What started as a leap of faith in a then-uncertain downtown has grown into one of Long Island’s most enduring barbecue destinations, with Bobbique marking two decades this June.
For owner Eric Rifkin, the journey to Patchogue wasn’t just about opening another restaurant — it was about finding the right place at the right time, even if not everyone else could see it just yet.
“I knew I was in the right place,” Rifkin said. “But a lot of people questioned me.”
Before Patchogue was Patchogue
Rifkin had already built and operated restaurants in Sayville and Westhampton, both under the name Crazy Dog, before turning his attention to what he saw as the next chapter.
At the time, downtown Patchogue looked very different.
“It certainly was less desirable than it is today,” he said. “But I learned early on, if the food is good, people will come regardless of where you are.”
That lesson stuck with him from his early days working in Manhattan kitchens and observing rising culinary stars. Great food paired with a great time, he believed, could anchor anything.
And in any neighborhood.
So when he found a shuttered bar space at 70 West Main Street — complete with a stage — he saw potential where others saw risk.
“When I opened the door and saw the stage, I knew this was a contender,” he said. “In places like Memphis, music is part of barbecue.”
That idea would become foundational.
When all three click
From the beginning, Rifkin built Bobbique around three pillars: food, beverage and live music.
“We do three things here,” he said. “We have great food, a great beverage program and great music. When one clicks, you’re having a good night. When two click, it’s a great night. When all three click, well then it’s off the charts.”
That formula helped define the restaurant’s identity as Patchogue itself began to transform around Bobbique and some other early visionaries.
Within a week of opening in June 2006, Rifkin got a glimpse of what the community could become.
“I looked outside and suddenly the streets were closed, Brickhouse across the street was putting tables outside and within an hour the streets were packed for something called Alive After Five, which I had no idea about” he said.
“We learned quickly that this was a place where people supported local events.”
He had bet on the right town.
Learning barbecue, and getting better
Though classically trained at Johnson & Wales and seasoned in high-end Manhattan kitchens for more than a decade, barbecue was a different challenge.
“It’s a huge, perpetual learning curve,” Rifkin said.
Inspired by trips to Memphis and New York’s early barbecue scene, he immersed himself in the craft — refining techniques, sourcing consistent products and dialing in a system that prioritized quality above all.
“Our goal is to sell out every night,” he said.
Bobbique is always evolving, too.
“We make adjustments all the time, between cuts of meat, levels of seasoned wood, time and temperature always fluctuate. Like a great bourbon, we continue improve with age.”
Yet Bobbique has managed to stay consistent.
That consistency, Rifkin says, is helped tremendously along by longtime partnerships with suppliers and a close eye on every detail — not just from the cut of the meat, but how it’s handled day in and day out.
The community behind the staying power
Rifkin is quick to point out that Bobbique’s success isn’t his alone.
He credits Ruben Cuellar who has been his “chef and brother” for nearly 30 years, as well as Charlie Gallardo, who joined the team many years ago.
“I would be remiss not to acknowledge my manager Jennifer [Schiera] who has been an invaluable piece in the growth the past few years,” he said.
Indeed, over the years, hundreds of employees, including Rifkin’s children, Bobbi and Sonny, have come through the restaurant and still stay connected.
“I love seeing people who worked here years ago come back with families of their own,” Rifkin said.
That sense of community extends well beyond the walls of the restaurant.
From giving consistent work to local musicians, even hosting fundraisers for them in hard times, to feeding frontline workers during COVID, Bobbique is now woven into the fabric of downtown Patchogue and the village at large.
“It’s community,” Rifkin said. “We just happen to have the food.”
Still in the kitchen, as needed
Even after 20 years, Rifkin hasn’t stepped away from the day-to-day. He’s still the first one at Bobbique each morning, loading the smoker.
“If you don’t see me in the dining room, I’m in the back pushing out dinners,” he said. “I might not be in a chef’s jacket, but my clothes are definitely stained.”
Despite countless opportunities to expand, he’s kept his focus on a single location.
“I give a lot of credit to people who have multiple locations,” he said. “But there’s only one of me. With one place, we can keep the quality and the vibe strong.”
That philosophy has also helped Bobbique remain consistent in an industry where that’s anything but guaranteed.
Not slowing down
Two decades in, Rifkin says the biggest lesson isn’t about food or business.
It’s about perspective.
“The biggest thing I’ve learned, in the restaurant and in life, is to be grateful,” he said. “Nothing is promised tomorrow. You have to work hard at it every day.”
And while much has changed in Patchogue since 2006, the core of what makes Bobbique work has stayed the same.
Great food. Excellent libations. Live music. And a community that shows up.
Top: For Bobbique owner Eric Rifkin, the journey to Patchogue wasn’t just about opening another restaurant — it was about finding the right place at the right time, even if not everyone else could see it just yet. (Credit: courtesy/Bobbique)
Your Long Island news, delivered.
Subscribe to the GLI Newsletter — its free
