DINING FEATURE
BY SUMAIYA MALIK
Donn’s BBQ Family-run restaurant o ers a place of respite from the daily grind D onn’s BBQ, located at Oak Hill in Austin, o ers an informal atmosphere
of whom started coming weekly when their kids were a few years old and are now grandparents, said Maria Peña, Guerrero’s daughter and vice president of Donn’s Barbecue. Aside from the barbecue meats, Donn’s potato salad and Angus beef burgers are popular items on the menu. The restaurant also serves breakfast. Customers keep coming back, Pena said. “When a customer comes, we treat [them] like they’re one of the family, and we know [them] by a rst-name basis,” said Denise,
and the fragrance of mesquite to welcome customers who traverse the busy Hwy. 290 and Hwy. 71 intersection. This is the second of three Donn’s locations in Austin, which opened its doors in 1994. Like the agship store on FM 969, which opened in 1986, the Oak Hill location also has an easy service atmosphere for the whole family. All three of the cafeteria-style restaurants are currently owned by Jose Guerrero and his family. Guerrero, who is
From left: Denise Guerrero stands with her husband Jose Guerrero, owner of Donn’s BBQ and daughter, Maria Pena (Photos by Sumaiya Malik/Community Impact Newspaper)
ON THE MENU Donn’s BBQ owner Jose Guerrero curated this plate of staples.
Brisket Half lb. $17.59
Beef ribs Lb. $19.29
Guerrero’s wife, who is also the secretary of the business. When the Oak Hill location rst opened in 1994 in a strip-mall in the H E B parking lot across the road, there was practi- cally nothing in the
“WHEN A CUSTOMER COMES, WE TREAT THEM LIKE THEY’RE ONE OF THE FAMILY, AND WE KNOW THEM BY A FIRST NAME BASIS.” DENISE GUERRERO, CO OWNER
Donn’s BBQ 7001 Oak Meadow Drive 512-288-4060 www.donns-bbq.com Hours: Sun.-Wed. 6 a.m.-8:30 p.m., Thu. and Sat. 6 a.m.-9 p.m, Fri. 5:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Alberto Peinado, the meat cutter, working in the kitchen at Donn’s BBQ Oakhill.
originally from Mexico, joined the business at age 24. At the time Donn’s was owned solely by James Milton Howell, a World War II veteran.
“He was the cashier, and I was the cook,” Guerrero said, talking about the early days. In 1987 Guerrero became a partner, and when Howell retired, bought the business from him. Howell died in 2019. For more than 30 years, Donn’s Barbecue has been cooking authentic Texan barbecue of ribs, brisket, sausage, chicken and turkey for its loyal clientele, many
area. The company later moved across Hwy. 71 to the current, freestanding location featuring a lawn and parking lot. Many of their employees have been with them from the begin- ning. Donn’s remained open even during the COVID-19 pandemic when inside dining closed down and did not lay o any employees. “We never stopped; we never closed,” Pena said.
290
Sausage Lb. $14.59
Turkey Lb. $17.59
Half chicken Lb. $7.39
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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION • MAY 2022
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