BrushFire BBQ Co. (Tucson, Arizona)
***** BrushFire BBQ Co., 2745 North Campbell Avenue, Tucson, Arizona 85719 (520) 624-3223.
You guys gotta indulge me here…I know Jeff Eats is suppose to be all about South Florida joints, but I got to tell you about BrushFire BBQ Co. in Tucson, Arizona…because it’s that good.
I was recently in Tucson to “consult with” a new “off campus meal plan” which was started in 2009 by two-University of Arizona undergraduates. These guys, about 6- months ago created a company called ZonaBucks (www.zonabucks.com) and contracted with various Tucson restaurants, national chains and basic need merchants to “feed and service” students at the University of Arizona. From what
I can tell, The U of A has a “food court” on campus which isn’t very appetizing or diversified, so ZonaBucks quickly found a huge student- following in that its network has the restaurants-supermarkets-drugstores-haircutters that students frequent. Although it is relatively-new, the company received inquiries from all over the United States to “nationwide” the concept…and the students are now planning to “rebrand” as CampusBucks with national expansion plans. Checkout the website as it is really amazing how “kids” came up with a better student meal plan than the bureaucrats at the U of A did…but then again, we have all heard about Bill Gates and Michael Dell, haven’t we!!
Anyway…on the ZonaBucks network, is a fast-food bbq joint named BrushFire BBQ Co. You order at the counter and the food is then delivered to your table.
Now here’s the story…this little hole in the wall joint…serves some of the best bbq that I have ever tasted. I did bbq beef ribs, bbq pork ribs, bbq chicken, french fries, corn on the cob, mac and cheese, fried chicken wings…incredible. The joint works with 6 sauces (I tried– sweet molasses and honey mustard) so your “order” can be flavored anyway that you like. Checkout BrushfFre’s website www.brushfirebbq.com for menu/prices. The prices are neighborhood sports-bar type prices…real reasonable. How this joint puts out such “high quality” stuff- so cheaply is a mystery to me.
Brushfire is open 7 days a week from 10am-9pm.
So…if you ever get to Tucson, you now have a “must try” place.
jeff, sure is a small world meeting you in Tucson at the Marriot Hotel. My wife and I were in Tucson because our daughter is a freshman at the U of A. Like you we can’t understand how a 35,000 student university has only fast food for it students. My wife and I recall our college days when there was a dining hall with all you could eat for one price. Most schools still have that program, but for some reason U of A doesn’t.
We got our daughter a ZonaBucks card because it has loads of restaurants right near the campus plus supermarkets. The choices are far better than on campus.
During the week that we were in Tucson we tried a number of the restaurants on the ZonaBucks list. Like you we ate in BrushFire and couldn’t believe how terrific the food was. Never would have figured it looking at the store from the outside. It seems that this is a big favorite with the students. We also ate breakfast in Cereal Boxx, Frog & Firkin, Silvermine Subs which were on the list. That Frog & Firkin makes a great burger and Cereal Boxx has a great cereal menu and eggs for a light breakfast.
Nice meeting you,
L. Goldstein
Ft. Lauderdale
L. Goldstein: Just had a chance to read your post.
It was nice meeting you and your family.
Like you I found it absolutely incredible that a university like U of A doesn’t have a real meal plan for students. I visited the main food court on campus and it is an absolute joke. Nothing but overpriced fast food. Parents must be pissed off no end about the meal plan. There is only so much Panda Express and Burger King that any one person can eat.
The ZonaBucks card is an off campus meal plan. The restaurants in its network are within walking distance of the campus. The choices run circles around the school’s offerings. I understand that ZonaBucks is planning a national rollout of this concept under a new name CampusBucks.
On that BrushFire…the food is terrific. Amazing how a small joint can turn out such top notch stuff.
Thanks for reading…
Been there. Great ribs.