Downtown News | Downtown Voices | Arts & Entertainment | Taste & Toast

Tommy’s Pit Barbecue by by Cassandra Yardeni • photography by Rene Leon If you should find yourself longing for a plate of meatloaf the way Grandma used to make it, look no further. Tommy’s BBQ, a Downtown institution, specializes in this, and several other dishes that are sure to quench your cravings. The restaurant, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary in May, is owned by Tommy and Ceci Barrientos, a couple who run the eatery like they would a home—with diligence and pride. The menu, which includes their famously mouthwatering brisket and hearty breakfast burritos, is cooked up by Tommy himself, using his own unique recipes. Among his favorites? “His brisket and the chile rellenos, he takes pride in those,” reveals Ceci Barrientos, who runs the restaurant while her husband works the kitchen. Located in the heart of Downtown El Paso and just a stone’s throw from the County Courthouse, Barrientos describes their typical clientele as “basically the people who work around us, like lawyers, judges, businesspeople. We also get a lot of customers from the Stanton towers and other nearby shops.” However, Tommy’s patrons are not limited to those in and around Downtown. Hungry folks from all over El Paso often stop by for a quick bite before work, as the kitchen opens its doors at 7:30 a.m. The doors close at 3:00 p.m., encouraging customers to get their barbeque fill during lunch or even as an early dinner. Having turned Johnny’s BBQ, on 413 Myrtle Avenue, into Tommy’s BBQ in May of 1988, the restaurant has kept El Pasoans well fed for well over two decades, and here’s hoping for many more! 413 MILLS Ave. BUSINESS HOURS 7:30 A.M. - 3:00 P.M. CONTACT: 915.533.5533