JR’s BBQ

Jeez, is this really closed? I tried it for the first time a few weeks ago. Wth? Was it me? I was really looking forward to trying it again since it is near the home front. Maybe I can actually order their food at Creekside next door.
As I write, the Carl’s Jr commercial pushing their steak sandwich as something akin to fine steak is on. The irony. The sad irony.
Well maybe it’s ok, who knows?

i’m so sad!!! they closed!!!
this place was the best bbq in sb, hands down! and now they are closed?
you will be greatly missed jr’s!

Are people not paying attention to my reviews?
JR’s BBQ has closed and it’s all your fault for not giving them patronage.
I swear, the best beef ribs in town. The best bbq in SB. The best sweet potato fries.
Seriously, what is up with you, Santa Barbara. I don’t want to hear any whinging about lack of money in this economy, this place had awesome specials.
I almost regret throwing out my last to-​go container this weekend. It was all I had left of JR’s.
I think I am going to cry.

I can’t move… I can barely breathe or type… The belt came off…
I just split a bucket of meat with 2 other friends with beer batterred onion rings, TriTip nachos, Jalapeño poppers and an Arnold Palmer…
The beef bucket ran us back about 50 bucks…
Ribs, brisket, a quart of delicious cole slaw and oh my God beans that went so right with the meat…
I can’t even think straight…
I have the meat sweats…
I couldn’t stop…
I feel no remorse for the animals that we devoured tonight… Now I’m not gonna say this place is Sticky Fingers in SC, but it definitely is in the same ball park…
Definitely gonna come back every chance I get when I’m in Santa Barbara.

Initial review based on one visit: JR’s is great and I will certainly be going back.
I had brisket. Who the hell serves brisket these days? JR’s. I had it in sandwich form. Delicious meat, perhaps a bit oversauced. Served on toasted garlic bread. BONUS.
Cole slaw was good, baked beans were pretty good. My coworker gave me a french fry which was great. Had a bite of his pulled pork too; also very good. Looking fwd. to trying sweet potato fries and onion rings and chicken and tri-​tip. .. and. ..

JR’s barbecue is a new restaurant sidled next to the venerable Creekside Inn (which is actually a bar). It’s set up as a food counter with indoor and outdoor seating. You start by ordering at the counter, and then it’s self-​seating. After you order, your food is brought to your table.
Based on favorable reviews from some reliable local foodies, we decided to try it for ourselves last night.
The menu offers a variety of barbecue food, including baby back ribs, dry rub, pulled pork, and brisket. Thanks to the Creekside next door, JR’s can offer full bar service, including beer on tap. We decided to try pulled pork and a full rack of baby back ribs. We had heard the baked beans were especially good, so we made sure to try those, as well as potato salad and steak fries as sides.
Our food was up in a reasonable amount of time, given that the restaurant was fairly busy. The first thing I noticed as I tore off a delicious looking baby back rib was the fact that my fingers weren’t burned. In fact, my fingers were in no danger at all of being burned, as the ribs were served slightly warm at best. I found the ribs to be cooked properly as the meat fell off the bone and had a good texture and flavor. I found the barbecue sauce a little bland, and overall I couldn’t get past the fact that the ribs were cold.
On the other hand, the baked beans lived up to their billing. The baked beans had fatty bacon in it and had a nice smoked flavor. Additionally, they were served nice and hot. I definitely recommend the baked beans.
The steak fries, however, are forgettable. While served piping hot, the insides of several were undercooked. The texture was bland as well. These would do well with some seasoning and crisping, but for now skip the fries.
The pulled pork was served cubed, rather than shredded, which was interesting. The pork was served slightly warmer than the ribs, and had a nice flavor. However, they were still a little tough to be true ‘pulled pork.’ The portion was very generous and could probably serve as a meal for two for most.
Overall I was a little disappointed after hearing positive reviews from others. The good news, I think, is that this place has potential, and with some tightening up could come to be a great rib joint. The seating is limited, and even early on a Saturday evening the place was nearly at capacity. I’ll consider going back in a few months to give the kitchen some time to refine. 3 stars.