My wife and I ordered some Uber Eats BBQ to the hotel we were staying at. We ordered pulled pork sandwich, a "2 meats and 2 sides" plate, cornbread and a side of baked beans. The pork sandwich was packed with tender meat. Sauce on the side. My wife's chicken and smoked turkey were good, the turkey was a bit dry as turkey can be. The beans were awesome; I liked that there was brisket instead of pork in them. All in all, a really good bbq place! Check it out. read more

Driving from Virginia Beach to North Carolina. Wanted to try local bbq. Let's start with the Young girl at the counter unpleasant. Older lady was friendlier. Online reviews says food is only ok and sadly it's true. Chopped bbq was cold. Sour tasting. I expected some sour from the bbq sauce, but the meat itself was sour. Fried chicken was ok. Not the best I've had. Wanted to try pig pickin cake. Young girl said flatly, "We're outta cake." When asked where we might get some she said rudely, "I have no clue." The dining room was closed so it was nice they let us use the bathroom. Floors walking to br were sticky. At least it was clean. Overall impression. Don't bother. read more

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I've been going here with my family since I was a baby, and it's hardly changed! I mean that in the best way possible. Delicious Carolina BBQ and good prices. I recently realized their pork ribs are amazing and that's been my goto lately. They have good chicken n dumplings too. Highly recommend them! read more

Food and service were great! I did ask for my pork chops to be fried hard(crispy), it wasn't but it still had a good taste. I enjoyed my pork chop, fried fish, okra and Lima beans are amazing! I def will be coming back! read more

We used a delivery app to get Jackson's at home. All our. Food was hot, tasty and just like going to Jackson's for real. Chicken was crispy and hot - excellent! Pulled pork was perfectly moist and hot. Sides of slaw, collards, fried okra and hush puppies. Fried items still hot and not oily, collards were huge hit among the lunch guests, slaw was good, not mushy. Overall, perfect way to have BBQ lunch with friends, but in comfort of our home. I will do this again! read more

This place has really gone downhill. Went in there for lunch yesterday, waited five minutes no one came to the table. Two waitresses were talking paid me no mind. Other customers waiting to have their orders taken as well. Felt like telling them that there are other options, Which I took advantage of. read more

The 1/4 chicken was so good. Tender, juicy and delicious. The BBQ sauce here is a little more vinegary than I have ever had but so good. Service was good. Good came out fast! I will tell all my friends to come here when in NC. read more

Jackson's Big Oak Barbecue - The most tender juicy bbq chicken. - Barbeque Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

We had lunch. Food was in good portions. We liked the fried chicken, okra and hush puppies the best. Also ordered pulled pork and ribs. They were all in healthy portions. If you walk out hungry it is your fault. Waitress was very sweet. Food came out quick. Pricing was $50 for 3 adults, which today I thought was a deal. read more

Been eating there for years. Great staff. Great food. Love the new items on the menu.

It's very close to my house and the food is top notch. Finally stopped by driving passed it quite a few times. I am glad that I finally stopped by. Great place read more

Hunter & the crew are doing an amazing job continuing the tradition of serving the finest traditional eastern NC bbq and fried chicken in New Hanover County. Awesome that they serve beer and stay open till 8 now. The sides are always great, our favorites are the Mac & cheese and the fried okra. read more

Excellent food. My BBQ meal was top notch, delicious. I got a BBQ/Shrimp combo meal with two sides and it was somehow less food (and no hush pups) than just the BBQ meal, but I suspect it was an oversight. I got it to go so I didn't notice until I was home. It was right on the verge of being too little food for the $, but again, this is the only time I felt that way. The pork BBQ specifically is really good. Good hush puppies, slaw is a little more yellow (?)than I would expect, but I'm sure it was intended. Cool dining room, not trying to get fancy. Simple presentation of good food. Recommended. read more

Excellent food, very friendly service, and a good ole fashioned no frills dining experience! We had the pulled pork which was excellent - Tender, meaty, and a little tangy. The fried chicken breast was so crispy, a large piece with a wing, and oh so delicious! The mashed potatoes and gravy were yummy! The beans were tangy and had a hint of spicy from perhaps jalapeños? The potato salad was our least favorite, more sweet than savory. Finally dessert was banana pudding! Oh, and the hush puppies were really good too! read more

Jackson's Big Oak Barbecue - Pulled pork, white meat fried chicken, hush puppies, mashed potatoes with gravy, baked beans, potato salad. - Barbeque Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

The food did not taste or look appealing. When u asked the waitress her opinion about the greens, she shot me a look and said, "I don't eat 'em." I should have known something was wind at that moment. I ordered fish with greens. The greens looked like someone dumped them into the plate straight from a can. The fish looked like it had been sitting under a warmer. The food didn't taste good at all. The only thing I enjoyed was 1/2 of the fries. The other half of the fries tasted under cooked. It was a horrible experience. read more

I feel bad for all the locals that have been going here for years saying this is great food. I'm sorry, but this was truly the #1 worst BBQ meal I've ever eaten! Pulled pork was basically minced; pork ribs were tough and looked/tasted like they were boiled; slaw tasted like it was made a week ago; sauce had watery consistency; mac&cheese was flavorless. How do you mess up mac&cheese?! It's the one side that should hit without question. I was shocked. Could not believe the entire plate was a miss. No smoke, no spice, no flavor. The furthest representation of BBQ *in my opinion*. read more

I haven't been to Jackson's in awhile and ordered some for delivery. They seem to have fallen off big time. I ordered a combo plate with catfish and shrimp, Mac and cheese, and collard greens. I was immediately let down by the portion size for a $20 plate. One piece of fish, eight to ten shrimp, and the sides were in tiny plastic cups which I assume is for portion control. So right out of the gate I didn't think it was good value for money. The shrimp had that definitely frozen taste, the catfish batter was soggy and the fish somehow tasted like eggs? The collards were mush like they were overcooked or perhaps not a fresh batch that's been heated and reheated and tasted sweet for some reason. The Mac n cheese was truly nasty. The pasta was overcooked into mush and the cheese/sauce had that clumpy curdled/broken texture. I don't think any of the food saw salt, much less any other seasonings. Didn't even finish my food. Disappointing. read more

Jackson's is one of the best in Wilmington. Food is always fresh, service is always great. Very down home feel.

Have been coming here more than 20 years. Stellar NC barbeque, some of the best Brunswick Stew, Collards and Hush puppies I've ever had. I know barbeque well. This is some of the best. read more

My first time visiting Jackson's. My hubby has been here before! His suggestion!!! Oh my goodness, thinking I might have to move to Wilmington! Best NC BBQ I've had in yrs! The sides perfect & darn good sweet tea. The corn sticks tasted like my MawMa's fried cornbread! Service was great, all the ladies were sweet! We ate out under the Big Oak! Incredible! Can't wait come back. read more

Jackson's Big Oak Barbecue - BBQ plates with sides, & sweet tea! - Barbeque Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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8/14 @ 1:20pm I've wanted to try this place for a while . And unfortunately I wish I didn't . The pork bbq was just mush and way heavy on the vinegar. The bbq potatoes had a sour taste . The corn sticks were soaking in grease . The hush puppies tasted of burnt grease and were flavorless. The staff was kind . The dining area ... when you walk across the floor it sounds like Velcro being ripped apart the floor is so sticky . read more

Visiting the area for work and we hit this place up for lunch. As we drove by the tattoo parlor we were questioning our decision...it doesn't look like much from the outside but it deceives you. The order counter is small, and the menu is small but I got the 3 meat with BBQ (pork), shrimp, and Brunswick stew. 2 sides were potato salad, and beans. Being a new Englander the potato salad is not what I was expecting but the young lady taking our order was efficient snf friendly and the food was a plenty and delicious. This is what I'd imagine a Carolina's BBQ joint should be like. The dining area was clean and the staff was friendly. A great local establishment. read more

A Wilmington staple! This place has been around for a longgg time and it's always been good. Best bbq around. Period. Plenty of sides to choose from and lots of yummy desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth! & theyre always super fast and friendly! It's soimportant to support small biz in this pandemic. They're doing curbside which is very convenient! read more

Jackson's Big Oak Barbecue - Curbside pickup - Barbeque Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Jacksons is an icon in Wilmington, North Carolina. I've been eating here since 1990 and I've never had a bad experience. The staff are great and the prices are reasonable and I would highly recommend you swing by and get some of their amazing NC barbecue. Prepared to leave with a happy belly. The decor just feels like a little family country run business. I'd also like to suggest that you take a look at the magnificent oak tree behind the building. read more

08-25-21 This is the first time that we visited to Jackson's Big Oak Barbecue, and I guess the first time that I have been in a true North Carolina BBQ. My BBQ tastes are heavily influenced by Texas, KC, and Memphis BBQ flavors and that has definitely influenced my review. When we arrived, we gave our order at the counter, now due to Covid-19 restrictions, we were wearing masks and talking through a plastic shield, which might have caused some of the future problems. I ordered a 3-piece Combination Plate consisting of BBQ Pork, Ribs and Shrimp. It was served with hushpuppies, cornsticks and came with two sides. For my sides I orders baked beans and slaw. My wife had their Barbecue Pork Plate with slaw and macaroni & cheese. When the food was delivered, I didn't get the ribs because they said it wasn't on the order. The pulled pork was cooked perfectly, but since I like a little sauce on my pork, I tried the only sauce on the table. It was their own sauce, which is a vinegar-based sauce, which I understand is a North Carolina standard. My only comment is that vinegar belongs in salad dressing not a BBQ sauce. I asked if they had another sauce and they did, so the pork was delicious. The fried shrimp was mushy like they had been in a steamer or something, probably the worst fried shrimp I have had. I would suggest that they get out of the fish business and stick to the BBQ business. The baked beans were good, I think the came out of a can. The "slaw" turned out to be a mustard slaw. I had never had that type of coleslaw before, so it was definitely different. I can't say that it is one of my favorite coleslaws. I'm used to hush puppies with a crisp golden coating and a tender, moist cornbread interior, these were the anthesis of that. What interior was left after being fried for so long was not moist. Since I have never had corn sticks before, I can't comment on the quality of them. My wife enjoyed her pulled pork and macaroni & cheese but had the same problems with the slaw and hush puppies. Since I didn't get my ribs, I had to base my rating on not getting the ribs, not notifying the customer of the type of coleslaw you're ordering and the hush puppies. Hush puppies are a personal favorite of mine since I had my first one in 1958. I did not deduct for mustard coleslaw or vinegar-based BBQ sauce because that is purely a personal taste preference and I know there are many North Carolinians that love their mustard slaw and vinegar-based BBQ sauces. If you are traveling and want to try a true North Carolina BBQ than this is one of them, I hope this is not the best you can find. read more

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In a state that holds bbq at the highest standard, this long time establishment leaves much to be desired. If I was trying NC BBQ for the first time it would be a tragic shame to have that food as my introduction. Over steamed flavorless ribs Dry "smoked" chicken Pseudo east coast NC vinegar bbq sauce ABSOLUTELY NO SMOKE FLAVOR AT ALL! To put it straight, choose a different bbq restaurant. read more

I had my very first Carolina BBQ experience here at Jackson's Big Oak after asking where to take the boy to get some pulled pork. (He used to work in Raleigh and told me he misses Carolina pulled pork.) We came in pretty late, but they didn't rush us at all. Our SERVICE was quite friendly, although at times our server seemed to be slightly distracted. I had no idea what to expect from a Carolina BBQ joint. The interior is very... homey? Is that the right word? You feel pretty at home here. It's not a gussied up fancy date kind of establishment, but more of a chilling with people you like to enjoy food place. There are a LOT of pigs in the decor, so if you don't like pigs... XD I thought it was pretty cute as I got my first taste of you know, "Southern" charm and food? I guess? We got some hushpuppies and corn sticks to start. They came by with another basket when our food came out, which was a nice surprise for me, as I thought we were just going to get this one basket. These hushpuppies were much better than any of the ones I've been having so far. They were moist and delicious, and the corn sticks also helped stave off my starvation after putting off getting dinner for a little bit too long. I ordered the BBQ and pork chop plate with applesauce and potato salad. The boy ordered the BBQ and Brunswick stew plate with barbecued potatoes and baked beans. A Carolina BBQ connoisseur of yore, he found the pork a little bit tough? I agreed, expecting more tender pork. Then again, we were probably their last or near-last customers, so we were very understanding. He did seem quite happy about his meal. Aside from the sort of tough pork, which I ate with some of the Jackson's Big Oak BBQ sauce, which is a vinegar-based sauce. This vinegar-based BBQ was definitely a brand new experience for me, but I liked it. (Although the pork on its own didn't really have much flavor in it, so when I added the sauce to it, I felt that it just took on a vinegar-y flavor. The pork chop was very good, though. I am very glad I also got that in supplement my BBQ pork. The boy was right though. Carolina BBQ is surprisingly filling. I only managed to finish my pork chop, half my pork, and we polished off the applesauce together to balance out the immense amount of meat and carbs we had already eaten. I remembered thinking that it didn't look like enough food, and yet there I was, with about a third of my meal leftover. All in all, I liked my first Carolina BBQ meal. I think I would've liked if the pork was a wee bit more flavorful and tender. But Jackson's Big Oak is a nice restaurant and I would go again. read more

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Ms T and I made a little tour of the North Carolina coastal region, stopping first in Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach. We started our first day with a beer at Broomtail Brewing and proceeded to Jackson's Big Oak. I ordered a medium combo with pork barbecue and ribs. The pork was a decent medium chop. The sauce was not heavily applied, so the moisture was good and it had a pure pork flavor which I liked. It was well trimmed, not greasy. There was really no outside but also no googily bits. This would make a very good sandwich. My ribs were what I would call crockpot style. This is an entirely different thing than I was expecting but then I guess you don't come to North Carolina for ribs. They were cooked in a tangy, sweet sauce. They are cooked done and done and done. It is hard not to like them once you get past the fact that you don't need teeth to eat them. I was thinking they would be right at home at a church supper. If you order them, just be aware these are not ribs like come out of a Memphis smoker. Ms T had a Fried Chicken platter and it was very good unadorned fried chicken. It appeared to be brined because there was ample salt throughout the meat and it was very juicy. The coating was light, it was fresh and hot. Seasoning was minimal (not much if any black pepper). It was just very good purist fried chicken. My collards were sweetened. I don't care for sweet collards, but they were tender. They were cooked without any meat. My Brunswick stew was also somewhat too sweet for me. I would rate it average, a little boring, pedestrian. The slaw was yellowish, chartreuse from a goodly dose of yellow mustard. It was a little sweet and a little tart from the mustard. It was too much yellow mustard for me but it went well with the pork. Ms T's Blackeyed Peas were very simple, in fact they needed a little salt. They had good clean pea flavor with no obvious onion or Ms T would have commented. Her fried okra was very fresh, with great okra flavor. It was clearly not frozen, pre-breaded. It was tender, not slimy and was as good as we usually get anywhere. The breading did not adhere very well, but it really does not matter, it was very good. The hush puppies were fairly typical, with some level of onion. They are not sweet and are sort of long shaped. They also serve Corn Sticks which are not sweet. They have good pure corn flavor. This was a very good choice for our first meal. I would go back right now if I could for a fried chicken and chopped pork combo with okra and slaw. The food is not heavily adorned or over seasoned. It was all simple down home cooking. read more

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Delicious Carolina BBQ and very down-home! Was filled with locals which I think is the best sign of good food. Great service too

Wish we could dine in but hanging out under their massive oak is cool as well. Had a take out bbq sandwich with slaw. Just perfect. Can't wait to post -covid and a full experience. read more

Jackson's Big Oak Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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The Black wattress was "HORRIBLE "‼She was very rude and I'm not prejudice because I'm Black . A Group of us came from Texas and we were recommended to this place but after the Service we will never come here again nor recommend anyone read more

Yummy fried chicken and pork bbq, how can you go wrong?!?! Tasty fresh and delicious.

I want to give this place a 4 star, because the pulled pork was actually dang good, but the sides just made me lean to the 3. I had the two meat combo with pulled pork and fried chicken. As I mentioned, the pulled pork was dang good, and the fried chicken was pretty good but nothing special. The sides really just let me down unfortunately. I had baked beans and the fried okra. I thought the baked beans were just very generic, and not very good. Same thing goes for the fried okra. read more

Jackson's Big Oak Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

The real deal! Been coming here since I was a little kid. The food is great and the service is friendly. I have had just bout everything and I am happy every time . Great BBQ and chicken! The sides are super flavorful and plenty to choose from. I live in surf city now and me and the wifey head to Wilm just for the Q... read more

Locals recommended Jackson's as the best barbecue around. They boil their ribs, fry their chicken and cook the pork in a slow cooker. It's not Barbecue....I travel a lot and would never go back here. read more

Well, yawl, this is the place for an authentic southern home cooked, not Mc'Donalded all up meal. Visited two weeks ago after being exceptionally disappointed over the quality and cleanliness of local southern home cooking establishments. (Just wondering how Southern home cooking equals dingy nasty surroundings? Hah-looooo Caseys and Carolina Bar B Que are you listening?) The ambiance while out of the now defunct Whitey's Playbook, lots of 70's pine walls, basic booth seating and very old celebrity photos extolling praises on the wall, is in keeping with what you'd expect from a restaurant of this genre. You wouldn't need to do much to film a black and white 60's era film on Civil Rights here. It's got that vibe. The staff were friendly, not overly so, but more an efficient sort of friendly. After all it was around lunchtime, the parking lot was packed and the place was full! So,we order two meals. Each different so we can surf off each other's plate and get the benefit of having two meals (at least to sample). And my dining companion and I came to similar conclusions. THE COLLARDS WERE OUT OF THIS WORLD! ok caps lock off. but I gotta say it again. Do Not Pass Over the COLLARDS. Not canned, fresh collards slightly sweetened, not overly swimming in pork fat. As Paula Dean would say.... "YUM yawl" On to the next little nuggets of yumminess. Hushpuppies. They were the best hushpuppies EVER. LIGHT, fluffy, with a nice balance of corn meal to flour. Not overly cooked in grease. The same cannot be said for the corn sticks. They are more expensive on the menu and I can't understand why. They were like little greasy square logs of hardness and I would have gladly exchanged them for the hushpuppies. Could have eaten a whole basket of the hushpuppies. A previous reviewer said the bbq was dry... aaaaaah you neophyte, you. Your college tastebuds and sensibilities have not been honed yet. The bbq is delivered in it's virgin state for you to add your own bbq sauce which is conveniently sitting on the table near the salt and pepper shaker. It was delicious. The pulled pork I mean, I wont get into the vinegar based tomato based debate here. You can duke it out over that. The mac and chess was pretty much like somebody's mamma made it. Not overly salty, not bland, not kraft blue box or annies purple rabbit. Green beans, were pretty much to be expected. No french almondine gourmet here. Just Grandma's. The only shocking disappointment was the Bruniswick stew. Methinks the ingredients came from a can. If not the whole shebang, then the potatoes. This is a danged shame because brunswick stew is the backbone of southern cooking. Its the Bulliabase of the south. It's like gumbo, throw a little bit of what you have been working with, add okra for that must have slimey-ness (not an insult to brunswick stew, believe me.) Let it simmer all day in love. No. Not this stuff. Take a wide berth around it as wide as the big old oak tree in the back yard. (which, by the way, is worth standing and admiring, thinking about how many rings and how many years that tree has overseen the progress of Wilmington and society. OOOh. After having visited two other similar restaurants in the area, I was highly dubious and expected the same or worse in terms of quality and cleanliness. Thank you Jackson for being the exception. I think next time I will try the chicken and pastry. And yes there will be many next times to come, especially in the winter when I am feeling like a hot, hearty home cooked southern treat. read more

Jackson's is one of my favorite NC 'cue joints. Why you might ask? First and foremost... THE SAUCE It's one of my favorite Eastern NC sauces. It has a great kick to it. I use it on fish as often as I do pork. Man I enjoy it. What else is good... PORK: The Pork is excellent. Not too fatty. Not too wet. Just how I like it. I can't comment on the chicken or ribs. I tend to stick to what's pulled. SIDES: All I've had are great. Love their slaw, fried okra and collards. The hushpuppies are insane. STEW: The Brunswick Stew is very good. PUDDIN': The Banana Pudding is nuts. SERVICE: I've always had great experiences at Jackson's. Friendly people who go out of their way to make sure you have a good meal. TREE: gigantic oak tree in the back of the restaurant. It's massive, older than Wilmington and one of the coolest trees I've ever seen. It has it's own mailbox and people actually write it letters. Legend has it the recipe for Jackson's sauce was discovered in a secret ancient chamber beneath the tree written in vinegar and signed "TREE". Not sure if that last part is true. read more

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Another childhood favorite for my family and I! Now my mother in law and husband love it too. This is a great stop for traditional Carolina BBQ (vinegar based). Traditional southern sauce available on the table. The slaw is mustard based. You get free hush puppies, corn balls (fried sweet corn), and corn sticks with butter to start. I always get the Medium BBQ plate, comes with two sides, no bread. My brother gets the combo with Brunswick stew. My pops got fried chicken, I didn't get to sample. My mother-in-law got a ribs combo and she loved it. Everything is moist and well cooked! Of note, you get a free bottle of sauce with teeshirt purchase (this may change). We ended with peach cobbler and banana pudding to share as a dessert. That cobbler was to DIE for. Compliments to the chef. I love this place so much, I'm never disappointed. read more

Jackson's Big Oak Barbecue - Medium plate - Barbeque Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

The place is clean, and the service is at least prompt, but the next time I'll order pulled pork to go didn't care much for any of the sides. You can go to the grocery store and get a can of collards that would be much better. I will definitely try the rest of the BBQ. just in a to go order with no sides.oh and definitely do not order a water ! read more

True Carolina bbq place. Had the medium pulled pork plate for lunch. The pork was very good as well as the vinegar-based bbq sauce. The cole slaw was different...had a mustard-mayo base but worked well! The candied yams were good but maybe a bit too sweet for me. The complimentary hush puppies were a nice touch. read more

Jackson's Big Oak Barbecue - Pulled pork, cole slaw & candied yams - Barbeque Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Excellent Eastern NC barbecue has never been available this far east (at least not in a restaurant), and it still doesn't challenge the best that can be found farther inland at Goldsboro, Wilson, Greenville, and even tiny places like Ayden, Dudley and La Grange. Of what is available in the Wilmington area, Jackson's probably the best, but even at that it remains pretty much middle of the road stuff, not bad, but, definitely not great. The pig is not pit cooked here, and any hint of smokiness comes from the addition of hickory chips added to the electric cookers. The meat does come out tender and moist, but rather bland, and the sauce has as much vinegar as any I've tasted, but matched up with the slaw, which has a little mustard in in it, a version I like from time to time. There is not a lot of sauce on the pork as it comes out of the kitchen, so most folks will want to add it at the table. The ribs are not ones I care for, nor is the Brunswick Stew, which more reseambles soup than stew. They offer both hush puppies and corn sticks here, go with the hush puppies. Some of the sides are very good, like the collards, which, while they are not in the same league as Bum's, they are very well done. This place changed hands, or ownership, or management a while back, and my first visit after that was not a very good experience - I felt nearly every aspect here had taken a step or two backwards. But on this latest visit, things seemed much better, and this is not a bad choice for those folks looking for a barbecue fix in this area. Service is good, pricing is reasonable, portions are more than adequate. read more