Best BBQ in Wisconsin with outstanding customer service. They have mouthwatering brisket and true Texas sized side dishes that are equally as good. read more

Food was AWESOME! Best in town! Mac n cheese was delicious! Wings are great too (buffalo & sweet Thai chili sauce-yummy!)!! Mash potatoes were good too! We ordered brisket & served it w our own corn bread (it'd b great if they had corn bread too). Wonderful place to go/eat! read more

J's is one of the best parts about Ripon. Jen and Susan run an awesome establishment, from the decor to the soundtrack to the amazing brisket (and ribs...and pulled pork...and sauces...). Like, I just moved to Atlanta and I'm afraid I won't find as awesome a bbq place. My favorite side: the warm bacon spinach salad. The dressing is AMAZING and I don't know what to do without it in my life anymore. You can't go wrong here. read more

Great Treat. Texas BBQ in Ripon Wisconsin. The brisket was outstanding... I did the sampler plate. Was happy with all but maybe the chicken. Very Nice Surprise. read more

The food here is always awesome. Good drinks as well. We had had most items on the menu without any disappointing choices. Get here early though as things sell out quickly. read more

It's great to visit from Texas and get some authentic Texas BBQ. The brisket was moist with great flavor. Lots of sauces and sides to compliment the meat. They even have sweet and unsweet tea! I'll be back next time I'm in town! read more

God! I LOVE this place! Seriously, cool vibe, great food, and even greater people. They are so friendly, I simply can't get over it. Either they're acting or they're genuinely just this nice. I think it's probably the latter. Either way, have now been here three times (son is in college in town) and this may be my favorite place to come for lunch. So far I've had the pulled pork (phenomenal) and the chicken (good). Wife has had the brisket (phenomenal). Sides are to die for, especially the sweet potato fries and the potato salad. Baked beans are also killer. But seriously, you can NOT go wrong. But the best part? The best part is the sauce bar: They have like 10 different flavors of BBQ sauce including my favorite Thai chili. The only reason I'm giving it four instead of five stars is the chicken has been overly dry and not very smoky. Eh, I know, it's my fault for ordering it when I could've gone with the pork, but hey, I had to try. Anyhoo, if you happen to be in town, give J's a try. If you like BBQ like I do, you won't be disappointed. read more

For my friends and I, J's BBQ is one of the best lunch spots in Ripon, and probably the best BBQ joint in Wisconsin. I eat there almost once a week and the continuing quality of the food does not disappoint. The prices are reasonable, around $10 for lunch and a little more for dinner. The portions are generous and the brisket is amazing. The food is served from a cafeteria style line, so if you arrive at noon expect to stand in line for a while. Friendly staff and great food make this a must for anyone looking for a place to eat in Ripon. read more

We visited last weekend after having it on our list for a long time. Drove from Oshkosh, totally worth it. Since we didn't arrive until 8 pm we were pleasantly surprised to hear that they weren't sold out of everything! Having lived in the South, we know that selling out means the product is legit and made daily! None the less, our pork nachos were killer- all elements shined on their own. Homemade chips, creamy cheddar sauce, and of course awesome pork. Enjoyed the patio, and so did our doggie. We will be back- especially now that they have bacon from our favorite Farm Parkelm! read more

I was in town for business and a colleague of my friend recommended stopping here for dinner. This was the best suggestion ever. Once you go inside, the decor/ambiance is great! I went in a large group, and the entire staff working there treated us well. Since the menu was mainly written on glass, it was hard to read what the options were. I get that the owners probably wanted us to be able to SEE all the yummy food, but I kinda made a fast decision. However, looking around the table at what everyone in our group got, there is no way to make a BAD decision, so that's quite alright! I had the brisket platter (is that what it was called?) which was absolutely SPECTACULAR! It was a *lot* of food and absolutely delicious both with and without the sauces I tried. Bottom line: great food, amazingly-friendly staff, and reasonable prices! I can't wait to go back! read more

Staying in town for work and thought I would check this place out. Wow, was it good. I got a shredded chicken sandwich. You can choose from their different sauces and I went with the jerk sauce. The flavor was so good! You get two sides with it also, which I got the mac 'n cheese and the potato salad mash. Both were okay. They also had all you can eat wings going on too for a special. Decent selection of beers to chose from. I would definitely eat there again! read more

As a vegan, I am surprised how much I like this place. Their fries are awesome, and the vegetarian meal can be made vegan. The staff is awesome and very helpful to make it vegan (adding a side of olive oil to the mac instead of the cheese for example), food is fresh, "cowboy caviar" is a lot of fun, and the place is not too loud, even when busy. Have dinner and then go next door to bowl: fun night out! read more

Had the brisket with sides of Mac and cheese and potato salad. Food is excellent, excellent service as well!

Have always had a great meal! We try to get there every couple weeks. The pretzel bun..amazing! Love the mac and cheese as well! Huge portions and well worth every penny! Husband and I agree, we'd rather come here than go out for steak! read more

Excellent food and service. Reminds me of roadside bbq places in the south. Something for everyone, sides and entrees are authentic to the genre. read more

Tasteful Décor, and even tastier food! I'm a huge BBQ fan, so to have this little gem in the area is such a treat. I could eat the Mac N Cheese everyday, love the tender/moist brisket and the variety of sauces. Would recommend J's to anyone read more

Beautiful BBQ joint! gorgeous interior, warm welcoming service, and nothing short of the BEST BBQ I've found in the State of Wisconsin. Gives KC a run for it's money as well. I highly recommend the Kentucky White and the Smokin' Hot sauces. Ribs and Brisket were perfect and I thought for good BBQ the price was fair. only thing I am mad about is that I waited so long to stop in and try! Worth the trip from Oshkosh if your looking for something Great! read more

Let me start out by saying that I am a true bbq enthusiast and have been all over the country tasting good bbq. It is a genuine love affair for some, and I am such a person. A true bbq joint is a " bold undertaking" for the Ripon Wis culture and real enthusiasts will drive for miles (including across state lines) to sample offerings of reputable establishments. Anyhow, my review......as we entered the restaurant I was pleasantly suprise by the authentic bbq joint ambiance a decor and what appeared to be adaqate seating and a full bar in back. We were greeted by the common large chalkboard menus on the wall. Prices seemed reasonable ( but not cheap) and the selection was good. We ordered the sampler platter which consisted of smaller portions of your choice of 4 meats and 2 sides. I was suprised when i checked my reciept and noticed i was charged $6 for 3 cans of soda, seemed a bit steep.The brisket was sliced in front of us which I liked. There were lots of choices for sauces at the sauce bar and bbq sauces at the table. As far as the bbq sauce goes, I stuggled to find one that I thought was good. The brisket was very good and if it would've been hot, close to excellent. The pulled pork was not good, it was moist with water and lacked any kind of smokey flavor or tasty bark, the ribs were on the mushy side and covered thickly by a bbq sauce that I did not care for. ( wish I was offered a choice between a dry rib or wet rib because that thick sauce ruined them). The chicken was 3 unseasoned, deep fried wing sections which I had to go to the counter and ask for because they forgot to bring them out, unimpressive. The best part of the meal was the tasty mac n cheese that the owner graciously gave us a second serving of because we waited for our chicken wings. Overall I think this place could be great if the quality of the food was better but I don't know if I would come back. read more

This was honestly the worst BBQ of my life. The brisket was so dry it took the moisture out of my mouth. The pulled pork was extremely tough and the sauce was too thick for the meat. The person I went with and I both ended up throwing away half of our meal. I will say that the restaurant setting is very nice but you don't go to a restaurant just for the setting. read more

The best wings in Ripon, and in my opinion much better than Buffalo Wild Wings. If you are going through Ripon and are looking for chicken wings or brisket you have to stop in at J's! read more

Went with the sampler deal. First off the menus are really confusing. There really should be a two meat option and 2 sides or something. Do you guys smoke anything here? The ribs tasted like they were boiled. The texture and flavor wasn't good at all. The brisket was sugar meat like the other guy described. The chicken was chewy and also definitely baked. Borderline in edible. I got the brisket beans. Sounds great right? It was terrible. Maybe 3 or 4 day old brisket sprinkled in the beans. It was like beef jerky. So chewy. Other side was Mac and cheese which was watery and definitely velveeta. Meh. I went with the jalapeño corn bread. I've never had corn bread with full pieces of corn in it. Dry and not much flavor. I spent $30 here, didn't get a drink included and pretty much threw away my whole meal. Where's the flavor? No smoke at all. How is this bbq when everything is clearly baked and baked poorly at that! I can't recommend this place at all. read more

This place was recommended by a friend and they were so right on the fantastic food. I am no expert on brisket however I am fussy about the food I get in restaurants if I'm going out to eat it better be something I cannot prepare at home and fantastic food am I right?!?! When we pulled up I was skeptical because it is inside a bowling alley upon entering the entire mood changed the decor was rustic but up to date very cute! You walk up and order right there with the brisket and sides right there in front of you! My husband and I opted for the brisket sandwich on a pretzel roll and we each had 2 sauces a Cranberry jalapeno, honey bbq and kentucky white sauce. They were all fantastic! The sweet potato fries were terrific as well. My daughter had macaroni and cheese and I was so relieved it was not out of a box or microwaved rather it was homemade and she loved it! They had a wide variety of drinks as well including beer I am fussy about the beer I drink so I was happy to see they had some micro brews along with your usual miller and bud products. We will be back for sure and I do not say that about many places!!!! read more

There is a great selection of smoked meats, a crazy amount of delicious sides and sauces to please any taste. The atmosphere is welcoming and relaxing. We will be back to walk the J walk again!! read more

For the price of the food, I was hoping for table service or preset tables. $23 for 1 person is a little expensive in my book. Also where is the BBQ smell?? Didn't have any of that when I was there. Makes you wonder how fresh their product is if they aren't making it fresh daily. read more

Incredible bbq! I'm from Texas, and we have plenty of great bbq to choose from, but this jewel of the Midwest doesn't disappoint. Order the chopped brisket for something really tasty and the service is super friendly as well! I'm glad to know there is a solid bbq option next time I travel up North and have a hankering for brisket. read more

loved this place. came in here because we were staying in the area for Memorial Day weekend. the owner was so sweet and let me try a couple of the sides before I decided on what I wanted. ended up getting the brisket on pretzel bread with the Mac and cheese and cinnamon apples. delicious!! the boyfriend got the fried cod with French fries and potato salad. also deliciously seasoned and yummy. would definitely recommend. the decor was also really nice. if you're ever in town, definitely check it out! read more

I'm always in search of great BBQ, and in small town WI finding any joint offering authentic BBQ is a pleasant surprise. J's is just that kind of place. Large menu of all the BBQ classics and sides. I had the brisket, 4 rib bones, the warm bacon spinach salad, and the brisket beer cheese soup. All were great, except for the ribs, which is the reason for the lost star. They were served smothered in a sweet sauce instead of dry, or at least given the choice of getting them dry. Other than that the meats were all tender, moist, and flavorful. read more

We were a party of 5 and we all enjoyed everything. My brisket was the best I have ever had. Such a great location and fun atmosphere.

We were looking forward to picking up some good BBQ here last Saturday, as we have enjoyed their brisket and pulled pork previously at Vines and Rushes. Being a first time customer to the downtown location wasn't gong to cut it for me though. Upon entering, I was greeted by a friendly counter person, who offered me a menu for my take out request and said someone would be with me shortly. Within 2 minutes, a young gentleman took my order for a pound of pulled pork and said it would be about 10 minutes. All is good.... or so I thought. One of the owners then approached me, stating in no uncertain terms how "they Run things" and that I can't just order like this. When I explained how I was helped by the counter person and young gentleman, she again stated how "they run things"... Now if I had been instructed correctly upon entering the establishment about "how they run things", I would probably have enjoyed some good BBQ and all would be right with the world. However the Big Side Order of Attitude I was served ruined my taste for J's that evening. I will return, it will just take awhile for the BBQ craving to override the poor experience. read more

Today was my first time in and this place has the greatest customer service for new clientele. They gave me free samples of their amazing brisket and Mac & Cheese which is the best I have ever hand. I ordered the ribs, brisket, fired okra and fries and they were fantastic. I highly recommend this place read more

Texas BBQ brisket with Texas restaurant experience blends with a wonderful lunch at a great price. Can't beat the atmosphere either. It is Ripon's best kept secret adjacent to the bowling alley on the west side. Don't miss out! read more

I am so impressed with the awesome attention to detail, from the product used to produce the homemade sauces to the meat that they smoke. I can only describe it as simple perfection. Highly recommend this to EVERYONE! read more

I like the pulled pork, & their sides are always great with plenty of healthy options!

Great BBQ joint right in Ripon. The owners were friendly and graciously helpful. I loved my brisket sandwich with jalapeño/cranberry sauce and my partner loved her pulled pork sandwich. The sweet potato fries side was extra crispy and hot. The dirty rice was a bit too spicy for my taste (but I was forewarned). The dixie/jazz music made the atmosphere pure fun. A welcome addition to the local dining scene. read more

The food was ok. Inside is decorated nice but you wonder if you are in the right place when you pull up. Prices are high. You eat off paper plates with plastic utensils that you get for yourself. Kind of like cafeteria barbecue. Would definitely recommend Brick House Barbecue in Madison over this place. Wasn't impressed and probably won't return. Sorry! read more