This Once-Beloved BBQ Chain Known For Its Sauce Sadly Has No Remaining Locations

Even in Charleston, one of the friendliest cities in the country, good barbecue isn't immune to hard times. Sticky Fingers Rib House, once a Lowcountry institution known for its hickory-smoked ribs and tangy sauces, has officially shut down all remaining restaurants after more than 30 years. The South Carolina-based chain announced the closure in a heartfelt Facebook post, thanking "Guests, Team, and Partner Vendors for the many years of support."

For longtime fans, the loss hits harder than a case of sauce. Sticky Fingers was more than a regional chain; it was a gathering spot woven into Charleston's identity. The Meeting Street location drew everyone from families to celebrities to politicians. George W. Bush once stopped in with Senator Lindsey Graham, while a portrait of local legend Stephen Colbert hung proudly inside. Grammy-winner Keb' Mo' and actor John Goodman also dropped by during its heyday, proof that Sticky Fingers' dry-rub ribs had a certain pull.

Even as its dining rooms began to fade, the brand fought to hold onto its name. The chain sued Sticky's Finger Joint — a New York-based chain — for trademark infringement in 2022. Ironically, Sticky's Finger Joint later found itself at risk of closing its doors for good. By 2025, neither chain was thriving. Sticky Fingers is gone from internet maps, leaving only its signature barbecue sauces on grocery shelves as a reminder of what once was.

Sticky Fingers' story began in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, in 1992, when Jeff Goldstein, Todd Eischeid, and Chad Walldorf, three childhood friends from Chattanooga, Tennessee, decided Charleston County needed ribs grilled the Memphis way. Goldstein had spent time working at his father's Memphis barbecue spot, and when his family relocated to South Carolina, he was determined to start a restaurant of his own. With a nod to the Rolling Stones album that inspired its name, Sticky Fingers Rib House was born — a place where slow-cooked meats and camaraderie shared equal billing.

For years, that balance worked. The founders built a loyal following through the kind of team culture that made even first-time guests feel like regulars. Yet success eventually brought new ownership, and with it, change. When a Virginia-based firm took control in 2006, things began to unravel. Standards dipped, customer service lost its old spark, and rapid expansion only magnified the cracks. By the time management attempted a turnaround in 2019, the pandemic cut it short.

The company declared bankruptcy in March 2025, shuttering its final restaurants across the Southeast. Yet not everything disappeared with the smoke. Sticky Fingers' bottled sauces still live on in grocery aisles, a last taste of the Memphis-style barbecue that helped define the brand's three-decade run.