Family Barbecue

So I was eating lunch at a restaurant and saw an ad sheet describing a program where a taxi’s will pick up and deliver food from a restaurant.  An interesting program, but not all that interesting to me since I have the freedom to go to a restaurant, and enjoy the chance to eat away from my desk.  What caught my attention was the list of restaurants that were part of this program.  I was familiar with, and had eaten at most of them.  There were a couple I am not familiar with.  One in particular jumped off the page at me….A BBQ Restaurant!  I really thought I knew of all of the BBQ restaurants in Jefferson City.  I mean I have been in active search for the past six years, frequently checking the internet and restaurant review sites for any indication of BBQ availability.  I update my GPS frequently, more to see if it lists new restaurants than if the roads change. I monitor business signs as I drive and I certainly question potential knowledgeable sources.  Here was a “new restaurant!”

No address was listed….but I searched for Family Barbecue in Jefferson City and was given the address of 1209 Mo Blvd.  This is a road that I drive frequently, at least once a week.  I could not believe that there was a BBQ restaurant on this stretch of street.  Still it was enough to get my hopes up, and off I went with high anticipation.  There it was.  A sign for Family Barbecue right where they said it would be.  It was not exactly easy to see…well that is not quite true the sign is fairly large and right on the road.  It is a restaurant location that has been closed for a number of years.  The front of the building has been taken over by a used car dealer.  Still there was a big sign for the old restaurant that had a new sign covering part of the old sign that clearly announced “Family Barbecue.”

The restaurant is around back.  The parking lot has a number of obviously derelict cars.  There was a door clearly marked “entrance.”  I entered a clean, relatively small restaurant space.  It was after 1:00pm but I was the only customer.  A friendly man welcomed me and as the only employee gave me a menu.  The menu listed the BBQ items one would expect from a good BBQ.  I ordered a brisket sandwich and fries.  In a relatively short time I was delivered a generous amount of thinly sliced brisket between two slices of thick white bread, and home cut fries.  The brisket came with a pleasant sauce, not sweet or spicy.  It did not over power the meat, but accompanied it.  More sauce was provided.  The brisket was a little dry, so the sauce was nice.  To be clear I liked the brisket.  It had a nice flavor.  This was BBQ made by someone who knows how to cook meat. The fries were good, I would have liked for them to be cooked a little longer, but that is my taste.

Since I was the only customer I felt comfortable striking up a conversation.  I asked when they opened and was informed they had opened last April!   In the conversation I became aware that he had cooked for Johnnies BBQ before it closed, and had cooked in recent years at a couple of other places.  It was obvious that this is a man that who knows BBQ, and has his particular take on the favorites.  This is not an expensive restaurant, it is a good restaurant.  I want to go back!  I hope that others will take the effort to find this place and will frequent it.  Jefferson City needs a BBQ place like this.  It is not a chain.  It is BBQ for the working man who likes BBQ! 

Family Barbecue

1209 Mo Blvd

Jefferson City, MO