New fried chicken restaurant to open in the space of beloved Saint John diner

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A new restaurant has taken over the former home of Tops Eatery.

After the beloved diner closed in February, the space is now home to the fried chicken restaurant Big Chicken Station.

The restaurant is owned by Yasin Alzamal Abu Nabbout, a Syrian newcomer whose dream was to open his own restaurant.

Big Chicken Station is Abu Nabbout’s first business. He came to Canada with his family in 2015 and, before starting the process of opening the restaurant, worked as a restaurant manager and most recently as a truck driver for Irving Oil.

Abu Nabbout said while he understands Tops’ legacy, he hopes people are open to a new experience.

“We try always to make new memories from [the] positive experience for whole Saint John, for our community, because Saint John and our community really deserve it,” he said.

Abu Nabbout is renting the space from previous owner Naveen Saboo, who acquired Tops Eatery and the building at 215 Union St. in 2024 from founder Paul Daeres.

Tops Eatery was a diner‑style restaurant in uptown Saint John that first opened in 1989 under the name TOPS Pizza and Restaurant. PHOTO: TOPS EATERY/GOOGLE MAPS

According to various media reports, Saboo decided to close the restaurant — which had been open since 1989 — due to extremely low sales, despite various efforts to attract more clientele and keep the restaurant’s legacy alive.

At Big Chicken Station, Abu Nabbout plans to offer a variety of “fresh” fried chicken prepared from a family recipe he has been perfecting for the past few years, one he hopes will win customers over.

He added that all his dishes will be made from scratch, hoping to provide a “healthier” fried chicken option in uptown Saint John.

Beyond this being a passion project, Abu Nabbout said Big Chicken Station is his way of giving back to the community that supported him when he first arrived in Canada.

“When this opportunity came to me, I didn’t want to put it anywhere but here, who’s helped me, who’s given me a hand, who was very welcoming,” he said.

Abu Nabbout said he hopes with his restaurant he can contribute to the development and growth of Saint John.

There is still some work left to do before Big Chicken Station opens, he said, but he estimates the opening date will be between May 15 and June 1.