Bark City BBQ, One of Portland’s Best Barbecue Spots, Is Closing
The Pitmaster Nap from Bark City BBQ
Image: Benjamin Tepler
After five years in business, Bark City BBQ, one of Portland’s best barbecue spots, will close on September 4. Owner Michael Keskin, an alum of Podnah’s Pit, is moving to Arizona to be closer to family. He announced the closure via Instagram.
"This isn’t a sad story for us, it’s exciting. It is sad because we will miss seeing our Bark city family!" the post reads.
We’ve been fans of Bark City here at PoMo since 2018, when it made our weekly list of best things to eat. The cart impresses in terms of sheer variety of meats—choose from brisket, ribs, Texas hot links, and surprisingly tasty smoked turkey—made in a fusion of Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, and Kansas City styles. Accordingly, there are six different choices for dipping your ‘cue, from white Alabama sauce to Carolina vinegar. And while sides are often an afterthought at many barbecue joints, here they are creative and well-done, from pickled avocado to potato chip-topped mac ‘n’ cheese.
This marks the second significant barbecue closure at the food cart pod in front of beer and wine vendor John’s Marketplace on SE Powell Boulevard in the past year. Holy Trinity BBQ, another favorite spot, shuttered suddenly in October 2021. Bark City BBQ’s cart, smoker, and location at John’s Marketplace are all currently for sale.
