Great service! Being on island time has kind of thrown off our internal clocks, we lost track of time, and when 7pm rolled around we realized we were hungry lol We knew what we wanted MacDaddy's BBQ, during our 7 hour drive to get here we pulled up Yelp to search for some new restaurant options, and after seeing the photos and positive reviews we knew this spot was on our list! What we didn't think about was it being a weekday and closing times, we just goofed! So anyway once we realized the restaurant closed at 8:00pm according to Google we got a little worried, being that I work in a restaurant I know how overwhelming it can be to see customers coming in less than an hour until close, fortunately my hubs double checked here on Yelp and then their website and found the closing time was 8:30pm, so we hopped in the car and got there as soon as we could, and we were relieved to see a few people still eating, and another arriving just after we pulled in. There was a little curfuffle once we were sat, the hostess initially offered us a table with bench seating, but one of us isn't able to sit on a bench due to disability, she kindly offered us a table with chairs, in what appeared to be a different servers section, we were close to the TV on the same wall as the front counter, anyway, after sitting a few minutes Johnathan greeted us and took our drink orders to get us started. The ambiance is so relaxed, there was trivia on a couple of the TV's good music, and lots of cool merch to buy, some of the shirts really made me laugh. We quickly made our selections, hubs got the one meat and two sides and opted for the pork ribs, they were cooked to perfection, and he was delighted considering that we were there the last hour of the day, he really enjoyed his meal, I too opted for the one meat and two sides, selecting the regular sausage, and it was delicious. The highlight was Johnathan, he was friendly, made recommendations, and offered dessert, which we couldn't resist, deciding on the German Chocolate cake, with a side of ice cream. We had to take that to go, we couldn't eat another bite. They have two choices for BBQ sauce, hubs got spicy, and I got regular, and I am glad cuz I'm a yellow bellied tender foot, I tasted the spicy and it IS spicy so for all of you that enjoy the heat, I think you will like their, tomato forward sauce. I usually like to dip each bite of my sausage in BBQ sauce, this particular flavor was just different, I think I will have to try it again, it wasn't typical Texas-esque smoky BBQ sauce, more like ketchup as the base and then flavors and spices added to make it their own, we did find it slightly odd that BBQ sauce doesn't automatically come with the meals, we had to ask for it, but one of the things I REALLY like about MacDaddy's layout is it's a TRUE sit down restaurant with servers vs going thru a cafeteria style line to get our food, ironically as we drove down and talked about wanting to find a BBQ spot, and in that conversation I mentioned that I'd love to find one that's not self serve, being that one of us is disabled it can add a lot of extra work for the other, we come down twice a year if possible and have been doing so for at least 10 years, and had never found a dedicated BBQ place, we have now, the food was good, the service was friendly and the vibe was casual and relaxing, we will definitely be back! read more

MacDaddy's Family Kitchen - Pork Ribs, mashed potatoes, and Cole slaw (one of the ribs was already being eaten when I took this picture lol - Southern Near Me - Port Aransas, Texas

See all

Great find on our vacation. Fantastic burgers, fried fish, sides and wings. The only let down was some brisket we ordered as an appetizer. Brisket needed seasoning. Otherwise, great food, prices, service and I wish I had room for their cobbler. read more

The Parmesan Crusted Fish was amazing. The brisket and turkey were also good. The service was outstanding. I was too full for dessert but love that they have on the menu apple cobbler, as everyone else seems to have only peach. If I lived here rather than just vacationing, I'd happily eat here regularly. read more

I wanted to leave a raving review I REALLY did. We used to LOVE this place but we both feel it's changed now. Not sure what it is. It's not the best BBQ you'll ever have and not the best in the area either anymore.. My shrimp was still slightly frozen when biting them and it definitely wasn't what I expected for a shrimp cocktail. The mashed potatoes were like massive 1-2 inch chunks of potato, which I absolutely did not recall. The chunks were also undercooked making it not a great side overall. I had to eat around the chunks because of the fact they were hard. Coleslaw was again, okay. I didn't not like my turkey at all it was super dry, again, I remember it being juicy and amazing before. The jalapeño sausage however was still great! My husband liked his meal, but when we did our most recent BBQ ranking they didn't make his Top 5 anymore. read more

See all

this place was great again! despite being busy, they sat us down and served us! our server, reese, was very nice, and the fried chicken plate with TWO sides was phenomenal! they closed in the middle of our meal, but they didn't kick us out and they waited for us to finish!! read more

The atmosphere was great but the food was below par; bland & flavorless, it felt like more of bar food than family dining. The host was very professional & attentive but the worst part of the experience here was the party fee you're made to pay so that means the waiter gets paid half the check amount from each customer. Absolutely outrageous! Never been a restaurant in my life that does that! Completely terrible experience, do not recommend anyone going there. Very disappointing experience! read more

MacDaddy's Family Kitchen was yet another Port Aransas, TX, restaurant that said we would have a 45-minute wait, yet, seated us way earlier than anticipated. Indoor and outdoor seating was available, but I know the kids were a little low energy from the heat, so we wanted inside. Our waiter, while nice, was forgetful about several things. He apologized profusely when he forgot my daughter's tartar sauce after three times requesting it. I opted for the "Barnyard Burger" ($18) which entailed a "1/4 lb beef patty, cheddar cheese (by request), sliced smoked sausage, topped with a fried (sunny side up) egg." For my side, I had the delicious lightly oily house chips. All of the sides were made from scratch. The sausage was really good and my patty was okay - cooked medium to my liking. My kiddos both received kid's meal. My oldest enjoyed her flaky white fried fish and tater tots. Afterwards, they both got to make fabulous swirl ice cream cones. Private lot parking was available. RATING BREAKDOWN Food: 4 | Service: 4 | Ambiance: 4 | Price: 4 read more

See all

We just went here for drinks and for tje record typically really like this place, however we ordered a roughly 9 dollar margarita and a 12.50 margarita and asked for what the top shelf uncharted was. We didn't get an answer but ordered Lalo and when the bill came the total was $50. They charged $12 per maragarita! When I asked for a manager a gentleman showed up and basically had no answer nor did he care. When I asked how to contact the owners I was told they didn't allow direct contact. So owners if you read this please send this and respond. read more

Food was so good!! Would definitely go back. Service was great as well. Atmosphere was lively and fun.

Large portions, friendly staff good value for the money. Teenager says the bacon cheeseburger was in his top 3 best burgers, smoked turkey was delicious. Wings were decent. read more

One of our favorite bbq spots!! Food is amazing, service is always great and they have cool merch!! Our last visit, my husband went off script and ordered a burger. "Best burger I ever had!" He said! I enjoyed the brisket and pulled pork along with my favorite side: jalapeño creamed corn!! We take our visitors there without fail! read more

just got into town and smelled what i thought was steak when we drove by. we were planning on eating fish but came back to get a steak, no steak but bbq was on the menu. Glad we made the stop... living closer to the bbq capital of texas i was surprised by the brisket here, it was pretty good as was the turkey. we asked our waitress Joanna what sides she liked and ended up trying the potato salad, beans brussel sprouts, mac & chs, all of which were damn good!! the potato salad has a twist on it but it is a good one. the corn bread is some of the best ive ever had, EVER!! Our waitress was very polite and would definitely make it one of our stops when in town again. read more

MacDaddy's Family Kitchen - brisket olate with mac&chs and brussel sprouts - Southern Near Me - Port Aransas, Texas

See all

Best food, best service. Aaron was a very good waiter. My family will definitely come back.

Delilah was delightful, the food was subpar today, we've eaten in here several times and had significantly better experiences, today my corn bread was very hard on the outsides, the brisket was more than 50% fat. The mac and cheese was delicious per usual. read more

See all

The bbq nachos were really good, we got them with pork and with the bbq sauce on the side. The cheese has a really good flavor to it. I got the fried chicken and it was really good and juicy but it was very greasy on the bottom of the chicken. I wish that they could drain it better before putting it on the plate. The Mac and cheese tasted better on my last visit, this time it was a little too dry (not creamy/cheesy enough). The cornbread was really good especially with butter. The rib was plain, would not get it again (I prefer ribs that are saucy and glazed). The restaurant was very clean. Our server was friendly. The man at the front counter was also friendly but not the blonde woman (maybe she had a bad day). But still had a overall good vibe to the restaurant. Would return in the future. read more

MacDaddy's Family Kitchen - Fried Chicken - Southern Near Me - Port Aransas, Texas

Customer service was outstanding!!! We ordered the lunch sandwich deals and got the turkey w/fries and the sausage w/mac-n-cheese and an extra side of their cream jalapeño corn. Came with onions and pickles with a side of BBQ sauce. Meat was outstanding so was the cream of corn!! The Mac and cheese is a little bland for my liking but still good, and the fries tasted old. Recommend if you are in the area read more

Very good BBQ spot the corn bread was very tasty and the butter so sweet. I got the lemon pepper smoked and fried wings mac and cheese and corn bread super good but didn't taste much lemon was more of a butter sauce. We also had the jalepeno sausage with their spicy BBQ sauce was good! KIDS GET FREE ICE CREAM. read more

See all

service was a little weird, we were told the wait was 1.5-2 hours and it was only 40 mins, and there was another instance where our waiter was rude to another table. BUT the food was really good i got the macdaddy's burger and i like it a lot even im not really a burger person. read more

MacDaddy's Family Kitchen - macdaddy burger - Southern Near Me - Port Aransas, Texas

Fast and friendly service, but the food is pretty average maybe even below average for BBQ. Brisket and ribs were not tender. Most of the brussel sprouts were burnt. Mac & cheese was bland. Enjoyed the sausage. I didn't try their seafood, so I can't comment there. Good portion sizes though, but overpriced for the quality. Expected better after reading the previous reviews. As a native Texan, this BBQ isn't the kind I'd go out of my way for or call delicious. Comfortable seating outdoors! A bit loud inside. read more

See all

Food was great and the server was so sweet! Fun place to go and loved the atmosphere.

New faces but still great food and service. Shout out to Troy the manager and Valerie our server! We thoroughly enjoyed our special night! read more

See all

Clean and large dining area. Family place. Large portions and good prices. Our server Ally was so nice and friendly. Pecan pie was delish! read more

See all

I've been coming to MacDaddy's since they first opened and have always had good experiences--until this visit. The food was disappointing: served at the wrong temperature, very dry brisket, dry mac and cheese that tasted like plain noodles, and shrimp that were overly salty. This was not the quality I've had here before. When I raised concerns, our server, Aaron L., showed no concern and made no effort to fix the issues. At checkout, he stepped in, handled the payment, kept $31.00 of my change without asking, and told me, "That's it, you can leave." Completely unprofessional. Very disappointing experience from start to finish. I hope management addresses both food quality and customer service. read more

See all

Food was just okay, definitely not worth the wait. I don't think anyone at our table finished their food. Service was beyond pitiful and terrible. Server's name was Oscar and we only ordered 4 waters, 1 rootbeer and 1 tea....it took him 4 times to get that part right. He was rude when taking our orders, no doubt frustrated because we had to keep requesting the CORRECT beverages. Next time we saw him, he dropped off the food, which was also passed out incorrectly and he gave to use to pass down and around the table, then he dipped out until it was time to drop the check. We paid and never saw him again even after we accepted the offer of free ice cream for the kids...then he never returned. We waited at the table for another 10 minutes then went up and requested the cones from the hostess. The only reason he received a tip is because of the mandatory 20% based on party size. I provided this feedback to the hostess, who apologized many times, and seemed to be embarrassed. She was the best part of the experience. Will not return, and will definitely NOT recommend this establishment to anyone I know heading to Port A. read more

We've been coming to MacDaddy's for a couple years and the service is always great. Overall it's pretty good. The nacho's are really tasty, At lunch I like the brisket sandwich with fries $17.00. The togo menu has a picnic pack that includes 8 pieces of good fried chicken, with two large sides and a gallon of tea for $40.00. It's a great deal! read more

Wife had brisket and I had the special of the day. A smashed baked potato with all the fixings. Plus chopped brisket on top. On both plates the brisket was very good. The mild BBQ sauce was a little spicy for us. But we are old. The server which I forget her name was, had a good personality. And although young sounded like she had been serving her whole life. Typical beach restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. read more

We visited here two years ago and it was good. This year the ribs were great but the brisket was dry. The broccoli was cooked with a weird spice no one liked. The turkey was delicious and my daughter loved the lemon parmesan fish. Overall, an okay dinner, but we wanted a better experience for the price. Service was great- fast and attentive server. Was a nice change from seafood. read more

Tried the smashed potato Lunch Special. Very good with the chili. Didn't know about the bottle of BBQ sauce on the table or I would have gotten the pulled pork. Well worth the trip. Service is always excellent. read more

We were able to get seated on a Saturday night and have a nice family meal which I appreciated. Our waiter struggled because of a big top that needed a lot of attention. I wish his coworkers had helped check on us or deliver our food/ask if we needed anything. My brisket was so fatty it wasn't worth what I paid for after what I was able to actually eat. I wish they would have given me the option of lean when I ordered. read more

Good selection of seafood! The blackened shrimp & fried shrimp turned out really good, especially coming from someone who normally doesn't go for shrimp! The fish was alright. Cornbread was alright. The seafood paired great with some tartar sauce on the side. They had the order ready quickly. Ambiance is rustic. read more

Came in here to this very popular place in Port A, it was a large group for my family, but we immediately got sat as soon as we walked in. The server was very on point with assisting us and getting the orders in as soon as possible. The wait for the food was a long while. I would not recommend the fish, as it tastes like freezer food. I don't know though! The drinks (margaritas) tasted super syrupy which didn't turn out to be that great. The BBQ was very cold so I don't know how to feel about this place. I wouldn't recommend. read more

This place was delicious and I'd definitely go back. The brisket was an extra charge and had no flavor so I probably wouldn't order it again but everything else was on point. The cornbread was by far my favorite so far. It was so moist, it just melted in your mouth. read more

MacDaddy's Family Kitchen - Brisket, chicken, Mac and cheese, Brussels sprouts and cornbread. - Southern Near Me - Port Aransas, Texas

I've been going to Port A for years and my go to restaurant has always been the move BUT when I tell you this place will be on my future rotations! Seriously delicious all the way around. Try the bbq nachos because those could be a meal on its own. Plus the free ice cream was a plus read more

MacDaddy's Family Kitchen - Southern Near Me - Port Aransas, Texas

See all

Service was very friendly , helpful and engaging. Menu was perfect for a group of people who wanted different things. Food itself was great.

The food is fantastic! Maya our waitress was on top of things. She explained anything we had questions about. Great job Maya! Portion sizes are a good size. I had the sausage which came with 2 sides. I chose the chili and Mac-n-cheese. I absolutely LOVED the chili! The macaroni was good as well! My husband got the brisket/sausage with jalapeño cream corn and coleslaw. As well we had corn bread. The brisket was expertly cooked. It was so tender and the bark was perfect! I was amazed as I am not a big BBQ person. Coleslaw had some BBQ sauce in the recipe. The cornbread isn't sweet but is fantastic! Our overall experience with this restaurant is very satisfied! If you can find a seat I recommend you try it!!! We loved everything we had! Kudos! read more

MacDaddy's Family Kitchen - Sausage,macaroni and cheese, brisket and sauce - Southern Near Me - Port Aransas, Texas

See all

We went early on a Monday post season because our intended dining spot was closed. It initially seemed peacefully quiet and there was no line. We ordered a margarita and a draft beer to start. The marg was a little sweet but tasted good, but the beer was totally flat and barely cool. We sent that back right away and got something bottled. The armadillo egg appetizer came out so fast we knew it was probably reheated, but it actually tasted ok, albeit not hot or melty in the middle. My husband ordered ribs and jalapeño sausage. The sausage was ok but the ribs were tough and unpleasantly bitter and his sides were lukewarm. The Brussels sprouts were burnt and the Mac and cheese was bland. He didn't even want to take the ribs home, and he never wastes meat! My shrimp were small and cooked ok but were served with what tasted like plain melted margarine, even though the menu stated they would come with Cajun butter. The rice they came with was bland and again, not hot. While we were finishing our drinks it became suddenly very crowded and chaotic. As we were searching for our server to bring the check, a senior employee (manager?) asked if she could seat a few other people at our 6 top table. We were completely understanding about that since we were fixing to leave soon anyway, but we were quickly invaded by a half dozen unruly children, who encroached on our dining space like feral raccoons. The two adults with them had no apparent control over them whatsoever and their lack of basic manners was appalling. In fact, by that point, the overall child to adult ratio on the outside deck was about five to one. The manager lady just shrugged and said "we love our community" as if being visitors made us less welcome than ants at a picnic. We paid $124 plus a 20% tip (the initial server was nice and none of this was her fault) for a hurried and unpleasant meal just to be run off by whatever in the Lord of the Flies was happening out there. read more

Food is delicious and plentiful! Pecan Pie is so big, we had to get a to go box. We had a new waitress, so another waitress stepped in to help - can't complain about the service. Our order came out quick! Classic bbq joint atmosphere. read more

MacDaddy's Family Kitchen - Surf and Turf with brisket, mashed potatoes, Mac and cheese. - Southern Near Me - Port Aransas, Texas

Best dessert in the island! Everything we had there was great! We wish we could have the dessert shipped home.

The food here was delicious. We chose it by a google search not a recommendation. Everyone loved their food but a personal favorite was the MacDaddy burger. Food was fresh, temperature appropriate, and our waiter was great! Would definitely go back. Prices were also appropriate and servings were generous. You won't make a mistake ordering from here that's for sure! read more

MacDaddy's Family Kitchen - Southern Near Me - Port Aransas, Texas

Busy, big party, we'll see. 45 minute wait, not worth Beer is on tap, you can't screw that up. The mixed drink are crap, plus had to wait for ever at the bar, one bartender. Mac daddy's, needs a better daddy. I am happy to say, that the food almost made up for this experience. The brisket was moist, and good. Had a bit of bark, which is what I had wanted. Waiter didn't know what I was talking about when I asked for burnt ends. Good thing I didn't ask him what wood they cook with. The sides were decent, we had the beans and potato salad, with jalapeños. We had a three meat plate, brisket, chicken and sausage. Sausage was cold, I didn't send it back, cause we were hungry. I was really disappointed with the bartender, just one bartender for the whole restaurant, waited for her to acknowledge us while she did other orders. Felt like we weren't important. Had to return one of our drinks. I guess customer service isn't important to her. The ambience is super chill, cause we are at the coast. No shirts, no shoes, almost service. The waiter was cool enough to given us cones for ice cream. read more

See all