Popular Fresno BBQ spot moving from gas station to restaurant. ‘A place for everyone’
A popular barbecue joint in Fresno is asking for help.
And in typical fashion, the owners of Mega Texas Barbeque are going about things in a unique way.
Mega Texas Barbeque, whose popularity skyrocketed four years ago by serving up great tasting smoked ribs and bacon-wrapped chicken oddly out of a gas station, is on the verge of moving out of the Arco in central Fresno and opening its own restaurant.
But to open the doors at their new spot with the decor and service standard that owner Anthony Vallejo envisions, he and co-owner wife Tasha have set up a GoFundMe page asking for additional money to help “reach our dreams.”
“When people would ask ‘When are you getting your own place?’ we replied ‘When we find the right spot,’“ the Mega Texas GoFundMe page reads. “Now that we have found a permanent home for MEGA Texas BBQ, this isn’t just a place for us, but a place for everyone!
“The space is everything we have dreamed of in a location.”
Added Vallejo: “What we’ve been trying to create has always been more than just eating barbecue. When you think about the history of barbecues, that’s traditionally reserved for special occasions.
“With this restaurant, we want to help create that experience of how barbecue makes people happy and brings us all together.”
How donations would be used
The new Mega Texas Barbeque restaurant, which is expected to open later this month, is located on the outskirts of downtown Fresno at the corner of Orange and Butler avenues.
Unlike other barbecue places in the Central Valley, Mega Texas Barbeque offers Texas-style BBQ food that’s been smoked low and slow.
Not grilled hot and fast, which can sometimes lead to tough meats.
“Texas inspired, California fired,” the Mega Texas Barbeque slogan reads.
They also barbecue their food the day of order — rather than grilled previously and reheated just before order as other barbecue places sometimes do — to provide customers meats that are fresh, tender and flavorful.
Vallejo expressed confidence that the mom-and-pop establishment could open without the GoFundMe donations.
But the additional money would go a long way toward decorating and furnishing the new establishment, as well as hire more employees, Vallejo said.
In about a week, the Mega Texas Barbeque page had raised almost $3,200. The donation goal is set at $10,000.
Swallowing pride to ask for help
For several days, Vallejo struggled with the idea of going public and asking donations from his customers and social media fans.
Mega Texas Barbeque has more than 23,000 followers on Instagram alone, which is slightly more than even Dog House Grill — the restaurant many consider Fresno’s most popular.
The Mega Texas GoFundMe post generated a mix of reactions: some critical, some sympathetic and others full-on supportive.
“This wasn’t something we came to easily,” Vallejo said while getting emotional during an interview with The Bee from his new restaurant location. “I’ve never been a person to ask for help. It’s the last thing I wanted to do.
“The fact that there is judgment from others when asking for help, that’s hard. That’s difficult.”
Tasha, Vallejo’s wife and often the greeter and cashier at Mega Texas Barbeque, eventually convinced her husband to swallow his pride.
She reminded Vallejo of the times Mega Texas Barbeque helped others in the community.
Like giving free food to barbers, hairdressers and tattoo artists who were out of work because of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and shutdowns.
Maybe this time, people could help Vallejo?
“Regardless (of the donations), we’re going to open,” Vallejo said. “It may not be exactly how we want to. But we’re going to make it happen.
“We’ve got a pretty good thing going. We’re asking for a little help to take us to another level.”
New location, open more often?
Located at 3598 E. Butler Avenue (where Javence Pizzeria was previously), the new Mega Texas Barbeque location is in a less visited area compared to its current spot at the intersection of Fresno Street and McKinley avenue in central Fresno.
But their new place still is less than two miles from highly frequented spots such as the Fresno County Courthouse, Chukchansi Park and the Fresno Fairgrounds.
The new location also will have more parking, offer indoor and outdoor seating, and in time, could allow Mega Texas Barbeque to be open more often.
Mega Texas Barbeque currently is open Thursday through Saturday. And while they have a listed time of 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. of being open, they will close earlier if they sell out of food sooner.
Vallejo also envisions the new restaurant location eventually being open for breakfast and offering another popular Texas dish — breakfast tacos.
“Everyone says ‘You’re going to kill it,’ “ Vallejo said. “And I think we will, too. But it’s getting that door open and doing it the right way.
“I believe in our food. I believe in the service we will provide. And I believe in what this restaurant will do and can become.”
This story was originally published November 11, 2023 at 5:30 AM.