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    Uncle Joe's Barbecue

    4.0 (85 reviews)
    ModerateBarbeque

    Uncle Joe's Barbecue Photos

    UNCLE JOE'S BARBECUE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Uncle Joe's Barbecue

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    Steve K.

    Uncle Joe's is a low-key place with wonderful food at reasonable prices. There are a few tables, but they also do takeout, and there was a lot of that while we were there. The grill is right out in the open, and you can watch the griller (Joe?) work his magic with chicken and ribs. My wife and I both got ribs. She got rice and beans, and I got the coleslaw. Ribs were super tender and flavorful. The slaw was delicious--light, yet still creamy. Not too many beans in the beans and rice, but it was good, too. We ate in (1/1/24). Not many chairs, but we acquired them after someone else left, then had to "protect" them from a large family that arrived, and seemed to be eyeing our chairs. Pricing was great. You get a lot of food for your dollar. Uncle Joe's seems to be a place known well to locals, and to folks who come often to St. John. A few days after our visit to Uncle Joe's, some folks on a taxi ride asked us for a recommendation. We mentioned Joe's. About a half hour later, we were walking to Mongoose Junction, past Uncle Joe's, and they called out to us, thanking us for the recommendation, which they said was "perfect!"

    Raya V.

    Don't play wit em! If you're around the area, you need to come here! Way better than all the touristy spots on the dock! Uncle Joe got the grill poppin right in front. The smell you smell around the block is his BBQ cookin. When we came, he only had some chicken and ribs. My girls opted for the bbq chicken. It comes w two sides but they doubled up on rice and peas. Everything was delicious! They are dope in there, excellent service! Authentic food from the island!

    Bbq chicken
    Jahmal P.

    The chicken is def tender moist and seasoned and well cooked. I do enjoy bbq sauce but I like it how I like my syrup on pancakes at my choosing. Since it was our first time here I didn't know they practically soak it in the sauce, but next time I will. And def will be a next time the chicken was goood!!! All I need is a Johnny cake to go with it and a Guinness Lawd that would be paradise for me.

    BBQ Ribs
    Jim L.

    Nothing fancy, just tasty reasonably priced BBQ. That is how I would describe Uncle Joe's. It's a little BBQ stand on a busy intersection in Cruz Bay. There is limited covered seating with 3 tables. It was fun to sit there and people watch. Menu is simple. You have option of chicken, ribs, or combo with 2 sides (rice, corn, coleslaw, or pasta). Price ranged from $15-17 depending on your choice. This is very reasonable compared to other dinning options on St. John. Our family arrived around 4PM after a day at the beach. Tip #1 there is limited free public parking next door at St. John Immigration and Customs just be careful where you park. Tip#2 restaurant opens when Uncle Joe arrives - for us - around 5PM, put your order in advance. Otherwise, you may wait for a very long time. This place is very popular with the locals. Tip #3 be patient and relax, it's "Island Time" everything is a 45 minute wait.

    Peter D.

    The ladies that run this barbecue shack* don't want to be your best friend. Crack all the jokes you want, tip them extravagantly, massage their feet (actually don't do this, they get weirded out), sign over your soul...it doesn't matter. You might get a Mona Lisa smile at best, and that's only if it's closing time (around 8 pm for them) and you're finally hauling your drunk ass home and out of their face. But I don't need them to be my best friends. I need them to serve me affordable plates piled high with fatty, deliciously tender ribs and a couple sides of slaw and mac salad (corn or rice and beans are also usually available). I need them to scoop that tangy, sweet sauce out of that cast iron pot that lives on the grill and slather it onto my meat.** I need them to continuously bring me Carib beer as I eat every bite on my plate, and then every morsel that any of my companions were stupid enough to leave behind on theirs. And I need them to be here every day when I get back from the beach and I'm sunburnt and sandy and feel like ruining the expensive dinner plans we have for later. They haven't let me down yet. ____________ *Presumably for Uncle Joe, who I've yet to meet. **They do tend to oversauce a bit, but they are saucy ladies. It's in their nature.

    Homemade Fruit Punch "winner"
    Lavel L.

    This place was just ok, like other reviewers mentioned in regards to the BBQ chicken, it was indeed dry and the BBQ sauce was really nothing to brag about. I got corn on the cob as one of my sides, which wasn't hot at all. I also got some sort of macaroni salad that didn't have any flavor what so ever (had to add salt/pepper) To me the only thing that I thought was pretty good was there homemade fruit punch. Now, I would come back just for that, but as far as getting there food? I'll pass! Unless someone wanted to go back, but other than that.. I'll pass Also, they don't accept credit cards, only CASH

    Chicken and ribs combination plate
    Katherine K.

    My family and I have been going to St. John for about 15 years now and always make at least one trip to Joe's for his delicious BBQ. The combination plate is the way to go (chicken and ribs), plus I love the cole slaw and rice and beans as sides. This year we were surprised and elated to see that they had opened up a small store literally right inside the restaurant where they are selling the BBQ sauce, hot sauce, as well as souvenir items. Now you can take home a little taste of St. John, although I'm sure it will never taste as good as when you're there.

    Pang M.

    Perfect stop! After four days, burgers and sandwiches were killing me. Decent meals on the islands are extremely expensive and we were happy to find this spot. The entry is huge, come hungry. The $13 will be worth it. I ordered the ribs (falls off the bone) with two sides of pasta & rice (I'm Asian so I needed my rice). The owners were kind, we got our food within 5minutes & packed what's left to go. The only downfall would be the bbq sauce. I'm not huge fan of the taste but the BF was so I guess, I can't complain too much. Enjoy!

    Uncle Joes BBQ signage

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    4 years ago

    Smokey fall off the bone tender bbq ribs with tasty rice and a bean or two and coleslaw. The bbq sauce had complex citrusy notes. Yum!!

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    9 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Fall off the bone, hole in the wall goodness. Went for the reviews and was not disappointed. Fast service and great food!

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    8 years ago

    My dream vacation is not sun and sand, it's food. I look for the most unique places and this place is on my list of good shit to eat.

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    14 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Absolutely delicious bbq. Ribs and chicken are second to none. Sides are also spot on. Great for take-out.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Review Highlights - Uncle Joe's Barbecue

    In had noticed Uncle Joe's when we had passed it on the way to the docks for a morning fishing trip our first day on the island.

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

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    This place is in the middle of the downtown area with all the shops and eateries - so there is a…read moreton of people watching available. They have inside and outside dining, with most of the outside dining having shade from the tree cover. We had heard their chicken dishes were very good, so we ordered the chicken and waffles, with gravy and a fried egg on top. The chicken was crispy and moist. It was really tasty and definitely made the meal. We also ordered their special dish of the morning which was a fried breakfast burrito with egg, sausage, avocado and a glaze of the chipotle sauce on the tortilla, with a serving of country potatoes on the side. The filling of the burrito was very good, but I think I would rather have this deconstructed than inside a flour tortilla. There were many other good options on the menu and I'm sure I will enjoy trying the other breakfast entrees I saw being served. The star of our meal was our server. She was absolutely fantastic and didn't miss anything from greeting us, to wishing us an enjoyable day as we were leaving. We enjoyed ourselves and would come back again.

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    Interior

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    We had an awesome experience at The Tap Room in St. John. My wife and I stopped in for lunch, and…read morefrom the moment we sat down, our waitress Onaisi made us feel completely at home. She was super friendly and took the time to share all kinds of local tips about the island, which we really appreciated. My wife went with the highly recommended gluten free pizza and the gluten free beer--both were excellent. She was genuinely impressed with how good the pizza tasted, especially since it's hard to find great gluten free options. I had the Mahi sandwich with a side of fries and a really strong drink (just what I needed after a day out in the sun). Everything hit the spot. The atmosphere at The Tap Room was laid-back and welcoming, and you can tell the staff cares about their guests. If you're in St. John and looking for good food, cold drinks, and friendly service, The Tap Room is definitely worth a visit.

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    The entrance to The Tap Room Brewery

    The Tap Room
    The Tap Room - Flight of beers

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    Flight of beers

    Uncle Joe's Barbecue - bbq - Updated May 2026

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