Jabo's Bar-Be-Q

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 7/10 and No. Located down in Greenwood Village, Jabo's was one that was recommended to me heavily on a Reddit thread a few months ago, so I wanted to make a point of trying them out. Sitting in a small strip mall, there's not a ton of ambiance or smell inviting you in from the parking lot, but not a requirement either. Once inside, the experience started with Jabo coming out and walking me through his sauce process, with 6 rotating options available that he makes in-house and then allows you to blend and choose the spice level. This is 100% unique and not something I’ve ever experienced before. That said, I can't say that it added much value to the experience, especially as someone who isn't big on sauced BBQ. However, Jabo is a super-friendly owner with a personal touch and has been here for 25 years, so it is certainly one of the more historic BBQ options in the state. As I waited for my food to arrive, there was light blues music playing, which created a sit-down dinner vibe that seemed more like it used to be a pizza joint, but was converted to BBQ. Red walls and red leather booths and chairs blend with black trim and black and white tiled floors, which was fine, but not the typical BBQ vibes you see. A light and pleasant smoke smell was in the air, but nothing overpowering. I was also warned multiple times about the portion sizes, and they were certainly larger than expected. However, even though the portions were large, the meat itself fell flat in terms of flavor and quality, and the sauces could only salvage so much. So while the service is great, and the owner is very friendly, sadly, the food quality didn’t match, so not one I’d come back to. Full review at The House Of Salt & Smoke

As soon as we walked in we were overwhelmed by such an amazing smell. Instantly drooling and ready to eat. Jabo, the owner, came out and described his food and sauces and has you taste test all the sauces so he knows how best to serve you. Between his deep south accent, and his obvious love of what he does I just know the food will be amazing. I was 100% on point. The food is delicious and plenty of it. By far the best smoked meat and bbq in Denver. Ribs, brisket, pulled pork, hot links, mac-n-cheese, baked beans - come get some.

Had Jabos for the first time and it was one of the best first dining experiences ive had. Jabo introduced himself to us and showed us all of the available sauces and customized whatever sauces we wanted together with how much heat we wanted. We got the Jabos links and they were delicious! Mac n Cheese and potato salad were also top notch. Im just disappointed I just found this place and not sooner. I will 100% come back to Jabos again.

We're constantly in search of a really good bbq restaurant in the Denver area. Yesterday we tried Jabo's. I have such mixed feelings. Jabo himself and his wife clearly love what they do and it shows in the care they take with each and every customer. Jabo explained his process and had us taste his amazing sauces customizing the experience and flavors to what we like, which I loved. The pulled pork was amazing, really flavorful but my husbands dish of brisket was just OK. There was quite a sticker shock for the price. At approx $26-$32 per person for the meat, 1 side and a donut/beignet (although awesome) not including our drink for lunch i struggled. Justifying the cost as family owned and operated, long time obvious pit master and desperately wanting to support local I feel some lower priced items on the menu would bring in more people and gave a good mix of economic dishes with even just a taste of the pit master he is. The interior is bright red with black and white checkered floors which doesn't speak bbq to me but it's clean and neat and you're greeted with a very wide smile by everyone. Go for the experience brace yourself if you're not used to paying that much for lunch and be ready for a lesson of exactly how knowledgeable he is about what you are eating.

Sue and Jabo are so awesome. I have a favorite BBQ spot in Montana, but this takes the cake in Colorado. Best Brisket sandwich I’ve had!

Worth the visit plus...20 plus year of BBQ experience. The owner Jabo comes out and greets every customer. There is a suace tasting to determine the style of BBQ sauce that meets your palate and taste. Meat is tender and seasoned perfectly. Sides are homemade and tasty,.Mac&cheese was flavor and had those crispy burnt sides. Brisket was tender and just the right fat. Sausage had visible pepper and other spices. The sauce.. ..made to order.. Employees were welcoming and I got to see the pit. Sweat tea.was how I like not overly sweetened. YOU NEED TO CHECK THIS PALCE OUT. FILLED WITH LOVE AND STORIES. Thanks Jabo

One of the best BBQ places I've been too. Jabo himself will come explain all the homemade sauces and how BBQ should be made and eaten. His wife will come jab with you as well. But the BBQ itself is hands down some of the best around. Go give it a try and enjoy.

Words can not express the experience that we had at Jabo’s. The owner came to our table and provided a thorough overview of his style of smoking ribs, as well as allowing us to sample multiple barbecue sauces. We were so surprised by the large portions and the incredible flavor. It's been a month since we visited, and I am longing to get back there. If you are in the area, I highly recommend it. 10/10

It's been several years since I've visited this establishment and I have been missing out. The food is prepared wonderfully and tasty. Their happy owner hisself always greets you and visits your table to tell you about the types of meats and to also share information about the different types of bbq sauces. He'll even mix them if you want. The greens were definitely my favorite side. I'm definitely going to return sooner than later.

I like this place but they have adopted a practice I find abhorrent. Today, I stopped in for lunch and it was a $25 bill. Service was good and I left a 20% tip - all fine and good. But then, after paying my bill, I see they charged an additional 4% for, I assume, the use of a credit card. Here's the deal. First, credit card companies have ALWAYS charged merchants for accepting them. Yes, it has grown from 2-3% to sometimes 4%, but this is now being passed completely onto the care user. Okay... how about telling customers up front? Nothing on the menu, nothing from the server, no little signs anywhere by the register, and when my bill was rung up, nothing from the person handing me the receipt. I get they could just up the costs of their menu items to cover this and I wouldn't know any different. But guess what, that makes perfect sense and I wouldn't care, because that is why one posts a price. It allows the customer to decide what they want. What makes this worse though, is the fact the owners work the floor, serving customers - so they are the ones who made this lack-of-transparency decision. Call me a Chad or Karen, but lately I have been really getting tires for these deceptive methods of increasing their revenue. It may be tilting at windmills, but Jaobo's lost my respect and my business.

Jabo's wasn't just a restaurant but an experience!!! Jabo himself walked us through all his BBQ sauces and we got to choose the ones we liked best based on our palette. Then we ordered accordingly - I got the brisket and my husband got the pulled pork sandwich which is HUGE. The food was wonderful!! We had enough to take leftovers home for lunch tomorrow. Jabo was extremely hospitable and the whole experience will definitely keep us coming back!

Been going here since I moved to CO back in 2014. Best BBQ in Greenwood Village! Food, sauces, are 10@% authentic & amazing Highly recommended Service is counter to order @ they bring out. Super sweet! Ambiance is like you are in south.

this centennial staple is a must visit. great bbq place. Jabo is a great host and the food is A++.

Fantastic!! Very Friendly Owner! Expert at Barbecue Sauce Flavors.. Some Sauces way to hot for me but Mac and cheese is to die for...

Being a Southern Girl, I love Bbq and good bbq is difficult to find in Colorado. I had heard and read on Yelp great things about this family owned restaurant. It's in a small, unpretentious strip mall. The restaurant is small but nicely decorated and very clean. My son and I went at lunchtime and it was pretty busy. We were greeted at the door by Mr. Jabo himself. He asked if we had ever been there before and when we replied in the negative, he patiently explained the history of the restaurant, his different sauces, etc. He his lovely wife Susan, waited on us. Both these people are wonderful people and obviously proud of their food. As they should be. I had the pulled pork and the beans on the side. My meal also came with their famous Sconut. My son had the Jabo link sandwich with potato salad on the side. The food was excellent. But the best part was the service. I felt like I was visiting old friends, even though we just met them. Lovely people serving lovely food. We will return!

Jabo and his wife are AMAZING! Good BBQ is meant to be enjoyed and savored. If you're in a rush, don't cheat yourself out of this experience. Go when you are not in a rush.

Back in Jan '24 saw all the amazing reviews and brought my coworker from Taiwan who's never had American BBQ before. Decor was cool with a retro vibe. However the store was empty on a Monday 4-6pm. Owner was super friendly took 15 mins to explain all the sauces and his focus on sauces as main differentiator vs other BBQ joints. I liked the different sweetness, heat, smoked wood and acidity choices. However the meats were too dry for me. Briskets, ribs, were all overcooked and dry. Maybe something was wrong just that day. For me the meats should be the star and the sauces complement.

Nice staff and owner. Really inviting and really cares about the food and the experience.

I have been going here nearly 20 years. I rarely see it written about but it is truly an awesome southern style (my strong personal preference) bbq spot. Great pulled pork, huge sausage sandwich and the best homemade sauce options anywhere in the state. Portions are huge - nothing like the little ice cream scoop size sandwich portion one gets and some of the high priced trendy bbq spots that have opened over the last 5/6 years. Jabo and his wife make it a a personal and great experience for every diner. Try this spot- you'll be hooked.

In town from the East Coast and I absolutely love BBQ. I try to support black owned businesses wherever I go. FROM THE DOOR....I knew this was a real deal BBQ spot. You can smell it. I cook BBQ. Eat a lot of it and love small business...non chains, so this was a joy. Miss Susan greeted me with a warm smile and wonderful spirit. She was handling the whole dinning room with the skill that only comes with experience and love for people. Anyway, she offered me a great sample tasting of the sauces. Wonderful touch that just made the experience that much more enjoyable. She gave me the "bad news" that there was no more brisket for the day. I will get back for that later this weekend. The ribs were juicy and smokey. 4 cheese Mac & Cheese was tasty. The meals come with a beignet type of creation that was quite enjoyable. 1)Food was great 2)owner is a true pitmaster 3)Wife is the perfect host. Going back in the next two days. I want to dine in next time to take in the whole experience.

4.5 stars - you come to Jabo's for the experience. Don't just run in and grab a sandwich to go. Instead, have a seat, let Jabo come out and educate you about his sauces, then sample them all and dial in exactly what you want and put it over whatever meat suits your fancy. You'll learn more about barbecue in your visit here than you would reading any cookbook or watching any show or video. The man knows his way around the smoker and takes it very seriously, even though he's always talking to people and laughing, and you can see the pride he takes in sharing his Louisiana roots with the Denver community. I hadn't been here in a really long time but was in the area and stopped in again, and I'm very glad to see that it's just like it was the last time. Don't miss this place.

This place is awesome! The owners are very gracious and very attentive. They love to tell you all about their restaurant, the recipes, their history. It's all very adorable. Good ambience. The owner has you taste test the different types of barbecue sauce before you order so that he can match the barbecue sauce used on the food to your exact taste. I've never had that at a barbecue place, but it was very awesome. The food was really good and the portions were very big. The only reason why I'm not giving this place five stars is because it's incredibly expensive.

BEST BBQ in Colorado HANDS DOWN!!! This was absolutely incredible. The sauces, the service, the BBQ. And the Mac and cheese and Cole slaw 10/10. I simply could not have been more pleased! I have found my new BBQ spot and can't wait to go back again. Thanks so much for being here! We love you! As someone coming from NC I would say this aligns with what I am used to and I would say is even better than most I've had! Worth flying in for honestly. You won't regret it!

Excellent food!!! I've eating at alot of bbq restaurants and this one is definitely at the top of my list. Dinner portions are huge, along with the home made sides. BBQ sauces are all made in house and you can select the heat level for your desired sauce. I will be back for more when I'm Denver!!!! Thank you Jabo's!!!

With so many great reviews, not sure what to add. I will say I have been driving by Jabo's for years and never knew it was there. I search up BBQ all over the country as I travel and it's a real miss to only now be discovering this place! The owner or his wife welcomes you at the door and for first timers Jabo explains the operation. He features a Louisiana style BBQ and if you aren't familiar, Jabo will explain how it differs from KC and Texas styles. I will simply say it features huge portions of delicious meats! Jabo prides himself on breaking the traditional 3 sauces of most places. Rotating 6 sauces from the 22 he makes from scratch and adjusting the heat to your taste means return visits can always be an adventure. I had the brisket sandwich and my friend did the pulled pork. Both were perfectly prepared. We both had Jabo's Mango BBQ Sauce which was the perfect sweet and spice! We shared the onion rings and each had the awesome Jabo dessert that similar to a donut or a New Orlean's beignet!

We came back in to Jabo's tonight after a game of bowling across the street and I just wanted to add a couple things to my review including an interior photo because I wanted to highlight how unique the atmosphere is and that red is the color of appetite! Which I love. Also, if you're a first timer, Jabo himself comes to greet you and does a barbecue tasting which adds greatly to the guest experience. So come check the hidden gem out if you haven't already and please, please order the sconuts!

The best BBQ anywhere in Denver. It was incredible experience, made even better by the owner providing customized homemade sauce options. The ribs and brisket are unmatched.

Truly authentic Southern BBQ back before culinary schools made a mess of it. This is it... the standard to which you'll compare BBQ from now on. Jabo will show you 6 great sauces but start with his base sauce that he has been perfecting for 50 years. Jabo's pulled pork and mild sausage are wonderful canvases to paint with any of his house-made sauces.

Stop scrolling! Put down the burger! Head here now!! Why, you say? Read Below: Beans; are sweet, but a good sweet, with an incredibly complex flavor. You can tell these are homemade. I'd get this every time! Sconuts; they could just sell these amazing creations and make a living. These things are incredible! Scone/Donut = Heaven. Yes, these beautiful people gave me 2! Sauce blend? Heck yeah! Mix it up people, this beats any store bought sauce! I mixed 3 and omg, ridiculous. Ribs; juicy, so juicy, bring goggles or a bib. Pro-tip; Get extra napkins if you order the ribs! This place is amazing, top to bottom.

First the amazing aspects of Jabo's surround Jabo and his wife. The service and hospitality are definitely 5 star- Jabo had me taste Tue 5-6 different bbq sauces similar to flight for alcohol tastings. He was lovely in his explanation, thoroughness and joy in his 'custom' made to taste sauces. The Pulled pork was fabulous and I highly recommend it- My two issues follow- the cost and serving size- the size of the sandwich was like a disc golf, huge. It was really for four people and cost $18 which was the least expensive item on the menu. A bbq plate was in the $30s, other choices were in the $50s definitely unexpected and too high for a simple BBQ spot. The large Portions might justify the cost but I believe smaller portions allow you to enjoy the meal fresh and in the restaurant. Reheating bread and bbq with/ without the sauce is not the best. As I was leaving the place filled with smoke from the smoking process making many people cough with the irritation. I cannot afford to make this a regular spot with 5-Michelin Star prices- I am a retired veteran on a fixed income and despite the 5-star owners I cannot make this place a habit. I think folks should give it a shot for the incredible food and service- cost and size may not matter to others.

Great food. Flexible and very informative staff. Best place for BBQ around! Highly recommend!

I live up north (Northglenn), but anytime I'm in the DTC area around lunch time I stop in. The Jabo dog with brisket /hot cherry sauce is my go to, with unsweetened tea. The owners are so friendly. Don't sleep on this place, old school vibe with flavor town eats.

First time in and the ribs, sausage and pulled pork were really good. This is definitely a southern bbq experience! We will be back!

Such great BBQ. The food was so fresh and delicious. I had the pulled pork lunch. This place has multiple sauces to choose from, and they can customize the spice levels if you want some heat to your sauce. Jabo is such a great guy. He always comes out to say hello to new customers. Make sure to try the dessert. It is so good. Oh and don't forget the sweet tea.

I like the owner. With that said I'm not a fan of the ribs. They are not very good. Over smoked. Dry. His sauces are average Service sometimes slow. Pulled pork sandwich good. Desserts are good. Still I can't recommend this place it's below average for me. It's probably 2.5 stars but not 3 stars.

Hospitality was great. Food was great. Wonderful experience. I really enjoyed how many different flavors of sauce they had and helped me figure out what flavor I enjoyed best.

We've eaten at Jabo's 3 times. The food is just OK (sconuts are great), the decor is neat and Jabo is entertaining. Last visit was 8/23 with 2 friends, service wasn't great, we had to find staff to get refills and then again to get our check. We had 4 $15 gift certificates. Jabo would only honor 2 at a time. Since the gift certs are only good for 4 months we're out $30 as they are now expired. Poor customer service and greed just cost you a couple customers. Won't be recommending Jabo's to friends.

Food was amazing the cronuts were to die for and all of Jabos sauces were on point great selection as well

This place was great! We found this spot on the way to the Springs and it didn't disappoint. We started off by trying their many different choices of bbq sauces. All were really good so it was hard to choose just one. I had the pull pork with potato salad and the portions were very large. Also, the skonut was a nice surprise also!

This is probably the most amazing food ordering restaurant experience I've ever had. These people were the nicest people that I've ever experienced in a restaurant. The owners were great. I definitely recommend the food was excellent! And the place was beautiful

Amazing food and a wide variety of sauces to choose from - they will not serve you until they make sure they personalize options. Service staff very warm and friendly.

AMAZING lunch at Jabo's! It started with a taste test of sauces, including some mixes suggested by Susan and by Jabo himself. Then you indicate how mild or hot you like things. We opted to split a dinner portion of pork ribs, which came with our customized sauces (I'm hickory mild and he chose mango hickory + Texas vinegar medium this time), two sides (made fresh daily by Susan - I chose honey maple beans and he chose potato salad), and two Sconuts. Yes, I said Sconuts. We cleaned the plates, practically licking them. I could eat this food for lunch or dinner anytime, and the Sconuts all day long. Their sweetness nicely rounds out the meal. In the words of Arnold S, we'll be back!!

All I can truly say is that this place is on fire. Coming from TN, where we have some of the best BBQ, this place puts my fav BBQ from back home to shame. The Mac N Cheese is to die for. It's so creamy. This isn't a cheap place by any means, and I couldn't come often, but the portions are huge. Their dessert Utah scone thing was heavenly. All of their bbq sauces are on point. This place will be hard to beat.

I had a different experience at Jabo's than the majority of the reviewers. While the service was very good, the food wasn't. I ordered the pork ribs, and it was very dry to the point that the meat took effort to chew. The coleslaw was also just so so. The Utah cronut was the only good thing on the plate. The sauce tasting was interesting, but you only get to choose one with the meal.

I've been coming to Jabo's for a long time. Because I live in Florida now I haven't been here lately. But what a great meal we had. The beef brisket and pork ribs were off the chart. Their prices are good and you can just feel the passion they have for the food they serve. They even offer a bbq sauce sampler so you can pick the sauce and make it as hot as you can handle. Thanks guys for making our meal an outstanding addition to enjoying a family affair. This place is a must must place to go if your wanting excellent bbq.

Some of the best BBQ I've ever had. That's what I came out of Jabos saying. I was in town from vacation and this was the first spot I visited as soon as I put down my bags. Jabos has been serving the Denver Tech Center/Greenwich village and surrounding areas for 19 years. Being in a location that long you know the place has to be excellent. They specialize in what he calls old fashioned pit bbq. Where they make everything in house from scratch and I can attest to that because I cleaned my plate like I just washed my dish I couldn't get enough. They have 22 different varieties of sauces. I started with the spare ribs and first thing I have to say is that the portions are HUGE. The ribs fell of the bone with every bite. The meat was tender and the sauce was outstanding. I really couldn't get enough I struggled to finish my plate even though I wanted to leave some for leftovers so bad. I was also able to try the pulled pork sandwich it was so big I only had room for a few bites. The bun was a soft buttery roll. The macaroni and cheese was creamy and delicate. Overall if your looking for great bbq jabos is the spot, you will not be disappointed

This BBQ business is awesome with huge portions and amazing food. The owner Jabo and his employees are very friendly, polite and make the experience well worth the trip.

The best BBQ in centennial and probably the city. Jabo came out and explain all the sauces to us. The meat was amazing. Can't wait to go back here.

Jabo is the best. Attentive, cares for his customers and always a smile and the food is fantastic! Best BBQ in town You will not be disappointed!

Another great visit. BBQ is all outstanding, great flavor and tender. I chose the crandberry BBQ sause- very very good. Just the right amount of sweet. Wife had pulled pork. Rings were just flat good. Enjoyed dine in for lunch.

We recently came here for a work event to celebrate the end of Black History Month, so glad we were able to meet Jabo and try this delicious spot! Jabo makes 25+ different bbq sauces and will showcase to you 6 of his main flavors to get an idea for what you like. My partner and I both ordered the brisket dinner which comes with two sides and 2 sconuts. I had the sweet potato fries and the potato salad. The sweet potato fries were great and instead of salted and sugar was added. The sconuts were delicious and our table also ordered onion rings which had amazing flavor. Their fry cook knows what they're doing! I would say the brisket was a bit on the dry end which is why the sauces were so important. I'm not a big bbq sauce person so that's why one star less for me, I prefer the meat to stand out in its own. Thanks Jabo and team for a great night!

Jabo was so nice and helpful and his food is really good I think! he gave us tastes of the flavors before we ordered for free so that we could decide what flavor we liked!

I am in Denver for work and come here every. Single. Time!! Jabo takes great pride in his work and shares his passion with his customers!! Go early for brisket as he sells out often. I had the pulled pork today and it did not disappoint!! You have to have a sconut (or 3) when visiting!! Just fabulous!!

What an experience! Not only is this some of the best barbecue I've ever had, the work done up front to ensure it would be enjoyable has been an experience I won't soon forget. Highly recommend to everybody that loves good BBQ.

The owner is a pleasure to speak with. The food is outstanding! His barbecue sauce options are second to none. Mango Habanero is my favorite by far. Just the right amount of heat. Brisket is great. Those fries are so good!

Been coming here for 15 years, still the best BBQ in the Denver area. The Jabo Link is something special and unmatched by anyone. The mango and cherry BBQ sauce's are spectacular. I also love how there are different heats, something most other BBQ places do not offer. Also, don't forget those Sconuts!!!

Great, home made BBQ and service by a mom and pop lunch place. Come early as the good stuff goes fast.