Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q — Restaurant in Georgia

I've been putting off going to Jim and Nick's for much too long out of a fear that I would be disappointed. Sometimes your fears are perfectly reasonable.

Let me be clear: the food is perfectly okay. Some of the sides, including the baked beans and the mashed potatoes, rise above being merely okay and move into "quite good." The baked beans in particular are fantastic.

But you don't go to a barbecue place in order to indulge your hunger for baked beans. You go for the barbecue. That's what I ordered, the very traditional Pig On A Bun. What I expected was some nicely pulled pork which had spent a significant time in a smoker, on a nice buttered or mayonnaise-coated bun, topped with a little bit of ketchup-based barbecue sauce with a flavor that complements the smoked meat, a couple of pickles, and that's it. A very traditional, basic barbecue sandwich.

I did get the pickles.

Let's break it down.

When making a very wet sandwich like a barbecue, you really want some sort of layer of fat to act as a barrier for moisture turning the bun into a soggy mess. It doesn't matter how good the bread is if it turns into a gooey mass which oozes between your fingers. Unfortunately, that's where we're starting.

The pulled pork suffered from to somewhat notable problems. Rather than being reduced to small pieces of connected fibers, what I got was large chunks of fibrous barbecue. This doesn't matter much mechanically if you're buying a barbecue plate, but on a sandwich it's a big deal. If you barbecue has large, extended chunks, picking it up and biting through them, given that they are prone to tear along fiber edges, can end up with half of it on your shirt. Secondly, while the pork in general had a rather nice, smoky flavor, there was a notable absence in a significant sense of the "bark" that one generally associates with smoked meats, the crispy, dark outer layer which comes as subcutaneous fat caramelize is part of the skin and underlying meat.

The sauce from the kitchen wasn't excessive, at least. The two table sauces weren't a lot of help; the "original" sauce was probably what was on the sandwich originally from the kitchen and of the "habanero" sauce was exactly what it said on the tin, a smoky, quite spicy sauce with just a hint of sweetness. It wasn't boring, thankfully, but it was a little bit too much horsepower to go with the mildly smoke flavor of the barbecue.

For $3 for the first side and $1.50 for the second, what I want is more than a small handful of fries and a small bowl of baked beans. $11.50 should get you more food than that.

The beans were wonderful, however.

Two personal, possibly irrational complaints on my part:

Napkins are of the cloth variety. They bring you one, wrapped around your silverware. At least my waitress never offered to bring us more, despite the fact that the sandwiches very rapidly turned into soggy masses more reasonably eaten with knife and fork. Did my partner and I have enough napkin to keep ourselves clean? Yes, but only just. Did they offer us wet naps or anything else at the end of the meal? Nope. Am I mildly resentful of a barbecue place where the waitstaff doesn't offer you more napkins midway through your meal? Maybe a little.

The dishes sent out from the kitchen were splotched with the sauce and beans which were served. It's a tiny thing, but wiping up little spots of spillage and neatening the presentation of a plate is a pretty basic part of kitchen operation and is the sort of small inattentiveness that makes me wonder what else is happening in the kitchen that I'm not seeing?

Overall, is this a place worth going to? Maybe. If you're in the area, and you're looking for some fairly inoffensive, straightforward barbecue which may be near the top of the price range. It's not bad by any measure, but it's definitely not the best available in town, and you have to balance the price they want to charge versus almost everything else you could have instead.

It was a three-star meal. No more, but no less.

Do try the baked...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Jim 'N Nick’s Bar-B-Q in Snellville, and I have to say, it was an experience worth sharing. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted warmly and seated promptly. The restaurant had a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere, perfect for a casual meal with family or friends.

One of the highlights of our visit was the outstanding service provided by our server, Ashley. She was attentive, friendly, and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu. From the moment she introduced herself, she made sure we felt welcome and taken care of. She checked on us frequently without being intrusive, kept our drinks refilled, and ensured that our meals arrived promptly and as ordered. It’s rare to find service that strikes the perfect balance between efficiency and warmth, but Ashley truly nailed it.

Now, onto the food—which, simply put, was excellent. Jim 'N Nick’s is known for its barbecue, and they certainly live up to their reputation. We started with their signature cheese biscuits, which were warm, slightly sweet, and downright addictive. They were the perfect way to kick off the meal, and if you’ve never had them before, they alone are worth the visit.

For our entrees, we went with a mix of barbecue staples. I opted for the pulled pork plate, which was tender, flavorful, and had just the right amount of smoky richness. The portion size was generous, and it paired beautifully with their homemade barbecue sauce. The sauce had a great balance of tangy and sweet flavors without overpowering the meat.

We also tried the brisket, which was equally impressive. It had a nice smoky crust on the outside while remaining juicy and tender inside. It’s easy to overcook brisket and dry it out, but Jim 'N Nick’s clearly knows what they’re doing. It practically melted in our mouths.

For sides, we had the mac and cheese, which was creamy and comforting, and the collard greens, which had a great depth of flavor with just a hint of spice. Everything tasted fresh and homemade, which is something I always appreciate in a barbecue restaurant.

Another standout was their banana pudding for dessert. It was rich, creamy, and had just the right amount of sweetness to end the meal on a high note. Even though we were full from the meal, we couldn’t resist finishing every last bite.

Throughout the entire experience, Ashley made sure we had everything we needed. She was quick to offer recommendations, checked in at just the right moments, and genuinely seemed to care about making our dining experience a great one.

Jim 'N Nick’s in Snellville delivered on all fronts—delicious food, excellent service, and a welcoming atmosphere. Whether you’re a barbecue enthusiast or just looking for a great meal with friendly service, this place is worth a visit. We will definitely be returning, and we’ll be asking for...

Melanie our server was nice. Very attentive, good recommendations for my parents who were first time Jim ‘N Nick’s eaters. Kept our drinks full and got every request accounted for.

The food was hot and fresh. And the mashed potatoes were amazing today, kudos to whoever made them.

Everything was great except for the host, Nadia. She is the reason this review went from 4 stars to 2. She was extremely rude to my mother who simply asked a question.

To expand on the situation, we arrived on a Saturday night around 8:15PM and was told there was a 15-20 minute wait, which was expected so that was no big deal. We stepped outside and sat on the bench where Nadia had just called up the last family from. We wait about 30 minutes still nothing so we go in to ask about how much longer. This is where Nadia went wrong.

Nadia said: “Oh, I thought you left.” Me: “We’ve been sitting on the same bench that you called the previous family.” Nadia: “Are you sure you didn’t get up from there? Or go walk to your car?” My family of four: “No, we didn’t go anywhere.” My mom: “Did you forget about us? Because when we came up and said our name you looked confused.” Nadia: “I came outside (she didn’t), I always come outside (obviously not always). And you weren’t there (my family hadn’t moved from the bench from the moment we sat down outside).” My mom: “You didn’t come outside. If you did I’m sure one of the four of us would’ve noticed you. When can we be sitted?” Then in the most sarcastic tone Nadia could speak in: “Oh we’ll get a table cleaned right up for you. We’d hate for you to wait much longer since you left.”

We tried our best not to be livid, because this was hands down the worst hosting experience I’ve ever had. She guided us to a table and we were about to leave but Melanie greeted us. She was extremely kind and we were able to separate the fact that Melanie had nothing to do with the terrible hosting job Nadia did.

Food was good though, I’d go again if Nadia wasn’t...