Monday: Sneaky's BBQ Soft-Launches at Rebel

Sneaky's BBQ/Facebook

Sneaky's BBQ's Ben Thorne makes a delivery.

​Not everybody has President's Day off. That's when soon to be ex-underground guys Pat Wachter and Ben Thorne of Sneaky's BBQ host a soft opening of their place in Rebel, the emerging gay club in the old Triple Crown space at 1760 Market Street. Rebel's a project of Bullitt/Tonic owners Duncan Ley and Ben Bleiman, and Truck's Paul Miller.

Robert Lauriston/2009

​It'll have a 4 a.m. license, with DJs, stripper poles and go-go boys, and ― earlier in the evening ― Sneaky's BBQ, the first brick-and-mortar incarnation for Wachter and Thorne, who, since launching in 2008 have existed as a delivery and catering business, fueled by an enormous, Texas-made smoker in Wachter's Oakland backyard.

For Rebel, the Sneaky's guys were able to install an Old Hickory smoker directly under the kitchen's exhaust hood. "We were sort of lucky to find one that fits under the hood," Wachter says. It burns almond wood ― four to five hours for the pork ribs, and as many as 15 for shoulders that yield pulled pork. Wachter and Thorne also smoke Rocky Jr. chickens, and Berkshire pork belly.

Sneaky's regular lineup of sides will be present for Monday's one-day soft launch: baked beans, collards, mac and cheese, and cornbread from Andi Scheve of Hot Mess Baking (she'll make Sneaky's desserts, too, things like crumble-top pies).

The Sneaky's/Rebel grand opening is on the calendar for Feb. 28. As for the stripper poles, no word on when those might get fired up.

Soft Opening for Sneaky's BBQ
When: Mon., Feb. 21, 3-9 p.m.
Where: Rebel, 1760 Market (at Octavia)