We went to the casual barbecue restaurant The New York Times called the best in the city to see if it's worth the hype

Hollis Johnson

While New York City may be one of the most famous cities in the world, there's one thing it just has no claim to: barbecue. 

But Mighty Quinn's Barbeque is looking to change that.

With its humble beginnings as a food stall at Brooklyn's open-air food market Smorgasburg, Quinn's has grown to seven locations in New York and New Jersey on the strength of its amazing barbecue merit.

And with glowing reviews over the years— including one from Pete Wells of the New York Times — I decided to head down to the East Village to see (or taste, rather) for myself how Mighty Quinn's is upping NYC's barbecue game.

There are seven locations – six in New York City and one in New Jersey. I swung by the East Village Quinn's in Manhattan on 2nd Avenue and East 6th Street.

The food is served cafeteria style, and the staff is very friendly and rather knowledgeable about the food.

The interior is very dark thanks to the trendy yet dim choice of Edison bulbs on all the lights. Dark, raw wood is everywhere, including the tables — which apparently are salvaged from old NYC buildings. It feels like a more inviting Chipotle interior; fast–casual chic, but folksy and warm.