Finally! BBQ that DID NOT Disappoint! Ribs, pulled pork, brisket, burnt ends, Brunswick stew, corn nuggets, fries and mac n cheese were all good. His tea was tasty too! The tangy Carolina sauce on the side was a huge hit! Even my kid who doesn't like BBQ ate a lot! Showed up at the same time as a bunch of others, so it took a bit of time to order but watching them cut and prep the meats, we knew it'd be worth the wait! Thank you Triple D for the recommendation! read more

We have been following Big Lee's success for a long time. He deserves all the hype! After trying his wings today (peach habanero and blueberry), we can honestly say they are the best we've ever had. THE BEST! The brisket's reputation goes without saying, it's absolutely amazing. And the cherry on top was we had the privilege of meeting the BBQ legend himself! read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - a tray of food - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Big Lee's did not disappoint. I had heard about Big Lee's on a cooking channel and drove about 2 hours to try it. The staff was courteous and the brisket/burnt ends was the best I have ever tasted. Check it out!! read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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Saw this place on TikTok wanting to give it a try. But don't waste your time or money going to the store. All reheating meat no cooking on site. Or you order the specials from the board. I would hope the food truck is better because the pits are on site. I got the meat samples plate not worth the 35 bucks. No sliced brisket in the box. Burnt ends were like stew meat ends. Chicken was rubber and yellow under the skin. read more

I drove an hour up here for them to run out of food. Don't operate a business that's popular and in high demand to run out of food an hour before closing. I won't be making that drive again. The only thing they had left was burgers and tacos. I got a burger. It's smashed style. The bottom of the burger was so wet it looked like someone dunked it in water and it disintegrated once picked up. I ate half and threw it away. The Cole slaw was good, but the baked beans tasted like they came out of a can. read more

I don't get the negative reviews. We tried Big Lee's today, and it was damn near perfect. The pilled park sandwich just melts in your mouth, the fries were crispy, and the guy at the register (Rashad) was super friendly and helpful he even came over to check on us. Food was delicious, hot, and fast. This not a dine in at your leisure kinda place, but the food and enthusiasm more than make up for it. Well done! read more

My husband has eaten at Big Lee's food truck whenever they are at gator games. The quality has gone down over the years. His food was dry and tasteless. No one in our group wanted to eat it. It ended up getting tossed. The service was slow. read more

Save your dime and go to Sonnys. 1. Small portions & sides 2. Over priced 3. Small dining area with patio style furniture 4. Charge a tip for no dining service **5. Mediocre tasting barbecue at best. read more

Took the drive from Jax Fl after seeing Triple D episode. Although the ribs, meaty and tender and the brisket was tender, they were cold as were the mac n cheese and the over fried okra. Everything was cold. read more

Best burnt ends we have ever had and yall the banana wafer pudding was fire! Can't recommend trying here enough! We will be back and we live around 2 hours away. The service was also fantastic they were greeting everyone as soon as you walked in the door and walked you through the menu! read more

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Food was great! Specials were a great price and good Had the porky and my wife the ribs. She loved them. Group of us others had burnt ends and brisket they said it was excellent!! Spoke to the owner Rashad nice guy Excellent courteous staff. read more

This place is amazing. The food was fantastic and the staff were friendly, engaging, and kind. The seating area is bright and colorful. Everything is clean and well taken care of. We'll be back. read more

Good but not worth the hour drive to Ocala. Some of the bbq meats were tender but not better than a place like OakWood restaurant. Sauces not that different or outstanding. Okra ok. Macaroni cheese very standard. Banana pudding not as good as something at Publix. Very crowded on a sat lunch so not great an experience in a stuffy a mall hole in the wall place. Would be nicer in a better larger location where the ordering line doesn't run through 1/2 of the restaurant. read more

Absolutely the best BBQ with great variety. Service was great. Combos had good portions.

very displeased! Drove an hour and 20 minutes to reach this place because of the great reviews. Arrived at 11:20 on Saturday and the cashier repeated our order and then rang up something else. I ordered the sliced brisket sandwich and received burnt ends. the meat was cold and the 16.00 price tag wasn't worth the cold sandwich. the bun for the sandwich was the size of a Mc Donald's hamburger. My side was fries was fantastic except I got maybe 12 at best. The rib plate my boyfriend got wasnt all that either. Our total bill was 44 dollars and my boyfriend walked out hungry. Also when I went to the counter about the mix up on the food order the owner was right there listening and said nothing because his camera wasn't set up. Once the camera was up he was so nice to everybody. To say the least we walked out very disappointed. read more

I forget his name, but he started with a food truck and worked his way up to a brick and mortar store. His food is good and service is good. Banana pudding is really good. Simple blue collar vibe. Only man to beat Bobby Flay in competition. read more

First visit to Big Lee's and I will definitely be back!! Delicious Rib Tips special with Mexican street corn and homemade coleslaw as sides. This is THE place for bbq in Ocala:) read more

Their food is amazing. Best in the area, hands down. Try their pulled pork sandwiches!

Food was phenomenal! The people working were so kind. The gentleman at that register talks to you like he's your neighbor and treats you like one. Cannot speak higher of our experience and this will be a reoccurring stop when we are in Ocala. It gets busy, but it's definitely earned that! read more

Big Lee's never disappoints, always amazing flavor and tenderness...Like home friendly atmosphere..

I went to this place today the brisket was amazing and the service was amazing the food was just amazing the price was good because it's not that expensive but if you think it expensive it is worth the price,love this this is amazing 10/10 would try again read more

The good: We have heard so much about this restaurant on social media, we had to try it as we were driving through Ocala. Brisket was amazing and pulled pork was very good. Ribs were good but I got the "Big" and only got two large ribs, one medium and one super small that looked like an end that was burnt and inedible. Sides were okay but not very large. The bad: one of the workers had an attitude. We got there at 7:00 pm (they close at 8:00 pm). Two out of three in our party wanted unsweetened tea but they were out. When we told them the tea was out, one of the girls said, "We're not making anymore. It's 7:00." We said, "what are we supposed to drink since we want unsweetened tea?" She said, "there are other drinks. Drink Diet Pepsi." The girl at the register (who was very nice) said she would make more tea and did. Overall, the food was good but not really sure what all the social media hype is all about. read more

Food truck at Swamp Head, Nov 14th. Everything about the experience was not good. There are lights on the side of the truck aimed at the patrons. Could not see the 8.5x11" single paper menu taped behind the glassv due to the size and blinding light. Food was below par. Burnt ends were not burnt and mostly fat. Not warm at all. Small portion for $20. Food came out fast, probably because it was sitting for hours. Come on Swamp Head, do better than that. read more

I wanted to check this place out while here on business and heard the Food Network buzz. Unfortunately the experience wasn't great. We walked in and were greeted by a young lady talking very loudly at us about all of the things they didn't have available. We decided to still give it a shot. The ordering process was a complete mess. I don't even know who we actually gave our order to. There were three people moving around behind the counter and one young man in the corner appeared to be writing things down. We asked for what you would call a combo platter of ribs and brisket and instead they gave us like a pound of brisket and ribs and charged us $97 (maybe it was two pounds). At that point we were so hungry we just took it. The ribs were enormous, and average. The brisket was all chopped, because as we were told upon entry that's all we could get. No sides were offered, no confirmation of our order, nothing. I heard two or three more couples come in and were greeted the same way although because it was getting close to closing, they close at 7pm on a Friday, they had even fewer options. I think this goes to show that cooking great BBQ and running a brick and mortar restaurant that serves said BBQ are two COMPLETELY different worlds. Someone needs to train these folks or this restaurant won't be around much longer. Maybe stick to food trucks or a smaller operation. If you want good BBQ and service, go to Sonny's and skip this one. read more

This was my first experience here at this dining establishment and I was knocked out of my socks. I cannot understand the negative press this restaurant has gotten from some people with what I can "dull palates". Hmmm....Just goes to show that some people may not want to put their 2-cents in when they obviously are out of their elements as far as culinary arts. The Burnt Ends (brisket) were perfectly prepared and did NOT need the Sweet Barbecue sauce I selected. When I need to use barbecue sauce on anything, it means that the meat is subpar. This brisket was awesome: most, tender with just a little fat! I also selected the baked beans which had a flavor that popped, zesty with just the ring balance of "zing". I also selected the fried okra which was very good, not oily at all. The sweet roll that came with the meal was good too. Yes, the sweet sauce was delicious and also had that special "zing" to it. I loved, loved , loved how ALL customers were greeted by the owner Rashad, a very handsome and personal man. Leyla took my order at the counter and she was also amazing, very knowledgeable and she told me that the Burn Ends were one of the favorites. Of course, I tipped (because people: the counter people ARE serving you) and Leyla was very grateful for it. The food was plated in a timely manner (to go). I was so grateful that the sushi place next door was closed on the day I went (yesterday/Wednesday) or I would have NOT noticed this place next door. It's tucked away in the corner of the strip center. Ocala denizens: DO give it a try! I will definitely be back and send as many customers there was as I can. I'll definitely be back as it's a perfect treat before any movie I watch (as they are also located 1 minutes away from Regal Ocala). It'll save me from getting popcorn and a soda. WHY waste my money on that junk when I can get absolutely delicious barbecue! DO try BIG LEE'S - SERIOUS ABOUT BARBECUE (the actual name). I love the backstory of Uncle "Big Lee" which is on the wall of this establishment, as well. A+ and keep up the great food and service, Rashad and company! read more

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Hear me out....get the BIRRIA BURRITO. I got this to go btw. It's packed with the most tender meat and tastes amazing!!! I got a side of their tangy hot sauce for dipping and let's just say I'll be back next Tuesday. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

My friend & I heard that Big Lee's Barbecue was good & decided to try it out. We were very disappointed. All the tables were dirty. The chairs were very uncomfortable & slippery to sit in. The customers service was poor. The food was low quality, small portions, & expensive. We did not get what we ordered. We wanted burnt ends which they were out of & agreed to take sliced brisket & received shredded along with some big clumps of fat. They make you pay in advance so when I said it wasn't what I ordered & didn't want it - too bad. When I complained to the manager, he said next time he would get us what we wanted. I told him that I didn't plan on coming back. He said, "Well, we make some enemies." read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Clumps of Fat - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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No one was in the place eating. They didn't have a small chicken (although it is on the menu). Don't drink anything with sugar and they no longer give you a cup to get water from the fountain! Really? They used to! Great way to chase away business. Especially since I was the only costumer in the place. So I left without them getting my business. Avoid this place. No longer a repeat costumer! read more

Great place! We both got the wings special (4 wings and two sides for $15...not including a drink...pricey) and they were sauced with a tasty blueberry moonshine sauce. Sounds different, and I normally wouldn't order it, but it was quite good! Wings were a great size...cooked perfectly. Baked beans, fries = good, Mexican street corn =excellent, coleslaw = not my favorite. We know their ribs are excellent, but they also have other menu items. Even smash burgers! Damon, the store manager, stopped by our table and chatted for a bit. Nice guy!! Very clean and very nice staff. We will be back! read more

Just opened up July 4 week.. so working out some kinks.. got. Half rack ribs and half LB burnt ends .. ribs cooked perfectly tender but left the bite on the bone... membrane removed which is a good sign of a true pit master versus an amateur. The burnt ends were not real burnt ends but the point of the brisket cut into 1 inch cubes.. but that said was very tender and juicy brisket.. to be a true burnt end should have been covered with more rub and sauce and left on smoker to caramelize.... good brisket not on the level of Franklin in Austin or OK Joes in Kansas City but a great stop and looking to even better in the future.. just say impressed with the Staff and the attitude ... I'm sure will only get better with time. read more

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10/10 the ribs were fall-off-the-bone delicious. We drove down from Jacksonville after watching an episode of Diner's, Drive-ins, and Dives. The food did not disappoint. I was, however, not impressed with the service. The set up is wonky and there's not enough inside seating. The Kathy was yummy, but I wouldn't get it again with an $8 price tag. Overall, the food was everything we had hoped it would be and it was with worth the trip. read more

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Greeted immediately when we walked in the door. We ordered the Big Brisket pit meal and the small brisket pit meal. Had 2 sides with each meal. The BBQ brisket was tender and tasty. The okra was amazing. Serving sizes were great!!! We thoroughly enjoyed eating here. We visited with a young couple for about 15 minutes and little did we know it was Rashad & Patrice Jones, owners of Big Lee's. Amazing, friendly and wonderful people. Clean restaurant and absolutely recommend eating here. Patrice and Rashad are delightful people and very down to earth. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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Best barbecue ever in our travels. Service super personal. Pulled pork deserves 10 stars. Unique sides spectacular.

I wish the Sweet Tea was sweet! It's more like Iced Tea. Not a fan of the coleslaw. But the ribs are yummy !! The vibe is nice & service is good. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Ribs plate with Mac & Cheese and coleslaw - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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The Positive is the place was very clean staff was amazing and the Okra was great. The negatives very very disappointed in the full dinner of ribs we got 3 ribs good but not great the sauces were OK but nothing special the Mac and Cheese seemed like a frozen dinner. We won't be going back. After the hype on the radio it just wasn't worth it read more

I believe in rating establishments qualitatively and not quantitatively, so in other words; it doesn't really matter if the service was good if you came there to eat and the food was bad, then you get rated on your purpose of patronizing the establishment. It's the same thing as if you took your car in to get new tires and they washed your car instead. With this in mind, I decided to take my wife here on February 8th to eat, because we were running behind on our shopping. The place seemed mostly clean, except for the walls, which could use some attention, as when BBQ sauce dries, it looks like dried blood. The place was pretty loud with people ordering up front and when attempting to move towards the back of the restaurant, we were bombarded by the loud music, as the place seemed like an echo chamber. They do have outside tables; however, it was a bit cold and we didn't have our jackets. We were informed they were running a special on large plates for $15, but after leaving later on discovered they only charged us that way on one plate and the other two were $17 & $18. I attempted to add chicken to my ribs plate and the lady informed us they don't do that, so we ordered three large plates of chicken, ribs and brisket. Each plate came with two sides; however, they didn't have enough sides to choose six to our liking. So in other words, you have to order six sides when getting three plates instead of being allowed to add chicken to a rib plate or a different combination. This practice is a ripoff and just another way of getting you to order more than you actually need. When we received the food, the (5) ribs (large plate?) were luke warm, straight out of the smoker and had no BBQ on them, the chicken was colder than the ribs, with mushy and greasy skin, not crisp. The brisket (less than two small handfuls), was colder still and cut into half inch cubes, as if to serve it to your dog. The Macaroni & Cheese was rubbery, fries were cold and cole slaw could have been less dry. Not to mention, all were served in very small containers, the least of which was the cole slaw, which was served in a ramekin sized container, which is smaller than the smallest baby food jar. The meals came with Hawaiian rolls, which were not fresh baked, but purchased from a company and they did not have options for either corn on the cob, corn bread, or biscuts.They do have containers of BBQ sauce to choose from, but I came here to eat BBQ, not smoked meats and slather BBQ sauce on them. Not everyone likes to do this. Even our cat turned its nose up at the leftovers. I cannot believe this place is rated higher than Pig and Cattle up the street on SR 200. They have great food, plenty of sides to choose from and are in larger portions for less. Out of the three BBQ extablishments we have been, this one comes in a distant third. read more

The food is good I can't deny but the service is what is popping. The girls inside Ke and Lee are so courteous and helpful and I adore it. It's hard to find this lately so it stands out. Kudos!!! read more

I've been several times and the food is ALWAYS on point. Service is alway polite and respectful. My favorites are the pulled pork sandwich and fried okra. read more

Fantastic BBQ you can't go wrong eating here. They have food Trucks around area also

Some of the best ribs in all of Florida, some of the best (and most unique) birria tacos in the entire south. read more

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