Willard's Bar-B-Q Junction- Jacksonville, FL

 

This is kind of an update to a previous review, but I'm treating it as a new review because in the ensuing decade (can't believe it's been that long!) they opened this newer, larger location and closed the previous one. And *spoiler alert* they got better.

This location actually feels a little older- I think it was an existing building they remodeled- and it isn't spacious by any means, but it's just the right size for a down home barbeque joint. It is a little cramped, which makes social distancing rather difficult, and the use of masks is not enforced, so if that is an issue for you be forewarned. The inside seating area is tastefully decorated in a rustic theme along with multiple expressions of support for law enforcement.

Since it had been so long between visits, I went with my standard first try choice of a pulled pork plate with two sides. Let me say something about the sides. Willard's has far more than the standard beans and slaw; they offer about 15 different southern/country style sides to pair your meal with. I choose one standby- baked beans, and one which is common at country buffets but not often seen at a barbecue restaurant- stewed okra and tomatoes.

The pork was beautiful. It was done well and fully met my expectations, but the sides even went beyond that and took what would have been an average meal a notch up. Somebody knows how to cook around here. Having said that, I still took the opportunity to try out their sauces on the pork. Nothing to disappoint their either. As usual, I was a little partial to the mustard one with my pork, but any of them would suffice.

It's not the best barbecue in Jax, but it's definitely worth consideration for anyone in the area looking for a solid meal on the Westside. I don't know what took me so long to return, but it won't be another ten years until next time.

FOOD RATING: 3.5 OF 5

AUTHENTICITY: 3 OF 5

OVERALL RATING: 3.5 OF 5

PRICE: $

 

Willard's website

Willard's on Facebook

 

 

ABBQ- Atlantic Beach, FL

ABBQ is a recent addition to the Jacksonville barbecue scene, so I naturally had to check it out. I will willingly admit that even before visiting I was a little leery of their claim to serve "Central Texas BBQ at the beach". Seems like everyone around here is claiming "Texas Style", even if they don't know what that means. So I was extra suspicious when I saw a sign touting authentic Texas something or other as I parked next to a plastic wood fence and walked inside.

I was able to park because I visited for a weekday lunch. Parking is very limited here, and word is it is hard to find a spot on evenings and weekends. They do offer valet parking during those times. (I won't claim it never happens, but when I picture a Texas barbecue joint, valet parking isn't usually in the picture. But more about that later.) The inside, on the other hand, is very spacious. Both the indoor dining and outdoor backyard offer plenty of seating options.









Ordering and seating was a little confusing because everything I read said they had counter service, and there is a counter, but there was also a sign saying to wait to be seated. However, I was quickly greeted and told to sit wherever I liked. As it was one of the first pleasant blue sky days of fall, I chose a spot on the patio where I was quickly provided with a menu and a glass of water.

I wanted to sample as much as I could, so I chose the "1513 Sandwich" which includes pulled pork, brisket and sausage, along with cole slaw and pickles. I asked for the sauce on the side so I could sample the meats in their natural state, then added a side of potato salad and a sweet tea to round out the meal.

I methodically deconstructed my sandwich (it was far to big to eat whole anyway) by first sampling the sausage, which they make themselves. Even in small slices it had great texture, the crisp pop of the skin contrasting with the juicy interior for a quick burst of perfect flavor. The brisket lived up to the billing as well. I'm not sure if it was intentional, but my sandwich had one slice that was lean and one more fatty, so I got to try both. Regardless, both were excellently smoked specimens of that most famous staple of Texas barbecue. When I got down to the pork, it wasn't quite as amazing as it seemed to be a little lacking in flavor. There wasn't anything really wrong with it, it was more like it just didn't steal the show like the other two meats. But with a little of the tangy sauce- another check for the authentic Texas claim- it too was delicious.

The potato salad was some of the best I'd ever had. Creamy mayo met red potatoes in a glorious union, along with a surprise guest. Whatever else I have to say about this place, there's no doubt they know food. They know what it's worth as well. My basic meal set me back 20 bucks. It was worth that for sure, but I don't know how many working class people like myself are comfortable with that price point for a weekday lunch.

And so can you see why I am incredibly conflicted in deciding how to rate them. Service was good, the food was excellent, but it was definitely a mixed bag as far as authenticity goes. Authenticity is a big deal to me, and since that's what they claim, I feel obliged to factor that in my rating. I'm not a complete expert on Texas barbecue myself, but I know the basics. So let's review the points for and against.

What makes them authentic?

Wood-fired smokers (custom from Moberg in Texas, according to their site)

That brisket perfection

Dang good homemade sausage

Thin, simple sauce that complements them well 

Counter service (maybe sometimes?)

Meats available by the pound

What says this ain't your regular Texas 'que joint?

Uh- plastic wood anything

Valet parking

$20 sandwich and side

Another "outhouse" sign with a crescent moon- puhleez

Absence of cowboy hats or country music-but please

note if these were used as props, the result would be worse

The only way I know to handle this, and I've been considering this for a while, is to add a "Authenticity Rating" to my reviews. To me, this is more about being real than meeting specific criteria. Every barbecue place has it's own persona, and I personally am much more drawn to the ones who have their own story instead of trying to convince me that they are like something else. So I will add this line to my reviews, starting now, and you can use it or not as you choose.

In this case, I would have no problem if they marketed themselves as a trendy, slightly upscale restaurant that serves Texas-style barbecue. There are several of those, and honestly, ABBQ does it better than most in my opinion. If that's your thing, you need to eat here. Just maybe wear the good pair of jeans, leave the dirty truck at home, and be sure you've got a high credit limit.

FOOD: 4.5 OF 5

AUTHENTICITY: 2.5 OF 5

OVERALL: 4 OF 5

HOURS

Tuesday – Sunday
11am – 10pm
Monday-Closed

 

LOCATION

461 Atlantic Boulevard
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233
Get Directions

 

Memphis Jax BBQ- Ponte Vedra, FL

After a couple more visits, I'm glad to be able to update and upgrade my review. I still haven't tried everything on the extensive menu, but the pork, brisket and ribs have all made a good impression on me. I wouldn't say any of them are exceptional, and on the last visit the flavor of the pork was down slightly, but I would rate all three above any average chain restaurant. Sides are more than just an afterthought. We enjoyed delicious collard greens, hot fries and more of their creamy style potato salad. I'm not the biggest fan of their sauces but that might just be me.

Service has improved greatly. My latest meal was with a group of eight for Father's Day lunch. We arrived a bit after the lunch rush, but the restaurant was still over half full. All of our food arrived within five minutes of ordering and taking our seats. They were fully staffed with friendly, efficient employees who made our meal a pleasant experience.

(Original review continues below, posted 1/21/18)

I usually like to give new places at least a few weeks to get up and running before I visit, but since this one is 5 minutes from the house, I figured I would brave the crowds and the opening weekend excitement. This is sort of a preliminary review- I'm sure I will update it as I make future visits and try more of the menu.

Orders are placed at the counter, where if you are dining in they give you a number to place on your table. As all the tables were full, I took a seat at the small bar where I got a good view of the bustling serving line. They were slammed for the second day in a row, and close to running out of meat again as they did the day before.

For this visit I stuck with my basic bbq lunch- pulled pork, baked beans and potato salad. Their platters come with either a dinner roll or jalapeño cornbread, (I chose cornbread, because jalapeño) and topped it off with a sweet tea.

The pork was right on- hot, smoky and barky. Although it was a decent sized portion, it looked small on the metal tray they serve their food on and almost made you wonder if it was actually a $15 lunch, which is what it came to with a drink. The pork redeemed itself though, and I especially liked their full-flavored original sauce with it. The hot sauce was pretty good too, but I felt like the mustard sauce, which is usually my favorite with pork, was an afterthought that needed more flavor than just mustard.

My sides were just average. No complaints on the potato salad, but it didn't stand out either. The beans seemed straight out of a can with maybe a couple specks of meat sprinkled in. The tea was average as well.

Service was friendly, if slow, which is understandable with how busy they were. I waited over 30 minutes for my food, but it was fine on a Saturday afternoon and didn't bother me. To be constructively critical, my opinion is they are trying to offer too many choices. Besides all the typical meats and more, they also offer pizza, catfish and other non-barbecue items, as well as a long list of sides. This leads to extended prep time in getting food out. It might have been better to start with a smaller menu and add items as they have the chance. I would hate to see their good barbecue get lost in the clutter of everything else, which happens a lot.


Time will tell- I can only hope a barbecue joint this close to home will stay in business and stay consistent. I will be back to try more items and update my review- hopefully upward.






 FOOD RATING: 3.5 OF 5

 OVERALL RATING: 4 OF 5

Memphis Jax BBQ- Ponte Vedra, FL

Woodpecker's Backyard BBQ- St. Augustine, FL

When I first saw some of my friends raving about Woodpecker's online, I thought I had been there before. When I was finally in the area again, I drove by and realized I was thinking of a different place. Since I wasn't often in this area of no man's land between south Jacksonville and St. Augustine, I figured I better take advantage of this time and make a stop. I pulled in the almost full dirt parking lot a little after noon on a Friday. The place was packed, and I was under a bit of a time constraint, so I opted for getting my lunch to go.

Woodpecker's sits diagonally at the intersection of SR 13 and CR 210. Here, the main entrance is in back, and the to-go counter is in front facing the road. There is a large, rambling dirt parking area among the shade trees out back, as well as several picnic tables for eating outside when the weather is nice or when the the inside is packed, which happens often.

This time, I went for the standard pork plate with two sides. The pork was some of the most moist and flavorful I've had, and the sides didn't disappoint either. Many of them incorporate datil peppers, a flavor unique to the St. Augustine area. I tried the datil beans and datil corn. In both the sweet heat of the peppers gave a delicious kick to the taste buds. I was hooked.

Since that first trip, I've returned several times, made possible by our move to Ponte Vedra last year. Woodpecker's has become a solid favorite of mine, forming the western point of a triangulation of top-notch joints within 45 minutes of home. They are complemented by Down South BBQ in Ponte Vedra Beach, and Smokin' D's near Crescent Beach. I don't know of a place within the triangle that serves better 'que than any of the three.

Woodpecker's brisket, pictured here with a meaty rib bone, is some of the best I've found in Florida. It has the thick but not overly dry bark characteristic of a long slow smoke having imparted it's ever present but not overpowering flavors to the beef. This is probably my favorite meat here, though any of the others can stand up on their own too. The sides hold up their end of the deal, making a meal that so far has failed to disappoint.

SPST RATINGS

FOOD RATING: 4.5 OF 5

OVERALL RATING: 4.5 OF 5

EXTRA POINTS FOR: LOCAL FLAVOR

 

4Rivers Smokehouse- Jacksonville,FL

I eagerly anticipated the opening of 4Rivers fourth location in Jacksonville, but it turned out I didn't make it there until about a month after they had opened. I had had a great experience at their Winter Garden location, so I was cautiously optimistic for more of the same here. The exterior was very similar, from the unique signage to the large outdoor eating area.









Stepping inside, I encountered a lunchtime line of 25-30 people. It moved quickly though, and gave me just enough time to get some shots of the interior. This location features a larger indoor dining area than I remember at the other location, with a combination of small four-tops and a few long communal tables on wheels.

They had a similar collection of unique sodas. I chose an Earp's Original Sarsaparilla, aptly described as "rich velvety sarsaparilla flavor with a touch of smoke".

Soon after, I was at the counter. In a rare departure from my usual modus operandi, I didn't order pork on my first visit here. Angus brisket is 4Rivers signature offering. It was by far my favorite of their meats I had tried before, so I wanted to do a fair comparison. At least there was bacon wrapped around the smoked jalapenos I got as a side, so pork was not completely left out. Potato salad and barbecue beans rounded out my meal.

 The brisket was every bit as good as before, flavor wise...in fact the slightly thicker rub and absence of sauce drizzled on top improved it in my opinion. It was perfectly moist, smoky and excellently seasoned.

My only complaint was that by the time it was sliced, plated and paid for, some of it had become rather cold. I used some of these pieces to sample the sauces. The sauces complemented the meat well, but were not overly impressive. There was not much difference between the regular and hot sauce either.

The smoked jalapenos were fantastic. I don't foresee my being able to eat here in the future without ordering at least a couple of them. The potato salad was just average, but the beans were thick and flavorful.

I was glad to see that so far 4Rivers has been able to keep impressing, even with their quick expansion. Like before though, I recommend if you eat here, you must try the brisket. I will definitely be back and try the rest of the menu.  This rating largely reflects the brisket, and may change after trying more items- but hopefully not!




 FOOD RATING: 4.5 OF 5
OVERALL RATING: 4 OF 5

Monroe's Smokehouse Bar-B-Q- Jacksonville, FL (Southside)

Having had a somewhat agreeable experience at the original Monroe's location, I thought it would be a good idea to see how the new location on Beach Blvd. compares. The inside is neat, clean and tastefully decorated:

 

Service was friendly and fast even though they had a good sized lunch crowd. Like before, I ordered a combo plate of pulled pork and sliced brisket. Sides of baked beans and cole slaw competed my meal.

This time the meat was better. Both had good smoke. The pork was  moist, the brisket just a little dry but still had great flavor. Though the price was a little high for lunch, I got plenty of meat for the money. It was enough to sample all the sauces, which were good too, especially the spicy sauce. The beans were great- must be the same recipe as at the original location. 

 

It was nice to see a chain that is getting better as it expands. I look forward to eating here again.

FOOD RATING: 3.5 OF 5
OVERALL RATING: 4 OF 5