I had heard really good things from the people at the hotel. Well... Can't believe everything you hear. Not being from here, I arrived with a co-worker. The parking lot was full and many people inside eating. We ordered trying to get a taste of a couple things. Got ribs and chicken combo. Ordered sides of Mac and cheese and baked beans. Ordered extra side of corn bread to share. Lastly ordered the sweet potato pie. Well, here ya go. Ribs - they were dry as the desert and no amount of sauce was re-hydrating them. They had little flavor as well. The chicken was severely smoked and tasted bad for it. It was also dry and it was the dark meet portion. Mac and cheese - well Kraft in a box would have been a better decision. The beans were ok. That's it. As for the pie. Not. Store bought and no spices to flavor it. Lots of sugar. So, I would recommend not coming here. Find someplace else. The crowds here don't understand real bbq or have accepted a lower standard of quality which is a shame. Wish I could get my money back. Finally, the server came over and offered to take away plates. She saw how much food last left on plates and thought we were still working on it. We said no and take it. Complained it was dry and she made comment you did really good at working in our plates. Yikes! Just run away from here and don't waste your hard earned money. read more

pulled pork sandwich was amazing! a couple of loud and obnoxious staff members that made dining in a bit less than comfortable. overall decent experience. might consider returning. read more

Unfortunately the food was lacking in several areas. The ribs were too fatty and had no flavor, the sauce was bland, the pulled pork had some kind of strange fat emulsified with the meat, the chicken was tough and seemed dried out. I couldn't even finish my plate. The cornbread and cole slaw were good. I wouldn't go here again. read more

If you're looking for real bbq this is the place. Pulled meats are amazing and their homemade bbq sauces are amazing!! My favorite thing to get are the smoked wings they're nice and crisp on the outside extremely flavorful.. I've seen some other reviews they don't do this place justice!! Some people you can't make happy. read more

This is as manly as it gets..not as good as some bbq's in other parts of the country, but still very good. Tons of ribs, the meatiest I have ever seen. Mouth and fingers covered in bbq sauce...manly lumberjack type dudes everywhere with biceps as big as my thigh...cool place read more

Second visit: Great idea. Horrible food. Told waitress. Manager never came to the table. My stomach still hurts.

We stopped in this place after finding on Yelp. There were six people in my party. We ordered an excessive amount of food to share. My opinion the beef brisket was the best. We had several flavors of wings, ribs and sandwiches. The smoke flavor was well represented and the servings size was well worth the money. The only down side is I thought the ribs were a little tough. They were far from tender that just falls off the bone. The other issue was the tables were very sticky like they were only wiped down with water. If I return to Bloomington I would return for the beef brisket to go. read more

Best BBQ in Bloomington! $1 ribs on Wednesday and so many sides to choose from! Pulled pork is amazing and so is the corn bread! Making the drive back from Indy soon! read more

Took my son here for lunch after Commencement for him at IU. Why had he kept this place a secret for so long? The beef brisket was fall-apart tender, thee fries delish and the mac n cheese were great. Great staff and service! read more

Awesome prices and large portions with a variety of super meaty options. The aesthetic of this restaurant seemed initially like a pick-up, carry-out type of place, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a quaint, homey, and down-to-earth restaurant inside filled with piggy collectibles on every surface, nook, and cranny. There were also large flat screen TVs for your enjoyment and lunch time today featured good, ol' CNN, which I very much enjoy. Pulled pork was amazing as expected, especially since I could pour as much homemade barbecue sauce on there to my liking. The piggy mac was a little bland as far as cheese goes, but the pulled pork on top of it made it better. Prices were absolutely doable and with the relaxed service that asks to fill your drink although you could do it yourself absolutely will bring me back another time. I would deem this a Bloomington staple so you should try at least once! read more

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Want to try their ribs at some point, but went for the bbq since I've only been here once. Put that coleslaw right on top of your bbq sandwich=heaven. Or better yet, go to Marsh, get the blue cheese cole slaw (sounds weird, but I still get it EVERY time I'm in town, in the largest container ever, someone makes fun of me, and then all my friends eat it, I'm lucky if I get a bite), but go get taht, and put that on top of this bbq. Love the variety of sauces. It's a bit out there but still gets a worthy crowd. read more

This place is so good that while we were visiting Bloomington, we actually went back and ate here a second time. When there are so many exciting new places to check out during our first visit to Bloomington, you KNOW that Smokin' Jack's has to be good to have earned two visits in six days. First, the process is a little strange, but the college kids working behind the counter are exceptionally polite and helpful. The iced tea is tasty (fresh-brewed, not Lipton) and all softdrinks are served in giant tumblers. I suspect you get free refills, but I never managed to finish the first serving on either visit, so I don't know. On a Yelper's recommendation, I tried the pulled pork sandwich. A 1/4 pound serving that had to have been closer to 2/3 lb, heaped over my plate with homemade coleslaw. I also ordered a second side of corn bread and was rewarded with a construction brick-sized double portion for just a buck more. That entire meal cost $7? Seriously? The corn bread was solid, the cole slaw absolutely delicious and the pulled pork was perfection. My husband got a rib and chicken combo, both of which were in the "OMG so good" column, along with macaroni and cheese (kind of gluey, but apparently it's a Southern thing?) and fries (decent, not exceptional). I also ordered some cherry cobbler, which was a slice that could have easily served two, for the princely sum of two bucks. I was too full to even attempt dessert-- seriously the pulled pork was amazing-- but two bites of the cobbler showed that Smokin' Jack's means business when they claim they are homemade goodness. On our second visit, I wasn't going to miss out on the ribs, so I got a quarter slab, along with red beans and rice and the baked beans. The spouse couldn't leave without another shot at the ribs, so went for the whole slab so that we could take some home (I married a wise man). The baked beans were peppery and delicious and the red beans with rice was so loaded with meat that it really could have been an entree by itself. The ribs... again, magnificent. The meat tasted of smoke and love and the meat had, as Charlton C said in his review, been smoked so long that the bones had become pliable and soft. If you like sucking marrow, you're going to be in a happy place at Jack's. read more

It was mediocre at best. French fries were yummy but the brisket and rib tips have too much liquid smoke on them. It doesn't taste like it's been slow smoked all day. No thanks. read more

Tho the pink building will throw you off, the BBQ was good. I got the rib tips, cole slaw, and mac & cheese. While not the best that I've ever had, it worked for the BBQ craving I had on this Memorial Day. The ribs were fall of the bone and had good flavor, mac and cheese and cole slaw were about what I would expect for both sides. The portions were good also (got a big appetite and didn't finish my tips). The tea is a good as everyone says. The cobbler was a disappointment. It was cold (who serves cold peach cobbler?) and it didn't taste all that good. Price was reasonable. I will be a customer when I have another BBQ craving. read more

The food is mediocre at best and the staff is not very friendly. You would be much better off going to BBQ Train on smith road (which is delicious). read more

Very good! Loved their tenderloin, Mac and cheese, and corn bread! They also have legit sweet tea! I'm from south florida and it has been hard to find good sweet tea! It will definitely become a regular spot for us! read more

It's a barbecue joint and the food is pretty good. The sauce is OK ask but you should ask for hot sauce if you want some real Flavor and if you're over 60 so on Monday night when things are half price. read more

Terrific pulled pork, chicken, and turkey. The regular sauce is a little on the bland side (which I actually like), so you might do well to order a hotter variety if you're looking for a really distinctive taste with your sauces, but the meats themselves stand on their own very well with a great, smokey flavor and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. read more

hell o again this is joe again from nashville tn. i had my friend come back yseterday for my order same as always smack yo mama good i will get by there myself one day when i do you will know it s me look for the cowboy hat keep up the good work thanks read more

Great Place. Terrific fried Catfish and tenderloin, great ribs and wings. I live close and can smell the smoker going so anyone that says they "boil" the ribs is totally tripping. Staff and atmosphere top notch. read more

Order this: Half pound pulled pro sandwich Side of fries, macaroni and cheese and corn bread. To wash it down make sure you get the sweet tea. Hands down, best BBQ in the county! Keep doing what your doing! read more

Decided to try out some BBQ here in Bloomington when I came across this delicious joint out on West 17th Street. Here I ordered a solid 1/2 lb pulled pork sandwich for only a meager $9, which i would say is only the cheaper side for this quantity and quality of food. This sandwich was just about perfect, it was moist, tender, juicy, and covered in BBQ sauce. The only flaw was that the buns were not large enough to contain all that meat! Not to mention that this meal was accompanied by 2 fantastic pieces of corn bread, which were sweet enough to make me want to order more! Service here was good too, nothing too out of the ordinary however. Just a a couple of waiters and waitresses going around to make sure everything runs smoothly. The atmosphere of the place is what drives it all home. It wasn't too crowded, and it was fairly quiet; enough so that I was able to maintain a conversation with my company, but not quiet enough to make it uncomfortable. It made me feel as though I was in the south eating some of the best BBQ in the country. They had little pig statutes with old style wooden tables and chairs which made the experience all the more enjoyable. read more

Visited around 6-7PM on a Friday. Ordered the 1/2lb brisket sandwich with beans and slaw. Brisket was obviously of good quality, but lacked smoke and seasoning. Beans were from a can. Slaw was very finely shredded and a bit overdressed, but still crisp, which led me to believe it was pretty fresh. Would honestly give them another chance next time I'm in town. read more

Damn fine rib tips. Good portion sizes. Staff was great. Place was very clean. It smelled like a Bbq place. Great Job. read more

Smokin' Jack's Rib Shack - Rib Tips - Barbeque Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Pulled pork sandwich is good. (Better barbq sauce choices would make it great) Potato salad is so so. Cobblers are yucky! Bar B Q chicken was terrific!great portion, nice flavor. (Sauce could be better) read more

I've only had one visit to to Smokin' Jacks, but I definitely plan on a return. The aroma of smoking meat surrounded the largish restaurant. There were lots of people doing carry-out, and the sit-down business was strong. There were lots of menu options, but as we were a little short on cash, we opted for the inexpensive rib tip dinner. After a short wait, the meals were brought to our table. We were surprised at the large size of portions, both of the meat, and the 2 sides. We ate with relish, but none of us were able to finish our meal. We asked for a take out box, and were able to stuff it with left overs. So on a value basis, this was one of the BBQs I've experienced. The flavor of the food was better than average. There were 5 different sauces available. I got the Jamaican jerk. It was not nearly as hot as other jerk I've had, but was still pleasantly pungent. The only criticism I have is rather small. Rib tips are hard to cook. One end of the strip is all meat, the other almost all bone. None of the pieces we had were mostly bone. However, the center pieces were not as long cooked as they might have been. This is not to say they were undercooked, but that they would have improved with a few more hours in the smoker. They could have had a bit more fat rendered out, and the meat would have ended up a bit more tender. So I'll try again fairly soon. Next time I'll go for the ribs. The table next to us was a party of 18. They were served as quickly as our party of three, and the heaping bowls of steaming pulled pork looked great. looked read more

Fantastic food, terrific service. One of our favorite places in town. Tips: 1.) Avoid Senior Citizen's night.. unless you're a senior citizen, that is. I think it's Monday. The place is completely packed! 2.) If you have a dog at home, ask the wait staff if they have any bones in the back you can take home. They will give you lots of nice, thick, meaty bones (no chicken.. avoiding the splintering). Stick them in the freezer and dole them out to your pup. Fido will smell like a BBQ pit, but love you forever. read more

Our family ate at Smokin' Jack's around 8:00 p.m. on Friday, September 16. My husband and I ordered the greens and bit down on what tasted gritty--like dirt! Gross. The potato salad was cold but looked like the mayonnaise sauce had gone hot and made it runny and then re-refrigerated--it was very unappetizing looking and not particularly tasty. My husband ordered cornbread and it was a hard corner piece burnt. I ordered brisket, but they delivered pulled pork. I also asked for no bun and got a bun. All in all--we have visited several times before and like the place but because of this most unpleasant eating experience will likely NOT return. read more

so 15 bucks 1/2 ribs, good price right? then you have to pay for each side you want. got the plate, nice a meaty, took a bite, NO FLAVOR! the bbq sauce on it didnt even taste like anything. the next bite, i was eating jerky, it was so dry and chewy. if you want ribs go somewhere else cause you can probably cook them better yourself. better yet, pay me 15 bucks and ill cook them for you and give you free sides. read more

Stopped here a few days ago and ordered the 1/4th pulled pork, with garlic bread, and fries. Wasn't really what I was hoping for. The fries were okay, while the ribs were pretty flavorless. Felt somewhat sick to my stomach after eating there. Definitely wasn't worth the 20 dollars. read more

Ribs full of cartilage and fat. The sauce on my ribs was way too sweet. Mac and cheese and cornbread was good though.

What a cute place! Great food, great prices and great motif! Moving our son between apartments while at IU. Made a point to come here because it's one of his favorite places and rightfully so! read more

On one hand you don't really have a choice if you want to go to a BBQ place. However, the food here is pretty good (not great) and you won't be disappointed. Definitely check what the special for the day is because that's probably your best bet and if it's something you're open to eating you can make your dollar go a long way. read more

I've eaten here a few times with good food however the last time I ate there with my family we had some bad food and got really sick. I don't plan on going back anytime soon. read more

Had the pork barbecue sandwich. One word: MANWICH. Definitely some brain in that meat. Not recommended for anybody expecting barbecue or pulled meat. read more

Second visit. Waited over half an hour for food even after the waitress said she was going to fix the problem. Asked to speak to the manager and she pointed to the cash register where the manager was working as the cashier, despite a different person working the register when I placed my order. So, I had to stand in line and wait again to speak the manager to get a refund. Horrible service, horrible management, and I'll never again step foot in that pathetic excuse for a restaurant. read more

This place is fantastic...Food is delicious and pricing is fair..Staff is always considerate and helpful...Friendly and smiling...The décor is cute as can be a lot of pigs...You should eat there at least once and you will go again read more

we lpve hos place and go every time we go to our lake house! no doubt wprth he drive and a great meal fpr he price. our kids love it and look so forward to going. the atmosphere is fun and people are kind and helpful! a must try place! read more

their pulled pork sandwich was amazing and their fries were crunchy even after microwaved the next day.their bbq is sweet & delicious, big portions too. just wish meals came with a drink but you can easily add one on read more