A-J’s BBQ Restaurant & Bar

About A-J’s BBQ Restaurant & Bar

A-J's BBQ Restaurant & Bar, at 77 Queen Street in Blenheim's CBD, serves a wide-ranging barbecue and grill menu covering everything from smoked meats and burgers to shared platters and a dedicated late night menu. The kitchen leans heavily into low-and-slow smoking and grilling, with dishes ranging from smoked beef brisket and pork ribs to grilled whole chicken and cauliflower steak for vegetarian diners.

The menu is organised around appetizers, a lunch selection of burgers, tacos and salads, "Amazing Fries" loaded meals, a Grilled and BBQ Meal section, a dedicated burgers and fries range, more substantial mains like beef short ribs and braised lamb shank, and platters built for sharing between two to six people. Sides, desserts and a Late Night Menu (available Friday and Saturday from 11pm to 2am) round out the offering, with many dishes marked for gluten free availability, vegetarian diets, or containing dairy or nuts/seeds.

A-J's offers pickup, delivery and table booking, and is open seven days a week, with continuous hours on Friday and Saturday and a split lunch/dinner service the rest of the week.

A-J's BBQ Restaurant & Bar: Smoked Meats and Grills in Blenheim

A-J's BBQ Restaurant & Bar sits at 77 Queen Street in Blenheim's CBD, running a genuinely large barbecue and grill menu built around slow-smoked meats, loaded fries, and a dedicated late night offering. The kitchen's approach spans everything from delicate seafood starters to hearty shared platters designed for a group.

Starters and Lunch

The appetizer list opens with Garlic Prawns in a creamy butter sauce and a Seafood Chowder loaded with prawns, mussels, shrimp and squid, alongside AJ's Chicken Lollipop — pulled chicken in herb mash, coated in parmesan and panko and fried to order. The lunch menu adds burgers, tacos and a run of hearty salads, including a Crispy Beef Salad with rice noodles and honey mustard dressing, and a Vegetarian Salad built around char cauliflower and halloumi.

Smoked and Grilled Mains

A-J's leans hard into barbecue technique across its Grilled and BBQ Meal and Mains sections. Smoked Beef Brisket, Low Slow Pork Belly and Smoked Pork Ribs headline the "Amazing Fries" loaded meals, while the Mains section features more composed dishes like Beef Short Ribs with blue cheese polenta mash and red wine jus, and a Smoked Beef Cheek served with pumpkin risotto. Vegetarian diners aren't an afterthought either, with a Cauliflower Steak in creamy butter sauce and Grilled Broccoli with blue cheese sauce both on the menu.

Burgers and Burritos

The burger range covers Smoked Beef Brisket, Smoked Pork Belly, Korean Fried Chicken, Pulled Chicken and Vegetarian options, all served with fries, while the Mains section also includes grilled burritos filled with smoked beef brisket or chicken, beans, rice and cheese sauce.

Platters Built for Sharing

For groups, A-J's offers two platters to share: a 2-3 person option combining brisket, pork ribs, pork belly, quarter chicken and grilled sausages, and a larger 4-6 person version that adds chicken lollipops and garlic prawns to the mix, both served with tortillas, grilled corn, slaw, mac n cheese, mash and pickles.

Sides, Desserts and Late Night

Sides run from classic mash, wedges and mac n cheese through to grilled halloumi and pilaf rice, while desserts include a Meringue Nest with berry compote, Sticky Date Pudding, and a Trio of Sorbet. On Friday and Saturday nights, A-J's runs a dedicated Late Night Menu from 11pm to 2am, offering burgers, loaded fries, a Smoked Hot Dog topped with crushed Cheetos, and other late-night staples.

Dietary Options Throughout

Many dishes across the menu are marked as gluten free available or vegetarian, and allergen notes for dairy and nuts/seeds appear consistently, helping guests navigate the menu based on their needs.

Visiting A-J's

A-J's BBQ Restaurant & Bar is open seven days a week from 11am to 8pm, offering pickup, delivery and table bookings, with a Late Night Menu available Friday and Saturday from 11pm to 2am.

Signature items

• Platter to Share (4-6 People)
• Beef Short Ribs
• AJ's Chicken Lollipop
• Smoked Beef Brisket
• Braised Lamb Shank

Menu

Lunch

• Smashed Beef Burger w/ Fries — Mesclun, pickles, pickled onion and cheese (contains dairy)
• Crunchy Chicken Burger w/ Fries — Slaw, pickle, pickled onions and cheese
• Lamb Burger w/ Fries — Slaw, pickle, pickled onions and cheese
• Smoked Beef Tacos — GF available
• Smoked Pork Belly Taco — GF available
• Crunchy Chicken Salad — Crunchy chicken, lettuce, slaw, rice, sesame seed, lemon mayo and BBQ (contains nut/seed)
• Vegetarian Salad — Char cauliflower, lettuce, slaw, chickpeas, halloumi, cucumber, red onions, peanuts with green goddess dressing (contains nut/seed)
• Pork Belly Salad — Smoked pork belly, lettuce, slaw, rice, cucumber, peanuts with sesame soya dressing (contains nut/seed)
• Crispy Beef Salad — Crispy beef, lettuce, slaw, rice, gherkins, pickles, roasted red peppers, rice noodles, cucumber, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts and honey mustard dressing (contains nut/seed)

Mains

• Smoked Beef Brisket Grilled Burrito — Flour tortilla with beans, rice, cheese sauce, cheese and adobo sauce, served with salad (contains dairy)
• Grilled Chicken Burrito — Smoked chicken, flour tortilla, beans, rice, cheese sauce, cheese and adobo sauce, served with salad (contains dairy)
• Smoked Beef Cheek with Mash — Served with pumpkin risotto, parmesan, grilled broccoli and balsamic glaze (GF available, contains dairy)
• Beef Short Ribs — Slow cooked smoked short ribs with blue cheese polenta mash, grilled cauliflower and red wine jus (GF available, contains dairy)
• Beef Schnitzel with Creamy Mash — Served with creamy mash, green salad and red wine jus
• Chicken Breast — Panko crumbed, served with kumara mash, salad and herb oil
• Braised Lamb Shank — Minted cous-cous, carrots, peas, finished with red wine jus (currently out of stock)

Sides

• Creamy Mash Potatoes — GF available, vegetarian
• Grilled Corn on the Cob (2 Pieces) — GF available, vegetarian
• Green Salad — Vegetarian
• Grilled Halloumi (3 Pieces) — GF available, vegetarian
• Traditional Mac N Cheese — Contains bacon and dairy
• Mixed Vegetables
• Fries (Regular) — Vegetarian
• Wedges (Regular) — Vegetarian
• Garlic Bread (2 Pcs) — Vegetarian, contains dairy
• Pilaf (Rice) — GF available, vegetarian

Desserts

• Meringue Nest with Berry Compote — Meringue layered with cream and mixed berry compote, balancing smoky BBQ flavours
• Sticky Date Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream — With caramel sauce (GF available)
• Trio of Sorbet — Mango, passion fruit and berry (GF available)
• Homemade Chocolate Brownie — With caramel sauce

Appetizers

• Garlic Prawns — Pan seared prawns with fresh garlic in a creamy butter sauce, served with toasted bread (GF available)
• Seafood Chowder — Prawns, mussels, shrimps and squid, served with toasted bread
• Southern Chicken Bites (5 Pieces) — Chicken strips marinated in herbs, coated in potato starch and deep fried (GF available)
• Cheese Bacon Rolls (3 Pcs) — Minced beef, bacon jam and cheese, crisped to perfection
• Bruschetta (3 Pcs) — Toasted bread topped with smoked tomatoes, grilled artichoke, basil pesto and ricotta with balsamic glaze (vegetarian, contains dairy)
• AJ's Chicken Lollipop (3 Pcs) — Pulled chicken in herb mash, coated with parmesan and panko crumbs, fried, served with BBQ sauce

Amazing Fries

• Smoked Beef Brisket Meal — Beef brisket with fries, jalapeños, pickles, sauce and salad (GF available, contains dairy)
• Low Slow Pork Belly Meal — Served with salad and smoky BBQ sauce (GF available, contains dairy)
• Smoked Pork Ribs Meal — Served with salad and smoky BBQ sauce (GF available)
• Cheese Burger Fries with Sriracha Mayo — Grilled beef patties with melted cheese, cheesy fries drizzled with sriracha mayo (GF available, contains dairy)
• Grilled Bacon Fries — Grilled bacon, cheesy fries, jalapeños and sauce (GF available, contains dairy)
• Cheesy Fries — Cheesy fries, jalapeños and sauce (GF available, vegetarian)

Late Night Menu

• Crunchy Chicken Burger w/ Sriracha — With fries, slaw, cheese, salad, aioli and BBQ sauce
• Pork Belly Burger — With fries, slaw, cheese, salad, aioli and BBQ sauce
• Smashed Beef Burger — With fries, slaw, cheese, salad, aioli and BBQ sauce
• Smoked Beef Brisket Burger — With fries, slaw, cheese, salad, aioli and BBQ sauce
• Chicken Thigh & Chips — 1 piece chicken thigh and fries with aioli
• Smoked Hot Dog — House smoked sausage, slow cooked, with mustard mayo, tomato sauce and crushed Cheetos
• Cheesy Bacon Fries — Bacon with fries, cheese sauce, cheese, pickles and jalapeños
• Cheesy Fries — Fries, cheese sauce, cheese, pickles and jalapeños
• Fries (Regular) — With ketchup
• Mac N Cheese — Macaroni, cheese and bacon
• Wedges (Regular) — With ketchup

Burgers And Fries

• Smoked Beef Brisket Burger — Slaw, pickles, pickled onion and cheese with fries (contains dairy)
• Smoked Pork Belly Burger — BBQ sauce, slaw, pickle, pickled onion and cheese with fries (contains dairy)
• Korean Fried Chicken Burger — Chicken breast in Korean marinade, fried, served with sriracha mayo, lettuce, slaw, pickles, cheese and fries (contains dairy)
• Pulled Chicken Burger — Slaw, pickles, pickled onion and cheese with fries (contains dairy)
• Vegetarian Burger — Veg patty, slaw, pickles, pickled onion and halloumi with fries (vegetarian, contains dairy)

Platters To Share

• Platter to Share (2-3 People) — Smoked beef brisket, pork ribs, pork belly, quarter chicken and grilled sausages with tortilla, grilled corn, slaw, mac n cheese, mash and pickles (contains dairy)
• Platter to Share (4-6 People) — Smoked beef brisket, pork ribs, pork belly, quarter chicken, chicken lollipop (4 pcs), garlic prawns and grilled sausages with tortillas, grilled corn, slaw, mac n cheese, mash and pickles (contains dairy)

Grilled And BBQ Meal

• BBQ Chicken Kebabs w/ Buffalo Sauce (3 Pcs) — With creamy mash or fries, pickles and pickled onions (GF available)
• BBQ Beef Kebabs w/ Garlic Sauce (3 Pcs) — With creamy mash or fries, pickles and pickled onions (GF available; currently out of stock)
• Flank Steak — Grilled flank steak with truffle mash, green salad and chimichurri (GF available; currently out of stock)
• Quarter Grilled Chicken Meal — With bearnaise sauce (GF available; currently out of stock)
• Half Grilled Chicken Meal — With bearnaise sauce and salad (GF available; currently out of stock)
• Grilled Whole Chicken — Bearnaise sauce with fries and salad (GF available; currently out of stock)
• Cauliflower Steak — Served with creamy butter sauce (GF available, vegetarian)
• Grilled Broccoli — With blue cheese sauce (GF available, vegetarian)

Frequently asked questions

What does A-J's BBQ Restaurant & Bar serve?

Smoked and grilled BBQ meats, burgers, loaded fries, shared platters, salads and a dedicated late night menu.

What are the opening hours?

Open 7 days, 11am to 8pm, with a Late Night Menu available Friday and Saturday from 11pm to 2am.

Where is A-J's located?

77 Queen Street, CBD, Blenheim.

Do they offer sharing platters?

Yes, platters for 2-3 or 4-6 people, loaded with smoked meats, chicken, prawns and sides.

Do they cater for vegetarians?

Yes, including a Vegetarian Salad, Vegetarian Burger, Cauliflower Steak and Grilled Broccoli.

What's the Late Night Menu?

A dedicated menu of burgers, loaded fries and other late-night food, available Friday and Saturday from 11pm to 2am.

Can I order pickup or delivery?

Yes, pickup, delivery and table booking are all available.

Tips

• {"body":"A good option for feeding a group with a mix of smoked meats.","title":"Try the Platter to Share"}
• {"body":"Some items like flank steak and whole grilled chicken are sometimes out of stock.","title":"Check current stock on grilled meals"}
• {"body":"Available Friday and Saturday from 11pm to 2am.","title":"Stay for the Late Night Menu"}
• {"body":"Many dishes across the menu can be made gluten free.","title":"Ask about gluten free options"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Many dishes marked gluten free available or vegetarian; allergen notes given for dairy and nuts/seeds"}