House-smoked meats and savory barbecue officially arrived at Resorts World New York City. Award-winning Chef Marcus Samuelsson unveiled his latest restaurant, Vibe BBQ, at the Resorts World New York City food hall in Queens on Sept. 16.
The barbecue restaurant adds to the culinary options at the city’s only casino, joining eateries such as Brooklyn Dumpling Shop and Rockaway Pizza.
Vibe BBQ aims to capture the essence of a backyard gathering, serving barbecue infused with Samuelsson’s global flavors.
Marcus Samuelsson, the co-owner of Harlem’s Red Rooster, is an esteemed, award-winning chef, restaurateur, author and activist. He is the youngest person to receive a three-star review from the New York Times and he has won eight James Beard Foundation Awards.
“A truly world-class integrated resort deserves world-class dining, which is why Resorts World is thrilled to partner with the incomparable Chef Marcus to deliver the very best in culinary experiences,” said Robert DeSalvio, President of Genting Americas East.
Featured menu items include smoked chicken wings, brisket sandwiches, collard greens and mac and cheese.
“I am thrilled to bring Vibe BBQ to Resorts World New York City and become part of the Queens community,” Samuelsson said.
Samuelsson praised the casino for expanding its culinary options and said he looks forward to guests trying the new restaurant.
“Bringing world-class dining to Queens strengthens our local economy and creates more opportunities for residents while adding to the cultural fabric of the borough,” Sen. Leroy Comrie said, who represents the 14th District of Queens (ranging from areas of Jamaica, Cambria Heights, Queens Village, Hollis, St. Albans, Laurelton, Jamaica Estates, Briarwood, Hillcrest and Kew Gardens)
The debut of the barbecue restaurant comes as Resorts World New York City moves forward with a $5.5 billion expansion plan to transform the Aqueduct site into an integrated resort. The expansion aims to bring elevated dining, luxury retail, multi-purpose event space and five-star hotel accommodations to Queens.
The Marcus Samuelsson Group also plans to introduce Marcus Live! Bar & Grille to expand its presence at the casino. In July, Samuelsson met with the Community Advisory Committee and Resorts World leaders to discuss his support for the project.
Resorts World New York City completed the decades-long effort to turn the Aqueduct Racetrack into a gaming destination with 5,500 slot machines and electronic games. An average of 5 million guests visit Resorts World New York City each year. Since its opening in 2011, the casino has generated $4.5 billion for New York state’s public education system.
In 2021, Resorts World New York City opened the Hyatt Regency hotel, which has 400 rooms, bringing the total investment to $1.1 billion.
Resorts World New York City is operated by the Genting Group, a company with more than 50 years of experience in the travel and leisure industry and more than 30,000 employees worldwide.
Although Vibe BBQ recently debuted, the restaurant is already making an impact on the Queens community and at the casino.
“Resorts World New York City continues to invest in our community with the opening of Vibe BBQ by Chef Marcus Samuelsson,” Comrie said.
