Nick Silvio carries the flames from serving on KCFD to the Hawg Jaw Que & Brew smoker

Irish Hawg. // Photo Courtesy of Hawg Jaw Que & Brew

Creating delicious barbecue requires a lot of different skills outside of a deft hand at flavor: Patience, endurance, experience, and decisiveness are all part of the special sauce to make tender brisket or mouthwatering pulled pork.

Who better to call in than a firefighter? Nick Silvio has served on the Kansas City Fire Department for 21 years, so he knows a thing or two about keeping flames under control. He and his brother Sam started operating Hawg Jaw Que & Brew in North Kansas City in 2015, but his restaurant roots go back much further than that.

“My family has been a part of the Kansas City restaurant scene for as long as I can remember,” Silvio says. “My brother and I own Em Chamas Brazilian Grill, we helped open Piropos in Parkville, and my nephew owns Grand Coffee Company. My dad opened Kansas City’s first pizza restaurant, Antonio’s Pizzeria, down on 43rd and Main. Good food runs in the Silvio family.”

When they originally acquired Hawg Jaw Que & Brew, it went by a different name: Hawg Jaw Fritz. The Silvios were actually looking for a meal prep kitchen for a different business, and they stumbled upon the owner of the longtime BBQ joint looking to sell. Hawg Jaw Fritz had too much of a loyal following to just shutter, so the Silvios made some adjustments to the menu and kept it running under the new, similar moniker.

Burnt End Sandwich. / Photo Courtesy of Hawg Jaw Que & Brew

Hawg Jaw Que & Brew has a number of tasty dishes on offer—as you can see from their regular nominations to our “Best of Kansas City” lists—but a few dishes stand out. Their burnt ends are the most popular KC standard, whether they’re on a sandwich or a barbecue platter, and for good reason. They’ve got a great bark and an extremely tender center, making them ideal for sitting on a bun and serving as a vehicle for sauces and sides.

A few of their specialty sandwiches stand out as well: We recommend the Irish Hawg Sandwich or Italian Hawg Sandwich. The Italian Hawg features both brisket and smoked Italian sausage on a ciabatta roll, topped with giardiniera and smothered in provolone and red pepper aioli. The Irish Hawg is one of the best reuben-style sandwiches you’ll find in KC. Perfectly smoked corned beef and sausage, Swiss cheese, spicy sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing on nice, toasty slices of marbled rye. It’s one of those sandwiches you’ll find yourself daydreaming about.

One of the other perks of Hawg Jaw Que & Brew is its location—You can find it directly next door to Big Rip Brewing Company. Like several breweries with a restaurant in shouting range, this is a win-win relationship. “There’s a hallway that connects our businesses,” Silvio says. “So we have some kiosks inside Big Rip for people to place orders, and we’ll run it over to them. Big Rip doesn’t have to operate a kitchen, and we get hungry customers right next door.”

Having an easy food option like Hawg Jaw right there also makes you feel a little less guilty for ordering one more Pennywise Sweet Tater Ale.

If you’ve got a fire burning in you to try a lesser-known barbecue joint, Hawg Jaw Que & Brew might be just what you’re looking for. Seriously though, try that Irish Hawg.

Hawg Jaw Que & Brew is located at 900 Swift Ave, North Kansas City, MO 64116. It is open Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. It is closed on Sundays.

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