Slim Jim's BBQ is the result of a 20-year friendship and a shared obsession with perfect barbecue.
It started simply enough – two friends in Portland, Michigan who spent every weekend experimenting with rubs, perfecting smoke times, and hosting backyard cookouts that became legendary in our neighborhood. When the neighbors started showing up uninvited (but always welcome) and kept asking when we'd open a restaurant, we knew it was time.
In 2025, we turned our passion into Slim Jim's BBQ. We still use the same techniques we perfected in those backyard days – real wood, slow smoking, and recipes passed down from our grandmothers. The only thing that's changed is the size of our smoker.
We're not trying to be the biggest BBQ operation in Michigan. We just want every event we cater to feel like those original backyard gatherings – where the food is exceptional, the atmosphere is warm, and everyone leaves planning their next get-together.