Our Story
Two Decades.
One Fire.
Bar-B-Que Wagon is not a franchise. It is not a concept. It is Pat Monteith's life's work — over 20 years of wood smoke, early mornings, and mouthwatering barbecue right here in Bryson City. Everything we serve carries the weight of decades spent perfecting the craft in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains.
“Barbecue is not something you make. It is something you tend. You give it time, you give it attention, and it gives back something you can not get any other way.”
How We Got Here
From Backyard to Main Street
A Passion for Smoke
It started the way all great barbecue stories do — with a pit, real wood, and a stubborn refusal to take shortcuts. Pat Monteith fell in love with the craft of slow smoking and never looked back.
Taking It to the People
What was a personal obsession became a community fixture. The Bar-B-Que Wagon hit the road — a smoker, a handwritten menu, and meat that spoke for itself. Word spread fast in the Smoky Mountains.
A Home on Main Street
Pat planted roots right on Main Street in Bryson City. Same recipes. Same wood. Same commitment to doing it the hard way — because the hard way is the only way that tastes this good.
Still Smoking
Over two decades later, the pit still gets lit before dawn. Every shoulder is still hand-pulled. Every side is still made from scratch. The only thing that has changed is how many people we get to feed.
What We Believe
Our Values
These are not corporate values on a plaque. These are the things we actually do, every single day.
Real Wood Fire
We burn seasoned hickory and oak — never gas, never pellets, never shortcuts. The smoke is the flavor, and we will not fake it.
Time Is the Ingredient
Our brisket takes 14 hours. Our pork shoulders take 12. Our beans simmer all day. You can not rush good barbecue, and we never will.
Family Recipes
Every sauce, rub, and side dish comes from recipes perfected over two decades. We have never needed a cookbook — just a passion for getting it right.
Locally Sourced
Our produce comes from North Carolina farms. Our wood comes from local suppliers. Supporting the community that supports us is just how we do things.
Community First
We sponsor Little League teams, donate to food banks, and cater community events at cost. This town raised us. We give back every chance we get.
A Family Operation
No corporate owners. No investors. No franchise plans. This is Pat Monteith's restaurant, run the same way it has been for over 20 years. That is never changing.
20+
Years of Smoke
4:00 AM
Daily Pit Start
14 hrs
Brisket Smoke Time
610
Main Street, Bryson City