We stopped in for dinner after a round of golf in Ramsey. Fun bbq joint vibe, casual and homey. The menu had many options but felt like I needed to try something that was bbq related. We started with cheese curds. Loved that they were batter fried and not breaded. Very tasty and a huge app portion. My entree was the pulled pork sandwich with bbq beans. Everything was very good. Pork had a savory flavor and it was nice and tender. Portions were large. Topped it all off with a Hazy Little Thing beer. Great service. Easy parking. Just off a major road. Great stop. read more

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My husband works for an LTL delivery service and made a couple deliveries to Jellybean and Julia's when they were opening their current location. He told me back then that someday we needed to check out J&J's. We love small business, local, non-chain restaurants. I decided to surprise my husband and take him to J&J's for Father's Day. We are empty nesters, so it was just the two of us for lunch. We arrived just after 12 p.m. There was a line out the door, which we expected since it was Father's Day and Sunday lunchtime. We were told it would be a 15-20 minute wait for a table, which we had no issue with. We ended up waiting less than 10 minutes because there was a table available on the patio. The weather was beautiful, and with summer being so short in Minnesota, we like to take advantage of it whenever we can. Our server came to our table shortly after we were seated, but it was long enough that we both had time to decide what we wanted before she arrived. I ordered the Texas Philly, and my husband had the brisket sandwich. We had to wait a while for our food, which we understood given how busy the restaurant was. Others around us were complaining about the wait, and those tables had a different server who was very apologetic about the kitchen being backed up. The hand-cut fries were piping hot and seasoned perfectly. It's so rare to go out to eat and get hot fries, let alone fries that are piping hot. That alone was worth the wait! My husband loved the brisket sandwich, and the Texas Philly was SO good--piled full of meat. We live in the south metro, but it was well worth the 30+ minute drive to get there. We'll definitely be back and will absolutely recommend J&J's to others! read more

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We've been coming to JJ's since the Anoka location and continue to visit at least once a week because the food is genuinely that good. That's why it's disappointing to see the overall experience decline since the move to Coon Rapids. The biggest issue isn't the food let's be honest, it's the atmosphere and management. During several visits, we've overheard employees openly venting about work, management, and how unhappy they are. As customers, it's uncomfortable to hear so much negativity while we're trying to enjoy a meal, and it makes it seem like there are larger issues behind the scenes. We've also observed inconsistent professionalism from some staff members on more than one occasion, we observed an employee handling work without first washing their hands after eating then go sit tables, which was concerning. The experience is incredibly inconsistent. Some visits are fantastic with great service, quick wait times, and a fun atmosphere. Other visits feel chaotic, disorganized, and lacking leadership. You can tell the staff is stressed, and unfortunately, that spills over into the customer experience. We're leaving this review because we truly like this restaurant and want it to succeed. We hope ownership takes an honest look at the culture and day to day operations, because the food deserves the same quality of service and management. read more

Best BBQ in the Twin Cities? My barbecue-loving friend from Austin, TX thinks it has earned that title. This is a very beer-soaked-wood-smelling classic barbecue joint that I can confidently recommend to anyone with a passion for this type of menu. I got the Cuban Sandwich and my friend got the PB&J Brisket Sandwich, and we both loved ours. The pulled pork on my Cuban was SOOOO tasty, and the side of mac & cheese I got really surprised me with its homemade quality. I also got an iced coffee which I loved - Smoked Iced Coffee that tasted great. This would be a five-star review if there weren't a 50-minute wait between ordering and food delivery. It was lunchtime on a Sunday, true, but it looked like a manageable amount of people. This might have been a one-time situation, so if other Yelp reviews aren't mentioning it then you probably won't have the same problem. The only other thing is to note the prices, which are above average (my Cuban Sandwich was $20). One does tend to pay a price for good barbecue, though, and I must reiterate that this isn't just "pretty good for Minnesota". This food is GOOD. Check out the section on their website where they lovingly describe their food philosophy in passionate detail. NOTE - they recently updated their hours. They are open every day until at least 10pm. They have a stage and it looks like you'll be able to catch some music if you time it right. There are lots of reasons to check this place out! read more

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We recently made a return trip to this 'cue joint, our first since it moved out of its old digs in Anoka. Once again, we started with the cornbread fritters and jalapeno jam (delicious) before moving on to the mains. A Texifornia burrito with chopped brisket was enormous; we could easily have made this a meal for two. As it is, we took half of it home for lunch the next day. The star here is the brisket, chopped in the burrito and sliced off the fatty end to go with the hashbrown casserole for the second main. It is beautifully smoked, with a rub that calls to mind many a stop in central Texas. Great service and ample parking also await you. Definitely worth putting on your list of BBQ joints worthy of a stop in Minnesota. read more

Jellybean and Julia's - hashbrown casserole - Barbeque Near Me - Coon Rapids, Minnesota

First of all the atmosphere was phenomenal went on a Saturday night or Saturday evening live music place was just phenomenal. prices were very reasonable. Had pulled pork sandwich very tasty Had a smoked flavor melted in your mouth just like Texas if you ever went to Texas, you would know what I'm talking about. I had chips and salsa. Chips were really good. Salsa was great as well had the red sauce don't know about the green. The hand cut fries were definitely really hand cut to die for. This place does know how to make real barbecue food seen a person eating ribs fell off the bone. Definitely would go back there again. The mac & cheese was phenomenal. read more

Jellybean and Julia's - The pulled pork sandwiches, mac & cheese, and fries - Barbeque Near Me - Coon Rapids, Minnesota

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The place has a nice laid back feel. They were packed the night I was in. My server was good and the food was fast. The sandwich had several big chunks of fat. I don't find that pleasant. The brisket had great flavor. The Mac and cheese was creamy, it had a cheese sauce. The baked beans were delicious my favorite thing. read more

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Margaritas taste so much better in a big stemmed glass! Its a big part of the of the Margarita experience. Just sayin'... !

We bought a rack of ribs and 3 sides for takeout. The ribs were good, but the sides were not palatable. The brisket with beans tasted terrible, and the coleslaw was flavorless. The mac & cheese was ok. We spent over $75 (which included the tip). We won't be returning at all. read more

I was excited to try this place based on their story online; their site talks about using locally sourced ingredients and making everything in house. For some reason, I envisioned a lovely country diner but was surprised that this place had more dive bar vibes. Everyone who works here was very nice and helpful. Overall, the flavors were pretty good. However, I am taking a star off for a couple of reasons: 1. The portion sizes weee uncomfortable too big; I got the brisket fries as my main and it was like 4 people worth of food and way too much cheese sauce. 2. They don't have a kids menu and they don't have any basic options; we were charged $8 for a very basic and plain waffle which is kind of ridiculous. 3. The Mac and cheese was luscious and creamy but wayyy too salty!! Overall, love the concept of this place but I would recommend adding some smaller and lighter menu options. read more

Jellybean and Julia's - Brisket fry nachos - Barbeque Near Me - Coon Rapids, Minnesota

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Wonderful food and service! We love this place and look forward to returning. The staff are amazing and should be proud.

The food is really good but the wrong environment too small of venue to have live music music gets so loud doesn't make you feel like even eating your food just makes you want to leave trying to go for the Honky Tonk bar or roadhouse but too small location for it it's bigger than their old one, but it's still not the right venue to have live music especially at the volume they have it service was good. Just not the right location to have live music with food felt more like a bar than a place to eat. read more

This place was busy and does not have much elbow room. The tables are fairly small and close together so just be aware for the size of your party. Food was decent... thought most dishes lacked flavor for me to say it was "good BBQ." Portion sizes are massive for the meats. The cornbread fritter was actually very delicious and delicate ($1 each one but I had to try...glad I did). - Service was great (Molly was very attentive and kind to us)! - Large parking lot - $25 per person for 1 alcoholic drink and a filling meal read more

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Came to try the smash burger but my stomach took me on a different direction. Went with the brisket sandwich and mac and cheese on the side. We also split an order of whole wings. There are so many sauce choices. I went with the trinity for my sandwich which was great. For the wings we got the Carolina one. Also good. Mustard based as you would expect. Inside had a stage but no music on Sunday. There was also a large patio that wasn't open on a beautiful afternoon. Still have to go back for the burger but would return for the bbq if I was close. read more

Jellybean and Julia's - Brisket sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Coon Rapids, Minnesota

Jellybean and Julia's is a great place to stop by and try some amazing barbecue. This burger was one of the best burgers I've ever had! The restaurant has a fun atmosphere and staff are friendly. They offer a variety of specials daily and are always trying new innovative ideas. read more

Jellybean and Julia's - Burger, Mac and cheese and burrito - Barbeque Near Me - Coon Rapids, Minnesota

Tried out the new location as my last visit was in the OG in Anoka. Pleasantly surprised at the new spacious dining & bar area. I had the Meat Sweats sandwich w/ cole slaw side & partner had the pulled pork sandwich w/ fries as the side. My sandwich did make me sweat in a good way...delicious! Partner's sandwich was devoured; however the fries were overly seasoned. The waitress was nice to bring out some fresh hot unseasoned fries. Thank you! Atmosphere inside was great & approaching the front door we enjoyed the waft of smoked meat! Drink menu is just right offering a solid selection on hard liquor, beer, & N/A options. Live band option on select days...the elevated stage reminds me of a roadhouse without the chicken wire barrier! read more

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This place moved from anoka to coon rapids and the new space has plenty of free parking! The service was VERY good! Very personable! Even after we paid and were just chatting, the server came back to refill our waters! The vibe was a very dive, hole in the wall. They have a stage for live music but on the Saturday night we went, there was no music, bummer :( The food: Things are served a la cart. So sides are extra. The meats here are good! The brisket was a bit fatty but still very tasty! The pulled pork and smash burger were delicious! And the quesabirria tacos were flavorful but served with more of an aju than a consume. I also wish you got 3 and not 2 for the order. Overall my boyfriend and I enjoyed this place and would recommend it. read more

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Great smoked Brisket and love when they have live music playing for free entertainment! Nice family owned business and everyone is usually pretty friendly. read more

When I tell you I ascended to godly hood when eating at this place I mean it. It has become a regular place that I take my Grandpa and he also enjoys and he complains about everything but not this place. Service is friendly and gets your food quick. My favorite is the pulled pork sandwich and the fries are seasoned to the gods: amazing. Also every inch of this place is covered in interesting decore my fav is the sticker wall. read more

Was craving some wings and someone suggested this place. Small restaurant with own parking lot. Just walked in and got seated, they did have a pretty big bar area too. Staff was fine, ordered dry rub wings with a bunch of sauce on the side, sausage and cornbread fritters. Everything came out fast and hot! Wings super crispy on the outside and still very juicy. Dry rub didnt have a ton of flavor, but still tasty and sauces were petty good, definitely suggest that. Sausage was good and didnt know what to expect from the cornbread fritters but I liked them even though they were harder than expected. Pricing wasn't bad at all for what I got. Overall decent experience, I'd go back and try some of their brisket next time. read more

Jellybean and Julia's - Dry rub wings with sauce on the side - Barbeque Near Me - Coon Rapids, Minnesota

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We visited the area for a few days and wete trying out local eateries. This one had a catchy name so we chose here to eat lunch. The menu was full of burgers and BBQ choices. We had the brisket won tons for a starter, very good and different. Our meal was the chicken strawberry rhubarb sandwich that was the special and the cherry gouda burger. Both sandwiches were excellent. The chicken was freshly cut and fried and the sourdough bread was nicely toasted and tasty. The service was good but only appeared to have one server working. She was quick with service even though she had several tables to tend. The restaurant is very casual with a bar vibe. Most of the tables are high top. I most likely will not be in this area again, but if I were to visit again, this stopped is on my list. read more

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This is such a fun place. It's got an eclectic BBQ, bar, pull tab vibe going. I love the fun decor including the dinosaur/alien/cowboy mural on the back wall. The customer service was great and the BBQ smells so enticing! We sat inside but they do have an outdoor patio too. My son and I shared the nachos with pulled pork and topped it off with some mild BBQ sauce, although it wasn't needed because the verde and queso sauce was delicious on its own. Man that BBQ sauce is good though! Better than most places. It's got a nice peppery flavor to it. The tortilla chips were thin and crispy which I love plus they were seasoned! The toppings were super yummy and the pulled pork was so tender and juicy. I plan to come back multiple times because there are several things on the menu I'd like to try. read more

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Loved everything about this place. Our first time to visit-went looking for beef brisket. Surprised to find great live music. Service was terrific. Food was good. Vibe was fun. Price point was attractive. We'll go back! read more

Overall, good food and entertainment. You can taste the smoke in the meat. Other barbecue places it's about the sauce.

Some of the best BBQ I've ever had! We drove over an hour to get here and every bite was so worth it. Highly recommend! read more

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This is one of the better burger places around the cities. The french fries are terrific as well. The service is alway great, with friendly stay. Love this place! read more

Great food and the service from Nancy was amazing. She is attentive and very knowledgeable about menu. The food is stupidly good. Prices are a little high with smaller portions. But all in all. A good meal for sure. read more

The cheesy potato hot dish for a side is actually to die for. Their French onion French dip is also 10 to 10 so phenomenal. They have a cleaner type of food style me and my kids thoroughly enjoyed it and the mac & cheese. I would also say is definitely a hit it's homemade read more

I finally had the opportunity to stop by and try the food. Drove past this restaurant so many times. This place is always busy. The parking lot is full. We arrived during the dinner rush, there was a band setting up to perform. Huge bar in the middle of the restaurant. We ordered the giant chicken wings and some of the bbq items. They are more on the savory side than sweet. You can always ask for the different sauces they offer. Right by the door was the pull tabs and patio was full as well. I think they have daily happy hour, it's just $1 - $3 off appetizers and special price drinks. read more

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I was there on a Wednesday night in late October. They had a blues night with guest participation. The music was awesome. The barbecue was great. We liked everything we had. Good drink drinks good service good venue. I will definitely be back. read more

We saw this online and it looked like some interesting barbecue. Really good ratings. It's a fun place. Definitely a restaurant bar atmosphere. Plenty of seating. They have room for a band, but no one was playing while we were there. You could hear fine. Our server Sam was great. She took good care of us and made sure we liked our food. My husband had the brisket sandwich and thought it was delicious. I had the PB&J brisket and it was amazing. Fries were good. They are a little spicy with a Spice blend sprinkled on them, but not too hot. The beans were good. They are not sweet beans. They are savory beans but very good. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Jellybean and Julia's - PB&J brisket sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Coon Rapids, Minnesota

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Great vibes!! Went here when there was a blues concert and it was awesome also went here for initial trivia Thursday and it was pretty fun! Service was good and good was satisfactory! Enjoyed the sandwiches the most! read more

My bf and I have been touring the food scene in the area, and we ended up finding jellybean. Its definitely got amazing food. The ribs fall apart at the touch of them. The waitress brought us a sample of the brisket, not our first choice in meat, but omg it was amazing. read more

Have to say, I wasn't a fan. Came here for father's day.. had a bit of a wait which was to be expected. When we were finally sat, I was thuroughally disappointed. For all thy hype this place has been getting, I expected so much more. It feels like it was just thrown together with whatever discarded furniture Denny's left behind when they did their remodels. I was also afraid for when they might decide to do live music.. the stage was very janky looking and the thought of being sat at one of the tables right in front of it and the state of my ear drums afterword.. but I digress.. Wanted to try the meats that everyone talks so highly of, so I got a half pound of the brisket as did my friend next to me. The others got the pork. The friend next to me was up visiting from TX and knows her BBQ.. this wasn't it. The brisket was bland and dry. The pulled pork was better than the brisket but still didn't help me to understand why people go so nuts over this place. The hashbrowns were good but forgetable, and the cornbread ball thing was dry. I'll give this place another try just in case this was a one-off, and maybe this time I'll get some clean silverware? read more

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It was my first time being at the new location. They now have a much needed space and the food is as good as ever. You could never go wrong with their BBQ. Service was on point as always. This is a must try place. read more

Jellybean and Julia's - Barbeque Near Me - Coon Rapids, Minnesota

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The ribs were just OK they were very meaty, but we're very mushy. The side three ordered were very small, but fairly priced. I've only been there once Service was good. We definitely gonna go back and I would recommend the restaurant. read more

We had to dine-in one more time in the Anoka location before they closed on Feb 25th and moved to Coon Rapids. Sis and I were looking for a "fish fry" for Friday dinner, and I happened to stumble across their social media post of their fish n chips special. So 2 birds, 1 stone. We haven't been back since they expanded the dining room, and it was a nice improvement. More tables, more space between tables, same ambiance. Sis got the fish special. Fish was flaky, falling apart once the batter was cut through. Came with tartar sauce and coleslaw. Sis said they both had chipolte smokiness. She was not a fan; she prefers standard tartar sauce and zippy slaw. I saw on their chalkboard menu at the front door that they had a Shrimp Po Boy. I liked the bread it came on, mix of chewy and toasted. Most of the flavor came from the remoulade sauce. Coleslaw added a crunch against the soft shrimp. Came with a side of French fries (I added salt) and pickled red onions and yummy hamburger pickle chips. The pickles were my favorite part. So glad they weren't bread n butter or zesty. Staff was friendly and worked together as a team. Between 2 waitresses, everything was ordered, delivered, and bill paid with ease. read more

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Went here on a Saturday night and the place was packed. Staff could not have been any friendlier and our server (Nancy) was awesome and walked us through the menu and pointed out some of her favorites. I had the chopped brisket sandwich with Mac and cheese and it was fantastic. My wife had the pulled pork sandwich with fries and she said it was also fantastic. The walls are plastered with stickers and other hangings and one wall has a pretty cool mural painting. If you are looking for great BBQ, you must try this place. read more

Jellybean and Julia's is an occasional place for us. Both the breakfast and dinner menus are good, having mostly pleasing meals. I especially like the huge chicken tender appetizer, as it is deliciously seasoned, as well as the lovely banana pudding. The food comes out decently quickly, and a lot of the waitresses are super sweet. I'd recommend! read more

Food was great. Everything was cooked well and service was amazing and fast . Dishes where clean and everything was top tier