The food is always delicious! If you want your pork fix, it's a great go to! 5/5 for sure!

We saw it on a cooking show and thought we would give it a try. They were famous for "SMOKES" and "EARS" which are slider size sandwiches made from homemade smoked sausage without the casing and pig ears. They are really very different. They were too spicy for our taste and the ears are a BIG NO due to texture. The service was great & the people were friendly! The seating area wasn't the best but the place STAYED VERY busy!!! read more

So as a self proclaimed pretty good cook, I watch a few shows, Diners/Drive ins and Dives being a favorite. So, I got a chance to finally visit one of one of Guy Fieris showcased venues, the Big Apple Inn in Jackson MS. I got a big dose of bullshit, real fast. There are 2 locations. The original on Farish St, is literally the only place with electricity. The entire block is completely derelict, in fact it's about a mile of run down, wreck ass, you don't want to stop here, even if your bladder is busting. So, I proceeded to the location in a strip mall, and I ate at least 3 smokes and 1 pig ear sandwiches. Don't believe everything you see on TV! The staff who cooked, they were awesome. They made me feel welcome. But the show sexes it up like it's alive and a band in demand - it's not. I was grateful, especially bc they served me up 20 min from closing. But it was just me, and 2 other take outs. Can't recommend. The food is ok, the ppl are great. But it is no way in any way an iconic place to visit. read more

Great local eats. Friend recommended this, and I was so happy. We had the ears and smokes. They were sliders and three filled me up. The tamales were good too! read more

If you live in MS and never heard of this Southern staple, you're not a true Jacksonian. Southern transplants and travelers passing thru, have probably heard of Big Apple Inn. It's definitely a hidden gem with so much history, culture, but most importantly, you can see Jackson thru the smiles of the people cooking up your food. I've heard of this place from locals, the food channel and on multiple social outlets, but I've never had a chance to go. Finally, I was able to make my way and boy was I upset...Upset that I haven't gone sooner. I called my order in 15 minutes beforehand. Two smokes (red sausage), hot (spicy level), with slaw. Two ears (pigs ears), hot, with slaw. You can also get it with no spicy to very spicy and without slaw. When I got inside, I was quickly greeted by the two sweet ladies at the counter. My little bag of happiness was awaiting for my arrival, you can see the grease seeping through, just enough to say hello haha She quickly rung me up, $6 for 4 sandwiches?! Winner, winner! Piglet dinner! I couldn't wait to dig into the ears. It was cooked down so well, it'll literally melt in your mouth. I love the texture, it was gelatinous, but had a nice little chew from the cartilage, the slaw added a nice crunch. The smokes were also great, I highly recommend getting it with slaw to add some texture. The sandwiches were so soft, I ate it in a few bites. Don't let their size fool you though, it's quite filling without giving you that I need a nap feeling. Call me crazy, but I had it room temperature a few hours later and I felt it tasted even better than it was fresh off the griddle! I think I need a few more of those ears next time. read more

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I'd like to give this establishment 5 stars for originality. I've never seen or tasted anything quite like this. After COUNTLESS facebook posts raving about the sliders, I decided to give them a try. I ordered 2 mild smoked sausage sandwiches and 1 cheeseburger. I didn't ask what the toppings are, because I wanted to try the authenticity of the product without my picky persuasion. I sat and waited 20 minutes for my tiny order that cost me $5. By the time I got home, the bag was soaked with oil. I ate the burger first. It was tasty, still not sure what was on it, beside shredded lettuce. I could only eat 1 smoked sausage. The texture was odd. It also did not really taste like any smoked sausage I'd had. There was lots of mustard and of course oil...perhaps that's what threw things off. I didn't dislike the sandwiches. I just didn't really enjoy them either. Oh, and if you go...the pig ear...yep, PIG EAR sandwiches are a customer favorite. So, if you're brave, have at it. They also serve fried bologna sliders and tamales. Interesting menu, right? There is also a vending machine of canned sodas. I appreciate the experience. I can now say that I've been there...done that. read more

So this place is almost looked upon with legendary critique since it has been visited by Anthony Bourdain, a personal legend to me. People come here looking for the wrong thing. They think it's going to be some killer restaurant that serves 10/10 food. Well here's your wake up call, it's not. It was made as an answer to poverty that affected Mississippi and still does to this day. It's not meant to be the best meal you've ever ate, and it's not ever going to be. It's made to serve a community, and to feel a stomach. The smokes. Get them hot. Yes, they are hot. You can get them mild, but what's the purpose. They were made for hot. It's a smoked sausage ripped out of its casing and put on a bun with coleslaw, mustard, and hot sauce. It's not a big bun. About the size of a crystals or White Castle. The bun is the same size for the well known ears. Don't say "I want a pig ear sandwich". Just say you want ears. They are from pigs ears, as you probably know. The pigs ear is not a divine cut made for mass consumption. It's a cut that the ultra poor cooked to feed themselves for next to nothing. The bologna sandwich. It's a bologna sandwich. Don't expect a Tbone on a bun. It's made for simplicity and edibility. The negative reviews you see of this place don't take any of that into mind. They want something that would represent a Michelin star. It's not, it never will be. It's made to feed Jackson, $1.05 at a time. read more

They have a simple menu (burgers, 'ground' smoked sausage sandwhichs, pig ear sandwichs, and tamales), but I go for one thing and one thing only, the "no hots!" smoked sandwich! They make a little sausage sandwich that comes on a bun the size of a Krystal or White Castle - depends on where you come from. It is a finely ground smoked sausage sandwich with mustard, cole slaw and a pickle. I usually get about 8 to go in a brown paper sack, by time you get home the bag is all greasy. Not good for those on high blood pressure medicine, lol!!!! But the sandwich's come in "No Hot, Mild, Hot" - The milds are nothing to play with, so if the mild's are nothing nice you can imagine what the Hot's are like. I think they still serve burgers and tamales as well. They open up at 10am and close at 9pm. They take call in orders also. The Pig ear sandwhich's are really popular, they really don't taste all that bad either. They really do not have extraordinary business hours, but if you catch'em while they are open, you have to try their smoked sandwich's, get you a sackful. read more

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The owner of this establishment is a caring and genuinely awesome person to get to know. That being said, his love for making these sandwiches is most DEFINITELY expressed in the taste and quality of the food! If you go, try the pig ear sandwich! read more

Okay, I'm a native Jacksonian and "Big John's" (as we affectionately call it) is a part of my family's DNA. My mom is 70 and has been eating from the Farish St. location since she was young, so my entire family eats there and at the North Jackson location on the regular. We only order the smokes and hot tamales. My God, they are DELICIOUS. I have lived in Houston, TX for the last 12 years, but every time I come home to Jackson, I can't leave without getting at least three smokes and a peach soda from the drink machine in the restaurant. read more

Every once and a while I crave a good ole pig ear sandwich. I live in Madison and the closet location to me is this one! The customer service at this location is absolutely horrible! On Saturday, January 4, at around 3:15 I came with 3 other people, I was second in line with 2 people behind me. Several other people came in and placed their orders after me. NO, these were not call-ins.. I only ordered 2 mild pig ear sandwiches. Simple, right? My order was taken within minutes. I'm thinking, Ok this is good! Maybe this time, my experience will be better this than the last! Well, it wasn't. Apparently, the people who come often or/are locals get priority over those of us who stop in every now and then. At least 3 other people came in afterwards, made their order after me and received their food before me. I waited almost an hour for 2 sandwiches. Just as I was about to approach the window to ask why my order was taking so long, as I didn't ask for anything extra and several people who ordered more pig ear sandwiches than me had gotten their order and left. i was quickly told, ma'am your order is next. Well it should be, there was only one more person left. Never, Never again will I come to this location. I may not visit at all. Apparently management could care less about customer service. read more

State St/Triangle in the shipping center. Pig Ears & Smokes. Pig ears were tender, not to gelatinous. Smokes (hot) were ground up hotlinks grilled on the flattop - Tasty! I guess grinding them up makes them go further and more even on the buns. Both served on slider buns (a la Krystal's or White Castle) with slaw and sauce (hot or mild). Messy messy and hot sauce on your lips. Save some napkins til you're done. Beverages are BYO (don't know about alcohol), or they have a vending machine (Pepsi prods and water - $1). Lots of history, too, especially of Farris St. CLOSED MONDAYS. read more

I came here for the smokes which are these amazing little sandwiches filled with ground sausage, a warm cabbage slaw-like mixture, squeezed inside a Krystal's sized bun. You can order this mild or hot. AMAZING I MUST SAY. I love these things, I've been eating them ever since I could eat. I've never had anything else from here, but their pig ear (EW) sandwiches are quite the thing, some folks say. Never had it, never will, just throwing that out there. They also sell hamburgers (I'm guessing on the same size bun), and a couple others I can't remember. I think they sell tamales too. As of May 2014, they are currently priced at $1.25 a sandwich. For the size, it's a little pricey, but you're probably going to pay almost that much at Krystal's, or maybe not? I don't know, they're worth it though. Only con is the woman at the front window. She really lives up to the Big Apple Inn name; she's rude as a New Yorker. Or maybe she is a New Yorker. I don't know, all I know is that she's rude. But if you can deal with her, then don't hestitate to come here a try a smoke! Or pig ear.... No judging if you do (just kidding, I'm totally judging you) read more

So much history in this restaurant - a jackson staple. The menu is very small, but all the items are delicious! If you are visiting Mississippi, the Big Apple is the perfect restaurant/museum. This is the second location, with the original being on Farish Street. However, this one is just as good! read more

Food never ready when ordered using grubhub. They always say the machine doesn't work.

I grew up going downtown to farish st with my grandfather. My grandfather would order pig ear sandwiches which I could not tell you how they taste but I can tell you we went often!! I'm use to the same ol same ol. Smoke sausage sandwich hot!! Grill fresh to order with a popular taste of the south! A must try while in Jackson, ms read more

Big Apple Inn - Legend in the Mississippi area! Customers keep coming back!! - Soul Food Near Me - Jackson, Mississippi

Hot sausage was really good, the tamales were ok, and I'll pass on the pig ear next time. I prefer my pig ears fries as opposed to boiled. The toppings on the sandwiches were good and people quite friendly. read more

This is a hole in the wall that happens to be a one trick pony. I tried the pig ear sandwich, to see what it was about. You have to get your drinks from a vending machine. I was very unimpressed. Been there, done that and no need to repeat. read more

ok then... that happened. because of some other yelper, i watched this documentary on 'smokes n ears'. i decided that id give it a go. the place is a relic hole in the wall from the 40s. legend has it that medgar evers once had an office above this jaun. its in a sketchy part of town too. some homeless woman wanted money and she and i had fun with that for a while. i offered to buy her a sandwich. so you go in and place your order. out of towners may have some difficulty with the dialect (hot hot, mild hot or not hot)... it sounds like it should be simple but if i didnt watch the video id have never known wtf she was saying. i got two hot hot smokes and one hot pig ear. about the size of a white castle burger, it comes with the sauce and mustard and cole slaw. i had a plan: one smoke, one ear, one smoke. the first smoke was just fine. basically a bun of hot sauce and some ground sausage. onto the PIG EAR. first of all, it looked like a pigs ear. secondly, it was some flesh with white cartilage on the inside - like a really flappy thin gray oreo cookie. i took the bite. one bite. that's really all i could handle. thank (insert your diety here) for hot sauce. omg - it was possibly one of the four worst things i have ever eaten. tasted like a bucket of a$sh0les. finished off with the other smoke. it was like an episode of man vs food and i lost. honestly, i'd probably never go back again - but i wouldve been sad if i didnt in the first place. just go. you can say you did that. read more

Nice folks. Pig ear, boiled, not for me. Give it the Big Apple Inn treatment, then deep fry, dress with their mustard-hot sauce-slaw, and/or Tony Chachere's... that'd be awesome. Burgers are pretty good. Next time I'll try their smokes. read more