Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (aka Dinosaur BBQ and just Dinosaur) is a barbeque restaurant located in the 1905 Lehigh Valley Train Station on Court Street in downtown Rochester. In 1983 three bikers, including John Stage, set off on the road to cater festivals, fairs, and motorcycle shows. By 1988 they had traveled and seen lots, and decided to settle down in Syracuse to open a barbecue joint. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que quickly became the place in upstate for blues, bikes, and barbecue.
In 1998 they opened a second location, in the 1905 Lehigh Valley Train Station in downtown Rochester. In 2004 they opened a third location in Harlem. The Dinosaur gains credit as one of the places to bring barbecue into style in the manner Cajun 'got style' in the 1990's. One popular cookbook about the best diners across the US featured two Rochester restaurants including the Dinosaur.
In 2001 John Stage and coauthor Nancy Radke completed a cookbook, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: An American Roadhouse. They now sell sauces through supermarkets. Nowadays the Dinosaur brings more families and fewer bikers, but at least two things have stayed the same: good ribs and live blues. Awards Voted "Best Barbecue" in City Newspaper's 'Best Of' Awards in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2015.1234 Voted "Best Graffiti'd Women's Bathroom" in City Newspaper's 'Best Of Rochester' Critics' Choice Awards in 2008.5
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