2 Jerks and some bar-b-que

When we travel, we like to try the local restaurants versus the big chains so we can get a taste of local flavor.  It’s usually the small “mom and pop” local eateries that have the best food and drinks and tell the best stories about the area.

When we were vacationing near Boston, we found one such eatery called 2 Jerks Bar-B-Que.  Being from Texas, we thought it interesting that there was not only a BBQ joint, but they had a picture of a Shiner Beer sign on the website.  We had to go to the place. After all, they served Shiner Beer, and we felt it was our duty as Texans to verify all the good reviews they got on Yelp.

Two Jerks is located in Raynham, Massachusetts, which is about 30 minutes outside of Boston.  The restaurant was started by two brothers, one of whom lived in Nashville for several years, where he mastered the craft of Bar-B-Que and smoking meat. The restaurant is not very large, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in personality.

When we arrived, we noticed a lovely outside patio area that we considered. Still, with the temperatures hovering around 90, we opted to go inside and enjoy the cool air conditioning, not to mention we could talk to more locals that way and learn more about the area.

The decor of Two Jerks says BBQ joint.  There are pork references everywhere as well as the typical beer signs that you would expect to see.  In wondering why the name 2 Jerks, I checked their website where it says, “Why 2 Jerks? The name comes from mother Jill DePalma, who dubbed the nicknames when the boys were young. The names stuck like a hearty rib sauce, and the brothers used them for their brand”.

Inside, there are two areas for dining, plus the bar.  To the right, we noticed several tables set with four chairs, each of which was full of locals enjoying the food.  Along one wall, there is a huge chalkboard with each day’s specials as well as other delectable offerings and a picture that, in case you wanted to know, shows what each part of the pig is called.  There is also a large flat-screen television for watching their favorite teams play.  We didn’t dare say “Go Astros” while we were there!

Since the restaurant was rather busy, we decided to sit at the bar as it has been our experience that you can often get served faster, not to mention we could strike up a conversation with locals that way.  We were greeted by a friendly and smiling young lady working behind the bar who immediately offered up a beverage.  I opted for my tried and true margarita and Charlie a whiskey sour.

As we perused the menu, we were impressed by the selection and the prices of the offerings.  There are your standard options for a BBQ place such as brisket, ribs, and pulled pork as well as items like Oysters on the Half Shell, Bucket of Bacon, and Tots & Gravy, apparently a local favorite.  I decided on the pulled pork platter, and Charlie opted for the Brisket platter, which morphed into a pulled pork and rib platter as they had run out of brisket.  Apparently, it’s THAT good!

When our platters came out, we took one look at them and knew that we had made the right choice for dinner that night.  The pork was so incredibly tender, and the seasoning was spot on.  Pair that with the mountain of sweet potato fries, homemade pickles, and mac-n-cheese so creamy and cheesy it should be its own meal, and you have a Texan in heaven.

The ribs that Charlie had were beef that looked like they came straight out of the Flintstones cartoons.  They were huge, meaty, and super flavorful.  Charlie doesn’t typically like beef ribs, but even he was impressed with their size and taste.  We knew halfway through our meal that dessert was out of the question since we wouldn’t have any room to store it in our bellies.

I can say that you definitely get your money’s worth at Two Jerks.  We ended up taking almost an entire third meal worth of left-overs back to our hotel, which we gave to the desk staff to enjoy.  Two Jerks was just what these two Texans needed while traveling far from home.