Three months after a fire closed the doors of the Yampa Garage Biscuits & BBQ, business owners Craig and Marlene Saleeby are back and happy to be serving customers in Routt County.

“We just opened at the end of October, so it took us three months to repair and rebuild,” Marlene Saleeby said. “It was crazy just how much damage that could do, and it just took a long time to get back to this place.”

The fire occurred in the early morning hours July 28. Marlene said it started in the back of the restaurant where rags used for cleanup were stored.

“We had to take out all the insulation in the ceiling and redo the ceiling tiles because of the smoke damage, repaint the whole place, the dining room and the kitchen,” she said. “A disaster company came, and they took all our contents to go and clean them.”

Marlene and her husband Craig opened Yampa Garage Biscuits & BBQ in April 2023 at 70 Moffat Ave. in Yampa. Marlene and Craig moved to Yampa a couple of years ago to be closer to her parents, who have lived in the area for 30 years.

Craig is originally from North Carolina and brought his love for barbecue and making good food with him. The couple has been in the restaurant business for more than 10 years, and they owned and operated a barbecue place in Moab, Utah, before arriving in Yampa.

The restaurant features small-batch, handcrafted barbecue crafted by Craig.

The menu includes ribs — the half rack for $16 and a full rack for $31. Customers can add two sides to create a rib platter. Signature items also include the Pitboss ($16) and proper sausage ($15).

There is also the Super Burro ($15), a giant tortilla stuffed with pork or chicken, rice and beans and smothered in green chili and melted cheese served with house hot sauce. The smokehouse taco plate ($15) includes three flour tortillas with choice of pork or chicken.

The menu also offers sandwiches and platters featuring pit-fired meats including pulled pork, pulled chicken, beef brisket, tri-tip and sausage. There are also combo plates, premium and signature sides, munchies and snacks, as well as soups and salads.

Customers will also find freshly made biscuits.

Currently the restaurant is open noon-7 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays. The restaurant opens at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sundays to offer customers a chance to enjoy breakfast and stays open until 7 p.m.

“For breakfast, he does biscuits and gravy and huevos,” Marlene said.

Marlene is hoping folks will visit Yampa Garage soon, noting that the restaurant will close in January for a couple of months and is likely to open again in March. The restaurant also offers catering and the space is available for special events.

For more information on Yampa Garage offerings and availability, call 970-343-9078 or visit the eatery’s Facebook or Yelp pages.