Black-owned and operated Johnson's Bar-B-Q serving Bronx community for over 7 decades

Stacia Johnson, third generation manager, says it stopped feeling like work a long time ago, and everyday she builds stronger relationship with customers.

Jodi-Juliana Powell

Feb 24, 2025, 8:48 PM

Updated 3 hr ago

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Johnson's Bar-B-Q, which is Black owned and operated, has been in Morrisania since 1954. "We don't use canned anything, fresh candy yams every day, fresh collard greens, peeled, cut and everything,” said Stacia Johnson, third generation manager. She says it all started with her grandfather. "He used to work on the railroad track and opened up this business a few years after coming from South Carolina," said Johnson. Now Stacia, her father and uncle operate it keeping all the same recipes. She says they are known for their chicken, ribs, fish and especially their mustard sauce. Johnson's Bar-B-Q has been at the same location for over 70 years. One customer named Anthony says he has been a customer for over four decades, and everything is still the same. "When you don't feel like cooking at home, they have the best food in the area...The father owned it, and now the son owns it and it's still great,” said Anthony. "Their patronage is everything to us, their support...You develop all of these relationships and friendships with people and you kind of feel like people are family," said Johnson. Johnson says it stopped feeling like work a long time ago, and everyday she builds stronger relationship with customers.