Our server, who I think her name is Hailey, provided great service and a delicious recommendation. We both had the BBQ Grilled Cheese and subbed brisket for pork on the sandwich. We've also had it before with pork several times, and that doesn't disappoint. On another note, I heard another customer asking our server about some of the other staff. On this day, the owner wasn't working. I don't know if these were the exact words of the server's answer, but what I heard was "Captain Jack's off". read more

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I am really hard to please at a BBQ place because I am a pretty good pitmaster myself and I have no time limitations to do it right. I realize restaurants are on a schedule and expect my food to be at a different level. This was not the case here. It was perfect. It is important to note that we came in at 2:30 in the afternoon and were the only customers in the place. Sometimes this means the food would be leftovers from lunch but everything we ate was very fresh. I had the sliced pork. The slices were a quarter inch thick and to big to eat in 1 bite. The pork was fork tender even at that thickness so I did not need a knife. I would say it was THE BEST restaurant sliced pork I have ever had. I asked about a spicy sauce and was told they have something called Big Poppas that stays in the back and she brought me some. It was a really good spicy sauce but not so overwhelming that you couldn't taste the meat. The fries were just fries but they were hit and crispy. I had baked beans. They had really good flavor and chunks of pork mixed in for an added bonus. This was also fresh and hot. My wife had the brisket plate and said the same about her food. She took home more brisket than she ate. It was huge. read more

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Food was so good and came out hot. The onion rings were hot and krispy, with a good flavor! The breading was not overwhelming so you were about to enjoy the general flavor of onion rings. The brisket was a good mix of moist and lean. There was so much food that I took some home. My husband had the sliced pork platter and the pork pulled with just his fork. The big papa bbq sauce was a great flavor with a kick. Great lunch. read more

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Pleasant stop on our way out of Fernandina Beach. Had a wonderful server, flavorful food, and great views. Was $8 to add the salad bar to our entree. Loved the flavor of our pulled pork, the macaroni cheese was smoky and creamy, and the portion sizes were great. Really appreciated the variety of options on the menu and absolutely loved the beautiful marsh views out of the windows (would have dined along it if it weren't so hot). Also wish we lived closer so we could enjoy their specials on the weekdays, they sound great! Definitely recommend this spot for some casual bbq fare. read more

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Decided to give this place a try with there rebrand "The back porch" we went at about 4:30 on a Saturday it was not very busy at all the food was pretty good the pork was pretty dry but we do like there bbq but the service and drinks were pretty pitiful, there were maybe 5 tables in the restaurant in total and unfortunately our server Hanna m only came to our table maybe 5 times we also had 4 cocktails and not a single one had a garnish then we waited over 25 minutes for a margarita with no limes and all we got was a sorry when i expressed I was upset it wasn't acknowledged and she didn't really seem to care we probably won't be eating here again also we spent over $100 for 2 people and were treated poorly. read more

Captain Jacks Smokehouse has changed names. It's now the Back Porch. We drove a long way to get here because of the name and the online menu. The menu has also changed. We were so disappointed of the change we decided not to stay. Good luck with the change. It just wasn't for us. read more

This was our first time here, and it did not disappoint. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich which was a little dry but still flavorful. The BBQ fries were the star of the show: very good seasoning on crispy fries. The mac n cheese was just ok. TIP #1: Come on Tuesday night from 4 to 8 PM for $1 beer and $1 ribs. TIP #2: Come during lunch from 11 AM to 3 PM for lunch specials such as pulled pork sandwich, 1 side and a drink for $10.95. TIP #3: save room for dessert and try the giant whoopee. All desserts are homemade in the kitchen. Shoutout to our friendly waitress Krisi. She was enthusiastic about this place and made great food suggestions. She even brought a sample of BBQ fries when I was deciding what side to get with my entree. We will be back! read more

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We passed the parking lot and saw that it looked full, so we thought that this place was a crowd fave. When we entered the restaurant, we noted two things; almost no smell of smoke (should have been enough for us to leave right then) and almost no one in the place. Apparently, the restaurant next door is the crowd fave. However, we were craving BBQ, and so we decided to give Captain Jack's a try. We each ordered a BBQ plate; sliced brisket for me, with "bbq fries" (tossed in a special spice blend, according to our server), "smoked" Mac and cheese, and Texas toast, and Burnt Pork Belly Ends with baked beans for her. The food came fast; perhaps a bit too fast. The brisket looked like a 4 oz portion, thinly sliced. No discernible smoke ring. I tasted it without sauce; it was lukewarm, dry and salty. I added sauce (there are three sauces at the table; mustard based, sweet, and "honey bourbon". None of them were anything to write home about. The sauce couldn't save the sad, sad brisket. The "bbq fries" were batter dipped fries that were tossed in ... well, just salt. The "smoked Mac and cheese" was mushy corkscrews, with a watery cheese sauce, and not a bit of smoke flavor. The Texas toast was fine if you prefer your toast served cold. The "burnt Pork Belly Ends" dish was just a pile of deep fried pork belly chunks, served with a sauce that had nothing to recommend it. It was the furthest thing from Burnt Ends I've ever had. The baked beans were clearly canned, but were the best tasting thing on the table. That should tell you something. 2 BBQ plates, and 2 iced teas came to $52, plus tip. Bad, overpriced food. We won't be back. We don't recommend that you try it; not even once. read more

It's been hot lately. Walking into this place you can smell the dumpsters just a short distance away. It doesn't make you hungry that's for sure. Place is dirty and needs to be cleaned. It's been ridden hard and put up wet. Food is not terrible which also means it's not good. The food is edible is probably the kindest I can muster. They have a salad bar which sits there all day. Saw several people approach it but no one dared to eat it. Sits right by the entry where lots of folks walk past...constantly. My first thought was it may be the source of the next pandemic (kidding). We haven't been to this place since it was Barbara Jean's about 8 years ago. As far as I can tell there have been hardly any improvements to the restaurant itself or the food. This is not a place I would return to, nor would I recommend it. read more

This was disappointing at best. Cube steak was ok but greasy and the mashed potatoes tasted like a science experiment. No way were they real red potatoes but tasted like a combination of instant, with a few real ones, and a whole bunch of margarine "not butter" whipped. They were disgusting! As was the Mac'ncheese. Tasted like HS cafeteria food and salty, was also lumpy gravy. The bill was $37 for 2 meals not counting a tip and both of us have stomach aches within 15 mins after eating. Why are the prices 20% higher than a year ago but the quality of food is less! Will not return! read more

I'm always suspicious when the aroma of smoke does not greet you at a BBQ joint, particularly when "smoke" is in the name. But anyway, I was in a beef mood and went for a hamburger steak served on "house" fries. Steak was a good size and decent flavor, but barely covered in an okay gravy. "House" fries were likely frozen and definitely salty. Salad bar was decent, if you like massive leaves of lettuce instead of shredded. The meal was *okay* but that's all. Service was lackluster. Environment was nothing of note. A solid 2-star experience. I never saw any of this at Barbara Jeans. read more

DO NOT do it! We gave this place a try last night. This is not the "smokehouse" it looks like. After being highly disappointed with the interior of the place, we decided to give the food a try and received a terrible seasoned frozen hamburger patty and some brisket that was gray and tough. We took one bite of our food, paid our bill and went to Whataburger. I promise you will wish you went somewhere else to eat if you eat here. Guaranteed. read more

Captain Jacks Smokehouse - We gave personal feedback and paid our bill. Not complainers just truth tellers ‍ - Barbeque Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

I came across this place while visiting Amelia Island. The service was excellent! I ordered the Captain's Platter. I chose bbq ribs, pork belly, macaroni and cheese and baked beans. Everything was seasoned to perfection. The portions were generous. I couldn't finish it all. They had a variety of bbq sauces... each one very good (although the ribs didn't need any). I would definitely recommend! My new go-to on Amelia Island. Sorry no pics, I dug in so quickly, I forgot! read more

We had dinner there this last weekend. What a find! We started with the pork rinds, the chicken wings, and the pork belly. The freshly-made pork rinds were a revelation. Delivered still crackling from the fryer, they were everything you could want from a crispy treat and so much better than what you buy in the gas station minimart. The wings and pork belly were excellent too. I had the ribs and the brisket. The ribs were absolutely fabulous. The brisket was fine. My husband had the pork ribeye with a side of grilled shrimp. He said it was pretty good, but he thought my ribs were the best choice of entree. Our sides were fine (green beans, collards). The kids had mac and cheese and pulled pork, and everyone liked their food. Service was friendly and prompt. They have a full bar, which I haven't seen in many BBQ joints. This is a great place for good food and a decently stiff drink (although they need to work on their tequila selection!). Plenty of parking at the private lot out front. read more

EAT HERE!!! My first trip here is with a lovely new dinner guest: My daughter!! (Age 10) She always gets (with her Mom) the kids' Mac and cheese and she loves the Charles's Golden Nuggets, which are cream corn filled breading and fried. Of course. :). She says "it's the best thing I've ever had in the world". I got the BBQ Grilled Cheese, and let me tell you, this thing is amazing!!! It's basically a gourmet cheeseburger with Munster and Gorgonzola cheese with pulled pork on it. The pulled pork could definitely stand on its own, so I'm excited to come back to try the pulled pork sandwich. The collaboration between the cheese and pork is a delightful pairing. Also, this sandwich was so big, I was only able to eat half, so I got to enjoy it cold at home later. :) I chose the steamed broccoli and fried okra for a side. The okra was normal. The steamed broccoli was flavor packed!! Loaded with pepper and (I asked the chef) steak seasoning. Holy cow, I will never eat steamed broccoli any other way. The restaurant itself is well kept. Nice bar area. Great outdoor seating sitting right on the edge of the marsh, if you're in to that. :). The most amazing thing about this place are the decorations: awards that the pit master has won. They are literally everywhere. It really shows that what you are eating is actually award winning. Thank you Captain Jack!! I will be back!! read more

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Dog friendly shaded patio with nice foliage unfortunately close to a main road. Chicken tenders were very food hubby had the pulled pork with enough for leftovers. BEST banana pudding ever in a big take away container. Yummy! read more

Dry chicken. Dry ribs. Green beans weren't good. Sweet potatoes were tiny. Cole slaw tasted sour. Mac n cheese was meh. Best things we had were the onion rings, fried pickles, and pork rinds. read more

Whoa, all your barbecue lovers do not pass by or overlook this place. We went there the other night and let me tell you the food was excellent. Where do you wrap your jaws around the Brunswick Stew. That dish is excellent. I ordered chili along with pulled pork. The food is excellent. Our server Lila did a great job and taken care of us and was extremely extremely efficient. This restaurant is a hidden gem for all you barbecue lovers. I guarantee you you will not be disappointed eating there. Of course the restaurant is spotless. The prices are reasonable. Like I said, do not pass this restaurant by because if you do, you'll be losing out on some great barbecue. I can't wait to go back for more. read more

Quiet restaurant with great service! Food was good! They offer daily specials. When we went, they were offering $1.00 ribs and $1.00! margaritas. Husband said the ribs were good. Would visit again. read more

We were informed by our server that the restaurant is soon to undergo a rebrand and menu revamp. That might be a good thing. What we experienced was okay food at a pretty dear price and service that, though friendly, was far too slow for the ratio of customers to staff. I estimate that during our visit there were maybe 7 parties total in the restaurant, and still we waited for drink orders to be taken, and long enough after our food orders that we started wondering whether the server's shift had ended and she had gone home. The food was middling. The barbecue wasn't as tender as it should have been - brisket was chewy and ribs required effort to pull the meat from the bone. The gravy on the country-fried steak seemed suspiciously like packaged brown gravy. The onion rings were billed as 'beer-battered' but were actually cornmeal-breaded. Everthing tasted fine, but I suspect that a lot of our rather expensive dinner began life pre-made and frozen in the back of a Sysco truck. read more

Big E on the road again on the quest to 500 bbq shacks and we'll over half way decided to give capt. Jacks a stop for lunch .. first off not a shack but a large nice place more like a fish camp lodge than a bbq shack but the views over the marsh warrant a stop even without the food and service which I have to say were above average and better than I expected. Got the half rack of ribs and the pulled pork combo with potato salad and bbq beans.. Ribs were nice large St. Louis cut spareribs and were cooked perfectly so they left a nice bite mark with a slight pull but still tender enough. The pit master is very old school with very little seasoning but wood smoke .. a true test they stood well by themselves without sauce. Same for the pulled pork no fact but moist with small pieces of bark .. was very good without sauce but really good we its addition of either of the two sauces. Potato salad was good with nice chucks of potato present and the beans weee good could have used some added meat but still good. Even got a taste of the slaw and it was tasty and would be great on a pork sandwich. Was a little disappointed did not sell meats by 1/4 lb as would have tried brisket, sausage and chicken also. Did not get brisket as it is only available chopped except on Sat. & Sun. When they offer sliced. All in all would stop by if in town again. A solid establishment better than most but not in my top twenty .. probably have become a Tx style fan so expect sliced brisket and a little more salt and large grain pepper in addition to the cooking technique. Noticed a competition gold ticket so would return to try a steak from the menu if in the area. Service and view are worth the stop alone. Tell them Big E sent you. Back on the road to 500. read more

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Such a disappointment. With tough chewy brisket and salty sweet potato casserole, this place was subpar at best. A waste of time & money.

This place sounds Des promising from all the awards on the wall from BBQ competition. The smoked wings were on. The ribs not so much, and the brisket sandwich I got was inedible! Waitress was nice asked if we wanted anything else instead, but I could t stomach the disappointment, so we paid and left. Let that sink in. They didn't even offer to take an inedible sandwich off the bill. Do yourself a HUGE favor, avoid this place like the plague. read more

The loaded baked potato is to die for and is SO big. My server was very sweet and the service was fast. We sat outside and all the plants made for a great atmosphere. My dad got the meatloaf, which I pretty much always hate but his smelled and looked amazing. read more

Captain Jacks Smokehouse - Loaded baked potato - Barbeque Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

It really is a nice location, even though it's a little outside of the town proper. Inside is spacious, and there is an inviting back porch that faces the Intercoastal Waterway, which would have been a pleasant spot to spend my lunch hour if the weather hadn't been so damp and chilly. I got a window seat overlooking it instead. Observing the several references to Captain Jack's prowess in some of the regional bbq competitions, I quickly made the decision to try the pulled pork sandwich. The weather seemed to call for a heartier side, so I opted to pair it with their smoked mac and cheese. It came out quick and hot. The presentation was perfect even if the sandwich itself was a bit underwhelming. To give the reader a better sense of the type of place this is, their menu includes steak and seafood options and a full bar, in addition to all the standard barbecue fare. So the barbecue experience here is a little bit filtered through an "island chic" lens. I hoped to still get a good sandwich, since their barbecue was award-winning. Ans it was. It just wasn't great. The toast was more sweet than the typical garlic, and the meat didn't have enough flavor on it's own to take command. I searched for smoky bits, but was left empty handed. It needed some sauce. Fortunately, there were six to choose from, and while none particularly stood out, at least half of them worked to make an edible sandwich. The mac and cheese was quite good, although I didn't really detect the smoked flavor in that either. I left full, if not 100% satisfied. It would have been a great meal at any casual dining spot, but as a strictly barbecue offering it came up a little short. read more

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The server Christian was amazing!! Very accommodating and just all around good person. Food was good and exactly how we ordered it. Will definitely be back. read more

What a bizarre and disappointing experience. I'd give zero stars if possible. We waited for at least 15 minutes to be seated while several employees said "I'll be right with you." There were 5 tables with customers but that was obviously too many for them to handle. They started sending people away after they sat us, 2 hours before closing. They said they were out of most things on the menu. I wish they had sent us away too. $100 for 2 adults and 1 child and I guarantee nothing we ate was worth that price. read more

Tuesday night 5-6ish before the larger crowd comes in. Tuesday night is their beer & bones special night. $1 for each. This was gone for a while during Covid. I. So glad it's back. It's the best value on the island. Beer is bud light. Ok not my favorite but for a buck? The ribs however are killer. Very good smoke. Juicy, borderline too much. The bark is moist, falls apart when pulling. But I'm nitpicking. These are not my very favorite but very very close. Most people will probably like theses better. Personal preference. The staff, friendly and fast. Ribs and ribs were out within 5 minutes of me coming through the door. One warning, Tuesday's can get busy later, and the deal run out. Get there earlier. You will not be disappointed. read more

Captain Jacks Smokehouse - Wish I could give you better picture of the other 12 bones. But I couldn't yet. They were too damn good. - Barbeque Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

By far, the best thing I ate on my trip to Amelia was the fried BBQ pork belly OMG. So simple, but really amazing. Ordered the 2 meat combo with smoked mac & cheese and steamed broccoli. Should have gotten the sliced brisket, b/c it was chopped and swimming in oil. It was way too salty even when covered with sweet BBQ sauce. The mac & cheese was OK; the broccoli was way overcooked, but had good flavor since they mix in their dry rub. Service was really good; drinks were topped often and waitstaff was friendly. read more

Now I will be honest that I didn't come for their signature item, the barbecue so I can't judge that. I did however come for the salad bar and was very disappointed. I have never seen such a small selection of items for $9.95. There were two kinds of lettuce and the one option was brown in color. There were probably 12 containers total on the entire bar. It was so pitiful that the containers all sat in the middle of what would be a filled salad bar. The saltines were stale. Add a $3 soda and tax and tip and I walked out still hungry and $17 lighter. I do not recommend their salad bar. read more

Average bbq place. Giving it a 2.5 stars because of the sides and sauces, not because of the meat. We tried a total of 4 different meats: pulled pork, ribs, brisquet and sausage. All were extremely greasy and fatty, which is pretty gross and not enjoyable. The worst was the pulled pork, there is like an oil soup at the bottom of the dish, an actual bath of grease... However, the sides were good (portion way too small) and the sauces were original, especially the hot one so great job on this! Overall disappointed because quality was not there and it is definitely over priced. read more

Tasty barbecue worth having on occasion. Easy ordering and pickup, haven't dined in since the "Covid" !!! Menu available on the web. read more

Normally get the 1/2 rack of ribs and the rub is great! Either "dine in " or "to go" you can't go wrong. Staff is friendly- Connie & Jazmine are great! Great place to watch football & relax. read more

I use to love Captain Jacks but it has gone down hill. High chair was sticky. Ceiling fans haven't been cleaned in who knows when? Food was horrible!! Pulled pork was fatty with not much flavor or edible meat and no seasoning on the fries like normally. Mac and cheese was very cold. Hardly anyone at the restaurant when we're there so it wasn't due to high order amount. Just very disappointing! Will not be returning. read more

After a few more visits, service has improved quite a bit. They seem to have worked out a lot of the kinks in their process, and brought on some more experienced servers. What they have developed is one of the best happy hour specials on the Island: every Tuesday afternoon they feature "Bones and Beers" with $1 individual St. Louis Ribs and $1 draft beers. It's quite popular so get there early! As this and the neighboring restaurant have grown in popularity, parking has been an issue at peak times. read more

Holy Oinkers Batman. The Island really needed a smoke pit style bbq restaurant. They were gracious enough to let us order within their last 15min of being open, but what we received was worthy of prime Lunch hour. Our food was plentiful and fresh. The sandwiches are insanely huge. I definitely recommend their pork sandwich, but the brisket is something to write home about. It came with caramelized onions and peppers, but I only kept the onions. They weren't exactly needed but definitely provided a rich sweet flavor. The potato salad was mayo based but had a great tang from the apple cider vinegar. We also had the bbq fries which were a super win. Their customer service was on point and dealt with all our crazy sauce requests. I would definitely recommend checking this place out. Even as Take-out! Can't wait to dine in! read more

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After a long day cruising around Amelia Island and stopping at a few cool beach spots this was the perfect place to have a cold beer and enjoy the view. The food was great, my husband had a burger with bbq fries (a must try! I picked a few off his plate), our friend opted for the salad bar option and I had salmon. Everything was so fresh and so delicious. The atmosphere was calming and the outdoor seating gave way to a beautiful landscape. I must mention our super cool waitress also who brought us a map of the area, complete with suggestions of where to go next being that we had just moved from out of town. Captain Jack is definitely doing something right! read more

Captain Jacks Smokehouse - Lemon butter salmon Fried okra Macaroni & cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

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After trying this restaurant several times, a year or so ago, we said that we wouldn't be back, but we gave it another try tonight. I wish I had followed my own advice because nothing has changed. We arrived at 6:30 on a Sunday evening, and there was only other customer there. That should have been our clue. Even being totally empty, we had to wait several minutes to be acknowledged and seated. Unfortunately, the table was dirty with greasy fingerprints and BBQ sauce spills, which I cleaned myself. Our waitress showed up fairly quickly and she was very sweet and honestly the only good thing I can say about this visit. We both ordered the ribs and found them to be very greasy. The choice of three sauces was nice, but it would have been nicer if the bottles were not completely sticky from the hands of previous guests. The final straw was the fee charged to us for using a credit card, something that was not mentioned to us at any point of our visit. So.. we have given this place ample tries and we definitely won't be back again. It's a shame because we live about three minutes away! read more

Sorry just wasn't happy with the food. NY Steak came out wrong and very well done. The order was for a Ribeye. Then when we noticed was told they would make another to eat it. We were done with meals before it came out. Smoked 1/2 chicken was just ok, very dry. What did come out and really enjoyed was the American Classic Burger. Not sure I'd go back tho. read more

Stoped here this evening just because I was tired of seafood. 4 days in a row is enough. My expectations were not high. I just wanted some cold ice tea a sandwich. Well, this was just outstanding. It was flavorful, not dry, bun for sandwich was great. They had some of the best Brunswick stew that I have ever had. I will be back. Thank you Captain Jack read more