Lightnin’ Jack’s BBQ offers delicious burgers and ribs, dripping in barbecue sauce, at a price you can afford. Not having a grill is not an issue; lightning jack’s is just around the corner in the Clairemont Square at a price you can afford.

Lightnin’ Jack’s might not be the biggest place to enjoy a rack of ribs or sandwich but its laidback atmosphere makes it enjoyable. You can enjoy your food inside and feel their western look or you can eat outside.

As you enter Jack’s you notice the squared tables with picnic looking tablemats and the pictures on the walls with cowboys and horses, and knickknacks like empty old-time milk bottles.

Jack’s was established in Sept 2002, and is now owned by Richard Hassan and his wife. Since then there has been no changes made to the restaurant.

The menu includes a tasty selection from ribs to chicken to catfish. Their food prices range from $2 (sides ‘n’ such) to $15 for entrees.

For starters you can order their cheeses spuds, steak cut fries with melted cheese and bits of bacon or, you can order the beer batter onion rings, thick sliced sweet onions that are golden fried until they are perfected to your taste.

Also on the menu is Jack’s famous bolt burger, (their most filling burger yet) including: a half pound chuck burger, hot links, two slices of cheddar cheese, pickles, onion rings and their delicious barbecue sauce. First you taste the onion rings that add the tangy taste to the burger then you hit the rest of it and you taste perfection, the hot links and the pound of chuck burger soon begin to fill you up after the second or third bite.

For a lighter option, the barbecue chicken breast burger is less filling, served with lettuce, tomato and Jack’s barbecue sauce. For a bit extra, you can order anything on the “On a Bun” list, which includes a side of steak cut fries, baked beans, coleslaw or red potato salad.

Meat lovers can order St. Louie style pork ribs, hickory smoked until well done. They offer a full, half, and quarter rack. The ribs are like a barbecue party in your mouth. They go well with a side of baked beans and their freshly made Cole slaw.

Leaving your face all full of barbecue sauce you end up at the state of mind where you just don’t care and are enjoying the ribs till all the meat is gone and you have finger licked your fingers not wasting any of the sauce.

They also have their daily specials starting off the week on Monday with their Country fried steak sandwich with fries and a drink and ending the week on Sunday with their Cajun catfish with fries and a drink. The specials range from $8 to $9.

They also offer desserts (if you still somehow wind up with room). They have Edna’s famous peach cobbler, it’s made from scratch everyday at Jack’s and their surprising dessert of the month.

Lightnin’ Jack’s leaves you full, in a good way, and that makes you want to come back for another visit.

Lightnin Jack’s BBQ is located at 4705-H Clairemont drive in the Clairemont Town square. You can either dine in or take out. They are open Sun-Thur at 11a.m- 9p.m. and Fri-Sat 11a.m-10p.m. They fill up on weekends. You can either order over the phone 858-270-8227 or go to their web site at lightinjacksbbq.com