The food was fantastic as usual, always consistently good. Reminds you of real home cooked meals that your Mom made. The ribs are fantastic and to my amazement to the crab-cakes were great. The best I've had since moving to Fl. Interior inside and out very rustic and original. read more

A good ole fashion BBQ joint. Their food is excellent, customer service is great and prices are reasonable.

I've been driving past this restaurant for years and finally made a point of stopping in. It was Saturday afternoon in June and the restaurant was about 1/3 full. I found the staff to be friendly and our server did a very good job. The restaurant inside and out along with the men's restroom were all very clean. Based on all these observations, I really wanted the BBQ to be outstanding! Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed. The first disappointment was how long the food took to get to the table. It's BBQ so it's not made to order and should have never taken the 25 minutes to get to the table. I do have to compliment the server who kept our drinks full! Now for my review of the food; "Pulled Beef Brisket"-Good portion of meat and the brisket was moist and had a good beef taste. Unfortunately, there was NO smoke flavor at all nor any flavor from the dry rub either. As I said, it was moist but did not have any resemblance to BBQ. "Baby Back Ribs"-They we're part of a 2 meat combo, along with the brisket. If you have read my posts, you know that I am a very avid BBQ smoker myself and make a point of going to BBQ restaurants whenever I can. This was supposed to be a 1/2 rack of baby backs but we're more like a 1/4 rack. The meat did fall off the bone but like the brisket, there was absolutely no smoke taste at all. The first sign that I noticed that caught my attention was that The ribs were smothered in barbecue sauce. To me that's always a sign that they're trying to cover something up. Sauce should enhance the meat that it is served with and should serve as a complement but not as the over powering taste of the product. Like the brisket, besides not having any smoke taste, there was also no dry rub taste either. I feel the ribs were probably the biggest disappointment on my plate. Sides: "Collard Greens"-to me, the greens were the best item on the plate. They had a great taste with a perfect combination of vinegar and salt. I only wish that I would've seen or tasted some type of meat inside of it, like a piece of bacon or something. "Steak Fries"-I chose steak fries because they are the most common "non-homemade" side dish that could be served with BBQ. They offered a tremendous amount of awesome looking side dishes but the reason I chose the fries were for the specific reason of I wanted to see what they would do with them and how they would put their twist on such a common plain product. They were hot. That's it. They did absolutely nothing to the fries before serving except cook them. There was no salt on them and there is absolutely nothing special about them. They weren't even home made! They could easily cut their own potatoes blanch them and fry them to order which would definitely have been a better product than the frozen one they use. "Mac & Cheese"-this was also a very disappointing side dish. When you tasted the mac & cheese, which they use cavatappi pasta, there was an overwhelming butter taste. One would think that when you order mac & cheese that cheese would be the overwhelming taste, but this was all about the butter. "Beans"-definitely right out of a can and warmed up. There were tiny pieces of possibly onion in it but it wasn't anything that looked like they put time into making it their own. "Hush Puppies"-these hush puppies were very good. They had little kernels of corn inside of them and we're cooked to perfection. My only criticism is that they were a little bit greasy when you bite into them. Other than that I thoroughly enjoyed them. I think for the non-barbecue water, they may be very happy with the plate of food that we were served. But for somebody like me who has very high expectations on barbecue, because I make it myself, I was very disappointed. I don't think I will go back nor are they what I consider a "T-shirt worthy" barbecue place. I'm sure they have their regular customers who enjoy that kind of barbecue, but I am not one of those. By the way, I also felt that $19 for a two meat combo dinner plate was way too expensive for the quality of food that I got. Oh yeah, ca$h only! read more

I have loved this place for a long time ! So many memories with my mom having her veg plate and it is still the best crab cakes around The owner is one strong working women The Staff is always friendly and helpful read more

Service was excellent. All the comfort food you can imagine. Save room for amazing desserts too

Although they have nice outdoor seating with fans, we decided to do a carry out order. Ordered pulled pork, mac & cheese, and corn fritters. Everything was tasty! Especially the corn fritters!! The sauce has a nice balance of sweet and vinegar. The Mac & cheese was okay, a little shy on cheese. While picking up the order we saw they had Homemade Sweet Biscuit Strawberry Shortcake, so we added it to the order. They packaged it all separately so we could enjoy it later. The biscuit was very buttery, and we could tell it was definitely made by hand. The strawberries were wonderfully sweet! read more

While the service is good the food is not what it used to be. Have been coming here for 10 years when on vacation and unfortunately it appears that a microwave has become their friend. I will say the crab cake and collard greens were good but all of the bbq and even the Mac and cheese had very clearly been microwaved. Too bad...used to be amazing. read more

Way better then Sonny's. Brisket very goo d I loved the ribs laid like the bbq on a bun

Hickory Hollow serves the best barbecue in Florida... traditional Eastern NC BBQ (vinegar-based pork, pulled and chopped) perfectly executed. I was born and raised in Eastern NC, so I'm pretty particular about my BBQ. After 12 years living in the state of Florida, I had come to the conclusion that Florida just doesn't know how to do BBQ. Hickory Hollow proved me wrong. My husband is from the Palmetto area, and he has been raving about Hickory Hollow for as long as we've been together. 5 years later, I finally got to try Hickey Hollow and I understand the hype. They really nailed the pulled pork and everything else we ordered. The pulled pork is perfectly seasoned and balanced, tender and flavorful from the vinegar sauce. The first bite immediately brought me back home to Eastern NC. The journey continued with the sides, including: - Large corn fritters (hush puppies) - Tender collard greens, which were bursting with flavor - Tomatoes with sauerkraut... a surprising find, but AMAZINGLY good - Fried okra, which reminded me of Sunday dinners at Grandma's house The food here transported me to a time and place quite dear to my heart. It was so delicious that I was dying to go back with my husband. Luckily, we're on the same wavelength (and he has excellent taste), so we stopped by again 4 days after my first visit, on our way home to Orlando. I think we're gonna have to head back to Ellenton / Palmetto more often to get our Hickory Hollow fix. And next time, we may need to come for dinner so I can order one of the many enticing microbrews featured on the menu. Their beer selection looks pretty incredible! A few tips: - This is a cash-only establishment, but there's an ATM in the front of the restaurant. They don't charge fees, but your bank might, so plan accordingly. - Get here a little early so you have your pick of tables. The booths are roomy and inviting. - Wear stretchy pants, because the portions are massive. I was very full when I left after both visits... and I took home lots of leftovers both times! read more

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We ordered carry out when my inlaws were in town. My husband and I were not impressed with the food. My dish, the chopped sirloin, was bland and overcooked. They also forgot our order of cheese curds. They told us to come back for the curds which was a bit frustrating. I wish they would have just refunded our card. The cheese curds ended up being the saving grace since I didn't even eat my meal. The fried okra was pretty good as well. My pups were happy because I rinsed the seasoning off the overcooked sirloin and gave it to them for dinner. read more

This was a great find. The food was delicious. The crab cake was amazing and loaded with crab meat, not fillers. Best crab cake I've had in a long time. The pulled pork and St. Louis ribs were also delicious. Squash with cheese side, collards, and macaroni salad were also delicious. The food is great, service was very attentive and prices were very reasonable. Best meal for the price that I have had in a long time. We will be back. read more

Some people like bland shredded meat. Some people like boiled ribs. Just not me. Seriously, I have cooked better BBQ than this in my oven. That is just sad. I used to consider myself a connoisseur of charred meats and barbeque, but now I seriously just don't know anymore. Now, I find myself confused, mostly by the rave reviews of this place. Maybe the rave reviews are what ruined it for me, because I was expecting something amazing and got something mediocre. Quick background: I was raised on a hay farm in S. Georgia and we grew our own veggies and slaughtered our own meats. We also had a pear tree that we would make cobbler from during season and would then bottle (canning in glass jars) for the rest of the year. Harvested corn was grated on a washboard and made into creamed corn, then frozen for the winter, etc. I could go on about slow country food, but you get the point. So, Hickory Hollow should be my type of food right? Not really, because everything there just seemed canned or pre-fab. I always try to support local business, but only when it tastes good. Ever watched Semi Homemade with Sandra Lee on the Food Network (http://www.semihomemade.com/)? This is her Barbeque episode turned into a restaurant. We arrived on a Saturday right at noon, the place was almost full. It seemed that most were people shopping for antiques in the area. The Christmas decorations were still up and it is almost March, maybe I am missing something. On the door it states, "If you are in a rush, you picked the wrong place." Which I thought was great. The servers did not seem happy to see us or happy in general. I saw them arguing with the table next to us about splitting checks. By 12:38, there was a twenty minute wait, but at least we were seated. The Key Lime Deviled Eggs ($4.95, photo) had such a strong flavor of honey mustard that you could not even taste any egg, and definitely no lime flavor. I only ate one after taking the photo and tossed the rest. The Pulled Pork Sandwich ($6.50) was neither flavorful nor generous in portion. The Pork Ribs Lunch ($9.95, photo) is two tiny ribs and one normal sized rib that is boiled for a long time and then covered in sauce before plating. The sweet sauce was pretty much ketchup with cracked black pepper in it, that is all. In the south, a boiled rib is not one to be had, and is considered pretty damn lame compared to slow cooked, smoked, or grilled dry or wet. The meats were not impressive or good quality, and we were not the only people that think so, since pretty much everyone there ordered the veggie plate. If an eatery is not going to have good barbeque, then they should not consider themselves a barbeque restaurant, just a country cooking place. The yam patties were excellent and had lots of spice. The fried okra was straight out of the freezer and you can buy it at any local supermarket. The Mac and Cheese was covered in processed cheese food, not made with a rue and real cheddar like I am used to. The Cherry Cobbler was canned cherries covered in biscuit dough, and topped off with Publix vanilla ice cream. The height of the meal was the tender and delicious corn fritters and the full sugar cola that I allowed myself to have. There are picnic tables under a canopy of trees, as well as benches out front for people to wait to be seated, which looked very comfy. There was also a very lonely and depressed goat in a cage out back that I am assuming is the restaurant pet. Three stars because it is OK, I would not even go as to say A-OK, just ok. $32.86 for two people for lunch on a Saturday. Try the place out for yourself and see if it lives up to the rave reviews. read more

Hickory Hollow Barbeque - Key Lime Deviled Eggs - Barbeque Near Me - Ellenton, Florida

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My wife and I have been looking for authentic Maryland style crab cakes since we've moved to Florida with no success. Ironically, we heard this BBQ place had some of the best and they weren't kidding. Some of the best crab cakes we've had anywhere. Can't wait to try the rest of their menu! Did not expect it out of this fairly hidden old Florida style restaurant. Overall, a great experience. read more

First off, let me say I hate giving bad reviews. These people work very hard and try their best I suppose. However, we'll start with the service. Very nice and friendly but if you're looking for a place that knows what they are doing, and have experienced wait staff, this is not your place. They actually don't even know what they are doing at all. Lost. Now to the food. How do you mess up barbecue? This place has to be the worst barbecue I've ever had. I'll post some pictures to go along with it. It looks good but it's very expensive and just is not good. The baby back ribs were dry. My wife ordered a sirloin steak and it was sirloin burger. Their bread pudding is six dollars and the wine sauce taste bitter and horrible. The sides were lukewarm at best. I just do not recommend this place at all. Save your money and go to Mission barbecue or Sonny's or Bubba cues. anywhere but here. read more

Very happy with the taste of the food and great service. Place is very clean. Crabs cakes very very good. You won't be disappointed.

This spot is one you might not even look at as you drive by, but you should! I came here for a dinner with coworkers and everything was great. Their sides might have been my favorite part of the meal. It's small but it stayed full of happy customers the whole time I was there. read more

Hickory Hollow Barbeque - Menu with the side options for the day! I loved the spinach soufflé and the squash with cheese. - Barbeque Near Me - Ellenton, Florida

I was quite impressed by the crab cakes. They used Phillips blue crab and it had the authentic flavor and texture. Southern sides are definitely enjoyable but I make A better hush puppy !! read more

Just good food. Slow service but worth it. You will leave full! Good for groups. Can't wait to go back.

Really good bbq and mostly fresh vegetables. You go there for the food not for atmosphere or the service, but the food makes it worth the trip. If you truly love good QUE you'll like this place read more

Wish I could give much less stars! Came with my family and was hoping for a great early dinner but instead ending up either sending things back or feeling slightly sick. Service was unfriendly, unhelpful and not worth mentioning. Food took over 30 minutes for precooked overdone, not even luke warm food. Baked chicken was crockpot chicken with incredibly sweet bbq sauce and sides either were frozen or really old. Black eyed peas were still uncooked and crunchy. Sent back beef au jus as it was crock pot shredded beef covered in grease served on a once burnt hamburger roll now soggy and cold in grease. PULLED PORK NC Style was very sweet lacked vinegar and no seasonings. I didn't mention that the first 4 things we ordered they didn't have or as waitress put it "I'm not sure but I dont think we can s we're rve those" Definitely avoid this place. read more

This place is sooo good! It's a local gem ! They have outdoor / inside dining - it's a bit buggy sometimes so they use huge fans outside . They have really delicious sweet potatoe little Pattie's , not sure what they're called but it's yummy! The ribs are good too! We've gone there with the family quite often, the kids love the animals in the back- duck , goat and goose. read more

Hey Marylanders, ignore these other reviews. This is a hidden gem. We know all these southern states claim to know crab cakes, especially "Maryland crab cakes". Well Hickory Hollow nailed it. These were even better than back home (for a fraction of the price). The server put her paycheck on the line. She was right. Eat here! read more

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We have been coming to Hickory Hollow since they opened...so basically my whole life. We picked this location to have my rehearsal dinner and they catered my wedding....and they were AMAZING! Jarrett went above and beyond to make my day amazing. He often told me that if I needed him to do anything for the wedding because I live in Wisconsin, he would be more than happy to be my eyes and ears. The food was amazing...everyone loved it. When the reception site was being negative, he went out and bought soda so my guests had something to drink. He stayed until the very end with us and helped out if we needed it. If you have ANY catering event...you need to use Hickory Hollow. read more

My husband had been wanting to try this as we drive by on road trips. I had the beef au jus and loved it! It didn't have a real smoky flavor, which I like. He had the pulled pork and said it was OK, but not much smoke flavor. I had the cheesy squash which was great. Neither of us liked the green beans- they need some bacon or something for flavor. Also, they tasted like they had vinegar, which I didn't like. The baked beans were also just okay. read more

Always great. It's my go to catering place when I have a big crowd coming to my house. Ribs and pulled pork are a staple but the fritters are a must, get extra as they go fast and people tend to hide them. Lol not kidding. read more

Fun atmosphere. Extremely friendly and welcoming staff. Food is phenomenal, including a long list of side items available. Will definitely go back. read more

Food was AMAZING, staff was SO friendly! Best BBQ and local spot in town!! Kristi Walls was so friendly and kind. Favorite spot for sure! Highly recommend!-Jenn read more

Cash only, but they have an ATM. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Awesome food. The menu is bigger than BBQ, but I can't tell you what anything else tastes like... I can't bring myself to order anything else. I always make sure I arrive hungry so I can take on a platter. And I love the large selection of side dishes. It's a no nonsense and casual atmosphere. And they have a surprisingly sophisticated, if eclectic, selection of beers. Do I need to add more? This place is worth a try if you like Carolina style BBQ. read more

Hickory Hollow Barbeque - Pulled pork. Corn fritters. Fried okra. Black-eyed peas. - Barbeque Near Me - Ellenton, Florida

Someone at the outlet referred us to this restaurant. It reminded us home away from home. Soul food it is and it was. I would come back again. read more

Hickory Hollow Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Ellenton, Florida

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Well the atmosphere is awesome the service is extremely slow and lacking. Coupled with the lack of side sauces mainly honey mustard, I cannot give this place more than two stars. read more

Female manager greets her customers with contempt. She was very rude and while visiting the restaurant she said they did not have enough menus for all the tables. We are still waiting on the food but either way we will not be back to a business that is so rude to customers that are not regulars. Our server was very pleasant seemed very well fitted for her job. She was great and very helpful with our order. read more

This is the second time in a while that we went here for baby back ribs and both times we left saying it's just not the same. I won't say it was bad but the ribs were tasteless and had no smokey flavor. It was like they were just baked with no rub or other seasoning and we always specify, no BBQ sauce which should never be where the taste comes from if done right. We won't be back and now we need to find a new place for baby backs. read more

Clearly family owned Got the pork tenderloins with fried okra and coleslaw. Pork was fine, everything tasted better with their assumably home made BBQ sauce. What was surprising was their beer stock, which was not too shabby. Without official business the next day, I would absolutely recommend getting a beer, something super blast your face off hoppy, to make their meal fantastic. All in all, a nice family restaurant to stop by, a place where you can get the down to earth service from peeps who clearly care about their restaurant. At the very least you can be entertained with the decorations as you wait for your food. read more

Hickory Hollow Barbeque - Fried life is always better - Barbeque Near Me - Ellenton, Florida

3 stars b/c the food was pretty good Right off of I75 but man the place needs a good scrub down - not sure I'll be back read more

Good Side Dishes, Mediocre Main Dishes There's nothing slick or corporate about Hickory Hollow. It kind of feels like Cracker Barrel's store number one in about 1965. Service is haphazard and great swaths of the menu is not available. The menu is simple sheets of paper inside of plastic sleeves, so how hard would it be in these days of computers to keep the beverage page reasonably up-to-date. Of course, it's still 1965 at Hickory Hollow. There is a long list of side dishes and these were the stars. The collard greens and the stewed tomatoes were stand-outs. I can't say the same for the main dishes. The charred prime rib, the baby-back ribs and the barbecued chicken all needed to be cooked longer and rendered down more. I would try Hickory Hollow again. On my next visit I'll pick the side dishes and maybe add a barbecue pork sandwich. read more

Outstanding southern cooked veggies and the bbq is awesome!! Love the place!!thanks for the food and service!!

My mom and I stopped by on a whim for lunch one afternoon. It did not disappoint! My mom's a bit of a bbq fiend, so we've tried bbq places all over the south ranging from Tennessee to Georgia to Alabama to North Carolina. This place is the real deal! Fall off the bone ribs, heaping sandwiches, delicious sides, and a friendly staff. The yam patties and Mac and cheese are a must for the sides. Definitely will be back. read more

So this has always been one of my very favorite places to come eat. The food has always been consistent and very good. However I went in today and the lady behind the counter was incredibly rude. We were missing one person from our party when we sat down and she refused to even bring us menus or water even though we told her we wanted to order an appetizer while we waited. She was talking about us to the waitresses and I was so unimpressed. I've been coming here for years but that lady really messed up today's experience. She was just grouchy and rude read more

Very good BBQ place. Easily missed from the road - had to do a U-turn since I missed it the first time. Plain looking interior but the food makes up for it. Cash Only (but they do have ATM onsite) Gravel parking area. Be prepared to wait if you come during a busy time - it's a small place with not a lot of tables. Had the NC Pulled Pork platter which comes with 2 gigantic corn fritters (large hushpuppies that have corn in them) and 2 sides. The mac 'n cheese was good /homemade (definitely not from a box). I also had the fried okra which I thought was okay. If you need more BBQ sauce for your meat - you can ask for more and they have a sweet sauce and a spicy sauce. Overall, I would recommend giving this place a try. It's a well kept secret that only the locals know about and it's delicious!! read more

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BBQ was good but the Crabcake Sandwich was the star of the show. I'm from Baltimore and am usually disappointed with a "Maryland style" crabcake in FL. My wife spotted the crabcake on the menu but I felt like it was a big risk ordering this in a BBQ place. She rolled the dice and was rewarded with the best crabcake sandwich we've ever had in FL....fried not broiled...mayo not calypso sauce...all meat...no filler. It was so good she only let me steal a small bite to confirm the yumminess. Learned that the owner is from MD and cooks them to order herself. I'll be back frequently. read more