The smoking units at Lincoln’s Bar-B-Que March 3 officially began burning through all the hickory chips required to perfume the new restaurant’s slate of slow-cooked offerings.
The latest addition to The Restaurant Group’s wide-ranging portfolio, Lincoln’s replaces Nuevo Latino-themed A.G. Kitchen which closed at the end of last year. Lincoln’s is the brainchild of TRG partner and Fuel Pizza co-creator Lincoln Clark.
The 315-seat restaurant was completely redesigned over the winter, save for the now-used-for-storage brick oven that’s a carryover from when Macaroni Grill occupied the space. The decor conjures everyday Americana, mimicking roadside spots locals flock to to get their fill of flame-licked meats and hearty bourbons.
The menu features an array of meats including: pulled pork, chopped brisket, pulled chicken, hot links, ribs, burnt ends, smoked turkey breast, spiced chicken wings, and Southern fried chicken.
Manager Scott Matheson said featured proteins are prepared with distinct dry rubs; the house-made sauces — save for the Alabama white, which remains refrigerated — are kept table side for easy customization.
Lincoln's Bar-B-Que opening menu by Eater.com on Scribd
According to Matheson, staff provided input into the crafting of the signature sauces.
Eater taste tasted the lot (ranked here from least spicy to zestiest):
- Alabama white sauce: peppery, Ranch-like character
- Kansas BBQ: chunky tomato-based sauce with a hint of tang to it
- Georgia mustard: mild heat but lots of spicy brown mustard flavor
- Smoky BBQ: robust tomato taste bolstered by garlic and spent wood
- Carolina vinegar: spice-laced liquid that immediately pumps up the acidity of every bite
- Texas sweet and spicy: combination of Kansas BBQ and Smoky BBQ with added spice
The restaurant also offers specialty cocktails, candy-covered “crazy milkshakes,” and, once brunch takes effect, bloody Mary and margarita bars.
Status: certified OPEN for dinner. Lunch service is expected to come online later this week. Brunch could join the mix by the end of March. 931 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring, Md.; website.
