J's Var-B-Q — Restaurant in Albuquerque

Man, I really wanted to like this place. But was definitely underwhelming. The flavor was good, however, the brisket was really dry! I also didn't see them weigh out my 1/2 lb brisket. Other than the dryness of the brisket my biggest issue was with the sides. $3.99 for maybe 3 tablespoons of Mac n cheese(in pictures)??!! Same with the bake beans. They weren't even half filled in that little container. The Mac n cheese wasn't good and looked very unappetizing in the serving dish. Looked crusty and like it had been there for hours. I really felt ripped off with those sides!! And they changed the price on the Mac it was 4.99 initially!

The positives: The staff was very nice especially the lady that took my payment. The chicken was tasty and the baked potato wasn't over cooked. The BBQ sauce is very tasty and is exactly how I like my bbq sauce and they gave me enough bbq sauce which I'm thankful for especially with that dry brisket it made it appetizing and able to swallow.

Overview: It's a new establishment so they're still finding what works/ doesn't work. I just didn't feel the value was there with the really dry brisket and the under serving of the sides but it definitely has potential. As I said the flavor is there. I didn't really taste any smoke in any of the dishes but was still tasty. I may give them a try again but it's very far from me so idk if I'm going to go out of my way as I was disappointed with my food yesterday.

Side note: I find it odd especially given the fact that they don't serve sliced brisket and only shredded that they don't include bread with the order. I don't even know if they have it period but bread should definitely be given or at minimum an option with the order of meats.

I would have gave 3 and a half stars if I could. It definitely was not a 4 but I feel 3 is a little harsh because the food wasn't terrible and the service was good.

*edit- The chicken did have some...

*New Business"

SIDE NOTE: I'm from Texas so Bar-B-Q is different

J 's Var-B-Q is located in the Louisiana Plaza on Montgomery and Louisiana.  If you're driving too fast, you just might miss the eatery. Slow down and stop by. Business hours are 11a to 7p everyday.

Met Julian Vargas., the owner and his wife, while I was enjoying a relaxed Sunday afternoon.  The wonderful staff greeted me with warmth and a smile.   (David L.) took my order. and Alex, the restaurant manager, also assisted with my order.  She and David were cordial and professional.

Good food, nice folks, great atmosphere.  I ordered 1/2 brisket, ribs, beans and mac and cheese.  Alex provided me with a sampling of smoked chicken wings

Brisket: high quality, tender meat and mildly seasoned.  When you add the barbecue sauce, it adds more flavor

Ribs: smoky, tender and fell off the bone

Smoked chicken wings:  definitely smoky, a little spicy and a little sweet.  Wings did not have a crispy, outer skin but weren't overdone either.

Beans tasted smoky but sweet, syrupy-like, but in a good way.  Could be because I hadn't had sugar in a while.  They were yummy!

The mac and cheese was velvety, cheesy, thick and delicious.

I did not sample the baked potatoes but did find out that those spuds are named after the owners' grandkids.  How cute!.

Available dessert is a brownie.  I did not sample it because I'm not really a fan of chocolate desserts.  However, I will try it should I return to J's Var-B-Q.

Give this new...

I always want to support local; welcome to the neighborhood J's Var B Q!

Great customer service. We were greeted warmly upon entering and the gentleman who dished up the orders was kind as well as the young lady who took our payment.

The green chili mac n cheese was good however the noodles were overcooked (extremely soft). The flavor was good with a perfect combination of cheesy goodness.

The hot links were great! Not dry at all with a nice heat and smoke flavor.

The chicken wings (what we came to try) were a major disappointment and I can not recommend them. The skin was slimy and soft. It seems to me the wings are smoked and then placed in the warmer where the steam builds up. Some wings the meat came right off the bone, others were dry and slightly tough. The smoke flavor was good.

The atmosphere inside is not very welcoming. It's extremely bright and very open. As a new establishment maybe this will change as time progresses.

The restaurant was very clean and that genuine bbq smell I'd expect was pleasant as soon as you walk in.

I certainly would try J's again. Next time I will try the ribs and update...