Earl’s Rib Palace has reopened its longtime Reno Avenue restaurant, nearly one year after a fire caused extensive damage and forced the Oklahoma City barbecue spot to close.
The restaurant reopened Monday, Oct. 26, at 4414 W. Reno Ave., following a yearlong rebuilding effort. A fire on Oct. 17, 2025, caused major roof and structural damage to the building.
The rebuilt restaurant retains much of the laid-back feel of the original location while adding an updated look and improvements throughout the kitchen and dining room.
“When we watched our Reno location suffer such heavy damage last October, we were heartbroken,” said Brig Hatch, general manager of the Reno Avenue location. “Our Reno restaurant has always had such a loyal following. But the outpouring of support from our community showed us exactly why we had to rebuild.”
Hatch said the staff has spent the past several weeks training in the new kitchen and preparing for the reopening.
“This last year has been a long, challenging journey for our entire crew, but seeing this beautiful new building come together has been exciting,” Hatch said. “Our staff can’t wait to see our regulars and plenty of new faces.”
The reopening comes during Earl’s Rib Palace’s 30th anniversary year. The Oklahoma City-born restaurant has been serving barbecue since 1996 and now operates five locations across the metro, employing more than 200 Oklahomans.
The Reno Avenue menu will include longtime Earl’s favorites such as hickory-smoked meats, fried okra, the Smokestack sandwich and bacon-wrapped “Earlapeños.”
More information about the restaurant, menu and hours is available at earlsribpalace.com.