Columbus friends, we are in for another treat! This week the team behind Wario’s Beef & Pork opens Goood Friends, a new eatery serving “Midwest Fine Grub” inside Jackie O’s on Fourth. The sandwich-focused joint opens this Friday, Aug. 25 at 4 p.m.
Much like Wario’s, Goood Friends (note the intentional third O in the name) features a focused menu of six sandwiches, four sides, and a couple desserts. Some of the sandwich combos have been tested in various forms at Wario’s over the years.
Leading the Goood Friends team is Stephan Madias, creator of Wario’s, and Tyler Minnis, a chef who we’ve followed from The Market Italian Village to Law Bird to the bygone Boxwood Biscuit Co. When these two are involved, you know you’ll get thoughtfully composed, messy, and highly crave-able meals.
Here’s a look at what we tried!
The Juicy Jackie: mushroom-blended beef, American cheese, griddled onion, crispy onion, goood sauce, Duke’s mayo, and dill pickle on a telera roll.
(In general, I love the abundance of pickles on the menu!)
The After School Snack: fried bologna, American cheese, shaved white onion, salt and vinegar chips, goood sauce, plus spicy bread and butter pickles on telera toast.
The Ol Faithful uses spicy chicken, le delice de bourgogne (a slightly funky soft French cheese), classy sauce, spicy bread and butter pickles, and hot honey on a telera roll.
The Warby’s Melt features house-made roast beef, Wario wiz, horsey sauce, Warby’s sauce, and crispy onions on a telera roll.
Not pictured here are the Filet-OOO-Fish and the BeefSteak tomato sandwiches.
The menu also features four sides, including the Smashed Spuds similar to Wario’s. These are the Trashy Spuds with Wario wiz, hot honey, classy sauce, chili garlic crunch, pickles, and scallions.
The Smashed Cukes feature cucumbers, green ranch, chili garlic crunch, and everything crunch. It packed a nice, zesty kick.
There’s also the Loaded Corn, described as “Midwest elote.”
The desserts include the Fried Apple Pie, an interesting concoction of granny smith applies, Ohio maple, red miso, a bit of the le delice de bourgogne cheese, and five spice. It’s like a classic fried pie but with a slightly savory edge to it.
Rounding out the desserts is the PB&J Moon Pie, a johnny cake with marshmallow fluff, peanut butter, jam, dark chocolate, and espresso crunch.
All the terrific Goood Friends food is accompanied by a full bar from Jackie O’s, including house beers, cocktails, frozen drinks, and non-alcoholic options.
Goood Friends will feature a walk-up window on the lower patio, and you can order from the QR codes at any table around Jackie O’s.
Goood Friends celebrates its grand opening at 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 25. Their regular opening hours will be Wednesday-Sunday at 4 p.m.
You can read more about Jackie O’s on Fourth or about the Bagel Street Deli cart that’s parked there.
Goood Friends at Jackie O’s
171 N. Fourth St.
Columbus, OH 43215
Web: eatgooodfriends.com
IG: @eatgooodfriends
