JB's Delivers On Promise Of Bites, Brews And Ballgames

Looking for a casual, fun spot to chill with friends or a place to treat the team after a game? Check out JB's at 566 Ritchie Highway. The much-anticipated newbie on the block, JB's is a classic sports bar and restaurant with a modern feel. Open and airy with colorful designs, and about 30 televisions, it's got pizazz.

My companion and I were pleased to see Severna Park school sports logos and local and national sports team banners featured throughout the restaurant.

Our young waiter was fantastic. Nate was friendly and efficient, and quick to offer suggestions.

We started with one of Nate's "absolute favorites" — cheesesteak egg rolls. An excellent starter to share, the four rolls were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, filled with a shaved beef and cheese mix, and served with queso blanco. The ingredients blended nicely for a savory mouthful. This was comfort food to the max, especially when topped with the queso. Our only “beef” on the beef was a bit of gristle.

My companion chose pulled pork on a brioche bun, served with coleslaw and macaroni and cheese, for her entree. I picked the fish and chips with coleslaw and fries.

Nate alerted us that the coleslaw was not the usual mayonnaise variety but had a vinegar base, and we agreed to try it. After all, we all need adventure now and then!

Our food arrived quickly, and Nate and other members of the wait staff were attentive to our needs.

The pulled pork was the star, with a perfect balance of sweet and tang. Add the spicy coleslaw to it, and it was a hit. The roll was fresh and the perfect accompaniment.

My fish and chips (fries) were served piping hot, always a plus! Crispy on the outside and perfectly cooked on the inside, the haddock was tender and flavorful. The batter was strongly seasoned but not spicy hot. The batter didn’t appeal to me, but that is definitely a matter of taste. I enjoyed the fish under the batter. My husband, who got most of the dish as leftovers, loved it and said the seasoning was unique and flavorful.

The fries were not overly salted, which we appreciated. The coleslaw was a good choice. It was tangy, not overly sweet, and perfectly crisp and tender. The macaroni and cheese tasted like a slightly altered version of the box variety, but not bad.

We ended the meal with a lava cake served with vanilla ice cream. The spoon was chilled. That put a smile on our faces. It's the little things that count, right? Though Nate said JB's doesn't prepare its desserts in-house, they purchase the good stuff. The chocolate was warm and decadent with the molten middle. The combination of the hot cake and ice-cold vanilla ice cream had us making some “oohing" noises.

We took more food home for later, including an “all-American” bacon burger and another pulled pork sandwich. I, of course, sampled the burger. The sizeable patty was topped with crisp, not limp (important) bacon, a liberal amount of American cheese, lettuce and tomato. Bacon, of course, enhances any burger. It was juicy, tender, beefy. In the words of my husband, "This is a really good burger!"

On the way out, we noticed a room with four or five arcade games. Kids and the young at heart will have a blast hanging out in there, perhaps while waiting for a table (we had no wait, but we went in the afternoon).

The large bar offers a variety of choices. My companion sampled an orange crush and declared it sweet and a bit tart in a good way and said it seemed to taste even better the more she drank. Go figure.

The total came to $83.99. Portions were good sized, and you can't beat the service.

Plan a visit soon to check out this new Severna Park restaurant.