DJ’s Kitchen and Dining Smokehouse brings southern BBQ to Ypsi

It can't be a bad sign when a restaurant has been open for four days and is already seeing repeat customers. "Everyone coming in has been loving our food," says Justin Allen, owner of the new DJ's Kitchen and Dining Smokehouse in Ypsilanti. "We've had some people come back every day." Allen attributes the instant popularity to knowing exactly what the neighborhood wanted. In fact, the W. Michigan Ave. location appealed to him and his partners because they felt the neighborhood was in need of a restaurant, and a smokehouse seemed like the best fit. The from-scratch food couldn't be hurting their cause either.  "We make all of our sauces and smoke all our own meats," says Allen. "All the meats cook between five and fourteen hours. We don't pre-make anything. It's all made to order, right down to the mac and cheese."  Though born in Michigan, Allen perfected his smoking and barbecue skills in Oregon, where he considered opening a restaurant before moving back to the area to be close to family and to cut down on his couple-thousand-mile commute to Michigan football games.  DJ's Kitchen and Dining Smokehouse is located on the 1,100 square foot first floor of a 2,300 W. Michigan Ave. building near Eastern Michigan University's campus. Allen is currently working to create a patio to add to their 26-person dining capacity, and hopes to renovate the second floor for additional seating in the future. The restaurant currently employs the three owner-operators.  Source: Justin Allen, DJ's Kitchen and Dining Smokehouse Writer: Natalie Burg