Paul's Rib Shack Barbecue

Texas style barbecue with Louisiana Flair!

Ordering barbecue should be fun! We make it easy for you to customize which live wood fire smoked meat that you want. You can order meat by the weight and add on any side you wish. Leave room for dessert! Also stay tuned because we are adding new items regularly. 

We hand cut our ribeye steaks, start them on the smoker, and finish them on the grill for a decadent steak like you’ve never had before!

Our smoked turkey breast combined with colorful veggies all served in a cast iron skillet and topped with flaky pastry crust. 

Is a unique BBQ establishment offering Texas-style and Louisiana flair. We provide our guests with delicious smoked craft barbecue, cooked over a live wood fire with fun sides to enjoy in an outdoor seating area beneath the majestic Oak trees. Our mission is to bring people together through barbeque that celebrates both cultures while helping gather families, friends, and neighbors around the dinner table! Our vision is to use barbeque as a way of bringing communities closer together while creating smiles all around!

Michael B.

Isis A.

Chance B.

Madison G.

Jabberwocky W.

Paul Pettefer was born and raised in Lake Charles – and he loves it. As a child, his parents owned Clay’s Marine. They lived on Contraband Bayou near McNeese. Thus, he grew up loving the water, owning boats from a young age, and duck hunting with his daddy. Paul attended Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Barbe High School, and McNeese State University. He expected to grow up and work in the family business, but the depressed local economy of the 1980s forced his parents to close the dealership. So he attended graduate school at Baylor University in Waco, Texas on a full scholarship instead. Upon graduation, he began his career in banking in Waco with what is now Bank of America. Currently, Paul owns four Laundry World coin-op laundromats and the popular Paul’s Rib Shack. Despite significant storm damage to all properties, as well as his home, Paul’s primary focus post-Hurricane Laura was to help the community. “When trouble strikes, we come to each other’s aid,” Paul says. “Our shared story and future bring us joy to help and support each other.” Paul is joyfully married to his wife of 28 years, April, and is dad to four beautiful daughters whom he calls his princesses. 

The desire to launch my own thing grew as my experiences in life grew. After a few years at the bank, advancing in a track to become a commercial loan officer, one of my co-workers at the bank opened his own financial planning business. I did the same, opening an independent shop in Dallas. As I got a few years into my banking life, I started looking for a way to live half my life making a living and the other half doing ministry stuff. A friend bought some small coin-op laundries on the side, and I started exploring that. God provided and I bought two Lake Charles locations in 2004 and added to them along the way. We added selling and servicing commercial laundry equipment, which my brother Bill leads. 

In 2012, I started my most recent project, #theRibList, which began as my friend-making initiative, smoking and sharing ribs from my driveway and sharing the Love of God through Jesus along with it. We were faithful in a few things, and now God has put us in charge of many (Matt. 25:21). We went from the driveway, to cooking at schools and events, to the big barbecue trailer, and now the fantastic place with the magnificent oak trees at 4800 Nelson Rd. I’m a blessed multi-preneur!

We take pride in providing delicious and authentic flavors to our customers. We never compromise on quality, so every bite of our food has the same wonderful taste that you’ve come to expect from us. Our commitment to excellence sets us apart, and we strive to bring the most satisfying eating experience to every customer, because we believe you deserve nothing but the best. We invite you to join us and enjoy the amazing flavors our kitchen serves up. Come see why everyone is raving about our food!

The success of our team is a testament to the passion that everyone puts into making our customers’ experiences one of a kind. Our secret ingredient won’t be a secret much longer — love is at the heart of whatever we do, and it will continue to set us apart from the competition. We’re dedicated to giving everyone an experience that leaves them looking forward to their next visit with us. So come join us and discover what makes us unique!

In March 2017 we opened for business in a bright red food truck under Paul’s Rib Shack Barbecue. We went a few places in the Food Truck area, but now we’ve found our home - 4800 Nelson Rd. After a year of hard construction, we transformed this little building into a bright red restaurant full of fun and smelling of barbecue. It took some grit, but it was worth it to give you the coolest spot we know how to make with the best barbecue we know how to cook. Our Grand Opening was October 12, 2019 and was a pretty fun day.
     It didn’t take long after our grand opening for things to get exciting. Just a few months later, COVID forced us to move to a to-go only operation. We didn’t even hit our stride before we had to change everything. Then Hurricane Laura hit SWLA  on Aug. 25, 2021. Thankfully the Lord spared our place, but not everyone was so fortunate. We served alongside other generous members of our community serving at a free feeding site, as well as other opportunities.  Then we opened back up the restaurant as fast as we could, just two weeks after the storm, just in time for Hurricane Delta. Then the Ice Storm. Then the flood. Then my house got ripped in half by a tornado. 


 It was a wild year, but we are here, stronger, better, and more gracious as result of the trials and celebrations of the past few years. We celebreated our third birthday as a restaurant recently, and I couldn’t be more proud of my crew, our food, and this community. Thank you for letting us be a small part of your story, and thank you for joining me on this adventure #LifeIsMoreFunOnTheRibList
Paul Pettefer- Head Pitmaster and CFO - Chief Friendmaking Officer

Eight years ago, #theRibList began. It started out small, with a list of names on my phone and a few people in my driveway. As I discovered that barbecue paved the way for making lots of friends, the list grew. It grew longer and longer until I ended up with hundreds of people who wanted to #GetOnTheRibList. 
     I ventured outside of my driveway to cook for causes that I cared about- from elementary schools to churches to nonprofits. As we cooked more and more, I gathered a few things. I gathered skill and technique, appreciation for craft barbecue, a variety of smokers, and a name: the Bishop of Barbecue. 

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