Featuring a variety of slow-cooked meats, sides, appetizers and desserts, Batchelor’s Pad BBQ is the community’s one-stop shop for, well, barbeque. It’s right there in the name.

Also in the name is a play on words. Owned by Eric and Mary Batchelor, they say they want visitors to feel like they are dropping by their home, or “pad,” for a bite to eat. They’ve tried to bake that feeling into operations, hiring friendly staff, keeping the atmosphere lively and displaying pictures of their family.

Officially opening its doors last fall, Batchelor’s Pad BBQ is located at 13407 N. La Montana Dr.

“It was incredibly busy,” Eric Batchelor said. “We were selling out of everything almost every night and getting rave reviews, so we enjoyed that.”

That buzz for the business spread, with Batchelor saying the restaurant only got busier as winter residents came back to town.

The Batchelor family has been in Fountain Hills since 2016, but the idea for the business has been around even longer.

“Barbecue is a passion I’ve had and a craft I’ve worked on for a long time, and opening a restaurant is something we’ve wanted to do for years,” Batchelor said. “Along with that, our youngest son, Gabriel, has special needs and we wanted to create a place where he can meet new people and work for someone that won’t treat him negatively.”

That familial connection impacts much of the staff, too, as the Batchelors reached out to friends from church and the community about hiring their kids and giving them a place to work and become more involved in their own community.

“My oldest son, Samuel, has come back from Washington State to handle the business as the general manager,” Batchelor said. “My wife and I are here with Gabriel, working. Both graduated from Fountain Hills High School.

“Everyone else, many kids of our friends, we brought them aboard and they’ve done an incredible job.”

Batchelor said seeing people enjoy their meal is the best part of the job, as well as the sense of community that can come with good food.

“The best relationships are formed around a table or in the kitchen,” he continued. “There’s laughing, having fun and getting to know each other. It's great.”

Batchelor’s Pad BBQ offers a variety of meats, including brisket, pulled pork, ribs and smoked turkey. Sides include beans, macaroni and cheese, “MB’s Famous Cornbread” and a unique potato salad. Meal combinations, appetizers and desserts fill out the offerings, with a variety of beers available in bottle and on tap.

Dine-in and takeout options are available, and orders can be placed to accommodate gatherings or special events. Batchelor’s Pad also has a food truck, which has already made the rounds at several local events.

Hours are 12 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 12 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Additional details can be found at batchelorspadbbq.com.

“Our menu is a collection of a lot of different types of barbecue,” Batchelor said.

He said the main influence is Texas barbecue because the method is smoke and rub, but a taste of other varieties is in the mix. Ribs, for instance, have a honey glaze, while some sandwiches have slaw on them, which you’re more likely to find in Memphis or Kentucky. And then there is pulled pork, a favorite of the South.

“We try to include a lot of different flavors,” Batchelor said. “A lot of what we offer comes from our own household, and we want that household feel in everything…I think that’s why people come back. You’re coming into our home and that’s how we treat you.

“Don’t be scared by the name. It’s our last name, it’s not a gentleman’s club or anything like that. Come on in and give us a try.”