Artz Rib House
Austin Restaurants Page

Artz Rib House photo courtesy of Danielle Donohue. All rights reserved - used with permission

[Brief Potato Salad Editorial: I have a subjective approach to determing the quality of a potato salad. It’s totally dependent on one question: Will I eat it? I usually won’t. Some people avoid elevators; I avoid potato salad. Seriously – eating something mayonnaise-based and batch-prepared by strangers outside your field of vision rarely falls anywhere on the risk-reward spectrum that I find to be even remotely enticing. The potato salad at Artz, however, is that rare exception. Instead of sticking with the standard sides of potato salad, pinto beans, and cole slaw, I’ll go the substitution route and just get three sides of potato salad instead (but only the ribs go in the to-go box if I don’t finish the meal).]

There are also home made veggie burgers, and be sure to save room for the bread pudding dessert.

The food is enough of a draw, but Artz also features live music every night and blue grass jam sessions on Sunday afternoons (check their site for the current schedule). It's a small, casual setting, so don't expect--or fear--any loud, amplified 6th Street bands. The music at Artz is a nice acoustic mix of folk, country, and blue grass.

Owners Art Blondin (barbecuer and bass guitarist) and his wife, Zenobia Sutton, (the z in Artz) opened the restaurant, I believe, back in 1992. Prior to the Rib House, Blondin operated another small (and unique) eatery, Artz Caboose (a small diner inside an actual caboose on W 5th Street).

Image courtesy of Danielle Donohue. All rights reserved - used with permission

Artz Rib House Map

Live Music and Videos at Artz

Courtesy of the R.A.T. Austin Restaurant Guide