Mighty Quinn’s BBQ, which offers an authentic barbecue experience in a fast-casual setting, is celebrating its grand opening in Forest Hills on Friday, Feb. 25.
The restaurant, located at 108-22 Queens Blvd., features two smokers, indoor and outdoor seating and a full bar serving up craft beer and unique cocktails.
On opening night, Mighty Quinn’s is partnering with Fifth Hammer Brewing Company, the local Queen’s brewery, which will be on site offering special tastings to customers.
The owner, Michael Dolan, who is a resident of Nassau County and a former Wall Street equity sales trader, signed a multi-unit agreement with the NYC-based brand to open his own franchise in Forest Hills.
Dolan’s plans came to a halt when COVID-19 hit but now he’s officially ready to bring the concept to Queens residents.
“I’m really excited to bring authentic barbecue to Queens and Forest Hills in particular. Barbecue is the kind of food that brings people together. After the past two years I think we’re all ready to enjoy dining in a comfortable atmosphere, with great food served up by a passionate team that truly cares about making guests feel welcome,” Dolan said. “With craveable barbecue coming from our wood-fired smokers, a casual bar and a space flooded with natural light we aspire to become part of the community.”
Defining urban barbecue, Mighty Quinn’s BBQ is the merging of two great barbecue traditions: Texas and the Carolinas.
As a brand, Mighty Quinn’s was first introduced in 2011, when co-founder and pitmaster Hugh Mangum smoked brisket and pulled pork out of a mobile smoker hitched to his pickup truck in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Deciding to expand beyond the mobile offering, which regularly resulted in a 40-person line that continued to grow until Mangum ran out of product, Mangum joined forces with his step-brother, Micha Magid, and Micha’s brother-in-law, Christos Gourmos, to open the first brick-and-mortar Mighty Quinn’s restaurant in the East Village.
Since the brand’s inception, the three partners have opened nine corporate-owned locations, a restaurant at Yankee Stadium, two locations in Madison Square Garden and one international franchised restaurant.
Now, with strong operations and a growing fan base, the brand wants to push growth forward through franchising.
Dolan was first introduced to Mighty Quinn’s in the East Village. While living just two blocks from the restaurant, he would visit the site — one of seven in the NYC area — once a week for its all-natural meats and poultry, seasoned with perfect spice blends and wood-smoked.
Dolan’s plans for his franchise are similar to that of Mighty Quinn’s in Manhattan. From a decor perspective, the venue has reclaimed wood and Edison light bulbs that have made Mighty Quinn’s so popular in Manhattan.
Today, as an entrepreneur, Dolan says he hopes to open four locations in Queens within the next couple of years.
