Charles County BBQ restaurant shut down after video reveals filthy conditions
INDIAN HEAD, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - George's BBQ in Indian Head was recently shut down by the Charles County Health Department due to filthy conditions inside the kitchen. There, you can see several layers of grease caked on several surfaces and even some condiment containers on the floor. Meat is also being prepared on the same table where all of the grease lies.
This was brought to the attention of the county health department after a video was posted online by Anthony Byrd.
Last Friday, Byrd was waiting inside the restaurant for almost an hour while his food was being prepared. After seeing others get their food before him, he asked to speak to a manager.
Byrd says one of the managers became irate in front of other patrons, so he asked to speak with her privately near the kitchen. Byrd says she agreed and he then began to record the conversation regarding his late food.
Unbeknownst to him, the recording captured a lot more than a quarrel about a missing food order.
Byrd says he later went home and rewatched the video and discovered how dirty the kitchen was.
He shared the video online and it caught the attention of hundreds, including the health department.
George's BBQ was then ordered to shut down a couple of days later.
FOX 5 spoke to Byrd who says he's been contacted by a family member of the restaurant since the ordeal began.
"A young lady reached out to me and basically said that it's messed up what I'm doing to the woman in George's. She cooks pounds of meat on that table daily and she just lost her mom," said Byrd. "My response to that basically is, I'm sorry, but that don't have nothing to do with the filth that's in there. People eat here, you know, on a daily basis. A lot of times there would be cars lines up all out here even on the shoulder. They have the best ribs in town, really.... well had. But you know, it's unfortunate."
On Thursday, FOX 5 tried calling the county health department for comment, but they haven't responded at this time.
They did write a Facebook post saying, in part, "The Charles County Department of Health is aware of the video circulating on Facebook of George's Ribs in Indian Head, Maryland. We are taking all necessary action at this point in time."