Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2023 and updated in 2024.
Fourth of July is a classic summer holiday: in places that face enduring winters, Memorial Day and Fourth of July are opportunities to celebrate the weather in the company of loved ones with parades, swimming and grilling in backyards.
In Tucson, summer holidays are spent a little differently. We might not want to have the sun beating down on us from above and the heat from the coals from the grill below, rising to roast our faces. But we still may want to pay tribute to a uniquely American cuisine: the vibrant sauces and tender, smoked meats of barbecue.
When Tucsonans think of barbecue, we might think of the kind of grilling that happens with marinated carne, on a rack over a mesquite flame. Our heritage can feel distant from the smokers and hardwoods of the Midwest or South.
Luckily, a few emigrants from the cradle of barbecue have made their way to Tucson to share their cuisine with us.
Here’s where to find locally-owned barbecue to cater your Fourth of July kickback. (Note: These restaurants may not be open on the Fourth of July.)
Owner Ray Kendrick weighs out some food for a customer's order at Mr. K's Original BBQ on June 14, 2022.
Mr. K’s Original BBQ
The farther south you drive on Park Avenue, the more residential the south side gets. Eventually, you’ll be about as far south as the airport and passing the one-story Palm Tree Apartments, when the iconic, red-on-white-on-blue lettering on Mr. K’s barbecue restaurant commands your attention.
The inside feels like a consulate of Texas: you’ll be welcomed by wood paneling and a block-letter menu, illuminated from behind, hanging from the ceiling above the counter. The walls are decorated with years of articles more elaborate than this one, the tables where you’ll see everyone from an older neighborhood couple to a pair of Raytheon engineers grabbing lunch together.
Though their top sellers are the sliced beef brisket or the pork ribs, when I visited, I saw people eating meals across the menu: hot links, BBQ chicken sandwiches, and, yes, brisket, which I ordered.
The brisket meal at Mr. K’s comes with two sides: we chose mac and cheese and coleslaw, because the highly recommended Texas beans were temporarily out of stock due to supply chain issues.
Done in the Texas-style, with a ketchup-based sauce, the ribs are smoked over mesquite flame. Each platter comes with a corn bread, wrapped in aluminum foil, from the rustic display case on the counter.
The most popular sides are the mac and cheese, sprinkled with pepper and as brightly colored and flavored as nutritional yeast; the Texas beans, which are not always available due to supply-chain issues; and the collard and turnip greens. If you order the coleslaw, expect a surprise: the coleslaw is as sweet as it is savory, with the cream cheese and cinnamon notes of a frosted spice cake.
To order in advance for parties, call them at 520-792-9484.
Xzavie Jackson, right, shares his pickles with Larry Hendrix, both assistant coaches of the Tucson Sugar Skulls, at Smokey Mo, 2650 N. First Ave. The coaches come every Friday to enjoy the Kansas City-style fried catfish with fries.
Smokey Mo
Tucked off midtown’s First Avenue is Smokey Mo, Tucson’s premier spot for Kansas City-style barbecue. Smokey Mo channels the flavors of owner Ocie Davis’s childhood in KC with a secret recipe rub and a tangy, ketchup-based sauce. Signature to Kansas City are specialties like burnt ends (available on Saturdays), but fear not, you can still order typical barbecue offerings like pulled pork and brisket.
Ocie Davis, pit master and part owner, slices brisket at Smokey Mo.
The brisket is Ocie’s favorite: he calls it brisket candy. He’s been working in barbecue since he was 16 years old, getting his start at Hayward’s Pit BBQ in Kansas City. He has over three decades of experience in the pit.
Smokey Mo’s most notable side is the collard greens. Simmered in barbecued pork fat, and heartily seasoned, these tender greens might just be the best in town. Ocie said that their other top-seller is their mac and cheese.
To order in advance for parties, fill out the form on Smokey Mo’s website or call them at 520-203-8250.
Ken Alexander seasons pork with his BBQ rub in preparation for the smoker at Ken’s Hardwood Barbecue on June 14, 2022.
Ken’s Hardwood Barbecue
Checkered tablecloths with wood chairs are just the first indicator that when you walk through the doors of Ken’s Hardwood, you’re not in Tucson anymore. While most barbecue in Tucson is smoked or grilled over mesquite wood flame, Ken’s Hardwood infuses unique flavor into its smoke by using a combination of hickory and pecan hardwoods. The hickory is shipped in from the east coast, while the pecan is locally sourced from Sahuarita’s pecan farms.
Ken Alexander’s recipes come from family and past generations in Tennessee, Kentucky and Oklahoma, as well as his travels to Texas and Memphis to learn more about his craft. My editor, Gloria Knott, loves their sloppy Joe, which is a mix of beef brisket and pork ends, and sweet potato fries (and her boyfriend always orders their pulled chicken). Ken calls their hot link sandwich, topped with brisket and coleslaw, a fan favorite — ordered, of course, with sweet potato fries on the side.
Sharon Alexander, owner Ken Alexander's wife, brings out a customer's order at Ken's Hardwood Barbecue on June 14, 2022.
The restaurant got its start as a food truck, and the truck is still available for catering local events, if you’re looking to have a big Fourth of July bash. To order catering for parties of eight or more, fill out the form on their website, email them at catering@kenshardwoodbbq.com or call 520-745-4746.
If you’re looking for tips on how to make your own smoked barbecue at home, Ken offers his decades of experience as a pitmaster on his podcast, Get Your BBQ On.
Pitmaster Jesse Aguirre slices a beef brisket for a catering order at the new Bashful Bandit Barbecue.
7 more tasty barbecue restaurants in Tucson:
Bashful Bandit Barbecue, 3686 E. Speedway
BBQ Rush, located inside Lazydays KOA Resort, 5151 S. Country Club Road
Brother John’s Beer, Bourbon and BBQ, 1801 N. Stone Ave.
Catalina Barbeque Co. & Sports Bar, 3800 W. Starr Pass Blvd.
Holy Smokin Butts, 6940 E. Broadway
The Horseshoe Grill, 7713 E. Broadway
Kiss of Smoke BBQ, 663 S. Plumer Ave.
Bemo’s Ol’ Joe’s tot-chos are tater tots loaded with pulled pork, barbecue sauce, cheese and slaw.
Local barbecue food trucks include:
BeMo Ol’ Joe’s, Facebook page
Biggie Boy BBQ, Facebook page
Black Market BBQ, Facebook page
Charley’s BBQ & Grill, Facebook page
Fork U BBQ, website
