How a Passion for Pubs Turned Jaxon Carr into a TikTok Star | Pario Magazine

Welcome to Pario magazine where I chat with individuals who have a desire to create

Today I'm joined by a TikTok influencer who has carved out a niche reviewing Sydney pubs

Welcome to Pario magazine, Jackson Carr. Mate, hello. Howdy. So something different

We're here today to chat about your journey through the the world of TikTok and hospitality

Before we dive into that, do you want to give our audience a little intro as to who Jackson is away from social media and pubs

Is there a Jackson away from social media? I don't think so. That's the thing about it all. Like, I guess my whole life since I've been

adult has been revolving around nightclubs, DJ, hospitality, working marketing hospitality, working marketing hospitality

going to pub with friends. It's just, yeah, like this literally, like, I don't know

I sometimes go for a walk. I used to run. I ran a marathon once, but that's not anymore

Not running anymore. Don't you have one coming up? No, no, no, no

I don't think I'm not anymore. So I'm just focusing on the pubs at the moment

Fair enough. So, yeah, since you've been able to, you've been going out to sort of nightlife venues, pubs and stuff. How did you discover that

passion for hospitality? Was it just you went to a pub and then I love this and then that

became a career? I think like honestly it all started when I was a teenager. I did at school like

Duke of Edinburgh and part of the Duke of Edinburgh was you had to do a skill and we used to go to this

as a fountain pub called the Nelson in Bonner Junction. Everyone asked me, I'd say it's been a

fact I love a universe. And I did the skill there. I went, believe it not, I was cooking in the kitchen

I don't know what I was doing there. I was like 50, 15. And I've just always been around pubs

So like, we'd always go to the Nelson once where we can have a feed there. And I kind of got that culture of going at pubs

Then when I hit like high school, when I was like 17, I started getting into like electronic music, like bang gang gang DJs and all that and started going to nightclubs

And I was like, oh my God, I just love going out. And it's just kind of evolved from there

I'm always like like pubs is a place to go to hang out with friends family or like de-stress or just have a meal

Always love going to nightclubs and then I just started DJing stuff and it was just a beautiful concoction of both of those together

And I've been lucky enough to spend, what is it? 15 years, 16 years across either going out to nightclubs, DJing, working in hospitality marketing stuff and it's just, I don't know

I just love it. It's the best. Yeah. I kind of agree. I think pubs are some of the best places to go for a meal

Like, it's affordable and it's always, I've ever been to a pub and been like, that meal was terrible

Yeah, yeah. Like, I've seen, I've been doing these, obviously I've been going to publish years

but I've been doing these reviews for a couple months now. And like, you kind of know what you're getting yourself

we do with a pub meal, whereas, like, I've been, thanks to work, I've worked for some companies that had some, like

finer dining restaurants and I've eaten at them, and I haven't really liked it

or like, I was a bigger guy. Like I went, I used to work for a company and went to this really, really, really fancy restaurant

had like a seven-course degustation or whatever. And I went to McDonald's afterwards because I was so hungry

And like, I went with some friends who were foodies and like this is amazing, but it just wasn't for me

Whereas I just think a pub meal is an accessible place you can go to and eat by yourself or with friends

or you could be friend with people. And it's just such a hospitality place that people like

and always, it's just such a part of, I guess, Australian culture. Yeah, yeah, I feel like the meal is always

satisfying. You always leave there being like, I'm good, I'm happy now. And then occasionally

you'll hit one where you're like, that was mind-blowing. I've never had such a good good man

Yeah. Yeah, big time, big time. And then with TikTok, how did you discover TikTok? Were you sort of one of the

early adopters? So I downloaded TikTok like a month or two before everyone's favorite in the world

COVID, just for like work, because I was working for an events company and they were

the boss were like, oh, we're going to get TikTok to start promoting what we do. So I kind of downloaded it because we also were like looking at doing some events with some like

K-pop and that was very much here, this world. TikTok was slowly getting bigger

And then I think that I've been quite adamant saying, I think the best thing to ever have in the TikTok was COVID because everyone went into a lockdown and you didn't have anything

to do and you just had this thing on your phone where you could just watch things for five seconds

or 30 seconds. I don't think they had a minute videos at that time. And it was just a break from reality and you can just get a serotonin boost

So I spent a lot of time in lockdown, like watching TikTok videos, and then I first started like opening packs of rugby league cards

And I did that for a couple of months, and then I stopped. And I've always just been on and off

Then I started doing vlogs for a little bit. That fell off. And I was doing fitness up

And I just came bouncing around. And then the other couple of months ago, I went to a pub on my lunch break at work and did a review

I've done a few before over the years and nothing really happened to a review. And it had like 30,000 views

And it was like, wow. and it's just evolved since then. So I've been on a five too long

Was that one of the roast reviews? No, it was a PJ O'Brien's

And the funny thing was I did a video there like three weeks before

And it was like a Guinness and a pie special. And I did it and I had like a thousand views

But then I did another one and then it just blew up. I was like, oh, okay, maybe I've always said to people in my life

maybe I should do pub reviews on TikTok or maybe I should go to pubs that before and do a video

And I never did it. And now I'm just like, why didn't I do it sooner? Because over the past four months, I've gained like 5,000 followers

which isn't like crazy numbers compared to like big, big people. But considering I was on it from 2020 and got to like four and a half in 2024

and then I've now doubled that in four months. It's kind of cool. Yeah, it's like a very exponential growth

Yeah. Like you mentioned, your TikTok content has evolved. Who were some of the inspirations

and influences early on. So in regards to the pub reviews or in regards to just TikTok in general

Just TikTok creation and video creation in general. I guess like I used to watch when I first started doing all the vlogs

I used to watch people do that day in the life. And I found that really interesting just as a way of documenting a day

I can't really remember some, I guess you can't seem like Anna Pauls and all those big influences

But it just be interesting to watch someone document a day And it like oh that nice You seen the day in 30 seconds or a minute So I started doing those and then just being like looking back But then I did a lot with like an X and then like I just stopped doing it because I was like I don look at those anymore

But then when it comes to pub reviews, I guess I'd always watched food content and engaged in it and liked it

I really liked it. But I never thought it would be something I should do. But I'm a firm believer of if you engage in a type of content, that's the content you should be making if you want to make

content. So I just had this realization. I was like, oh, I love watching people like

Isaac eats a lot who I've actually become friends with. And he's a legend. I was like, this guy's good. There's this guy from the UK window kid who just does pub reviews. And I was like

you know what? Like I'm watching so much food stuff. And then that's what you reckon with all his

food stuff. I've always been very vocal about loving your stuff. I was like, I'm engaging

in this content. It's what I like. I'm going to put my own spin on it. And then that's when I started

I guess, doing this pub reviews. So yeah. And then yeah, with your hospitality background

It did make sense for you to transition into this new era of the pub reviews and stuff like that

Yeah. I've worked in hospital for 10 years and like that's the perfect thing

Like because my background and then I was working for a company called Solitaire until April

And when I was at Solitaire for like two and a half years, it was one of the best place that worked. I was looking after pubs

But now at my new work, which was White Group, I love where I am. But it's bars and upmarket restaurants

So I missed the pub side of things because it's more accessible. Whereas like my venues, it's like go up

to bar 83 and it's a minimum $30 spend for like two cocktail or cocktail or beer

whatever, whereas pubs are more accessible and it's easier to go. So I was like, I'm just

going to start doing these pub reviews because I've got to pubs enough and start doing these videos and I kind of know it makes things tick. Like I do things like, I'll film the

menus and see what's going on or I'll film like the food specials. And yeah, it was just a

perfect landing where I was with it all. So yeah. And especially like because you've had that

long history with being involved in different aspects of hospitality. coming out of COVID and seeing, knowing from experience

how much a lot of these places were struggling, it is a nice way to sort of give back a little bit, I guess

Yeah, like that's what I've said. I'm not even 10,000 volts. I'm nothing big, but it's just like my way of giving back

and being like, hey, this is cool. I've had people comment being like, I've been here since

I really liked it. I've had venues reach out to me, like, thank you so much for coming in. Like, we appreciate it

I know I'm not doing God's work, but I just feel like I'm just kind of giving back

And like, even today I did a pub review. I have an hour once break. I just went there and came back

And then I've already got a message from one of the ops people that works there because I used to work for the company that owns it

So thanks for going. Like the venue was struggling a little bit. We don't expect anything from it. But it's just nice to give back and show some love

And I love watching them because you're just giving like that honest

guy off the street review. You're not going in there and being like super highly critical of the food

You're just like, this is what it is, the staff, the venues

what I've really enjoyed as well is seeing the evolution of pubs

like some of the pubs now that have got rid of pokies and have arcade rooms now

I never knew that. Yeah. Yeah. Like, I did, like Wednesday, I was at Anndale Hotel

and they used to be owned by Oscars, and worked there, and I swear they had pokies, but then all of a sudden they have an arcade room

I, when I went to the Henson, they do, I don't showcase the pokeys in the venues

It's clear that all 80, 9th of venues have pokies, but then went to the Henson

they had pokey but they also had the arcade room and archery room was hectic but then i went to

the duke of enmore the other week no pokies i've been to a few that don't have pokies so it's

nice to have that but also i don't want to support the pokey so i just don't say anything about them

but yeah and there's been some incredible looking food too like some of those knittles and stuff

i mean that's a pub snittle that looks like a restaurant yeah even today when i went to the livingston

hotel i got trying to be healthy i got a bowl and it was like chicken and rice but then it was

becoming gravy so clearly that was out of the same thing that was out of the window. But then the chef was like to me when I got it was one of those things where you'd go and

collect it and he goes, you're from around here. I was like, no, no, I'm from like here. And he was like, you should have the snitch was really big. And I was like, damn. And then I saw one since was like

oh my God. And it was a lunch special for $16. So it was just, yeah, crazy. And I loved the

the, uh, the vegan pub too. That was a nice job for everyone, I think. Yeah. Like, because I walked past

it like four times a week on the way home. And I knew what it did. And I saw a couple of people make videos

about it and I was like oh I didn't want a little big in pub but then I was walking past I was like

you know what this might be good angle to get some views and I might like and I might not but I'll

still try to talk it up no matter what but yeah the like the burger was the amazing like if I hadn't

gone to a lady hampshire the way before that would be the best burger I had like it was just so so good

and it just goes to show how much vegan foods evolve but also it goes to show don't judge a book

by its cover and that's why like I like her in these venues because you've got like me that

likes meat but then I really enjoyed it so yeah And like you mentioned, the profile has grown pretty significantly over the last four or five months

Have you been surprised by the response to the reviews? Yeah, absolutely

Considering I've done, as I mentioned, I sporadically would do pub reviews here and there

I'd love to go back and look at the off months and to see what it was like. But I'd get like a thousand or two thousand views, which is still great

Don't get me wrong. But then nothing would have from it. But yeah, seeing like having like some of the videos had like 80,000 views

50,000, 6,000, 20,000 views. I'm like, wow. But I also kind of know why it's blown up a bit as well

thanks to my time I spend on TikTok, my marketing. So my whole angle with this is reply to people's comments

Mm-hmm. Yep. And that will, my whole thing with that is it encourages people to comment

and then people are like, oh, he's reply to comments, which people just give them that little, like, boost

But the other thing I like about encouraging people to comment is people are so passionate about their pubs that they like

that they're going to give you a good pub to go to. That's why I know I'll never get like a bad one

Like I've had like people been like, I've commented a few times. When are you not in this pub? Like a guy before literally goes

I've come in a few times. Why have you been to Beverly Hills Hotel yet? I don't even know where Beverly Hills is

but I'll go there. But it just I know people are so passionate about their pubs

And like, that's another beautiful thing about it. It's because I get to experience what people like

and it means a lot to them. And it's just not like some random off the like street

It's like, oh, I went to a bougie place once. Go here. It's people that will go there

regularly and frequent. So yeah. Yep. And then you get recognised at those pubs when you finally do show up and test out the shit

Yeah. It's happening more, even walking out of corporate, like it's happening more and more now

which is cool. I like it. And you've sort of given a couple of tips in there of do content that you enjoy

watching and then that try to encourage the interactions. What other tips would you have for people that are looking to grow on social media in general but particularly on TikTok I just think just be genuine Like I see a lot of food reviewers and they be like guys I had the best piece through my life

You need to check this out. Or like you'll see them start the video and they'll hold the food as the hook in to get people in

I don't like that. I just like be more genuine or like you'll see like companies that these companies are amazing

they're great that they're supporting venues and they go to venues and showcase it and make the

videos more polished than I do rather me just walking around being like game over but you'll see it

but I love that hook buddy yeah it's good huh I was when I did the PJ at Bryans it was game set match but now it's

going to game over but you'll see people and they'll flood the comment like the hashtags and then

the bottom they'll be like invite and you're like that doesn't seem as genuine to me whereas like it's

good that they're profiling and they might get paid and that my work works in some companies and we know

will give people contract, which is cool, which is what they do. But I've got one free feed so far

I've just spent my own money. And I think I've got a few free ones coming up. There's some really cool collapse, which is cool

But I just think be genuine and just don't like do the cliché. Say you're doing a food review being like, you have to have this

Or like the best in, rather than like over emphasizing the cliche words

just be genuine about what you're doing. Yeah, because, yeah, like these people pop up and go

this was the best pizza and then like a week and a half later they've gone somewhere else and oh now this is the best pitch it's like not every single pizza is going to be the best one like

every now and then you i'm like that one was a bit average yeah like it was like when i watch

isaac eats lots content who's probably my biggest Aussie influence i just he's just so genuine

he'll at the end of his reviews he'll give his honest feedback about the food whether it's a

collab or free and i i know he pays and goes his own way as well which is really cool and i just think

because he's so genuine, and I picked his brain out of this, I think because he's so genuine, that's why people like it, and they're like, this is cool because you're supporting

because you're passionate about what you're doing, whether it's food or if you're a passionate

like, podcast like yourself, and you're just so passionate about doing it and interviewing different people, or you're passionate about, like, bikes

I don't know, it's a bike there. Or, like, I don't know, whatever. As long as you're passionate about it and, like, people can see it, I think that's really

a genuine thing in this world because there's so many fake people on that

Yeah, I was. speaking to a wrestling interviewer and podcast for the last issue, and she was saying the same

thing. Like, that genuineness and the passion comes through. Like, not everybody has that

upbeat, crazy energy every time, but if there's the passion there, you can tell. Yeah. And

it's funny with me, there's been, honestly, there's been times in the past, I've gone to do a

public review and I'm going to, I just don't want to do this. And I'm still, it's me going there

my own way. But then when I get there and I'm walking, I'm like, this is cool, I like

it, and it's something that was in the back of my head. I remember when I was

in school, I went and saw Wolfmother play at the Horde of Pavilion

I was like 17 and somehow I got backstage tickets with a friend of mine

and the jackass guys were there and whenever the camera wasn't on them, they were just

like dead to the world, probably on whatever they were on. But as soon as the camera came on them

that passion came out and they were just like, wow, wow, and I don't know

that's always stuck in the back of my head being, like if you're passionate about something, once you're doing it

you'll just change into whatever the person. It's like, I can be mentally having the worst day

and I can go to a pub. And then as soon as I'll film myself before, I'm like, oh, thank you, Jamie, for commenting

I'm at the Livingston Hotel. But as soon as I walk in, I'm like, I'm on

and I just feel so much better and I just, yeah. So then, since you're the man to ask

what are your top three Sydney pubs for anybody that's visiting? The Nelson Hotel in Bonner Junction

I'm very biased, as I said. I've grown up going there. It's the first pub I did that at

Family went to, friends, we always went there. It's family-owned. I just love it

It's got its own gravy station. So if you're getting food, you could literally get a scooter glass and fill it with gravy

and then just sip it like a raising canes thing. But I think taking away the Nelson

I think my favorite pubs, I might have to pull this up, sorry, just because I'm, I think my favorite

pubs that I've been to would have to be Sydney Park Hotel

It's just the staff, they're really good, it's a really nice inner west pub. Where else

I really like Jimmy's. It's an Irish pub in Bandwick. It's more like, it's not, there's no pokey

It's laid out like a bar. It's near the dog. but it's a pub and it's just really nice

and it's really cool and then so we went there there I'm going to be one of the city hmm

you really put me on the spot here this is good I mean I'm quite wise for

there's a couple near George Street that seem pretty good as well like the cinema

I mean Edinburgh Edinburgh Castle the Eddie is an amazing pub that Solitaire owns but

I don't know if I'm allowed to say this or whatever they're closing in September

they've new people are taking over the lease so I don't really want to like that's a great pub run by great

stuff they're actually amazing but because they're shutting down in September I don't really want to say that but

even PJ O'Brien's probably just a good I just like Irish pubs

because Irish people are the best people in the world to drink with and the food's amazing and Irish food's trending so much the moment

And so let's say the Nelson, but not being biased. Yeah, PJ O'Brien's

Yeah, those ones are good. I'm settling there. I'm settling there. And you're definitely not a fan of a Guinness at all

Nah, can't stand it. No, definitely not. Yeah, no. I think I try to also, with these reviews

I try to support not pubs that are owned by big groups as well. So that's kind of like, it's going to set the solos I do

I just think those ones are just nice because, I don't know, big pub groups are great

and they're great with what they do. And it's just nicely small smaller pubs as well because they have less budgets for marketing

whatever. So, yeah. Even I've noticed down here where, like, in Naurra, there's three pubs, like the three main pubs

are all owned by the same company. So their menus across all three pubs are exactly the same

I'm like, well, that defeats the purpose. It like yeah I in Naur There three different pubs but they all the same They essentially the same place Why would I I only ever going to go to one Yeah That kind of what I seen at a lot of pubs that are by big groups

You'll just have you saying cool menu items and the food specials be similar and stuff

which is like, oh, these ones are exactly the same. Yeah, yeah

Three venues, the exact same menu. I was like, what, okay, cool. Yeah. Yeah. Like

it's a bit of a cop-out and like, I don't know if they don't have the resources to make it better or they've got a group chef, but like, not to blow smoke up Mary

Well, they do their stuff very well. All their food needs to be different. They might have like a hero item, like a Jimmy's Wrap at another venue

or they might have a El Loco hot dog at another venue. But because they've got such, it comes back to having big budgets

because they've got such big teams, they can kind of do the different stuff

Whereas you look at other pub groups that might have the same things everywhere

So it just comes down to like resources and what they have behind them, which is just the way it is

Yep. So then looking to the, future how do you see the tick tock profile growing and is there like a particular pub on the bucket

list sort of either in sydney or expanding beyond sydney borders i think i know one thing that's

going to keep growing the more i do these my belly but um that's fine part of the parcel of it

yeah you've put yourself in a dangerous position there yeah i have um honestly i just want to keep

doing it and just enjoying like i want to do some fun collabs with some like content creators

and stuff. I've got like next week I'm actually going to the red line

in Roselle to do a club with Manu from my kitchen rules. That's

Leroy Chef, which is surreal. Like the fact that I'm doing something with him. I'm doing something with

someone. I just wrote an article about that pub. Oh, hey! She's got that together

Yeah, I'm doing something with a girl from Mass. She doesn't do pub reviews, but other friends don't she hit me up. I was like

oh, yeah, okay, we'll do it. I just want to have fun

I just want to do it. Like maybe one day I want to do like, you know there's run clubs

I haven't said this anyone yet. So this is, this is hot for press. I was thinking about it recently. You know there's run clubs that people go on

I want to do pub clubs. And I just want to pick one day on a weekend where people can just come to a pub

We just bombard a pub with 20 people. Yeah. Yeah. And just come to a pub and just because a guy hit me up and he goes

thanks for coming on a venue. I appreciate it. I really like you should do a meetup like I've just moved to Sydney I don't have a lot of friends I'd like to meet some like mind of people and like I just want like you see like famous people meet us I just want to go to a pub one day and like hey it's the 24th of August I'm going to Nelson if anyone wants to come down just have a couple beers meet some like minor people and just have a beer I think that's and just create a community about that during that once a month and just going and supporting venues and like yeah I'm a big believer with all my stuff I'm going to get back to venues I will take the occasion. I will take the occasion. I'm a big believer with all my stuff I'm going to get back to venues I will take the occasion. I will take the occasion. I will take the occasion

opportunity here and there but I just like doing because I like it I have two jobs I'm fine I

think the end goal is just to do a monthly pub club where I just go to a different venue and just

people come down and beer and feed and yeah I think that would be a nice thing to do and then

yeah even then like I don't think you need to sort of take anything from the pub I think just

the idea that's an opportunity for them I think they'd be very keen to get involved and

sort of push it out to their audience as well like there's going to all these people who

here, like, come down. This is the day to come to the pub for a special occasion

I think that's great for you to grow as well. Yeah, I also think it's cool as much as

I was find it ironic talking about alcohol and mental health because alcohol is so bad for

mental health. But I think it'd be a nice thing to do just to get people to come down and just

like, there's like men's clubs around you see. Oh, men, women's club, or there's running clubs

that people who stuff, but just not nice to sit around at like a pub and just be like, hey

I'm going here for an hour, just have a couple beers, you can meet some people and then do whatever you want to do, I think it'd be kind of a cool. I think that's the goal. Like, I've always said I want

to get 10,000 followers, which will have every in a couple weeks, but that's the next thing I'm going to start working on and just figure that out because I think it would be like a cool thing to do just

to get like one of people together. Yeah, it's a great idea. Like support the venues, but then also

yeah, create that community so that new people find new friends and have that support network

Yeah, like a friendship speed dating essentially. Yeah. All righty. Awesome. So obviously

where is the best place for people to support and track the creative journey

Obviously, TikTok, but what's the handle and all of that? It's Jack's double underscore car, C-A-A-R, J-A-X, double-unscore car

I'm actually going to start posting on Instagram once I hit 10K

I'm going to start posting every video moving forward on there as well, like a day or two after

just because that makes sense. Yeah, people are like, I don't use TikTok or like I can't because of my job, whatever

So I want to start doing that once hit 10,000. because then at least I've built that, they keep growing and I'm not diluting it

Yeah, at the moment TikTok, but give it a couple weeks of Instagram and then maybe I'll

start doing YouTube videos, but we'll see. Yeah, well, YouTube have the the shorts function as well

So it's essentially TikTok, but you're limited to 60 seconds there, so they've got to be real

short, which is a pain. I hate that. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Speed room, pub review

Yeah, you could just like even that some of the clips that I'm sharing is the YouTube short

which is like a really cut down version. And then there might be the Facebook or the TikTok version

which is, might only be 30 or 40 seconds longer, but you have to cut that off

which is a bit annoying. Yeah. Hopefully they expand. I just, I do it all on my font on TikTok as well

I don't have fancy apps or whatever. So I probably need to look at speaking, I was like he's a lot about it what he does

I think I might have to look at like using something that's not in TikTok

so I can kind of do that. Because at the moment, yeah, I just literally film stop, film stop

Film, stop, film, stop, and then I'll go back and, like, shorten stuff if I'm doing like the millennial pause

being like, and I'm at, and then after that, yeah. Yeah, I personally would highly recommend Capcut

That's what I've been using recently. And it's fantastic. Yeah, also. It's just a lot of their stuff is behind a paywall

but you can get away with basic functionality. I mean, I can't have my work, just get them to pay for it

I'll be like, I'll do more videos. Yeah, I'm sure they would

chip in for Adobe subscription or whatever if you make videos and stuff

Yeah, I think so. All right. Awesome. Thank you so much for taking the time to chat me and good luck and maybe get back

into some running as well. Yeah, probably