Jackson Heights Life

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This is a great opportunity for someone, I hope a dedicated person can take it over. The rent is cheap but the big issue is that they can only sell food (usually make money from alcohol sales).

Plus the nature of smoking means that, unless you have a round-the-clock crew, food can only be sold at certain times, after it's been cooking for hours and hours. The guy working the smoker at Alchemy once told me that some cuts started cooking in the early morning, others around noon, and some much later. That seems like a tough business to maintain.

G'bye, snooty hipster jerks! Have a nice time in Brooklyn!

What I'm pretty sure happened here is that you have a guy who loves making good BBQ that found an awesome smoker and wanted to try something exciting in our hood.  Unfortunately, experimental BBQ and Legends bar on 35th Ave were not a match.  I remember on one of my visits hearing the "regulars" heckle the menu because it seemed strange to them.  Don't think they were ordering the BBQ Frogs Legs, that's for sure.  So, this leaves the owner two choices, either change your business plan to appeal to the regulars and with greater mass appeal or shut down and try somewhere else that might be a better fit.  They are choosing the latter. 

I still think Jackson Heights can support a good BBQ place, but at this point there have been three different renters of the smoker at that place and once again it has closed. 

Working in the restaurant business for 5 years I learned that profits are mostly from booze, not food. 

It may just not be a sustainable model for a business.  Not sure.  Either way, sad to see them go. 

abee, I thought that was in reference to the daily hours of operation, not their longevity at the site.  I think a few people tried to go at various hours during the day and found that they were randomly closed. Seems like they'd just close whenever they sold out of food.

I hope that we do get a good BBQ spot in the area.  For a while I used to go to 3 Brothers BBQ in Bayside, it was a great price for great food, with a really friendly staff. They just closed all of a sudden. I haven't had good BBQ like that in Queens since :-(.

There's a new BBQ joint on Northern btw 89 and 90, next door to CVS. It may be Korean style, whatever that is.

I've had it. I was kind of excited that there was a new choice in that area which doesn't have many good options, but I was kind of disappointed. Food was pretty mediocre, and in the pollo alla brassa (SP?) style that is not hard to find close by.

The Owner seemed really eager to please, and I'd like to help a small business, so I'll probably give them another chance.

yea that place seems odd... first i remember a Native's to go being there, now its a BBQ place. Haven't tried it, but it seems so generic from the outside. maybe i'll give it a shot... but they couldnt come up with a better name than "BBQ restaurant"?  really?

I believe it's actually called "Meatlover's BBQ Restaurant."

There's no emoticon that really captures my reaction to that.

Yes, the site "meatloverbbq.com" is available from godaddy.

The place was very nicely decorated, and the people were really nice. The ribs were ok, but the chicken wasn't even seasoned. If they work out the kinks, get online ordering and get a following (and maybe change the name!) they might have a chance.