BBQ Restaurant In Morris County Is Closing Its Doors

MADISON, NJ — After more than five years of serving up classic BBQ in Morris County, owner Matt James has announced the impending closing of Daddy Matty's BBQ, much to the chagrin of his regulars.

The eatery, located at 6 Elmer Street, Madison, will be closing its doors officially on Nov. 18, officials said.

"It's been a good run for us here in Madison and we're looking forward to our next chapter," James said. "It's been a real joy to be able to get to this point in the evolution of Daddy Matty's. This whole place got started in my backyard, cooking for friends and family. It's funny that this restaurant now, and the backyard that we enjoy here, is really just an extension of the same party that I threw in my house while I was teaching myself how to smoke meat and do it well."

The restaurant, best known for its variety of BBQ options, announced its future closure abruptly on social media.

James, who has been a Madison resident for 19 years, did not cite a specific reason for shuttering the Madison location but did announce plans for a future relocation to another area, but the timeline for that was not made public.

Despite not having a new location lined up, James said that it made sense for them to close down the Madison location right now.

Daddy Matty's officials said that the business operates with the motto "Everybody Eats," which captures their commitment to sharing and helping out the local community. Since 2014, they have provided thousands of meals through their partnership with the Morris County Interfaith Food Pantry.

"We wanted to create a place that gave back to the community as a part of its DNA and so our partnerships with the Morris County Interfaith Food Pantry and other organizations in the area, there's a lot of importance to me, being able to be an effective contributor back to the local community," James said.

The news of the closure came as a shock to its customers, with one commenter saying, "A great run. Gonna miss one of my favorite Madison spots," and another saying "Aw, I just found you guys too and was so excited to share your great bbq with friends and family."

To celebrate their final two weeks of being open, Daddy Matty's will have live music performances on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, officials said. For more information, click here.

"In one respect, this is the closing of a chapter but it's not the finish to the book," James said.