BBQ King Smokehouse one step closer to 2nd Huntley location

Slowly but surely, barbecue is coming to Huntley.

The Village Board approved liquor and video gaming licenses Thursday for BBQ King Smokehouse, which plans to open its second location in Huntley sometime this year.

BBQ King owner Jason Szmurlo said Thursday that he doesn’t have a time frame estimate for when the new restaurant would open.

“We will know a lot more in the next couple of weeks,” he said. “We are looking to get a tenancy permit, and it will be this year shortly, but I can’t give a definitive date yet.”

The restaurant plans to open downtown in a development that also will house two other tenants. Szmurlo said he is not yet ready to announce who those tenants will be.

The award-winning Woodstock barbecue restaurant will be the largest tenant in a new building at 11708 Coral St. Two other 1,500-square-foot retail businesses will be included in the development.

The lot formerly housed a village-owned house, known as the Kelley House. The house had fallen into disrepair.

Szmurlo announced his preliminary plans for the site in February 2017. At the same time, the village approved a bid to demolish the house and clear the site. The village approved the redevelopment agreement
Aug. 10.

The restaurant will be about 4,700 square feet on the first floor and 2,940 square feet on the second floor, according to village documents.

The second floor will be used for overflow dining and have a private party room, Szmurlo said in September. The restaurant also will feature an outdoor patio.

BBQ King Smokehouse offers a menu featuring ribs, brisket, wings, sandwiches and various barbecue platters. It began as a catering business about 10 years ago, according to its website.

The eatery has won numerous awards in a variety of barbecue competitions, including Chicago’s Ribfest. It also has been featured on Food Network’s “Food Fest Nation.”