Does the name “J’s BBQ” mean anything to you? If not, then apparently, you’ve been missing out. I’d never even heard of J’s BBQ until its recent revival in SALT at Kakaako. Known for giving its customers more than their money’s worth in plate lunches, the small takeout restaurant was a haven for local Korean food before it closed in 2014 and its old location was torn down for redevelopment. Now that I’m back in my hometown and on the hunt for delicious food deals, I wasn’t about to let the new J’s BBQ go unexplored.

Judging from old pictures, the original J’s was very homey. The menu was handwritten on a giant chalkboard, and the interior looked somewhat like a hybrid between a diner and an old western bar. The different elements spelled out casual and affordable. Speaking of affordable, most things on their massive menu were under $8! But this was the old J’s BBQ. How is the new and improved J’s?