Red Owl Tavern Smoked Out Saturdays Summer is back every Saturday from July 4 through September 5 — a ten-week rotating BBQ series where the kitchen fires a different smoked specialty each week, available from 10:30 am until it sells out. The series opens this Saturday at 433 Chestnut Street, steps from Independence Hall, with a Smoked Prime Rib Cheesesteak: Cooper Sharp fondue, caramelized Vidalia onions, long hots on a seeded roll. The Red Owl Tavern Smoked Out Saturdays series runs through Labor Day weekend.

The Red Owl Tavern Smoked Out Saturdays Lineup: What’s Worth Planning Around

Through the Red Owl Tavern Smoked Out Saturdays run, the July 25 Porchetta Sandwich — herb and fennel porchetta, sharp provolone, broccoli rabe, long-hot salsa verde on a seeded Italian roll — is the week that nods most directly to Philadelphia’s South Philly roast pork tradition while doing something genuinely different with it. July 18 brings a double: Brisket Elote Fries (tallow-fried potatoes, smoked brisket, street corn, crema, cotija, lime) alongside a Chopped Brisket Sandwich with sweet heat BBQ sauce, crispy onion straws, and fried jalapeños on a potato roll. Two brisket preparations on the same Saturday.

August 8 steps furthest from the smokehouse formula: Double Fried Korean Chicken Wings with gochujang BBQ glaze, kimchi slaw, and sesame crunch. It earns its place. August 29 is the most technically ambitious date in the lineup — a Pork Belly Burnt Cubano: mojo pork belly burnt ends pressed with smoked ham, Swiss, dill pickles, and yellow mustard on Cuban bread. Mojo on burnt ends is the bridge between two distinct culinary traditions, and it works. That one specifically is worth putting on the calendar now.

Red Owl Tavern Smoked Out Saturdays closes September 5 with a Pitmaster Mixed Grill: brisket, smoked jalapeño-cheddar sausage, St. Louis ribs, pit beans, house pickles, and white bread. If you haven’t made it for a specific Saturday by then, this is the week that covers the full range on one plate.

How It Works

Red Owl Tavern Smoked Out Saturdays runs every Saturday, July 4 through September 5, starting at 10:30 am and available until sold out. Pricing varies week to week based on market availability. Red Owl Tavern is at 433 Chestnut Street in Old City. Reservations via OpenTable are encouraged.

Ten weeks, ten different Saturdays, ten reasons to find yourself in Old City before the sold-out sign goes up. The Pork Belly Burnt Cubano is on August 29. The Porchetta is on July 25. Red Owl Tavern’s Smoked Out Saturdays start this Saturday with the Prime Rib Cheesesteak. Start there and see how many more you can make it back for.

About Post Author

Allan Lane

Philadelphia born and bred, Allan Lane is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of digital magazines. He launched his first publication, SportBikes Inc Magazine in 2010, followed by dosage MAGAZINE in 2019. Recently, Allan launched his third online publication, Club For Man. As a journalist, Allan covers fashion, lifestyle, culture, art, and motorcycles.

See author's posts