Jack’s Baby Back Ribs made a gutsy move when it opened another barbecue takeout spot in Hillcrest, only a few miles down the road from the venerable Phil’s BBQ. But the establishment’s owners say they come at the neighborhood with a “we aim to please” attitude. They have done so with slow-cooked racks of ribs, slathered in the house’s proprietary sauce, ever since the business was converted from Heidi’s Frozen Yogurt in August 2006.

The owners of Jack’s Baby Back Ribs want customers to “turn the clock back to those years when things where simple, food was fresh and homemade and everyone had a smile on their face as Jack would share his recipes with you and a few good friends.”

The establishment considers itself to have “one of the best indoor/outdoor dining experiences in San Diego.” Its operators tout that Jack’s world famous baby back ribs always continue to deliver taste. “The luscious meat of our famous baby back ribs practically falls off the bone it’s so meaty and tender,” the establishment claims.

Jack’s menu may be small and simple, but it is packed with filling items like roasted chicken, pasta salad, baskets of fries, burgers (including a Hawaiian burger with pineapple on top) and a chopped pork sandwich covered in barbecue sauce. The Double Dog is actually two hot dogs stacked and covered with barbecue sauce, grilled onions, shredded cheese, mustard, ketchup and pickles. If all that meat is too much, there is also one of Jack’s salads ... with meat. The chopped salad combines romaine lettuce with chopped prime beef and garlic dressing.

But no matter what customers order, they are always reminded, that “all you need is a smile on your face to enjoy it.”