Brother's Keeper BBQ Verified listing

Pitmaster and Brother’s Keeper BBQ owner Maurice “Mo” Stewart signed a lease to the space 3701 E. 4th St., formally welcoming the pop-up into the world of a brick-and-mortar. Rich with culinary history—it was once home to the original MVPs before it became Prime by Shenandoah, an underrated space before it shuttered in 2021 amid the pandemic—the space will now become Brother’s Keeper BBQ’s permanent home.

Given his extraordinary win at barbecue legend and James Beard award-winner Kevin Bludso’s local competition and his back-to-back wins at the Long Beach BBQ Festival to pop-ups at ISM Brewing, this is one a complete win for Long Beach food and Black entrepreneurship.

While testing the waters last November, Mo saw extraordinary lines running down 4th Street while he was negotiating his lease. What were people so hyped for? Mo’s Californian take on Central Texan low’n’slow barbecue. Brisket. Pulled pork. Smoked chicken wings. Pork belly burnt ends. Spare ribs. Beef ribs. Smoked Gouda Mac. Baked beans. Coleslaw. And the unmistakable aroma of purpose.

Brother’s Keeper BBQ began as Mac & Mo Smoke, a 2018 partnership between Maurice and friend Brandon McIntosh. But Mo’s story with barbecue started long before any official launch—rooted in the family kitchens that defined his youth.

“I was born and raised in L.A., but my grandma and grandpa were from Pennsylvania—she did the cooking, he did the grilling,” Maurice said. “Our barbecue was more Carolina-style, sauce on everything. That’s where I learned to love cooking.” After college at CSULB and years working restaurant jobs, Mo fell in love with the ritual of smoking meat: the patience, the fire, the quiet. “It was instant love,” he said. “There’s something almost spiritual about standing outside with a beer, smoking food for your family.”

That spirit of connection became his compass—and eventually, his calling.

Written and photos by Brian Addison.

For Brian Addison's full feature on Brother's Keeper BBQ, click here.