Fratty BBQ spot Brother Jimmy’s is moving downtown to open its sixth Manhattan location near Union Square, parent company Dining Entertainment Group tells us. In fact, the exact wording of the announcement indicates that Brother Jimmy’s is opening at 116 16th Street, “the former Irving Mill and Candela space.” Former? “Irving Mill is staying open through January,” says a Brother Jimmy’s rep. The new restaurant is set to open on March 1 — “the conversion is going to be pretty quick,” the rep added.
Irving Mill opened with a big party back in October 2007, but struggled to find its voice. Adam Platt called Irving Mill something of a Danny Meyer knockoff, and the original chef, John Schaefer, sued the owners last summer. Ryan Skeen replaced Schaefer in 2008, only to leave Irving Mill last July for a brief (and contentious) stint at Allen & Delancey. We’ve reached out to the Riva family, which owns Irving Mill, and will update you with any comment.
Brother Jimmy’s plans to put more than 200 seats in the 7,500-square-foot spot, along with 45 HD TVs, private party rooms, and an outdoor seating area.