Our Story
A Set of Keys
The story of Blanco BBQ begins with a late-night meeting, a shared passion for hospitality, and a partnership built entirely on trust.
I met Steven Honigblum in 2007 at the Old San Francisco Steak House. He met me after 10:00 p.m. to walk the property himself. That same night — no credit check, no signed lease — he put the keys in my hands and trusted me with the space, though he barely knew me.
That was when I knew Steven and I were cut from the same cloth: willing to trust our instincts and take a chance on someone when we recognized their determination. Eight months later, he sold me the property. Neither of us knew that beginning would grow into a lasting friendship and an entirely new chapter for both of us.
An Honest Look
Steven opened Blanco BBQ in 2013. Six months in, the person running it wasn’t working out, and Steven wasn’t confident about where the business was headed. In the spring of 2014, he asked me to come take an honest look and help him understand what needed to change.
“I jumped in with both feet, and I never left.”
Guests First
What connected us was a shared philosophy: guests come first, and profitability follows once their needs are met. Steven’s dedication to his customers has always outweighed his concern for profit. Blanco BBQ is genuinely his neighborhood restaurant — quite literally his front yard, since he lives directly behind it. He knows this community and has always wanted Blanco to be a place where neighbors, friends, and families belong.
Several restaurants had opened in this location and closed. Steven was determined Blanco BBQ would not be the next. He believed in it strongly enough to trust me a second time, share his vision, and build a partnership.
We combined Steven’s bold, adventurous spirit with my passion for hospitality and operations. Over the years we worked through challenges, strengthened the business, and built a restaurant centered on great food, genuine service, and a welcoming atmosphere.
Tested and Stronger
COVID showed me how committed we both were. It was the hardest stretch the restaurant industry had faced, but our priorities held: care for our guests, protect our team, keep Blanco BBQ moving forward. That time tested us and strengthened us.
The Next Generation
Our story became more meaningful when my daughter Larissa joined us, after graduating from Northeastern University with a degree in business and a minor in family business.
Watching Larissa become part of Blanco BBQ feels like the story has come full circle. When my children were small, they loved coming to work with me — Steven kept a petting zoo in the restaurant parking lot, and they rode the pony and watched the turtles while I worked. Today Larissa walks those same grounds as part of the business, bringing her education, her own ideas, and a new generation’s perspective to what Steven and I built.
Having my daughter beside us has made Blanco BBQ more than a partnership. It’s part of our family’s legacy. What began with Steven handing me a set of keys has become something we can keep building and pass forward.
More Than a Restaurant
Blanco BBQ has never been just a restaurant to us. It represents perseverance, loyalty, friendship, hard work, and the courage to believe in something special. It’s a neighborhood gathering place built by an incredible team and supported by a community that has become our extended family.
More than a decade later, I’m grateful Steven trusted me with those keys, that he asked me to take that first look — and most of all, that I stayed.
— Veronica Segovia Esparza
Larissa – The Next Generation
About Our Food
We start with the best ingredients: 100% Black Angus brisket smoked for 14 hours, homemade Polish sausage, hand-selected pork ribs, pork butt, ham, chicken, and turkey breast.
Everything is smoked over Texas oak. Our chicken and turkey are brined for 8 hours, so they come out moist and full of flavor. We make every spice rub in-house, each one built for a specific meat. And yes, we cook low and slow. It takes longer, but the result is extra juicy.
All of our sides are homemade.
Favorites include cream corn, mac ‘n’ cheese, potato salad, coleslaw, charro beans, green beans, and steamed broccoli.
Your Blanco BBQ experience isn’t complete without dessert. In the words of one of our regulars: “The pecan pie is out of this world!”
I kept “Texas oak.” If they actually use post oak, swap it in, since that’s the more specific and credible term with BBQ people.