I Waited 75 Minutes in the Rain to Eat at the New Horn BBQ in Lafayette. Here’s My Review.

After more than 45 minutes of waiting in line to get into the new Horn Barbecue in Lafayette, California, I knew I was surrounded by true barbecue believers.

Then, it started to rain.

It’s a testament to the quality of Horn’s food and the community’s excitement about its arrival in Lafayette that, even after the cloudburst, nobody left the line. If anything, it continued to grow.

Horn Barbecue originally started in Oakland. The creation of chef Matthew Horn, Horn BBQ emphasizes barbecue’s deep roots in the American South and its connection to African-American culture.

Horn has a fascinating origin story: he once made bad barbecue for his girlfriend and swore never to do it again. From that failure, Horn Barbecue rose, phoenix-like, to prominence both in the Bay Area and throughout the country.

The Michelin Guide awarded Horn Barbecue its coveted Bib Gourmand, a designation recognizing casual food made to incredibly high standards. The Bib Gourmand is often a stepping stone to a Michelin star, the highest honor in the food world.

Publications like Food & Wine raved about Horn’s food, and his Oakland barbecue empire appeared on many lists of the best barbecue places in the world.

Horn’s Fall

Last year, however, the empire appeared to come crashing down. Horn BBQ suffered several devastating break-ins, the restaurant was accused of wage theft in a lawsuit (Horn denies the allegations), and the Oakland location ultimately burned down in a fire authorities say was likely arson.

For the past year, Horn Barbecue has operated as a pop-up in various restaurant spaces in Oakland.

In December 2024, Matthew Horn shocked the 925 community and the broader Bay Area food world by announcing that he was reopening Horn Barbecue in the ritzy suburb of Lafayette, California.

Here at the Bay Area Telegraph, we discovered Horn’s move the day before his new restaurant opened, when the former location of Bonehead’s BBQ suddenly sported a Horn banner.

To say the community’s response to Horn’s reemergence on the barbecue scene was enthusiastic would be a gross understatement.

Horn BBQ has consistently sold out of food since launching in Lafayette, sometimes as early as 2 or 3 PM. Lines outside the Mount Diablo Boulevard location often stretch around the block and start 20–30 minutes before the restaurant opens.

Braving the Rain

That was the context I found myself in when when I finally made it out to try and review Horn’s new location.

The Bay Area Telegraph had tried once before—on opening day—but by 6 PM, the restaurant had sold out of literally everything and closed its doors. Determined not to be thwarted again, we arrived early—about 30 minutes before Horn BBBQ opened on a weekday in January.

Unsurprisingly, there was already a long line. A fire truck parked next to the line raised uncomfortable memories of Horn’s devastating fire, but it turned out to be a group of firefighters picking up barbecue for the station.

As your reporter and about 20 other barbecue devotees stood in line, we could smell the aroma of smoked meats wafting from the chimney atop Horn’s new location.

While in line, I chatted with several locals. One person had already been waiting so long to be first in line that he got a parking ticket. He didn’t care about the $37 ticket—he considered it a cost of getting into Horn’s restaurant.

The weather had been threatening rain all morning, and as we stood in line, the clouds opened up. Again, no one budged. Few people had thought to bring an umbrella, so the only option was to stand there and get wet. It seemed a small price to pay for the food we knew was inside.

When the doors finally opened, the line slowly snaked its way inside Horn’s new location.

Horn did relatively little to update the space after its days as Bonehead’s BBQ and, briefly, an interim restaurant known as All the Smoke. The interior is jet black, with a giant mural of a cow and letters reading “Award-Winning Barbecue” on the ceiling.

It’s a laid-back vibe you’d recognize from any Texas barbecue place, which is where Horn’s barbecue cuisine has its roots.

The menu is equally simple. Horn’s menu focuses on smoked meats and a handful of sides. It’s so small that it fits easily on the wall of the restaurant.

As I waited longer, the anticipation grew. Reaching the front of the line, I could see staff members at Horn’s cutting station removing ribs, brisket, and pulled pork from warmers and carefully slicing them to order before placing them on simple black trays.

Most of Horn’s items are sold by the pound. When I finally reached the front, I ordered a ton of food: 1 pound of ribs, half a pound of brisket, 1 pound of pulled pork, and (no joke) every single side and dessert on the menu.

By the time I made it to the front and ordered my food, I had been standing in line for over 75 minutes. I found a table and sat down with my family for the meal.

Was It Worth the Wait?

In a word: yes. The food was worth the wait. I would’ve waited longer, and I would’ve paid more.

From the first bite, it was clear that Horn’s barbecue deserves its reputation as the best in the Bay Area.

This is life-changing barbecue—many cuts above what you get at typical Bay Area barbecue joints, better than most of what I’ve eaten in Texas, and far superior to the dried-out ribs many people grill at home.

On the day of my visit, Horn’s signature beef ribs were sold out, so I opted for pork spareribs instead. They were phenomenal—coated in a slightly sweet, very peppery crust. The smoked ribs nearly fell off the bone and had a deep, but not overpowering, smoky flavor.

The brisket was sliced thin, tender, and not at all tough. It wasn’t gelatinous but held together well, with just enough fat to lend an extremely decadent and flavorful texture.

At $35 per pound, it’s clearly the crown jewel of Horn’s menu—and it deserves its place.

I particularly love pulled pork, and Horn’s version is by far the best I’ve had. It’s not nearly as fatty as what you might find in a sloppy Joe and has the same deep smoke flavor—though less sweetness—than the other meats on the menu.

This is barbecue unlike anything you’ve tasted: poetry in meat and smoke.

Barbecue is such a simple cuisine—just meat, smoke, and seasoning. There’s nowhere to hide—no fancy garnishes, no sauces to save a tough cut, and no expensive ingredients to elevate a boring presentation. The fact that Horn does so much with so little is a testament to his skill and creativity as a chef.

The sides were also excellent, though a bit more variable. The mac and cheese was amazing, and the slaw provided a perfect, cool, crunchy contrast to the main dishes.

The potato salad and mashed potatoes were good but not stellar.

The pit beans were delicious, too, and were filled with little chunks of meat.

The collard greens were classic but probably an acquired taste if you didn’t grow up in the American South.

One standout item, beyond the meats themselves, was the banana pudding. Served in a simple takeout container, it was creamy, flavorful, very sweet, and an ideal way to end the meal.

Alongside the meats and side dishes, each table at Horn BBQ has a giant bottle of barbecue sauce. I appreciated that this is a house-made sweet barbecue sauce. Too often, Bay Area barbecue places seem to feel that a sweet sauce is beneath them and instead choose to serve something mustardy or vinegar-based.

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Horn isn’t afraid to provide something that feels like an elevated version of Sweet Baby Ray’s. The sweetness is the perfect foil to the salty smokiness of the meats. I absolutely doused my pulled pork with Horn’s sauce and regretted nothing.

As with many barbecue places, Horn BBQ serves its dishes with a simple side of ultra-processed white bread. It’s an homage to barbecue traditions, and I’m very thankful that they didn’t choose to go all Bay Area and serve something with loads of seeds or sourdough.

You table also comes with its own roll of standard-issue paper towels, which you’ll absolutely need.

Overall, the meal at Horn BBQ felt so good and so authentic that its presence just 10 minutes from my house feels almost surreal. This is the kind of food you should have to travel a great distance for, yet here it is—right in our own backyard.

Yes, you have to wait an insanely long time to get it. And yes, it’s more expensive than typical barbecue. My meal for five people came out to $137.

Consider the fact, though, that many meals in the Bay Area cost that much or more for food that is far lower in quality. I recently ate with my family at the Oakland Zoo, and the uninspired pizza and refrigerated deli wrap we had still came out to $100.

Compared to that very low bar, Horn BBQ’s food is an incredible bargain. The line will hopefully die down over time, and Horn BBQ could probably do a lot to speed things up by adding more staff members at the cutting station.

But in the meantime, the wait adds a heroic element to eating at Horn. Sure, you don’t have to fly to Texas to get barbecue this good, but at least you have to stand around for a while.

Like queuing up to ride the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland, the waiting makes the experience feel like something special–not just another jaunt to one of the Bay Area’s fancy restaurrants.

Final Thoughts

Sure, Horn can be a controversial and divisive figure, but so are many artists. And make no mistake—this is art on a plate.

Horn Barbecue in Lafayette is destined to become a destination restaurant. That Michelin star may arrive sooner than we think.

In the meantime, make time to visit Horn’s new location. You’ll have to stand in line. You may get wet. You’ll spend a fortune. And it will all be worth it.

Horn BBQ, 3422 Mount Diablo Blvd, Lafayette, CA 94549. https://www.hornbarbecue.com/

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