It all started on Power Road
Arizona smoked since ’91
A young Arizona pig farmer, one prize-winning hog, and a pit hauled home in the back of a truck. Here’s how Caldwell County BBQ came to be.
The long way to Caldwell County
Our history
1991: The Pork All-American
A young pig farmer from Arizona named Clay wins the Pork All-American — and hauls his very first pit home.
1993: Waldo’s BBQ, Mesa
Clay sells the farm and opens Waldo’s BBQ in Mesa, driven by one simple idea: cook for everyone. Even his dentist.
Texas: The road trip
After years of building Waldo’s, a road trip through Texas changes everything — and sparks the vision for something new.
Today: Four pit rooms & counting
It all started on Power Road. Today the smoke rolls from Power Rd, Queen Creek, Peoria and Scottsdale — and the story keeps growing.
Where we’re at today
Four pit rooms.
One sister.
Today Caldwell County BBQ cooks across four Valley locations — Gilbert, Queen Creek, Peoria and Scottsdale — plus our sister restaurant, Mexi-Q. Same fire, same smoke, same idea Clay started with: cook for everyone.
Limited edition
Pitmaster specials
Every store’s pitmaster team gets one job: create something that wows our own staff. If it does, it lands on the menu — for a limited time only, until it’s gone.
What’s smoking now
From the pit room at
Gilbert
Beef ribs
Daily · until sold out
Poblano cotija sausage
Daily · until sold out
Smoked pastrami sandwich
Daily · until sold out
From the pit room at
Queen Creek
Beef ribs
Fri–Sun
Smoked birria tacos
Mon–Fri · until 4 pm
Smoked turkey pot pie
Daily
Scratch pumpkin pie
Daily
From the pit room at
Peoria
Smoked birria tacos
Daily · until 5 pm
From the pit room at
Scottsdale
Something’s on the smoker...
Our Scottsdale pitmasters are working on their next special. Sign up below to hear the moment it drops.
Our sister restaurant
Mexi-Q
Where our smoke meets Mexican flavor. Same pit-room craft, a whole different menu.
Visit Mexi-Q, you are leaving the website, opens in a new tabCraft BBQ.
Arizona made.
Fire and smoke. That’s it.
Every pit we run is fired by wood and tended by hand. No electric smokers, no shortcuts — just fire, smoke and time.
Be the first to know
Stay in the loop
Pitmaster special drops, promotions and holiday ordering — hear about it before it sells out.
Scan to sign up
Newsletter
Specials, promos and holiday ordering — straight to your inbox.
Scan to order
Order online
Pickup from any of our four Valley pit rooms.
Start an order, you are leaving the website, opens in a new tabFollow the smoke
Socials
New specials hit our feeds first — usually with a photo straight off the pit.
Come hungry.
Gilbert · Queen Creek · Peoria · Scottsdale · Mexi-Q