I have been to multiple 4 Rivers locations across Florida and they seem to vary in quality across the state. Some very good and others just terrible. Locations in the Orlando area tend to be significantly better than those in other parts of the state. I visited the Lakeland location earlier today for lunch and had the Ribs, Brisket, Fried Okra, and Baked Cheese Grits. The ribs were delicious. Tender with a nice smokiness and a flavorful rub. The Brisket was terrible: dry, chewy and needed bbq sauce to have any sort of flavor. The Okra was tender with a nicely seasoned crisp breading. The grits were savory with a nice grainy texture and cheese flavor. Overall a decent spot but skip the brisket. read more

4 Rivers Smokehouse - Ribs, Brisket, Fried Okra, Baked Cheese Grits - Barbeque Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Man, I was skeptical to come in due to reviews but I wanted bbq so I came in anyways. No regrets! My ribs were moist, soft.. didn't need sauce. I recommend. Kristy cream bread was yum and the collard greens hit the spot. read more

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Service stinks. Food was mediocre (at best) and missing food which was finally delivered after the rest of our food was gone. Terrible!

2nd time I've come at opening (11:00) on a Sunday and they are not ready for customers. They do not have the line set up (still filling meat and sides) several things are not ready/available (sliced turkey, grits, ranch dressing, desserts). This week, I had ordered the burnt ends since the turkey was not even started yet. It was inedible. It was swimming in sauce which was sickeningly sweet. If you can't be ready for guests at 11 then don't open at 11. read more

I ordered the pulled chicken quesadilla with the baked grits and macaroni and cheese..I waited at the drive thru window for 7 mins or more..I went straight home to try the food to be extremely disappointed. The quesadilla was cold, dried out and like eating rubber. The sides weren't to bad. I have no idea what I waited so long for in the drive thru to get that horrible quesadilla. read more

THE TRI TIP SANDWICH IS BACKKKKKKKKKKKKK! Please never leave! It's my most fave thing on the menu and always reminds me of back hole When I have it! Tri tip is why we decided to for you 4 rivers to cater our wedding! Sides are all delish and service is impeccable! Love the goey cake! Okay I need to go get some lunch and guess where imma get it from!?! Yummmmmmmmmm read more

Three stars for the staff. They do an excellent job in keeping the lines moving and professionalism. The food was not too great. It was not warm at all and appeared rather greasy. We found their sister store in Ocala to be quite the opposite. That is, great food but awful customer service. Choose your battle. read more

In the past, I absolutely raved about 4 Rivers. Today, not so much. And it's a simple, but important problem. I ordered two sandwiches and two bottled drinks online with Uber Eats. I recd two sandwiches which, I expect will be fine. The bottled drinks came in the form of fountain drinks. If I had been planning on eating and drinking immediately, this would be no problem. But that is not the case. I am an airline pilot and often order food and drinks to be taken onboard and eaten enroute to my next destination. In this situation, it's not practical to take these drinks with me. I can't pack a cup of whatever in my flight bag. So, thanks for sending drinks, but you failed to follow directions. Overall grade: F. read more

I have fallen in love with their brisket! Unctuous. I like the half fat, half lean sandwich with their signature sauce. Haven't been inside yet, but their drive-thru has been efficient and friendly. I do need to venture into other items on the menu but I'm encouraged, defining them by their consistently great brisket. read more

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I saw some bad reviews but stopped anyway to try a new to us BBQ joint. And we had a great ext! Slight wait at the beginning but not too long. You can see all the sides to choose from at the counter. Big open area with plenty of tables. Friendly service with lots of smiles. Not long after our order we got all our food. The portions were large. We had Burnt ends melt, Ribs, brisket tacos and a Cuban. Everyone was very happy with their food. The Burnt ends melt was delicious. Brisket and pork with 2 cheeses and Carmelita's onions. The side of fried okra was very good. Cuban was very good and almost could be shared. Brisket tacos were very good and a nice change of pace. Ribs were tender and smoky and hit the spot. Bread pudding is a must try! Very good looking desserts at the front, but we did not have room after our meal. I only wish this was closer to home, but well worth a drive to eat at. Next time we are in Lakeland we will be back. read more

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Food is always tasty and the staff is nice. Portions are good and filling. Usually take some home.

The man behind the counter saw me talking about the chicken tender sub and the BBQ. He suggested I get the tender sub. The sauce on the sub was good and I liked the pickles and lettuce very though I feel like they could have added more to it. I was disappointed with the 3 small tenders in the sub. Most of my food was bites of bun. There wasn't enough chicken on there. I think 1 more tender and a little more of the toppings would have made it worthwhile. read more

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Amazing experience! As a first timer, I was delighted when ISH the general manager asked me if I had any questions about the menu. I had a lot, so "YES, please'!" He answered everyone of these with a smile! He and Stefan even shared their personal favorites! I tried the Cuban sandwich, which I was surprised to find on the menu! I'm embarrassed to say I'm a Cuban sandwich "snob" and have turned down Cubans for not being "authentic." Let's get something straight, 4 River's Cuban is not authentic, but I loved it so much! There was more meat on it than any other Cuban I can remember! I was worried about the mojo, but everything was perfect exactly as it came. I did ask them to put the onion rings on the side because that's just plain weird (sorry 4 Rivers!) I also had the Mac and cheese and was surprised at how good it was, creamy and flavorful. My husband got the burnt ends sandwich with backed beans and was happy. Here's a few more opinions if you are still on the fence! Dont leave without getting one of their outstanding desserts. My husband got the mountainous chocolate chip cookie. He said it was pretty good. I got the salted caramel shortbread thing AND the peanut butter parfait because I couldn't make up my mind! The truth is, I was so stuffed from the delicious Cuban (I could only eat half!) that I had to take my treats home. I try a bit of both, for review purposes of course, and both were good! I'm still eating the salted caramel thing even though I'm stuffed! Damn you, 4 Rivers!! Thank you for reading this far. I know it sounds like I'm gushing and I AM. But that's okay because they deserve it! I don't do reviews often, but I was in the worst mood, and nothing was going to be good enough. But from the moment I stepped out of the car and saw the giant smokers, then the sweet aroma of Smokey deliciousness's upon opening the door, things were looking up! The friendly service was exceptional. Every single person I came in contact with at 4 Rivers was heads and shoulders above anyone I've experienced at other restaurants in a long time... thank you for restoring my faith in people! The experience completely changed my day. My new favorite!! Go see ISH and you'll see exactly why I was gushing! read more

The food is incredibly expensive for what you get. The portion sizes are rather small. The food is rather bland when it comes to barbecue standards. The sauce is incredibly, incredibly sweet. Each time that I have been, the service has been painfully slow and have seen on several occasions, kitchen staff arguing with each other. Not a real good appearance. When comparing to Mission barbecue down the road, mission is significantly better for fast serve barbecue. I have been a few times and I don't think I will be back again. Completely overrated and way too expensive for what you get. read more

Not sure what has happened at this place, but that flushing sound you hear is this restaurant going down the toilet. What once was a really delicious meal is now a bumbling, stumbling attempt to just serve food to customers and make it to closing time. What bbq restaurant do you know that has no bbq ribs at 630 pm on a Friday night! Really?!? Do better 4 Rivers! read more

Very discouraging. I've been a longtime supporter of this family owned brand in Orlando. They're struggling with consistency and some quality issues. I know they can do better! I love their grits and when you get them, sometimes it's amazing and other times it's burned and dry and why would anyone think that that's something to give to your customers? Same with the brisket. I got a bowl full of fat two times ago that was horrible and disappointing. And then last time the food mediocre! All I can think of is consistency, training, and brand standards. I won't say that I won't ever go again but last time I went, which was just last week it was about a three and whenever I go again, I'm sure I'll be a little concerned. And I did email the office once about one of these concerns and never received even a reply: not a sorry, not here's a coupon, not we will try to do better. And the wait inside can be so so long ....with lots of employees behind the counter. I have heard employees say they love working there and that it's a great business to work for. read more

A really tasty BBQ place. You wait in line and pick out what you want from trays keeping everything hot. The BBQ beans are my favorite side. They are so flavorful and seasoned. This time I got the bread pudding and it was good, but super sweet. The burnt ends sandwich was tender and very flavorful. The staff are friendly and helpful. The place is clean and the lighting is bright with lots of long wood tables. I will definitely go back again. read more

4 Rivers Smokehouse - Baked beans, Bread pudding, Burnt Ends on Sourdough with mozzarella and cheddar cheese. - Barbeque Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

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$22.03 for the 2x2 meal! That's tax and drink included. Y'all, what's with the portions? My rating is strictly about the value for this restaurant. The taste of the food is great, but the portions are small for the price paid. Their large drink seems smaller than most notable chains and it's $3.79! Yikes. Sides were only like 4oz cups-approx. Would not return based on value. read more

4 Rivers Smokehouse has expanded tremendously since they first opened their first location back in 2009 in Winter Park, Florida (which is in the Orlando, Florida area) and this in itself is quite the accomplishment. 4 Rivers Smokehouse has expanded beyond Orlando, Florida and this particular location is in Lakeland, Florida. The food here is pretty good, but a bit expensive. I guess that could be said about most restaurants. The place has a cool enough ambiance and overall it was a positive enough experience. read more

We decided to give 4 Rivers a try last weekend while we were in Lakeland. We ordered food to go. The food and experience could have been much better. When I got back to my son's house we discovered that several items were left out of the order. As for the food, the brisket platter should really be called a Brisket Sampler. There were three very small slices. The Messy Pig would have been better if the Cole slaw was placed on the top of the sandwich. What I ended up with was a sandwich with a soggy bottom bun. I was offered a sample of burnt ends. What it really tasted like was the scraps from the brisket that was sliced. Totally different from burnt ends I have made. The sides were so so. Mission BBQ is a bit further down RT 37. The extra couple miles would have been with it. read more

Awesome ribs and sides. The baked beans are especially good. Will be trying the wings next time.

Pretty disappointing. Long wait for such a bad experience. Pros: brisket was good, okra was good, baked beans great, place is cute and clean inside, staff was mostly nice (except the manager) Cons: long wait, tiny portions all around, pulled pork was about 50% fat, sandwich was half the size as shown in menu photos, meat is all bland, price is crazy for quality and amount. I would not return, not worth it. read more

4 Rivers Smokehouse - two hot dogs in a bun - Barbeque Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

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First time going. The vegetables were good, but the baked beans were too sweet. The brisket was very tender but had absolutely no flavor. No smoke flavor. No flavor. Unless you were eating it with bbq sauce it felt like you were eating nothing. We won't go back. read more

Ignore all the people with these low reviews complaining about wait related issues. Incredibly long waits are typical for a brand new 4 Rivers location because of how great they are. I've been going to 4 Rivers for a decade at multiple locations so I've tried a lot of stuff and pretty much everything is delicious. Even the tacos and salads are amazing. I've only been to this location once but I was not disappointed by the quality of the food or the service. As great as ever. read more

excellent food, even better service. We will definitely be back! my son especially loved the mac and cheese.

The dining room was packed so we decided to drive through . The beef brisket sandwiche was delicious, the cheese grits were to die for, hubby enjoyed his baked beans and brisket. Portion was great. Temperature of food was great. The drive through gal Rachel was super pleasant and helpful getting our point's established. The new building was beautiful. I will enjoy trying another meal when we return. We love the Christian community at this restaurant! read more

4 Rivers Smokehouse - Drive up - Barbeque Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

We tried this restaurant once before when they first opened and the food was ok nothing to write home about. This evening we tried to give it another shot. We will not be trying it again. The Tacos were ice cold and full of fat. What a waste of money. We ordered thru the drive thru and I feel like they gave us the pieces they can't give to the customers inside. What a turn off. read more

4 Rivers Smokehouse - Brisket Tacos - Barbeque Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

They were "over-staffed" behind the counter which kept the lines moving. The food was hot a delicious, I went back up after I was done for carry out for later. I also liked the staff members walking around the dining room keeping it tidy and checking on everyone. Will be back. read more

This was our first visit here! We got the Thanksgiving sandwich special, which was a very good choice. We'll return soon! read more

4 Rivers Smokehouse - Thanksgiving sandwich special! - Barbeque Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

the food was a 10. the service was even better. even though it's a restaurant it gives of going to your favorite cousins house for the weekend to eat. the atmosphere was very family oriented. Bree was also beyond she checked on us regularly and share the touching back stories of the restaurant. I will be taking the drive to visit again read more

The food was okay; the meat was barely 100 degrees warm, not hot. Come on, the steam table and legal temp should be at least 140+, not 100. The baked beans have an odd flavor, like chocolate or Carmel; it's too sweet for beans. The Mac and Cheese tastes like Golden Coral's "mass-produced" with no distinct flavor or PUNCH your taste buds' flavor. The burnt ends taste just like the pulled pork. Yes, they mix and with pulled pork, but again, there is no WOW factor. The fat is just sitting there in the meat it's not rendered. You have the word BBQ in your name, render the fat make the temp hit 190-205 for 10-15 minutes. Slaw, it's slaw. The bread pudding was ok. The hours are terrible; it surprised me there was a drive-thru. I was really looking forward to BBQ, but the pre-made spoon slop on your plate before you pay makes me not want to visit again. The lobby may sit 60. Again temp BAD Food ok Next time, I will force myself to go to Sonny's, and I haven't been there in 8 years! read more

Everything was amazing, the food, the service. the restaurant was very clean. I recommend coming!

Food was good but luke warm. The service was fast and the workers were super nice and helpful. The Mac and cheese wasn't home made and the burnt ends were a little tough but good flavor. Will try again. read more

4 Rivers Smokehouse - Mac and cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

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We stopped by for a Saturday lunch 10/21/2023. I had the Messy Pig sandwich & it was quite good. I had a taste of the Burnt End Melt & it was really good too. Collards were okay, cornbread was okay, fries were good. It's a bit expensive, we had sides & a drink. Two lunches w/ drinks $41, too expensive for us to go as often as I'd like. Staff were great on our visit, very welcoming & cheerful. It's chilly inside, but bright & clean. read more

staff was so helpful for food suggestions and very kind. checked on us numerous times to make sure we had everything we need. would highly recommend! read more

I can honestly say this wasn't a bad experience, but if you do, be prepared to wait. One register on a busy line is something they could improve. I like seeing the food, but I believe the service could be better. Now, on to the food: the ribs were great, the baked beans were good, and the baked cheese grits were fantastic. Waiting over 20 to order is a little long; this was at 1145, and it was busy until 1 p.m. My company seemed to enjoy the food as well, and if I were on this side of town, I would stop in again. I did try to order online, but only specials showed up. Big tip don't come here if you are in a hurry. #patienceiskey read more

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Well just average food overall, not bad but just kind of ok. Sides are one pf the problems, just not real tasty.

After 30 minutes in line (I think they do that so you are so hungry you think it tastes good) we got our meal. I had two meats, dried sausage that was as chewy as jerky and greased brisket that was 30% minimum fat. The house sauce was as bad as the meat. The Mac and processed cheese was ok if you like canned food. The bread pudding was surprisingly good. My wife had one meat burnt ends again a pile of grease and two acceptable sides. Slaw and fri d okra. Thy staff here is pleasant but with all of the meats being a sub par disappointment they couldn't overcome the food to have us think about returning. As hard as it is to find good food in Lakeland we are sad that this gets added to the list of ' tried it but won't return or recommend' spots in this city. read more

The food is served cafeteria style, dished out of a steam table right in front of you so you can carry the food, get your own drinks and condiments yourself. Despite this shortcoming they ask for a "tip" at checkout and, because my daughter ordered chicken tenders that were not ready made, she was only served fries while I was given my pulled pork sandwich and cup of collard greens before sitting. Our food sat at our table getting cold for 6-10 minutes before the tenders were done just as I was walking up to ask for a refund. I told the manager my concerns and he said lots of restaurants serve their food that way. "Okay, name one! When you order steak they have baked potato's ready to be served in the kitchen, they never bring out the potato and say We will being your steak when its done." The restrooms are "unisex" too. Geez, no wonder the dining room was dead (6 people total) on halloween Friday at 1:30P. Walmart had more people in the mens restroom than this place had patrons. read more

My husband and I had an early dinner at the Lakeland location. For our first visit we were disappointed. With several posters in the ordering area advertising baby back ribs, we were told they were out but would have more coming in 20 minutes but we "probably didn't want to wait that long". My husband ordered St Louis style ribs instead with fries and corn. I had burnt ends with cornbread and green beans. I was put off by the steam tables right up front with all the semi-congealed food, looking all dried and old. The server was friendly enough and presented us with our food. Right off the bat, everything was barely lukewarm and not really a dinner portion, more like tapas. The meat was OK, sides OK nothing really wowing us. Unfortunately we were not impressed and won't return. read more