The pitmaster and co-owner of Agape BBQ in Liberty Hill said he wants his restaurant to be able to compete with the biggest and best names in Texas BBQ, all by perfecting the basics.
“We have made a very calculated decision at Agape BBQ that we are going to perfect the craft of classic Texas BBQ," he said. "And so we keep everything simple down to the seasonings being just salt and pepper.”
The full story
Archer wasn't always in the restaurant business; he pivoted to running a BBQ after almost 20 years in the IT field. Archer originally got into BBQ more than two decades ago, experimenting with grilling food for his friends for football games. But in 2018, when he lost his job after his department was outsourced, he decided to make his passion a full-time pursuit.
“I was 40 years old and jobless,” he said. “So, at that time, it was like, ‘do I just want to go straight back into the corporate world, or do I want to give this BBQ thing a shot?’ So I’m not gonna be 70 years old going, 'I wish I would have tried.’”
In 2019, Archer started his business as Archer BBQ in Cedar Park. He moved locations to Liberty Hill and added a business partner the following year, changing the name to Agape in October 2020.
What you need to know
Agape's staff takes the needs of its Liberty Hill customers into consideration when making decisions, Archer said. He noted that the restaurant opened in Liberty Hill because there was a lack of craft BBQ in the area.
The business expanded their menu in March to include a wider range of options. The restaurant now has a kids menu offering a junior cheeseburger, corndogs, french fries and more. Additionally, the restaurant added pulled pork nachos and peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream as additions to their existing dessert menu.
Agape hosts open-mic nights on Thursdays, and there is live music at the restaurant on Fridays and Saturdays, Archer said.
- Opened Oct. 10, 2020
- 3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill
- www.agapebbq.com
