Bikinis and barbecue? At this new Phoenix eatery, there’s both

The team behind the north Phoenix smokehouse, Pork on a Fork BBQ, wants to blend “beach energy with backyard BBQ culture” at its new drive-thru restaurant. And that means beach attire, as well.

Staff wearing bikini tops and shorts will serve handheld barbecue sandwiches at Bikini Q BBQ. If it reminds you of Valley coffee chain Bikini Beans, you’re not far off. 

Perhaps the only thing more daring than pulling hot espresso shots and frothing milk with a bare midriff may be slinging barbecue sauce and sandwiches. The staff’s pool party attire is part and parcel of the eatery’s aesthetic, Veronica Hansen, Bikini Q’s founder, says.

“We wanted the fun backyard vibe of a barbecue, and generally you’re outside here in Arizona in a pool in a bikini,” she says. “Why not have some fun vibes with some good barbecue?”

The menu centers around Bikini Q’s Meat QT Pies – sliced brisket, pulled pork or pulled chicken piled into a Texas toast-style bun. Order these handhelds solo or as a combo with chips or coleslaw. The restaurant also serves mac and cheese, beans and other smokehouse sides.

Customers can pull into the drive-thru to order or “park & scan” through their phone. 

“We wanted to create something that feels different the second you pull up,” Hansen said in a press release. “It’s great BBQ, fast service, and a vibe that makes people smile.”

For now, that ’cue comes from a food truck while the restaurant’s permanent new home — a former Poliberto’s that burned down — undergoes renovations at the northeast corner of Bell Road and 33rd Avenue. 

The food truck is open from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday during its soft opening. Its team plans to grow Bikini Q to more drive-thrus and food trucks. 

Bikini Q BBQ

3220 W. Bell Road