FIRST LOOK: Jack Brown’s Brings Burgers and Beer to Downtown Tuscaloosa

The wait for one of Alabama's most popular restaurants to finally come to Tuscaloosa is over as Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint is set to open to the public Monday.

It was a year ago this week when news broke that Jack Brown's, already a success in Birmingham, Huntsville and a dozen other locations outside Alabama, would add locations in Auburn and Tuscaloosa.

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This weekend, an eager team of almost 50 cooks, servers, bartenders and managers hosted two nights of private events ahead of their grand opening to the public this Monday.

The new restaurant is totally unrecognizable from Mo'Bay Beignet Co., the former tenant in their home at the corner of 4th Street and 23rd Avenue - the desserts-only eatery opened last July and permanently closed in April.

Jack Brown's boasts a new bar with an aesthetic that looks like it has always existed at their new home in Temerson Square, though general manager Joseph Collard said the whole space was built out and decorated in a furious two-day span last month.

The restaurant's concept is about as easy as it comes - the menu consists of eight always-available specialty burgers plus seven rotating daily special burgers. Your choice of French fries or sweet potato fries on the side, and fried Oreos available for dessert -- that's it.

That simplicity is complimented by a huge list of beers, seltzers and more, although Collard said alcohol will not be available for sale for their first few days in business as they wait for the last signature on their license to sell.

The burgers are quarter-pound patties made with 100 percent American Wagyu beef. The specials stand out, like the Wednesdays-only Jill Munroe topped with whipped brie cheese, hot honey and applewood smoked bacon, or the hubris-testing, always-available, hotter-than-hell Shocker topped with fresh jalapeno and habanero peppers, hot sauce and two slices of pepper jack cheese.

The fries are no-nonsense crinkle cuts cooked perfectly, like crispy Hooligan's fries with a different seasonings profile and served with a mayo-based secret sauce.

Somewhat limited seating inside is complimented by several outdoor tables that made for a perfect place to try the burgers - at least in this weekend's crisp autumn weather.

Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint will open in Temerson Square at 401 23rd Avenue this Monday, with the menu limited to just food until the liquor license is finalized later this week.

See what all the fuss is about, and for more exclusive coverage of restaurant and retail development in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.