JBR’s BBQ

This review is a little premature, but I want the gentleman operating this awesome BBQ stall to get some recognition, generate a little business, get some more valid opinions out there. Here was my experience:
As I wandered around the glorious, splendiferous, cavernous and totally rad space of the Boise International Market, waiting for our Ethiopian delights to emerge from Kibrom’s, a gentleman politely stopped me. It took me a second to focus on the origin of the voice, as my eyes were literally crawling over every inch of the building’s interior, but finally settled on a friendly face from behind the BBQ style. He explained to me that he would like it if I was able to sample some of his delicacies. He left for a brief moment and returned with a sample of pork ribs and pulled pork. He personally adorned each with their appropriate sauces. NC style is new to me, but I had certainly heard about how their sauces are runnier and more vinegar-​based, as opposed to the thick, rich, often sweet, tomato-​based sauces in TX.
Needless to say, I was impressed. Much like Kibrom’s and Ethiopian cuisine in general, I had never tried NC style cue; in other words, I have no benchmark for this sort of food. However, it was tasty with the right amount of smoke, as opposed to the overly-​smoked, ham-​fisted approach of some other BBQ joints.
I’ll definitely be returning to try more pig and even a few of the sides. If nothing else, the owner /​operator was warm, friendly and inviting. He also offers discounts to service people and police, I assume, because he used to be military personnel himself.

I wanted to like JBR’s, I really did. Hardly anyone out west knows Carolina barbecue, so I was excited to see Ryan Hansen opening his barbecue joint at the Boise International Market.
That said, I was disappointed by what I tasted. I ordered a lunch plate with ribs and pulled pork. Ryan asked me wht kind of side dish I wanted with it and I asked what he had. He told me that coleslaw would be easier to dish up, since he didn’t have any beans on. It was a few minutes after noon when I went there, so it seemed odd that he wouldn’t have any ready.
Presentation isn’t everything, but it’s something most restaurant owners think about. Here, he placed the rib slab bone side up, which also seemed strange. The meet was dry and appeared to have been in a warmer way too long. It may have indicated sales weren’t too strong and the meat was just sitting around waiting for someone to come by.
The pulled pork was OK but nothing that someone from the Carolinas (I’m not) would write home about. The coleslaw featured oversized chunks of green and red cabbage and a sauce with little flavor. I hope this restaurant survives, but it will need to improve before I come back.

I loved them ribs as well as the pulled pork was fab! As much as them ribs talked to me them beans were the best since i made them for myself! Go get you some of them ribs! Man were they good!

Being from North Carolina, I always have a craving for NC style BBQ. I prefer Lexington Style BBQ to that of the eastern part of NC. But I will not turn down either. First off the BBQ itself had a good smokey flavor, but was dry. The BBQ sauce was good and moistened up the pulled pork, but good BBQ should stand on its on. The Bun was too large and bready. Just put that meat on a 10 cent hamburger bun, no need to get fancy. The sandwich did come with coleslaw, I use that term loosely. It was just purple cabbage in vinegar. It wasn’t creamy and had little flavor. I got a side of Baked Beans they were ok, but not thick and stickyy baked beans, just beans with a bit of smokey flavor in water. So far this has been the closest to NC BBQ that I have found in Boise, but still disappointing. The Quest continues for a good pulled pork sandwich in Boise.

I’d been craving barbecue (and i JUST got back from texas without having had any, wop wop) and when my husband came upon this place while picking up dinner elsewhere, he decided to give it a try. He placed an order of the pulled pork and a side of slaw, just to try the place out without making a huge commitment and well… it was DELICIOUS. I personally prefer NC style with vinegar based sauces over TX dry rub because it tends to cut through the heaviness of it all. But that aside, this pulled pork was literally melt in your mouth delicious (people use this term a lot but it actually applies in this case), was perfectly smoky, and the sauces were great as well. The slaw was just creamy enough to satisfy without bordering on heavy. There’s a lot of love and dedication in the food, and you can taste it. We can’t wait to try the rest of the menu.