Dinosaur Bar-B-Que will close its Gowanus location this spring after 15 years, as the lease ends and the building is demolished for new apartments.
The restaurant announced the closure via social media this week, confirming the final date has not yet been set but promising to notify patrons through its channels. Gift cards will remain valid at the Brooklyn site through its last day and at all other locations.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que opened its Gowanus spot in 2013, becoming a neighborhood staple known for award-winning barbecue, live music, and weekend crowds. The chain began in the early 1980s as a traveling concession stand for bikers before opening its first permanent location in Syracuse in 1988.
Once operating 10 locations across the Northeast and Midwest, the brand now maintains sites in Harlem, Rochester, Hamburg, Troy, and Syracuse, with all out-of-state units in Connecticut, New Jersey, Chicago, and Baltimore having closed over time.
Longtime customers expressed dismay, with some citing the closure as emblematic of gentrification in Gowanus. One patron from East Flatbush said they travel specifically for the barbecue and hope the chain finds another Brooklyn space.
Local business owners echoed concerns about shifting neighborhood economics, noting recent closures of Strong Rope brewery and Hunters Steak & Ale House in nearby areas due to lease turnover.
Despite the sentiment, the restaurant struck an upbeat tone, urging guests to visit one last time for “one more rack (or two)” and to send off the location in its customary loud, busy fashion.
Why is the Gowanus location closing?
The lease has ended, and the building is being demolished to make way for new apartments, according to the restaurant’s announcement and confirmed across all three sources.
Where else can customers find Dinosaur Bar-B-Que?
The chain remains open in Harlem, Rochester, Hamburg, Troy, and Syracuse, as noted in the Brooklyn Post and Brooklyn Paper reports.
Will gift cards still be valid?
Yes, the restaurant stated gift cards will be honored at the Brooklyn location through its final day and at all remaining locations thereafter.
