Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Brooklyn is Closing After 15 Years—Here’s Why

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is preparing to close its longtime Brooklyn outpost after 15 years in Gowanus, bringing an end to one of the neighborhood’s most recognizable restaurants.

According to The New York Post, the Union Street location, housed in a former tool-and-die shop since 2011, will close later this spring after the restaurant’s lease expires. The building is set to be demolished and replaced with a new apartment development.

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The restaurant announced the news in a statement shared on social media, calling the Brooklyn location “more than just a restaurant.” Dinosaur said the space had become a gathering place for “friends, families, first dates, celebrations, and plenty of unforgettable nights in Gowanus.”

The company has not yet announced an official final day of service, but said it will update customers once a date is confirmed.

For many New Yorkers, the closure marks the end of a distinctly Brooklyn chapter for a brand that has been part of New York food culture for decades. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que traces its roots back to 1983, when founder John Stage and his partners began serving food from a mobile concession stand at biker rallies and festivals.

After learning traditional Southern barbecue techniques, the group opened its first permanent restaurant in Syracuse in 1988.

Over the years, Dinosaur became known not only for its slow-smoked ribs, brisket, and pulled pork, but also for the unusual buildings it called home. The Syracuse flagship opened in a former tavern.

A Rochester location took over an old railroad station, while the Buffalo restaurant moved into a former film vault.

In Brooklyn, Dinosaur transformed an industrial building in Gowanus into one of the borough’s best-known barbecue spots.

“But what really made this place special wasn’t just the building. It was the people,” the restaurant said in its announcement. Dinosaur thanked the customers, employees, and regulars who supported the restaurant through its 15-year run, adding that gift cards will continue to be accepted through the location’s final day and at all remaining locations afterward.

The closure also reflects how dramatically the chain has changed in recent years. At one point, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que had 10 locations stretching from New York to Connecticut, New Jersey, Chicago, and Baltimore.

Today, only five remain: Harlem, Syracuse, Rochester, Troy, and Buffalo. Even so, Dinosaur’s reach extends far beyond its dining rooms. The company published a cookbook in 2001, and its bottled sauces are still sold in grocery stores across the country.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Brooklyn is Closing After 15 Years—Here’s Why

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