J3 BBQ & Homemade Ice Cream — Restaurant in Bainbridge

I loved this place and have been going 1-2 times a week for a while now. The past few weeks I’ve noticed them beginning to go down hill. The food quality has begun to get worse and worse. The chicken is now dry and shriveled up not sure if they don’t know how to cook it without Kirk there to tell them or if they are just buying worse quality chicken. I went with a couple people and we got the steak which is usually cooked a perfect medium. When it came out I cut into it and it was well-done by a long shot and burnt on the edges same for the other steaks. So we sent them back and got another… when they came out it was the same problem way over done. So I took it up to the counter and showed the MOD. She said “I dont know what to do about it Kirk isn’t here”, maybe don’t offer steak on the menu for $40 if you don’t know how to cook it, I just said give me a refund which she did. It’s sad to see such a great place like this, one of the only places worth eating at in bainbridge, go down hill. Hopefully they get a new chef or maybe Kirk comes back so their food will be good again. Update: went back got a steak again Kirk cooked it a lousy well done. Apparently he had seen my review, which was subject to change. Instead of apologizing for my prior experience, I learned later on that he decided to attempt to take a swing at me, in front of a child that was with us, after I turned my back to go to my truck but couldn’t commit. His ego got the best of him. You can’t get mad at an unbiased review, I had a 5 star on this place for a year and only changed it after multiple bad experiences, and need to work on controlling yourself before trying to attack a customer. At least next time follow...

As most of you know who read my reviews of barbeque restaurants, I have one make-or-break qualifier for what makes a good barbecue joint--their Brunswick stew. As you know, if it tastes like soup it gets a 👎. Fortunately for this place i can't give it a thumbs down. Can't give it a thumbs up either because they got my to go order wrong and put potato salad in my order instead of the Brunswick stew. So i have only the other items to rate.

The menu did not have a bone-in rib sandwich on the menu so i ordered just the ribs after being told they would put bread in the plate. They didn't. The baked beans i ordered were okay but a little on the dry side, no juice whatsoever. The potato salad lacked potato chunks. More flavored makes potatoes.

Some places have a best night where everything is just right. Saturday afternoon is probably not their time.

By the way, the ribs are the type that are smoked to a pinkness with no cooked on sauce; the sauce is lightly applied. If you like that type of barbecue then this is for you. Me? I prefer the sauce cooked on and slightly caramelized to a delicate char.

I won't say this was a one-time visit as covid has every restaurant operating at less than optimal levels. Maybe meet time I'll stick with the pulled pork everyone seems to tout in...

As much as I want to be nice about this it may not come off that way and I apologize in advance. The variety of food and ice cream is great but the prices are a bit much (somewhat understandable with the economy). The service is is also decent, mostly friendly staff. First impression is everything with me and I will be completely honest and say I was not impressed with the food, especially for the price. The Brunswick Stew is more of a vegetable soup (personal opinion), the Nacho Plate, while impressive in size, was bland in flavor (personal opinion), the pulled pork sandwich plate wasn't horrible (according to my child, I did not try it) and the sauces on the table were very watery. I was unable to drink the water due to the machine mixing it with a fruit drink that I am allergic to. The wait staff decided to start cleaning and closing the dining area while we were still eating which made us feel very unwelcomed and uncomfortable. My daughter and boyfriend enjoyed the ice cream. As I said before - good variety, mostly decent staff,...