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Uncle Buddy's smokin' in Old Town Clovis (Podcast)

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[/media-credit] Owner Brian Jennings shows off his smoker while interviewing staffers about his restaurant, Uncle Buddy’s.

Family restaurant arrives on BBQ scene in Clovis

Among the many excellent barbeque joints in the Fresno-Clovis area, a new family-owned restaurant has emerged. Uncle Buddy’s Smokehouse-N-Grill, located in Old Town Clovis, had its grand opening on Sept. 18. The new restaurant is owned by Brian Jennings and his mother, Johni, along with Brian’s wife, Anna.

The Jennings family has a history of being involved in the food business which was the main motivation of the restaurant.

“My family had a catering business when I was younger,” Brian said. “It’s just a passion for barbecue. We did barbecues for family and friends a lot but it eventually got too big so we started a restaurant.”

The value of family is extremely important to the Jennings family. Not only is the restaurant privately owned but the name of the restaurant is also family based. The name “Uncle Buddy” was created by Brian’s niece when she could not pronounce his name.

“I am Uncle Buddy. My niece couldn’t say Uncle Brian when she was little,” Brian said. “It just came out as Uncle Buddy. After that it just stuck with all of my nieces and nephews.”

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As I sat in the western themed restaurant I was impressed with the sincerity of their staff. Everywhere I looked the Uncle Buddy’s employees served customers with smiles on their faces. My server even took the time to ask me some questions about who I was. Overall, their staff was extremely hospitable and kind exceeding my expectations for an ordinary restaurant.

Taking advice from Brian, I ordered the brisket with garlic bread, mac and cheese topped with bacon, and mashed potatoes. The food was brought out in a less than ideal amount of time on a serving tray. The brisket was served plain with the option of a very thin and runny barbecue sauce. The mac and cheese alone tasted like traditional mac and cheese but the bacon on top was what made the dish memorable. The mashed potatoes and garlic bread were nothing out of the ordinary although they complimented the surrounding food very nicely.

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[/media-credit] Staffers have a barbeque chicken sandwich with mac-n-cheese and coleslaw and sliced brisket with a side of potatoes and mac-n-cheese.

Jarrod Markarian, ’17, also visited the new restaurant with me. He ordered the BBQ chicken sandwich with sides of coleslaw and mac and cheese. Markarian was pleased with the service and overall theme of Uncle Buddy’s. He enjoyed the food but felt that there were certain things that could have made it better.

“I ordered the BBQ chicken sandwich,” Markarian said. “The food was a little above average because the barbecue sauce didn’t have much flavor and it was too runny. The service was great so overall it was a good experience.”

Overall, my experience at Uncle Buddy’s Smokehouse-N-Grill was wonderful. The staff was very kind and welcoming, striving to please customers. The restaurant itself has country themed decorations making it feel as though you are eating in an old fashion southern home. I would recommend Uncle Buddy’s to anyone who is looking for tender and authentic barbecue at a reasonable price.

For another food review, click here.

This writer can be reach via Twitter: @Phillip11499 and via email: Phillip Christopher

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