Avoid the Bathroom and Order Your Pork to Go at JL’s Open Pit Bar-B-Que

Sitting in Atlanta traffic I was getting hungry.  My prospects for sliding past Spaghetti Junction any time soon seem dimmed so I used the time to find someplace to eat.  I figured I would be in Macon, Georgia by suppertime and was in the mood for some bbq.  Two places caught my eye, and after running them by someone I know who lives in Macon, I decided to set course for JL’s Open Pit Bar-B-Que.  I punched the address into my phone’s GPS program and listened to the electronic voice tell me how much further I had to creep before I could merge onto I-675.

Eventually I made it through the parking lot known as rush hour in Atlanta, and I was on a collision course with a pork sandwich.  JL’s is located off of Exit 3 on I-475 in a large open parking lot surrounded by a ring of tall lights.  A large sign marks its location, and the orange-ish pink neon letters decorate the exterior of the low slung beige sided structure.  I pulled the door open and was greeted by a small contingent of folks waiting for their pickup orders.  I surveyed the menu and decided to get a chopped pork sandwich, with a side of fries. For good measure I ordered a large sweet tea because there’s nothing better than bounding through Central Georgia on a pork fueled sugar high.

While waiting for my meal to be prepared I walked through the second set of doors and into the restaurant’s interior.  I am not sure when JL’s opened, but I was instantly transported back to 1983.  Four fours of light colored wooded tables lined the space.  Red vinyl benches sat on each side while various condiments and a napkin dispenser made their home on the table top.  The dining room was lit by a series of chandeliers that pumped out a blinding amount of light.  A salad bar occupied one end with the bathrooms behind it to the left.  The eating area was well kept and clean, but the men’s room was another story.  It was filthy.  Not in an old but we try and keep thing tidy kind of way, but  rather in a sandblast the walls and power wash the stalls one. Yuck.

Undaunted by the dungeon-like bathroom facilities I returned to the counter and chatted with another customer.  He was a native of Macon and had been eating at JL’s since they opened.  He told me there was a second location in a strip mall off of Exit 9 on I-275, but that he thought the food was better at this location.  A few moments later I was handed a brown paper bag containing my dinner by the smiling girl behind the counter.  She must have heard me say I was from out of town, and as I left she wished me safe travels back to Tallahassee .

I decided eating a chopped pork sandwich dripping with sauce while traveling 75 mph was not the best idea and ate while stationary.  Inside the sack was a container that held the chopped pork sandwich and a pickle.  A small wax paper bag held some piping hot crinkle cut fries.  They were nothing out of the ordinary, but I was happy they were hot instead of stone cold.

I assessed the pork sandwich before taking a bite.  Large chunks of pork sat on a toasted hamburger bun.  The meat was covered in a thin tomato based sauce.  I took a bite and was impressed.  The meat had a nice smoked flavor and there was a good mixture of tender pork bits and crunchy bark from the outside of the butt.  Most importantly, the sauce did not overpower the meat, and its subtle sweetness complimented the flavors.

JL’s may may not win any awards for decor, or spotless facilities. However, they do make a good chopped pork sandwich and serve it with a smile.  That alone makes it worth a stop the next time you’re traveling on I-475 through Macon, Georgia.

Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating:
Atmosphere: C+
Taste: A
Presentation: C
Service: A
Cleanliness: D+
Price: $