80 Years of Family, Tradition & Texas BBQ
Since the doors opened in 1946, Tony DeMaria's Bar-B-Que has been family-owned and operated. The restaurant was originally opened as a grocery store and meat market by Tony DeMaria Jr., and in the 50s Tony served barbecue to road crews who were in the process of building Interstate Highway 35 through Waco. In 1954, Tony married Lillie Cassiola, who often helped out with the business. Tony and Lillie had four children: Gary, Greg, Gina, and Geoff, who would all grow up to help out at the store at one time or another. In 2021, Geoff retired and sold the business to Blake, who runs the restaurant today. In 1995, Geoff built a new building on the corner of Elm and Rose streets at 1000 Elm Ave. and moved the business just down the street from the original location. The business now operates solely as a barbecue restaurant using the same recipe that’s been served since the 50s.
Over the years, the business remained a family affair, with Tony’s wife, Lillie, and their four children all contributing to its legacy. In 1995, Geoff DeMaria moved the restaurant to its current home at 1000 Elm Street. In 2021, Geoff retired and passed the torch to Blake, the fourth generation carrying on the family’s barbecue tradition.
Today, Tony DeMaria’s Bar-B-Que continues to serve the same beloved barbecue recipe that started it all. From classic brisket on butcher paper to fully loaded baked potatoes, double-decker sandwiches, scratch-made barbecue chicken, and our signature Deluxe Sandwich, the menu offers something for everyone.
Whether you're a construction worker grabbing lunch, a family meeting for a meal, or a friend settling in to watch the game, everyone has a seat at our table. Enjoy an affordable barbecue experience, friendly hospitality, and our shaded patio beneath two beautiful oak trees—the perfect place for lunch, a cold beer, and football.
Eighty years later, our recipe remains the same, our doors are open to everyone, and our family tradition lives on.
About us
Since the doors opened in 1946, Tony DeMaria's Bar-B-Que has been family-owned and operated. The restaurant was originally opened as a grocery store and meat market by Tony DeMaria Jr., and in the 50s Tony served barbecue to road crews who were in the process of building Interstate Highway 35 through Waco. In 1954, Tony married Lillie Cassiola, who often helped out with the business. Tony and Lillie had four children: Gary, Greg, Gina, and Geoff, who would all grow up to help out at the store at one time or another. In 2021, Geoff retired and sold the business to Blake, who runs the restaurant today. In 1995, Geoff built a new building on the corner of Elm and Rose streets at 1000 Elm Ave. and moved the business just down the street from the original location. The business now operates solely as a barbecue restaurant using the same recipe that’s been served since the 50s.