Tom Jenkins BBQ

Reviews

Name: Rick Karlin 
Restaurant Pick: Cucina Caruso
Reviewed: Tom Jenkins BBQ

Walking up to the place I was excited; this place looks like an under-appreciated gem and, as we walked in from the parking lot, someone was tending to one of the giant smokers out back. When you open the front door you almost immediately trip over a table when you enter. Picnic tables are wedged into a small room and we were lucky to find an empty one. We discovered the reason it was empty was that folks were waiting in line to order. When we finally got to the front of the line to place our order, we were told that they were out of brisket and pork (there was a note written on the back of a cash register receipt). They were also out of sweet potato pie. The baby back ribs which were on the top of my Styrofoam container were tender, juicy and smoky. Underneath a tissue paper divider, the chicken didn’t fare so well. Although juicy, the skin was rubbery and greasy, although the meat was juicy. Collard greens and baked beans were well prepared but unremarkable. I tasted my husband’s fried catfish and it was the best I’ve ever had, but his mac and cheese was dry and gummy. It was not impressive enough for me to make a return visit.

Name: Carmen Matos 
Restaurant Pick: Hours of Food Porn
Reviewed: Tom Jenkins BBQ

We drove from Miami and it was easy getting there and parking was easy. When we walked in, we were disappointed for we realized this is geared more towards take-out and family style eating. There is a walk up counter where we placed our order of rib combo, macaroni and cheese, hushpuppies, onion rings, coleslaw, and brisket (which they did not have). We waited for our food while we sat on wooden chairs. People were mostly standing around or sitting waiting for their food orders and most were take-out. Music was pretty loud in the background and the setting was rustic and sparse. We asked about wine (even though we knew fairly quickly the answer was probably no) and server laughed and shook her head. We went outside with our meal. We started with the onion rings and they had a good crunch, but the oil used imparted a flavor that was not ideal, but my boyfriend liked them. They served it with a sauce— something like a remoulade. The hushpuppies were a bit dry yet had a good crunch. The mac and cheese was good, cheesy and creamy. The ribs were okay, but not great. They were not very meaty and rather fatty, overriding the flavor of the sweet sauce that came on the side. It was served with a corn muffin that was dry. They missed our coleslaw, but we did not go back in to reorder. They do have a sign that said to check order before taking it away so that was our miss. Dessert was the best part, the peach cobbler was warm and had good spice flavor (even though it was made with can peaches I believe), and the sweet potato pie was worth the drive!

Name: Tamera Bryant-Gardener 
Restaurant Pick: Tom Jenkins BBQ
Reviewed: Tom Jenkins BBQ

When we arrived at Tom Jenkins, we were lucky and were able to get a parking space on the premises. Upon entering 2 to 3 people welcomed us. You must place your order at the counter— there are no servers. The young lady who took our order was very friendly and called me sweetheart, as if we were related. This made us feel more welcomed and added to the overall ambience. We quickly received our food and the host helped us carry it to our bench. After about 15 minutes into our meal, the young lady who took our order called out my name and asked if we were doing ok. I couldn’t believe that she remembered my name, again that made me feel as though we were among friends. We were very satisfied when we left, and I can’t wait to go back.

Restaurant Information