Brother Jimmy's BBQ - Miami
We've been talking about the best BBQ in Miami and South Florida - - - and I think I've found it - - Brother Jimmy's in downtown Miami - - - 900 S. Miami Avenue. I made my way there last night and was absolutely thrilled with what I had to eat there.
First, this place isn't that easy to find and parking is an issue in that neighborhood. Just pay the $7 and pull into one of the lots. It's in the same complex as Blue Martini and in a courtyard behind Taverna Opa.The place is large, nice bar and well-appointed for a BBQ restaurant. Now to the food......
I ordered an appetizer sampler of BBQ Sliders - - 1 pulled pork, 1 pulled chicken and 1 sliced brisket. To my surprise, all three meats were actually smoked, smoke ring on the brisket and pork and all were correct in texture and taste. All delicious and all tasted of REAL BBQ. They had three sauces to choose from and for you to add. Two were traditional sweet BBQ sauces and both were interesting (and tasty). The third was a 'carolina vinegar' bbq sauce and it wasn't good
and probably best used as a paint thinner or some other industrial use.
This appetizer sampler was also served with a side of mac-n-cheese. This was homemade and tasted good but really needed to be properly salted and peppered in the cooking process and that would have made good into great.
From there I went to their ribs. I opted for the southern style dry rub and again, these were smoked, tender, pull from the bone (not falling off the bone) real BBQ'd ribs. They were delicious. HOWEVER, they left the backskin on these ribs and this is BBQ heresy. I was shocked that a place that's doing BBQ so, so well would be so lazy as not to remove the backskin so both sides of the slab could be properly seasoned. Very, very good ribs that would easily be GREAT if the backskin were removed.
The service was quite good and my server was very knowledgeable about the entire menu and I'm glad he was as the print was small and not easy to read. Overall, my experience was very, very good and it will be my pleasure to return (I just hope they take that backskin off of the ribs as that's basic BBQ 101).
This is real BBQ folks! You can also get real BBQ at Sparky's Roadside which is just a few blocks away and if you haven't been there they do a great job too! We now have two places in downtown Miami that serve authentic, real, smoked BBQ! Rejoice!
Choose when you decide to visit Brother Jimmy's very carefully. From what I understand the place really get jammed during University of Florida and University of Miami football games. To get the best out of the place it's probably best not to go there when those games are on (unless those games are important to you want to watch!).
Have at it!
EMac
Ft. Pierce, FL
-
The Chowfather
Sep 13, 2012 08:21 PM
They wouldn't let me in b/c my close friend woks for Roger Goodell
›6 Replies-
re: The Chowfather
You're right tpigeon....I will visit again and follow-up.....I get the feeling it wasn't a fluke and that's because the brisket and pork really had the low-n-slow texture, taste and smoke ring and if that's true to form that should endure....But you're right...will have to make a second trip and I have a planned outing on Tuesday evening to try it again.....and order other items from the menu......This time I will take my "cheater glasses" so the server doesn't have to read the menu to me!! (Getting old SUCKS!)
They weren't busy when I went in....and I spoke at great length with my server....and he tells me the lead partner (whose name escapes me but owns a handful of high-end NYC restaurants) has been constantly on site (since the opening) and insistent on the real BBQ smoking/cooking process......
ChowPapi......just go in under the cover of darkness.....just the way Goodell does when he investigates players' misdeeds...... but doesn't show actual proof of anything! (LOL). Perhaps you're aware that 3 former UM football players also make up the ownership group.....
EMac
Ft. Pierce, FLI don't mean to offend but as long as this place doesn't take short cuts and "latinize" the product this place will have a chance....Not sure about the location though....its in the Merrick Village.....it's tucked back in a courtyard that if you don't know it's there.....it's not easy to find....and readily accessible....So that's a concern.......
-
re: LargeLife
Guys....sorry that my paragraphing and signature became so discombobulated.....
Brother Jimmy's is owned by highly successful NY restaurant owner Ron Berkowitz and former University of Miami (and current NFL players) Jonathan Vilma, D.J. Williams and Jon Beason....Vilma (who was suspended for this season by Goodell) recently won a court decision over Goodell and the NFL and has been re-instated to play even though injured.....
EMac
Ft. Pierce, FL-
re: LargeLife
I visited Brother Jimmy's last night....for the second go round.....Every Friday they roast a whole hog out in the front courtyard and it looked sensational......They serve FREE pulled pork sandwiches....Just one problem....the pulled pork wasn't from the hog that was on the BBQ.....So I passed.....But that hog looked great!.......
So I go inside....it's busy and they have a nice happy crowd and its lively.......I ate at the bar last time but no room this time around....so I get a table instead.....and had a deliteful server who really knew the menu and was passionate about the product......
I was very pleased with my first visit to Brother Jimmy's......and the second visit didn't disappoint either......I started with their smoked wings that are flash-fried for a nano-second with their chipolte BBQ sauce lightly applied.....There were excellent!.....I love wings and these were very, very good.....I enjoyed those with a Pabst Blue Ribbon tall-boy.....
From there I ordered their smoked brisket plate.....I prefer their "marbled edition" as the birsket isn't trimmed and it has the full fat flavor that I crave when eating BBQ....This brisket was absolutely correct.....It had the proper smoke ring.....and it was tender and absolutely delicious......
The corn bread that was served was also correct.....and I also went with the collard greens that had the proper texture and flavor.....My only complaint is that they didn't have the vinegar & pepper sauce that any true southerner (like myself) likes to put on the collards.....and that's almost heinous in nature!.....They have to correct that.....
All in all.....my second visit there was a delite.....The food could have come out a little faster than it did.....If they're going to serve collards....they can't do that without the pepper / vinegar.....But the meat was the thang.....the wings and the brisket were absolutely correct in flavor and texture.....And the server really made my second visit to Brother Jimmy's worthwhile......
Will have to go back for a third time as they say the third time is a charm.........
EMac
Ft. Pierce, FL-
-
re: tpigeon
southernitalian
Oct 6, 2012 12:50 PM
Or the UES I used to go where ladies drank free on Monday nights. Did they even serve food?
-
-
-
-
-
-
Interesting you say this. I ate at the original brother Jimmy's many many years ago in NYC and was not thrilled with it so I was not looking forward to this place. Please report any subsequent visits. I value your opinion greatly but consider bbq very high risk food (many calories so it really sucks if it is not good). I just want to make sure this visit was not a fluke before trying it. Thanks.
