Guy Fieri's favorite California barbecue joint faces backlash as its smokers stink up the neighborhood

A beloved California barbecue spot is under fire from angry neighbors who claim smoke from the restaurant is filling the area with fumes, sparking a showdown before the city council.

A&M BBQ opened in Sebastopol just two years ago in June 2024 and became wildly popular, earning a fist bump from Guy Fieri last year. 

But the restaurant's goodwill appears to have run out, as its neighbors told council members at a May 5 meeting that the restaurant's two large smokers have ruined local air quality. 

One resident, Megan Cowan, said conditions had become 'untenable' and said the problem intensified after the restaurant upgraded to larger smokers equipped with taller smokestacks.

The claims came as a surprise to owner and pitmaster Kristopher Austin, who told SFGate that he was taken aback by the negative comments at the meeting and 'never wanted to be a nuisance to anyone'.

Austin also revealed that city officials approached the restaurant in March and asked that one of its two smokers be moved off-site. 

That smoker is now sitting in storage, effectively cutting A&M BBQ's production capacity in half.

But Austin and his business partner, Finn Liss, may soon face an even bigger challenge. Under the city's zoning rules, the restaurant's remaining smoker could also be forced out of operation.

According to notices shared with SFGate by Sebastopol’s city manager, Mary Gourley, A&M BBQ was informed in April that its two large commercial smokers were not approved for use at its current location. 

The issue stems from zoning regulations that prohibit outdoor commercial barbecues in the area where the restaurant operates.

The pressure escalated on May 28, when the city issued another notice giving the restaurant 10 days to stop using its outdoor commercial barbecue equipment, warning that the smokers were violating local zoning rules.

With limited options and the escalating backlash, Austin and Liss took to Instagram on May 14 to address the controversy, writing: 'For nearly a year, we have actively been searching for a more appropriate long-term location that can better support our growth and operations.

'Throughout this process, we have remained in communication with City staff and continue working toward solutions,' they wrote later in the statement.

'We have already begun making operational adjustments while continuing to pursue long-term solutions.'

Supporters quickly rallied behind the restaurant online, flooding the post with messages of support. 

One commenter said they lived just two houses away from the residents who filed the complaints and had 'never been overwhelmed by the smoke, smell or anything negative generated by A&M.'

Others blasted city officials for what they viewed as a lack of support for small businesses. 

Another user called the situation 'mind-blowing,' saying it was shocking that a successful local restaurant had been put in a position where it needed to come online and defend its business against the complaints. 

But the long-term solutions outlined by the barbecue duo may be too challenging to accomplish. 

According to Austin, finding a suitable location within the city's zoning requirements has proven to be a major hurdle.

City officials suggested relocating A&M BBQ's smoker to the former Mary's Pizza Shack property, but the proposal ultimately fell through.

Austin and Liss also explored moving the smoker to a parking space at Mexican restaurant El Coronel, though those discussions failed to produce a workable solution.

During the May 5 council meeting, former Sebastopol mayor Larry Robinson suggested A&M BBQ install filtration equipment to bring the smoker into compliance with the city's wood-smoke ordinance. 

However, commercial-grade filtration systems can cost thousands of dollars, which would be a significant financial burden for the restaurant's owners.

In an effort to garner support, the duo also asked their supporters in the comments of their post to send letters to the city council and attend in solidarity at the next meeting on Tuesday. 

Neither Austin nor Gourley has immediately responded to the Daily Mail's request for comment.