Chad’s Bar-B-Cue, Edgewater, Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Chad’s Bar-B-Cue is situated on 214 (central avenue in Edgewater) just west of MD 2, in the space in which the Sargent family owned the old Wharfside Bar and Grill. Their son, Chad Sargent, opened Chad’s Bar-B-Cue just over 10 years ago in that same space.

Nancy and I tried Chad’s during the depths of COVID, when we ate lunch on a picnic table outside. It was a damp, cloudy 50 degree day. I neglected to write it up, but I’ve wanted to go back ever since to try it under more normal conditions.

The first sign of Chad’s is a metal rooster that stands 10 or so feet tall. It’s called Marco Pollo.

I’m not sure whether the rooster belongs to Chad’s, the gift store next door, or was placed there by space aliens, but it’s certainly a landmark.

I arrived, got out, and trundled around back and inspected the cooking operation to see if it met the wood-only standards of the Campaign for Real Barbecue. Indeed they do. I saw a pile of hard wood and a hot Lang smoker with no attachments for electricity or gas. Chad’s serve True ‘Cue.

The restaurant itself is a good-sized place with a bar and table seating for about 40, and additional seating in a connected screened and tented (and dog-friendly!) area that you can glimpse through the door on the right in the photo below. There also are two or three a picnic tables outside. I arrived before noon, but Chad’s was already busy and getting busier with that wide variety of customers that characterize local barbecue places. Album covers from about 50-60 years of popular music adorn the walls, something to evoke fond memories from the whole range of customers, and to spur conversation.

I walked in and strode straight to the counter, which was staffed by a very personable cashier. I ordered a pork sandwich tossed with their Carolina sauce (as opposed to their regular sauce), slaw on the side, and a bag of Lay’s potato chips.

Here’s the pork.

As you can see the pork included both inside and outside meat. I wish you could smell it. The aroma of pork cooked with hardwood smoke is one of the joys of life. The meat was tender and smoky, and mixed with about as good a Carolina sauce as you’ll get outside the Carolinas. The tang of the vinegar based sauce and the richness of the meat seemed to have been born for each other. Honestly, any place that serves pork barbecue and doesn’t at least offer a vinegar-based sauce needs to … rethink. It’s science! After a few bites I added a little of the slaw, a good slaw, and enjoyed the two together.

Chap’s goes the extra mile to attract and please customers. The bar is stocked with over 55 (!) bottled craft beers, and it seems they serve about that many different meats and sides, including their own house-brined pastrami. There’s more. Chad’s offers gluten-free buns and options for the carb-conscious. This is a place with a strong service ethos, and they make you feel welcome.

During a brief gap in the line of customers, I went over and presented the Campaign of Real Barbecue certification to Chad. He’s a nice fella, and we had a good chat until I realized that more hungry people were entering. I left, but I’ll be back, and I hope to see you there. It could be while, and I’d welcome some help. Could you go there, try some of their other meats, and let me know your experience. I need to set priorities, and it really would help. The best thing I can do in return is urge you to go to Chad’s.

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