BBQ on the Brazos is open. Jambo’s in Pantego isn’t. And what’s up at North Main BBQ?
A shakeup was affecting local barbecue restaurants even before the onset of COVID-19 fears.
An illness, a potential sale and a departure were affecting familiar barbecue landmarks:
▪ BBQ on the Brazos is without co-founder John Sanford for a few weeks as he recovers from a severe infection following a surgery.
Pitmaster John Sanford II is smoking meats as always at lunch Tuesdays through Saturdays at 3803 Southwest Blvd. But the restaurant has suspended Sunday lunch service until the senior Sanford returns
Co-owner Kathryn Warren said the family may need a fundraiser to help pay the uninsured cost of Sanford’s multiple surgeries and treatment.
BBQ on the Brazos was the highest-ranked local barbecue restaurant in the most recent Texas Monthly top 50, before the current openings of more than 12 new craft barbecue restaurants and stands such as Hurtado, Goldee’s, Dayne’s and Derek Allan’s.
▪ North Main BBQ, 406 N. Main St. in Euless, is adding new partners and filing a paper trail showing that it tentatively might change to a burgers-and-barbecue restaurant after 40 years.
The current owners, the McKay family, have not officially announced a change.
But Euless City Hal has a permit application in the name Burgers & BBQ.
The restaurant has been open intermittently on recent weekends.
The McKays said only that new partners will help keep the restaurant open seven days.
They took over the restaurant after the deaths of founder Hubert Green and his wife, Shari McKay Green.
Don Green from the founding family now operates Green’s Texas BBQ at 414 W. Euless Blvd.
▪ A spinoff Jambo’s BBQ Shack in Pantego has closed.
The owner of that location, former mayoral candidate Ashton Stauffer, announced Jan. 11 it would be “temporarily” closed.
The original Jambo’s continues at 5406 Farm Road 1187 in Rendon under owners Barbie and Waldo Strein.
A separate Jambo’s spinoff at 1724 W. Division St. in Arlington is owned by Paul Lovato.
This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 5:45 AM.