Austin B.
Yelp
tl;dr the huckleberry ice cream is the only saving grace from the otherwise awful restaurant experience
Jackson Drug and Original Soda Fountain is a historic Jackson establishment, first opened by Bruce Porter in 1919. While the business has changed locations and ownership a handful of times, Porter's great-granddaughters Nikki and Jessica Gill reacquired and revitalized the storefront, while paying homage to the store's history. Now, the shop serves slightly upscale American diner fare to complement homemade ice cream desserts.
The restaurant boasts a stellar location at the northwest corner of the Town Square. The stone-walled building still sports the same black-and-white sign, and a canopied patio space is set up on the sidewalk outside. Inside, the atmosphere is equally retro. As you enter, you are flanked on either side by merch counters as you approach the worn wood-paneled host stand. Dim bulbs hang from the tall, dark pressed-tin ceiling. The mint green walls on the right are decked heavily with antlers, landscapes, and family photographs, while an ornate wooden bar springs from the floral wallpapered walls on the right. Contemporary electronic and pop music echo throughout the room.
I first tried Jackson Drug with a hankering for ice cream, and I was directed to order from the take-out counter on the right. I was given large samples on curiously long spoons, and I was immediately impressed by the creaminess. The Cowboy Coffee was light and sugary like a latte, with fine grounds mixed in. Meanwhile, the Huckleberry boasted a vibrant, slightly tart flair, with plenty of whole berry chunks. Even at $12 for 2 moderate scoops, I thought that Jackson Drug was worth the visit, and I was impressed enough to return for dinner. Which, admittedly, was a grave mistake.
Our party arrived for an early weekday dinner, and we were immediately seated at a booth in the back. We started with an order of Cauliflower Wings, which arrived shockingly quickly. While relatively tasty, the cauliflower was heavily breaded and served beside totally forgettable buffalo and bleu cheese sauce. In comparison, our entrees took eons. My partner and I split the Elk Burger, topped with smoked gouda, bacon, and "pickles". The sandwich was cleanly cut in half and came with double the fries. We ordered the patty medium, and it came well-done and dry as a bone. The pickles would be better described as cucumbers drenched in vinegar -- my partner (who usually loves pickles) tossed them to the side. We also got a few side sauces, each of which cost a dollar extra. The Huckleberry BBQ had no notes of huckleberry, the Fry Sauce tasted little more than plain mayo, and the Bacon Jam consisted of undercooked bacon tossed in thin brown sugar syrup. Even my heavily anticipated Huckleberry Shake fell far short of expectations. I specifically asked for my shake to arrive with the entrees, and our server blatantly ignored me -- it arrived almost immediately, and I had no choice but to drink it immediately before it melted. Further, the staff split it without our asking and charged us an extra dollar for the "service". While creamy and somewhat flavorful, the shake, unfortunately, lost most of the pizzazz of the a la carte scoops.
Service was a trainwreck. We had to ask for water and napkins multiple times before they were delivered. Our waiter was nowhere to be found when we needed them, yet awkwardly approached our table when we didn't. Further, no one bussed our dishes throughout the visit. This meal wouldn't have been enjoyable even if it was free. It was an obvious one-star experience -- but I enjoyed the huckleberry ice cream (not the shake) enough to bump up the review to two stars. If you must visit, then order a huckleberry ice cream cone, and walk across the street to enjoy it in the park.
