Blue Smoke Closes Iconic Flatiron Location

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The team behind classic Manhattan BBQ joint Blue Smoke announced this week that it had decided to permanently close the restaurant. In a farewell email, the restaurant’s staff revealed that ultimately COVID-19 had pushed it to the point of no return:

“We have explored every avenue to arrive at a different outcome, but due to the pandemic and months without revenue — as well as a lengthy rent negotiation that has come to a standstill — we’ve reached the disappointing conclusion that there is no alternative but to close Blue Smoke Flatiron and Jazz Standard,” the restaurant wrote.

Blue Smoke announced this week that its classic Flatiron location had closed for good.

Blue Smoke’s Flatiron location was opened in 2002 by Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), and it helped start a new era in New York barbecue. The joint served authentic Southern barbecue and regularly appeared on the list of the city’s best BBQ restaurants. It was instrumental in launching the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, which brought some of the country’s biggest BBQ names to NYC for one weekend each year.

The restaurant revamped its operations in March 2019 with an eye toward the future. At that time, it added counter-service ordering at lunchtime, a streamlined menu, and a no-tipping policy. Then, in March 2020, Blue Smoke in Flatiron shut its doors “temporarily” with the intention of opening back up when it was safe to do mass indoor dining again. That never happened.

Next door to Blue Smoke was Jazz Standard, a popular jazz club also owned by USHG that will also close its physical location. However, Jazz Standard still plans to host virtual events, it wrote on Instagram.

“Tried everything to avert this day,” Blue Smoke founder Danny Meyer wrote on Twitter. “This place was built on the shoulders of two beautiful communities: barbecue and jazz.  We cherish those ties and the music will play on. Beyond grateful for the most loyal community of guests and talented team members over nearly 20 years.”

Blue Smoke's streamlined lunch menu at the Flatiron location offered up great sandwiches and sides.

Not all is lost, however. Blue Smoke will continue to operate its Battery Park City location, which is led by Texas-native pitmaster Bret Lunsford, and it offers takeout and delivery seven days a week. Lunsford was highly praised recently by Eater NY critic Robert Sietsema, who wrote: “Chef Bret Lunsford has upped the game lately. In fact, with its thick spice crust and wide ribbon of fat, this is one of the most exceptionally smoky briskets I’ve had this year, and I visited Texas for a barbecue tour right before the pandemic.”

Blue Smoke also is offering nationwide shipping of its barbecue through Goldbelly. There you can have items including baby back ribs, BBQ sides, barbecue chicken, brisket chili, and chicken wings all delivered to your doorstep. Mail-order items come frozen and you simply reheat them, which works better than you might expect.

The Battery Park City location of Blue Smoke remains open and is serving up excellent brisket and other items.

Ultimately, Blue Smoke’s Flatiron location closing is a huge loss for the NYC BBQ community. The restaurant introduced many New Yorkers to Southern barbecue, and it played a role in shaping the modern barbecue movement in New York today. Here’s hoping the Battery Park City location will continue to carry on traditions from its now-closed sister restaurant.

Sean Ludwig
Founder, NYC BBQ

EAT ALL ABOUT IT

Restaurants in New York are facing a bleak winter, so please get out and support them.

Here are the top BBQ and related food news stories you need to know about this week:

• As COVID-19 infections rise again in NY and around the country, the overall picture for NYC restaurants this winter is bleak, writes Eater NY’s Ryan Sutton. An indoor dining shutdown is likely happening soon, more layoffs are coming, workers are still getting sick, and no federal aid has been allocated thus far to help restaurants survive. (This is a good time to remind everyone to please get out and order takeout from your favorite local restaurant. They need it.)

• If you’re looking for delicious meaty sandwiches, there are two new options you should check out around the city:

  • The Michelin-starred restaurant Musket Room in the Nolita section of Manhattan has opened a food truck outside the restaurant offering crazy-good sandwiches, including a Miso Maple Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Sandwich and a Pork Katsu Sandwich.

  • Double Chicken Please, a Taiwanese cocktail bar and chicken sandwich spot on the Lower East Side, has recently opened. Its star of the show is “The sweet sandwich,” which features rich fried chicken doused in hot honey on a pretzel roll.

• California-based ethical butcher shop and restaurant group Belcampo has permanently closed its NYC outpost at Hudson Yards. The shop has no plans to reopen in NYC.

• Finally, in good or bad news depending on who you ask, McDonald’s has re-released its popular McRib sandwich nation-wide for the first time since 2012. The sandwich was last released in 2019 but not at every store. If you’re a fan, it’s time to get back to McD’s and grab one. But keep in mind that the McRib is made of a whopping 70 ingredients, so don’t eat too many.

IRL BBQ EVENTS

The Great Queens Chicken Wing Hunt is happening now, where you can take part in trying the best wings in Queens, including these wings from Bridie's Bar & Grill in Rego Park.

• November 8, 2020 - February 8, 2021: Throughout November, December, and January, The Great Queens Chicken Wing Hunt is being hosted around Queens. Until December 26, you can pick up a “Wing Hunting Season Pass” at Tap House / Acey Ducey's in Forest Hills and then visit great bars/joints around Queens to try wings. At each participating location, you’ll get four jumbo wings. Buy tickets here.

• April 21, 2021: If you love brisket, you won’t want to miss Brisket King 2021. More than 15 chefs and pitmasters will be there serving up their takes on brisket and pastrami. Read more about the 2019 edition of Brisket King or about the importance of Brisket King to the BBQ community. Buy tickets here.

• NOTE: Due to COVID-19, information concerning events in NYC is subject to change, and events may be rescheduled. CHECK OUT THE FULL EVENTS CALENDAR HERE

SAY HELLO

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