Barbecue is the only thing we ever bought at Jimmies, often going out of our way from Chesterfield to get them. They were a must have when our son came home. Not anymore. The recipe has somehow been altered (too much cinnamon), changing the taste and they seem dry even though the bun seems to have been dipped in sauce a la Arts roast beef. Sad, I used to love their barbecue. read more

Well. I'll start like this. With a warning. Whatever you do... please.. do not get a cheeseburger from Jimmie's Dairy Bar. Unfortunately the double cheeseburger I consumed today at this location tasted like something that you might get in the lunchroom at an intermediate school.. Even more unfortunate.. It was probably worse. Whatever you do: Avoid Jimmie's Dairy Bar at all costs. read more

First, the name is Jimmie's. It's been in Pendleton since God was a boy and while the sign says "the best BBQ in Indiana," locals know the real hidden treasure is the tangerine ice cream. If you come here expecting anything more than fried food and ice cream treats and drinks, you are in for a big disappointment. Jimmie's does its business in fries, open-faced hot dogs, tenderloins, pulled pork bbq sandwiches, fried mushrooms, chili and coney dogs. It's as simple as that. If you were raised here, chances are you jones for some form of soft drink with syrup (like real cherry Cokes) or soft drink milkshake and some tangerine ice cream, with or without Krunch Kote. The food is not high-quality. It is not designer, gourmet, cutesy or good for you. That is not to say it doesn't taste good, because it does - as long as you understand exactly what you're getting. It's unfair to bash a little bbq and ice cream joint for not being up to your foodie expectations if you can't figure out from the ancient neon sign and walk-up windows that it ain't a sophisticated operation. Inside, the decor is very 50s. Not a kitschy 50s setup. I mean it's decorated the way a restaurant would have been decorated in the 50s. I was raised in town and can tell you that the interior hasn't changed drastically from my earliest memories, and I was born in 1981. They do have a cool jukebox. IIRC, it's a real Wurlitzer. The bottom line is this. If you're in town, and you're friends with, related to or visiting on the recommendation of a local, go. Try it out. If you have no sense of humor (or adventure), go on down the road. Starbucks and Panera are not far away in Anderson. read more

Cool local food and soft serve divey place with high schoolers manning the counters. It's exactly what you're thinking it is.

If you've never had a marshmallow Coke you've been missing out on an incredible sugar explosion! I first discovered this local treasure when I was going to Anderson University. The hotdogs and French fries are a great addition, but if you're not a meat eater, at least stop in for a sweet treat! read more

The food wasn't that good and it was a little pricey. They do have good ice cream tho:)

I've personally have mixed reviews about this place sometimes I come here and it's really good and sometimes I come here wishing I would have went elsewhere! I definitely don't think the barbecue is the best in Indiana by any means but it's okay, the tangerine ice cream is very good but as far as the rest of the treats go I would compare them to Dairy Queen! I would come here over going to Dairy Queen just to support the local business if I am in the area, but I won't be driving out of my way just for tangerine soft serve! Also I will add they really need to fix the A/C unit in the dining area it is always stifling hot inside. read more

Jimmie's Dairy Bar - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Pendleton, Indiana

Food is usually great, the milkshakes however have either been blended to perfection or not at all. Today I had to dump the contents of my wife's and mine in a mixing bowl and blend it myself. Not worth the near $10 dollars I spent on them read more

Jimmie's Dairy Bar - Normally they're great but the tangerine milkshakes we get are either blended to perfection or not at all. This was what we got today - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Pendleton, Indiana

I was disappointed with my 1st trip to Jimmies. I had HIGH expectations. I ordered a cheese burger, onion rings and a drink. Sadly it was just not what I hoped for. The onion rings were overcooked and the burger was smothered in mustard (pre-frozen burger "me thinks"). The restaurant was retro. I felt like I was in the 1950's! I REALLY want to like this place. I am a sucker for all things nostalgic. I like the decor so much that I will have to give it another chance; the prices are reasonable. Mabye next time I'll try a coney dog and a chocolate soda...hmm, I am getting hungry! ;) read more

The BBQ sandwich is to die for and the best BBQ sandwich I have ever had anywhere. I got the platter which came with fries that were so hot they were burning my mouth and a side of baked beans. I have been in to many times to count and the food quality is always superior! The tangerine crunch cone is my wife's favorite from here and mine is the cookie dough ice cream. A must stop place if passing through Pendleton. read more

Great food great people solid prices. Best place to get mushrooms and ice cream! Their burgers are pretty fire too

Just stopped here on our way to a haunted house. The BBQ po boy was SOOOO good. It's a sweet BBQ. I wolfed it down in about 30 seconds because I couldn't slow down. read more

DON'T COME HERE FOR SUNDAES! I can't speak for the rest of the food, it may be amazing BUT... we came here for sundaes. Two small sundaes and one of their largest sundaes (which really isn't that big) ran us over $15!!!! The CRAZIEST thing is they charge you extra for toppings that are "standard" for making a sundae a sundae - hot fudge and whipped cream. They charge an extra $.50 if you want hot fudge and whipped cream on your sundae. What???? If you don't have these toppings, then you just have a cup of soft serve ice cream (which is a separate item on their menu). ??? Also be aware ... you will pay an extra 10% on top of your entire bill PLUS your standard tax. I could not believe how expensive this ice cream adventure was, for not a whole lot of very average soft serve ice cream (the ice cream was decent, but not good enough for the price). I will not be coming here again. Just please be aware if you order a sundae - you have to pay extra for basic sundae toppings of their listed prices for sundaes, then an extra 10%. Absolute craziness. I've never seen anything like this anywhere else. read more

Fantastic Ice Cream dipped in a coat of peanut brittle and sprinkles (Krunch Coat). A must try and a staple of Pendleton treats!

Came in and the manager was serving us not very friendly and menu was very confusing and not well put out , out of the ice cream I wanted and was rude about it. read more

I just had my second visit to Jimmy's yesterday, and since no Indy folks have reviewed it yet, I figured I'd go ahead and weigh in. I'd driven past this place several times over the past few years on the way to my wife's parents' house and had long been intrigued by Jimmy's vintage design and the sign claiming "The Best Bar-B-Q in Indiana." With me being a huge barbecue geek, that was a plan that demanded to be verified. We finally had the chance last summer to stop in and try the barbecue, fried mushrooms and a cup of their one of a kind tangerine ice cream. When it comes to some food genres, especially those with differing regional versions, I am in the camp that believes a recipe is open to interpretation and most have their good points to be appreciated in their own way. Jimmy's Bar-B-Q is ultra-tender pulled pork simmered in a very sweet and tangy barbecue sauce and is very reminiscent, I believe, of a more traditional rural Midwestern pork barbecue. There's no smoke flavor, and it's likely cooked in a big pot on the stove or in a crock pot. While the lack of a smoker out back may turn some barbecue fans away, there is something about this sandwich that sentimentally warms my insides. It's the pork barbecue I grew up with, the kind your mom or grandma might have made for you, before Midwesterners discovered larger, covered grills and the flavor influences of wood smoke. It's not to be dismissed, as it's an example of our region's foodways and how things have changed over the years. And, most importantly, it's good. Now, one interesting thing is that they sometimes, for some reason, put sliced mushrooms in the barbecue. Now, before you turn your nose up, I will tell you that this, in no way hurt the flavor, but actually added an interesting extra dimension to it. Maybe that's what made it the "Best Bar-B-Q in Indiana" years ago. And, if you order the baked beans, there's big chunks of green pepper and onion in them -- again, adding an interesting new dimension to the old flavor you're used to. The fried mushrooms are good, but no different than the fried mushrooms you'd get at most old diners and drive-ins. But, don't miss a chance to try the tangerine ice cream. It's really good, and where else are you going to have the chance to try a tangerine ice cream that's not sherbet? Next time, I am looking forward to trying either the coney dog or the sloppy joe--maybe both. Okay, two final advantages of Jimmy's over other classic drive-ins, and I'll shut up. One, they take debit cards on orders over $5, and two, they don't close for the winter like a lot of those places do in small towns. I hope you're hungry next time you're driving through Pendleton, Indiana, on U.S. 67. read more

Your typical drive-up; not spectacular but it's better than most. Their coney sauce is a tad bit too sweet for me and their BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich is overrated, I've had much better at a lower cost. (I take BBQ fairly seriously and prepare my own often.) Other than that, it's pretty much as expected! Mainly high school kids that work here so the atmosphere/vibe is usually positive and upbeat! Great for a quick lunch! read more

Five stars for the tangerine ice cream! That stuff is delish!

Horrible service! Very very rude! Order was completely wrong when we got to the window and it was some how our fault! You would think that during a time like this, business would be appreciated, but instead it was a bother! read more

It's a five based on two items. The excellent memories it brings back from the Class of 78 and their always delicious tangerine ice cream cones. No, not fine dining, but fine ice cream. read more

Great ice cream!! The tangerine with crunch coat is the BEST!! And the upside down banana split is a must have as well!!! Those go well after the bbq sandwich. The bbq is definitely unlike any other! Delicious!! read more

They say the best barbecue in Indiana. But don't expect something fresh off a hickory smoked pit. Jimmie's is an Indiana style barbecue sandwich. Basically pulled pork steak with a little onion soaked in a tomato and worcestershire based sauce served on a bun. It's a old school recipe in Indiana. My grandmother used to make a sandwich just like it. Loved it as a kid and love it now. read more

Had high hopes, but was very average at best. Tangerine soft serve my son ate was good, but everything else was run of the mill. Wouldn't go out of my way again to try it. read more

I just moved to Pendleton and thought I'd give Jimmy's a try. Bad decision. I ordered the barbecue sandwich, fries and baked beans. I knew something was wrong as soon as I got my food- the smell was awful. I'm pretty sure that the fryer oil hadn't been changed in a very long time. The barbecue was mushy, fatty (literally chunks of fat in it), and over-sauced, and had a really weird aftertaste. The fries were hot, but overdone to that chewy point that makes me think they threw them in the fryer again to reheat them. The beans were ketchup-y. I usually don't throw food away, but this meal ended up in the garbage. read more

Certainly not the best bbq in Indiana.. more like the most grease on a bun in Indiana. An epic fail in my book. But I gave them a second chance and had the chili dog, another epic fail. One bite and in the trash it went. Certainly won't be back to this place. read more

I've been going to Jimmies for atleast 29 yrs and it is fantastic! They have handbreaded tenderlions,hamburgers,hotdogs,Coney dogs, a lil bit of everything. But they are known for 'Best BBQ In Indiana! But what keeps me coming back is the Coney dog it isn't like any other Coney dog you have had before! First off they spilt the hot dog down the middle so it lays flat. Then they serve it on a hoagie bun but that's not what makes it good. It's this chili sauce they use is completely the opposite of what u expect. It's like finely minced hamburger green peppers onions it's kinda like a sloppy joe on a hot dog. It's amazing I love it I don't know why it's so good but it is! They also have a wide selection of Ice Creams, shakes and sundaes! read more

So, you won't get gourmet or inventive food here, but you will get some excellent ice cream and Midwest standards. Their BBQ sandwich is bib-worthy, with a nice tangy sauce and slices of button mushrooms mixed in. I always go for the fried mushrooms as well, which come out piping hot and have great texture. You can't go wrong with one of their sundaes, shakes, or flurries. Check out the stained glass windows featuring... What else? Ice cream cones! read more

Food gets 1 star. Ice cream gets 4 stars. Tenderloin was a prefrozen perfectly round tasteless sandwich. It's Indiana. Have they never seen how to make a tenderloin? Onion rings also prefrozen over cooked. Awful. Cherry ice cream cone was wonderful read more

So disappointed! I used to love Jimmys, I'm not sure what happened. My husband and I got a tenderloin and steak burger. The burger had one pickle and a few chunks of diced onion even tho we paid extra for toppings. The bun was stale. The whole thing tasted like one of those burgers you get at a gas station that's been sitting around for 3 days. Tenderloin wasn't any better but atleast the bun wasn't rock hard. Even the ice cream was off because the machine was turned up too high. It was like eating ice cream that had melted and then was refrozen. Not at all what I remember. read more

Tangerine soft serve is what they are known for. Haven't tried the traditional American food. The shakes, Malts, ice cream hard and soft are legit! Very reasonably priced. Think old school Dairy Queen without the corporate twist. Overall strongly recommend read more

Coney with cheese and fried mushrooms are the best. And if you like tangerine you will love their ice cream

We stopped in last Sunday and generally we keep a pretty open mind with small town places such as Jimmie's. We definitely like to eat Barbecue so the sign proclaiming "best barbecue in Indiana" was a major draw for us. I mean who wouldn't want to try the best!?!?! Overall the restaurant was clean and the staff were quite polite! My wife and I both ordered the barbecue sandwich and fries. Both meals came out rather quickly and hot and fresh. One bite of the barbecue is all my wife could handle. The meat tasted a bit old and it had large chunks of mushrooms in it....almost like cream of mushroom soup had been added to the meat. I managed about half of my sandwich before I stopped. I don't claim to be an expert on the various barbecue sandwich recipes, however, the mushrooms in the sandwich were a first for me. Overall, not quite as bad as a gas station hot dog....but the barbecue definitely was a close second. read more

Love Jimmie's Dairy Bar. Their tangerine ice cream dipped is awesome!! I will drive 1+ hrs for their food. The Bar-B-Que sandwich is so good, especially with the mushrooms. The fried mushrooms and onion rings are the best. My favorite of all time has always been the cherry coke. They know just the perfect amount of syrup to put in. Will always stop by while in town or around local areas. read more

Best food around. I grew up here but live in Pennsylvania now and every time I come back I have to stop and get a BBQ sandwich

Amazing world famous soft serve tangerine ice cream. Swirled with strawberry and it tastes just like children's aspirin!

Best BBQ in Indiana! Love the tangerine ice cream too!

Just tried it for the first time on Wednesday. Very good barbecue and also got a wild cherry slushy. Very yummy!

Pendleton, Indiana. I've been driving past it for years on my way to Indy. It's just a little roadside restaurant with a walk-up window, a drive-thru, and a few indoor seating booths. Oh, and a sign out front that reads, "Jimmie's Dairy Bar, Best Bar-B-Q in Indiana." Well curiosity finally got the best of me (and my kids were complaining of dying from hunger and thirst). So we go in and take a look at the menu. We asked a few questions like, "Is the fish a sandwich or a plate of fish? What comes with the BBQ?" The fish is a sandwich and all their sandwiches come plain. Nothing comes with any of them unless you add the basket for about $3 more. My first impression was that the prices were quite high for the type of food being offered. Most items were $3 to $4 each, including the hot dog. But I figured if it turned out to be really good, maybe it's worth it. But, alas, it was NOT. We ordered 1 hot dog, 1 BBQ sandwich, 1 fish sandwich, 1 tenderloin sandwich, 1 order of fries, 1 cole slaw, 1 order of mushrooms and one coke. The total was about $25. The fish was the worst. It was so fishy tasting that we were afraid to actually let my daughter eat it for fear it would make her sick. It was a basic bread crumb breading on a hogie bun and it was quite dry (and did I mention too fishy tasting?). The tenderloin was nothing special either. Just your basic frozen breaded tenderloin dropped in the deep fryer and placed on a hamburger bun. I asked for tomato, lettuce, onion, pickle and mayo to be added. Otherwise, it also would come dry and plain. That made it somewhat tolerable. Believe it or not, the hot dog was probably the best item we ordered. It was very large and split down the middle. My son actually didn't care much for it, but my daughter chose to help him eat it in lieu of the extra fishy fish. Our sides of french fries and mushrooms were a real rip-off. For almost $3 each, the quantity was ridiculously small. The fries came in a small paper sleeve with about as many as you would expect to get from the dollar menu at McDonald's. There were only 5 or 6 mushrooms in the entire order and they were nothing special. Finally, did the BBQ live up to its claim? Well, I will say it was not bad. But "the best in Indiana" is a pretty big claim. I've made better in my crock pot at home and for about the same price as one of their sandwiches. It was just a little pulled pork on a hamburger bun. The flavor was good, not too sweet or vinegary with a very mild warmth to it. Is it worth stopping there just to get the BBQ? Definitely NOT. The coleslaw came in a little cup and was average at best. My husband added it to his BBQ sandwich after we had all had a taste of the sandwich. I noticed that almost everyone else coming in only order ice cream. Maybe it is better than their food. I don't know because we didn't get any. We felt so cheated by our experience with their food that we decided to spend our money elsewhere for desert on that hot summer day. If you're looking for something good to eat, SAVE YOUR MONEY. Go elsewhere. read more

Tangerine ice cream, BBQ, and grape slushes!!

I am getting up this morning and preparing to drive two hours to go get my BBQ fix on at Jimmies.