Reo's Ribs
Barbecue restaurant · Hollywood ·
Southern BBQ joint with ribs, brisket, and soul food
Southern BBQ joint with ribs, brisket, and soul food
"I learned that at around 2 a.m. Saturday, August 13, a fire damaged the Hollywood District restaurant Reo’s Ribs. The blaze—started near a side door—was quickly extinguished by fire crews and no one was reported hurt, and Portland Fire & Rescue is investigating the cause. This is the third time the restaurant has been found ablaze since 2017; it was famously founded by Snoop Dogg’s late uncle, Reo Varnado. The spot had reopened after what was ruled an accidental fire in 2017 and again only a few months ago following repairs from an arson in November 2020, but it lost its insurance coverage after the last two fires and plans to reopen within the next two to six months." - Janey Wong
"A resilient Portland barbecue spot, Reo’s Ribs was founded in 1999 by Reo Varnado (known as “Uncle Reo”) and Myra Girod and specialized in Mississippi-style barbecue and soul food — saucy baby-back ribs and barbecue chicken, as well as chitlins and oxtails. The restaurant moved several times around greater Portland (originally in Aloha, then on SW Macadam) and sat on NE Sandy; it survived two damaging fires, in 2017 and 2020, reopening repeatedly and preparing to open again in spring 2021. Varnado, who was also a singer in the Varnado Brothers and gospel group The Beyonds and appeared on Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party, died at 10:30 p.m. on January 14, a fact announced by his brother on Facebook and noted publicly by his nephew Snoop Dogg; the announcement did not mention a cause of death." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"The tiny rib restaurant in Portland’s Hollywood neighborhood, Reo’s Ribs, has a history of fires: a 2017 blaze that owner Reo Varnado suggested might be related to racism (though police found no evidence of arson) and a November 23 fire for which a Multnomah County grand jury has indicted Jennifer Lynn Cole; she was identified from surveillance video and initially gave a fake name, Anna Hoedgson." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"Riot Ribs, the mutual aid kitchen offering barbecue and other meals to protestors, houseless folk, and all others, has transferred its leadership to Don’t Shoot PDX, a nonprofit activist group. Riot Ribs has also developed Revolution Ribs, a pair of vans that will be traveling the country to cities with protests." - Alex Frane
"A Portland mutual-aid kitchen that had been feeding protesters around the clock for nearly two weeks was shut down by police after providing sustained community support during unrest." - Amanda Kludt