Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar

Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar is a powerhouse collaboration between two of Austin’s most famous culinary figures: Tyson Cole (the creative force behind Uchi) and Aaron Franklin (the pitmaster of Franklin Barbecue). On a whim, we decided to try this place for a late lunch and we were not disappointed — well other than the fact that the brisket isn’t served until after 4pm we weren’t disappointed. Luckily the food we were able to order was incredible, and worthy of a second visit. I’ll make sure we wait until after 4pm next time! As for the atmosphere, it has a "Texas dancehall" feel with high vaulted ceilings, long communal wooden tables, and a massive, dog-friendly outdoor patio shaded by oak trees. Here’s what we ordered: Brussels Sprouts (pictured) Oak Grilled Edamame (not pictured) Smoked Hot Wings w/Miso Blue Cheese (pictured) Pork Belly (pictured) Sesame Rice Noodles (pictured) Loro Cheeseburger (not pictured) Pork Katsu Sandwich (not pictured) All of the food was amazing and worthy of a second (or third) order. The highlight of the order for me was the cheeseburger. Unfortunately I did not take a picture of it, but believe me when I say that it’s one of the best burgers in Austin. I really do try to shy away from giving out 5 star reviews, but Loro deserves every star. I can’t wait to visit again.

Great dining experience. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating options. Fast, efficient service model. Tasty Asian fusion dishes. Recommended dishes: - Chicken Karaage - more like Korean style fried chicken, but was very tasty. - Arugula & Melon Salad - seemingly strange combination was surprisingly good. - Char Siew Pork Belly - tad sweet but bursting with flavor - Sesame Rice Noodles - was an excellent companion to balance out the strong flavors of the Char Siew

First time visiting this Asia fusion BBQ restaurant, my daughter’s boy friend said this BBQ meal is the best meal in 2025. We had Brussels sprouts, broccoli, salad, potatoes, beef brisket, pork ribs, turkey breast with fresh veggies for wrapping the meat. And Pork belly. All dishes are tasty and meat is smoked sweet flavored. We are enjoying food here Service is fast and waiter / waitress is nice. Place is not noisy and environment is comfortable and good vibes. Marking one of must visit BBQ place in Austin.

Beautiful restaurant with plenty of outdoor seating and heaters. Happy hour is wonderfully priced, but the bartenders need some work. I was told that one of the drinks was sold out, and then I noticed that some customers after us were able to get the drinks. Also, when asked about slushy recommendations to go with the twice pony special, the bartender was unable to recommend anything. They were cordial, but definitely felt like they didn’t really care. It could be that they were swamped by happy hour folks too. With the actual food and service workers, the appetizers were absolutely delicious, and the food delivery workers were prompt. They were the ones to actually provide some recommendations! The edamame was delightfully citrusy, with the sriracha adding flavour instead of spice. The rice bowl had tons of pickles which added some great brightness! Also, queso is a must try at happy hour!

Wow, was this place a nice surprise! 👍 I can’t believe I haven’t tried this place before. My cousin lives in Zilker right down the road from the Lamar location. I tried it today mostly due to proximity and boy was I glad I took the plunge. This restaurant is a fusion of 2 of my favorite spots in Austin: - Franklin’s BBQ - Uchi Japanese / sushi They bill themselves as an Asian smokehouse and wow do they have an intriguing menu. My appetite is greatly diminished following my cancer treatments so I am not able to consume anywhere near what I used to, but that just gives me more reason to come back and explore the menu. Today, I had: - OAK GRILLED EDAMAME (GF) lemon zest, white sesame, sriracha powder SEAWEED SALAD sweet cucumbers, ponzu, sesame seeds - LORO CAESAR SALAD with crispy fried chicken breast: smoked caesar dressing, crispy breadcrumbs, parmesan Everything was *on point* and succulent. The edamame was easily the best I have ever had. I shucked the first few beans out by hand for the photo, but the rest was consumed as intended - in the mouth, resulting in seasoning caked fingertips which resulted in frequent cleaning via suckling - the seasoning is so delicious and you can really taste the oak roasted flavor. The seaweed salad was also succulent and the soy sauce and cucumbers really enhanced the flavors. Finally, the Caesar salad was sooo fulfilling and there was liberal usage of the Parmesan and crispy breadcrumbs. The chicken was toasted perfectly. I will definitely be back in March for the MotoGP race @ COTA and likely sample more of the BBQ side. What a pleasant surprise this was - a new addition to the robust Austin food scene. Special shout out to my server / bartender Joe who was very attentive, polite, and professional. He treated me with respect and kindness and it was very appreciated - can’t wait to come back!

Loved our lunch here on a sunny day. As a group of 4 we tried lots of dishes for $115-we ordered more than we needed. We loved the chicken karage, and gojuchang bbq chicken. All the pickles were super fresh and tangy. There is loads of seating both in and outside.

I keep trying to love this place and it keeps coming up short. I get the concept, and I like the space, but I find the food is always just short of greatness. Maybe it's the price, or the portion size. Maybe it's a bizarre mix of flavors that while technically "fusion" don't necessarily fuse. I leave this spot to the hip new Austinites who seem to love it so much