Holy Smokes! A History of Bar-B-Q Heaven, and What to Try

Since opening in 1950, restaurateur Ronald Jones, 86, has been a barbecue icon in Indianapolis’s food scene. In a converted house-turned-castle dedicated to smoked ribs, his mastery of flames and char shines at the main eatery on Martin Luther King Boulevard. He has worked 16-hour days, sometimes seven days a week. “I like what I do,” he says. His dedication and vision have made Bar-B-Q Heaven a seven-decade Hoosier institution and one of the oldest Black-owned restaurants in the U.S.

The Beginning: BBQ and Feeding the Community

It’s a storybook start: a child has a wish. At 11 years old, Jones wanted a bicycle, but his working-class parents couldn’t afford one. Needing a bit of help to get started, he borrowed seventy-five cents from his mother to buy pork ribs, made his grandmother’s barbecue sauce, and set up a makeshift grill station at Frederick Douglass Park. The 43-acre park in the heart of Indianapolis’ black community on the near northside, with its golf course and swimming pool, had been a gathering spot for decades. Much like a boy-king rallying his people, Jones saw a need and filled it, quickly earning a reputation for the finest barbecue ribs in the Midwest.

A Family Affair: Barbecue

By 1950, customers flooded the young Jone’s pop-up. His parents believed in his business and quit their jobs, opening a brick-and-mortar location in 1952 when Jones was just 13. The first location, at 834 Indiana Avenue, was in Ransom Place, a historic African American neighborhood. As Jones attended school, his family expanded the business, opening more locations. After high school, he briefly studied business management at Indiana University but left to focus on Bar-B-Q Heaven.

Bar-B-Q Heaven Favorites 

Customers praise Jones’ legendary grilling and smoked meats emporium. Cincinnati native Tashia Phoenix, a 10-year Indianapolis resident, says, “This is the only place I know to come and get barbecue. And I love it.” Shelly Groce, a lifelong Hoosier, adds, “I’m almost 60, and I came here with my Grandpa and father as a child. This is the best place.”

Beyond great food, Jones envisions Bar-B-Q Heaven as a community hub. During warmer months, they host live music and barbecue workshops, but at its heart, it’s always been about perfecting barbecue.

Who loves his smoked meats more? His staff.
We asked five employees, including the pitmaster himself, what keeps them salivating:

Rhylonda Rhodes, Administration, 15 years: “My favorite item on the menu would be the turkey ribs. There is a lot of meat, and it’s a juicy, healthy option.”

Mike Gaines, Grill Chef, 15 years: “The pulled pork is something I grew up on in the neighborhood. It’s my favorite.”

Brenda Catlatt, Line Cook, 17-plus years: “My favorite food from here is the rib tips. They’re good, and we season them well.”

Thomas Cox, Maintenance, 19 years: “Everything is my favorite, but pig’s feet are the best. I love pig feet, alright. And baby back is good, but pig feet are the best.”

Theresa Troutman, Cashier, 40-plus years: “My favorite dish is the rib tips. They’re cut small, so you can put them in your mouth. They’re delicious and chewable. Put that on some bread with a little dab of sauce, and it’ll make you want to cry.”

Ronald Jones, Owner, 75 years: “My number one would be the pulled pork, which we call barbecue on bun. It is our signature sandwich. My mom walked through one day as we were trimming meat. She took home about two or three pounds of it, including some less tender slices. She minced the pork to seem like beef instead of pulled pork. It’s moist and tender.”