Chad’s BBQ Serving Up Local Feel in Edgewater

The transformation on Central Avenue in Edgewater has officially been made—Wharfside Bar and Grill is gone, and Chad’s BBQ in its place. 

Rick and Sandy Sargent closed Wharfside’s doors in May, and their son, Chad Sargent opened Chad’s BBQ June 13.

Along with a new name, the restaurant at 158 West Central Ave. also got a new look. Sargent changed the color scheme to Maryland flag colors, took out some of the seating and changed up the style of the bar. He also hung old records on the walls giving the place a hometown vibe.

“We wanted the local feel of a neighborhood bar and restaurant, not a corporate chain or franchise,” Sargent said. “That was sort of important to us.”

Sargent has a history of working in the restaurant business. In the late 90s he was a chef at several restaurants around Maryland. He also helped his parents open Wharfside. But he said he got a little burned out from the restaurant business and spent the last several years doing something else.

Sargent recently owned a Mold Remediation and Water Damage Restoration Company, but said for a while he had been talking about opening up a barbecue place. Once his father announced he was retiring and closing up Wharfside, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for Sargent to resume his passion.

“I have a passion for food and a passion for barbecue,” Sargent said. “It started when my wife bought me a smoker. We started experimenting with smoking meats and it just sort of evolved from there. That’s where we originally got the idea to do this.”

Chad’s BBQ offers a few distinct menu options that Sargent feels separates them from other places in town. They serve spare ribs and Texas hot links, which are made locally and to his specification. Chad’s also smokes most of their meat, and offers a smoked meatloaf.

Since opening, Sargent said they have done a pretty heavy carry-out business. While the restaurant does have a bar and tables for eating in, Sargent said they are also relying on to-go orders, which is why they have more limited hours. Chad’s BBQ closes at 7 p.m. Tuesdaythrough Friday.

“The time of running a full-service bar from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. is a lot,” Sargent said. “I got married in October, and we didn’t want the crazy hours. We sort of knew if we shortened it, and did a lot of take out business then we could make up those numbers.”

Chad’s BBQ will extend its hours on Friday and Saturday’s when they offer live music from 5 to 8 p.m.

Now that he is back in the restaurant business, Sargent said he is just enjoying coming to work everyday and doing what he loves—cooking barbecue. He also said they feel at home in Edgewater. 

“I just get to do what I love and there’s a lot of great people around here,” Sargent said. “We meet a lot of down to earth people and we have a great clientele.”

CHAD'S BBQ is open Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Chad’s is closed on Mondays. For more information on Chad’s BBQ, click here.