Our Story
We started in a gas station.
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The story of C&J Barbeque started on the outskirts of town in a rundown little gas station. In 1981 Chip and Jo Manning bought a convenience store down on Harvey Road near Highway 30. Chip sold gas, cigarettes, beer and soda. Soon after opening, he put in a barbeque pit. In the beginning Chip was cooking an average of 20 pounds of meat a day. People started coming by for gas and a sandwich. The food started to get more and more popular.
By 1997 Chip and Jo decided to get out of the convenience store business and converted the store to a deli style BBQ restaurant. In 2000, they won the Reader's Choice Award for best BBQ in the Brazos Valley. Winning every year after that including this year (2019) making it 20 years in a row. In 2001, they were honored with the Newman 10 Award for the fastest growing small business. In 2002, they won the Best of the Brazos award for BBQ and have also won every year including this year (2019) making it 18 years in a row. All three C&J locations combined are now cooking an average of 2,200 pounds of meat a day. In 2002, a man approached the Manning's about adding a location in Bryan. After some deliberation, they decided to open a second location and the Bryan store was born. Because the Bryan store is the company's largest store, all catering and most deliveries are handled at that location. They also have 3 private rooms that can be reserved for special events. In 2006, they were approached about opening a third location at a new shopping center at the corner of Southwest Parkway and Wellborn, only one mile from Texas A&M. They decided to do it and the third location was opened. The success of the restaurants can be attributed to an amazingly loyal and dedicated staff, quality food, low prices and the Manning's commitment to their staff and community. Danny Reyes (Bryan), Taylor Gonzales (Southwest Parkway) and Mark Carrillo (Harvey) are the general managers of each store. Their daughter Reagan worked at the old convenience store when she was a teenager and is now back at the business as the Director. Their son has worked for the restaurant since he was in high school and is the "Director of fun". The Manning's think of their employees as family and friends and have enormous respect for them. That respect is shown true by the consideration and care that the managers and staff give the customers. There are regulars that come in each and every day, they come back because of good food and friendly service. |
Awards & Highlights
C&J Barbeque is proud to showcase the numerous awards and honors that we have received over the past fifteen years! We would also like to thank the Brazos Valley for all of the support and praise we have received, and we hope to continue to be your favorite barbeque restaurant.
For 17 years in a row, C&J Barbeque has been voted as the "Favorite Barbeque Restaurant" of the Brazos Valley by the Eagle Readers Choice Awards, and for 15 years in a row C&J has been honored with the "Best of the Brazos" award for Barbeque Restaurant.
We have had the distinct honor of catering for the 5th and 10th Anniversaries of the George Bush Library, feeding approximately 1,400 people each time.
Former President George Bush Senior and his wife Barbara have also eaten at our restaurant with thirty of their guests. Over the years we have had the privilege of feeding the Bush family five times.
Franklin Graham (son of Billy Graham) highly praised our restaurant each night before beginning his four-day revival, and ate at our restaurant every day that he was here. He even requested to take some home by plane before he left.
Throughout the years, we have also catered for numerous concert performers here in Aggieland, including notable artists such as Merle Haggard, Cory Morrow, Willie Nelson, John Conlee, the Bellamy Brothers, Chris LeDoux, Mel Tillis, Kevin Fowler, Granger Smith, and Don Williams.
For 17 years in a row, C&J Barbeque has been voted as the "Favorite Barbeque Restaurant" of the Brazos Valley by the Eagle Readers Choice Awards, and for 15 years in a row C&J has been honored with the "Best of the Brazos" award for Barbeque Restaurant.
We have had the distinct honor of catering for the 5th and 10th Anniversaries of the George Bush Library, feeding approximately 1,400 people each time.
Former President George Bush Senior and his wife Barbara have also eaten at our restaurant with thirty of their guests. Over the years we have had the privilege of feeding the Bush family five times.
Franklin Graham (son of Billy Graham) highly praised our restaurant each night before beginning his four-day revival, and ate at our restaurant every day that he was here. He even requested to take some home by plane before he left.
Throughout the years, we have also catered for numerous concert performers here in Aggieland, including notable artists such as Merle Haggard, Cory Morrow, Willie Nelson, John Conlee, the Bellamy Brothers, Chris LeDoux, Mel Tillis, Kevin Fowler, Granger Smith, and Don Williams.