Jack’s BBQ to Open a Sibling Tex-Mex Restaurant in Columbia City

There’s some Tex-Mex coming to South Seattle from a prominent name in Seattle barbecue. Texas native Jack Timmons (of Jack’s BBQ fame) plans to open a new sibling restaurant called Jackalope on Rainier Avenue South in the space formerly occupied by El Sombrero. The plan is to open the spot around Labor Day after a full remodel.

Jackalope came together since Jack’s general manager Graham Ayers is a Columbia City resident and was looking to run a place in the neighborhood. After the owners of El Sombrero decided to retire and close their restaurant, the opportunity arose for a good location right in the heart of town. A spokesperson for Jack’s says specific details about the menu are still coming into focus since the debut is still several months away, but there could be items such as smoked brisket enchiladas.

The new addition to the Jack’s BBQ family — which has three locations in Seattle and one in Algona — continues an effort to expand the brand. Last summer, the company opened the fried chicken-focused pop-up Jack’s Chicken Shack at its outpost in South Lake Union and is currently on the hunt for a fixed location for the concept in a different Seattle neighborhood, with the hopes of landing one within the next year.

Timmons is also still looking for a good Eastside location for the main Jack’s BBQ restaurant (he’ll need enough space for a smoker without disrupting surrounding residences), and plans to eventually branch out to other cities in the Pacific Northwest, such as Spokane and Eugene, Oregon.

• Columbia City Mexican Favorite El Sombrero Closes After 17 Years [ESEA]
• All coverage of Jack’s BBQ [ESEA]