Jackson's Big Oak Barbecue

A decent variety on the menu. Our food was good. Only exception was when they brought the food out, the cole slaw that I ordered was yellow. Comes to find out that they have a mustard -based coleslaw which I had never seen before and I really did not care for it because it was too sour for me. There is a huge beautiful oak tree at the back of the parking lot that is over 450 years old. That age of the tree was verified by a local University about 15-20 years ago.

Staff was attentive. Food was lukewarm at best. Pork BBQ tasted like a bottle of vinegar was spilled on top of it. Mashed potatoes had crunchy bits in them- gravy was good. Mac and cheese appeared, and tasted like it was frozen and microwaved- cold when it arrived to our table. The hushpuppies had a good flavor, but very greasy. Overall, disappointed for the amount of money that was spent. No one at our table was able to finish their meal.

Been here forever, yes there's a "Big" Oak out back. Parking is a little tight if they're busy. Food is good, they have the best hush puppies in Wilmington, always have. Restaurant is a little dated, but honestly that adds a little to the ambiance of a southern BBQ joint.

I always make sure I make a stop at Jackson's Big Oak Barbecue. When I want a quaint and quiet place with a menu that is hard to choose from it is always there that I go. There is one precious waitress named Tammy who goes out of her way to make sure you have that sweet welcome feeling. If you want southern food and the best barbecue, then you need to look no further. They have been around for many years and it is not hard to wonder why. **********This is an update that was posted on July 3, 2025************ I had just moved back into the area and decided to visit Jackson’s Barbecue. I had heard there had been some changes that were not so good. I was pleased to find the food was still good, but not the service and the conditions of the restaurant itself. There was only one waitress who seemed not too pleased to be there. When my food arrived and the waitress walked away, I noticed I had no utensils. I got up and walked to the front to ask for some and saw a bucket to the side with dirty utensils in water. I guess the waitress didn’t want to bother to look for me some clean ones because I was handed a carry out set. I noticed that the table in front of me had food that was still sitting there when I arrived and after a hour not only did that table remain uncleared, but other tables started following being left uncleared. Employees were behind the desk chatting as the tables were sitting nasty. When I went to pay my bill, I mentioned it to someone behind the counter that there seemed to be many tables left with food still sitting on them. She said we are working on them. Did she not know I was there around one hour watching the tables left uncleared and was she not aware that I was watching as they seemed uncaring and the waitress continued walking around the nasty tables and not caring. As they seemed uncaring about the dining area, I will say the food was good but the nastiness that surrounded it took away from my feeling of it!

Hunter & the crew continue serving the best traditional eastern NC bbq & fried chicken in the county. Being able to have a beer & staying open till 8 is a great update. We love to get team meals to-go for work too, our most requested sides are the fried okra and the Mac & cheese, but all are great.

Very disappointing. The food use to be the best, but now not sure if I would even go back. Got the fried chicken with pulled pork, slaw and mac and cheese. The chicken was no where near as good as it use to be. Found a hair that was either in the pulled pork or the slaw. The only good part was the mac and cheese. I do know that it is under new ownership there and the Sawmill.

I have read a lot of the good reviews and heard people say Jackson’s is the best BBQ in Wilmington. I am from NC and have gone all over the state trying BBQ. The BBQ comp across the state is ridiculous so the standard is set really high. So here is the deal in my opinion based on what I had today. Jackson’s is one of only 3 restaurants that serve “eastern style” BBQ in Wilmington that I know of other than the franchise that starts with a S and the other place has a buffet. With that said I think Jackson’s comes in 3rd place out of those 3 when just talking about the BBQ. There is no taste of the BBQ having been cooked on a smoker which is not a deal breaker because there are many I like that are not but it is what I prefer. The slaw today was so over powering of mustard it was hard to eat. I like that style slaw with eastern NC BBQ but this was too strong. My green beans had a very salty taste. My dad said his Okra was cooked perfect and my mom said her baked beans were very good so some positive there. The restaurant was clean and the staff were all very nice but today at-least it was not that good. I will go back and try it again because they have other stuff I want to try plus give the slaw and BBQ another shot but for now it is what it is. I see a possibility of why people give it good reviews in that there really is nothing else like it in Wilmington. Its not a buffet and it is not corp. It has all the staples of an Eastern NC BBQ restaurant but today was not their day. It is worth trying. I saw when leaving they have an early bird special from 3-5. That would be a great time to go try it. I will update this review after my next visit.

Ordered 2 bbq pulled pork plates.. and somehow when I got my food, there was no flavor… how can you claim any awards with crap like this? Take those awards down until you can learn to cook, new owners should be ashamed to have this type of feedback. At least add some salt at the minimum. Try. And stop putting sugar in collard greens, it doesn’t taste good. Someone needs to teach whoever’s making the food how to actually cook because this ain’t it. What a disgrace.

Excellent food. My BBQ meal was top notch, delicious. I got a BBQ/Shrimp combo meal with two sides and it was somehow less food (and no hush pups) than just the BBQ meal, but I suspect it was an oversight. I got it to go so I didn't notice until I was home. It was right on the verge of being too little food for the $, but again, this is the only time I felt that way. The pork BBQ specifically is really good. Good hush puppies, slaw is a little more yellow (?)than I would expect, but I'm sure it was intended. Cool dining room, not trying to get fancy. Simple presentation of good food. Recommended.

Excellent food, very friendly service, and a good ole fashioned no frills dining experience! We had the pulled pork which was excellent - Tender, meaty, and a little tangy. The fried chicken breast was so crispy, a large piece with a wing, and oh so delicious! The mashed potatoes and gravy were yummy! The beans were tangy and had a hint of spicy from perhaps jalapeños? The potato salad was our least favorite, more sweet than savory. Finally dessert was banana pudding! Oh, and the hush puppies were really good too!

Jacksons is an icon in Wilmington, North Carolina. I've been eating here since 1990 and I've never had a bad experience. The staff are great and the prices are reasonable and I would highly recommend you swing by and get some of their amazing NC barbecue. Prepared to leave with a happy belly. The decor just feels like a little family country run business. I'd also like to suggest that you take a look at the magnificent oak tree behind the building.

8/14 @ 1:20pm I've wanted to try this place for a while . And unfortunately I wish I didn't . The pork bbq was just mush and way heavy on the vinegar. The bbq potatoes had a sour taste . The corn sticks were soaking in grease . The hush puppies tasted of burnt grease and were flavorless. The staff was kind . The dining area ... when you walk across the floor it sounds like Velcro being ripped apart the floor is so sticky .

Have been coming here more than 20 years. Stellar NC barbeque, some of the best Brunswick Stew, Collards and Hush puppies I've ever had. I know barbeque well. This is some of the best.

My first time visiting Jackson's. My hubby has been here before! His suggestion!!! Oh my goodness, thinking I might have to move to Wilmington! Best NC BBQ I've had in yrs! The sides perfect & darn good sweet tea. The corn sticks tasted like my MawMa's fried cornbread! Service was great, all the ladies were sweet! We ate out under the Big Oak! Incredible! Can't wait come back.

Visiting the area for work and we hit this place up for lunch. As we drove by the tattoo parlor we were questioning our decision...it doesn't look like much from the outside but it deceives you. The order counter is small, and the menu is small but I got the 3 meat with BBQ (pork), shrimp, and Brunswick stew. 2 sides were potato salad, and beans. Being a new Englander the potato salad is not what I was expecting but the young lady taking our order was efficient snf friendly and the food was a plenty and delicious. This is what I'd imagine a Carolina's BBQ joint should be like. The dining area was clean and the staff was friendly. A great local establishment.

The Black wattress was "HORRIBLE "‼She was very rude and I'm not prejudice because I'm Black . A Group of us came from Texas and we were recommended to this place but after the Service we will never come here again nor recommend anyone

Delicious Carolina BBQ and very down-home! Was filled with locals which I think is the best sign of good food. Great service too

08-25-21 This is the first time that we visited to Jackson's Big Oak Barbecue, and I guess the first time that I have been in a true North Carolina BBQ. My BBQ tastes are heavily influenced by Texas, KC, and Memphis BBQ flavors and that has definitely influenced my review. When we arrived, we gave our order at the counter, now due to Covid-19 restrictions, we were wearing masks and talking through a plastic shield, which might have caused some of the future problems. I ordered a 3-piece Combination Plate consisting of BBQ Pork, Ribs and Shrimp. It was served with hushpuppies, cornsticks and came with two sides. For my sides I orders baked beans and slaw. My wife had their Barbecue Pork Plate with slaw and macaroni & cheese. When the food was delivered, I didn't get the ribs because they said it wasn't on the order. The pulled pork was cooked perfectly, but since I like a little sauce on my pork, I tried the only sauce on the table. It was their own sauce, which is a vinegar-based sauce, which I understand is a North Carolina standard. My only comment is that vinegar belongs in salad dressing not a BBQ sauce. I asked if they had another sauce and they did, so the pork was delicious. The fried shrimp was mushy like they had been in a steamer or something, probably the worst fried shrimp I have had. I would suggest that they get out of the fish business and stick to the BBQ business. The baked beans were good, I think the came out of a can. The "slaw" turned out to be a mustard slaw. I had never had that type of coleslaw before, so it was definitely different. I can't say that it is one of my favorite coleslaws. I'm used to hush puppies with a crisp golden coating and a tender, moist cornbread interior, these were the anthesis of that. What interior was left after being fried for so long was not moist. Since I have never had corn sticks before, I can't comment on the quality of them. My wife enjoyed her pulled pork and macaroni & cheese but had the same problems with the slaw and hush puppies. Since I didn't get my ribs, I had to base my rating on not getting the ribs, not notifying the customer of the type of coleslaw you're ordering and the hush puppies. Hush puppies are a personal favorite of mine since I had my first one in 1958. I did not deduct for mustard coleslaw or vinegar-based BBQ sauce because that is purely a personal taste preference and I know there are many North Carolinians that love their mustard slaw and vinegar-based BBQ sauces. If you are traveling and want to try a true North Carolina BBQ than this is one of them, I hope this is not the best you can find.

A Wilmington staple! This place has been around for a longgg time and it's always been good. Best bbq around. Period. Plenty of sides to choose from and lots of yummy desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth! & theyre always super fast and friendly! It's soimportant to support small biz in this pandemic. They're doing curbside which is very convenient!

In a state that holds bbq at the highest standard, this long time establishment leaves much to be desired. If I was trying NC BBQ for the first time it would be a tragic shame to have that food as my introduction. Over steamed flavorless ribs Dry "smoked" chicken Pseudo east coast NC vinegar bbq sauce ABSOLUTELY NO SMOKE FLAVOR AT ALL! To put it straight, choose a different bbq restaurant.

The place is clean, and the service is at least prompt, but the next time I'll order pulled pork to go didn't care much for any of the sides. You can go to the grocery store and get a can of collards that would be much better. I will definitely try the rest of the BBQ. just in a to go order with no sides.oh and definitely do not order a water !

Yummy fried chicken and pork bbq, how can you go wrong?!?! Tasty fresh and delicious.

BBQ PThe barbecue isn't smoked so I don't care for the plain pulled pork tasteless ork

The real deal! Been coming here since I was a little kid. The food is great and the service is friendly. I have had just bout everything and I am happy every time . Great BBQ and chicken! The sides are super flavorful and plenty to choose from. I live in surf city now and me and the wifey head to Wilm just for the Q...

Wish we could dine in but hanging out under their massive oak is cool as well. Had a take out bbq sandwich with slaw. Just perfect. Can't wait to post -covid and a full experience.

Never left a review on a restaurant before, but felt compelled to do so now. Hands down the worst attempt at bbq. FYI, boiled meat is not BBQ! Sad, mushy texture, no flavor, and to top it off I'm expected to believe a hush puppy is cornbread! Please just stop. Take down the BBQ sign and spare yourself the shame. So sad.

I want to give this place a 4 star, because the pulled pork was actually dang good, but the sides just made me lean to the 3. I had the two meat combo with pulled pork and fried chicken. As I mentioned, the pulled pork was dang good, and the fried chicken was pretty good but nothing special. The sides really just let me down unfortunately. I had baked beans and the fried okra. I thought the baked beans were just very generic, and not very good. Same thing goes for the fried okra.

Locals recommended Jackson's as the best barbecue around. They boil their ribs, fry their chicken and cook the pork in a slow cooker. It's not Barbecue....I travel a lot and would never go back here.

I had my very first Carolina BBQ experience here at Jackson's Big Oak after asking where to take the boy to get some pulled pork. (He used to work in Raleigh and told me he misses Carolina pulled pork.) We came in pretty late, but they didn't rush us at all. Our SERVICE was quite friendly, although at times our server seemed to be slightly distracted. I had no idea what to expect from a Carolina BBQ joint. The interior is very... homey? Is that the right word? You feel pretty at home here. It's not a gussied up fancy date kind of establishment, but more of a chilling with people you like to enjoy food place. There are a LOT of pigs in the decor, so if you don't like pigs... XD I thought it was pretty cute as I got my first taste of you know, "Southern" charm and food? I guess? We got some hushpuppies and corn sticks to start. They came by with another basket when our food came out, which was a nice surprise for me, as I thought we were just going to get this one basket. These hushpuppies were much better than any of the ones I've been having so far. They were moist and delicious, and the corn sticks also helped stave off my starvation after putting off getting dinner for a little bit too long. I ordered the BBQ and pork chop plate with applesauce and potato salad. The boy ordered the BBQ and Brunswick stew plate with barbecued potatoes and baked beans. A Carolina BBQ connoisseur of yore, he found the pork a little bit tough? I agreed, expecting more tender pork. Then again, we were probably their last or near-last customers, so we were very understanding. He did seem quite happy about his meal. Aside from the sort of tough pork, which I ate with some of the Jackson's Big Oak BBQ sauce, which is a vinegar-based sauce. This vinegar-based BBQ was definitely a brand new experience for me, but I liked it. (Although the pork on its own didn't really have much flavor in it, so when I added the sauce to it, I felt that it just took on a vinegar-y flavor. The pork chop was very good, though. I am very glad I also got that in supplement my BBQ pork. The boy was right though. Carolina BBQ is surprisingly filling. I only managed to finish my pork chop, half my pork, and we polished off the applesauce together to balance out the immense amount of meat and carbs we had already eaten. I remembered thinking that it didn't look like enough food, and yet there I was, with about a third of my meal leftover. All in all, I liked my first Carolina BBQ meal. I think I would've liked if the pork was a wee bit more flavorful and tender. But Jackson's Big Oak is a nice restaurant and I would go again.

Another childhood favorite for my family and I! Now my mother in law and husband love it too. This is a great stop for traditional Carolina BBQ (vinegar based). Traditional southern sauce available on the table. The slaw is mustard based. You get free hush puppies, corn balls (fried sweet corn), and corn sticks with butter to start. I always get the Medium BBQ plate, comes with two sides, no bread. My brother gets the combo with Brunswick stew. My pops got fried chicken, I didn't get to sample. My mother-in-law got a ribs combo and she loved it. Everything is moist and well cooked! Of note, you get a free bottle of sauce with teeshirt purchase (this may change). We ended with peach cobbler and banana pudding to share as a dessert. That cobbler was to DIE for. Compliments to the chef. I love this place so much, I'm never disappointed.

True Carolina bbq place. Had the medium pulled pork plate for lunch. The pork was very good as well as the vinegar-based bbq sauce. The cole slaw was different...had a mustard-mayo base but worked well! The candied yams were good but maybe a bit too sweet for me. The complimentary hush puppies were a nice touch.

Look at the ratings and you can see that they range wildly. You can look at the home city of the rater in most cases and see why. This is a true eastern NC BBQ joint. Don't order other things, that's not their specialty. We have blind taste tested against others and Jackson's comes out the clear winner. For the yankees, NC BBQ is chopped pork. Not chicken, not ribs, just chopped pork. I live in the triad now and NC BBQ here can be sliced or include other cuts, I can appreciate that and recommend some good choices here but Jackson's is my favorite. Take it from a Wilmington native, stick with the BBQ and you'll have some of the best.

Ms T and I made a little tour of the North Carolina coastal region, stopping first in Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach. We started our first day with a beer at Broomtail Brewing and proceeded to Jackson's Big Oak. I ordered a medium combo with pork barbecue and ribs. The pork was a decent medium chop. The sauce was not heavily applied, so the moisture was good and it had a pure pork flavor which I liked. It was well trimmed, not greasy. There was really no outside but also no googily bits. This would make a very good sandwich. My ribs were what I would call crockpot style. This is an entirely different thing than I was expecting but then I guess you don't come to North Carolina for ribs. They were cooked in a tangy, sweet sauce. They are cooked done and done and done. It is hard not to like them once you get past the fact that you don't need teeth to eat them. I was thinking they would be right at home at a church supper. If you order them, just be aware these are not ribs like come out of a Memphis smoker. Ms T had a Fried Chicken platter and it was very good unadorned fried chicken. It appeared to be brined because there was ample salt throughout the meat and it was very juicy. The coating was light, it was fresh and hot. Seasoning was minimal (not much if any black pepper). It was just very good purist fried chicken. My collards were sweetened. I don't care for sweet collards, but they were tender. They were cooked without any meat. My Brunswick stew was also somewhat too sweet for me. I would rate it average, a little boring, pedestrian. The slaw was yellowish, chartreuse from a goodly dose of yellow mustard. It was a little sweet and a little tart from the mustard. It was too much yellow mustard for me but it went well with the pork. Ms T's Blackeyed Peas were very simple, in fact they needed a little salt. They had good clean pea flavor with no obvious onion or Ms T would have commented. Her fried okra was very fresh, with great okra flavor. It was clearly not frozen, pre-breaded. It was tender, not slimy and was as good as we usually get anywhere. The breading did not adhere very well, but it really does not matter, it was very good. The hush puppies were fairly typical, with some level of onion. They are not sweet and are sort of long shaped. They also serve Corn Sticks which are not sweet. They have good pure corn flavor. This was a very good choice for our first meal. I would go back right now if I could for a fried chicken and chopped pork combo with okra and slaw. The food is not heavily adorned or over seasoned. It was all simple down home cooking.

I travel to Wilmington frequently and was excited to try authentic Carolina barbecue. If this place is a representation of what the state has to offer--no thanks. The pork was flavorless and soggy even before my attempts to add flavor with the vinegar sauce. The ribs were also bland and flavorless and tasted boiled to me, not smoked. Bleh. The hushpuppies and baked beans were good, but that's about it. Even their special daily cobbler (I ordered peach) the peaches were from a can. When we asked to split the bill between two couples the cashier looked annoyed and with tip I was charged almost $50 for a meal I hated and I will not be back.

I have been eating at this establishment over 50 years. The food is very good. I love coming here. I came for take outs in June and it was good as well. This is my 1st time since June because I brought food for my sister and she has since passed. One of my favorite places forever

This place was awesome while visiting Wilmington. I loved they had actual Carolina style bbq. The cabbage and sweet potatoes were also great. The staff was very friendly and they offered a military discount. I don't have any complaints.

Good old fashion eastern North Carolina barbecue at its best. The last of the old-school Bar-B-Que house is left in Wilmington, anyone who lives here new or old should give them a visit, and another and another. Barbecue, Brunswick stew, fried chicken, banana pudding, chocolate silk pie, fries, hushpuppies, cole slaw. Seriously everything you and your family want, everyone from the grandparents to the littluns! ;)

Family friendly, clean joint with locals feel. Sign says 32 years of BBQ. Rich, full flavored whole hog eastern style pig. BBQ sauce on table was a little vinegar and hot. Not quite as smoky as A+ stuff, but a solid A. Slaw is yellow and excellent. Puppies are light and airy, maybe A-. Collards are smoky, chopped and delicious. This place is the real deal. Would have given 5 stars, but just not enough smoke in the BBQ

My husband and I wanted to give this place a try since we were in the mood for some barbecue and decided to give this place a try. The food was "edible" and our barbecue sauce was super watery. The workers didn't give off a "friendly and inviting" feel when we walked in. They were also rude to an elderly gentlemen when he asked someone to wipe down his table and asked for some barbecue sauce. We won't be coming back.

Jackson's is one of my fav spots in Wilmington! All of their food is delicious and the staff is amazing and friendly!! The best BBQ ever!!

"Authentic East Carolina BBQ" !! Being a native Californian, I'm not really sure what that meant but it's BBQ !! Let me tell you, going to Jackson's is like seeing an old friend after they've had a nose job...same person; different look and presence. The overwhelming amount of BBQ sauces I've ever had is tomato based, from the local rib joint I frequent, to the sauces I buy at the store, to some of my favorite recipes...tomato based! The sauce at Jackson's is vinegar based...the first time I've ever had that type of BBQ sauce...not thick or sweet but rather thin in consistency, tangy with some spiciness but not hot. From my experience, BBQ is all about the cooking AND the sauce and Jackson's does both in a way that re-introduced me to (my old friend) BBQ! As quick aside, if you have a chance don't miss out on the hug oak tree in the back, it was windy and on the verge of rain when I visited so we didn't get a chance to eat near the tree! It's awesome and I'm certain on the right day eating under it with friends and family would be an awesome experience. The restaurant itself is not fancy and basic in a good way. It's clean well taken care of with lots of photos (and signatures) of fans on the entrance/lobby/waiting to be seated area. The people were nice and friendly. Our server addressed every one in our party in her own southern style..honey, sugar and darl'in. It's not something I get where I'm from and I was certainly a fan. Just so we are all on the same page, when someone from east Carolina say BBQ, the meat IS pork ! There is no brisket, tri-tip or any form of beef on their menu. They do have fried chicken, bbq chicken and shrimp as an alternative meat and that's it! I ordered the "medium combo", which is served with Pork and two vegetables(for me fried okra and country fries). The pork came finely shredded (what I know as "pulled pork" but more finely shredded), without any sauce. It's nicely salted and season so it can be eaten plain but like I said BBQ is about the sauce, which is on the tables and you can put on as much as you want. From my perspective, pork has an inherent "oiliness" to the meat; the sauce Jackson's provides cuts that oiliness and combined with the seasoning the pork is inundated with results in a perfect bite of BBQ pork. My mouth is watering just recalling the experience. Sometimes, the best thing I can say is that it was good! The locals love this place as they should! Every town should have a BBQ place that's unique to their style and sensibility; for Wilmington, NC Jackson's is the place! When I'm in Wilmington, as Arnold say's "Ill be back"

Best BBQ and sides. Love to get collards to bring home and serve for dinner. Nice to go get take out and picnic under big oak at back of lot.

Anytime I make a trip up to North Carolina, I make it a point to get some BBQ. I was please to see under "Vegetables," mashed potatoes & mac-n-cheese. Their cole slaw was yellow which was a little weird for me. I was also surprised to a sweet sauce on the table, instead of a cider vinegar based sauce which I am used when it comes to Eastern North Carolina BBQ. It was okay, but I would probably go somewhere else, next time.

We recently used Jackson's Big Oak BBQ catering for a Celebration of Life for my Mom. Hunter and his crew did an excellent job and the food was wonderful. My Mom grew up in Eastern NC and had the opportunity to taste their catered whole hog BBQ before she passed. She said it was the closest thing to her Dad's whole hog BBQ she had ever tasted - and Mama knew good BBQ! Hunter and the folks at Jackson's were professional and patient with my sister and I as we continued to increase the amount of food that was needed prior to the service. Everyone bragged on the BBQ as well as the sides - especially the banana pudding! Hunter and his crew stayed later than originally planned and were gracious and kind. If you are planning an event and want a successful dinner, I highly recommend Jackson's Big Oak BBQ!

This place has a great selection of BBQ and veggies! Great friendly service here! I had the pulled pork and chicken. Will be coming back before I head home!

Hunter and his team serve the best Cue in Wilmington, but don't forget about their seafood too! And those sides.... delicious! From your friends at Farmers Supply, thank you Jackson's!

Decided to pop in and give this place a try. Had the pulled pork which was okay. Nothing to write home about and I wouldn't make a special trip to eat there. The pork had a nice vinegary taste which I would expect from a Carolina BBQ joint. Had the side of green bean and fried okra both okay but nothing special.

The best barbecue, slaw, and Brunswick stew ever!!! I grew up eating Jackson. I have tried several and they are still the best.

First coming here I enjoyed my food , I'm not a fan of vinegar based bbq I think it's terrible but I don't think North Carolina does it any other way. This place wasn't bad definitely on the better side of the bbq I've had here. The pork was good but a little to heavy on the vinegar, my Mac n cheese was amazing though and the potato salad wasn't bad. My dad got the chicken and honestly is was gross, it had absolutely no flavor and dry I couldn't even swallow without taking a sip of my drink. Over all it wasn't horrible but I'm not a fan of NC bbq it lacks something. The service was good our waiter was nice, very helpful and making sure we had a good experience. It was pretty busy when we left so I'm sure my opinion is just my own.

Thought I was going to get some good bbq but was dissappointed. It was so full of grease it was pitiful. We could not eat it. A girl that took my order said they've been in business for some 20 years. They should have improved on the bbq by now. The two stars are for the hushpuppies. They were alright.

Horrible customer service, bad info online (menu and hours), very rude when we got there. We voted with our feet and left.

Well, yawl, this is the place for an authentic southern home cooked, not Mc'Donalded all up meal. Visited two weeks ago after being exceptionally disappointed over the quality and cleanliness of local southern home cooking establishments. (Just wondering how Southern home cooking equals dingy nasty surroundings? Hah-looooo Caseys and Carolina Bar B Que are you listening?) The ambiance while out of the now defunct Whitey's Playbook, lots of 70's pine walls, basic booth seating and very old celebrity photos extolling praises on the wall, is in keeping with what you'd expect from a restaurant of this genre. You wouldn't need to do much to film a black and white 60's era film on Civil Rights here. It's got that vibe. The staff were friendly, not overly so, but more an efficient sort of friendly. After all it was around lunchtime, the parking lot was packed and the place was full! So,we order two meals. Each different so we can surf off each other's plate and get the benefit of having two meals (at least to sample). And my dining companion and I came to similar conclusions. THE COLLARDS WERE OUT OF THIS WORLD! ok caps lock off. but I gotta say it again. Do Not Pass Over the COLLARDS. Not canned, fresh collards slightly sweetened, not overly swimming in pork fat. As Paula Dean would say.... "YUM yawl" On to the next little nuggets of yumminess. Hushpuppies. They were the best hushpuppies EVER. LIGHT, fluffy, with a nice balance of corn meal to flour. Not overly cooked in grease. The same cannot be said for the corn sticks. They are more expensive on the menu and I can't understand why. They were like little greasy square logs of hardness and I would have gladly exchanged them for the hushpuppies. Could have eaten a whole basket of the hushpuppies. A previous reviewer said the bbq was dry... aaaaaah you neophyte, you. Your college tastebuds and sensibilities have not been honed yet. The bbq is delivered in it's virgin state for you to add your own bbq sauce which is conveniently sitting on the table near the salt and pepper shaker. It was delicious. The pulled pork I mean, I wont get into the vinegar based tomato based debate here. You can duke it out over that. The mac and chess was pretty much like somebody's mamma made it. Not overly salty, not bland, not kraft blue box or annies purple rabbit. Green beans, were pretty much to be expected. No french almondine gourmet here. Just Grandma's. The only shocking disappointment was the Bruniswick stew. Methinks the ingredients came from a can. If not the whole shebang, then the potatoes. This is a danged shame because brunswick stew is the backbone of southern cooking. Its the Bulliabase of the south. It's like gumbo, throw a little bit of what you have been working with, add okra for that must have slimey-ness (not an insult to brunswick stew, believe me.) Let it simmer all day in love. No. Not this stuff. Take a wide berth around it as wide as the big old oak tree in the back yard. (which, by the way, is worth standing and admiring, thinking about how many rings and how many years that tree has overseen the progress of Wilmington and society. OOOh. After having visited two other similar restaurants in the area, I was highly dubious and expected the same or worse in terms of quality and cleanliness. Thank you Jackson for being the exception. I think next time I will try the chicken and pastry. And yes there will be many next times to come, especially in the winter when I am feeling like a hot, hearty home cooked southern treat.

Jackson's is one of my favorite NC 'cue joints. Why you might ask? First and foremost... THE SAUCE It's one of my favorite Eastern NC sauces. It has a great kick to it. I use it on fish as often as I do pork. Man I enjoy it. What else is good... PORK: The Pork is excellent. Not too fatty. Not too wet. Just how I like it. I can't comment on the chicken or ribs. I tend to stick to what's pulled. SIDES: All I've had are great. Love their slaw, fried okra and collards. The hushpuppies are insane. STEW: The Brunswick Stew is very good. PUDDIN': The Banana Pudding is nuts. SERVICE: I've always had great experiences at Jackson's. Friendly people who go out of their way to make sure you have a good meal. TREE: gigantic oak tree in the back of the restaurant. It's massive, older than Wilmington and one of the coolest trees I've ever seen. It has it's own mailbox and people actually write it letters. Legend has it the recipe for Jackson's sauce was discovered in a secret ancient chamber beneath the tree written in vinegar and signed "TREE". Not sure if that last part is true.

This place is the real deal. Cheap, delicious BBQ. Our waitress was a total doll. We both got plates--I got the pork BBQ and Brunswick Stew plate and my boyfriend got the BBQ chicken and ribs plate. He was crazy about everything he got, but I thought the Brunswick Stew was underwhelming. The sides were amazing! Get the green beans and the Mac n cheese! Maybe it's because i'm not southern enough, but I thought the cornbread sticks were very underwhelming. The hush puppies were great though!

Excellent Eastern NC barbecue has never been available this far east (at least not in a restaurant), and it still doesn't challenge the best that can be found farther inland at Goldsboro, Wilson, Greenville, and even tiny places like Ayden, Dudley and La Grange. Of what is available in the Wilmington area, Jackson's probably the best, but even at that it remains pretty much middle of the road stuff, not bad, but, definitely not great. The pig is not pit cooked here, and any hint of smokiness comes from the addition of hickory chips added to the electric cookers. The meat does come out tender and moist, but rather bland, and the sauce has as much vinegar as any I've tasted, but matched up with the slaw, which has a little mustard in in it, a version I like from time to time. There is not a lot of sauce on the pork as it comes out of the kitchen, so most folks will want to add it at the table. The ribs are not ones I care for, nor is the Brunswick Stew, which more reseambles soup than stew. They offer both hush puppies and corn sticks here, go with the hush puppies. Some of the sides are very good, like the collards, which, while they are not in the same league as Bum's, they are very well done. This place changed hands, or ownership, or management a while back, and my first visit after that was not a very good experience - I felt nearly every aspect here had taken a step or two backwards. But on this latest visit, things seemed much better, and this is not a bad choice for those folks looking for a barbecue fix in this area. Service is good, pricing is reasonable, portions are more than adequate.

This place was awesome - especially that gigantic oak tree out back! It has an old school, rustic look to it, both inside and outside. Take out and eat in. I ordered the sampler for $11.99, which consists of: 1/4 chicken, ribs (4), pulled pork, and Brunswick stew with a side of veggies and candied yams. The candied yams here were REALLY good! Four ribs, a healthy portion of chicken (two pieces), and about 1/3 lb of pork. Hush puppies and a fried potato accompanied the sampler.. The Brunswick stew had a peppery bite to it and was very enjoyable. The staff knew I was from out of town and made me very comfortable. They also answered every question I had about the types of food they make and some of the names I wasn't familiar with. The sauces available were their traditional Eastern Carolina vinegar and the other "sauce" nothing but apple cider vinegar! I brought some of their EC vinegar sauce back to the Northeast to enjoy with my smoked pulled pork. Awesome, awesome place.

There are certainly times when I've eaten here and the BBQ wasn't as fresh as I thought it should be, but overall I like the BBQ and the southern food offered here in general. It's fast and still tastes good. I go here once a month maybe.