Horn Barbecue Closes Its Last Location in Oakland
The smoke signals were there for all to see. Once high-flying Bay Area pitmaster Matt Horn appears to have shuttered his last barbecue joint. The San Francisco Chronicle reports on the quiet closure of Horn Barbecue in Oakland, the city where he first built his reputation with sold-out pop-ups and his first brick-and-mortar restaurant in 2020. Despite almost immediate national acclaim, it’s been a messy road since, with his flagship location burning down in 2023 in a possible arson incident.
From the start, Horn has been plagued by money-related lawsuits from former business partners, employees, and food vendors. Nevertheless, Horn surprised many when he expanded to Lafayette, where he took over the former Bo’s and Bonehead’s barbecue spot on Mt. Diablo Boulevard in 2024, quickly following that with new outposts in Elk Grove and Fresno. Despite long lines and positive reviews, Horn Lafayette soon shuttered last year due in part to a suspended alcohol license, with the Elk Grove, Fresno, and Oakland restaurants following. Horn said in a statement that he would continue to provide catering and service private events, pop-ups, and live-fire experiences. Fortunately for Lamorinda barbecue fans, Mt. Diablo BBQ pounced on the Lafayette space where it launched its new smokehouse earlier this summer.
Mac’s Old House Re-launches in Antioch
Give it up for Joe Martinez and Ron Harrison, the new owners of Mac’s Old House, who renovated and reopened the old-school family-style Italian supper club in little over a year. The restaurant, located in a newly spruced-up 100-plus-year-old home and lauded for its affordable drinks and grub (including prime rib dinners with bread, minestrone soup, salad, pasta, and sauteed veggies for less than $20), opened softly last week. The previous owners passed along all the old recipes to the new operators, who instituted a small hike to reflect the cost of goods and inflation but managed to keep prices remarkably low by Bay Area standards: That prime rib dinner with fixings is now $21.95. More importantly, a prized East Bay landmark and gathering spot has been preserved for future generations.
Primrose Bakery Expands to Livermore…