Barney’s Hickory Pit in Concord still delivers home-cooked flavor

CONCORD, CA (Sept. 21, 2023) — Prior to Julia Child, fusion food and culinary academies, the local restaurant scene was much simpler. Choices for decent meals were limited to the likes of the Front Room, the Pioneer Inn, the Adobe and, of course, Barney’s Hickory Pit.

Barney’s has been in Concord since Wilton Barnes (Barney) opened it in 1957. They serve a simple menu of barbecue pork ribs, beef, ham, turkey, steaks, burgers and breakfast.

The success of restaurants like Barney’s and the Sugar Plum Café should not come as a big surprise. Over the years, these iconic eateries have combined quality and consistency.

Even with a change of ownership a few years ago, Barney’s seems suspended in a 1950s culinary time warp. ­Typical fare includes their homemade brown barbecue sauce. One might think diners would grow tired of its rather bland taste, but clearly this has not proven to be the case.

They make a spicier red one, but I still prefer the mild recipe invented by Barney himself. When ordering the open-faced beef, ham, pork and turkey sandwiches, diners will get a large portion of meat smothered by the brown sauce, with white bread on the side.

Sauce inevitably ends up covering the entire plate, so it’s necessary to use a knife and fork to enjoy this Barney’s classic. It virtually defines what has been termed comfort food.

Added to this distinguished list is their version of a French dip sandwich. Barney’s uses a rich broth for dipping and a BBQ beef mixture that offers gastronomical heaven. Barney’s also features a prime rib sandwich and dinner entree Fridays until they run out.

Brick oven

Since 1990, Chef Jesus Jimenez has been preparing meat in a mesquite-burning brick grill and oven. Its origin goes back to when Barney’s first opened.

As might be expected, the smoke from this ancient piece of machinery does not comply with current Spare the Air regulations. Fortunately, the state has grandfathered in this cooking apparatus so it should continue to satisfy the barbecue cravings of Barney’s customers for at least another 50 years.

Despite competition from other barbecue joints, their ribs are among the best locally. They are fully cooked yet moist. Jimenez slow-cooks each rack for more than six hours, unlike other places that par-boil their meat. Barney’s never cuts corners. Their motto continues to be: “We compete in quality, not price.”

Served with the signature BBQ sauce, the ribs come with a choice of homemade potato salad, coleslaw, fries or baked beans that taste like they came from the Betty Crocker Cookbook our moms used.

Outside of their famous ribs and barbecue specialties, Barney’s offers a full breakfast menu. They are especially known for steak and eggs sold at a reasonable price.

Barney’s Hickory Pit is open 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday at 3446 Clayton Road in Concord. They can be reached at 925-680-9761.

Emil Villa’s also worth a visit

If one prefers a more upscale version of Barney’s, Emil Villa’s at 1495 S. Main in Walnut Creek is a good choice.

For me, nothing beats a rack of pork ribs served with mashed potatoes, gravy and a green salad. Not to be forgotten is Emil Villa’s cornbread, which is inevitably brought home with leftover ribs for my wife.

As a full-service restaurant, they have a more than respectable bakery. Their fresh fruit and cream pies have satisfied sweet tooth cravings for generations of diners.

Emil Villa’s, which opened their first store in Oakland back in 1928, has a proven formula for success. Long live California BBQ.

Contact Richard Eber at ­rjerje@pacbell.net.