Every town needs a good BBQ joint, and in downtown Frederick, that place is Black Hog BBQ. Black Hog is a local chain with multiple locations in Frederick, plus restaurants in Middletown, Urbana, and Ashburn. It’s a casual pit BBQ-type place that reminds me of the BBQ joints in Georgia that my uncle used to drag me and my cousins to when we visited in the summer.
The Black Hog BBQ spot in Downtown Frederick has recently undergone a transformation that has made it even better, and one of the better downtown restaurants in Frederick to eat or drink.
A Nine Month Shut Down for Renovations
In August 2023, Black Hog BBQ Frederick closed its doors for renovations and did not reopen until this spring. The restaurant had been in this downtown location since 2007, but the owners decided it needed a makeover.
Renovations included a larger kitchen, doubling the square footage of the restaurant, and (most exciting to diners) a rooftop bar and dining area. In our opinion, having visited recently, the rooftop at Black Hog Frederick immediately makes it one of the coolest places to eat and drink in downtown Frederick!
Black Hog BBQ in Downtown Frederick MD: Basics
Black Hog BBQ is in downtown Frederick, right on South Market Street, a f
ew blocks from Carroll Creek Park:
- Address: 118 S Market St, Frederick, MD 21701
- Web: blackhogbbq.com/locations/downtown-frederick
- Facebook: facebook.com/BlackHogBBQ
- Phone: +1.240.575.9062
- Price Range: $$
- Reservations: none
- Menu: Black Hog BBQ Menu Link
The Black Hog BBQ Rooftop Bar and Seating Area: Game Changer!
The owners of Black Hog hit a home run with the new rooftop. They’ve created something new that didn’t really exist in downtown Frederick previously. While downtown has lots of great spots, and many have outdoor seating, hanging out on the roof at Black Hog and looking out over Frederick while you enjoy BBQ and drinks is a unique way to spend a day or evening downtown.
The roof at Black Hog has a simple bar with bar seating and some high tops and also a lounge-type seating area for enjoying the outdoors. I highly recommend checking it out on a nice day.
The Black Hog BBQ Drink Menu
As far as dining at Black Hog, it’s been a great place to get a casual and delicious meal in Frederick for a long time. The drink menu emphasizes bourbon and bourbon-oriented cocktails. Nicole had the Original Old Fashion during our last visit.
Both the rooftop bar and the inside downstairs bar are cool places to hang out and enjoy a beer, cocktail, or glass of wine. I was pretty impressed with the remodeled indoor bar.
The Black Hog BBQ Menu: Really Good BBQ
People tend to think that BBQ is a bit like pizza, a food category with a high floor and seemingly hard to mess up. But I’ve been to enough BBQ joints across the country to know that there’s a pretty wide gap between ‘very average’ and ‘very good’ BBQ. We are lucky in Frederick to have a legit BBQ joint like Black Hog.
The Black Hog BBQ menu is a delicious journey, and it’s hard not to love it. It’s well organized, like a BBQ menu should: choose your protein (brisket, turkey, pork, sausage, or a combo) and decide if you want a platter or sandwich.
There are some great alternatives as well such as spare ribs, gumbo, and tacos. You are gonna need multiple visits to truly enjoy this place.
Like any good BBQ joint, Black Hog emphasizes the sides and serves all the greatest hits. Beans, mac and cheese, southern greens (my favorite), cornbread, and cole slaw are all there.
Show up hungry and plan on leaving extremely satisfied.
A Great Location and Free Parking!
If the rooftop setting and authentic BBQ haven’t sold you on Black Hog, there’s more. It’s one of the few downtown Frederick restaurants with a free parking lot! Not that parking in downtown Frederick is difficult (one of the reasons we love it), but it’s a nice perk.
This venue is a short stroll from Carroll Creek, and all the other hot spots and places to get a drink downtown Frederick. So you can easily turn Black Hog into your dinner destination on a night out downtown.
