New barbecue joint opens in downtown SLO — and it’s in a fitting spot

If you’ve had a craving for some Southern-style barbecue in San Luis Obispo, you’re in luck.

A new restaurant is set to officially open in downtown San Luis Obispo this week, in a space that has long been associated with barbecue.

CJ’s BBQ will hold its grand opening at 1005 Monterey St. on Friday, its management told The Tribune, though the restaurant held a soft opening starting Jan. 3 to test out its menu.

The restaurant, spearheaded by owner Chris Patterson, takes over the former Mo’s Smokehouse BBQ space, which closed in December 2022. The barbecue spot had been a San Luis Obispo institution for nearly three decades.

Patterson said his goal with the new spot is to bring more traditional Southern-style barbecue and food to a region that is dominated by Santa Maria-style offerings.

“It’s just not here,” Patterson told The Tribune on Jan. 3. “We want to bring a restaurant with flavor.”

Why open a new barbecue spot in downtown SLO?

Patterson is no stranger to barbecue.

His original CJ’s BBQ in Oxnard has been a longtime staple in the Southern California food scene.

When the opportunity came to open a new spot in San Luis Obispo, he was curious — but also cautious.

“My friend put a gun to my head,” he joked. “He kept trying to get me up here, and he said, ‘Look, dude. I found the perfect spot. It was a barbecue restaurant, and it’s just sitting there. It’s just empty.’ He made me come down.”

Patterson said at first he “didn’t understand why it was sitting here for so long.”

“But now I do,” he said. “It was waiting for the right person.”

What’s on the menu at CJ’s BBQ?

So what should diners expect from the new barbecue joint?

Manager Rebekah Bradley said the experience should be very familiar for those who used to frequent Mo’s BBQ — and she would know. A longtime resident of San Luis Obispo County, Bradley remembers going to Mo’s often with her family growing up.

“Mo’s always would treat us like we were literally family,” she said. “So that’s the same thing I want to give back to the same location. ... We want everyone to walk in here through the door to our home.”

On Jan. 3, the restaurant saw a slow drip of curious customers coming in and out, drawn by the blues music and festive balloons out front declaring its soft opening.

Bradley said so far, the response had been overwhelmingly positive, with many of those diners excited about barbecue returning to the space.

The current menu features all the classics of barbecue: ribs, mac and cheese, beans, pulled pork, chicken and hot links.

Patterson said in the coming months it would also slowly start rolling out some more unique fare, like Southern-style fried catfish, gumbo and more.

In all, the restaurant hopes to have a little something for everyone, especially those who like their food just a little bit on the messy side.

“It’s for if you want finger-licking good,” Bradley said, “if you want smacking to the bone.”

For more information

CJ’s BBQ is open at 1005 Monterey St. The business hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.

The business does not yet have a website or phone number set up.