8 Things You Didn't Know About Brother Jimmy's

New York-based Brother Jimmy's, which has four locations in the city and additional locations in New Jersey, Long Island, Westchester, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., and Florida, is one of those restaurants where it's always a party. It's not a place to enjoy a nice, quiet meal; it's a place to enjoy some drinks and barbecue with what will most likely be a fairly raucous crowd. But the food definitely doesn't take a back seat. Here are eight things you didn't know about this popular hangout.

There's an Actual Jimmy
His name is James Goldman, and he's been a restaurant veteran for more than 30 years. He's developed more than 55 bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues (primarily in New York and Chicago), and opened the first Brother Jimmy's in 1989.

All Meats are Smoked On-Premises
All dishes are also made from scratch, from the frickles to the Bloody Mary mix and blue cheese sauce.

You Can Buy All the Barbecue Sauces
They're all available for purchase at the restaurants and online.

The Pitmaster's Name is Eva Pesantez
In 2012, she co-wrote the Brother Jimmy's Cookbook with owner Josh Lebowitz.

Lots of Relationships Have Begun There
It's a popular singles hangout, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that more than 100 couples who have met at the New York locations alone have gone on to get married.

It's the Official Barbecue of the New York Yankees
At the Yankee Stadium locations, they'll go through more than 450 pounds of meat during an average game.

Jimmy Plays an Active Role in Designing Each Location
All signs and lighting fixtures are custom-made. Goldman hand-picks all the other décor (like license plates and vintage signs) himself at a yard near Charlotte, North Carolina; and the same woman has been creating all of each restaurant's custom art for more than 20 years.

More Than 35,000 "Fishbowls" are Served Each Year
That's a lot of "swamp water."