Rib Line in Grover Beach is getting a makeover. And the SLO restaurant could be next
When Brian Appiano and his wife, Krystal, got into the restaurant game in San Luis Obispo County, they didn’t expect to own four locations a little over a decade later.
Now, the Appianos — owners of two Rib Line barbecue restaurants, Sunsets at Pismo and The Switch SLO — are giving their Grover Beach Rib Line business a remodel and menu upgrade. And the San Luis Obispo location could see an expansion after that.
The Appianos purchased the SLO-based Rib Line restaurant in 2010 and later expanded to Grover Beach in 2011, opening Rib Line by the Beach.
When their lease expired on the 228 West Grand Ave. location — now the home of Pono Pacific Kitchen — Brian Appiano looked across the street for a new spot for Rib Line by the Beach.
“We noticed 3 Fat Guys was struggling, (and) we started talking to the building owner and Tom from Mongo’s (Saloon) about taking over the food portion at that location,” Appiano told The Tribune. “We felt the corner visibility, the potential to cook on the open pit for everyone to see, the improved parking situation and having a full bar to service our patrons would be smart ‘power’ move for our long-term success.”
Rib Line by the Beach reopened in the new location at the beginning of 2022.
Now, with Mongo’s Saloon permanently closing its doors as of Dec. 12, Appiano said he and his wife had a chance to flesh out Rib Line by the Beach and update its services to fit a new business model.
Rib Line by the Beach remodels for ‘family-friendly’ feel
Rib Line by the Beach existed as a counter service and takeout establishment prior to the remodel, said Appiano, who began overhauling the interior of the restaurant Feb. 6. The restaurant remains open during the work.
Though the SLO location at 12308 Los Osos Valley Road and the previous 228 West Grand Ave. location had expanded to full sit-down service, the COVID-19 pandemic closed all in-person dining.
The new location’s remodel provides a chance to get back to that business model, Appiano said, along with incorporating a beachfront theme.
“It’s going to truly be a barbecue by the beach — it’s going to be all whitewashed, (and) we’re gonna have some palm fronds hanging down from the bar area (to create) some separation,” Appiano said. “We’re looking to get some video games in there for the kids.”
Appiano said he envisions the remodeled Rib Line by the Beach as a place where families can bring their kids after youth sports events.
The beachfront-themed remodel goes farther than the restaurant’s interior design, Appiano said.
New items are also coming to the menu, which will include seafood, shrimp and steaks, while still featuring the “traditional yummy stuff” Rib Line is known for, Appiano said.
“Obviously, we’re not gonna get rid of our tri-tip, our baby back ribs or beef, but I plan on bringing steaks (and) some more fresh appetizers,” Appiano said. “We’ll probably have some flatbreads, maybe a pasta special here and there. It’s going to be more like a full-service dining restaurant featuring our barbecue.”
New desserts on the menu will include guava cheesecake and key lime pie.
None of the preparation of Rib Line’s meats will change, Appiano said, from the smoking process to its homemade barbecue sauces.
“We don’t just buy Sweet Baby Ray’s and just add a couple ingredients and call it our own sauce,” Appiano said. “I think that’s what really sets us apart”
Rib Line restaurants to see more expansion in the future
Appiano said his past 12 years in the SLO County restaurant scene have taught him the value of staying “on top of things” and keeping his businesses fresh.
With property rents up for restaurant owners and customers alike, Appiano said getting and maintaining customers has become more difficult.
“There’s 30 more choices to go out to and the same amount of people — no wonder why each one’s getting a little slower, and it’s getting harder and harder to compete,” Appiano said.
Both Rib Line locations will continue to offer free delivery on all orders, though Appiano said the growing use of third-party delivery apps like Uber Eats and Grubhub have made it harder to maintain that feature of Rib Line’s business model.
However, with more guests coming to eat in-person, Appiano said he hopes to grow his Rib Line businesses even more.
The SLO Rib Line could expand its service to the former home of Honey’s Pizza at 12300 Los Osos Valley Road in the near future, Appiano said, to experiment with other changes to the menu and format of the restaurant.
“My wife and I are thinking about testing the waters out for bit,” Appiano said, with the idea of “setting it up like a quick service, old-school Texas barbecue.”
However, in the immediate future, Appiano said he’s looking forward to seeing the renovations at the Grover Beach location finish in about a month.
“We feel the entire place needs a complete redo to improve the vibe and bring back the family-friendly atmosphere that Rib Line has been known for,” Appiano said.
This story was originally published February 10, 2023 at 5:30 AM.
