Corbin O’Reilly, the pitmaster behind long-running Corbin’s Q, has quietly given his Rolando storefront a new personality. The space is now Barlando, a neighborhood bar out front, while the barbecue lives on through catering. Inside, the focus has shifted to appetizer-style bites, weekly drink specials and handcrafted cocktails, but O’Reilly is still keeping tri-tip and pulled pork in the mix for events. It is a local pivot that trades lunch-counter vibes for late-night energy without walking away from the smoke that built his name.
As reported by the Times of San Diego, O’Reilly framed the move simply: “Change is to better business and community,” describing the rebrand as a way to separate the bar identity from his catering work. The outlet notes that Corbin’s Q started at the La Jolla farmers’ market in 2013 before moving into the Rolando storefront in 2017, a history that helps explain why catering remains central even as the public-facing side of the business shifts gears.
Bar-Focused Menu and Nights
Barlando lists a lineup built for grazing and lingering, with appetizer-style bar bites, a rotating on-tap beer list and handcrafted cocktails. A few barbecue staples still show up on the menu so regulars are not completely cut off from the old Corbin’s Q flavors. The posted hours lean into evening service, and the bar promotes weekly drink specials along with pool and karaoke nights. Put together, it is less daytime barbecue counter and more neighborhood hangout designed to keep the block busy after dark.
Catering Stays Central
O’Reilly told the Times of San Diego that Corbin’s Q will now concentrate on event catering while the storefront flies the Barlando flag, a setup meant to lean on the catering work that often pays the bills. The Corbin’s Q site outlines on-site catering packages, mobile tap-truck options and event contact details, underscoring that catering is still a core revenue source. The Times also reports that Corbin’s Q has handled large-scale jobs, including a 3,000-person event for Solar Turbines, which helps explain why there is no appetite to retire the catering arm.
What This Means for Rolando
The storefront sits at 6548 El Cajon Blvd, a corner that already pops up in local event materials and ride-share directions for neighborhood gatherings. The Rolando Community Council lists Barlando’s address on its street-fair materials, and local event calendars such as KPBS note that the area can draw thousands for community events. All of that suggests a built-in audience that might welcome more evening options. For regulars and nearby students, a steadier bar schedule, with pool cues and karaoke mics in motion, could be the kind of reliable foot traffic other merchants on the strip quietly root for…