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

I had the opportunity to eat lunch here recently, and I was really looking forward to it. Barbecue joints usually announce themselves with that smoky perfume that practically drags you through the door, and this place was no exception. The décor fit the theme perfectly — casual, comfortable, and exactly what you’d expect for a BBQ spot. A weekday lunch meant no crowds, and we were seated right away. Service was spot-on: friendly, fast, and professional.

Things started off strong with a basket of their “cheese biscuits,” which were really more like cheesy muffins in disguise. Semantics aside, they were delicious — sweet, soft, warm, and fresh from the oven, with a slab of butter that melted right in. At this point, expectations were high.

Our order: a chopped brisket sandwich with mac and cheese, a pound of ribs with coleslaw and potato salad, and a cup of brisket chili.

The brisket sandwich, sadly, was a letdown. It came already drowned in their original barbecue sauce, which is fine if you like surprises, but less so if you prefer to control your own sauce destiny. Advertised as “marbled” brisket, it turned out dry and aggressively salty — the kind of salty that overwhelms everything else and leaves you wondering if you accidentally ordered a salt sandwich with a side of beef. The mac and cheese, though, redeemed the plate — creamy, cheesy, and just the right portion to pair with lunch.

The ribs, on the other hand, were a highlight. Meaty, moist, and packed with flavor — exactly what you want when you order ribs. The coleslaw and potato salad were… fine. Let’s just say no awards are being handed out there.

The chili, however, deserves a public service announcement. It seemed to have once brushed shoulders with a chili pepper in another life, but there was absolutely no chili flavor to be found. What it did taste like was a cup of refried beans that had maybe been told a story about brisket once upon a time. If there was any brisket in there, it was hiding at the molecular level and would probably require a...

Placed an order online at 8:16pm on sunday June 1st. 1 x Brisket Mac & Cheese Bombs (1 x $8.99) = $8.99 1 x As Entree 1 x Ranch 1 x Honey Habanero 1 x No Additional Sauce 1 x Carolina-Style Pork 1 x Carolina Mustard 1 x Mustard Sauce w/ 2 Trimmings (1 x $13.49) = $13.49 1 x Martin's Potato Bun 1 x NO Pickles 1 x Mac and Cheese 1 x Collard Greens 1 x Carolina-Style Pork 1 x Carolina Mustard 1 x Mustard Sauce w/ 2 Trimmings (1 x $13.49) = $13.49 1 x Martin's Potato Bun 1 x Pickles 1 x Collard Greens 1 x Cole Slaw 1 x Grilled Cheese (1 x $3.99) = $3.99 1 x Macaroni & Cheese 1 x Kids Sweet Tea 1 x Mac & Cheese (1 x $5.99) = $5.99 1 x Kids Sweet Tea SUBTOTAL $45.95 PACKAGING FEE $1.38 TAX $4.61 TIP $4.00

TOTAL $55.94

The order was to be ready for pick up at 8:38 pm. I arrived 15min early and walked in to pick up my order only to unpolite servers with short responses. I decided to wait the remainder of the order time in my car outside. At 8:28pm I get a call and a girl tells me they ran out of pork for the sandwiches, she did not offer any substitutions or alternative options. I asked if I could just recieve a complete refund and she said she would ask her manager if they would refund me.. like wtf?? If you can't complete an order refund it asap, why would approval be needed.. she then proceeded to say the manager would call back and verify a refund which did not happen!

My thoughts are that since I may have been a last order(which I was not!) That they didn't want to make my order and made up some bs that a bbq joint is out of pork which is...

Okay, folks, today we’re talkin’ about Jim 'N Nick's. Now, I went in with my hopes up, visions of a smoke billowing from outside, but let me tell you, it was a letdown.

I had the ribs and chicken, and both are sittin' at a 4 out of 10 definitely not smoked. Tasted baked at best.They promised smoke, but I couldn't find that smoky flavor if I had a map and compass.

The potato salad? Bless their hearts, but it’s a 3 out of 10.

The 'grilled" cobb was 100% boiled and there was an attempt I believe to do an elite type corn on the Cobb??? Had zero flavor regardless.

The mac and cheese? Someone tell me why it tasted just like the store-bought stuff but with a bake on it – that’s a 4 out of 10 from me.

Now, the BBQ sauce—y'all, it was a struggle. That’s a generous 1 out of 10.

The cornbread? Could've used some more lovin' because it was lacking flavor.

But hey, I gotta give credit where it’s due—the interior? Spot on. Nice and inviting. The building? Top-notch. So if ambiance could feed me, I’d be set.

But BBQ-wise, if what I had is what Memphis is cookin’ up, then y'all, I'm stickin' to my Texas roots. Jim 'N Nick's, you got a beautiful place, but the BBQ game? It needs some of that Memphis magic, 'cause it just wasn't hitting...