Baby Back Jack's Old Fashioned Broiler

*** Baby Back Jack's has closed

A few months back Howie, who does A Foodie's-Eye View of San Diego's Best Restaurants mentioned "Jack's Broiler" to me in an email, about a month after, Candice, who posts in Oh-So Yummy mentioned Jack's Broiler as well. So during a recent weekend, we drove on up to Hillcrest and dropped by Baby Back Jack's Old Fashioned Broiler(whew, that's a mouthful) for lunch.

If I remember correctly, this used to be a Yogurt shop. The interior of Jack's goes for a mild "retro-old fashioned" look.

And tunes like Earth Angel and Venus in Bluejeans flow throughout the restaurant.

The menu is small, but covers very familiar territory, with everything from Hot Dogs and Burgers, to Baby Back Ribs.

On this visit, the Missus went for the 1/2 of Jack's "Famous Wild Chicken"($7.95). Check out the "wild chicken"......

Basically, a roasted half chicken that is slathered with BBQ sauce and heated on the grill. The chicken comes with Coleslaw and one "side", in this case the Missus chose fries.

The Missus told me the coleslaw wasn't really that great, a bit on the sweet side for Her...but She did scarf it up. I loved the fries, which were the skin-on natural style fries, with a chili-garlic-paprika seasoning. The Missus thought the fries were a bit on the salty side...but I finished them all up. Never got a chance to use the Ranch-style dipping sauce that was provided.

The chicken was quite large, and the Missus couldn't finish it.

On the good side, the chicken was large, and the meat moist through and through. On the bad side, the interior of the chicken was still slightly cold. And though the dark meat had some flavor, the white meat was bland. The BBQ sauce didn't do it for me either, it had a bit of a neutral BBQ flavor, but had a weird aftertaste, and left a strange coating on my tongue. Overall, this was quite a bit of food.

I had the "World Famous Beef Dip"($7.95):

Just by looking at it, you know right away...this ain't no "Philippe's". First off the "roll" was on very dry side, and the meat looked kinda, well, "grey", and was dry and tough. I enjoyed the "jus", it was beefy, and not overly salty...I used up all the jus and the Horseradish sauce. I think this is a bit over-priced for $7.95.

On a side note...guess how much the soda pictured on the side is? It's $2, for one of those plastic 12oz cups. Luckily, refills are free, but if you're doing take-out, forget about the drinks. The two sodas I ordered put us over the $20 mark for lunch.

But still....I really enjoyed those fries.....

So I returned for lunch when I was in the area recently. And since you just can't order fries...I ordered my fries($1.95) with a side order of a Cheeseburger($5.50).

Thought the fries were not as heavily seasoned as on my last visit, they were still pretty good.

After ordering, I struck up a short conversation with the "cook", who asked me how I'd like my burger, and though I'd usually ask for it "medium", I just told him to make the way he thought was best.

The burger was delivered dressed with lettuce, tomato, and slices of red onions, cooked  just a tad on the "well" side, but the meat was moist, juicy, and had a nice mildly beefy flavor. At first I thought there was too much bun for the burger, but the bread had a nice pillowy texture. I wish the cheese was melted a bit better. I'd forgotten to tell him to skip the "sauce", which was a Thousand Island style dressing, but at least it wasn't slathered on, and the sauce was very mild so it didn't interfere with the flavor of the burger. Still, I usually like my burger without dressing. Not a bad burger, it's not going to set the world on fire, but it's pretty good, not as good as some, but better than many. I'd have it again.

As I usually do for "What Howie Eats" posts, I emailed Howie for His input. Here's what he said; "My fries were my favorite thing about the meal. I had the ribs, and they were decent, esp for the price." So there you go....

Baby Back Jack's Old Fashioned Broiler
1290 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

Comments

[Wandering Chopsticks]

Pillowy! That's the perfect description for bread. I just use light and airy.

I just made fries and burgers the other night too. We must be on the same eating wavelength.

[Chubbypanda]

The grey meat scared me.

[Reid]

Kirk,

I feel like having some fries now...and it's after midnight!

[nhbilly]

Sounds like an average joint. When I go for BBQ I go all out for the pork and beef. Chicken just never really appeal to me as good BBQ meat or maybe I never had any that was worth my chewing effort since its always dry and tough. The burger looks good. I think I need to stop by Fuddruckers.

side note.

Was in the Valley with the inlaws and went to the Swining Door BBQ
The brisket and the ribs was so so smokey yummy, nice smooth, soft, and tender but the chicken was terrible. Oh and the price was so so so so reasonable. FYI - do not let them drench your meat with the sauce do it yourself.

-bill

[elmomonster]

That burger looks scrumptious. But I slather on that 1000 island like it was going out of fashion!

[Captain Jack]

Oh god, just the mention of Philippes makes me swoon, and get weak in the knees.

[Erin]

Yeah, Baby Back Jack's used to be Heidi's. I agree that the food is decent, but nothing spectacular. We live two blocks from there, but have only been once. I might have to try the burgers, though--the one in your picture looks the way I like 'em.

[Gil]

Kirk thanks for the review. We walk by that place often and have wondered. Having Phil's nearby, it makes it an easy choice to just stay with the old standby for bbq in our area.

And the mention of Philippes made my mouth water. Whenever I have a hearing in LA, I swing by there for a sandwich. Yummy.

[Candice]

Hi Kirk - sorry that it wasn't the broasted chicken you were looking for. I should have checked it out before I mentioned it but now you've saved me a trip there!

[howie]

Hi, Kirk,

Good update on Jack's! All-in-all I think it's not a bad place to go for a BBQ fix.

I got the small ribs for about $8. They were nice and moist, but I remember thinking that the flavor didn't seem to penetrate into the meat. (Maybe more dry rub, or seasoning would have helped?)

I liked the fries a lot, and I usually don't like thicker-cut fries much. They were crisp, well-seasoned, and fluffy inside. And they gave me a *ton*.

I'd go back. Kirk's picture of the burger has me jonesing :-)

[The Guilty Carnivore]

Somehow, the words "beef dip" doesn't really do much for me.

Is Taste of Thai in Hillcrest still there? When I lived there in 1996-98 that portion of Hillcrest was the nexus of the gourmet wrap fad...something like 3 wrap places all chintzily and gimmickally named all within a 1/4 mile square radius, the existence of which firmly tested the paradoxical laws of the universe.

[Kirk]

Hi WC - I dunno how that word popped into my head....I was kinda tired???

Hi CP - It does look kinda well, grey....call it soylent grey?

Hi Reid - Good fries are good fries any time of the day!!!!

Hi Billy - Yep, hit and miss. Still those fries were pretty good.

Hi Elmo - Slather away then!

Hi CJ - Ah yes, the infamous "Philippe's swoon" gotta watch or you may just tip over!

Hi Erin - The burger's not bad. That BBQ sauce was kinda funny though.

Hi Gil - Philippes has that effect on many. Just the thought of Philippes sends my salivary glands into high gear.

Hi Candice - I would've probably checked them out anyway.

Hi Howie - The Gal that works there was really nice as well. Those fries are good.

Hi GC - Taste of Thai is still in Hillcrest. Wraps are still kinda "fad-dy", but not quite as much.

[Darlene]

Ah! You bet me to this!! And it's in my neighborhood.

Great review and I think I can wait on visiting.

[Kirk]

Hi Darlene - Yes the food is not really outstanding, though it isn't bad...I do like those fries.

[wishing for more]

the pork sandwich was stringy and couldnt cut the sandwich in half with a steak knife.

the french fries were ice cold and not crispy at all. i did take it home(5min) but i ended up throwing away half of them.

the onion rings were a total joke. there were two whole rings and some bits and pieces that totaled maybe one more ring and the whole thing was a single glob which had to be pulled apart to eat.

all in all i am going to go ask for my money back!!

[Richard]

Had the Full rack @ Jack's with coleslaw and a side of fries. Everything was wonderful and hot! Just remember.. get extra napkins, juicy saucy and wonderful!!

This is a must try eatery, very retro 50"s & 60's. FUN!!!