Don’t get too excited by the name of the restaurant; Jackson Brown Chicken and Fish is not owned by the classic rock artist of the same name (he spells his last name with an "E" at the end). Jackson and Brown, in this case, are the last names of the two owners. But chicken and fish sounded good to The Grub Spouse and me, so we headed to the University Avenue eatery last week for dinner.
I recognized the location as the former site of a restaurant called Soul Good, which I had enjoyed on my visit several years ago. The place looks virtually the same inside, with purposeful and tasteful aesthetics and an adequate number of tables to accommodate a moderate number of patrons.
The Spouse is more of a fish fan than I am and agreed to take on that portion
of the menu. Fried fish dinners include a sandwich and an entrée that comes with a choice of catfish or whiting. The Spouse went with the large fish plate ($16), picking catfish over whiting. The meal comes with two sides. Spousey went with cole slaw and fried okra, and we learned while ordering that hush puppies are also included.
I took on chicken duty, which gave me a choice of a wing basket, a tender basket or Mama Francis’ wings and Belgian waffle. With that meal, the wings are fried coated in pancake batter. I ordered the chicken sandwich basket ($12 plus $2 more to add a drink). Fries are the default side item. The chicken breast is prepared with a choice of Buffalo or barbecue sauce, and I settled on the ‘cue.
There’s also a menu section called F.A.T.S. Favorites, which features bulk meats like pulled pork or smoked chicken by the pound as well as a pork sandwich basket. Also look for fries topped with pulled pork, cheddar, sour cream and jalapeño; Yolanda’s Famous Chicken Fries; and jalapeño cheddar sausage.
For parties interested in sharing a meal (or those eager to take on a gastronomic challenge), the Ultimate Platter ($55) offers 10 wings, four fish fillets, hot links, jalapeño sausage and a family-sized order of fries and hush puppies.
The Spouse and I snagged a high-top table and waited for our food, during which time a number of patrons dropped by to pick up carry-out orders. When ours was ready, I picked it up at the counter and settled in.
I had no complaints about this feast. The Spouse’s basket came with two large catfish fillets. The breading was not too thick, and the fish meat was tender and flavorful. The fried okra held no surprises, although we didn’t realize until after we left that we never received our cole slaw. The hush puppies were done right.
I liked my chicken sandwich quite a bit. The barbecue flavor delivered big (their meats are smoked on site), and the breast was tender and juicy. The barbecue sauce enhanced the experience a good bit, but to me, the bow on the present was the slices of buttered toast surrounding the chicken. The fries were standard deep-fryer fare.
We had been hopeful that Jackson Brown Chicken and Fish might have some banana pudding for dessert, but they did not on the evening we visited. The proprietor we spoke with, however, mentioned that over the weekend, they would have banana pudding, cheesecake, cookies and other desserts available.
I might have to go back sometime, if for no other reason than to try the banana pudding. But no matter the dessert situation, if you stop by Jackson Brown Chicken and Fish for lunch or dinner, your belly definitely won’t be running on empty.
Jackson Brown Chicken and Fish
Food: 4.
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Overall: 4
Address: 1518 University Ave.
Phone: 865-421-3287
No alcohol service
Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, noon-8 p.m. Saturday
Tasty smoked chicken and pork, wings, fish and more are on the bill of fare at this locally owned lunch and dinner spot.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Jackson Brown Chicken & Fish delivers big flavor for headliner items | Grub Scout
