It’s arguably the best barbecue restaurant in the Houston area, with two locations feeding hungry guests superior brisket, delicious ribs and inventive side dishes. Now, is Truth BBQ looking to feed more guests about 1,000 miles away?
A architect and an engineering consultant firm representing a “Truth BBQ” presented plans for a smokehouse to a city committee in Charleston, S.C., on Aug. 13, according to multiple reports out of the Palmetto State. The plan reportedly calls for this Truth BBQ to open a location at 1300 Rutledge Ave. in Charleston, a location previously occupied by a restaurant co-owned by actor Bill Murray
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The project is currently called “1300 Rutledge BBQ” with the owner listed as “Truth BBQ.” According to the City of Charleston Technical Review Committee’s agenda from its Aug. 13 meeting, Truth BBQ would renovate an “existing restaurant with new smokehouse and associated infrastructure.” The meeting itself, which is publicly available, included comments from committee members, primarily about slight adjustments concerning curb work and parking spots
The plan is in its early stages, and no timeline is available for buildout
Truth BBQ is a Texas staple
Of course, the only Truth BBQ we know of is the Brenham-founded smokehouse owned by pitmaster Leonard Botello IV, with a second location in Houston. South Carolina media outlets including the Post and Courier and WCIV in Charleston both reported that Botello’s Truth could be on its way, with the former noting that Botello and his wife Abbie Byrom-Botello married in that very city in 2021
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Botello and Truth BBQ haven’t yet responded to Chron’s request for comment
Botello opened Truth BBQ in Brenham in 2015, growing in popularity until expanding into Houston at the south edge of the Heights in 2019. The restaurant has been a mainstay in the top-10 of Texas Monthly’s Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints list, with the Brenham location showing up at No. 10 in 2017, and the Houston spot peaking at No. 3 in 2021 and landing at No. 9 on the 2025 list
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In 2024, Truth was awarded a Bib Gourmand from the Texas Michelin Guide. It’s known for one of the best and most consistent briskets in Texas barbecue, along with popular sides like tater tot casserole and corn pudding
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