5503 Memorial Dr
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
(404) 508-2140
open Wed – Sun
web site
click on photos for larger view
“I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.” -W.C. Fields
Juci Jerk is rated 4 out of 5 stars in Yelp and Google reviews. I wonder how much should we really trust those reviews? It is pretty easy to have friends and family post a great review (and enemies to post bad reviews). However, I am also skeptical of the negative reviews, not because I don’t believe them but because anybody can have a bad experience at a great restaurant. But 4 out of 5 stars would indicate some pretty darn good food and it sets a pretty high standard for those going based on the reviews. As for me, I like to read them just for the fun of it. For instance from Yelp: “This place however is AMAZING! Their dry rub it great. The meat is extremely tender (ate here with braces).” I guess I could infer that you can’t eat tough meat with braces? Perhaps I should start a niche braces friendly restaurant review web site? That could be where the money is.
So I went to Juci Jerk this past Saturday with Chloe, daughter of our good friends Kristine and Rob who live over yonder on Spring. It was about 2pm and we had just exited The Secret Life of Pets, a very funny animated cartoon. I was hungry, Chloe was tired but willing to go. When we got there several people were ahead of us but the line moved pretty quickly and soon we ordered a small order of white chicken for Chloe (no sides) and a small pork rib plate for me. Also on the order was a champagne Kola for Chloe (water for me). My ribs came with the standard Jamaican issue of rice with peas and a side of cabbage. The rice had a delicious sweet sauce on it and was perfectly cooked (as I have said before I like rice perfectly cooked). The cabbage was cabbage. Boiled like cabbage. Talked like cabbage. Walked like cabbage. So I said “this is cabbage.” The ribs had a nice rub and were delicious, moist, and tender. Great if you wear braces! We also had their very hot, very spicy sauce and the regular sauce. Both with hints of mustard and tasty. The hot is hot! But I like it hot. Chloe’s chicken (came with a side of one slice of white bread) had a nice rub on it but was very dry. It had to be dipped into the sauce. Would not recommend the chicken if you wear braces.
I would like to say also how very nice were the people who ran Juci Jerk. The two women were so pleasant (and efficient!). We did not have to wait long for our order and we ate inside. There were only two tables so it is mainly for takeout. Also of note is Juci Jerk will be in the 2016 Jerk Fest (no not the Jerk Off) in Conyers this weekend, Sept 4. Click on the picture on the right for info. Chef Donald Roberts of Juci Jerk won the 2014 Jerk Fest.
My rating for Juci Jerk: 3-better than meh. (rating system explained) I definitely want to go back and try other items on the menu. Try and let me know what you think.