Burt’s BBQ Shak will quickly become a popular place for a casual lunch or dinner in Turlock. With sandwich meal options like tri-tip and pulled pork, all for $8.50 or less, what’s not to love?
Meals include your choice of beverage and a bag of chips, baked beans or potato salad, and a mini brownie for dessert. I chose a tri-tip sandwich, paired with a honey and brown sugar barbecue sauce concocted by the owners, Burt and Linda Baucom. The owners of Burt’s BBQ Shak pride themselves on buying local, high-quality ingredients. 
The Baucoms opened Burt’s BBQ Shak on July 8 of this year.
“We both retired five years ago. I wanted to own a restaurant forever,” Burt, a former Los Angeles police officer, said. ”We don’t want to be a chain, we just want to support the community. We have so many interesting customers who come in every day.” 
Burt and Linda’s goal is to make the Turlock community feel as comfortable as possible while providing them with a delicious meal.
“We want people to feel like they’re coming over to our home,” Burt said, explaining the restaurant’s decor, which includes homemade curtains, pictures of the beach, quote decals on the walls and comfortable patio-style furniture. “We grew up in southern California, so we like the beach vibe.”
The great food and atmosphere at Burt’s BBQ Shak is made even better by the sweet story behind the family business. 
Burt and Linda were high school sweethearts, but lost touch after Burt left for the Marine Corps to fight in the Vietnam War.
“Long story short, it took me thirty-seven years to find her. I ended up seeing her on classmates.com and sent her a message. We saw each other again for the first time on Jan. 15, 2011. And we got married on Jan. 15, 2012.”  
The Baucoms, whose granddaughter attends CSU Stanislaus, love seeing students in their restaurant.
“The Stanislaus basketball players have been coming in. Those boys can eat!” Burt said.
The homey sandwich shop, located at 2901 Tegner Road, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.