What Happened to Buster's Barbecue After You Gotta Eat Here!?

TVmaze's listing for the episode "Busters BBQ, Argo Cafe, Magnolia's Grill" (S1E5, aired 2012-08-12) says host John Catucci tried blueberry barbecue sauce at Buster's Barbecue in Vermilion Bay, Ontario. NetNewsLedger reported on 2011-09-03 that the restaurant stood at the west end of Vermilion Bay on Highway 17, served Kansas City style ribs, slow-smoked Texas style brisket, Canadian pulled pork and smoked chicken, and had hosted a Food Network Canada crew. A Northern Ontario Travel roundup of motorcycle-friendly restaurants lists Buster's BBQ and mentions its blueberry sauce and St. Louis style ribs.

TBnewswatch reported that fire destroyed the restaurant building overnight; the page carries no publication date. It quoted Mayor Drew Meyers of Machin Township saying the building was "pretty much totalled," and it noted that the restaurant's website had said it was closed for the season and would reopen in the spring. The TBnewswatch page did not mention any rebuilding plans.

An En Primeur Club listing for Buster's Barbeque that gives the website bustersbbq.com, last reviewed 2026-09-28 according to the page, carries a Permanently Closed label, though its text is in the present tense and its postcode is a Kenora one. The bustersbbq.com site, which shows a 2026 copyright, describes a family barbecue brand founded in 2007 with sauces made in Kansas City and shipped worldwide, and it gives no restaurant address or hours. Northern Ontario Travel's motorcycle-friendly restaurant roundup, published 2019-07-10 and modified 2024-09-25, lists Buster's BBQ with a link to that site.