Barbecue has been a part of Joe Saladino Jr.’s life since he was a young boy. His great-grandfather passed down his love for barbecue to Saladino’s father, who opened Joe’s Barbeque in 1976.

The first storefront in Manvel had four tables, one barbecue pit and three employees. Saladino said the business relocated to Alvin in 1983 and currently has around 50 employees, serving approximately 80 briskets, 130 slabs of pork and beef ribs, 100 pounds of sausage, 80 half chickens and 10 hams every day.

Since his father’s passing in April 2023, Saladino said his focus has been on keeping everything the same.

“This is all because of my dad, so we're just trying to carry his legacy and continue to do things the way he did ... quality food, quality customer service and relationships with our customers,” Saladino said.

Joe Saladino fulfilled his dream of owning a barbecue restaurant in 1976 when he first opened Joe's Barbeque. (Courtesy Joe's Barbeque Company)
Joe Saladino fulfilled his dream of owning a barbecue restaurant in 1976 when he first opened Joe's Barbeque. (Courtesy Joe's Barbeque Company)

The local impact

While Saladino said every day of work is different for him, in many ways, he has kept the restaurant the same. He still utilizes the barbecue pits his great-grandfather used in the 1950s, offers the same menu items and serves customers who have been returning for nearly five decades.

“It's the same people that come; these people have been eating here for years and years, and their kids and their grandkids come,” Saladino said.

He said he enjoys going to work seven days a week and still gets excited every day to see everyone, but what he really focuses on is giving back to the community the way his father did.

Joe Saladino Jr. took over the company after his father died in 2023. (Courtesy Joe's Barbeque Company)
Joe Saladino Jr. took over the company after his father died in 2023. (Courtesy Joe's Barbeque Company)

Giving back

The restaurant partners with multiple community organizations, including Hope Village. The local nonprofit has provided programs and residential housing to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities since the 1970s, and each year Joe’s Barbeque helps with the organization’s annual fundraiser.

Saladino said he also continues partnerships his father started with Meals on Wheels, local churches, schools and football teams.

“Something that he always did was give back to the community, and people don't always realize what you do,” Saladino said. “I mean, you get so many phone calls that you can't do ... so we try to really see where it will benefit kids and people in need.”