BBQ. One word: Outstanding. The sausage, brisket and ribs were delicious. A slim selection, no sides, but you can bring your own. Heck, you can even bring your own wine or hard liquor. Beer, they sell.
I’m a native Texan, born and raised. This isn’t my first time at the rodeo. I know my BBQ. And, they know what they’re doing.
Service is excellent. Our waitress went above and beyond to please us, considering we came in after 9pm on a Friday (they stop serving dinner at 9 on Fridays).
Everything looks Olé’ School. The décor, the bar, the slopping floor, the people. Loved it.

5 stars for location, atmosphere, being a hidden gem.
(BBQ is 3 ½ stars)
Need To Know:
CASH only
BEER only– bring your own whiskey and wine
NO SIDE DISHES– bring your own
RESERVATIONS required
THUR/​FRI/​SAT Only
I heard about Cele from a friend who goes frequently– despite the 45 minute drive (1 ½ hour round trip). That says a lot right there. Her & hubby said the BBQ was great and I had to try it!
1^st– they are only open for BBQ THUR dinner, FRI dinner, SAT lunch… That may change so call and find out.
Call: you have to call for reservation. I called at 5:30 on a Friday night and they had room so I set my time for 7:00. Really, they just reserve your table and you know when you get there they won’t have sold out. (pretty cool actually).
Beer Only (and sodas etc)
Cash Only– do not take credit card, does not have an ATM near. Plan ahead and get your cash before you get out in the country.
BTW-​It is a «convenience store» so you can grab a roadie on the way out. Just Sayin’
Fun –family friendly– great way to spend a Friday night!
Also, looking for a cool place to have a celebration dinner? if you like this sort of scene… Definitly planning my next b-​day dinner here.

Prepare for your taste buds to die and go to heaven!
Cele Store is my go-​to spot for authentic Texas BBQ. This adorable country store is full of history, hollywood starpower, and Texas swagger. The characters who run the place make you think that you’ve stepped into a honky-​tonk scene in an old western movie.
If you haven’t paid this hidden treasure a visit, I suggest you make the trip out there this weekend!
Love the food, Love the people, Love Cele Store!

Murder. Mayhem. Madness. It all happened here. Cele Store has been featured in several famous movies such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Second Hand Lions and A Perfect World. It is an old general store with wooden floors and faded exterior that has been converted into a BBQ joint about 7 miles east of Pflugerville.
This hidden gem provides genuine Texas BBQ on Friday night and for lunch and dinner on Saturday. Thursday is bar night only. It’s the real deal served among Texas history, old relics (some of the patrons qualify), posters, and many horned animal trophies. It looks like a combination of my grandfather’s deer lease and Soap Creek Saloon.
Last night our party of four feasted on baby back ribs, sausage, cheese, jalapenos, onions, bread, BBQ sauce, iced tea and beer. All this for less than $ 10/​person. We brought potato salad, cole slaw, a black bean and corn salad, Tiff’s Treats and wine. If they don’t sell it, you can bring it.
The BBQ is delivered to your table by personable wait staff on huge sheets of butcher paper along with picnic packs of utensils and napkins. Only salt and pepper are applied to the ribs which are smoked to a tender finale in their 1964 pit. Hats were tipped all the way around the table to the juicy and flavorful sausage. The BBQ sauce is a little on the sweet side which complimented the smoky meat beautifully.
The Cele Store House Band played and George Strait’s lead guitarist, Rick McRae sat in. No room to dance on this particular evening because the place was packed but the music was incredible. The ladies room is old and creaky and the toilet moved when I sat down but everything was clean and there is scented pump soap and hand cream. A sign over the mirror reads, «Howdy Ya’ll!»
If you want an evening or lunch experience that is truly Texan in every way, come to Cele Store. Call the day before so they can cook enough meat and reserve your table. Only cash or checks are accepted. Not every Friday is Live Music Night so check the website. Be prepared for an amazing time.

My cousins Wade and Janet took us to this very special restaurant. It was unlike anything I have every experienced. To get here you may actually need someone local and familiar with Cele’s to take you. Whatever you have to do, get here and enjoy this fantastic food and unique eating experience.
It’s BBQ simple, nothing to get in the way of your enjoyment. This is the best BBQ I have ever had. Fantastic Wayde and Janet, thanks for taking us, fantastic!