KG BBQ started with a career change. KG left a corporate finance job in Cairo and moved to Austin in 2016 to pursue barbecue, later graduating from culinary school and training under local pitmasters. That path led to what he calls the Egyptian Cowboy, a menu that folds the flavors of Egypt and the Middle East into traditional Texas smoking technique.
Brisket sits at the center of the menu, served alongside rice bowls and salads that regularly come up among what people order. It's a pairing that sets KG BBQ apart from a standard Central Texas smokehouse lineup.
The restaurant holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for both 2024 and 2025, and KG was named a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef Texas in 2023. KG BBQ has also appeared on Eater's Essential 38 list for Austin and carries a 9.4 score from The Infatuation.
Delicious
AWARDMichelin Guide Bib Gourmand2024–2025
AWARDJames Beard Foundation Best Chef, semifinalist2023
CRITICCovered by Austin Food Magazine
CRITICCovered by Eater
CRITICCovered by The Infatuation
RATINGS4.7 stars across 1,643 reviews2 sources