What an incredibly unexpected find in Wisconsin Rapids! Service was the friendliest I've received in ages. My pulled beef sandwich was delicious and full of juicy meat. Sauce was sassy, but not overly so. Pulled pork on the potato was also delicious and voluminous. Meat was moist and we're taking half of it home for lunch tomorrow. If you're in Wisconsin Rapids don't miss this place! read more

Heard good things about the food, unfortunately the first time we decided to try was a really busy night. We sat at the bar for 10 min, not one person behind the bar acknowledged us. It was obvious to us that they were busy, and under staffed, we understand. However, instead of avoiding eye contact, at minimum they could say hi, and tell us they'll be with us as soon as they could. We probably would have stayed for drinks, but instead decided to leave. Basic customer service goes a long way. read more

Brisket was well smoked and fork tender! Restaurant was busy and service was still great! Being from Texas makes us brisket lovers, and we appreciate great execution! read more

So glad that we came here for dinner as we traveled through Wisconsin Rapids. We each had a pulled pork sandwich with sassy sauce - Yum! Very very tender & flavorful! We both enjoyed each side that we chose - the baked beans had bacon in them & were perfect! The cheesy hash browns were creamy cheesy perfection. We mixed some of the 2 sides together & loved that, too! We ate up everything before I took a picture - so here's a picture of the take out special order (everything we had for dinner so we could have it again!) along with the crew! read more

Jim's Barb-ie-q Shack - Owner & crew after making our takeout order so we could enjoy more excellent BBQ! - Barbeque Near Me - Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin

Such an amazing establishment! The new owners have really turned it around, since the original owner passed away! It's a family owned business, and they are all so happy and welcoming and ready to answer any questions or if there is mistake, fix it without any questions. I was here before the new owners took over, and they've definitely upgraded! Please don't let these negative reviews affect your visit! The new owners bought it in February 2023, and they have done so much to make it a success ! The husband/son smokes the meat fresh daily! read more

Jim's Barb-ie-q Shack - ows people eating and drinking - Barbeque Near Me - Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin

Recently moved to Wisconsin and this is hands down the best restaurant I've found out here. Every time I order everything tastes amazing fresh and hot some of the most tender meat I've ever had and great portions read more

The food and the service were first rate! We have had good Barbecue all over the country and always enjoy trying new places so when we saw this establishment as we were driving past we had to give it a try. They didn't disappoint!! read more

Was very disappointed when I stopped in to get some ribs at 4:00 in afternoon ans was told they were sold out, they open at 11:00 am and was sold out at 4:00 pm, how can they run a business like that. So got a pulled pork sandwich to go and I only live 5 min away. Opened up the sandwich and the bread was soaked and falling apart. I give them a 1 star ratin read more

Great BBQ - if you have any questions that need answered check around the back. Huge smokers are producing the amazing meat here that boasts beautiful black smoked rind and juicy shining interiors. Sauce is on point, and they have a huge ice cream selection that's from the Chocolate Shop - local WI artisan Ice Cream. read more

Awesome BBQ pork sandwich! Service (owner) was wonderful! Very rustic atmosphere. They close at 8 PM. I came in at 8:20 and he still served me. He was awesome!! Definitely will go back!!! read more

We've lived in the area for almost 2 years now but never tried Jim's until early this year -- every time it crossed our minds, they were closed. (They have very limited hours and days.) Our first experience was a few months ago and it was EXCELLENT. All the food was hot and delicious, and the cheesy hashbrowns were AMAZING. (We regretted getting the small order instead of the large.) The service for our call-in carry-out order was also exceptional. Our second experience, in mid-April, was the complete opposite. Like the previous time, we called in a carry-out order. Over the phone, I tried to order 4 different things that were either no longer on the menu or out of stock: rib tip dinner, 1/2 BBQ chicken dinner, corn bites, and applesauce. Then, when I got to the restaurant, I found out that they were also out of one of the items I'd been allowed to order. My husband ended up with a BBQ pork sandwich for dinner (he'd ordered BBQ beef), which wasn't ideal because he's not a huge fan of pork. Because of all the "we don't have that" issues when I placed my phone order, the order got screwed up. They ended up giving me 2 Q-Shack taters instead of the one I ordered. When I pointed this out at the restaurant, the employee said, "Well, that's what you ordered." No, it's definitely wasn't, but I understand how it happened. The whole order got confusing because so many things were out of stock or no longer on the menu (which isn't updated on the website), so there was a lot of back-and-forth trying to figure out alternates on the fly. There was no offer of a refund (I paid before I was handed the food), so I just said, "It's fine" and took the extra food home. In the future, though, it would be good to repeat the order back to the customer to make sure it's correct, especially when things go sideways, like they did when I called. (I will also keep this in mind next time I order and will ask to have it read back to me if the employee doesn't do it.) When we ate, we discovered that both of the Q-Shack Taters had almost no sour cream and cheese (unlike the previous visit, where the toppings were abundant) -- it was basically a lukewarm potato piled with tons of meat. (And that meat didn't have much sauce on it, so it was bland.) The cheesy potatoes were also a huge disappointment. On the previous visit they'd been SO GOOD -- cheesy, perfect texture, excellent flavor. On this visit, they were a lump of salty yellow mush. If I didn't know they were hashbrowns, I definitely wouldn't have been able to identify them as such -- there was no "shredded potato" texture or appearance. The look and consistency was more like porridge. The food was also lukewarm even though we ate immediately upon my arrival at home. (I do mean immediately. My husband had the table set and the drinks sitting out.) I live less than a 5-minute drive from the restaurant, so it didn't cool that much on the way home. I'm not surprised about the temperature, though; the cartons were sitting on the counter when I arrived as the worker finished assembling my order, and I waited quite a while. (To be clear, I'm not complaining about the wait; I was early. But given that I was early, why was the food sitting on the counter half-assembled and getting cold?) I know the restaurant was recently sold, so I'm hoping our bad experience was just because the new owners haven't adjusted yet. We'll try again in a few months, and hopefully the experience will be more like our first time there. (If so, I'll update this review to reflect the improvements.) If it's bad a second time, though, we won't be back after that. I really DO want this restaurant to succeed. There isn't much variety in Wisconsin Rapids, and there are even fewer local options. I want to see a local business with lots of potential succeed. I hope the owners will figure out how to restore the previous level of food quality and service so this business can thrive and add to the diversity of restaurant options. Good luck to you -- I sincerely mean that! read more

Stumbled upon this BBQ joint as I was leaving town fo. BBQ prime rib! Two of my favorite in one sitting! The BBQ Prime Rib was good. The "extreme" sauce really got got some kick! The sauce complemented tender prime rib! Great find! I would come back...definitely! read more

Jim's Barb-ie-q Shack - Extreme sauce. BBQ Prime Rib. Potato Salad. - Barbeque Near Me - Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin

The food is good and everything, but it feels like they could improve there service quite a bit.

Food was decent. Ordered the bbq beef sandwich. It was pulled chuck roast. It had a hint of smoke, not a lot like a prefer, but it was present. They sauce the meat for you. I will order it on the side next time, I thought they were a bit heavy handed with it. I had the second hottest can't remember the name, it was ok. The staff was friendly and they had a friendly dog wandering around the dining room. Not sure the health department would be ok with this but I'm a dog person so I didn't care. I will go back and try other dishes, won't be a regular but it will definitely fill the bbq need when I'm in town. read more

I want to preface this review by saying that I have worked in many restaurants or food service places, including a BBQ restaurant in southern Wisconsin, so I do have an idea of what I'm talking about. My boyfriend and I stopped in for the first time during the week at around 6:00 PM. Neither of us had eaten here before, or from their previous (trailer) location, but my parents had eaten from the trailer several years ago and said it was pretty good food. I had been craving ribs for weeks, but didn't want to make the drive down to the Dells for Famous Daves, so I decided we should give this place a go. When we walked in, the first thing I noticed was that the place is decorated all in wood, with a really nice rustic look. The second thing I noticed was that the TV was extremely loud on some "let me fix your life" woman's talk show, and the one employee was sitting at one of the tables watching the TV and having something to eat. No big deal, obviously she had no customers. When we walked in, she leisurely got up and meandered to the counter where you order (no menu service here), seeming to be more irritated at being interrupted from her TV show than grateful that she had customers during the dinner hour when a restaurant should be busy (or at least have some customers). She barely greeted us, again seeming annoyed and bothered by our presence. There was basically zero customer service at this point, no "hi, how are you", no "is this your first time here", nothing. Just waited for us to order. We looked at the menu board, and my boyfriend ordered the pulled pork sandwich with mild bbq sauce and some fries. Although it was obvious we were together and thus eating together, once my boyfriend ordered she walked away and prepared his food before asking what I wanted. When his sandwich was completely finished, she handed it to him, then asked what I wanted. I got a half rack of ribs (at $13.95), and because the french fries were the only listed side that sounded good, I got double fries. We paid and were told to sit down and she'd bring my food out. The food easily could have all come at one time if she had taken both of our orders at once, instead of doing it the way she did. My boyfriend, being a considerate guy, didn't want to start eating until I got my food too, although I told him he didn't have to wait. Because everything is pretty much pre-cooked, it didn't take very long for my ribs to come, maybe about five minutes. I still felt it was poor planning that could have been avoided. At this point, I'm feeling rather on the fence about this place. It's really pretty, and the food smells great, but the service is leaving a lot to be desired. Then, I tried my ribs. Holy mother of GOD, those are good ribs. I thought I'd had good ribs in the past. I was wrong. These ribs are fall off the bone tender, and the rub they use is extremely flavorful. The french fries were passable, basically frozen fries, but those ribs were heavenly. My boyfriend reported that his pulled pork sandwhich was very good, and that he really enjoyed the mild bbq sauce. He wished he'd been given some on the side, instead of just the drizzle on top of his sandwich. In conclusion, I think Jim's Barb-ie-q Shack has a lot of room for improvement with professionalism and customer service, but they have their meats down PERFECTLY. I feel like if they were to focus on creating some more compelling side dishes than the mediocre ones currently offered, and maybe brought someone in to do some customer service training, Jim's Barb-ie-q Shack could become the top place to eat in Rapids. Honestly, there aren't many options for truly GOOD food in Rapids, and Jim's really has the potential. If they made customers feel welcome and cherished, instead of guilty for interrupting their TV watching time (or meal time), and made more than just the meat taste fantastic... there's no telling how far this restaurant could go. I wouldn't be surprised if I would drive by to see a full parking lot, instead of a completely empty one most of the time. (Honestly, I think the most I've EVER seen out there is two cars at once). I'll go back for the great ribs, and deal with the shoddy customer service, because there aren't any other rib options in town that are even slightly palatable, but if there was somewhere else in Rapids to get at least decent ribs... it might be a different story. read more

We actually went back last evening for the rib tips that literally melted in your mouth. Then, we went for lunch today and tried the prime rib sandwich to boot. It just does not get any better. Jim and his wife treat you right! You get a great size meal for your dollar! read more

Great service! Great Food! Plus they do catering! The meet had a nice smoke flavor to it but not overpowering sauces were delicious the beans were out of this world! read more

Barb catered our company holiday meal yesterday. Excellent food! We had smoked prime rib, and pork ribs along with all the fixings. Everyone was very pleased! Extremely reasonable for the what she provided. Plus she made some very yummy brownies as well! I would highly recommend Barb and her team for your catering needs. Thank you Barb! read more

I love the Prime Rib sandwiches, the kids love the specialty ice creams, and their Mom loves the Southwestern Beans! Our waitress Kenzi was very helpful, informative, and friendly! - Great food and service with a nice 'Northwoods' style decor. read more

Wow! We are always happy to have a great meal at Jim's! The service is wondering, the food is absolutely amazing!

I honestly don't understand what the hype is about this place. I feel like the only reason people give this place good reviews is because it's in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin. People in Wisconsin Rapids don't know what "good" food is... I've eaten at Barbeque joints all around the country and this is probably one of the worst that I've eaten at. First of all, the atmosphere is down right terrible - The building used to be the local bait shop in town. The meat is not that good at all. I got a pulled pork sandwich and the pork was incredibly dry and flavorless. The sauce added a little flavor but not much. On top of that, the portions were small and the side dishes did not taste good at all. If I am in the mood for BBQ, I would rather make the trip down to Wisconsin Dells and eat at Famous Daves. read more

INCREDIBLE. Best barbecue I've had since being down south. Also--as an added bonus--Jim, his "Barb-ee Cue," Carol and their dog Sadie are adorable. read more

Absolutely love it! We were introduced to this BBQ joint by a coworker who also has a place in the area. We had gone by it many times but never stopped and started kicking ourselves once we ate here we hadn't been here sooner. Now we can't come to the cabin without stopping. The entire family begs to go (including the extended family). The owners are really nice and the food is amazing. The ice cream is amazing and just tops off the experience. I've had a number of items here but am hooked on the pulled pork and beans. It usually is good for 2 meals and well worth the money. I like to add onions and extra sauce to mine. All the sandwiches are great and the chicken strips (what we get the kids) are real meat and not some compacted miscellaneous assortment of chicken parts. I'm always happy when the kids can't finish all of their chicken strips so I can have one as they are very flavorful. I haven't tried the ribs yet but think I might next time (actually getting hungry for Jim's BBQ writing this). Good thing I'm visiting the cabin and can make 20 minute run over there and grab some BBQ. On the way up my dad asked if we could be sure to stop by for BBQ while we're here and maybe grab some to go to bring home as well. Luckily they do sell it in larger to go portions :-) I've often gone in with large groups of my entire extended family and they do a great job. They have also done free corn on the cob in the summer and that was unbelievable. Seriously, I can't recommend this place enough. I've had BBQ across the country as I travel a bit for work and I really like Jim's. Good, good, stuff. If you only want Ice Cream, it's well worth the stop for that. They have the best ice cream as well which just shows their dedication to good food. read more

Hubs and I usually eat at Checkers when we happen to go through Rapids but I spied this establishment out of the corner of my eye and decided to give it a go. Hubby had the ribs with cheesy potatoes and beans and I had the Q Tator. The ribs were simply out of this world. The meat is smoked on the premises and it was done just right. The best ribs we've ever had! Fall off the bone tender with a great sauce that did not overpower the meat. My meal consisted of a baked potato with s&p, butter, sour cream, shredded smoked pork, bbq sauce and cheddar cheese. A veritable cornucopia of flavors and so large I couldn't finish it. We ordered a bbq 1/2 chicken with sides to go but Hubs won't eat that until tomorrow so I'll update when I get a verdict. Jim took time out to chat with us for a few minutes which was very nice. It's so nice to leave an eatery feeling full and satisfied and knowing you got your moneys worth. Do give it a try. p.s.--The BBQ chicken was out of this world! read more

Super friendly customer service. I had a half rack of ribs with sassy sauce and it was outstanding. My wife loved her prime rib sandwich and my daughter and her boyfriend loved the Q-shack potato. We definitely will be back! read more

Needed to eat somewhere other than a greasy spoon chain while in Rapids so I popped in here. The pulled pork was very good, as was the coleslaw. My only issue is that my meat came out of a microwave. I know it was made ahead of time and that's cool but if it was fresh it could have been 5 stars. read more

Nice place, the food is good. Maybe priced a tad higher then some bbq places I've been to, but I think the only authentic bbq restaurant in the Rapids. read more

I often eat at Jim's when I am in town visiting my parents, including their current location and their prior location out of a trailer. The ribs are melt in your mouth, and the pulled pork sandwiches are also great. Their side dishes are OK, but not the greatest. I did not care for their beans or potato salad, and the portions are a tad small. But the fantastic meat makes up for the mediocre sides. read more

WOW, I have a daughter in Kansas City and have been those so-called renowned rib places in Kansas City. I can tell you the best ribs are right in WI Rapids. Jim hit's it out the ballpark. These are the best hickory smoked ribs I have ever had and I travel everywhere in the US! Someone posted that the sides are not all that great, I disagree with that, I think they are great! This is a place that you WILL stop at every time you are in town, bar none! read more

STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!!! First the customer service is horrible. We ordered a pound of meat and inquired about getting some sauce to go with it. The older lady (possible manager) was extremly rude and yelled at us about inquiring and said that it costs alot to make the meat and even more to make the sauce so no freebies or tastes. We just shelled out over $15 for a little bit of meat and they wouldnt even let us try the sauce to see which one we could buy. Once we got home the meat wasnt anything spectacular. I could have probably got the same quality meat at the walmart deli for a third of the price. I love bbq and grew up in the south where bbq is a daily staple. This place is far from anything i would recommend to anyone. Food is mediocre at beast and customer service is horrible. Stay away!!! read more

Don't bother. I agree with they guy who said he can't see what the hype is all about. Unfriendly service, they make you pay for sauce (at a barbecue place?) but mainly the food just is not worth the stop. Disappointing. I gave them two tries, there won't be a third. read more

Some of the best ribs you will ever eat!! If you go on Saturdays at about 4:00 PM you have got to try their prime rib. It is out of this world delicious!!! We have also had the chicken and the pulled pork which were also very good. I highly recommend this place!!! read more

The owner is very rude, can't believe a guy with this type of personality can even run a business as long as this place has been open, amazed by that. Food was okay for bbq but have had much much better. read more

If I was just rating the food this would be 5 stars hand down! However, their customer service is extremely terrible. This place has such potential but will go no where if they continue to provide awful service. read more

Had awesome BBQ pork sandwich, to die for sweet corn and excellent ice cream for dessert. Everything about the place is immaculate. It's evident how well it is cared for, and Jim is quite a character to chat with too! Will definitely come back. read more

First thing you'll notice is the smell....that wonderful hickory smell. Then you get to meet Jim, and you're sold. He's a VERY nice person and goes out of his way to accommodate your every wish with your order....and the meat is the most mouthwatering tender BBQ I've tasted since my vacation to Memphis (ate at BB King's). read more

WE LOVE JIMS BBQ SHACK!! A friend got us hooked! We love their entire menu..not only are the entrees OUTSTANDING...even the coleslaw is to die for!! A group of us actually did a gift exchange for the holidays and one of the items was a Jim's gift certificate...people fought tooth and nail for it...(I happened to be victorious) :) Also, they have a great, laid back atmosphere and both Jim and his wife are very friendly! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! read more