Barbecue runs deep in my family. You could say the sauce is in our blood. Since 1977, The Bar-B-Q Man Restaurant has been serving Corpus Christi with one simple mission: provide our customers with quality, consistency and community.

Our story begins with my grandfather, an Alabamian, merchant mariner and a chef whose time at sea taught him the value of quality ingredients and bold flavors. When he came ashore, he brought those skills and southern hospitality to Corpus Christi, firing up mesquite wood and serving slow-smoked meats that set a standard we still follow today.

Taking over the family business wasn’t always in my plans. Although I was always helping in the business alongside my mother and father, life took me out to West Texas for a while, but Corpus Christi,family, friends, a farm girl from Taft, and The Bar-B-Q Man kept calling me back. Corpus Christi is where my roots were and it was always the place I wanted to end up in the long run to raise a family of my own.

Serving the people that keep our city and economy moving is an important job that we at The Bar-B-Q Man want to get right every single day. We take pride in using Certified Angus Beef, smoked to perfection over mesquite wood. Every side dish, from our potato salad to our beans, is made from scratch just like my grandfather did it. Our commitment to quality, consistency and service is why our customers have been coming back for nearly five decades. One of my favorite things about being in the family business is when I hear a customer tell me that they used to come here as a kid and now, 20-30 years later, it is exactly the same as I remember it. It not only makes me feel good, but it also brings a smile to our staff who work day in and day out to provide that quality of service.

Our customers are the backbone of Corpus Christi. The industrial workers, plant crews, and industry partners who fuel the Coastal Bend economy are not just our regulars — they are our friends and our extended family. The friends I made during the 4 years working in the refinery are now my life long fishing and hunting buddies.

I am proud to see the West Side of Corpus Christi growing and developing. I often hear of times when Leopard street looked like Saratoga does today. There is momentum here on the West Side and I believe it is just the beginning. In order to keep the momentum going, it is important for the small businesses, community, the City and industrial partners to work together.

Barbecue is more than food for us. It is a way to bring people together, to celebrate hard work, and to honor the city we call home. From my grandfather’s first brisket to the plates we serve today, our commitment remains the same — serving great, consistent barbecue to our community and the people who make Corpus Christi strong.