ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - Michael Hargis’ Slow & Low Smokehouse is shifting gears. 

The owner recently announced a partnership with Bay Area barbecue heavyweight Matt Horn to revamp the eatery as Horn Elk Grove. The newly dubbed restaurant plans to replace Slow & Low at 9699 Railroad St. in late February, according to the restaurant’s social media accounts. The restaurant closed on Jan. 1 in preparation for the change. 

“This partnership was built on faith in the craft,” Horn said through an Instagram post. “Elk Grove deserves more than great barbecue. It deserves a gathering place that fosters connection and belonging.” 

“Together, Michael and I are creating that destination,” he added.

According to Horn Elk Grove’s Instagram page, the team promises “an elevated experience with a full bar, live music and appearances from some of the nation’s most celebrated pitmasters and chefs.” 

“Literally a dream come true,” Hargis wrote in a comment on the post. “Can’t wait.” 

Slow and Low Smokehouse opened last summer in Old Elk Grove with the help of the city of Elk Grove. The city guaranteed a $500,000 loan made to Slow and Low by River City Bank. The guarantee was made via funds the city had deposited at the bank at that time. 

Sydney Robertson, communications and marketing specialist for the city of Elk Grove said that “no city funds have been forfeited as the loan continues under the new partnership.”  

“We’re saddened by the closure of Slow & Low, but we’re thrilled to see their partnership with Chef Horn to launch a new venture,” Robertson wrote in an email.

Hargis recently announced the closure of Beast + Bounty due to issues renegotiating its lease. It is unclear if he plans to reopen the restaurant in another location. The Sacramento Business Journal reported that two of Hargis’ other restaurants, LowBrau Bier Garden and Beast + Bounty, both in Sacramento, were in default on two bank loans. 

Horn has faced his own issues in the Bay Area. 

Horn became a Bay Area food superstar in 2020 after the success of his West Oakland-based Horn Barbecue on Mandela Parkway. In 2023, the restaurant was named a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, an accolade that recognizes high culinary standards and hospitality.

The restaurant was forced to close in 2023 after a fire, and Horn was later provided a $100,000 grant from Alameda County and raised $131,262 through a GoFundMe account. Horn said the restaurant was vandalized and stripped of its piping and electric systems the day before the location burned down. 

In May, a spokesman for the Oakland Fire Department said the blaze was under investigation as potential arson. No suspects have been identified, according to the Oakland Fire Department. 

Horn bounced back last year, opening a new Horn Barbecue location in Oakland, and in December opened another restaurant in Lafayette. 

Horn has also faced his own legal challenges. Golden Gate Meat Co. sued Horn for nearly $88,000 in unpaid invoices, plus interest and attorney fees. 

Neither Horn nor Hargis could be reached for comment. 

The pair promised additional details, including menu, guest chefs and grand opening festivities in the coming weeks. 

“Horn Barbecue Elk Grove will honor the legacy of Slow & Low while introducing world-class West Coast-style barbecue to the area,” they said.