LAFAYETTE, CALIFORNIA – As a local news publication, it’s always wonderful when our readers come through for us.
And that was the case this weekend, when reader Elaine wrote in to share that a new liquor license had appeared at the defunct location of the former Horn BBQ in Lafayette.
We followed the rabbit hole of paperwork and license applications, and we always do, and it led us to a gem: although nothing has been officially announced yet, it appears that a new BBQ restaurant will soon replace Horn in Lafayette.
According to records from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (and based on details that Elaine very helpfully provided), the pending license for the Lafayette address is held by RSBBQ, Inc., a company that already operates several barbecue restaurants around Northern California.
Those include:
- Mission St BBQ in Santa Cruz
- South Winchester BBQ in San Jose
- High & Mighty Pizza Joint in Gilroy
- BBQ Pit in San Jose
The Lafayette license is currently listed as “41 – Pending,” which typically allows beer and wine sales once approved.
That suggests the company is preparing to open a new restaurant called “Mt Diablo BBQ” at the Lafayette site.
RSBBQ describes itself as a family-run barbecue company serving Northern California, known for oak-smoked meats and a mix of regional barbecue traditions. The group operates restaurants and catering operations centered around Santa Cruz and the South Bay.
Its flagship spot, Mission St BBQ in Santa Cruz, serves classic smoked meats like brisket, ribs, pulled pork, and tri-tip, cooked low and slow with California oak wood.
The company also runs a large catering business across the Central Coast and South Bay, specializing in weddings, events, and large gatherings.
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What Happened to Horn Barbecue in Lafayette
The new project follows the sudden collapse of Horn Barbecue’s Lafayette location, which was evicted earlier this year after financial and operational issues.
In February, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office served a legal lockout notice on the restaurant, returning the property to its landlord and barring the business from entering the building, according to the Chronicle.
The Mt. Diablo Boulevard restaurant space has hosted a string of barbecue restaurants over the years, including Boneheads Texas BBQ and All the Smoke BBQ, before Horn Barbecue moved in. Back in the day, it was “Bo’s BBQ.”
If the new project moves forward, Mt Diablo BBQ would become the latest attempt to make a barbecue restaurant work at the prominent downtown Lafayette location.
We reached out to RSBBQ for comment but haven’t heard back yet. Again, this is just based on our research so far, so nothing is confirmed. But if we’re right, then Mount Diablo BBQ could soon be making its Lafayette debut.
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