Waretown Bayfront Welcomes Big Barlow’s BBQ Food Truck

WARETOWN, NJ — Big Barlow’s BBQ & Catering is back on the road again serving burgers and brisket in Waretown and beyond.

Big Barlow's BBQ & Catering had been operating a brick-and-mortar location in Barnegat until it closed in late-August due to staffing shortages and an influx in meat prices.

Owner Chris Barlow, whose restaurant had evolved from a food truck two and a half years ago, had said his restaurant would eventually return to its mobile operation.

“Meat prices kept going up and as soon as a couple cents go down, then it would go back up again. It’s hard to stock that many items for the week especially with the food costs,” Barlow said Wednesday. “I limited myself a lot when I was in the brick-and-mortar location. I was limited to the store and the store only. I couldn’t do events and festivals.”

Earlier this month, Barlow debuted his new trailer at the Que' By The Sea Barbecue Festival in Seaside Heights. The food truck will be rolling through several other local events next month, including the Sip In Autumn Wine Festival at Veterans Park in Bayville on Oct. 16, Little Egg Harbor’s fall festival on Oct. 23 and the Brackman PTO color run in Barnegat on Oct. 30.

Barlow’s trailer was also given authorization from Ocean Township to be the sole food truck at the Waretown Docks.

Though Barlow is still ironing out a solid schedule, he expects to be at the Waretown bayfront — located at 96 Bryant Rd. — on Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., as well as some Saturdays and Sundays.

Ocean Township recently renovated the park with new benches, picnic tables and piers.

“The township actually reached out to me. They built it up down there. They wanted a food truck and they know my reputation,” Barlow said. “I said ‘You guys don’t allow food trucks in town here’ and they said ‘We’re only allowing one and that’s where it’s gonna go.’ They said if I wanted it, it’s all mine.”

As for the food truck’s menu, Barlow said it may change from day to day. The rotating menu includes brisket sandwiches, burgers, cheesesteaks and ribs. Brisket, egg and cheese wraps and pork roll sandwiches will be served on weekends for breakfast. Barlow posted this week’s menu on Facebook.

“We’re still trying it out and seeing how it’s going to go. If people keep coming, we’ll keep adding,” he said.

Barlow’s restaurant became a popular destination for craft barbecue in Ocean County over the past two years.

People who once ate at Barlow's restaurant regularly are happy to see him behind the grill again, especially in an area where barbecue restaurants are few and far between.

“People that really know barbecue and enjoy barbecue, they know it’s hard to come by in New Jersey. Everyone’s just happy I’m still around,” Barlow said.

“I’ve had customers as far as way upstate New York — the Lake George area, who would come down once a month. I’ve had people from Montana that've been out a few times. They’re happy I’m still around and I’m not gone for good. I never did say I was going to be gone for good.”

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