HINTON, W.Va. (Hinton News) – If you love a good comeback story and good food, you need to try Hawg Jaws BBQ on the Hinton bypass.
Brad McDaniel never thought he would be a restaurant owner. Having been in law enforcement for over 20 years, McDaniel believed that was his career path. Then a medical emergency changed everything. On August 25, 2025, McDaniel suffered a stroke. “It left me with a few deficits,” McDaniel said.
“I’ve recovered pretty well, but I don’t want to do anything that’s not safe for me or other people.” At this point, McDaniel decided to file for medical retirement. During his recovery time, McDaniel said he sought guidance from God on what to do next. “I thought, well, I love to cook, and everyone in my family told me to try a restaurant.”
McDaniel said he came across the building Hawg Jaws is in now, and the man who owned it made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. “So I’ve been telling everyone that God told me to do this, but me and my wife have put a lot of work into it. I just feel like that’s what I’ve been led to do, and it’s working out,” McDaniel stated.
McDaniel said he was glad for all the feedback they were receiving, both the good and bad. “With every new business, there are kinks to be worked out, especially with new business owners. I had never spent one day working in food service. Even when I was a teenager, I never worked at McDonald’s, Wendy’s, or anything like that. I knew nothing about the restaurant business,” McDaniel told in a sharing of total honesty.
He went on to say that there were some things to work out when he first opened, and that over the past three weeks, he’s hired the right people and the right number of them. “Now things are running pretty well.”
McDaniel said one of the initial complaints was the long wait for food. He said at the grand opening, there were only two people in the kitchen. Since then, he’s hired four additional kitchen staff. “Getting food out is not an issue anymore,” McDaniel said. He’s hired three teenagers and multiple adults to staff the restaurant. He says he was fortunate to pick up several people displaced by the closing of Kirk’s. McDaniel explained that he thinks it’s sad the community lost Kirk’s, but feels fortunate to have experienced staff that can now help train new hires.
McDaniel is obviously passionate about what he does, and he comes through when he talks about his love of smoking meats and how he chose barbecue. “I have a big family, and I cook often. The smoker is probably my go-to way of cooking. I have a buddy from North Carolina that I learned how to do Carolina barbecue from. I came up with a few recipes over the years, and that’s how I picked barbecue. “McDaniel also said that barbecue is his favorite food and that there’s no other restaurant like his. It gives the community a good home-style barbecue option.
If this sounds like something you want to try, stop by Hawg Jaws BBQ on the Hinton bypass during regular business hours.
