I love supporting local and this is a great hidden gem. I was in the area, and was hungry and this place caught my eye. First thing I noticed was a lovely perfume of smoker. The service was quick and friendly and we sat down in the family style table and dug in. I had the pulled pork with coleslaw and Mac and cheese. Hubby had the same, except he had the brisket. The pulled pork got the at the table sauce treatment and the potato roll is a good foil for lightly smoked pork. The brisket was wonderful and full of flavor. The coleslaw was tangy and fresh, the Mac and cheese creamy and flavorful. This is not one of the big chains, it's a small local operation, so let's keep them going and keep a good bbq smoking! read more

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Very tasty food and there is rarely a large line. My sister and I often stop here when we want some tasty bbq.

Staff was friendly and inside there was plenty of seating and was clean. We opted for to go order since it was late and prefer to enjoy it at home. We wanted to sample some items since it was our first visit. We got 4 meats all about 1/4 lb and three sides to share for dinner. Ratings for food items below: Ribs 5/5 cooked perfectly it was juicy and tender. Turkey 4.5/5 juicy tender not dry the sauce make it great. Hot links 4/5 tasty would be better if they had Jalepeno cheddar it would be over the top. Chopped brisket 3.5/5 a bit dry not our favorite. Coleslaw 2/5 not sweet enough no flavor. Beans 4.5/5 almost perfect could have bigger chunks of meat and spices. Green chile mac 4/5 could have more flavor the green chile made it tolerable but a bit expensive. A cup was $4.25 vs $2.99 for other sides not sure it is worth it at a premium price. Overall we enjoyed our experience and plan to go back to try other items from the menu. read more

J's Var-B-Q - Sampler:1/2 ribs,1/4 hot links, 1/4 turkey, 1/4 chopped brisket, single coleslaw, single beans and single green chile mac - Barbeque Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Kept driving by this place and forgetting to stop to try it out so finally, I did and when I first walked in, the place was very clean, there was maybe two or three people inside eating with a clear view of the menu. I ordered mac & cheese and a half pound of spareribs. I ordered a half pound of ribs, I was expecting three full set of ribs, but instead, I got one skinny rib, a sternum in a small boneless end cut with the texture of jerky. The mac & cheese was surprisingly good, but definitely not worth the price. With how skinny the ribs were, I'm almost positive. They're buying those $10 rack of ribs from Walmart and are jacking up the prices. Literally gouging people. Honestly, a waste of $20. I ate everything in front of me and still had to take a trip to chipotle. Just so I can get full. I was really hoping this place was going to be something but Unfortunately, I don't see a real reason to come back. read more

First off I'm from Texas and BBQ is totally different there. The brisket has bark and more smoke flavor. So, that's what I have to compare it to. I wanted sliced brisket but this only do pulled. To me that's for Pork. The brisket was ok, I would expect pulled to be juicier. I also had Cole slaw and baked beans they were fine. I will probably go back again and try something different read more

Upon arriving at the place, there was a couple people seated and the place looked inviting, but I noticed a weird metallic type smell almost like a cleaning product or something that I couldn't quite pinpoint. I looked over the menu and talked to the two gentlemen behind the counter were extremely helpful and polite. I proceeded to order a pound of ribs, quarter pound of smoked turkey, quarter pound of smoked sausage. When I got home, I opened up the packages and found that the one had something it spilled out of one of their container containers and got all over the bag and all the brownie. The ribs looked appealing at first glance but were tough and dry. The smoked turkey was the best tasting of the meats but was also very dry. The smoked sausage was good as was the green chili mac & cheese. The potato salad was also really decent but the coleslaw was not edible and I can't even describe the flavor to you. Lastly, I had high hopes for the brownie, which was soft but again I took a bite and it had a weird metallic taste to it.. for fear that it might've just been me my lunch partner also tried it and couldn't swallow it as well nor describe it other than it tasted metallic. Initially I was going to rate this as a two star, but after reviewing my experience and the sick to me, stomach feeling that I now have I'm reducing it to a one star. Sadly this will be my first & last visit to this restaurant, as well as having buyers remorse. read more

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Can't speak to the barbecue itself just yet, but I stopped by here early one day and got a breakfast burrito. They have different meats including turkey, hot links, and brisket. I opted for the brisket and it was delicious. Each burrito is made individually, made-to-order. Definitely one of my favorite breakfast burrito spots in the city, especially with price to portion size. I believe it was a little under $7 for the brisket burrito after tax. I'd say the size is between a Golden Pride Burrito and a regular Stripes burrito, but the taste beats them both out imo. Might be a little slow if it was busier, but I felt the service was decent when I was the 3rd person in line. Interior looks fine, like a standard BBQ spot. read more

Late dinner. Quiet. Quick service and great quality brisket and fresh okra! We'll be back!

I enjoyed the smoke turkey and the bbq sauce . The brisket sandwich was underwhelming. The potato salad is ok. I appreciate how clean the place is. It's not a busy restaurant. The staff is friendly. read more

Overall good experience, the place is super clean which is important. It made for a nice first impression. The food was good and the owner, Mr. Vargas asked us how our meal was and explained that the restaurant was ran by him and his daughter. We love supporting local, family owned businesses and it was nice to be able to that for our visit to J's Var B-Q. Give it a try! read more

J's Var-B-Q - The Elijah 2 SIDE - Barbeque Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Stopped in for lunch. I had the turkey sandwich. The turkey was moist and delicious! Will definitely visit again.

The service was great The ambiance of the restaurant was very unique to me The was excellent Also I hope I got that menu item correct for the ribs. read more

J's Var-B-Q - Fried Okra - Barbeque Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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I'm cheering for this place, but they could do somethings better. I wanted to try all the meats, but certain meats are only sold as a whole or half like the chicken. The brisket wasn't sold as slices so they overcook their brisket so it falls apart. The turkey appeared to be sliced with the grain. The rib tips they cut off. I don't see why they don't St. Louis rib cut the tips off to make rib tips to sell as a dish. The service was fast and friendly. The food was good, but I'm not making a trip just for this food. The green chile mac & cheese was good, but was not able to get as much green chile flavor as I had hoped for. It was good to see they rewrap their meat in foil after cutting to helps save the juices. Overall, OK BBQ joint. read more

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***New Business"** SIDE NOTE: I'm from Texas, so Bar-B-Q is different J 's Var-B-Q is located in the Louisiana Plaza on Montgomery and Louisiana.  If you're driving too fast, you just might miss the eatery. Slow down and stop by. Business hours are 11a to 7p everyday. Met Julian Vargas., the owner and his wife, while I was enjoying a relaxed Sunday afternoon.  The wonderful staff greeted me with warmth and a smile.   (David L.) took my order. and Alex, the restaurant manager, also assisted with my order.  She and David were cordial and professional. Good food, nice folks, great atmosphere.  I ordered 1/2 brisket, ribs, beans and mac and cheese.  Alex provided me with a sampling of smoked chicken wings  Brisket: high quality, tender meat and mildly seasoned.  When you add the barbecue sauce, it adds more flavor  Ribs: smoky, tender and fell off the bone Smoked chicken wings:  definitely smoky, a little spicy and a little sweet.  Wings did not have a crispy, outer skin but weren't overdone either.   Beans tasted smoky but sweet, syrupy-like, but in a good way.  Could be because I hadn't had sugar in a while.  They were yummy! The mac and cheese was velvety, cheesy, thick and delicious. I did not sample the baked potatoes but did find out that those spuds are named after the owners' grandkids.  How cute!. Available dessert is a brownie.  I did not sample it because I'm not really a fan of chocolate desserts.  However, I will try it should I return to J's Var-B-Q. Give this new establishment a try. read more

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My son and I have made a routine of stopping here for BBQ. When you walk in the employees make you feel welcomed and are very helpful. We've tried the rib, brisket, and our favorite is the Mac and cheese! This stuff is creamy and cheesy and you will easily fall under its spell. There is ample seating, place is very clean and again, everyone here is so darn nice. We have a few things we'd like to try - baked potatoes loaded with choice if meat, loaded fries and breakfast burritos. You should definitely put this in your rotation of local places to check out! read more

Food was delicious! Staff were great! Will definitely be coming back. We ordered the brisket, pulled pork, hot links, fried okra, Mac and cheese, and Cole slaw. All of it was delicious. read more

Ambiance was ok. Simple but clean. Order at the counter. No service except for food service. Partner had brisket sandwich and potato salad. I had the Ella special. A "loaded" potato with shredded pork and a side of coleslaw. The sides were ok. Nothing special. The meat on the sandwich was dry but ok with lots of BBQ sauce. The pork was dry but ok with lots of sauce. The problem I had was when I got the potato it was just the potato and meat. I thought that was how the "special" came. Then I saw someone else with the "Special" and he had sour cream, cheese etc. When I asked the staff why I didn't get the same I was told I had to ask for the toppings. The picture showing the loaded potato with toppings is only for advertising purposes. There is nothing about having to adk for toppings anywhere. I guess you have to know this by osmosis? My mistake was in not asking right away. Just believing that the staff would take customer service seriously and provide customer service? My mistake. But we won't go back. Be aware that pictures and descriptions of food are only for advertisement purposes only. Wanted a local place for BBQ. This wasn't it. Will keep looking. Not worth the almost $30.00 not including tip. read more

This weeks date was J. I was not feeling well again due to my diseases so we had it delivered and we were not disappointed. J Vars BBQ was amazing. We had the brisket and the turkey. The sides were the okra, potatoe salad, and Mac and cheese. We got the cobbler for dessert. It was all seasoned well, the meats tender and had a delicious smoked flavor. The sides were amazing. The Mac and cheese was super creamy. The cobbler had just the right sweetness and the crust was crispy. The whole meal was amazing, next time we will visit in person. read more

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Had the Kai Kai with brisket -- it's basically a mac and cheese brisket sandwich -- and it was really good. The meat was tender, the mac was creamy, and everything had great flavor. The service was fast and the food came out hot. I'll definitely come back. read more

J's Var-B-Q - The Kai Kai Brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Oh goodness gracias that was delicious! We tried the 'Ma family pack' to get lots of sampling options. It's Oklahoma style bbq for starters and I am in love with the Mac and cheese (green chile option was phenomenal- I did NOT share). The potato bun is soft and tasty. Then the meats. The sausage is flavorful all on its own. And then we also tried the brisket and the pulled pork. This place doesn't even need tons of spices- they've perfected the smoking process to bring out the meat's natural amazing flavor. And it's still moist! I'm a die-hard for spicy sauces and their Hot bbq sauce (with red chili) is wonderful. Service was great! Ended up meeting the owner who explained the names of the food meals were named after his grandkids (adorable). The place is nice and clean and bright inside! Bathrooms are obviously clean! And for those other chocoholics like me- the brownie is to die for and made fresh daily. Run, don't walk~ read more

J's Var-B-Q - Barbeque Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Good morning from a gorgeous Spring Day in central New Mexico. Tom Neiman and Jim Tritten visited a new restaurant on the east side of Albuquerque along with a few of the boys from the VA creative writing group. Join us as well regale you with tales of great food, fast service, and a relaxed atmosphere in J's Var-B-Q. Oklahoma barbeque in New Mexico. Meet Julian Vargas, the owner, explain what makes his food different and how he named his specials. Not only will we be back, but two of us have already been back. Just click on the following YouTube video link and enjoy our broadcast. https://youtu.be/mF1-BF3x9aY?si=WWhEBxDe0ciZ3eag read more

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The ribs had a good taste and very tender. The turkey was very dry. Both meats were barely warm. They have a good variety specialties. The service was the most challenging. After watching a hand full of employees do nothing, a lead person finally informed us we had to wait at the unlabeled order window. Apparently, you place your order with the one cutter that asks you 4 times what you ordered, instead of writing it down. Then you go down the line where you are asked over and over again if you want sides. Then you are asked a few times if you want any other add ons. There was a lead person, who would actually slow the process with his intervention. I believe they were challenged keeping up regular orders while putting a large party order together. The space is clean and welcoming but not very much decor. Service training is definitely needed. The owner is very friendly! read more

J's Var-B-Q - Turkey and ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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They are smokin' and they know how. Great food, reasonable portions, and fair prices. Friendly staff and they actually eat their own food! Hope they get enough exposure where they are tucked away. We'll be back! read more

We were greeted upon entering and had easy access to the menus. Our order was taken and promptly made. The food was delicious! We orderdd the Ella - a loaded backed pitato with chouce of meat. I got the turkey which was perfectly cooked. The hubby ordered the JuJu - loaded mac and cheese with brisket. They had awesome options for toppings and sides. We also tried the brownie. Super fudgy and delish! We were able to meet the owner, who was super friendly. He let us know our orders were named after his granddaughters. I love a family oriented restaurant. The place was clean and bright, with spacious seating and easy drink refills. We will definitely be back! read more

The specials menu had no prices. They had canned beans and other sides behind the counter. The meat comes out of a foil wrap ball in a heater. They open the foil and weigh out one quarter pound. The brisket is shredded meat???. You order cafeteria style. Or jail style..... There is no table service. You get your own drinks from the soda Fountain. read more

J's Var-B-Q - These beans are bush's beans doctored up. This is their pulled pork sandwich. - Barbeque Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

We visited J's today for lunch since we hail from OK and this is OK-style barbecue. Let's start with the good: we were served promptly and everyone working was super friendly. My husband got their loaded fries with a sausage link, I got a quarter lb of brisket and my kiddo got the Mac and cheese kid's meal. Everything was tasty... bonus points for the green chile Mac and cheese! The only not-so-good was the squirrely pricing. I thought I ordered the 1/4 lb brisket. They asked if I wanted a side so I got a Mac and cheese and then I got a drink. Was charged for a meal, but the math didn't seem to math. Brisket was $7.50, side was $3 or $3.50 and the meal ended up at $17. That must mean the drinks are $5? Just a little stiff for 4 oz of brisket , 4 oz of Mac and cheese and a soda. My husband's loaded fries also came out with no cheese at all, despite cheese being listed on the description. I'm assuming these are growing pains. Everyone enjoyed their meal and it's nice to get another barbecue joint. We will try the place again in a few months. read more

I'm disappointed when I see an opportunity, going unmatched in skill let alone an attempt to try. We ordered online, upon being binged 30min later with a notification our order was ready, I walked into a very clean "var-b-q" restaurant. Tables spotless, floor clean, open view to the kitchen... spotless. Not a hint of bbq in the air. Should have been my first clue. I was told my receipt didn't go through and my order was in fact not ready. I waited outside, I did not want to disrupt the cleanliness of the tables by sitting there. So I come back in, to a small line of people, obviously the five minutes that passed they forgot what I was there for, so I waited in line for my already paid,prepared and bagged food. (45$ 2 plates & 2 drinks plus 15%tip). We park in a romantic spot to enjoy our Var-b-q... Whom ever cooked the brisket, it was good. To whom ever cuts the brisket to plate it, a small yet helpful tip for meat, CUT AGAINST THE GRAIN. I choked down spaghetti brisket over a decent Mac-n-cheese. My hubby, the same upon a bed of crisp fries. We didn't think brisket could be so hard to chew or swallow. The sides were sad, I added a jalapeño and pickle thinking roasted and house made. It was a raw jalapeño and a basic soggy store bought pickle. I would put money on these dishes being pre-packaged from Costco. The Mac and cheese was the best part of both our plates. $45, I could have made a family meal better than this. I anticipate when I go out to eat, the food would be of higher quality than I'd get at the neighborhood bbq or even my own kitchen. This was such a disappointment. Start to finish. Where I think this could improve, first the customer service, having someone behind the counter that portrays confidence in their business helps me as the customer feel better, remembering faces especially when your not busy. Learning to not only season the meat well, cook it well, but know how to cut and plate the food as well. Half the enjoyment of a plate of food is the presentation. If it doesn't look good, my brain already thinks it's going to taste bad. read more

J's Var-B-Q - Brisket over Mac n cheese The Ju Ju - Barbeque Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Ordered for the first time. I live nearby but hadn't stopped in before but wanted to finally try. Got a pound of brisket and three sides. Brisket was nice and understood it would come shredded. Hot bbq has a little kick, nothing crazy. Green chile Mac and cheese good with a little heat. Beans were fine and actually liked the coleslaw recipe. But please, fill up your side containers. Food is expensive everywhere and when you fill a pint container only 3/4 of the way, I feel shorted. I've never had a bbq place be so minimal on the side containers. Usually they always come packed to the brim. So that was my only complaint but just real annoying. read more

I'll go back to try things other than the ribs cuz they must be great coz t heir ribs were huge disappointment. If I pay 15 for 2 ribs I expect fall off the bone tender. The ones I got were so tough I literally use a knife to saw thru them. Then I must have chewed on some pieces for sev we ran minutes before giving up. The sauces weren't bad but had a familiar taste read more

Delicious smoked meat, not smothered in sauce like they need to hide anything. I had pulled pork, dill pickle spear, and coleslaw. I added BBQ sauce at the table. So good! I also like the patriarch mural inside. Employees were helpful and knowledgeable read more

As a Houston native who moved here a few years ago, I've been on the hunt for decent bbq in ABQ. Sadly, this ain't it. My husband and I ordered a 1/4 lb of the sausage, pulled pork, brisket, and turkey, along with mac and cheese, beans, and peach cobbler. The meats had no smoke flavor at all. The brisket was like chewing stringy cardboard. The pulled pork somehow dichotomously had globs of fat but was also dry as the desert sand. The sausage was clearly cheap and not well seasoned. The turkey tasted okay but was also very dry. The Mac and cheese was good but nothing to write home about. The beans were super sweet; I had to had the spicy bbq sauce to make them palatable. The "cobbler" was the most baffling piece of the meal, having the taste and consistency of over-sweetened cookie dough. The staff was friendly and the restaurant had good ambiance. Too bad the food lacked so much. The search goes on. read more

The Juju- Green chile Mac and cheese with brisket. The brisket was moist and ends were crispy. Both the regular sauce and spicy sauce were so good! The each dish was made quickly, the workers were friendly, and restaurant was very clean. read more

J's Var-B-Q - The Juju- Green chile mac and cheese with brisket. - Barbeque Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Do not come here! Worst ever... Beware! I'm shocked at the positive reviews. We came here to support what would appear to be a beautiful partnership between a father and a daughter; and the epitome of a small local business. Not only did we get sick, but everything we ordered was absolutely terrible. Junk. We threw our entire dinner in the trash!!! Food was cold, freezer thawed, disgusting. Horrible service as well. I'm sad to say.... All around the worst place we have been to - ever. read more

This was our first visit and the menu was so extensive, it took us a while to order. I got a baked potato covered with pulled pork and a side of fried okra. My husband ordered the ribs and sausage with a side of Mac and cheese and an order of French fries. The pork was moist and very tasty! Chuck shared one of his ribs and it was very tender. The report was the Mac and cheese was good. The young couple that run the place were very helpful while we made our selections. We didn't order dessert but the young man brought samples of cherry and peach cobbler to our table. He told us they were made fresh every day. Since we ordered so much food we couldn't eat dessert but we certainly enjoyed the samples. We will definitely go back since this is the best barbecue we have found in Albuquerque. read more

Bottom line in a long review: This is a great addition of excellent BBQ in a city lacking quality BBQ! The rest of the review is pretty good too. I had a burning question. As a Texan I wanted to know what's Oklahoma BBQ? Today I got the answer. Wrapped in foil in white oak vs open on the pit using mesquite or some of the other woods Texans use. Ok here we go! We walk into the store to the delectable aroma of BBQ - got the salivary glands into overdrive that's even before we reached the menu board. Meats, sides, sandwiches, specialities and desserts. I'm not a pork fan, so brisket is the choice. Knowing my wife if there's sausage on the menu it ends up on her plate(she didn't let me down). Accompanied by mac&cheese & slaw. Beans and slaw for me. The brisket was served shredded no crust. The crust is generally atop a fatty layer. The fat is removed after cooking, resulting in a much leaner meat. The sausage was nicely spiced and flavorful. BBQ beans are from a can. But brisket, onions and their BBQ sauce are added. Definitely a change in flavor. Mac & cheese contains green chile adding flavor and a little heat. BBQ sauce is on the table - white top is mild and red is hot - just enough to keep it enjoyable. Dessert consisted of peach cobbler ala mode. It was delicious and came with a soft crust. It tasted like there was some pudding added - I was assured there wasn't. Just their cake batter and peaches( it was probably the cake batter that I was tasting). Prices were less expensive than what I would have expected. The owners were onsite and friendly - even after all my questions. read more

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As someone born in Oklahoma finding good bbq after moving to Albuquerque has been a struggle but this place is the best I've found. It's authentic, affordable, delicious, and has incredibly kind and attentive staff. The environment is chill and relaxed, and is a great place to get your bbq from. read more

Recommended on social media, I thought I'd give it a try. It was just ok. I had the turkey sandwich and beans with brisket. Nothing to write home about. Good points: the people are very nice, and the bun was good. The beans were tasty, but the brisket in the beans was off putting-the brisket barely showed up, and when it did, it was stringy, not nice chunks of brisket. Not a good texture. The turkey was a bit rubbery, and I had to spit out the first two bites because of the chewy fat. It kind of ruins the rest of the lunch experience after that. BUT, if the fat wasn't on it, the turkey itself was smoked nicely and a fair portion, although a bit overpriced for a meal. The mild and hot barbecue sauces were barely discernible, heat wise, but tasty. read more

I wanted to try this restaurant ever since it opened. I love trying new restaurants in town, and I love bbq. Never got a chance, though, until this past week. Over-priced, unseasoned meat, and old beans. BBQ should be infused with flavor - smokiness, dry rubs, something. It just seemed liked they poured some bbq sauce over the ribs. That's it. They weren't tender at all. I also got the brisket. Again, no seasoning. It just tasted like meat. The brisket was tender, but that was the the only good quality. The one thing that I did like was the macaroni and green chile. I won't be going to this place again. read more

Service was great. Food was not. I ordered brisket, pulled pork, and baked potatoes. Flavor was ok but the pulled pork was dry and the brisket was a show stopper for me. Somebody shredded the brisket and what i was left with was dry stringy brisket. There's another review here that shows a picture and that's exactly how mine looked also. I almost choked a few times trying to get it down. There are many videos explaining how brisket is supposed to be cut, and I think that J's needs to get back to the basics if they are going to survive. Albuquerque needs good bbq options so I'm hoping that J will go back to the kitchen and give it another try. read more

Was excited to try, however the experience and food were such a disappointment. Meat was dry, NO sauce included. NO SAUCE! Staff was not friendly, not forthcoming, couldn't explain that that you had to buy a whole chicken to get chicken dark meat. Untrained staff. They didn't weigh anything of the meats. Paid over $30 for food that no one ate. Won't be back because they just don't care. That brisket sandwich was a complete rip off . I posted pictures of all we bought. I guess if you aren't a friend or family this is how they serve you. read more

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