Dayton BBQ Company is packing up its smokers and heading downtown. The barbecue restaurant, which had been operating out of Carillon Brewing Co. at Carillon Historical Park, is relocating to the former Lock 27 site on E. First Street next to Day Air Ballpark, putting it right in the middle of one of the city's fastest-growing restaurant corridors.
The move was announced just days after Dayton BBQ Company's partnership with Carillon Brewing Company came to an end, according to whio.com. The restaurant had only been inside the historic brewery setting since 2025, with owner Eric Evans joining Carillon Brewing Co. in January of that year before officially launching there in March, according to the Dayton Daily News. Now, less than two years later, the barbecue joint is starting over in a new neighborhood entirely.
On September 28, Dayton BBQ Company told fans that effective immediately, it would no longer operate from Carillon Brewing Company. The same report notes the company's Facebook announcement read, “Just Like That… Our New Home Is Secured. The Smoke Continues. See you in 2027.”
Why the Carillon Chapter Closed
Details on exactly why the Carillon Brewing Company partnership ended have not been spelled out publicly, but the timing left little gap between the split and the new location news. In its announcement, Dayton BBQ Company's owners expressed gratitude to Carillon Brewing Company, their team, and every guest who supported the restaurant during its run there, per the same report. The owners added that they believe the next chapter will allow them to continue building the restaurant and hospitality experience they've always envisioned.
That next chapter now has an address: the former Lock 27 Brewing Company location in the Water Street District, near Day Air Ballpark in downtown Dayton, the Dayton Daily News reports. No exact opening date beyond the 2027 timeframe has been shared.
Moving Into Dayton's Hottest Restaurant Row
The Water Street District sits along the banks of the Great Miami and Mad rivers, next to Riverscape MetroPark and spreading into the area around Day Air Ballpark, according to the Dayton Daily News. The city bought the land back in 2013 as part of its urban design plan, and the district's first project, a 50,000-square-foot office building at 312 N. Patterson Blvd., didn't open until April 2015. Growth has accelerated considerably since then.
Investment in the district has topped $100 million and shows no signs of slowing, the outlet notes, and the area has become one of the hottest places to live and visit in the region. The district has already drawn a crowded lineup of bars and restaurants, including Dayton Beer Company, Moeller Brew Barn, Lock 27, Dayton Barrel Works, Warped Wing Brewery, Tender Mercy, Local Cantina and Flyboys Deli. Dayton BBQ Company will now be smoking brisket in the very building Lock 27 once called home, joining a stretch of downtown that has turned into a steady draw for both residents and ballpark crowds.
