1 Southwest Florida Barbecue Hot Spot Made The List For Best Barbecue In The U.S.
Barbeque Pulled Pork Sandwich with BBQ Sauce and Fries
Southwest Florida Barbecue is a passion of mine, partly because we're not really known for it. You think seafood. But people that have moved here, as transplants they brought their barbecue love with them. And because of that, Southwest Florida Barbecue varies greatly based on where you go. And I love most all of it. The only one I steer clear of is that Eastern Carolina style that's vinegar based. Heartburn city, baby.
Because there's not enough time to travel the entire country trying everything, Yelp did it for us. And then ranked them to see where they all stack up.
Yelp broke down the Top 100 Barbecue spots in the country and released the list earlier this month. They started off by combing through all their reviews for the keyword "barbecue." Then they analyzed those reviews with a number of factors including how often the word was mentioned and the ratings on those reviews. For good measure, they checked to make sure the businesses were still open and that they got a good health score. Here's the top 10 in the country, including one right here in Florida:
- Wright’s Barbecue – Johnson, Arkansas
- Eric’s Family Barbecue – Avondale, Arizona
- CorkScrew BBQ – Spring, Texas
- Tyler’s Barbecue – Amarillo, Texas
- Fox Smokehouse BBQ – Boulder City, Nevada
- Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que – Kansas City, Kansas
- Haywood Smokehouse – Waynesville, North Carolina
- Firehole Bar-B-Que – West Yellowstone, Montana
- Hot Spot Barbecue – Pensacola, Florida
- Delauders BBQ – Gatlinburg, Tennessee
I've never been to Hot Spot Barbecue in Pensacola, but this place looks right. A house they converted into a restaurant, a truck out front where they hang the banner (cheaper than a sign), and some smokers that look like they've been out in the weather for quite awhile. It's top 10 in the country, but it's quite the drive from here in Southwest Florida.
Southwest Florida Barbecue
Coming in at number 87 on the list is Southwest Florida Barbecue spot Texas Best Barbecue in Englewood. This place is always top 5 on our lists and is now getting some national recognition. Texas Best is run by a family who moved to Florida from Texas, so it's not just a name - it's life. Their hours? Open 'til 8pm or when they run out! So place your order ahead, and bring cash. Your bill is less if you pay in cash. People love this place.
Have a look at their website and see what I mean.
Other somewhat nearby barbecue spots on the list are the Hate Mondays Tavern in Miami, Florida at number 76 and Al's Finger Licking Good Bar-B-Que in Tampa which came in at number 48.
Our Rankings For Southwest Florida Barbecue
We used Trip Advisor to help complete our rankings, so when they cross over with Yelp you know you've got a good one. The Southwest Florida Top 20 has Texas Best at number 5 and a Fort Myers gem at number 1.
It was back in 2022 when I made this list, and then followed it up in 2023. Now, let's make the needed edits to show the best BBQ restaurants In Southwest Florida for 2024. Because great bbq is worth the drive, we'll expand outside of Naples, Fort Myers, and Cape Coral, and include some spots in the Sarasota and Bradenton areas. Brand new to the list is a spot on Anna Maria Island.
Fans of great bbq are fiercely loyal to their favorites. That’s why I took the conjecture out of it. By using an algorithm based on rankings from Trip Advisor, We are able to rank the top bbq restaurants in Southwest Florida. Yes, there’s some chains in here with more than one location, but if it’s amazing, maybe that’s why they have more than one location. Makes sense?
For as much as some people want to bash on Rib City, they're always busy. And why does one Michelbob's rank higher than the other? I'm guessing it's location.
The Best BBQ Restaurants.
Personally, some of the best bbq I've ever had came from my neighbor Keith. But not everyone has the skill or the all day long needed to make amazing bbq. What that man can do with a bag of chicken thighs is otherworldly.
The best bbq restaurants on this list vary from chain restaurants to family run giant smoker in the parking lot mom and pops. Not gonna lie. Those are my favorites. You can smell them as you roll up into the parking lot. There's a few of those on the list.
And don’t @ me if you don't like the selections, I used Trip Advisor's math to create this list. I’ll make the address linkable so you can read more about the place, and get directions and all that. Hurricane Ian really rattled the past couple of lists, but I think most of places are back up to full speed. You can @ me if there's any places that are closed. And just to end the suspense, the McDonald's McRib did not make the list. Why do people always get so excited about that thing?
Let's do it. The Best BBQ Restaurants In South West Florida – Ranked
20. BIG8 BBQ
1217 SE 47th Ter, Cape Coral, FL 33904-9844 A solid bbq spot in Cape Coral. High quality meats make all the difference at BIG8. Try the brisket. This is really a good place to start this list.
19. Rib City - Naples
18. Smoke'n Pit BBQ
1641 N Tamiami Trl, North Fort Myers, FL 33903-5504 Crossing the bridge into North Fort Myers is worth it. There's some amazing food on the other side of the Caloosahatchee. This is a Mom And Pop type of place that focuses on food and fair prices. Good food and a good deal makes Smoke'n Pit special.
17. Rib City - Fort Myers
11561 Majestic Palms Blvd #120, Fort Myers, FL 33908-3381 The Rib City in the San Carlos / McGregor section of Fort Myers. I think one of the draws to Rib City is their consistency. Although I don't have them as my number one go to, you always know exactly what to expect.
16. Pig Out BBQ & Southern Soul Food
The first thing you'll notice here is the aroma. Good luck driving by Pig Out and not smelling what thy got going on. They really know how to advertise that smoke :) Big portions, and reasonable prices.
15. Snook Haven
5000 E Venice Ave, Venice, FL 34292-2541 Can't decide between seafood and bbq? You don't have to. This place truly has an old Florida feel, situated on the bank of the Myakka River. It's delicious bbq and local craft beers.
14. Hickory Hollow
4705 US Highway 301 N, Ellenton, FL 34222-2871 Down home country cooking. Corn fritters, smoked turkey, traditional smoked ribs. This is truly a "local" place. If you're not familiar, Ellenton is just north of Bradenton and it's the furthest north spot on this list.
13. Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que
12128 South Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers, FL 33907 Dropping a couple of spots from last year's list is Famous Dave's in Fort Myers. Grab you a brisket or chopped pork platter. They keep the sauces on the table so you can try 'em all.
12. Brick's Smoked Meats
Also dropping a couple of spots from last year is Brick's in Sarasota. Definitely another "locals" spot featuring, of course, smoked meats. Beef, pork, chicken or sausage. Get the mac n' cheese, too.
11. The Lodge
Moving up 4 spots from last year is The Lodge, downtown Fort Myers. Do the the 3 meat combo- ribs, pulled pork, brisket. All meats come in a dry rub and each table has 4 different types of sauce to choose from. Plus 2 sides and corn bread. Woo!
10. Michelbob's Championship Ribs
915 N Collier Blvd, Marco Island, FL 34145-2742 Dropping one spot is the Michelbob's on Marco Island. Keep in mind this location is take out only. Get the ribs, of course, but also try the smoked jalapeño cheese sausage. Then bring it back to your place to enjoy .
9. Michelbob's Championship Ribs & Steaks
And the dine in of the two. Michelbob's Naples. Racks of ribs and smoked meats and homemade bbq sauces make this a must try for anyone in Naples.
8. Rib City
4836 Leonard St, Cape Coral, FL 33904-9151 I swear Rib City isn't sponsoring this list. Their name just keeps popping up. But this is the last one. The Cape Coral Rib City is the highest rated of the chain on this list.
7. Texas Tony's Rib & BrewHouse
4519 Tamiami Trl E, Naples, FL 34112-6723 My only problem with this place is that it's so far away from my house in Estero. Texas Tony's is amazing. Super laid back with great food and 2 for 1 drinks make this a local favorite and a destination trip. A good as reason as any to drive to East Naples. I haven't tried their Cape Coral location, yet.
6. Darrell's
Truly the big mover on the list. Darrell's went from 13 last year all the way up to 6 this year. You show up for the brisket, you come back for what might be "the best baked beans ever." And if you're from the south - they got chicken livers, too.
5. Texas Best Barbecue
Englewood! As soon as you pull in, you know you're in for a treat. Just look at that building. This is what a bbq spot should look like. Brisket and ribs are the fav. A special treat on the menu is the baked potato topped with butter, cheese, and chopped brisket. It's a meal.
4. Wally's Southern Style BBQ
3591 Tamiami Trl, Port Charlotte, FL 33952-5528 Holding on to the number 4 spot is Wally's in Port Charlotte. Bring a date and get the ribs for 2 and sweet slaw. Very casual, local spot, and that is a beautiful picture.
3. Gold Rush BBQ
661 Tamiami Trl, Venice, FL 34285-3237 Now that we're out of season you may be able to get a table without the wait. This place is popular. Gotta say, being in Venice it was a smart move naming your place after a slot machine. Very smart.
2. Smoqehouse
Smokqehouse wasn't even on this list last year, and now it's at number 2. BBQ on Anna Maria Island, I would not have guessed that. Fabulous pulled pork and get this - poutine. A Cuban with smoked beef? This place sounds amazing.
1. Mission BBQ
Still number one in Southwest Florida is Mission BBQ in Fort Myers. The second you walk in, you know you're in the right place. Try the brisket, babyback, and spare ribs. Lots of different sauces to choose from and I'm hearing something about banana pudding? The staff is amazing, Mission is a gem in Fort Myers.
