What an unexpected bbq find in tiny little Ripon. We were in town for an event at Ripon College and stumbled across J's. Thank goodness we did. You order/pay at the counter and then find a table to wait. The counter guy was quite personable and very well versed on the menu with excellent suggestions. Great decor inside and a small patio for those warm summer months. I ordered a two meat plate (pulled pork and sausage). This came with two sides (fries and mac & cheese). Talk about a lot of food. I was stuffed. Everything tasted great with that original bbq sauce flavor. What an unexpected surprise to find such a cool bbq joint in a quaint little community. I would drive out of my way for a return visit. Keep bringing the great service and great bbq J's. read more

J's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Ripon, Wisconsin

I've always loved the brisket here. Now the they have a brisket and bleu salad. Fantastic! Get it! read more

J's BBQ - Brisket and bleu salad - Barbeque Near Me - Ripon, Wisconsin

The food was really good! I got a sampler platter and it was a lot of food! The staff was amazing and very tentative. The owner was there and came around as well. Great atmosphere. This was our first time there and we will be going back! read more

Best Brisket I've ever had. The Mac and cheese i dream about. The customer service is like no other place. This is one of our favorite places to eat. The joint looks just like a Texas BBQ. Perfect read more

Great bbq, great drinks, great service! 10/10 recommend!!! Thank you for a great meal and great experience.

A "must-stop" place when in Ripon! We love ordering take-out from J's everytime we're in Ripon. We joke that it's the reason we make the drive from the Twin Cities. We like their Classic Loaded "bowls". You select a base of fries, corn, chips, or mac n cheese. Next you select a protein and top it with any of their sides. Mac n cheese, bbq pork, and baked beans is my go-to order. We've only ever ordered out so can't speak to the interior of the restaurant. Check out their Sauce shop too! read more

Excellent brisket and the baked beans were absolutely incredible, best beans I've had. Everyone should try this place. I'll come back next time I'm in the area. read more

Setup: I grew up in pork BBQ heaven in NC, lived in Texas for a couple years, and have lived in Nashville for 18 years. This is the best brisket I've ever eaten in my life. Just perfect. The sides are great, the taco I tried was fantastic, and the service is awesome. The fish was also good. All of us were super satisfied with our food and we will be back if we ever return to this area. Five stars+. Don't miss this place if you're within driving distance. read more

See all

the vibe of this place is exactly what you're looking for in a bbq place. The food is equally as amazing. The staff is fantastic and a joy to talk to. read more

Food is so delicious, brisket is perfect I will be back my family and I love this spot. Yummy yummy the brisket is the Best will be back. read more

J's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Ripon, Wisconsin

Service was great, but the food was really great. Had the brisket and rope sausage. Brisket was lean, yet it wasn't dry, with a good smoke. The sausage was very lean, good smoke flavor with a slight bite to it. read more

Price for the quantity and quality was spot on! J's BBQ did not disappoint. While the entrance to the restaurant was a tad confusing to locate, the industrial/rustic vibe, was to be expected for a Texas inspired BBQ. Greeted by staff immediately upon entry, our host/server explained the specials on the chalkboard and showed us the full menus on the wall. You order at the counter right when you walk in and seat yourself in a larger than expected seating area. J's has a decent canned beverage selection for adults and kids alike. Free self serve water and utensils were a plus. The wait was relatively short and the food was perfectly hot. Pictures is my variation of the Classic Loaded Options. Hand cut fries, brisket, topped with fried okra, and the BEST cheese sauce. Portions were large enough that I had some left over for dinner. I'll be stopping again soon! read more

See all

We were so excited to see J's has opened for the season. We stopped by and had the street tacos. My husband had the brisket version, while I had the pulled pork. We both chose to have the Cowboy Caviar added. Our tacos were absolutely fantastic! We also enjoyed the baked beans. Service was excellent with staff checking in to see if we needed anything and if our food was okay. Attentive in the very best way. The ambiance is the same as it's always been...a fun barbecue joint vibe. We were so glad we stopped in, and will look forward to bringing guests with us. They will certainly be impressed by the whole experience. read more

Good food and comfy Downtown Ripon? Cooler than you think. Ripon is a cool little town with a lot of choices. Try it on a date night. read more

J's BBQ - Tacos ? Or Thanksgiving dinner? If I ate all this I would need medical assistance! - Barbeque Near Me - Ripon, Wisconsin

Can't say enough about AJ's BBQ! The food is off the charts delicious, the staff is friendly and helpful and the owners AMAZING! We stopped in for dinner before a concert in the park across the street. Our party of three had never been here before. We were directed where to wait in line to place our order. The menus are on large boards on the walls. They are easy to see and read. The line moved quickly as people placed their orders and found seating. We held our place in line while one of our party visited the bar for drinks. We ordered the sampler platter which easily fed two hungry guys and me. We had chicken wings, ribs, pulled chicken, shrimp and brisket. Brisket! The best brisket I've ever eaten, and I love brisket!! The smoke was perfect but the real winner was the crust. It had a brown sugar pepper crust which was phenomenal! As we sat outside enjoying our meal and listening to the concert across the street the owner came to check on us. She was kind, friendly and just so nice. We didn't even know she was the owner until much later. I recommend everyone come and check out J's BBQ. It will be well worth it. read more

J's BBQ - Sampler platter. - Barbeque Near Me - Ripon, Wisconsin

Award Winning Brisket! I just wanted to leave that there...unadorned by other words. Like the brisket, that statement needs no sauce or words around it. I lived in KC for awhile, know a number of entrants in the American Royal, the Premier Barbecue Competition in the US, and Jen and Susan's brisket stands shoulder to shoulder with the best I've tasted. What sets their brisket apart, for me, is the crispy, crackly sweetness of a caramelized brown sugar bark touched with a bit of cayenne spiciness. It is so damn good, I told Jen I need to amend my own cooks to try to replicate this food porn at home! As for the chefs, the BBQ Professionals, Jen and Susan, what wonderful people! Admittedly, I only met Jen in person, but I'm certain her kindness and love of BBQ is only complimented by Susan's! I've been coming to Ripon for work for a year, and was waiting for them to reopen the storefront. Now that it's back open, I'm sure to stop every time I am in town. Last thing - the sides are pretty awesome too. Beans have great bits of brisket, slaw is spicy good, Mac N Cheese is dripping with heart clogging goodness! But, for me, it is all about the Brisket, the Bark, and the BBQ Pitmasters running the show. Susan and Jen - you really have to take this stuff to a competition! read more

Was driving through Ripon and didn't want the normal drive-through garbage. A quick drive down "downtown" Ripon ended with finding J's BBQ. J's is a great sized joint with a few different dining rooms available. Ordering is at a counter in the middle section of seating. They have a pretty nice selection of BBQ brisket or pork. I decided to change things up and get some Wings! They were absolutely fantastic with the Jerk sauce. I had a nice side of Mac & Cheese too and a can of Coke. Everything was great. If you're in Ripon and looking for a great place to eat, give J's BBQ a try. read more

Here when it opened. Ordered the 4 sides deal. Around 7 bucks without a drink, which is quite expensive considering its half a cup each served in Styrofoam. (Really? Do some dishes and save a landfill). Potatoes obviously came from a mix and the Mac wasn't bad. The beer soup was the best of all. The upside is they have great sauces available at your convenience. Friendly and clean,nice table seating. read more

J's BBQ - Mac - Barbeque Near Me - Ripon, Wisconsin

Places like this are the reason I like traveling for work. I came into this place hoping to find a decent lunch, and I got much more than that. It was soooo good! I ordered the lunch special, which is a meat, side, choice of bread, chips, and a drink. I got the brisket (I asked for it to be chopped), brisket baked beans, corn bread, and I added on the dirty rice because I wanted to try that as well. The brisket was super moist and tender. It had the perfect amount of bark on it, and getting it chopped just mixed all that awesomeness together. The beans were amazing. It tasted like I was eating a great beef jerky but it was beans. The rice had a spicy kick to it. The corn bread was great, especially dipped into the beans. Even the house chips were way above average. Whatever they put on them, it made me think of salt, dill, and onion. The staff was super friendly as well. They helped me order since I'd never been in before (you walk down the line and order at the butcher block). read more

See all

Probably the best all around BBQ meal over ever had. The brisket sandwich melted in my mouth. Not too fatty, not too dry. The beans! OMG they were insanely good. Stupid dummy good, as the kids say. read more

J's BBQ - Brisket sandwich and beans - Barbeque Near Me - Ripon, Wisconsin

I hail from Kansas City, so I'd like to think I'm quite knowledgeable about BBQ. They were sold out of the brisket and the ribs, so I opted for the pulled chicken. The chicken has 0 flavor whatsoever, and was very dry. It did NOT taste like it was smoked, but rather cooked in a crockpot and shredded. The fries were good, but too salty. The sauce was mediocre at best. I'm not sure how this place can say it serves BBQ when they don't smoke all of the meat options up for offer. I won't be back. read more

J's BBQ - The chicken has 0 smoke coloration on it - completely unseasoned and tasted like it was cooked in a crockpot. Disgusting. - Barbeque Near Me - Ripon, Wisconsin

Very friendly environment! Great menu options for all ages. Food was fast and on point the bark on the bark on the brisket is perfect. Plenty of sauce options for you condiment folks out there. Ambiance spot on also. Local, family owned, can't go wrong! read more

Best sweet potato fries and brisket around! Love it here!

Very good brisket and ribs. Sides of choice are the brisket baked beans and cheesy garlic mash. Their jalapeño cornbread is good too!

I wish this place had been around when I went to Ripon College. We stopped by for lunch while in town on a dreary day and this place brightened our day. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Everything they offer here is fresh, homemade, and really good. Not good... really good!! We had two lunch specials which are $8.95 for a drink, homemade chips (yummy), a side of your choice(with too many great options to choose from) , choice of bread and choice of meat. I had the haddock which was barely battered, fresh tasting and cooked perfectly with the beer cheese soup (when in Wisconsin I feel it is my duty to eat as much cheese as possible), pretzel roll and a spotted cow beer. I also got the tangy coleslaw (fresh cabbage with a mustardy dressing, not creamy on it made to order. No premade coleslaw sitting around here!) My boy had the ribs with extra chips, a pretzel roll and sprite. Everything was amazing. Again, not just good, super good. Few places are this consistent about everything they serve. Also, the place is cute, relaxed and clean. They have gender neutral bathrooms too! Oh, and I forgot the wall of sauces. I tried about 5 and liked them all. Go here - you will not be sorry!!! read more

See all

J's BBQ catered my husband's 50th birthday celebration on the lake this past weekend. The delivery was right on time, the food was EXCELLENT!! All the guests were raving about how good the food was - especially the brisket! This brisket was probably the most tender and flavorful brisket I'd ever had. Another guest shared with me that this was the best barbecue she'd ever had! Thank you J's BBQ for the great food and great service! read more

J's BBQ - J's BBQ Catering Buffet Made up of Brisket, chopped chicken, pulled pork, Mac-n-cheese, mashed potatoes, dirty rice, and the relish tray. - Barbeque Near Me - Ripon, Wisconsin

I love BBQ. I was very excited to try this for the first time. Actually had BBQ for lunch that day and didnt mind having it for dinner. Arrived before the rush of people. Ordered the full rack of ribs. Below average smoke on the ribs, mushy meat that didn't pull back on the bones. Guess it's the best BBQ in Ripon only because it's the only BBQ place in Ripon. If you go, choose the Mac and cheese. read more

Absolutely best brisket! Mac and cheese was best I've tasted. Overall a great place to eat. read more

J's BBQ - Lunch Special - Barbeque Near Me - Ripon, Wisconsin

We really liked this place. Good food, great prices, clean surroundings, and a pretty friendly staff. The menu can be a bit confusing the first time through. But it's not unfathomable. And it lets you mix and match sides and meats in lot of ways. A bigger selection of draft beers would be nice. Especially one that includes several Wisconsin brews that aren't New Glarus Spotted Cow. But a $3 PBR bottle actually goes pretty well with this menu too. read more

Great barbecue!!! Hands ddiwn the best we've had in a long time!! The brisket was so tender and flavorful. Great atmosphere we will be back! read more

This is a great place for BBQ. We drive from Appleton just to visit J's BBQ. Great selection of food. Always top notch and if you leave hungry, that is your own fault. Hardworking and friendly staff. A must when near Ripon! read more

Everything tasted like it came out of the oven. There was same as zero smoke flavor. The brisket has a quarter inch later of brown sugar on it. Just tasted like sugar meat. Looked like Texas brisket aside from that but damn sure didn't taste like any of it. Wings were solid but sauces were meh. Pretty pricey for the quality of the food. Staff was ok but not the most friendly. I only sampled a small piece of brisket because I couldn't do such a sweet piece of beef. read more

This is by far the best Restaurant in the State. They make the best meat Plater period. I live in Milwaukee, but this place is well worth the drive. I have had all the best smokehouses in the state. This ones by far the best. It's my favorite restaurant. I eat out someplace new every day, but this place keeps me coming back. My only complaint is the white bald man with the beard that cuts your meat is always rude. This is saying something, because I eat here at least once every two weeks. I keep coming back thinking he'll be nicer. I'm always proved wrong. The owner is super nice though. read more

Best barbecue in the entire fox valley. We ordered the sampler and it came with so much food. The brisket was my boyfriends favorite (because he could dip it in whatever sauce he desired), mine favorite was the ribs. Super fall off the bone tender. The jalapeño cornbread was crazy good, though I wish it was served warm. I think it would be to die for then. But that's literally my only complaint. It's worth the drive to Ripon. read more

If you're looking for a great place to eat in Ripon, go to J's BBQ. They really aim to please their customers. We stopped in shortly after they'd first opened and were still working out the kinks...they were so fast to apologize and give extra food for any inconvenience. Now that they've been around a little while, they have their system down and customer service is still top-notch! I love the menu and the fact that they label every choice as gluten free, etc. Really great food all around. Try the brisket or order a 1/2 chicken. Their wings are great too! So happy this place exists! read more

Mediocre at best, chips were the best part. Mac and cheese was velveeta. Sauces were meh

This place is amazing. So amazing that they are catering our wedding but don't try getting the date of 9/23/17 please because I haven't formally signed the contract. I've had BBQ all over the country and will simply say - Try everything here. Talk about passionate owners!! They are the real deal. Period. This portion is a year after the last. They did an amazing job on our wedding day.the most amazing thing was that they had 2 other catered events - morning and evening - and they did ours in between on a 90+ degree day. Our friends and family are still raving about the food - these people are unbelievable!! Use them for you events - you will not be disappointed. Brisket would win any competition. read more

Classic Texas style BBQ, order at the counter by the pound, order your sides and take them to your table. Went there with a group and everyone really enjoyed their BBQ choices and there were positive comments across the board. The brisket had a nice crust on it and you could taste the different spices in the rub. The pulled pork was also really moist and had good smoke flavor. The sides were all impressive and there was a wide selection of about 16 of them. The only reason I'm not giving them 5 stars is the sauces. Most BBQ joints nowadays have home made sauces. While they had a wide selection of them, it reminded me of another restaurant that rhymes with "Ruffalo Piled Things". The sauces were all over the place and weren't really traditional BBQ regional sauces. With that aside, great BBQ at a very reasonable price. read more

I saw the outside and was really turned off. Being from a big city you tend to judge and establishment by its decor. Well this place has grade A+ decor inside! From the outside it kinda looks like a warehouse. Anyway, great decor and even better staff! Had the brisket and Mac and cheese, very very good. I travel all over the country for business and this is a top 10 spot nationally in my head. The cranberry hot sauce is exceptional read more

J's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Ripon, Wisconsin

I just had lunch at a different and mediocre BBQ place and found myself missing J's in Ripon. FANTASTIC BBQ. I miss the brisket, the bread, the Kentucky style white sauce. Can't wait to be back in the area and enjoy some J's! read more