Owlbear Barbecue Finally Opens a Counter-Service Restaurant in RiNo

Pitmaster Karl Fallenius finally has a restaurant in Denver. The chef who earned his smoking meat skills at Austin’s revered Franklin Barbecue debuted his Owlbear Barbecue in RiNo.

Fallenius’ long journey started in 2015 as a food truck parked at Finn’s Manor, then as a pop-up, and now as a permanent location on Larimar Street. He focuses on a no-shortcuts style of barbecue cooking using labor intensive processes that earned Owlbear “Denver’s best barbecue.”

Pulled pork, pork tenderloin, belly cuts, spare ribs, a pastrami special, double smoked barbecued bacon, spare ribs, smoked duck, and Texas-style brisket are all made from sustainable raised meat on one of two offset smokers with all the fixings such as pinto beans, mac and cheese, and coleslaw, as well as pudding on the dessert menu.

The 2,000-square-foot space that sits next to Our Mutual Friend Brewing Co. seats 18 at the counter-service restaurant. Owlbear plans to be open daily from 11 a.m. until it runs out of meat.

Fallenius, a Telluride native, worked in Texas at joints such as Blue Ox Barbecue and Franklin Barbecue, at one point cooking up 120 briskets a day.

Owlbear Barbecue, 2826 Larimer St.; 970-708-3954. Open Thursday through Sunday at 11 a.m.

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