Minding Your Business - Red River BBQ

Red River BBQ

Time, Dedication and Seriously Good Barbeque

787 Route 28

South Harwich

508-430-0405

redriverbbqharwichport.com

Open 6 Days 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Closed Mondays

Like all excellent chefs, Red River BBQ chef/owner Jeremiah Reardon has a passion for exceptional food. “We do ‘honest food’ here,” he said. “Everything is locally sourced, and cooked and prepared in house.” He calls their kitchen “a scratch kitchen. Everything is made in-house.”

Honesty runs deep in Reardon, in every aspect of his work; it’s his lifestyle. How you treat others is very important to him. “The staff here is fabulous. I’ve always said you should surround yourself with good people. People work with me, not for me. Ninety percent of who you are is how you carry yourself and how you treat other people.”

He said they take great pride in using the freshest, locally sourced ingredients. “We work closely with local farmers for the best seasonal products and buy provisions from farms that share our commitment to sustainability and ethical farming practices.” And the outcome is good for their diners! “We are able to create dishes that are not only delicious but also reflect the unique flavors of the region.”

Reardon bought Red River BBQ from Christian Schultz in March 2023, and like Schultz has worked with French chefs and has a fine dining background. In fact he knew him. “My first memorable meal at 10 years of age was at Christian’s in Chatham,” Rearbon says with a smile. He grew up in Orleans, spent some of his childhood in Provincetown and calls himself “a Cape Cod guy.” Reardon has worked in the kitchens at the Brewster Fish House, Vers and Grill 43. “My wife, Gabby, and I looked at over 30 different restaurants but we kept coming back to this one.”

During the pandemic, Schultz took his fine dining restaurant experience and reinvented the restaurant as a barbeque take-out one. So when Reardon reopened on April 5, 2023, he kept the barbeque but “gave it new sauces, spice rubs and a new preparation.” He still has the smoked brisket and chicken, racks of ribs and the pulled pork but now you’ll find (one of my “go-to’s”) crispy shrimp over cheesy grits, fried green tomatoes, corn fritters and so much more, all prepared Reardon-style. Last summer, we loved their watermelon salad with shaved fresh basil. Delicious!

During the off-season they offer smoked prime rib on Thursdays and chicken wings for 50 cents on Sundays, “both probably until the end of June,” Reardon said. “Trivia Night on Wednesdays (and half-price appetizers) will go until Memorial Day, and then we will have live music most nights all summer long.” Presently they have live music on weekends and other special occasions.

Wait, there’s more! They have a catering division that includes an off-site option with their menu or a customized menu, packages that can be picked up or dropped off (with alcoholic beverages) and private parties on-site, too! They’ve entered the BBQ competition on June 8 at the Harwich Community Center and their food truck is at Red River Beach all summer long!

You’ll also find the truck at different events during the summer with Devil’s Purse and Cape Cod Beer. “We will also be back in Chatham for First Night,” he promised.

Stop in today!