Blue Willy's Barbecue Reopens This Week in Oakland Park

Blue Willy's Barbecue has finally announced its reopening date.

Owner Will Banks has confirmed the restaurant will reopen at 1190 E. Commercial Boulevard in Oakland Park on Friday, June 24.

In May, Blue Willy's Barbecue shut down operations at its Pompano Beach restaurant to relocate to a larger space with more parking. The new digs, located at the former Pollo Granjero Rotisserie Chicken building at the corner of NE 12th Avenue and East Commercial Boulevard, will offer over 3,000-square-feet of space and more than double the seating found at his old restaurant (and, of course, plenty of parking).

This isn't the first major move Banks has made with Blue Willy's Barbecue. The business originally began as a food truck that, thanks to high customer demand, prompted the pit master to open his first brick-and-mortar location in Pompano Beach several years ago.

This latest transition, however, has not come without some controversy. Banks' former chef left to take the helm at Texas Blue BBQ, which rapidly opened in the same space once occupied by Blue Willy's — with the same sign, decorations, menu, and very little to indicate the new restaurant was not still, in fact, Blue Willy's.

When Blue Willy's Barbecue reopens on Friday, expect to find the same menu. Regulars will be reassured to know that — other than location and ease of parking — nothing has changed when it comes to his Texas-style barbecue. There will be ribs, chicken, sausage, and pulled pork — much of it smoked in the same well-seasoned pit Banks says he's been using for more than 20 years. 

Blue Willy's Barbecue is located at 1190 E. Commercial Blvd., Oakland Park. Call 954-224-6120, or visit the restaurant's Facebook page.