Big Night Entertainment Group runs 20 venues across New England, and the company is betting that spectacle sells better than a solid menu ever could. From a tableside Ferris wheel delivering lobster cupcakes to a roulette wheel that hands out free meals, the portfolio leans on flash rather than subtlety.
The company got its start in 1989 when cofounders Ed and Joe Kane turned a 1950s-style diner into Stars, an upscale American eatery on the waterfront in Chatham, Massachusetts. Ed Kane has a Harvard education and a design eye; Joe Kane runs operations from a family history in the bar business. The third founder, Randy Greenstein, worked as a marketing manager by day and spun records as a DJ by night.
Portfolio at a Glance
- Venues: 20 total, mostly in New England
- Locations: Boston’s Seaport district, Connecticut, casino partnerships
- Expansion target: Borgata Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, early 2027
- New venue model: Live music and events space, modeled on Big Night Live at Boston’s TD Garden
- Signature deal: Unlimited sushi ($25) on Wednesdays at Empire and Mystique
- Cupcakes price: Lobster cupcakes served tableside at Empire
- Free meal wheel: Roulette wheel at Mystique, spins after dinner
From Diner to Empire
The diner transformation was the beginning. Big Night Entertainment Group now operates a range of concepts, from a soul-infused supper club called Grace by Nia to an arcade bar serving video game-themed bar food like Zelda fries and a “Little Mac” burger.
The company’s signature concept is Asian restaurant and lounge Empire, where the menu includes Singapore street noodles and house-fried rice from chef Jim Lam. The restaurant also serves Southern comfort food and signature chicken fingers at Grace by Nia’s jazz bar.
The Lobster Cupcakes
The spectacle starts with the lobster cupcakes. They arrive at the table on a decorative Ferris wheel, a theatrical touch that Big Night COO Jamie Pollock describes as a deliberate performance piece.
“It’s basically our take of a New England lobster roll served in a wonton shell and topped with uni,” Pollock said. “When you see it, it’s a spectacle that comes to the table, but when you bite into it, you’re like, ‘Oh my god, this is New England.'”
The Roulette Wheel
Mystique, the Asian fusion restaurant in the Encore Casino, adds its own twist. After dinner, guests can spin a roulette wheel for the chance to win a free meal or other discounts — a playful nod to its casino setting that keeps guests engaged beyond their plates.
Pollock frames the whole operation as a rejection of sameness. “The Big Night Entertainment brand is really based on entertainment, hospitality, and people, and not one place is cookie cutter,” he said. “We have nightclubs, restaurants, bars, and then hybrids of all of the above. These are all experiential places where you can come and spend your entire evening doing different activities and having a good time.”
The Nightclub Scene
Big Night made a name in the nightclub world with the opening of several bars and nightclubs at Foxwoods Resort Casino, including Scorpion Bar, which fuses Mexican cuisine with a goth rock vibe. The company also runs Grace by Nia, a jazz bar that pairs live performances with its food.
The Expansion Play
The company’s next move is the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where it plans to open a live music and events venue in early 2027. The new space will mirror the model of Big Night Live at Boston’s TD Garden.
The Price of Spectacle
The spectacle comes at a cost. The unlimited sushi program, offered on Wednesdays at both Empire and Mystique, charges $25 for unlimited maki rolls. That deal has proven so popular.
“I think as more venues that have opened around us, the well-documented challenge is motivating people to come to your place as opposed to another restaurant,” Pollock said. “We’ve tried to come up with over-the-top promotions and experiences to make raving fans.”
Why the Spectacle Works
In a crowded restaurant landscape, Big Night is doubling down on memorable experiences that give guests reasons to return — and to share their visits on social media. The roulette wheel at Mystique, the tableside Ferris wheel at Empire, and the unlimited sushi nights are all designed to generate talk.
The company’s approach is simple: make something worth photographing. The lobster cupcakes on a wheel are a photo. The roulette wheel is a photo. The unlimited sushi deal is a photo. And social media rewards anything that looks unusual enough to stop a scroll.
What This Means for Guests
Guests who want a quiet dinner will likely skip Big Night. Guests who want a story to tell afterward will find plenty of them. The roulette wheel at Mystique offers the chance to win a free meal and other discounts; the lobster cupcakes at Empire are a spectacle that costs nothing extra once you order.
Whether the Borgata venue draws the same crowds will depend on whether Big Night can recreate the energy that built its reputation in Boston and Connecticut.
The Schedule
| Venue | Location | Signature Item |
|---|---|---|
| Empire | Boston’s Seaport district | Lobster cupcakes on a Ferris wheel |
| Mystique | Encore Casino | Roulette wheel after dinner |
| Grace by Nia | Boston’s Seaport district | Jazz bar with live DJ sets |
| Scorpion Bar | Foxwoods Resort Casino | Mexican cuisine with a goth rock vibe |
The Bottom Line
Big Night Entertainment Group is a company that understands the difference between a restaurant and a destination. Its venues are destinations first, and the food is the excuse. The lobster cupcakes arrive on a Ferris wheel because the wheel is the point; the cupcake is the reason to come back.
That is the company’s strategy in a single sentence.
Source material: “Big Night Entertainment Group: Where nightlife meets culinary innovation,” Nation's Restaurant News.
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