Famous Austin Restaurants with Surprising Health Scores

Let's start with the one that raised our eyebrows the most: Uchiko, the acclaimed sibling of James Beard Award-winning Uchi, scored 73 on its most recent inspection. For context, that's in "acceptable" territory—not failing, but not what you'd expect from a restaurant that regularly appears on "best sushi in America" lists.

Uchi itself? A more respectable 86. Still not the near-perfect scores you might assume from a restaurant where the tasting menu runs well over $100 per person and reservations book up weeks in advance.

This pattern shows up more than you'd think in Austin's fine dining scene. Justine's, the beloved late-night French brasserie that's become synonymous with East Austin romance, sits at 79. The escargot is still excellent. The steak frites still hits. But somewhere in that beautiful converted house, inspectors found enough issues to dock 21 points.

Terry Black's Barbecue has over 8,000 Yelp reviews and a 4.5-star average. Food critics call it some of the best BBQ in Texas—and that's saying something in a state where barbecue is practically a religion. Yelp even named it the #1 restaurant in Austin for 2025.

Their health score? 77. Down from 93 just a couple years ago.

Now, is a 77 dangerous? No. But that's a 16-point drop, and when you're paying $30+ for a plate of brisket, you might expect a kitchen that's trending in the other direction.

Meanwhile, Franklin Barbecue—the place with the legendary four-hour lines—maintains a solid 91. La Barbecue sits at 84. In Austin's BBQ wars, cleanliness might be one more factor to consider.

Here's where it gets interesting. Kerbey Lane Cafe has been serving pancakes and queso to Austinites since 1980. It's the kind of place everyone has been to at least once, usually at 2 AM after a night on Sixth Street.

But not all Kerbey Lanes are created equal—at least according to health inspectors.

The Westlake location scored 74 on its most recent inspection, with an average of just 77.57 across multiple inspections. That same week, the Central location on Kerbey Lane (the original spot) scored 90. Same menu. Same brand. Wildly different scores.

If you're a Kerbey Lane regular, it might be worth checking which location you're heading to. A 16-point spread between locations of the same restaurant is significant.

Before anyone panics: none of these restaurants have been shut down. A score in the 70s means issues were found, but nothing that posed an immediate danger to public health. Many violations are things like improper food storage temperatures, missing date labels, or equipment that needs cleaning—problems that can be fixed quickly.

But here's our take: reputation and reality don't always align. A restaurant can have incredible food, amazing atmosphere, and devoted fans while still struggling with kitchen cleanliness. These aren't mutually exclusive things.

The question is whether it matters to you. Some people will shrug and keep going to their favorite spots regardless. Others might use this information to make different choices. We're just here to show you what the official records say—what you do with that information is up to you.