Located in a relatively small restaurant space on Maple Street right on the Murfreesboro Public Square, Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint emphasizes specialization.
The eatery, one of 10 Jack Brown’s across the Southeast, serves burgers and beer, and not much else, but what it does, it does very well.
“If you like beef or beer, you’re going to love this place,” said Murfreesboro Jack Brown’s Beer Buyer John Hamdan-Lillig.
He says the establishment keeps about 110 different varieties of beer in the house at any given time. And according to the people of Murfreesboro, the wagyu burgers are some of the best in town.
John Hamdan-Lillig
If you do not like burgers or beer, Jack Brown’s may not be your favorite place to dine out; the only other items included on the menu are french fries, sweet potato fries, a grilled cheese and fried Oreos. Jack Brown’s does make an effort to be everything to everybody, but the restaurant has its identity and niche, and it owns it.
Wagyu beef is “a cross between Kobe and Angus,” according to Cam Franklin, Jack Brown’s kitchen manager. “It’s very tender, very marbled.”
Jack Brown’s obtains its beef from Snake River Farms in Idaho, and these very tasty patties can be topped with ingredients such as chili verde, egg, spinach dip, peanut butter, jalapeno jelly or other items, depending on which specialty burger the diner chooses, and on what day of the week it is.
The Danny Laruso, topped with cream cheese and jalapeno jelly, won the 2017 Battle of the Burgers held at the Avenue.
Burger topped with Applewood smoked bacon, egg and cheese
Franklin says he sees a lot of orders come through for the Danny Laruso, and this, along with the Greg Brady (topped with mac and cheese and barbecue potato chips) and the Cowboy (which includes bacon, cheese and barbecue sauce), may be the most popular burger selections ordered at the Murfreesboro location.
Other combinations include a burger topped with a hot dog, pickled jalapeños and cheese; and another with peanut butter, mayo, bacon and cheese, known as the Elvis.
Jack Brown’s offers these burgers every day, but on each day of the week the restaurant promotes a special combination.
On Tuesdays, try the J.J. Caprese, which includes mozzarella, basil, tomato and a balsamic glaze. The Popeye, topped with spinach-artichoke dip, pepper jack cheese and fried onions, is the Wednesday daily special. Sunday’s offering switches the traditional bun for a glazed doughnut, with the burger topped with bacon, egg and cheese.
The Popeye
Chris Bilbro says his favorite is the Shocker, which includes a very bold, hot blend of fresh jalapeños, fresh habaneros, pepper jack cheese and “shocker sauce.”
“It was extra spicy today,” he said after a recent quick midweek lunch with an employee.
Each table in Jack Brown’s holds an assortment of condiments, seasonings and hot sauces, and the restaurant serves a secret sauce containing mayo, chili and garlic with its crinkle fries. The staff makes this sauce, along with the chili verde, spinach dip and many other toppings used, right in the store.
The interior of the establishment offers a smattering of things to look at in every direction: stickers, posters, photos, beer merch and a large swordfish (that has impaled a few beer cans) among them.
Jack Brown’s employee Brandy Henry created a unique piece of art based on Pink Floyd’s legendary Dark Side of the Moon album cover using different colored bottle caps, and this piece is given a prominent piece of wall-front property.
Looking up, one may wonder why there are so many bras hanging on a ceiling fan.
According to Hamdan-Lillig, all Jack Brown’s locations encourage community members to leave bras throughout the year at the restaurant. Each October the value of all of the bras is tallied up and then doubled, and the main office writes a check for breast cancer awareness and research based on number of bras collected.
Charitable contributions, having fun, and community involvement are all central to the Jack Brown’s mission, Hamdan-Lillig said.
Tennessee Brew Works donates to the Tennessee State Park Conservancy with each case of its State Park Blonde sold, and TW Pitchers’, another brand available at Jack Brown’s, donates a percentage of its profits to Rally, a national childhood cancer advocacy organization.
Other local nonprofit partnerships are in the works, Hamdan-Lillig said.
Every Wednesday, Jack Brown’s, in collaboration with a different brewery each week, hosts its Steal-a-Pint event from 6–8 p.m. Those who order the featured pint on draft at this event get to keep their pint glass. Additionally, each Monday at 7 p.m. is trivia night at Jack Brown’s.
About the only complaints about Jack Brown’s are that, for $9 a pop with no side, the burgers are on the smaller side. Also, the restaurant itself is also not very large, and diners may have trouble find a seat during peak times in the space that holds about 60 people.
While the Jack Brown’s burgers are not the largest in town, the beef is high-quality and very flavorful, and depending one which burger you order the toppings can be quite filling—even a medium-sized burger topped with bacon, egg and cheese should supply ample calories, particularly when consumed with a cold beer or two. Those who insist on a big-man’s portion can add a second patty to their burger for an additional $3.50.
Some diners appreciate the fact that the Jack Brown’s burgers are not some big monster thing, and that even with potentially sloppy toppings like spinach dip or egg the burgers are not incredibly messy to wield. Plus, the toasted buns hold up well.
The large beer selection is a source of pride for the Jack Brown’s team, and the Murfreesboro location offers a handful of drafts, such as the 90 Minute IPA from Dogfish Head and the Tripel Star Belgian-style from Tennessee Brew Works, along with many, many different varieties.
The bottled beer selection includes about a dozen different IPAs, half a dozen ciders, “a few more pilsners and lagers, some wheats . . .” Hamdan-Lillig said. And he is happy to recommend a beer pairing for any customer’s burger.
With the Cowboy he suggests a Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale; the Danny Laruso calls for a Kona Big Wave Golden Ale or a Napa Smith Pilsner. Hamdan-Lillig recommends a lighter lager to accompany the Greg Brady, or something sweet like an Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout or Wiseacre’s Gotta Get Up to Get Down Coffee Milk Stout with the Sunday burger on a glazed doughnut.
For those who want to try all of the beers, customers who order 100 different beers at Jack Brown’s can join the Notch Club, which entitles them to receive a special club shirt plus the chance for trips with other Notch Club members.
In fact, on May 12, Jack Brown’s Notch Club will embark on a Nashville excursion to visit Yazoo and Tailgate breweries.
With the original Jack Brown’s opening in Harrisburg, Virginia, less than a decade ago, the brand franchised and expanded to 10 locations fairly rapidly, with other Tennessee locations found in Nashville and Chattanooga; the company aims to have 10 more restaurants open by 2020.
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4 Must-Try Beers at Jack Brown’s
John Hamdan-Lillig selected a few of his suggestions on the Jack Brown’s beer menu to offer a little guidance to those who may want to try something new, but are unsure of which direction to go.
Hap & Harry’s Tennessee Lager
Hamdan-Lillig calls this offering from Nashville-based Hap & Harry’s “a good football-watching beer.” “When people want a lager and they don’t know what they want, I grab a Hap & Harry’s. It’s a beer nobody wants to deny,” he says.
Wiseacre Ananda IPA >>>
This brew from Wiseacre out of Memphis “pairs very well with the fried Oreos,” according to the beer buyer. “It’s a sweeter IPA, in my opinion. It pulls away from some of the more earthy, hoppy flavors of some IPAs,” Hamdan-Lillig tells a guest.
Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar
“It’s a dessert beer even though it’s brown; browns usually have more of a dry flavor.” Hamdan-Lillig describes the Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar as having “a pecan pie kind of feel.”
Wiseacre Gotta Get Up to Get Down >>>
Another from Memphis brewery Wiseacre, this is the perfect beverage for someone who loves both coffee and beer. “That pure, mocha, dark feel sets it off so well.”
Upcoming Steal-a-Pint nights a Jack Brown’s include:
May 9 – Good People
May 16 – Mill Creek
May 23 – Straight to Ale
May 30 – East Nashville
June 6 – Tailgate
June 13 – Blackstone
June 20 – NOLA
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IF YOU GO:
Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint
113 N. Maple St.
Specialty burgers: $8.49; Fries: $2.25; Fried Oreo: $1
615-962-9641
Open everyday 11 a.m.–2 a.m.
jackbrownsjoint.com
Fried Oreo
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