The greens were excellent! I ordered the turkey breast platter with greens & Mac & cheese and my son ordered the Carolina pulled pork with Mac & cheese & coleslaw. We would definitely go back. Everything was tasty and our order came out lightening fast.
(4)
Hugh P.
Wow just a great BBQ place. Not sure why I didn't know about this place before but I will be back. The baby back ribs fell off the bone. The BBQ sauce is excellent. Man is the best thing in the west side and Jacksonville can be proud of this place . Try it and you will be gad you did.
(4)
Mariah D.
When Monroe's BBQ truck first started coming the salads were great. Then the quality started declining so I stopped going. I hadnt been in about 6 months so I decided to go down to get the BBQ salad which is what I used to always order. Nothing has changed. The leaves of the salad were covered in black goo and spots. I will not be returning.
(1)
Brett N.
Why 4 stars? Because this was just what I came for. --- --- --- My ignorant perception of Jacksonville has been that it's basically the land of hillbillies. Obviously, it's much more than that... but what is the good thing about hillbillies? It's certainly not the music, that much is true. It's definitely the food. Southern and BBQ. The best combination of culinary that our country has to offer. Here's my feedback on each item: Pulled Pork - 5 Brisket - 4 Mac-n-Cheese - 5 Coleslaw - 2 BBQ Sauce - 5 So next time, I'll skip the coleslaw and try the ribs over the brisket. If only I could get them to mute CMT while I'm in there, we might have the total package on our hands :)
(4)
David B.
I rarely get to the Westside of town, but I made it here for an early lunch. Though it feels like a joint that's been around forever, Monroe's on Hwy Ave. is only six years old. The Monroe's on Beach Blvd opened a year and a half ago. Food is the same at both places, of course. I prefer the Beach Blvd location simply because they have a nice selection of craft beer on draft and this place doesn't. I had an excellent beef brisket sandwich full of tender, tasty meat. As always, I used a combination of Monroe's great Chipotle and "Sweet with a Little Heat" sauces. Sandwiches come with one side so I defaulted to their terrific, spicy collard greens. This is a nice place for lunch (no dinner here except on Thursdays & Fridays). Personally, I prefer the newer location to this one, in spite of the cool, old-fashioned Deep-South atmosphere here.
(4)
Donald R.
Small portions and expensive. 5 wings and greens set me back 9 dollars. Wings were cold and the little cup the greens came in was half full.
(2)
Matt M.
Okay, if you are talking BBQ, you are talking down home, casual Southern eatery. Well bless my favorite cow Bessie, Monroe's has that feel. Friendly service, clean as a whistle and clients in shorts, work shirts or suit and tie. All are welcome because barbecue does not discriminate. My favorite dishes are burnt ends (both platter and sandwich), as well as the brisket. But my lunch partner always opts for the pulled pork platter and all chatter ceases when his plate hits the table. Now this is not Texas, so sides are as much of the experience as the meat (hence meat and two sides). My favorite is the sweet potato soufle, but corn, green bean, side salad and black eyed peas are all good options. Finish it off with some banana pudding and Bessie is one happy cow
(5)
Stephen S.
Pretty good barbecue. Not my favorite place in Jacksonville, but I would definitely go back again, especially for the collard greens. I had the two meat combo which came with four slices of turkey and four ribs. The baked beans were average, but the greens were so good that I ordered a second helping. The barbecue sauces weren't great, but that's just my opinion. The service was quick, and very friendly. Overall I think I spent about $15, which included a regular sized drink.
(4)
Susan P.
I have to stop here at least once a week for the wings for lunch. We split 20 dry wings and that is more than enough. The ranch is homemade and it tastes excellent. I like the chipotle barbecue. Becky really likes the sweet barbecue. They are consistently tender and tasty and delicious I have never had a bad batch. Everything coming out of the kitchen looks fantastic. This is old-school barbecue at its best.
(5)
Robert N.
Sign says they are open on Thursday at 11am but no joy here at 1740. Need to find some other pulled pork.
(1)
V K.
Delicious, mouth-watering, sweet and tangy pulled pork bar-b-q is the absolute best I have eaten here in Jacksonville. Woody's, Sonny's and Bono's does not have anything on Monroe's. I ordered pulled pork, black-eyed peas, mac-n-cheese plate. It was awesome, I am very picky about bar-b-q, but I plan on going back to this place. I called in my order and picked up, I didn't eat-in. The restaurant looked clean, the ladies were friendly as soon as I walked in. If I did dine in, I would have enjoyed it as well. I Loved it.
(5)
Trace C.
I happened to be in the area (heavy industrial and old) to take care of some business and happened upon this place. The building has been a restaurant of some sort for many many years. I had been to Monroe's other location in Jax and had a reasonably positive experience. This one was not. Overall the food is ok. Over cooked green beans, over peppered macaroni and cheese, soggy fries, tasty meats, but small portions. My biggest gripe, I spent over $15 for a two meat meal and a sweat tea, then, greedy me, I asked for a water cup! They will not give you water. The lady at the register literally told me it was "broke" and did not work. I assumed she meant the soda machines would not dispense water only. I had the option of spending another dollar for some generic bottled water or $1.95 for an "ice cup." I was somewhat dumbfounded, thinking I was on some episode of Boiling Point or something. Had I just walked in an asked for a water cup only (you know so I could fill the cup with a flavored beverage - which I suppose is the issue) I could understand the issue, but being that I had just spent way too much on one lunch including a flavored beverage, that the issue even existed, was just a bit too much. As there are plenty of other food options in the area which won't fleece you for another two dollars just for the privilege of drinking water, I won't be back.
(1)
Andy L.
Here's a little background: I work at Fidelity and if I don't bring my lunch, there are few options in walking distance. I decided to get my usual sandwich at the cafe in the St. Joes building, and I saw the Monroe's BBQ truck sitting in the parking lot. They were set up and a few people were waiting for their food. So I decided to give them a try. I've tried the BBQ chicken and the pulled pork sandwich. They were both pretty good, and the sides were good too. Overall, pretty good, and for the price, you might as well try it. I've never been to their restaurant, so I can't compare the truck to their standard food.
(3)
Seth E.
Corn nuggets were great, and my Memphis Deluxe was also really good. I saw on the way out that they have Nehi orange soda. I will definitely come back!
(4)
Quy M.
This place is awesome, the BBQ is great and the prices compliments it. Area is what I think hurts the business because it's off in the cut which makes it hard to notice if you aren't looking for this restaurant. The reason I'm giving the restaurant a 4 star is because of the business hours. It's barely open.
(4)
Bob S.
Only open late on Thursday and Friday, closed on Sunday, I eat here for lunch 2-3 times a month. Stand in line, place your order (there are daily specials), pay, take a number to your table and pretty soon your food will be out. The sides are very good, most lunch plates come with your choice of two, the daily specials generally arrive with only one. Try the banana split pie!
(3)
Stacey S.
I just love beautiful Friday afternoons! This time of year is great because it is so gorgeous outside. I'm trying to take advantage of every opportunity I can to enjoy the nice weather. Soon it will be hot, HOT, and I'll want nothing but to hibernate next to the ac unit. Friday was one of those beautiful days. Add on the fact that it was Friday (TGIF!), and I had to escape the office for lunch. I'd seen on the Jax Truckies Facebook page earlier that morning the list of trucks out and about that day. I scanned the list and saw Monroe's Smokehouse BBQ was actually going to be just a short drive away from my office. From what I have noticed, the food trucks are mostly just downtown and only in the Southside area once or twice a week. I instant messaged Blakeley, and we decided to meet up. She placed a quick phone call and found out they opened at 11:30 am and accept credit cards! It took me a second to actually find where they were setup. I knew it was near Viskaton in Deerwood, but that's all I knew. I drove a few circles around some of the parking lots and finally located them. This is mostly my fault for not researching more closely before I let as to where they actually setup. Their menu board could use a little re-write. It's a bit runny, regardless, I quickly saw what I wanted. MAC N CHEESE! Ok but that's not a real meal (or shouldn't be). So I also ordered the Lunch PLate of Pulled Pork with a side of mac and a side of Sweet Potato Fries without cinnamon/sugar). Everyone was super nice when we ordered. You can tell they enjoy what they do and talking with the customers. They had plenty of supplies so we could enjoy our BBQ exactly how we like. Note the Tabasco, Pepperoncini (I know what this is now!), salt and pepper, and ketchup in the background. They also have a wide variety of sauces for the sauce obsessed (Jax Food Critic, I'm pointing at you!) Not only did they have mustard sauce, they had a spicy mustard sauce. Interesting. Mmmm. I tried their Sweet Sauce and Mustard Sauce. That white container holds my mac n cheese! I was soooo hungry on Friday. I had only had a granola bar for breakfast because I was so busy so I could not WAIT to dig in. Everything was delicious. I personally don't care for the bread. I wish I could swap that out for another side - but then again..what BBQ place doesn't include bread on the side. It's pretty much expected at a place like this. Blakeley ordered the Carolina Pulled Pork Platter with sweet potato souffle, mac n cheese and a sweet tea. I do have to say one thing that makes this location so awesome was there were shaded tables and chairs not too far away. One bummer with food trucks is that often there's not a place to sit other than the curb or back at your desk in your cube. I hope more food trucks are able to gravitate to this location on other days of the week because of the chairs! (and because it's really close to my work!)
(4)
Joe L.
So any fool (and we have lots of them, saw one in the mirror the other day) knows you can get good bbq in Jacksonville. Bono's is easy, and my favorite little rib shack is, well, The RIb Shack; but I am here to tell you that, beyond the fabulous bbq available at Monroe's, the collard greens will send you over the moon. Now, if you are a collard green virgin, and I know you are out there, you have probably been a little scared to consummate the relationship. I urge you to let loose your inhibitions, and get down and dirty with the collards here. I have not been to any of the other significantly more convenient locations, and I may not take the risk because this place, this little unassuming joint on the West Side of Jax has flat out spoiled me for collards.
(5)
Devon N.
A bunch of my coworkers decided to try this place out today, so I joined in, figuring that BBQ is, for the most part, hard to screw up. Obviously if you have an established restaurant, you can't be doing that bad of a job, right? Wrong. I don't know if it's because we ordered take-out, or what, but this was really a lackluster experience and has left me unwilling to try Monroe's out again in the future. I ordered the Pick-Two lunch, which is two meats with two sides and garlic toast. I use the term toast loosely, since mine was actually just soggy bread with some butter slapped on it. It was hardly toasted. I order the pulled pork and the smoked brisket for my meats, with potatoe salad and mac-n-cheese for my sides. First and foremost I was shocked by the amount, or should I say lack of amount, of food I received. For 8.99 I expected more than just a spoonful of pork, and two thin slices of brisket. I was immediately disappointed by the portion of meats. As for the meats, the pulled pork was really fatty and greasy. Greasy I can understand, but it was just so fatty that I had to pick around to get good bites. The brisket, they claim, is smoked for 12 hours. Well, I've had plenty of smoked brisket in my days, and I've never had brisket this tough. It was downright chewy, and a coworker who ordered the same, said the same. We laughed that it was smoked for 12 minutes, rather than hours. It was dry and tasteless. Thank goodness for bar-b-q sauce. The potato salad was just OK. I've had better... in fact, I've had better from Publix. The mac-n-cheese was a HUGE disappointment, because it DIDN'T HAVE ANY CHEESE on or in it. All I had was boiled elbow pasta lathered in grease. It was disgusting. The worst part is, of the 6 of us sitting around eating our lunches, the only one who was happy was the lady who got a salad. Tsk tsk, I expect better of a BBQ joint, and so should you.
(2)
Dea S.
It's off the beaten track, but worth the drive. Southern barbecue at it's best - enjoy!
(5)
Kevin G.
Monroe's has become my go to BBQ lunch spot. I've had a number of their homemade sides (mac and cheese, green beans, corn, mash potatoes, beans) all are very good. Their pulled pork has been very good. Their wings are good, but not worth what they are charging. Parking can be an issue, but once inside they get you through the lines pretty quickly.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Debbie M.
The greens were excellent! I ordered the turkey breast platter with greens & Mac & cheese and my son ordered the Carolina pulled pork with Mac & cheese & coleslaw. We would definitely go back. Everything was tasty and our order came out lightening fast.
(4)Hugh P.
Wow just a great BBQ place. Not sure why I didn't know about this place before but I will be back. The baby back ribs fell off the bone. The BBQ sauce is excellent. Man is the best thing in the west side and Jacksonville can be proud of this place . Try it and you will be gad you did.
(4)Mariah D.
When Monroe's BBQ truck first started coming the salads were great. Then the quality started declining so I stopped going. I hadnt been in about 6 months so I decided to go down to get the BBQ salad which is what I used to always order. Nothing has changed. The leaves of the salad were covered in black goo and spots. I will not be returning.
(1)Brett N.
Why 4 stars? Because this was just what I came for. --- --- --- My ignorant perception of Jacksonville has been that it's basically the land of hillbillies. Obviously, it's much more than that... but what is the good thing about hillbillies? It's certainly not the music, that much is true. It's definitely the food. Southern and BBQ. The best combination of culinary that our country has to offer. Here's my feedback on each item: Pulled Pork - 5 Brisket - 4 Mac-n-Cheese - 5 Coleslaw - 2 BBQ Sauce - 5 So next time, I'll skip the coleslaw and try the ribs over the brisket. If only I could get them to mute CMT while I'm in there, we might have the total package on our hands :)
(4)David B.
I rarely get to the Westside of town, but I made it here for an early lunch. Though it feels like a joint that's been around forever, Monroe's on Hwy Ave. is only six years old. The Monroe's on Beach Blvd opened a year and a half ago. Food is the same at both places, of course. I prefer the Beach Blvd location simply because they have a nice selection of craft beer on draft and this place doesn't. I had an excellent beef brisket sandwich full of tender, tasty meat. As always, I used a combination of Monroe's great Chipotle and "Sweet with a Little Heat" sauces. Sandwiches come with one side so I defaulted to their terrific, spicy collard greens. This is a nice place for lunch (no dinner here except on Thursdays & Fridays). Personally, I prefer the newer location to this one, in spite of the cool, old-fashioned Deep-South atmosphere here.
(4)Donald R.
Small portions and expensive. 5 wings and greens set me back 9 dollars. Wings were cold and the little cup the greens came in was half full.
(2)Matt M.
Okay, if you are talking BBQ, you are talking down home, casual Southern eatery. Well bless my favorite cow Bessie, Monroe's has that feel. Friendly service, clean as a whistle and clients in shorts, work shirts or suit and tie. All are welcome because barbecue does not discriminate. My favorite dishes are burnt ends (both platter and sandwich), as well as the brisket. But my lunch partner always opts for the pulled pork platter and all chatter ceases when his plate hits the table. Now this is not Texas, so sides are as much of the experience as the meat (hence meat and two sides). My favorite is the sweet potato soufle, but corn, green bean, side salad and black eyed peas are all good options. Finish it off with some banana pudding and Bessie is one happy cow
(5)Stephen S.
Pretty good barbecue. Not my favorite place in Jacksonville, but I would definitely go back again, especially for the collard greens. I had the two meat combo which came with four slices of turkey and four ribs. The baked beans were average, but the greens were so good that I ordered a second helping. The barbecue sauces weren't great, but that's just my opinion. The service was quick, and very friendly. Overall I think I spent about $15, which included a regular sized drink.
(4)Susan P.
I have to stop here at least once a week for the wings for lunch. We split 20 dry wings and that is more than enough. The ranch is homemade and it tastes excellent. I like the chipotle barbecue. Becky really likes the sweet barbecue. They are consistently tender and tasty and delicious I have never had a bad batch. Everything coming out of the kitchen looks fantastic. This is old-school barbecue at its best.
(5)Robert N.
Sign says they are open on Thursday at 11am but no joy here at 1740. Need to find some other pulled pork.
(1)V K.
Delicious, mouth-watering, sweet and tangy pulled pork bar-b-q is the absolute best I have eaten here in Jacksonville. Woody's, Sonny's and Bono's does not have anything on Monroe's. I ordered pulled pork, black-eyed peas, mac-n-cheese plate. It was awesome, I am very picky about bar-b-q, but I plan on going back to this place. I called in my order and picked up, I didn't eat-in. The restaurant looked clean, the ladies were friendly as soon as I walked in. If I did dine in, I would have enjoyed it as well. I Loved it.
(5)Trace C.
I happened to be in the area (heavy industrial and old) to take care of some business and happened upon this place. The building has been a restaurant of some sort for many many years. I had been to Monroe's other location in Jax and had a reasonably positive experience. This one was not. Overall the food is ok. Over cooked green beans, over peppered macaroni and cheese, soggy fries, tasty meats, but small portions. My biggest gripe, I spent over $15 for a two meat meal and a sweat tea, then, greedy me, I asked for a water cup! They will not give you water. The lady at the register literally told me it was "broke" and did not work. I assumed she meant the soda machines would not dispense water only. I had the option of spending another dollar for some generic bottled water or $1.95 for an "ice cup." I was somewhat dumbfounded, thinking I was on some episode of Boiling Point or something. Had I just walked in an asked for a water cup only (you know so I could fill the cup with a flavored beverage - which I suppose is the issue) I could understand the issue, but being that I had just spent way too much on one lunch including a flavored beverage, that the issue even existed, was just a bit too much. As there are plenty of other food options in the area which won't fleece you for another two dollars just for the privilege of drinking water, I won't be back.
(1)Andy L.
Here's a little background: I work at Fidelity and if I don't bring my lunch, there are few options in walking distance. I decided to get my usual sandwich at the cafe in the St. Joes building, and I saw the Monroe's BBQ truck sitting in the parking lot. They were set up and a few people were waiting for their food. So I decided to give them a try. I've tried the BBQ chicken and the pulled pork sandwich. They were both pretty good, and the sides were good too. Overall, pretty good, and for the price, you might as well try it. I've never been to their restaurant, so I can't compare the truck to their standard food.
(3)Seth E.
Corn nuggets were great, and my Memphis Deluxe was also really good. I saw on the way out that they have Nehi orange soda. I will definitely come back!
(4)Quy M.
This place is awesome, the BBQ is great and the prices compliments it. Area is what I think hurts the business because it's off in the cut which makes it hard to notice if you aren't looking for this restaurant. The reason I'm giving the restaurant a 4 star is because of the business hours. It's barely open.
(4)Bob S.
Only open late on Thursday and Friday, closed on Sunday, I eat here for lunch 2-3 times a month. Stand in line, place your order (there are daily specials), pay, take a number to your table and pretty soon your food will be out. The sides are very good, most lunch plates come with your choice of two, the daily specials generally arrive with only one. Try the banana split pie!
(3)Stacey S.
I just love beautiful Friday afternoons! This time of year is great because it is so gorgeous outside. I'm trying to take advantage of every opportunity I can to enjoy the nice weather. Soon it will be hot, HOT, and I'll want nothing but to hibernate next to the ac unit. Friday was one of those beautiful days. Add on the fact that it was Friday (TGIF!), and I had to escape the office for lunch. I'd seen on the Jax Truckies Facebook page earlier that morning the list of trucks out and about that day. I scanned the list and saw Monroe's Smokehouse BBQ was actually going to be just a short drive away from my office. From what I have noticed, the food trucks are mostly just downtown and only in the Southside area once or twice a week. I instant messaged Blakeley, and we decided to meet up. She placed a quick phone call and found out they opened at 11:30 am and accept credit cards! It took me a second to actually find where they were setup. I knew it was near Viskaton in Deerwood, but that's all I knew. I drove a few circles around some of the parking lots and finally located them. This is mostly my fault for not researching more closely before I let as to where they actually setup. Their menu board could use a little re-write. It's a bit runny, regardless, I quickly saw what I wanted. MAC N CHEESE! Ok but that's not a real meal (or shouldn't be). So I also ordered the Lunch PLate of Pulled Pork with a side of mac and a side of Sweet Potato Fries without cinnamon/sugar). Everyone was super nice when we ordered. You can tell they enjoy what they do and talking with the customers. They had plenty of supplies so we could enjoy our BBQ exactly how we like. Note the Tabasco, Pepperoncini (I know what this is now!), salt and pepper, and ketchup in the background. They also have a wide variety of sauces for the sauce obsessed (Jax Food Critic, I'm pointing at you!) Not only did they have mustard sauce, they had a spicy mustard sauce. Interesting. Mmmm. I tried their Sweet Sauce and Mustard Sauce. That white container holds my mac n cheese! I was soooo hungry on Friday. I had only had a granola bar for breakfast because I was so busy so I could not WAIT to dig in. Everything was delicious. I personally don't care for the bread. I wish I could swap that out for another side - but then again..what BBQ place doesn't include bread on the side. It's pretty much expected at a place like this. Blakeley ordered the Carolina Pulled Pork Platter with sweet potato souffle, mac n cheese and a sweet tea. I do have to say one thing that makes this location so awesome was there were shaded tables and chairs not too far away. One bummer with food trucks is that often there's not a place to sit other than the curb or back at your desk in your cube. I hope more food trucks are able to gravitate to this location on other days of the week because of the chairs! (and because it's really close to my work!)
(4)Joe L.
So any fool (and we have lots of them, saw one in the mirror the other day) knows you can get good bbq in Jacksonville. Bono's is easy, and my favorite little rib shack is, well, The RIb Shack; but I am here to tell you that, beyond the fabulous bbq available at Monroe's, the collard greens will send you over the moon. Now, if you are a collard green virgin, and I know you are out there, you have probably been a little scared to consummate the relationship. I urge you to let loose your inhibitions, and get down and dirty with the collards here. I have not been to any of the other significantly more convenient locations, and I may not take the risk because this place, this little unassuming joint on the West Side of Jax has flat out spoiled me for collards.
(5)Devon N.
A bunch of my coworkers decided to try this place out today, so I joined in, figuring that BBQ is, for the most part, hard to screw up. Obviously if you have an established restaurant, you can't be doing that bad of a job, right? Wrong. I don't know if it's because we ordered take-out, or what, but this was really a lackluster experience and has left me unwilling to try Monroe's out again in the future. I ordered the Pick-Two lunch, which is two meats with two sides and garlic toast. I use the term toast loosely, since mine was actually just soggy bread with some butter slapped on it. It was hardly toasted. I order the pulled pork and the smoked brisket for my meats, with potatoe salad and mac-n-cheese for my sides. First and foremost I was shocked by the amount, or should I say lack of amount, of food I received. For 8.99 I expected more than just a spoonful of pork, and two thin slices of brisket. I was immediately disappointed by the portion of meats. As for the meats, the pulled pork was really fatty and greasy. Greasy I can understand, but it was just so fatty that I had to pick around to get good bites. The brisket, they claim, is smoked for 12 hours. Well, I've had plenty of smoked brisket in my days, and I've never had brisket this tough. It was downright chewy, and a coworker who ordered the same, said the same. We laughed that it was smoked for 12 minutes, rather than hours. It was dry and tasteless. Thank goodness for bar-b-q sauce. The potato salad was just OK. I've had better... in fact, I've had better from Publix. The mac-n-cheese was a HUGE disappointment, because it DIDN'T HAVE ANY CHEESE on or in it. All I had was boiled elbow pasta lathered in grease. It was disgusting. The worst part is, of the 6 of us sitting around eating our lunches, the only one who was happy was the lady who got a salad. Tsk tsk, I expect better of a BBQ joint, and so should you.
(2)Dea S.
It's off the beaten track, but worth the drive. Southern barbecue at it's best - enjoy!
(5)Kevin G.
Monroe's has become my go to BBQ lunch spot. I've had a number of their homemade sides (mac and cheese, green beans, corn, mash potatoes, beans) all are very good. Their pulled pork has been very good. Their wings are good, but not worth what they are charging. Parking can be an issue, but once inside they get you through the lines pretty quickly.
(4)