One of my new favorite traditions this summer has been to go to HarBQ on Fridays for whatever sandwich special they are running. They offer up full bbq menus on the weekends, but on Fridays have a smaller menu and a few sandwich specials. They’ve all been great, and the ones I have had recently have been a brisket burger, smoked chicken sandwich and a brisket melt (shown above). HarBQ has turned into one of my favorite go-to bbq joints in town (along with Botto’s and Bark City). Bonus for me that they have landed permanently at Von Ebert Brewery in my neighborhood. I went last Friday and got this brisket melt, along with a smoked Italian sausage and a delicious peach and tomato salad. Those peaches were so good! This is a great time of year since heirloom tomatoes are still going and peaches are happening at the same time. This was a fantastic lunch. Below I’m highlighting some of their BBQ from the last year.

This half chicken from June was a real stunner. Perfectly cooked and smoked, it was flavorful, moist and juicy. I got the last one of the day before they sold out and I’m so glad I did. It was covered in a nutty romesco, which was a nice subtle flavor addition to the real star of the show which was the chicken. The flavor of chicken really is one of the best things in the world, and it really shone through in this dish. No visit to HarBQ is complete without a sausage and a side. The sausage was their jalapeno cheddar that they run regularly. Always a winner. The mac salad was simple but had a hint of horseradish to it, which saved it from being too plain. My one small complaint about their sides is that they are sometimes too bland and not seasoned enough. I’d like some bolder flavors to come through. One thing I love about HarBQ is that they get better and more dialed in every time I visit.

This bbq plate from May is more representative of their full weekend menu, though I didn’t get everything on the menu. Although I love their sandwiches, burgers and fancier sides, the best value for your money is go the classic bbq route and get 1/2 pounds of different smoked meats. They don’t list it on the menu, but if you ask you can get 1/4 pounds of each meat, which is great if you’re like me and you want to try as many things as possible. This was a perfect bbq plate. All for just $27. Chimichurri pork shoulder, sambal chicken, jalapeno cheddar sausage and 3-cheese mac. BBQ is all about the quality and the smoke of the meat, and these were fantastic. Their BBQ is oak smoked. They always have the meat really dialed in. I’ve never had anything less than a flawlessly cut, juicy piece of meat from them. They make a killer chimichurri that they variously pair with pork shoulder, chicken, other meats. This sambal chicken was so great as well. Perfect smokiness and chicken flavor. The mac is done right too, it’s my favorite of their regular sides.

Last up is a visit from March from when they had just moved in to their new digs at Von Ebert Brewing. The location is a tap room (that you can eat this bbq in) as well as a patio outside with 9 or 10 tables. My on set photography is never as good as my home photography, mostly because I’m still embarrassed to be seen taking photos of food with a nice camera in public so I do it as quickly and surreptitiously as possible. Anywho, on this visit I got their aji verde chicken, a masala link and creamy grits. Need to shout out the delicious pickles and onions that come with every order, and a very good bbq sauce. Also want to shout out Von Ebert Brewery, who make excellent beer and are a nice addition to the neighborhood. It’s memorial day weekend, so make sure to eat some delicious bbq! Happy eating.