Mr. Greens BBQ in Franklin is reopening after closing for a 'winter break' in January

Erik S. Hanley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·2 min read
Mr. Greens BBQ is reopening in Franklin on March 15.
Mr. Greens BBQ is reopening in Franklin on March 15.

The sweet smell of Mr. Greens BBQ barbecue will fill the air again in Franklin on March 15.

After opening in mid 2023 and closing in early January 2024, the popular barbecue restaurant at 7740 S. Lovers Lane Road is resuming operations with more indoor seating and plans to expand outside soon.

“Sorry for the delay, but we are back ready more than ever to serve some more great barbecue,” said owner and pitmaster Thomas Green. “I appreciate the patience, the love and support, especially from the Franklin community.”

Hours will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Why did the restaurant close for two months?

“We took a winter break; got some things reorganized internally with the crew as far as operation,” Green said of the brief closure. “We’ve got a pretty nice system going so they can expect Mr. Greens to come back out serving award-winning barbecue."

His signature taste comes from a split of cherrywood and white oak for “a nice and savory balance” in his barbecue. Green's seasonings and rubs incorporate many local ingredients.

Expanding outdoors with an on-site smoker

Plans are in the works to make use of the concrete space outside the building to construct a deck with an enclosed outdoor smoker.

“With it getting a little bit warmer we’ll be able to build that now,” he said. With no indoor smoker on-site, Green was utilizing the smoker on his food truck to fulfill orders in his restaurant.

He said he needs to build this new smoker to “keep up with the capacity of the numbers that we were running.”

Green hopes to have the build completed in May ― he just needs a permit from the city to get started.

Thomas Green, who is reopening his Franklin restaurant March 15, was the 2021 Elkhorn Ribfest Champion.
Thomas Green, who is reopening his Franklin restaurant March 15, was the 2021 Elkhorn Ribfest Champion.

Speaking of his food truck, Green said he will be utilizing it at special events throughout summer such as Elkhorn’s Ribfest in mid-July ― he was the 2021 Elkhorn Ribfest Champion ― and the Franksville Craft Beer Garden.

He’ll also be entering the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.

Green started his food truck after losing his job as a security officer, saying the layoff “pushed me into my destiny.” He gained a following for three years with his food truck and in mid-2023 decided to open his brick-and-mortar space in Franklin.

For more information and updates, visit mrgreensbbqcafe.com, which is expected launch soon, or search for Mr. Greens BBQ on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: After a brief closure, Mr. Greens BBQ in Franklin reopens March 15