Loro Austin Review: Smoked Asian BBQ That Works for the Whole Family

This was our second time at Loro, and the food was amazing again. We stopped in for a family lunch on a Friday at the end of October 2026, grabbed a picnic table and shared a spread of rice bowls and wings. If you have not been, Loro calls itself an Asian smokehouse: Texas barbecue smoke with Southeast Asian flavors, from Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue and Chef Tyson Cole of Uchi.

Restaurant

Loro Asian Smokehouse & BBQ (South Lamar)

Where

2115 South Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78704, near Zilker Park and Barton Springs

Hours

Sun to Thu 11am to 10pm, Fri and Sat 11am to 11pm

Happy hour

Mon to Fri, 2pm to 5pm

How it works

Counter service: grab a seat, order at the bar, keep your table puck out

Reservations

Not taken, walk in

Kids menu

Yes, Lil' Loro, dine in only

Rice bowls

$13.95 to $18.75 on the online menu (Nov 2026)

Our visit

Friday lunch, Oct 30, 2026 (second visit)

What we ordered

• Malaysian Curry Chicken Bowl: chicken in a golden curry sauce over coconut rice, with pickled vegetables, red onion, a pile of fresh herbs and a little cup of dressing on the side.
• Loro Smoked Wings: our favorite of the day. A full tray, deeply smoked with a sticky dark glaze and a handful of cilantro, plus a creamy white sauce and an orange sauce for dipping.
• Char Siew Pork Belly Bowl: dark, glazed, smoky pork belly over coconut rice with red onion, pickles and a big handful of cilantro.
• Oak Smoked Grilled Steak Bowl: grill-marked steak with carrots, pickled cabbage, red onion, mint and basil.
• Lil' Loro Cheeseburgers for the kids, and they loved them.

The standout for us was the Loro Smoked Wings. If you only order one thing to share, make it those.

How it works with kids

Loro is about as easy as a sit-down lunch with kids gets. There is no host stand and no reservation to juggle. You find a seat, order food and drinks at the bar, and they bring it out to your table. There is a big covered patio deck with picnic tables, plenty of indoor seating if it is hot, and room to spread out with a group.

The Lil' Loro kids menu is dine-in only. On the online menu it is $9.95 for kids 12 and under and covers a main (a cheeseburger, crispy chicken bites or a sweet pork rice bowl), a side and a fountain drink. Our kids went with the cheeseburgers and loved them.

Tips if you go

• Go at weekday lunch. Loro itself says weekday lunch and happy hour are the calmer times.
• Want the oak-smoked brisket plate? It is listed as available after 4pm, so plan a later meal for it.
• On a budget, the Lunch 2 Step (daily 11am to 2pm) pairs a sandwich with a half side, and weekday happy hour (2pm to 5pm) has cheaper bites.
• Bring the dog if you like: the patio is dog friendly.
• It sits right by Zilker Park and Barton Springs, so it is an easy stop before or after a day out there.
• Check the menu and hours on loroeats.com before you go. Prices and specials change.

Our verdict

Two visits in, the food has been amazing both times. Loro is an easy pick for a family lunch in Austin. Order the wings.