BubbaQue Fires Up Its First Restaurant on Tucson's South Side
Published: June 4, 2026 | By TucsonHIRED Team
One of Tucson's most beloved food trucks just put down roots. BubbaQue, the Tex-Mex barbecue operation famous for 14-hour smoked brisket and the only premium beef "dino ribs" in town, opened its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in mid-April at 5005 S. Campbell Ave. The move from a trailer to a 5,900-square-foot, 120-seat restaurant is a big step up, and with it comes a new batch of restaurant jobs on Tucson's south side.
From a Food Truck to a South-Side Smokehouse
BubbaQue's story is pure Tucson. The business started back in 2010 under founder Rich Park, building a loyal following one plate of brisket at a time. Owner Ben Levine, a Catalina High Magnet graduate who got his start running a kettle-corn cart in 2015, met Park at events around town, took the business over in 2020, and ran the food truck for years before making the leap to a full restaurant. Park stayed involved behind the scenes, and the two remain good friends.
Levine is a self-taught grillmaster who learned through Park's mentorship and a deep library of online videos. "I didn't go to culinary school," he says, and his standard is simple: if it tastes great, it goes on the plate. That approach shows up in the brisket, smoked so long and so juicy it doesn't need sauce, plus ribs, mac and cheese, potato salad, collard greens, and Texas toast.
The new home, at South Campbell Avenue and East Irvington Road, previously housed Mandarin Buffet and Hole N 1 Golf Pub. Moving off the truck also let BubbaQue lower its prices, with the goal of becoming an everyday dining option for south-side residents rather than an occasional treat. Judging by the early lines out the door, and the dino ribs selling out within hours most days, the neighborhood showed up.
What It Means for Tucson Job Seekers
Going from a food truck to a daily, full-service restaurant is one of the bigger jumps a small business can make, and it takes a real crew to pull off. The opening team is in place, but a busy 120-seat smokehouse that's selling out menu items tends to keep adding hands as it settles into restaurant hours and grows its catering side. If you want to work in Tucson barbecue, this is a name worth watching.
A spot like BubbaQue typically runs on a familiar mix of roles: pitmasters and line cooks, prep cooks, and dishwashers in the back; counter and cashier staff, servers, food runners, and catering crew up front. Walk in a resume, and keep an eye on local listings as the restaurant ramps up:
- BubbaQue jobs in Tucson
- Restaurant jobs in Tucson
- Line cook & kitchen jobs in Tucson
- Server jobs in Tucson
- Cashier & counter jobs in Tucson
- Catering jobs in Tucson
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A homegrown food truck turning into a south-side institution is exactly the kind of Tucson story worth rooting for, and exactly the kind of place that keeps putting locals to work. Search all jobs in Tucson on TucsonHIRED.com and apply today.
