Located on Ivey Lane and also now in West Oaks Mall, Jerkman BBQ is a hidden gem offering high quality comfort food with friendly service at a remarkable price. Although it may seem unassuming, Jerkman is a cut above what you may find from others. If you have been on the hunt for a go-to authentic jerk chicken spot, then look no further than Jerkman BBQ.
Jerkman’s main dishes are chicken wings, fried shrimp, and jerk chicken. There is an extensive list of sauces to pair with the wings or shrimp for a small extra charge of $0.50-$0.75, but the items are also offered plain for no surcharge. The wings stayed crisp in the sauce, but the batter on the shrimp did get soggy, so consider ordering your sauce on the side if this is a concern to you. Entrées are offered with a side of fries, which were crisp with a fluffy interior and seasoned well. Although the other entrées were great, it would be a disservice to pay a visit to Jerkman BBQ without trying the jerk chicken. The chicken is some of the best you can find in the area: tender, smoky, and smothered with sweet and savory sauces before serving. If you only try one entrée, the chicken is the most memorable choice.
Jerkman BBQ also offers a selection of imported Jamaican drinks and island-inspired house-made beverages, aptly named “Juiceman Drinks.” I tried the in-house strawberry lemonade, which was a sweet and refreshing complement to the savory and spicy flavors of the food. It may run too sweet for some; in which case I would recommend a different bottled beverage instead. However, I felt that the house-made beverage rounded out the comforting meal appropriately.
There are some parts of my experience at Jerkman BBQ that are worth mentioning in this review in hopes of promoting the best customer experience: be aware of changing opening hours and plan on taking your meal to go. Regarding opening hours, the Jerkman BBQ website listed the opening time at 12:30, but the actual opening was delayed to 1:00. There is also only one table inside the restaurant, so you will want to ensure that you take your food to go, especially because this table may be occupied by other patrons waiting for their orders. If I were to order again from Jerkman, I would place an online order in advance to avoid waiting times and ensure that the restaurant is actively open before making the commute. Despite the hiccup with the opening time, the service was friendly, and the food vastly outshined this issue, making the experience worth the wait.
By Nile Peoples
