Lots of locals felt that the space was cursed.
The BBQ restaurant at 3422 Mount Diablo in Lafayette has changed hands five times over the last few decades–and three times in the last couple of years.
First, it was Bo’s. Then, it was Boneheads, all the smoke, and finally Horn. The latter lasted less than a year.
Now, though, the building has a new life and a new restaurant–a professional operator with multiple successful restaurants around California.
The new spot is called Mount Diablo BBQ, and it officially opened its doors this week. I stopped by with my family to try it out.
It’s Red Now!
The first transformation you’ll notice at the new spot is the building.
Before, it was a moody shade of black, with siding that was starting to show its age. Mount Diablo BBQ transformed it into a red, modern-farmhouse style barn, complete with new signage and a new interior.
Cheerful, wooden signs label things like the wood pile out front (California Oak, which Mount Diablo BBQ uses for all its smoking) and welcome guests inside.
The parking is still a bit limited. But the building itself looks entirely different.
The interior is equally updated and cheery, taking in more natural light while keeping some nice details of the previous places, like a greeting scrawled on a big metal pipe that goes above the tables.
Walking in, though, you’ll notice the lack of something that was nearly always present during previous iterations: a line.
That’s not due to a lack of popularity–I saw many patrons cycle though on my visit–but rather to a fast and efficient ordering system and solid staffing. I counted at least 6 people managing the busy lunch rush.
The Food
One of the more interesting things about Mt. Diablo BBQ is that it is not just a lunch-and-dinner barbecue spot.
The restaurant plans to serve breakfast daily from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., which is unusual for a local BBQ restaurant and especially notable for this part of Lafayette.
The breakfast menu includes breakfast tacos with an over-easy egg, salsa ranchera, and a choice of pulled pork, brisket, or tri-tip. There are also biscuit breakfast sandwiches with eggs, melted American cheese, and smoked meat.
I didn’t personally arrive early enough to try those items, but it’s good to know that we have Mount Diablo BBQ as a future breakfast option.
Then there’s the main menu. It’s big!
Mount Diablo BBQ is offering tri-tip, brisket, pulled pork, St. Louis-style pork ribs, chicken, burnt ends, hot links, sandwiches, salads, kids meals, family packs, and larger catering-style options.
Sandwiches come with a side, while BBQ meals come with two sides and bread. The menu also includes BBQ mac, a loaded BBQ baked potato, cornbread, beans, mac and cheese, cole slaw, potato salad, desserts, and family packs built around ribs, tri-tip, chicken, pulled pork, and sides.
For bigger groups, there’s a family pack. I saw multiple construction worker teams come in to grab things like this for their crews.
There are packs designed for roughly 2 to 3 people, 3 to 4 people, and 5 to 6 people, plus much larger catering-style packs.
There’s a very reasonable kid’s menu, too. Kids can choose a small portion of a meat and a side, along with bread and an apple juice, for about $11. With three kids in tow, I appreciated the economy!
I ordered a brisket sandwich, and also tried burnt ends.
The meat was tasty–tender, with a strong smoky flavor and a nice amount of bark. I preferred taking slices of meat out of my sandwich and dipping them into one of two house-made sauces that Mount Diablo BBQ provides in self-serve dispenser.
I opted for beans on the side. Filled with little pieces of brisket and seasoned with plenty of paprika, they were excellent.
My kids also opted for brisket and loved it. The portions at Mount Diablo BBQ are ample, and we ended up with leftovers from our $11 kids meals. My oldest son also opted for a baked potato.
Covered in sour cream and scallions, it was tender and well-prepared.
Little touches–like a self serve station with essentials like butter, honey for cornbread, and even the operator’s signature “dessert” (little Andes mints)–made the meal feel easy and seamless.
The service was excellent, too. Employees moved fast and greeted each guest warmly. When I ordered a canned soda but got a fountain soda from a different brand, the staff quickly got me the right item with no difficulty.
This feels, in other words, like a polished operation. You won’t need to wait more than 5 minutes to get your meal, even if you stop by for a busy lunch.
Like most BBQ places, Mount Diablo BBQ can sell out, though. So I would encourage you to visit early if you can, although the restaurant stays open until 9pm.
Mount Diablo BBQ also has a small but creative list of draft beers–a highlight of the menu. Most are extremely local, and they span a clever range of flavors: a lager, an IPA, a sour, a porter, etc. All looked great.
Canned beverages and wine complement the beverage side of things. Mount Diablo BBQ reportedly waited to get its liquor license in place before opening–a shrewd move that let it lead with its full set of beverage pairings, and also evidence of a pro operator.
The Verdict
Mount Diablo BBQ is a great addition to downtown. The new building is vibrant and modern–a fun barn red that harkens back to the increasingly vanishing rural heritage of Lafayette.
The menu is extensive, the service is excellent, and the food and beverage pairings are clearly well thought out and well executed.
Everything we had was tasty–perhaps not at the “we’re eating art” level of some of the food at Horn, but the kind of thing you’d definitely return to keep getting, and something that feels like it could become part of a regular routine, not just an occasional destination restaurant.
For families, Mount Diablo BBQ is perfect, too. The inexpensive kid’s meals and generous portions meant a big meal for a family of five was under $70–quite a rarity in Lafayette.
There’s been a lot of turnover at this spot, but the building’s owner told me in an interview that he felt Mount Diablo BBQ was run by a fantastic operator and had true staying power.
Many locals are likely hoping he’s right.
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