Downtown SLO barbecue joint abruptly goes dark. Did it close?
A downtown San Luis Obispo barbecue restaurant seems to have closed its doors, though its apparent departure is cloaked in a haze of uncertainty.
CJ’s BBQ Smokehouse, which took over the former Mo’s Smokehouse BBQ spot at the corner of Monterey and Osos streets in January, seems to have closed after less than a year in business.
The business has no sign announcing a closure in the window or on its social media, and yet the restaurant has been dark for more than three weeks.
On its Instagram page, the most recent post was from Sept. 2 saying “The wait is over!”
“We’re back open on Wednesday!” the post said. “Pull up to taste the Southern goodness you’ve been missing! DM us for questions or feedback — we’re all ears!”
But within two weeks of that post, the restaurant was dark with all the chairs stacked on the tables. It’s remained that way ever since.
It’s unclear if the closure is temporary or permanent. Several Tribune requests for comment from the owner of the business were not returned as of Friday.
Meanwhile the SLO restaurant’s website no longer appears online, and the phone number for the spot rings through with no answer and no voicemail set up.
The restaurant, spearheaded by owner Chris Patterson, took over the former space last occupied by Mo’s, which closed in December 2022. The barbecue spot had been a San Luis Obispo institution for nearly three decades.
At the time of the opening, Patterson told The Tribune his goal with the new spot was 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 at the time. “We want to bring a restaurant with flavor.”
This story was originally published October 6, 2025 at 10:25 AM.
CORRECTION: The location of CJ’s Smokehouse BBQ has been updated. It is at the corner of Monterey and Osos streets.
%20Cropped.jpg)