This Award-Winning BBQ Restaurant Defied The Odds After Bankruptcy

Andrew Darneille spent his early years in the culinary world going head-to-head against the top pitmasters in America on the competitive circuit. That never-give-up attitude he forged at the time came in handy later, as he dragged his restaurant out of the fires of bankruptcy and put it back on the road to success. We're talking about Smokecraft Modern Barbecue, the award-winning BBQ restaurant in Arlington, Virginia which defied really long odds to make it to its five-year anniversary in the spring of 2025.

Darneille opened Smokecraft Modern Barbecue in 2020 — directly following the year in which his team won over 70 awards on the festival circuit. While he didn't know it then, the timing could not have been worse. Between finding the perfect spot in Clarendon, a neighborhood in northern Arlington County, and fitting it out with all of the telltale signs of a great BBQ restaurant for the grand opening, COVID-19 struck. This meant that Smokecraft ended up opening its doors at a time when, according to the National Restaurant Association, over 100,000 restaurants were downing shutters.

This was a double blow. For one, Smokecraft got nowhere close to its projected revenues, considering it had to work to attract employees and deal with social distancing rules from the word go. But that wasn't even the worst of it. Having only started operations four months into lockdown, Smokecraft didn't qualify for any of the government grants for struggling businesses. So, despite getting rave reviews Darneille was constantly stuck between finding his feet and swimming against the tide. Having accumulated debts of $1.4 million, Smokecraft filed for bankruptcy in 2024. 

There are two types of bankruptcies that struggling restaurants are most likely to file for. Filing under Chapter 7 means liquidation. The business ceases operations immediately, and their assets are sold off to pay creditors. Restaurants filing under Chapter 11, however, can continue to operate as long as they present a plan to restructure their business and pay off their debts. This is the route Andrew Darneille chose for Smokecraft. The court-approved recovery plan includes quarterly loan repayments through to 2029, an expanded catering program, and the addition of special dining events to the restaurant's offerings.

The bankruptcy filing allowed Darneille, who has an MBA degree from the University of Maryland, just the right amount of breathing room he needed to kick on. "We view this as a great opportunity to restructure our debts and come up with a new plan to allow us to continue in operation, because without that extreme debt load that was choking us, we believe we have a sound business," as reported by the Washington Business Journal (photographed in this Reddit post). "We don't view this as a negative, we view this as a real positive opportunity for us to be able to move forward." His decision saved his business and preserved some 30 jobs.

Through everything, there's been absolutely no cutting corners on the food at Smokecraft, with the menu featuring premium options like wagyu brisket and duroc pork belly burnt ends – and the rave reviews only continue to pour in. "If you're craving barbecue that's more than just smoky meat on a plate, Smokecraft is a must-visit. Think award-winning techniques, upscale casual vibes, and flavors that go way beyond the ordinary," wrote a customer on TripAdvisor. At this rate, it'll be no surprise if you start seeing Smokecraft on lists featuring America's best barbecue restaurants.