After going to the Vet in Branford, fl we decided to go to the flea market in Waldo, fl. Thru Gainesvill and we ran into Randys. We almost missed it so we backed up and it was a great decision. Food was GREAT... We had the slab of ribs with 4 sides and we ate got full and took the rest home. They have a great variety of seafood, chicken, just a full menu full of whatever you would like. Angela the waitress was awesome. Kind and they even allowed my puppy on the outside tables. We will be telling everyone about this place and keep up the awesome food and friendliness. read more

Randy's Rib Shack - Slab of ribs. Rice. Pasta n cheese. Seasoned bread. Just awesome food - Barbeque Near Me - Waldo, Florida

Worst BBQ ribs I've ever had. (I think I've had a McRib sandwich from McDonald that was better and that's mystery meat at best) The Smokers in the trailer out front were not in operation when I was there (I should have used my brain). Ordered 1 family platter & 1 extra slab of ribs. The ribs were very fatty, appeared to be Spare ribs from the size. The ribs were over salted with some type of mixture they put on it. These had been parboiled and put on a grill of some type to give it grill marks. There was absolutely no smoke flavor whatsoever. BBQ sauces were watered down and barely covered the bad taste of the ribs (I don't use Any sauces when the ribs are Smoked the right way). The toasted white bread that came with the platter was terrible overloaded with paprika. I had 1 bite & threw it away. The BBQ beans were OK as was the Mustard greens. I wasted $ 54.00 (I should have tried the Grouper instead...Then again if it's anything like the Ribs I would have been disappointed) read more

worst food tasted like charcoal lighter fluid smells Never returning Never recommending to anyone read more

I'm always amused at people's ability to either love and hate every restaurant they review on Yelp. Seems the result is a ton of "5" star reviews or "1" star reviews, making it hard to tell the difference between schlock and meaningful food. To me, a 5-star review should be for that every once in awhile place. You know, the kind with the Michelin star (or several) next to the chef's name. Not every Tom, Dick or Harry place deserves a great review just because you "....and your girlfriends enjoyed the gluten free lettuce wraps with your crisp Chardonnay (or 9) .... That said, it was truly difficult not to give this place a 5. Really hard. In fact, there's really nothing negative to say at all. Hell, I was ready to buy the place, as I was simply blown away by every aspect of the food, the location and the really nice, down home folks who worked there (and spent an hour bantering with me.) Where do I begin? Damn! How about a place that does freshly shucked oysters from just down the road for $10 a dozen (take that Grand Central Oyster Bar?!) Or one that has without a doubt the best fried catfish on the planet. Seriously, I was ready to have them fry my cat it tasted so good! Or how about a place that has really great chicken and dumplings, or tasty smoked ribs, or fresh fried alligator. Honestly - I tried them all (I think my bill was $50 for a snack, but not because the prices were expensive - it's because I tried to eat the entire menu.) Oh, and how did I find this little gem? Driving through a po-dunk ass little town looking for a place to sit and enjoy some recreational smoking. Just stumbled on it. Couldn't believe it. If I lived in town, I'd eat there every day. And if Randy would have sold it to me, I'd probably move to town. If you're a foodie, DO NOT MISS THIS PLACE for the simple pleasure it is. And tip the waitress well - these people know the secret to life! read more

Quick food with an enormous amount of variety to pick from. Parking is ease, trailer accessibility. They usually have an all you can eat on fish. Fresh fish and great southern sides read more

What a great surprise this place is! We were driving back to Maryland from Ft Myers and saw this place on the side of the road. I was not expecting much, but there was not much else around after Gainesville. I had a rib and chicken combo. It was very tasty and tender. They had at least four different types of BBQ sauce. Service was fast and very friendly/attentive. We had a beer and oysters as well. Surprising menu for a small place like this. Lots of choices. We sat outside at picnic style tables under a wooden canopy. Everything was clean and inviting. When we come back next year I will def stop in. read more

My father and I stopped here on our way to the Ford Dealership the other day. We are huge fans of bbq.. especially GOOD bbq. The customer service was very pleasant and the place was super clean and organized. We ordered the rib plate with 2 sides......AMAZING!!!! The ribs are smoked not grilled, so be aware that they are not dark like you would see in Sonnys or Kens. However, the ribs were so incredibly tender and seasoned... the meat literaaly fell off the bone. These were the best ribs ... hands down. I used to be a fan of Sonny's.. but I now have a new #1. I'm from Gainesville, and I would be willing to drive the extra 20 miles just to get another plate of their bbq. A must try!! read more

I have been driving by this place for the past 5 years and finally got the nerve to try it out after seeing the reviews in Yelp...they were not wrong! If you want some fresh original country food, you have to stop by Randy's rib shack. I the hush puppies that came with my fried catfish was amazing and the Mac and cheese was delicious. All the main course we had were fantastic; brisket poe boy, fried catfish, and the chopped pork sandwiches. This place is a hidden gem right off the Waldo Main Street. If you pass it by... Make sure you turn around and give it a try. I also need to compliment the service.. While they were busy, everyone was taken care of quick and the food was hot. Very friendly folks. Glad I finally stopped! read more

On our way through the speed trap that is Waldo, decided to hang a right into Randy's Rib Shack, just off the main road leading through Waldo and beside an old Amtrak station near the railroad tracks. Ordered takeout consisting of a pound of beef brisket, large side of mac and cheese, and jalapeno poppers and buffalo shrimp as appetizers. The brisket was okay but not great, and was for some reason cut with the grain rather than against which seems like something someone in too much of a hurry might do. Jalapeno poppers were pretty standard and came with big-bottle ranch dipping sauce, tasty but unremarkable. Mac and cheese was ziti with a white béchamel sauce which tasted surprisingly good. The buffalo shrimp was excellent, one of the best I've ever had; something about the slight sweetness in the batter along with the sauce it was tossed in made for a nice balanced flavor with a little zip. I had the shrimp tossed in their mild buffalo sauce, but asked for some of their "nuclear" sauce on the side, and it was VERY hot and at the same time quite tasty. Definitely seemed to have fresh bits of some super-hot pepper, maybe Scotch bonnet or higher on the Scoville scale. Before leaving the waitress gave us a free sample of their smoked chicken salad, which was just a little too salty for me but tasted excellent and fresh. May be a bit unusual for the appetizers to be more memorable than the BBQ, but will definitely be back for more. read more

Don't let the name rib shack for you. They have plenty of offerings on their menu. I ordered off of Palm spiced shrimp and ear of corn. Can't beat the price. Angela was above and beyond helpful and friendly. Would definitely come here again when in the area. read more

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I drove past this place everyday for 8 weeks. I never stopped before today. I was just lolly gagging my way home some why not? Ok the inside is very small and they have all kind of cute and quirky things hanging on the walls. There was one other person inside when I walked in. The lady behind the counter asked me what I wanted and started in with her little 5 minute speech. This is the best and that is great too but my favorite is the other thing. 5 minutes of it and I wanted to walk. But, I hung in there and she started out with a catfish dish that is all white meat and locally farmed and they cut out the fishy part. I asked the brown line you know the fishy part? Yea ok I'll have that with some brussel sprouts and fried okra. Ok if you eat in you eat outside unless you are that person who gets to eat inside. I think that you have to be a local and know more then 3 people that work here. I didn't so I got mine togo. Eating here also means that you are outside with the big florida sun with all of it's glory. My catfish was cornmeal breaded that didn't stick to the fish but it was tasty. The hushpuppies were good but pretty much gut bombs. The okra was hammered and the brussel sprouts were tasty and they tasted like they were billed in crab boil. That's a good thing. So I drove on down the road and ate some messy but tasty fish. I threw down some okra every now and then to change the flavor in my mouth. Now I have found out what Randy's is all about so now I know. Will I go back. That one is up in the air. Maybe on a cool evening when I will try some of their Q. read more

Randy's Rib Shack - The fried catfish okra an Brussel spouts - Barbeque Near Me - Waldo, Florida

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This is my 3rd time to Randy's. I've been driving by it every day on my commute to work and finally decided to stop when I saw they had fried shrimp. Ended up getting the fried seafood platter for two first time I came and everything was excellent and fried to perfection! Also very generous portions. Ended up coming back for smoked chicken salad the very next night because they gave me a taste while I was waiting. It is absolutely delicious on croissants! Now we are back to try out their BBQ! I'm sure it will be just as good! read more

Great find on our way to Tampa. Menu selection was excellent with BBQ and seafood items. I had the brisket poboy which was very tasty. The fries were hot with just the right amount of season salt. The service was friendly and fast. Highly recommend. read more

On a drive to Waldo for a reason that I cannot recall, we spotted this little tiny shack on the side of the highway. It was hard to tell that it was a restaurant at first, and then once we did figure out that it was a restaurant it was harder to figure out how to double back and find it. WOW - am I glad we did. BEST ribs I've ever eaten. We got a smorgasboard of stuff to try (and the portions are definitely robust) and EVERYTHING was great. As others have said, this is a little BBQ gem hidden on the way to Waldo. The drive there is definitely worth it! This place is among the tops of my list of cool little places you find randomly while out exploring! read more

Stopped here on a road trip back home. Awesome food excellent service. I will be stopping here again well worth the experience!

Love Randys! It never disappoints! Their fried okra is to die for, and I'm southern so that means alot. Fried shrimp is delicious. Catfish is always cooked perfectly. I've never had their bbq, but I'm sure it's great too! read more

First class service! Angela was on when we were there and she was great. Helped us in ordering, kept us refreshed, and was incredibly pleasant to us and our kids. Food was equally good. It came out with a ton of sauces, including about 5 BBQ sauces. The only downside of the sauce dispensers was the blue cheese dressing for the wings, which got stuck with big pieces. I put a bit too much pressure and it exploded on the plate, and my jacket. My family all told ordered the ribs, pulled pork, brisket, fried catfish, cheese burger, fried gator, buffalo wings, grilled cheese, coleslaw, hush puppies, green beans, fried okra, and Brussels sprouts. All were solid. Highlights were the catfish, ribs, wings, green beans, and coleslaw. All were cooked really well. Lowlight was only the brisket. It was thinly sliced like roast beef, but relatively dry. Only have had it thick cut and juicy before and this was far from that. Overall wish I could give a 4.5 because outside the brisket it was great, especially the service. read more

Stopped here with my husband for lunch while traveling. The waitress was nice, but the food wasn't very good. It felt unclean. I'm not really sure how this place earned so many stars. read more

Went to Randy's Rib shack and they honestly had the best food I have ever eaten. The shrimp was so large and fresh, the catfish was crisp and delicious, the yellow rice was tasty, coleslaw was fresh and homemade.I was traveling with family from Miami and was in the area for the weekend. I can't wait to go back again, maybe on my way home, can't stop thinking about those delicious monster shrimp. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a delicious affordable meal.Oh yeah forgot to mention how delicious the hushpuppies where.. Also very friendly service, made us all feel welcome. read more

Awesome. It was clean, great service, huge selection and delicious food. A must when in or near Waldo.

5 STARS for being the very best ribs in the Gainesville area! So moist & flavorful. You won't find better. And prices are reasonable. I called ahead & drove over from Gainesville-- yes, they are worth the drive. The hush puppies were delicious, & the sides of cabbage & mustard greens were excellent (although I suspect canned). I want to try the items others have raved about-- wings, fish, chicken, pork, oysters, etc, but I just can't seem to stop ordering the ribs! This place has cold beer, so com' on down for a seat at an outside covered picnic table! read more

This place always was a good little dive to go have some gumbo or a burger or fish or whatever. Can't find them open anymore they keep shortening their hours in the days of operation just call it a day guys if you don't have enough business to stay open then close read more

This little shack has been a fruit stand, video store, pizza shack, but I sincerely hope it stays Randy's Rib shack. We order take out from here at least once a week. Excellent burgers, beef brisket, and smoked chicken salad. The ribs are good too! And ask if they have grouper or flounder...wonderful!!!!! You wanna side with that? There are like 15 to choose from. This place has something for everyone. read more

Great find off the hwy. Great service, clean bathroom, nice to sit outside, little touches..flowers etc. Everything was very good. Service was great. Ribs a touch oily due to the cut and baked a long time. Would rather have over fire and smoked more, where the oil cooks away and there's a little tug on the bone. These fall off and have been baked awhile after maybe being smoked. Hushpuppies were big and tasty, again more oil. Salad was super fresh, tomatoes tasted like they were picked that day. I'm a very picky bar-b-que guy, but I would go back, maybe just my personal preference. read more

Wow. Just wow. Huge menu and everything we have had on it is awesome!! Don't go if you are looking for a "dine-in" experience, take out is your best option. But so worth it. The ribs are the best and portion size is unbelievable - especially for the price. read more

Great little place in Waldo, FL - you will be pleasantly surprised by the great service and the yummy food. Ribs fall off the bone and there's just about enough to share. Brisquet sandwich was excellent. Great prices too. Would've never stopped here if it wasn't for Yelp. We will definitely be back for more. read more

We had lunch at Randy's for the first time today. The waitress was very friendly, attentive, and had great recommendations. We had fried mushrooms and the Rib dinner for two. The mushroom were HUGE and Randy's Sauce was perfect for them. Now the ribs -- they were delicious without sauce (although we did add some sauce to a few of them). They fell off the bone. Portion size was really large. Even my husband, who is a hearty eater, couldn't finish them and had to get a to-go box. read more

So good. Glad yelp pointed us this direction. We split a brisket po'boy, hush puppies, fried okra, and pulled pork cheese fries. All amazing. read more

Jan 19 lunch--a pork sandwich on garlic toast which was excellent. Our sides of cole slaw and bbq beans were very tasty. We have to go back for the catfish which looked and smelled delicious. read more

Stopped in headed back to SC! Actually had parkin big enough to fit the huge rig we were in. The food, it was the best ribs i have had!!! All the sides were very yummy as well!! Fair prices too!! We could have fed a army on the 3 plates we got from them. Highly recommend to anyone in the area, or passing through!! read more

Stopped there for the 1st time after passing through once a week, and decided to give it shot. Got the special blackened flounder with 2 sides. Pretty expensive for flounder, but I did wanted fish. The flounder was just ok, the mash and gravy was the same as any fast food, the hush puppy's dry, the cucumber salad was sweet pickles. When I asked the waitress that I ordered a cucumber salad, not pickles, she said, that's what cucumber salad is. "Really" I told them that, I won't be coming back for misrepresenting food in the menu. Cucumbers can become a pickle, but it is then considered a pickle, not a cucumber. They insisted it was. Lost a customer for sure. read more

Stopped in on our way thru FL to MD, this place was AWESOME! The streamed shrimp were seasoned and steamed perfectly, the half chicken was so tender it was literally falling off the bone, and it too was seasoned just right. The portion sizes were large. They have a variety of BBQ sauces that were great. All tables were outside but it is nicely maintained and clean. Fast and friendly service. We will be back!! read more

Mr. Wonderful and I just had delicious, sizable fried oyster baskets with hush puppies and two sides (we chose fried okra and cole slaw, both perfect), along with two platters of cold, also nicely sized raw oysters. So good. Ice tea is generous and sweet. I had seen this place a number of times from 301 when travelling from Hawthorne to Starke. Glad we finally asked Yelp to show us how to get to Randy's. This was our first of many future visits. Thanks, Yelp. read more

How disappointing. I was really wanting some food from here. Today is Wednesday and they are open till 8. I get there about 5:30 and they are closed. Disappointing. read more

OMG!!! Best BBQ ribs I have had in a long time. Fried green tomatoes were delicious too!

Excellent awesome ribs and sides were delicious. We especially liked the hush puppies.

As a volunteer evacuee from hurricane Matthew (2016), I discovered Randy's Rib Shack by the hotel. Decided to give it a try and it is by far the BEST BBQ I've ever had! The ribs are tender, fall off the bone, great tasting! And the sides are homemade, the coleslaw is so good. I will be making a special trip from Orlando to enjoy Randy's again. The staff was very friendly and helpful on my first experience. I look forward to my future trip for some good BBQ. read more

This is an excellent site for BBQ. I've tried their chicken, ribs, wings and several sides and all of them have been excellent. There is no need for sauce as the meat is perfect without it. The prices are fair and the amount of food makes you feel like you got a bargain. I would recommend (and have) this restaurant to everyone including those in Gainesville, looking for excellent food. read more

We love going here to get oysters, boiled shrimp, and the fried catfish dinner. It is a veru nice find in a small town.