Excellent service, bbq & collards! Love! One of our favorites if visiting near Bell, FL or for springs visitors!!

This was so delicious. This place is perfect. The staff was very nice and friendly. The food was so good and fast we will be back even though we live a few hours away. read more

Akins Bar-B Q & Grill - Akins sign inside - Barbeque Near Me - Bell, Florida

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Friendly fast service clean restaurant. Specials Barbecue Salads or a burger seafood specials as well. Over all we were very satisfied and will come back again read more

Akins Bar-B Q & Grill - Brisket 2 sides corn bread potato salad Coleslaw was TERRIFIC!!!! - Barbeque Near Me - Bell, Florida

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The server we had was Kevin very attentive to our table.We started off with the garlic Parmesan wings as an appetizer they were under cooked on the drumets still red and bloody on the inside joints they need to make sure their cooked ,The pork collars smoked needed more smoke to them.The side of mashed potatoes were cold but the gravy was hot,so nuke the mashed potatoes before serving them .I know this is a family business that has been in business for a long time .First time there coming back from crab fest .Just giving you some feedback .The ribeye steak 14 Oz was cooked to perfection.Ps you could do better on the banana pudding . read more

We had Fish & Shrimp combo, fried mushrooms, bbq fries & steak dinner! Everything was great! read more

Akins Bar-B Q & Grill - Fish & Shrimp combo, fried mushrooms, bbq fries & steak dinner! Everything was great! - Barbeque Near Me - Bell, Florida

Amazing local BBQ and more - fast and delicious one of our favs. The best smoked turkey and chicken ever!!!!

Good, solid BBQ, with a variety of options on the menu. Lots of sides available with each dinner, and some of those sides are superb. Fried okra was done perfectly, and the cole slaw was also very good. These came with my Buffalo Chicken Tenders - tasty, but way too much for me to eat. Not a fancy restaurant, so you'll see people in all varieties of attire: "Sunday" clothes to overalls and work boots. It doesn't look like a huge place when you first come in, but looks are deceiving. There are many tables available in a quaint, country-type environment. Parking can be a bit tight, especially if you come here for a later dinner. We didn't have any issues finding a parking spot nor being seated at a table when we arrived shortly before 6 PM on a recent weekday. However, by the time we were finished, there was a line out the front door waiting for a table and the parking lot was packed. Service was very good. Our waitress took care of us nicely without hovering. One error that was made on the initial delivery of our meal was quickly fixed. Iced tea aplenty, with offers for refills frequently. A true local restaurant that gives you a real feel for the area around here, its inhabitants and the food they enjoy. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area. read more

I went there for lunch one day and ordered the rib plate, which took forever to get to the table and when it did, the ribs were so greasy, I couldn't eat them won't go back read more

Very good BBQ in the middle of no-where USA. Yelped this place after a fun morning at Ginny Springs. Smoked chicken was moist and tasty. Brisket was good but ask for thicker slices. Fried okra delivered. Mac n cheese was disappointing. Waitress was very polite. Would go back for sure. read more

It's the only game in town. BBQ is poor quality. The best thing they have is biscuits and gravy. Keep driving unless your looking for breakfast read more

The service here is amazing, they treat you like family. Try their fried pickles, they are to die for.

Love this Bbq restaurant in small town Florida. Friendly staff and delicious meals . read more

I gave Akins four stars instead of five solely because I am not fond of their deserts. The main dishes are excellent. I especially enjoy the Philly Cheesesteaks. I have never had an issue with their service. It's a casual establishment that I have no problem taing my family from out of town to. read more

Long time customer, now very displeased. Twice now take out orders have been critically wrong. Ate in restaurant yesterday, food was fine, but got take out to bring home. Chicken wings, and the meat was spoiled. YUCK. NOT EDIBLE. Do they just not care now? Or do new owners not know how to run a business. Will not return. Disappointing. read more

Had a chance to grab a bite to eat at Akin's barbecue. My first impression was that this could be a really good place. Sadly people in this area are not following good health practices, and masks and social distancing are somewhat thrown out the window for a lot of them. The employees here are following these measures, however, so I figured it would be safe enough to grab something from the take-out window. Akin's menu as posted is more that of a steakhouse than your traditional barbecue place. A good portion of the menu is devoted to items that are not really barbecue. This is not to say that the food is not good... it is just pointing out a disparity between the name of the establishment and the food it serves. After I had looked over the menu for a much longer time than I expected, as it was not the menu I expected, I ordered up a pork plate which included some ribs and sliced pork along with two sides. For the sides I ordered my usual standard, baked beans and fries. For a sauce, I asked for their spicy sauce. The plate also came with either a piece of garlic bread or cornbread... I went for the cornbread. Getting home, the fries had held up after cooling down, which was good. The sliced pork was decent, and would be good for a sandwich. The ribs... well, I really love good full size spare ribs, and these were just a St. Louis cut. Not as good, in my opinion. The rub on them was decent, and the sauce also worked well with the ribs, so in that regard they were decent. The baked beans were also good. The cornbread? Well, it was dinky and a little dry. Good flavor, but the portion size was minimal, maybe a 1 1/2 inch square piece. Sad. All in all, I feel that Akin's is a good place to go if you happen to be passing by on US-129, but in my book is not a "destination" location for food. read more

Came here today after hearing all the hype... this place did not disappoint! We had the shrimp platters with grits. Absolutely worth the drive from Chiefland. read more

Akins Bar-B Q & Grill - Fried shrimp, corn bread, baked potato and cheese grits. - Barbeque Near Me - Bell, Florida

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We're on vacation and looked up a place to eat near our VRBO. Akins BBQ came up. These days we all know how important reviews are. The ones I read were great so we decided to eat here. It didn't disappoint. We walked in and saw that there were several families and locals inside. The hostess seated us right away. Our server came to the table right away. In less than 5 minutes, we already had drinks and were awaiting our appetizer. The food tasted freshly made. The BBQ pork loin was so delicious. It's probably one of the most tasteful pork dishes I've ever had. Served with hush puppies that were also delicious. If you're in town or passing through, it's a good stop to make. You won't be disappointed. Thank you Akins BBQ team! I would've included your names but I didn't catch them. read more

Has changed a lot since I moved here 8 years ago, wish they still had salad bar, love the new pick up window a lot easier if you don't have time to sit and eat. read more

Ordered carryout tonight. Small shrimp dinner is 15 shrimp and two sides. It came with garlic bread or hushpuppies, and 2 sides. I chose coleslaw and baked beans (because those are amazing sides at Akins). Family members ordred a philly cheese steak sub and a grilled chicken caesar wrap with an appetizer of fried pickles and sides of fries and hush puppies. Never had a bad meal and never had bad service. We usually eat in the restaurant and love the atmosphere and friendliness, but needed a quick good meal at home. read more

My wife and I enjoyed a wonderful lunch. We were recommended Akins by the campground host at Hart Springs. The service and prices were beyond our expectations. I would recommend the chicken fried steak w/ fried green beans. We can't stop talking about it. read more

The food was trash they got my order wrong 3 times and I waited 25+ mins to get my food n spent 60$ on nothing‍‍

A little pricey but not compared to other places of much worse qualityBuffalo Chick Sandwiches

Delicious Southern cooking, large portions, and friendly staff. First time I've ever seen banana pudding as a side dish and I loved it. read more

Akins Bar-B Q & Grill - 12oz Grilled chicken breast with baked sweet potato, banana pudding, and garlic toast. - Barbeque Near Me - Bell, Florida

Nice friendly service. Great food if you like real southern barbecue chicken and fried foods.

Horrible service and rude management. I spend $400 in bbq catering and they can't provide $5.00 worth of plates and cups and when I ask about it manager is rude and says not built into their prices. It is $5.00 my cost at store so I'm sure even less for them. And lol the chicken was overcooked and the salad was wilted. Never use this restaurant again and in my line of business I buy these big lunches 3 to 4 times a week. read more

One thing I love about the south (I know, I know, FL isn't really "The South", but at least I didn't capitalize it) is that it's often stupid-easy to find great BBQ. I took this for granted growing up in Florida. The I moved West, and North...and good BBQ is a rarity. So, I was delighted to be in ruralish Florida, in-between roadtrip destinations...to scout for BBQ. I fired up the Yelp app, and rolled the dice on Akins. It was pretty great. My favorite side is collard greens, which wasn't on the menu. Uh oh. But it just so happened to be the special side for the day! YES! I got the beef/pork combo lunch plate and it was good but not mind-blowing. There were lots of folks in here talking with extremely thick Southern draws, and tons of what were probably local folks. I'd stop in again if I were in the area, but probably wouldn't make a special trip. read more

Akins Bar-B Q & Grill - bbq beef/pork lunch plate - Barbeque Near Me - Bell, Florida

We were a group of 8, and served quickly and as ordered. Food and staff are a 5 if 5 for both.

Best ribeye steak around. Wings are nice and crunchy. They are fried naked. Try the Hawaiian wings, a sticky Tiger sauce.

It's always hot and fresh and yummy, the staff is awesome This is our go to after being on the water all day

Best fried shrimp!!! Pork chops are good too with the mashed potatoes, gravy, fried okra and green beans. Oh, and don't forget the sweet tea. read more

The best place in Gilchrist County! Super service, excellent food, hometown feel, and the food is always cooked right. If you are passing through or from here, it is always a good option. Delmonico steak with sides is always our go to! You can never go wrong. read more

Best restaurant in the state of Florida. We love this restaurant. The staff is fantastic and the food is delicious.

Again to many good things about this place all the workers love me and my fam and they give my fam discounts all the time

BBQ and more. Excellent bbq at a great price, with friendly service. Clean country atmosphere. Only negative is it can be a bit noisy, depending on who's occupying the next tables. It's one of those places where most folks know at least a few other folks. The meat has just the right amount of smokey flavor and I like the barbecues. Highly recommend to all wanting bbq or traditional southern cuisine. read more

We are staying at a nearby AirBnB and wanted a good place to have dinner for our anniversary. This place was our choice. We were sat promptly on a Friday night! Nice country atmosphere, napkins on the table and attentive server. We started with a chef salad that was gigantic, delicious fries served with pork, baby back ribs, and country fried steak. I never have had fried green beans! They tasted like a green been casserole! Really big servings too. Plenty of staff to run restaurant on a busy night too so you didn't have to wait long to get your check, boxes, etc. read more

I ordered a Turkey Sub all the way!! lettuce, tomato, extra mayo and a slice of raw onion and whatever they had for condiments. It arrive on a small hoagie roll with a paper thin slice of Turkey one thin sliced tomato (cut in half) a slice of cheese (cut in half) a few pieces of onion after I told them I didn't get any onion and nothing else with barely enough mayo to spread on the bread. I don't know what happened as I had ordered subs before that were ok but whoever built this sub knows NOTHING about sandwich building. NEVER AGAIN.. I've had better subs from a gas station convenient store that were pre made. read more

Price high but food yummy I go there often frendley people nice place to eat at lots go there

Stopped in after swimming in the springs all day, hands down the best bbq pork sandwich. Carolina bbq sauce and sweet bbq sauce are amazing. Our server Kevin was great and very attentive, treated us like locals. we loved it!! A must stop by after the spring!! read more

Top Notch! There is a reason why this place is always packed. If you are in the area do yourself a favor and stop in and see why. Great ribs/wings and steaks. I keep wanting to try more things on the menu but the things I've had have been so good I just keep going back for more read more

Rachel G. and I went to Akins' tonight after hearing much hype about the place for months and I can't say we were at all let down. Akins' is oft-claimed to be the best BBQ in north-central Florida, and I will gladly give it that honor. I had fried shrimp, a non-BBQ item, but Rachel G. had BBQ sliced pork and I tried it and it was some of the best BBQ I've recently had anywhere. Moreover, the fried shrimp were fried in a very light salt-and pepper batter that wasn't heavy at all like many Southern cookin' places do fried seafood. My side dishes, sweet tater fries and grits, were both perfectly fine and Rachel G. also seemed pleased with her sides. The BBQ sauce was very tasty too. All prices seemed very fair (the shrimp was even on special tonight!) and their variety is outstanding for a BBQ place with the aforementioned seafood and also some non-BBQ sandwiches on offer. The waitress was prompt and polite and the whole staff seemed on top of their game. Bell is a small town in Gilchrist County, to the west of Alachua County. It has a high school, some churches, and some local businesses. Aside from that and the fact it's half-way between Branford and Trenton on 129, there's not so much there. Still, it's easy enough to get to Bell by driving from Gainesville out CR 232 and the north on 129 to Bell and it's worth the trip to eat at Akins'. I feel very strongly that if Akins' opened up a location in Gainesville, they'd soon run the other lackluster BBQ joints here out of business. read more