You don’t have to travel down south for some of the country’s best barbecue; just one bite of Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque tender beef brisket or Brontosaurus Rib is more than enough proof. With more than a dozen locations worldwide – and more on the way – Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque is quickly becoming the premier fast-casual barbecue restaurant in the New York Metropolitan area and beyond. Plus, their New Jersey menu just got even sweeter.
Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque was proudly born and grown in New York City in 2012. Today, there are nine locations across New York, including one at Yankee Stadium; as well as two in Taiwan, one in the Philippines, and one right here in the Garden State.
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Co-owner and founder of Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque, Pit Master Hugh Mangum, moved to New York from Los Angeles in 1999. A few years after graduating from culinary school, he began smoking meat; not long after, the East Village was home to one of the most dynamic barbecue eateries on the east coast. Mangum, who currently resides in the Garden State, combined classic styles from his heritage to inspire his menu; his father’s native Texas and his mother’s native North Carolina cooking mix with his own flair and expertise.
In March 2014, Mighty Quinn’s opened its first New Jersey location at The Promenade Shops at Clifton off Route 3 West. This sit-down eatery has a quaint, southern feel, with old-school hanging light bulbs and bare wooden tables adorned solely with big bottles of Mighty Quinn’s famous barbecue sauce. Guests line up by the meat counter, patiently waiting to order their favorite savory Honey Chile Crispy Chicken Sandwich or succulent Adobo Baby Back Ribs packed with zest and flavor.
Mangum is not afraid to experiment with meat, which allows Mighty Quinn’s to individualize its menu and separate itself from other barbecue restaurants. The menu does incorporate regional flavors from areas in Texas and North Carolina, but Mangum prides his menu on being the first to localize itself to a whole other region.
Real NYC BBQ
“We are the first top-to-bottom, true New York City barbecue,” said Mangum.
Years ago, he and partners Christos Gourmos and Micha Magid set out with the goal to make the most delicious food and tantalizing barbecue, and so every little aspect of their menu and restaurant is accounted for.
“Every ingredient on the plate matters to us,” Mangum said. “So we use the best quality ingredients. We want to give you the best food you had today so that you remember us tomorrow and come back again next week.”
Mighty Quinn’s offers a variety of meat, from slow-cooked brisket and ribs to luscious pulled pork and chicken wings. There are flavors for every pallet, and the menu’s picture-perfect side dishes, like the Sweet Potato Casserole or Dirty Frites, also make a satisfying addition to any order. But the menu doesn’t end there.
The Clifton location is the first to roll out the restaurant’s very own milkshake menu; it offers several “Old School” shakes (chocolate or vanilla) as well as “New School” options. These include the S’mores shake with s’mores ice cream topped with whipped cream and a toasted s’mores sandwich; a Chocolate Nutter Butter shake with chocolate ice cream, whipped cream and Nutter Butter cookies; a Cookies & Cream shake with cookies and cream ice cream, whipped cream and Oreo cookies; or a Vanilla Cookie shake with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, cookie dough and chocolate chip cookies. Each New School shake is eye-catching and undeniably satisfying.
Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque is not even close to finished growing. Another location is opening up at the Garden State Plaza in Paramus this December. Keep your eyes peeled for new locations popping up in towns near you.
All Photos: © Patrick Lombardi / Best of NJ
