BJ's Restaurants
An American casual-dining restaurant chain combining deep-dish pizza, craft beer, pub-style food, and the signature Pizookie dessert.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
BJ's Restaurants, Inc. is an American casual-dining company headquartered in Huntington Beach, California. Its restaurants operate under several related names, including BJ's Restaurant & Brewery, BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, BJ's Grill, and BJ's Pizza & Grill. The business is positioned between a neighborhood restaurant, a contemporary brewpub, and a family-oriented full-service dining venue. The company began in 1978 in Santa Ana, California, as BJ's Chicago Pizzeria. Its original proposed name, BJ Grunts, was changed after a trademark conflict with RJ Grunts, a Chicago hamburger restaurant. Founders Jim Kozen and Leonard Allenstein opened the first restaurant, after which Mike Phillips and Bill Cunningham acquired a 50 percent interest for $14,000. Kozen and Allenstein later left the business after the opening of its seventh location. Phillips and Cunningham eventually sold the company in 1991 to their accountants, Paul Motenko and Jerry Hennessy, who helped develop the chain into a larger regional restaurant operator. The company was originally associated with the Chicago Pizza name and expanded through a combination of new restaurant openings and acquisitions. In March 1996, it acquired 26 Pietro's Pizza restaurants for $2.8 million in cash and assumed debt. Seven of those locations were subsequently sold, while the remaining restaurants were planned for conversion to the BJ's Pizza format. BJ's also became a public company in 1996, raising $9.4 million in its initial public offering. During the same year, it opened a microbrewery at its Brea, California, restaurant, establishing brewing as a distinctive part of its operating model. BJ's menu spans pizza, burgers, sandwiches, salads, pasta, appetizers, entrees, beer, and desserts. Its deep-dish pizza is one of its best-known food offerings, while the Pizookie—a warm, skillet-baked cookie generally served as a dessert—functions as a signature item and brand identifier. Selected restaurants include brewing facilities, and beer produced at brewery locations has also been used to supply other restaurants in the chain. The concept therefore combines standardized national menu offerings with an individual-location brewpub experience. The company expanded beyond California over time. The National Retail Federation identified BJ's among the ten fastest-growing restaurant companies in the United States in 2010 and 2011 based on year-over-year sales. By 2013, its 11 brewery restaurants were reported to produce approximately 60,000 barrels of beer annually for a chain of 136 restaurants in 15 states. The company also received recognition in beer competitions, including medals for beers such as BJ's Big Fish IPA, Piranha Pale Ale, Jeremiah Red, and its Belgian-style wheat beer. In 2021, Greg Levin was appointed chief executive officer. By December 2022, BJ's operated 215 restaurants in 29 states. Its business remains focused on company-operated full-service restaurants in the United States, with brand differentiation built around broad menus, handcrafted beer at selected locations, a casual atmosphere, and recognizable signature products. Greg Levin was appointed CEO in 2021. As of December 2022, BJ's operated 215 restaurants in 29 states. Its business remains focused on company-owned full-service restaurants in the United States, with brand differentiation built around a broad menu, craft beer at selected locations, a casual atmosphere, and well-known signature items.
History
BJ's Restaurants traces its origins to 1978, when Jim Kozen and Leonard Allenstein opened a restaurant in Santa Ana, California. The business initially operated as BJ's Chicago Pizzeria. An earlier proposed name, BJ Grunts, was not used because of a federal trademark conflict with RJ Grunts, a Chicago hamburger restaurant. The early concept centered on Chicago-style pizza and subsequently developed into a broader full-service restaurant format. Soon after the first opening, Mike Phillips and Bill Cunningham purchased half of the company for $14,000. Kozen and Allenstein remained involved through the opening of the seventh store but then left the group. Phillips and Cunningham sold the company in 1991 to Paul Motenko and Jerry Hennessy, who had served as the company's accountants. Under the later ownership, the business continued to expand and became more formally associated with the Chicago Pizza and BJ's Pizza names. A major transition occurred in 1996. BJ's became publicly traded and raised $9.4 million through its offering. It also purchased 26 Pietro's Pizza restaurants in March of that year for $2.8 million in cash while assuming debt associated with the transaction. Seven locations were later sold, and the remaining Pietro's restaurants were intended for conversion to the BJ's Pizza format. The company also opened a microbrewery at its Brea restaurant in 1996. Brewing became an important differentiator, allowing selected restaurants to offer beer made on site and, in some cases, distribute beer to other BJ's locations. Over the following years, BJ's developed a national casual-dining model built around a broad menu and a relaxed restaurant atmosphere. The menu expanded beyond pizza to include appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, entrees, beer, and desserts. The Pizookie, a warm cookie dessert prepared in a small pan, became one of the chain's most recognizable offerings. The company also maintained multiple restaurant naming conventions, reflecting variations in the balance between its restaurant, pizza, grill, and brewery identities. Beer production became a meaningful part of the operating concept. BJ's beers received recognition at brewing competitions, including awards for Jeremiah Red, Piranha Pale Ale, Big Fish IPA, and a Belgian-style wheat beer. In 2013, the chain was reported to have 11 brewery restaurants producing a combined 60,000 barrels annually for its 136 restaurants in 15 states. This model linked local brewing facilities with a wider restaurant network rather than limiting each beer to the location where it was produced. The chain was identified by the National Retail Federation as one of the ten fastest-growing U.S. restaurant companies in both 2010 and 2011, measured by year-over-year sales. Its geographic footprint continued to grow beyond its California roots. Greg Levin was appointed CEO in 2021. By December 2022, BJ's operated 215 restaurants in 29 states. The company remains an active U.S. public restaurant operator, with its identity based on casual full-service dining, deep-dish pizza, craft beer, and the Pizookie dessert.
- 2022
Chain operates 215 restaurants
[1]By December, BJ's operates 215 restaurants across 29 states.
- 2021
Greg Levin becomes CEO
[1]Greg Levin is appointed chief executive officer.
- 2013
Brewery network reaches 11 locations
[1]The company's 11 brewery restaurants are reported to produce approximately 60,000 barrels annually for 136 restaurants in 15 states.
- 2011
Second year of fast-growth recognition
[1]BJ's is again included in the National Retail Federation's ten fastest-growing U.S. restaurant companies.
- 2010
Fast-growth recognition
[1]The National Retail Federation names BJ's among the ten fastest-growing U.S. restaurant companies based on year-over-year sales.
- 1996
BJ's goes public
[1]The company completes a public offering that raises $9.4 million.
- 1996
Pietro's Pizza acquisition
[1]BJ's acquires 26 Pietro's Pizza restaurants for $2.8 million in cash and assumed debt, later selling seven locations and planning conversions for the remainder.
- 1996
Microbrewery format begins at Brea
[1]BJ's opens a microbrewery at its Brea restaurant, strengthening the brewpub element of its concept.
- 1991
Ownership passes to Motenko and Hennessy
[1]Paul Motenko and Jerry Hennessy acquire the business from Mike Phillips and Bill Cunningham.
- 1978
First BJ's restaurant opens in Santa Ana
[1]Jim Kozen and Leonard Allenstein open the first restaurant as BJ's Chicago Pizzeria after abandoning the proposed BJ Grunts name because of a trademark conflict.
Products and positioning
Mid-market American casual dining with a brewpub and family-oriented restaurant format
Pizza · 1978
Deep-dish pizza
Deep-dish pizza is one of BJ's core menu categories and a central link to the company's origins as BJ's Chicago Pizzeria. It anchors the restaurant's pizza identity while being offered alongside a much broader casual-dining menu.
Dessert
Pizookie
The Pizookie is BJ's signature warm cookie dessert, typically baked and served in a small pan. It is one of the chain's most recognizable menu items and an important part of its brand identity beyond pizza and beer.
Beer · 1996
BJ's handcrafted beer
Selected BJ's restaurants operate microbreweries that produce beer for the restaurant system. The brewing program supports the company's brewpub positioning and has included a range of ales and wheat beers.
Beer
BJ's Big Fish IPA
Big Fish IPA is one of BJ's named beer offerings and received a gold medal at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival in the American-style Strong Pale Ale classification.
Beer
Piranha Pale Ale
Piranha Pale Ale is a BJ's beer associated with the chain's brewing program. It received a silver medal at the 2002 Great American Beer Festival and served as an inspiration for the design of Big Fish IPA.
Beer
Jeremiah Red
Jeremiah Red is a BJ's strong ale that received a silver medal in its category at the 1996 Great American Beer Festival, reflecting the company's early emphasis on house-brewed beer.
Beer
Belgian-style wheat beer
BJ's Belgian-style wheat beer has been recognized with a gold medal by the North American Beer Awards. The available reference material does not specify a separate commercial product name or launch date.
Brand decisions
1996
Acquire and convert Pietro's Pizza restaurantsM&ABackground
BJ's was expanding its pizza restaurant footprint while developing a more recognizable company format.
Action taken
The company purchased 26 Pietro's Pizza locations, later sold seven, and planned to convert the remaining locations to the BJ's Pizza concept.
Aftermath
The transaction supported expansion beyond the original California restaurant base, although the available reference does not provide later performance details for the converted restaurants.
Acquisition consideration. $2.8 million in cash plus assumed debt (March 1996)
1996
Add microbreweries to the restaurant conceptStrategyBackground
BJ's sought to differentiate its pizza and casual-dining format through beer made at selected restaurants.
Action taken
The company opened a microbrewery at its Brea restaurant and subsequently developed a network of brewery restaurants.
Aftermath
By 2013, 11 brewery restaurants were reported to produce approximately 60,000 barrels annually for the wider chain.
1996
Complete public offeringOtherBackground
BJ's required capital to support restaurant expansion and format development.
Action taken
The company went public and raised $9.4 million.
Aftermath
BJ's continued expanding as a publicly traded restaurant company.
Public offering proceeds. $9.4 million raised (1996)
Recent events
Albertsons partners with companies to offer jobs to furloughed employees[3]
Albertsons Cos. announced partnerships with companies to offer part-time jobs to their furloughed employees or employees whose hours were cut. It said it had secured partnerships with 17 companies.
Sources3 sources
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