REVIEW: Jack in the Box Buttery Jack (Classic and Bacon & Swiss)

Jack in the Box Classic Buttery Jack

A Buttery Jack sounds like one of those things you shouldn’t look up on Urban Dictionary, but they are also burgers you should look up whenever you’re near a Jack in the Box.

Jack in the Box’s Buttery Jack comes in two varieties — Classic and Bacon & Swiss.

Both feature a new signature 1/4 lb beef patty that’s topped with melted garlic herb butter and a new toasted gourmet bun. The Classic is also topped with provolone cheese, a creamy tomato sauce, green leaf lettuce, and tomato slices. The Bacon & Swiss also has strips of hickory-smoked bacon, Swiss cheese, and a creamy bacon mayo.

If you’re trying to decide which one to try first, go with the Classic.

The beef patty in my Classic Buttery Jack had, I swear, a homemade beef patty flavor to them. It was slightly peppery with a strong beefy flavor. The garlic herb butter sounds like it could overwhelm the entire burger, but it didn’t. It’s mild enough that it enhances the flavor of the beef patty.

Jack in the Box Classic Buttery Jack Closeup

But the ingredient I believe makes the burger stand out is the creamy tomato sauce. It’s sweet, tangy, and tastes somewhat like French dressing. And just like the garlic herb butter, it doesn’t overwhelm the burger.

I also liked the new gourmet bun. It’s dense with a little sweetness, and, even with all the smashing I did while handling it, it ended up being quite sturdy. The provolone, which has been used in Jack’s deli sandwiches, didn’t do much in this burger, except keep the tomato slices from falling out. And the green leaf lettuce was more like yellow-green leaf lettuce. Although, to be fair, yellow-green is better than Jack’s usual white-green lettuce.

The Classic Buttery Jack has a lot of flavor and it’s the best burger I’ve ever had from Jack in the Box.

Jack in the Box Bacon & Swiss Buttery Jack

While I think the Classic is great, the Bacon & Swiss is a step down, but it’s still good.

The creamy bacon mayo has tiny bits of bacon, which help accentuate the six strips of bacon under the bun. Yes, SIX strips. I don’t know if I received bonus bacon by accident, because six seems like a lot, but they gave the burger a bold salty, porky flavor. I do enjoy Jack in the Box’s bacon (it’s definitely better than the bacon they used to have), but in the big chain fast food world, I do prefer McDonald’s Applewood-smoked bacon which is thick and usually crispy on the edges.

Jack in the Box Bacon & Swiss Buttery Jack Closeup

The beef patty in my Bacon & Swiss didn’t taste as good as the one in the Classic. It was a bit overcooked, but the garlic herb butter helped cover the patty’s dryness. The melted Swiss cheese does give the burger a little creaminess and cheesy goodness, but it’s really the bacon, beef, and butter show. With all of that said, even with the garlic herb butter, it doesn’t taste vastly different than other bacon cheeseburgers.

The Buttery Jacks come wrapped in paper and I highly recommend you keep them on while eating the burger…unless you want to slide down poles faster, because the melted garlic herb butter will get all over your hands.

You don’t want that garlic herb butter on your hands. You want to keep it on these Buttery Jacks because it makes them taste really good.

(Nutrition Facts – Classic – 816 calories, 52 grams of fat, 23 grams of saturated fat, 2 grams of trans fat, 128 milligrams of cholesterol, 1148 milligrams of sodium, 50 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 37 grams of protein. Bacon & Swiss – 887 calories, 59 grams of fat, 25 grams of saturated fat, 2 grams of trans fat, 1346 milligrams of sodium, 48 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and 42 grams of protein.)

Item: Jack in the Box Buttery Jack (Classic and Bacon & Swiss)
Purchased Price: $4.99* (Classic)
Purchased Price: $5.39* (Bacon & Swiss)
Size: N/A
Purchased at: Jack in the Box
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Classic)
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Bacon & Swiss)
Pros: Classic is the best Jack in the Box burger I’ve ever had. Garlic herb butter and creamy tomato sauce. Nice sturdy bun with little sweetness. Bacon & Swiss came with SIX bacon strips. Bacon mayo has tiny bits of bacon in it.
Cons: Expect to get garlic herb butter on your hands if you take it out of its paper wrapper. Provolone didn’t provide much flavor in the Classic Buttery Jack. Bacon & Swiss doesn’t taste vastly different than other bacon cheeseburgers.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

24 thoughts to “REVIEW: Jack in the Box Buttery Jack (Classic and Bacon & Swiss)”

  1. Shit. Now I’m going to have to drive ten hours to the nearest Jack in the Box. That rock you live on can’t be that bad!

      1. I Just had the battery herb one. It was gross. Bitter too. I believe the Victoria, Texas Jack in thr box on Navarro st. employees need a lesson in how to go lightly on the butter for this burger. It was smothered in it. no subtle hint. Never going back.

    1. snackeroo, i know this reply is two years old and by the pictures i just seen, so does these burgers! maybe i shouldn’t have looked at them. YACK! ….no thanks jack, im going to carls

  2. I had the classic for lunch today. The price for the small combo was 6.71 which I didn’t think was bad. As far as the burger goes, I was concerned it was going to be too geasy and buttery, but the garlic butter was fairly subtle, but there. Your review more or less right on. Overall, pretty good, and I would get it again.

  3. I tried one today, …. the patty seemed to be the same one they use for the Jumbo Jack, I didn’t taste any herbs or butter, really, just an extra greasy burger. Which I suppose is better than a dry burger. The bun on mine should have been toasted more, because it just soaked up all the grease and became a gummy blob. Probably a good concept, just needs to be executed better. I guess it’s hard to replicate the test kitchen at the locations….. after all, they aren’t chefs, or I wouldn’t even call the kids back there fry cooks…. I can make a much better burger at home for less than the 6 bucks.

  4. Never have I enjoyed JITB, other than their curly fries. But otherwise I cannot be convinced to eat there. My husband saw the commercial and we were convinced it was worth a try. I hate Swiss cheese, but I’m obsessed with bacon, so the bacon option was a must if I was going to eat there at all. The garlic herb butter stood out in the most delicious way and of course it dripped off the burger, that’s what a burgers about! The burger was cooked nicely..not too done and not still “moo-ing.” They piled on the bacon & I had them add some pickles (HIGHLY recommend!!! Doesn’t cost extra) which topped off this foodgasm incredibly and the bun is so tasty! I live in the Seattle, WA area and a large combo for the Bacon & Swiss was $8.38. No its not at fast food price but it’s at restaurant quality so they priced it at that and rightfully so. I’d choose this burger again over any burger joint out there any day of the week!

  5. I had one today and thought it was terrible. It didn’t taste like butter anything, it was like oil with chemicals. I had the Bacon and Swiss, and while the burger, bacon, and swiss was ok, the rest was just a strange taste. It also left an oil patch in the bottom of the box when I was done.

    Gross. I will never get another one.

  6. Absolutely delicious this is the only burger I’ll break my diet for. The soft bun and yummy flavors just melt in your mouth yummmm my whole family loves buttery jacks

  7. The Buttery Jack was hands down the BEST Fast Food Burger I have ever eaten! Unbelievable how good it was…..I’m trying to figure out how FAT I will allow myself to get as I will now eat these……damn….everyday!

  8. Omg, what a waste, I drove 12 minutes from home to try this burger. I ordered a Classic Buttery Jack with bacon, needless to say, my order was wrong and it had no garlic butter taste, at all. However, the bread was excellent. Also, if I were closer, I would have returned it. Sad????

    1. Deborah, I agree. Greasy yet somehow dry. I used a coupon to get 2 for 1 but it was so bad I threw the 2nd one away.

  9. I tried the classic with added bacon the other night. All i can say is BIG AND NASTY! Ive always liked Jack(even use to work there back in ’95). But this burger is a shame. Over the years more places are getting cheaper quality but more expensive. Jack use to have the best chicken strips back in the day. What they do? Went to that processed crap! This burger is no different. The jumbo jack has better flavor then this hard bun dog food patty burger.

  10. I went to the Jack in the Box in Palo Alto on El Camino Real and just had one of the best burgers ever. It’s up there with Unami’s truffle burger but for a fraction of the price.

    The bacon and swiss burger is so savory, moist and delicious. I’m afraid to go to any other jack in the box after reading the mixed reviews above.

    There was just the right amount of sauce, butter and herbs.

    My only complaint was the cashier in the drive thru kept trying to talk to me when I was on the phone while I was trying to pay. You don’t need to repeat my total you told me 30 seconds ago, I didn’t forget. You don’t need to interrupt me to ask if I need a receipt, then 5 seconds later ask if I need anything else, or if I want ketchup.

    I’m anxious to go back and get another one. I will need to get 2 next time.

  11. I’m not a picky person and I never send food back but the classic buttery jack was so gross that I took it back and asked for a regular jumbo jack instead. They were kind enough to do that. The creamy tomato sauce is gross, the patty is extra greasy and has an unnaturally strong beef flavor. I know not every one would agree with me but that’s how I felt about it.

  12. I love to try every menu from JIB , The bacon buttery jack missing something until I sprinkle some curry powder on the top of the meat patty ( by the way you can asked for grill chicken in stead of meat ) . it turn out very good ,

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