Jenkins Quality Barbecue - Downtown

Taste of the BBQ isn't what it use to be. Most of the ribs/bread were hard. Not sure if I had a whole slab because the ribs were laid out horizontally across the bread not place vertically how a slab usually comes. Quality of food is not the same.

This place has definitely gone downhill. The ribs were tough, like they had been reheated in a microwave, and that really took away from the meal. The portion size for the fries is disappointing way too small for the price, no matter which size you choose. On the positive side, the rib sandwich is a decent portion. I also love that they sell their sauce it's delicious and reasonably priced for the size of the bottle. However, I did notice stray cats walking near the back door to the kitchen, which raises some concerns. The building itself is in serious need of repairs, both inside and out. Service was okay. The older gentleman taking drive-thru orders with pen and paper was a bit snippy, but not rude enough to keep me from coming back, unlike the tough ribs. Overall, I wish the quality of the ribs matched the quality of the sauce. There’s potential here, but a lot of areas need improvement.

They need to really shut this Jenkins down. I literally haven’t eaten here in over a year because their ribs are always hard and dry. Their half chicken sandwich it’s always undercooked or either looks like a half of a half of a chicken smh. I decided to eat here tonight after not eating here over a year in a half and they still on the same bs. My half chicken sandwich looks like a half of a baby chicken and is very undercooked! My legs was pink, my wing was pink, my thigh, which is pictured above is pink! My baby breast they gave me had some pink parts as well. My fries are undercooked. They couldn’t even cook them right. The best Jenkins is on Emerson! They really need to shit this location down! Wasted 15.00 and still hungry smh

Edit to reply from owner. I usually love your ribs, but this last time they were pretty burnt, dry, and tough. Time before that they weren't cooked long enough and were very tough. I know it's difficult to get ribs to the perfect tenderness. I'll still be back as I love your sauce.

Jenkins is that hole in the wall spot you look for Friday and Saturday nights. Great affordable able bbq. Fast and friendly service. Lobby or patio dinning is available drive through as well. The menu is simple and it is easy to develop a favorite to drive up and order without much thought. Jenkins quality bbq has 3 locations in Jacksonville with the pearl street being my favorite 😎

I ordered a full slab, it has been smoked very well done. I started to try Jenkins from 10 years ago to today... And the taste hasn't changed a bit. baked beans really good if you like cinnamon in your baked beans., Cole slaw better than any one around..really good. It was a 25 min wait at the drive thru but worth the wait and patience. Can't say much about the atmosphere tho.

Nice bbq place. We ordered the bbq chicken and the ribs sandwiches and the food was delicious and very tasty. The food portion was large and the sandwiches were covered in generous amount of bbq/mustard sauce (sweet/mild/spicy options). Dine in; indoor and outdoor seatings available as well as take out. Highly recommended if you are in the Jacksonville downtown area!!

I am a college student in FSCJ downtown. And I smell a good stuff. Seen smokes coming out of the chimney is killing, when you're hungry right? Today, as I was hungry like the other days.So, I decided to go and give it a try, can not resist BBQ smell especially when you're hungry. However, I stopped by and asked for special lunch but there isn't a lunch special. The lady seemed rude and unprofessional because I was not knowing what to eat or order. I can read people when they behave weirdness. I ordered what they have on the poster "Beef(BBQ) on Bun" and Fries. I am going to upload a picture so you can see there is no BBQ or a near taste to it. There is no BBQ texture at all. They know most of the people are not going online and post feedbacks about the food and services that they have received from a restaurant. Anyway, I sometimes check orders before I take off, but I did not check this one because I was hungry(simply). The price is hell expensive comparing to what you are paying for. A shredded "beef"(you'll see a pic) and fries for almost 9 bucks"8.86." I just lost a 9 bucks which is something for me as a student. I will post another negative comment like this on every social media, so people know who are they.

The Jenkins Quality Barbecue staff, food, service, ambiance was amazing, thanks, God bless you all and your families.

I use to come here a lot as a kid. My mom was excited to have some since we were back in town. I came on a Monday afternoon around 2 o'clock tried to go inside, but it seems as if the inside is closed. So the only option was drive-through but someone did end up coming out to take our order, which was really helpful, we ended up getting a snack pack that came with two sides. The two sides that we got were potato salad and baked beans. They don't seem to have any vegetables. I was so disappointed because, the chicken was so dry, hard and most importantly cold. And the baked beans are really sweet, but they do taste good. But I just can't do the overly sweet stuff no more. We bought some sauce and that might be the only thing I ever buy from here again.

Honestly, I've only tried this once. But even what I have was nothing to write home about. The bbq was definitely flavorless in comparison to other bbq I've had. They do rely on their sauce, which I'll admit is good. But I also ordered fries and it was a mixture of old and new ones with absolutely no sort of salt or seasoning on them. Staff also did not seem super friendly or helpful. The sign is confusing as there are no time slots about their offerings considering was informed that there are only things available at certain times of day.

In full transparency, I'm vegetarian so my rating does not reflect their mostly meat menu. However, I did taste their hottest BBQ sauce and it was pretty dang good (I'd score that a 5). I'm sure if you put that on anything, it will taste good! I also had their corn nuggets, which were cold, even having them as soon as we got our order. I thought it was a very small serving size for the price. Back to my 3-star rating. There were a number of things that definitely need attention as a food service establishment. First thing you notice when you walk in is the door. It seems like it has shifted so it hits the tile floor and opens only about a third of the way. (Not accessible and not very welcoming at all as it makes a loud scraping sound). The other door entrance/exit door is locked shut for some reason. The outdoor patio is great since there's limited seating inside, but there were dead cockroaches out there that should have been taken care of prior to opening (we went here soon after their opening time on a Saturday morning). The menu seems very simple as it's all listed by item on a board by the cashier. For a newcomer, however, it was a bit hard to decide without photos or descriptions. I looked to yelp for help on this. I know this is a Jax original and a go-to for many folks for decades so I'm sure the simple pleasantries are unimportant to some, but definitely very notable for new visitors. Bottom line: their sauces are worth trying if you haven't!

I'm a vegetarian now but I think I would eat meat if I could go back to Jenkins. That sauce is delicious, especially the hot one. You know the food is good if the ribs are laid on white bread and doused with hot sauce and wrapped in essentially a paper bag. They are my first stop in Jacksonville every time I go. I'm thankful that this black owned business has weathered the decades so very well. The chicken is good too but go for the ribs. Expect a long wait; perfection takes time. You can probably order ahead now. And it's so well worth it if you like little fat and some crunch ask for an end cut of the ribs. I usually get a sandwich or a slab. I can't even tell you what the sides are because they don't even matter. Don't forget to buy a bottle of sauce, but it won't be the same when you make it at home. At least they sell the sauce in a bottle now; now back in the day it used to be that you had to bring your own container. lol I've been coming here since I was a little girl. It's so good that my (adult) kids talk about it...feels like home. I there is no ambience though; plan to take your food and go home to lick your fingers and suck the bones in peace.

This is a Jacksonville classic the barbecue is always delicious. You can smell it a mile away. The ambience is simple. The service is hit or miss but it is delicious overall.

Jenkins has been around for a very long time and rightfully so. Jenkins is VERY famous for their bbq sauce and I have family that always ask to bring them sauce whenever I visit. I go to this particular location because it's close to my job for lunch. I usually get the half chicken with a side. The food normally comes out fairly quick and is reasonablly priced. They also have a drive thru if you dont want to go inside the restaurant. They do have a small area for you to sit down and enjoy your meal. All in all, theres a reason why Jenkins is a staple in the community ans has been around for as long as I can remember

The current iteration of Jenkins falls short of the beloved old Jenkins barbecue. Regrettably, their once delectable barbecue sauce no longer possesses its former allure. In my recent experience, I was dismayed to receive undercooked chicken and ribs that proved to be rather tough. Consistency seems to be lacking in both their culinary offerings and service standards.

Ordered the mustard based bbq sauce online and made some pork. Pretty tasty. Though the ordering site needs some help it took some time to get it to work. It didn't like firefox and it definitely didn't like my phone so it took a while. My next order will need to be in person since it cost as much to ship as the product. So it will be a while before I get more unless my friend is on her way North!

I have been going to Jenkins for a long time (over 50 years). When they are good, they are the best because of the famous mustard based sauce. However, I am not going there again because of the quality control. Every other time I go, I get ribs that are tough as shoe leather. I am tired of playing roulette and being disappointed. It hurts, because the food is really good when it's right. I am finally done.

Last Thursday at 12:40: no pulled pork. Ribs were tough as hell, had to be from the previous day. Beef was not edible. Old St. Aug location is just garbage.

Our school was hosting a Black History event for the students and their families at John E Ford Pk-8th Montessori School. I reached out to Jenkins via email to see if they could assist with the menu. They were extremely helpful, professional, organized, and such a pleasure to work with. The food (Mustard sauce Chicken baked beans, and potato salad) was the highlight of the event! We enjoyed the food so much that we used Jenkins again for our Teacher Appreciation luncheon. I would highly recommend Jenkins BBQ and will continue to support this business because they support the community. We appreciate them so much and are glad they were so supportive of the teachers, faculty, staff, and families of John E Ford.

This place today is over rated, I got to this location and they didn't have ant rib ready they told me 30 minutes so I drove to the other location and they was close the address is 5945 New Kings RD. At 4:30 pm today. Goggle said it was open so I drove back to this location and placed an order for double ribs and I was disappointed for spending 22.58 for six bones. I could've gone to chills or Bahama breeze and get better ribs. The taste was like crewing dry beef jerky. They was no smoke ring on the ribs the sweet sauce was good. I like the fact the ribs was wrapped in butcher paper but I wasted 22.58. They drive through line took forever. I try to try black owned business but this was a joke.

The chicken was a bit drier than I remember, but delicious nonetheless. Highly recommend, especially if you've never been before.

Thought the pork on a bun was good. The mustard sauce was good. My friends got the half a chicken & we're super disappointed because we expected shredded chicken, not full chicken with bones on pieces of soggy bread smothered in sauce. I ate the chicken separate though & it tasted great. Just not sure why they don't do a traditional pulled chicken sandwich. And sauce on the side so the bread isn't pure mush.

Decided to try this spot while downtown (yesterday). Got a chicken sandwich, which was so good. Better half got the rip sandwich, which he wasn't impressed with. Complain was that the meat wasn't cooked to fall off the bone and didn't taste as good as prior visits to the location. I was a little disappointed that they only offer 3 sides, and no Mac and cheese (which is what I was craving) at a BBQ spot

Food was great! Long line. Lemonade was perfect. First time in Jacksonville and will return

I came here on a Sunday almost around halftime during a Jags game. We had to leave for a various reasoning. We were going to head to Bono's but we have never tried the BBQ here before so here comes the experience. We pull up in the drive thru with only one truck in front of us waiting at the window. Score! That gives us a little bit of time to scan the menu and place an order, fast forward 20 minutes later the truck is finally pulling out and we are pulling up.... Not sure how or why I was okay with waiting that long, probably because I was still feeling very tipsy from the Jags game(don't worry the driver did not drink). I got an order of the chicken and ribs snack pack and the wife got the chicken snack pack, oh and some corn nuggets. All of which came out like 20 - 30 minutes later, I don't recall. The food. It was great. The ribs, the chicken and sides, YUM. I had cole slaw and baked beans. The fries and corn nuggets were alright. Will I return? Probably, but I will need to make sure I have a movie downloaded on my phone while I wait at the drive thru. We did not have any issues with service.

Believe the reviews: service is abysmal, do not give them the benefit of the doubt. Driving south to Miami on I-95 I was jonesing for some BBQ. Outside of Savanah I looked for good BBQ in Jacksonville and Jenkins came up. All reviews hinted at slow service so we decided to call ahead and place an order for take out at 12:36. We were told it would be ready in 15 minutes. Great as the GPS showed us 30 minutes out. We arrived at 110 to pick up the food. First don't be put off by the neighborhood. It's a foodie destination. I got off and went inside double masked. As I stood there I started getting concerned. I heard the drive through employee telling people it would be 45 minutes for more ribs to come out. I then saw the manager tell the employees not to hold the people in the drive through line but direct them to park. Mind you I took the last parking space. After waiting a full 15 minutes they asked me what I wanted. I advised that I was there to pick up an order. The sever then went back and got a bag. She then advised that although my pulled pork sandwich was ready, the ribs were not. I thought for a minute: "Hmm my sandwich has been sitting there for an hour and you didn't pack the rib sandwich. Now you want me to wait another couple of minutes for the ribs and eat a sandwich (and sides) that have been in a bag an hour and half?" I decided to leave right there and then at 129. By that time I hit a McDonalds at an exit on I95; the one thing I was trying to avoid. This is not COVID related. I have never been to a restaurant that runs out of their signature dish in the middle of lunch. That's just incredible bad planning and managing. Do yourself a favor, and believe the reviews. Service is atrocious. Just pass up on this place.

I spent 31.00 and had to come home and cook the ribs. I dont expect anything to be done, but they were soooo tough could not eat. Need to be held accountable for the product they put out....

Jenkin's is unlike other BBQ spots. You can't compare their sauce to others. The esthetic isn't the most appealing, but the taste will stick with you for years to come. Once you have Jenkin's, whether you love it or not, you'll always remember that flavor of the sauce.

The past few times I've come to Jenkins and tried to get some barbecue the dining room's been closed. It's always a drive-thru. And that drive-thru takes to the next coming of Christ for them to get you your food. They take their sweet time.

Great quality and fair price. I will definitely return and get one of everything again!

My blood boils to a temperature that could melt Frosty the Snow Man instantaneously... every time I visit a black establishment and receive HORRIBLE customer service! Now I just expect it and I'm usually not wrong! Don't get it misconstrued, every place is not the same and I've received some amazing customer service from blacked owned businesses, it's just rare for me! I only came to Jenkins because Phò Forever was closed, Phò Noodle was packed and it was the only place left in route to church. I drove up and was greeted by a woman with no words and a nasty expression on her face, very short with her responses and it made me hesitant to order (but I had ten minutes until church so I sucked it up). I ordered the rib sandwich (for my ex), and six wings for me. I told her I waned two sides and she walked away from the window. She came back and blandly said, "it'll be $15.... Blah blah blah" I said, "does that include the sides?" She responded "nah, what did you want?!" I told her and she walked away right before I could add a drink!!! Because I was over HER, I decided I would buy a drink from somewhere else. I waited 15 minutes because the wings are made to order, she gave me the wrong side, but I wasn't surprised. There are too many BBQ restaurants/joints in Jacksonville for anyone to go through bad customer service!! Especially for the price you pay here!! I can't lie and say their food wasn't good... But customer service is half of the key to success. Good food or not, I won't be returning to this location. My Tip: DRIVE PAST JENKINS AND GO TO HOLLEY'S... At least you'll drive away with a smile!! Happy Yelping...

So my sister could not leave Jacksonville, FL without first getting some Jenkins Barbecue! My sister and aunt frequented this place years ago and told me all about the remarkable barbecue here. I'm not a huge fan of barbecue fan, but when I personally witnessed the long line of cars wrapped around the building and spilling into the Main Street, I was convinced that this place is doing a lot of things right! Lol! This place serves nothing more than good southern, homestyle, old fashioned barbecue. My sister told me that when she would come here, she'd always get the rib sandwich (about $9/$10) and my aunt would always order the fries with the mild/yellow barbecue sauce drizzled on top! I however, went with the pulled pork barbecue sandwich with extra mild sauce and actually wished I'd orders that PLUS a rib sandwich! Luckily my expectations were met and my taste buds were satisfied! I have to say, this will now be a must-stop whenever I'm back in J-ville! Great job you guys!

Finally tried local legend Jenkins BBQ today for lunch! Their lobby is currently closed, drive thru only. From the time I got in line it was about 15-20 minutes until I received my food, but only about 5 minutes after I placed my actual order at the speaker. It was very fast in my opinion considering they're not "fast food" you know? One woman was taking orders and greeting customers at the window, props to her because I know that's hard! But she was fast and friendly. I ordered two pork on a buns (one with sweet sauce one with mustard sauce), two sides of fries and a side of baked beans. Unfortunately our order was a little bit wrong, one of the fries had sauce on it and both sandwiches came with the same mustard sauce. But I didn't even care because it was all delicious and didn't make too much of a difference. I see a lot of reviews raving about their sauce, and they're absolutely spot on! The sweet sauce LOOKS like mustard sauce but is absolutely delicious, and the mustard sauce is perfectly tangy. I will definitely add this local joint to my lunch rotation and might even buy a bottle of sauce soon.

Walking in, staff does not recognize guests. Posted hours say they close at midnight.. but when we order, they only offered whole chicken. Not impressed. Decided take my elsewhere.

Good rids slathered in a hot mustard based BBQ sauce. I got the "snack" which included two slices of white bread, coleslaw and beans. It was affordable and OK. Nothing to rave about but nice to support an old local operation. They have a drive through so that is helpful during these times of social distancing.

I love Jenkins and once you try their food you will return to sample every dish it's all so good

Stopped by this small barbeque joint and could actually smell the food from down the street. Came in and was greeted with a smile. Ordered the rib sandwich and the potato salad.. the sauce alone stands by itself and the ribs was plentiful . I was literally in the food zone.. come check this great barbecue place you will come back for more...

My friends and I rode motorcycles from Daytona Beach to eat at Jenkins Quality Barbecue. There was no quality about it. I ordered the rib snack meal with two sides. The coleslaw was excellent, the fries were OK but the ribs were smothered in mustard sauce and were tough as shoe leather. I ask for a knife to possibly be able to cut it and then try to chew it and was told there's no knives. The plastic fork didn't begin to cut it. I ate my fries and my slaw and brought the ribs home, put them in the crockpot for three hours and they were still tough. Won't be going back there.

Will travel for food. That's what I think of when it comes to Jenkins. I live in DeLand, FL. and will travel an hour and a half to Jacksonville, FL. just to sink my teeth into their Rib sandwiches! The rib sandwich is essentially a slab of about 4 or so ribs, smothered in their house BBQ sauce (there's nothing better, highly recommend!), with 2 slices of white bread smashed on the top and bottom, totaling 4 slices of bread. It's not an actual sandwich where you bite into it. Please don't do that, you might lose some teeth. What I like to do is peel off the white bread that is now soaked in the bbq sauce, eat that, because it's delicious on it's own, trust me! Then, pull apart the ribs and chow down. They're bone-in ribs but they're oh so tender that the meat just falls off of the bone. Please tell me how they do that! It's sweet, spicy, smokey, and everything I've ever wanted in BBQ. I crave them, literally.

Jenkins is a barbecue staple in Jacksonville. Today I picked up a catering order for my office's holiday party. For just shy of $200, we ordered 4 slabs of ribs, 7 chickens, and 4lbs of barbecue beef, 1 tray of buns, 3 bags of Wonderbread, and a bottle each of the sweet, mild, and hot sauce. The catering manager is very accommodating with orders. We requested the chicken be separated into white and dark for easier serving. We also request that the breasts be cut in half for smaller pieces since people love to sample many different things. Our order was ready and waiting for us when I arrived to pick up. The staff carried the trays to my trunk and I was in and out in about 10 minutes. All of he employees enjoy Jenkins food as we've had then cater our party before. There is also one staff member who eyes the sauce to snag a leftover bottle for home. He has a history of loving and buying the barbecue sauce. While waiting for our order, I had to resist buying dessert that were staring at me from the case, especially the mini sweet potato pie. Then I wondered how long it would take to add on an order of corn nuggets while we waited. In the end I resisted and just left with the catering. This location is downtown on Pearl between Beaver and Union. It's a short walk if you take the skyway to the main bus terminal on Union but your travel time can be slow waiting for the Skyway to show up.

I went there for lunch and got the half chicken with mild sauce and cole slaw. I should have gotten the ribs. The best thing about the meal was the mustard base bar b que sauce. The chicken I got was tasty but dry. It was half of a very small chicken also. But the sauce was good. Yes I would come back. Jenkins has a unique taste and I have to return at least twice a year.

I am new to Jacksonville and Jenkins was recommended by one of my coworkers. I was highly disappointed. I ordered double orders of ribs and a whole chicken, it was all dry. The ribs were tough almost inedible and the chicken was dry. I will not be returning.

I love me some BBQ. Have had some of the so called best in the south. From Franklins in Austin TX and Killens in Pearland TX to The Joint, Mcclures , and Blue Oak in the N.O.(New Orleans) to Rendevous and Payne's in Memphis to Leatha's (you gotta try) in Hattiesburg, MS to Big Bob Gibson's( never again)in Decatur, AL to Fox Bros in the ATL. Jenkins does good BBQ. When I stepped out of the car I could smell the wood. Ohhh what a beautiful smell. Hopes were high and they didn't disappoint. Except with the 2oz potato salad for $1.75. it was good but I was shocked for real. I even asked the lady was this the right serving size and she said yes. Highway robbery son. You can buy a whole bag of potatoes for about 2-3 dollars. And they had forgot to give it to me, luckily I checked before I left. And the reviews were right about the attitudes of the staff. They weren't mean or dismissive but definitely weren't friendly...... and I can deal with that. My wait wasn't too long either. Came on a Friday around 6 pm. Which I don't mind when it comes to real bbq. I got the double order for about $17. It comes with 6 pieces of white bread on top and bottom of already sauced ribs. I went with the sweet which was really good. It's a mustard-based bbq sauce and I got a side of the mild which is also made with mustard. And no, the ribs are not "fall off the bone." More like "tear off the bone." But that's because of the way they cook them. I'm telling you, you shouldn't judge ribs by if they are super tender or not. Applebee's and all those chain restaurants pop them ribs in an oven and sauce em down. You find yourself loving the sweet sauce and not the meat. These are some of the best pork ribs I've tasted; better then Franklins. I sho hate I'm working toward giving up pork. Jenkins is on the pricey side though. Saw that a whole rack was $27. But.......... you get what you pay for ...........every blue moon. And I'll be back to try the beef. Yes sir. If they ever get more friendly attitudes, a slightly quicker time on the food, and a bigger menu, they could really make a bigger name for themselves; just MY opinion. They say in Real Estate it's "location, location, location." In food service it's "customer service, customer service, customer service." Good food helps though and price.

FIRST - if you decide to go, prepare for an adventure. I really really mean it and do NOT go if you are under a time restraint. If time is an issue - realize time doesn't mean $4!T to them - at all! From the drive in - it took 45 mins to even place my order yesterday. RIBS - have never been good to me - EVER. They still have the membrane on them and are chewy. The more sauced they swim in is better. CHICKEN - is A PLUS. I have realized I really haven't had much better. SAUCE - I'm a ketchup/tomato based man but I LOVE this mustard-based sauce, and love the HOT!!! I have them put the sauce ON TOP of the fries- now a pretty bland of gris becomes an delight to eat. Customers are an interesting lot. Guess thats why I do the drive thru but it's still interesting. I love the attitude of some of their staff - exceptionally funny when you see how defensive they are.... almost like a live reality show!!!! That mustard based sauce is solo frigging good - that I use that white bread to soak up all of what's left of that spice hot mustard based sauce .... but do prepare for an adventure!!!!

After further soul searching giving Jenkins 1 star is just not right. I grew up on these guys as a kid and if I decide to eat bbq Jenkins is always my first stop. But y'all still slow and I love it. And now y'all got a drive thru!! Ok Jenkins I see you.

Jenkins is COMING UP!! since they've added the speaker box, service has improved tremendously and so has the flavor and food preparation. I've been back times since and everything has been great! I felt like I OWED Jenkins BBQ a new review. They've been feeding Duval folks for generations and have been absolutely consistent with their flavor of sauce. They are a Jacksonville treasure. Before everyone jumped on the BBQ trend with zero proprietary taste or flavor, Jenkins was there! AND IT

Consistently the WORST service I've received at ANY restaurant ANYWHERE at ANY time in my life. This time, after 25 minutes in the drive through (didn't even make it to the window), someone came out and said they were out of everything but chicken wings, and it would take another 30 minutes for anything else - at lunch time. I retry this place every 5 years or so to see if they get any better, but in 30 years, they haven't. Avoid at all costs. I'd give them 0 stars since I didn't get any food, but this site won't let me.

This update reflects the results of my independent Jax. Rib Off. Five slabs from five different restaurants were test tasted by 11 hand picked rib experts. Jenkin's - Tenderness - 2.3, Smokey Taste - 2.8, Moistness - 3.1, Fat Content - 3.6 and Personal Preference - 2.6 Overall Average - 2.9. Comments: High expectations preceded these ribs from a well established and long time Jax BBQ family. But they were significantly lacking tenderness, smoky taste and moistness. Very disappointing product gets 5th place. Not recommended. I can remember getting que from the Kings Rd. location back in the days when they competed with Tally Ho, Ezells, Cotton's and Taylor's. These 5 joints were the bench marks of the best in Jax. Unfortunately, Jenkin's and Cotton's are the only ones to survive, and the latter doesn't' count. I can't say Jenkin's has been my favorite, but I've had the beef sandwich and ribs there. And I admit I quit eating there when I saw wooden freight pallets stacked up at this location. I asked if they burn them to smoke their meats and the answer was "sho do". OMG, you could see chemicals spilled on them from the products that road on them. So, I boycotted it for years. In recent months, I haven't seen any sign that this is still the practice. Just like Jay said, they make an excellent mustard based sauce. I love it but my problem is sometimes I prefer a dry-rub rib as opposed to basted ribs, and they baste with that sauce. I think their M-sauce is on equal par with the M-sauce at The Pig. One word to the wise. Never request that your order be drenched in Jenkin's HOT M-sauce. It can be nuclear meltdown hot. Not even an asbestos throat can handle it. 3 Stars - BEEF SANDWICH - Sliced a little thick, but I've learned to ask for it chopped. Drenched in M-sauce is the only way to go. 2 Stars - PORK SPARE RIBS - For as long as they have been doing these, you'd think they'd have it down by now. Just inconsistently unremarkable. 1 Star - CLEANLINESS - Dirty is the best word, just dirty. 2 Stars - SERVICE - Sometimes it's okay, sometimes they have bad attitudes and seem grumpy. With so many que joints to chose from in J-town, I seldom drive to Jenkin's.

As a native Duvalian, I've been eating Jenkin's since my incisors came in. There's something about their white bread smothered in mustard sauce and served on butcher paper that makes everything right in the world. Sure, sometimes the ribs and chicken are about as juicy as beef jerky, but if you go in with low expectations, every once in a while you'll be blown away! Even though the quality of the meat is hit or miss, and you'd probably get better service in a prison cafeteria, I can't get enough. Jenkin's, I can't quit you.

Probably the best damn ribs I've ever had in MY LIFE!!! Seriously, I literally live around the corner from this gem, and I can't believe I've only discovered them yesterday... service is fantastic, and it's truly homemade southern BBQ. Their homemade sauce is to die for. Support local family owned businesses because Jenkins is the perfect example of why you should! You have a customer for life with me!!!

Jenkins Barbecue has been a place to eat as long as I can remember. I no longer live in Jacksonville but everytime I come home it's one of our first spots to eat. Monday evening I ordered a half of chicken mild sauce and fries with sauce. It was soooooo good and took me back to my childhood. The chicken was smothered in their signature mustard based barbecue sauce with slices of with bread wrapped in butcher paper. The Pearl St location is our favorite location. Very affordable and a great place to eat while in Jacksonville.

The bbq chicken is the best I've ever had. Their sauce is incredible. Waited a long time in the drive thru but it was well worth it.

Thank you and i will always come back to Jenkins cause its the best bbq in Jacksonville and even though i had a long wait the food was delicious.

When the reset of Downtown Jacksonville is completely dead on a weekday or holiday, this place was almost an oasis for my hungry stomach. DOWN AND DIRTY DIVE This tiny building can probably only seat 15 diners inside. The outside was definitely worn out and the inside is the perfect example of an owner who thought of the food first and didn't put any planning into the "so fresh and so clean" appearance to the rest of the building. But... HOME COOKING FOR THE PRICE I was surprised their main Sauce is Mustard-based. Brilliant! (Especially if you're a mustard fan) Although I'll admit--having all this brown and yellow slathered all over the meats and breads doesn't make it very appealing visually. Ah okay, I'll eat this delicious meal with my eyes closed anyway! It's a thick Sauce, not too salty, with that strong Mustard twang. My friend's Chicken Sandwich looked like a the kitchen had just thrown Grilled Chicken, Mustard Sauce, and two Bread slices into a bag and shook it up before serving--an explosion! It was mildly silly how it was arranged like a sandwich but you still had to take it apart to get the bones off the Chicken. My own Pork Sandwich was a little stringy and lacking in sauce (especially in comparison to the Chicken Sandwiches) but luckily they give extras. The bread was just so-so. Plain and almost like an afterthought. Very very inexpensive.

We to eat tonight and sat at the bar to eat. Well they acted like we were ghost.. No Service at all.

My husband has always been a true fan of Jenkins Barbecue. He has always reminisce about how the tasted when he and his family would visit when com i mg into town. Well today I had a chance to see and visit myself and I was not impressed at all. The building needs to be renovated. It's the very same from 30 years ago bathrooms are just unsanitary conditions. I just don't understand how can you cook food in a place not keep up dated. It doesn't have to be fancy but do the necessary to keep it attractive looking. We ordered wings and they were ok the sauce was ok.

Great BBQ.... sometimes the sandwiches taste really microwaved. Open pretty late. The drive thru service is pretty slow, otherwise a great place. I get the same meal everytime I visit: Beef sandwich, fries with mild sauce, and a giant sweet tea. I mostly do the drive thru, but I occasionally eat in for lunch. If you want a cool trendy dining room, then you will hate it. If you like eating with a poster of Steve Harvey and President Obama staring at you, then you will love it!