Est. 1958
A Family Legacy
Three Generations of Flavor
The Beginning
It all started on June 23, 1958, when Tony Vargas Sr., along with his wife Lydia and their children, opened Tony’s The Pit Bar-B-Q for business.
The family poured their hearts into the restaurant, running operations from the original location at 1829 Magoffin. This was where the recipes were perfected and the reputation for the best BBQ in El Paso was born.
Passing the Torch
In 1969, the business moved to its current location at 1700 Myrtle Ave. The following year, Tony Jr. took the reins, running the business faithfully from 1970 until his retirement in 1995.
Even after retiring to become a tenured faculty member at El Paso Community College, the legacy continued. Grandson Bobby operated the restaurant until late 1999, ensuring the fire in the pit never went out.
A Modern Tradition
Today, the management of Tony’s The Pit Bar-B-Q is under the leadership of Christina Vargas, granddaughter of founder Tony Vargas Sr.
Managing the business since 1999, Christina learned every aspect of the trade—from marinating the meat to slicing it for the customer’s personalized sandwiches—just like her grandfather, father, and brother did before her.
Under her management, there has been steady growth in sales despite the economy and changes in downtown businesses.
DON'T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT
See what the El Paso locals are saying about the pit.
50+ YEARS OF TRADITION
Christina’s dedication to quality and preservation of a family tradition welcomes you to come and visit her and taste Tony’s Bar-B-Q as it has been prepared and cooked for over 50 years.