Tired of tipping? Smoking Kow BBQ on Duke Street recently stopped asking customers for tips.
That’s right—after ordering burnt ends, spare ribs, sweet potatoes, and cornbread, customers are no longer prompted to tip by the restaurant’s electronic payment system, and the tip jar has also been removed.
Two watch parties have been organized in the city to witness the fastest man on the planet, Alexandria native Noah Lyles, race in the 100 meter and 200 meter finals in the Paris Olympics.
It’s the second consecutive Olympics that a watch party will be held at Alexandria City High School (ACHS). The 26-year-old Lyles graduated from ACHS in 2016, and won the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics in the 200m. He’s a three-time world champion in the race, winning in 2019, 2022 and 2023.
It’s been a busier month than usual for Smoking Kow BBQ.
After being listed as #79 in Yelp’s Top 100 barbecue joints in the country, the restaurant and its catering operation have seen a giant boost in sales, owner Diane Lee told ALXnow.
Feeling hungry? The Taste of Del Ray is returning June 2, with 17 of the neighborhood’s restaurants participating in the 15th annual event.
The Del Ray Business Association (DRBA) event will be will held on Sunday, June 2, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center fields (2701 Commonwealth Avenue).
It’s been quite a year for Smoking Kow BBQ.
The nine-year-old barbecue restaurant and food trucks at 3250 Duke Street was sold to a new owner this time last year, and now the owner of the brand wants to expand with locations in Arlington and in Maryland.
Washington Post food critic Tim Carman cited Del Ray’s Hi/Fi Tex-Mex BBQ (2000 Mount Vernon Avenue) as one of the top ten best casual restaurants in the region.
The restaurant opened in the backyard of Del Ray’s Evening Star Cafe earlier this year. The restaurant later got after-the-fact permission from the City Council to use outdoor smoker grills despite complaints from neighbors.
TV Show for Monte Durham’s New Salon? — “There is a possibility that Durham’s salon will be the premise of a new show. ‘I am very proud to say that I have been tapped on the shoulder by a production company out of L.A. that has signed a contract to do a sizzle reel on the hair salon, hopefully to take that to a network and sell it so we’ll have a show on that,’ Durham announced at a Visit Alexandria meeting last month.” [Alexandria Times]
Alexandria BBQ Restaurant on Local TV — “Tommy McFly visit[ed] Myron Mixon’s Pitmaster in Old Town Alexandria to see what it takes to cook award-winning barbecue.” [NBC 4]
Old Town barbecue joint Myron Mixon, tucked away off the main drag at 220 N. Lee Street, is celebrating three years in business with a party tomorrow.
Starting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the restaurant will be serving up a whole hog to celebrate the restaurant’s anniversary. Tickets are $22 and guests will also receive a free bottle of Myron Mixon’s barbecue sauce or rub, according to the Facebook page.
ACPS Working to Improve Racial Equity — “Students and teachers in Alexandria still face racial bias, and now school officials are working with social justice advocates to expand training sessions and restorative justice practices. That’s some of the aftermath of an alarming racial equity survey conducted this year to prevent race and socioeconomic status from being predictors of academic success or opportunity.” [Gazette Packet]
Tim Carman Visits Smoking Kow — “Several readers (and the owner of the place himself) asked why Smoking Kow BBQ didn’t crack my top 10. I assure you there’s a very good reason for its omission: Until recently, I had never set foot in the original Alexandria location, nor its second shop in Arlington (2910 N. Sycamore St.)… Consider this column a mea culpa.” [Washington Post]
