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    Smokehouse On The River

    2.7 (59 reviews)
    Open 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Smokehouse On The River Photos

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    SMOKEHOUSE ON THE RIVER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Westgate smokehouse
    Javier R.

    Westgate smokehouse has good food the barbecue is real!!! They really smoking ribs and meats. It's definitely juicy and smoked to perfection. I had the burger and I highly recommend it. The ribs are huge, juicy, and full of Smokey flavor with amazing smoke rings on the meat it self. They know what their doing in the kitchen. Definitely try this place if your ever at westgate river ranch...

    Dave O.

    I booked a RV Site at River Ranch RV Resort which comes with many amenities including all the fun things to see and do at the Westgate property, Westgate Smokehouse Grill is one of several restaurants on the property. We arrived here early evening to grab a burger on the day we arrived, We were seated immediately and our server Heather arrived within a minute or two with two menus and a friendly smile - after spending a few hours setting up camp in the Florida heat and a few beers all we wanted to do was hydrate so we both decided on a large unsweetened ice tea and boy let me tell you it's the real deal here, strong brewed and refreshing. The restaurant wasn't extremely busy but after we were seated it seemed lots of the guest had the same idea we did, there was a steady flow of customers and as large as the dining area is it became apparent this place was quite popular. Heather returned with our teas and we placed our dinner order, although it was Friday Night Fish Fry, the smell coming off the large bbq pit outside had us both wanting something with a little smoke, this monster pit was attended by nothing other than a cowboy with a ten gallon hat and definitely a pit master. The half pound of certified beef was cooked to a perfect medium, the fresh toasted bun topped with vine ripened tomatoes, crispy lettuce, thinly sliced red onion and pickles made this burger a great choice it was delicious - the sides are either fries or slaw, we opted for the fries, tornado cut also known a spiral not the most common cut but fitting and cooked crispy. This place exceeded my expectations, and I set the bar pretty high in regards to the food, the service was very good as well, being this place is located a few miles south of nowhere and it's a real ranch I'm going to say the place looked a little worn or maybe it was just that it had the atmosphere of a chuckwagon after a long cattle drive, a little dusty and in disarray but I'm not gonna penalize them for that it kinda adds to the authenticity...

    Burger
    Ali C.

    Decent enough food for a resort restaurant. As you can see in the photos, the portions are large. Burger & fries tasted yummy, garlic parm wings were not crispy enough and lacked flavor, could have definitely used more garlic. The server was very attentive give to our large group of 11 (8 were kids), she kept the drinks filled & checked in often. The restaurant followed strict COVID guidelines. I ordered a lemon drop martini and they said they "didn't know if they had that" which is a pretty basic drink so I was a bit disappointed in that. The drink menu was all really sweet concoctions that didn't appeal to me. Over all good experience but def not 5 star.

    Eric R.

    Quite possibly the longest wait for a table and food service I've ever experienced. After finally getting seated after 45 min, we sat at our table and waited on the server... and waited... and waited. Then she/he came to take our drink order and we put drinks and food in, because the reputation of bad service preceded them. It took 15 minutes just for our drinks to come out. Then after 45 minutes our food arrived. We had to wolf it down to get out of there to the rodeo, so we could get a seat. I think my burger tasted good? I didn't have time to eat my fries before we raced out. We asked for our bill when the food was delivered so the server would get it to us. The only reason this place can exist is because the audience is captive with literally nowhere else to go.

    a basket of food
    Doris R.

    Enjoyed my time as we were celebrating our friend 30th birthday. The food was very good and the atmosphere was great as well. We all ordered something different which I can't remember everything we ordered but I can say everyone left satisfied.

    Open to the public, scenic spot on the River. Service & food was good. Chicken wings were plump, but need more sauce to add flavor. Fun spot for the family! Game room is also cool for the kids!

    Outdoor seating.
    Monica R.

    As part of our RV trip, we ran out of dinner options while staying at River Ranch. We decided to stop in for dinner at the only dine in restaurant on the site. Location is great and we decided to sit outside. What I can honestly say is it wasn't bad and it wasn't the greatest. The place was completely empty. We were the only ones sitting. As an appetizer we ordered the alligator nuggets. Actually this was pretty good. As my meal, I ordered the shrimp skewers with a baked potato and salad. It was okay. I ate it. My husband had the bbq chicken and ribs. He only ate the ribs. He stated it was too saucy. He didn't find anything impressing. I would imagine if we would have come in on another day then maybe the vibe would have been better. But the food is average and just a bit pricey.

    Ranch house salad, combination platter with fries and slaw
    Jessica S.

    Good food, server was nice as well as all other employees we encountered, covid protocols all seemed to be followed by employees. We split a salad that was listed as an appetizer and the combination platter. It was a perfect amount for us to share and get a taste of most of the menu. Everything was good. Personally I dislike all the wasted plastic silverware and paper plates and individual sauces etc.. too much waste, but that seems to be most places right now. The beer was super cold so that was great!

    This is most of the FAT, there was even more. That's what I paid $22 for.
    Dr Don S.

    Westgate Smokehouse Grill IF WERE YOU I WOULD AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COSTS!! WORST BBQ PLACE I HAVE EVER BEEN TOO. I should have read the reviews better before going. We were all hungry and this was the closest restaurant. BIG MISTAKE!!! We ordered Smokehouse Combination Platter at $22. It must have been leftovers from a few days ago. It was barely warm. The Brisket was as hard as a rock and was over 50% FAT!! The pulled chicken was mostly FAT, the bun at the bottom was also as hard as a rock. Another piece of Chicken came with it that was all dark meat and not very good. Service was also very bad. The lady never came back to the table to ask if we needed anything. All the servers were in the butler area talking, why take care of the customers. I laid out all the fat on a piece of paper and asked the server to show this to the chef, she had nothing to say!! I took a picture of all the fat and will post it. That was most of the meal. Differently not worth $22. Being the only ones in the restaurant at dinner

    Cass G.

    The meals come on plates that look like cast iron skillets...they're not really. Cute theme! The barbecue chicken was really tasty and the waitress was super nice and answered our questions about the resort. We are looking for an available weekend to go to this resort!! Check it out!

    Paul P.

    I'm not sure why they only have a 2.5 star rating. When we entered we were greeted immediately then sat after our temperature was taken. The server was super friendly and our food was very good. So there you go.......We will definitely return by boat next time and spend a night or two.

    A combo with brisket.

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    3 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Horrible prices and even worse food! Avoid this place! Management is not helpful either.

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    3 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Customer service terrible coffee cold food cold restaurant not busy avoid at all costs we won't be back

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    James Brown Famous Flames Bbq - Excellent Brisket Platter with 2 sides to go! Killer mustard sauce!

    James Brown Famous Flames Bbq

    4.7(23 reviews)
    22.4 mi
    $

    - Steven B's BBQ Checklist - 1. Great Yelp reviews. Check!…read more2. Privately owned business. Check! 3. Smoker on site. Check! 4. Makes their own sauces. Check! It's been a couple of years since I last reviewed them. Let's see how they handled lunch today. Ratings- Almost 300 reviews from the two big review sites with an average of 4.6! That's damn fine! Arriving- Off the beaten track a couple of miles off US Route 27. Let your GPS do its thing. Limited parking but it works, Ambience- Teeny, tiny neat & clean place. A tiny patio. Three picnic tables near the front door. Seating inside for maybe 10 and a small patio. There is a counter for ordering and paying. The menu is on the wall, and I have posted a picture including prices. Customer Service- I've never had a problem on many visits. You order. You pay. You get a smile. Five minutes later it comes out, and you get another smile. Simple and painless. Food- For this meal I ordered a Brisket Platter. My doctor said my cholesterol was a little low, so my sides were fries and corn nuggets. The brisket is pictured before I added their homemade mustard sauce. It was a solid no frills lunch. Crispy sides and savory, lean meat. At 11:15 on a Wednesday there were a dozen folks ordering so they must be doing something right. Conclusion- If you are blowing through the middle of Highlands County and craving some Q for a quick lunch, this would satisfy!

    Very low key counter service but the food is outstanding! Styrofoam plates and packaging plastic…read morewater bottles. The food tastes very good with a nice smoke ring on the brisket!

    Photos
    James Brown Famous Flames Bbq - Very small but worth it!

    Very small but worth it!

    James Brown Famous Flames Bbq - Picture is before I slathered on homemade Mustard Sauce!

    Picture is before I slathered on homemade Mustard Sauce!

    James Brown Famous Flames Bbq - Menu

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    Menu

    Low And Slow Smokehouse - Smoked brisket

    Low And Slow Smokehouse

    4.0(68 reviews)
    48.8 mi

    Low and Slow Smokehouse is conveniently located on Memorial Highway with a nice distant view of the…read morelake. The restaurant has plenty of space-both the dining room and parking lot are large, making it easy to accommodate bigger groups. When you walk in, there is a medium-sized bar towards the back, and spacious dining area to the left with both booths and tables. Our group of eight chose to sit outside on the patio, which was comfortable even though it faces the parking lot. The atmosphere overall felt warm and welcoming. Our server, Emily, was wonderful- friendly, upbeat, and incredibly attentive. Even though she was new, she handled our table like a pro. The menu offers a solid selection at reasonable prices. We started with Fried Pickles and Chicken Wings, which the whole table enjoyed. For entrees, we ordered a variety of dishes; the Brisket Sandwich, Pulled Pork, Smokehouse Wrap, Smoked Chicken Plate, and the Baked Potato Bowl. Each meal came with a side dish, including Mac & Cheese, Fries, Collard Greens, Hushpuppies, and Cornbread. Everyone was happy with their food. Portions were generous, and the meats were smoked beautifully-tender, juicy, and full of flavor! We lingered at the table, enjoying both the food and the company. Low and Slow Smokehouse delivered a great experience with excellent food and friendly service. We'll definitely be back!

    First visit to this recycled BBQ joint formerly Mojo's. According to some this is some of the best…read moreBBQ around. I'll give you the real scoop. At first glance this place looks like a really cool hangout. The mix of metal roofing and American motif gives it a gritty look. Looks to have plenty of seating to include a covered outdoor area. Looked to be clean and organized. Service was spot on and our hostess/server was quick to provide menus and silverware. She immediately took drink orders and returned rather quickly. My friends and I chose the buffet as it was recommended by my friend's cohorts. According to them "they have the best beans and BBQ buffet". A Looking it over there were several meat choices. There was hamburger patties in a brown gravy, several flavors of chicken wings, pulled pork, meatballs, and burnt ends. Overall it was okay at best. Flavors weren't consistent. For example I had a meatball that was very spicy. But the other was bland. I thought the burnt ends were a bit dry as if they sat there all day. The problem with that is we went as they opened. The pulled pork was a bit mushy. The BBQ wings were pretty tasty. I also tried the garlic parmesan. I thought they were a bit salty. Now for the sides. I felt the macaroni was a bit overcooked as opposed to al dente. Hush puppies were okay. The beans were actually good in my opinion. A nice addition was pork rinds. I don't know if they were house made and I forgot to ask. I really didn't go up for seconds as nothing really impressed me. Afterwards I did try their peach cobbler. Mushy and lacking either ice cream or whipped cream. They did have a salad bar. It looked to be fairly fresh. And I wanted to also add, for an extra $5 you can have all you can eat sliced brisket. At $17 I wasn't going to tack another $5 for kess than impressive BBQ. Overall I'd have to say there are far better choices for BBQ in Lakeland. Would I go back? Maybe, but I'd express my opinion. For what I paid I could have gotten a far better meal at Mojo Federal in Downtown. Just saying.

    Photos
    Low And Slow Smokehouse - Aquarium

    Aquarium

    Low And Slow Smokehouse - Home made collards and mac and cheese

    Home made collards and mac and cheese

    Low And Slow Smokehouse - Texas trinity.

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    Texas trinity.

    Tropical Smokehouse - Duroc Pork Spare Ribs & Housemade Sausage

    Tropical Smokehouse

    4.1(490 reviews)
    103.0 mi
    $$

    Bbq was so yummy! We ordered a little of everything even tho it was just 2 of us…read more Brisket Ribs Burger Cornbread Mac and cheese Coleslaw The ribs were my favorite, so tender. I generally like brisket more but they did a great job having the rib fall off bone. I would pass on the Mac and cheese and coleslaw, nothing special. Try the cornbread, dense but great.

    Ambiance (5/5): Clean, open, dining indoors. You can also see them in the kitchen as they prep your…read moreorder which was cool. Service (N/A): Everything is ordered on your phone by scanning the QR code on the table. They bring out all the food on a platter. Sauces: I loved all of their sauces! They aren't too spicy but have a depth of flavor. I especially liked the white sauce mixed with the spicy. Coffee was meh. Maybe we ordered the wrong dishes but the meal was a bit of a letdown. Our neighbor's brisket looked better than our meal. Pulled Mojo Pork (4/5): The pork felt dry despite being covered in mojo seasoning. I would have preferred plain pulled pork but it still accompanied the sauces well. Single Hamburger (is actually two (2) 3 oz patties) (5/5): I enjoyed this burger due to the sauce and loved the potato roll. We ordered it with bacon which were thick cut slices and that was delish. Mac and Cheese (2/5): Rich but not much flavor. White cheddar cheese rather than yellow cheese. Hush Puppies (4/5): You can skip the corn bread if you're going for the hush puppies which were heavy due to the fried exterior. Without the homemade butter, the hushpuppies did not have much flavor to it. Curly Fries (2/5): No frills with some seasoning, but not much. Did not have any crunch, felt like I was eating soggy fries. Plantains (5/5): Hard to mess up sliced plantains but due to how heavy they are, we only had one a piece. Having had BBQ in many places, this place isn't it.

    Photos
    Tropical Smokehouse - The restaurant

    The restaurant

    Tropical Smokehouse - Sesame slow dog and cheese fries

    Sesame slow dog and cheese fries

    Tropical Smokehouse - Old Fashioned Cheeseburger

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    Old Fashioned Cheeseburger

    Uncle Tony's Backyard Bbq - Smoked Ribs Combo

    Uncle Tony's Backyard Bbq

    4.8(357 reviews)
    49.0 miBell Isle
    $$

    Well, we saw Uncle Tony's Backyard BBQ on Instagram, and my boyfriend and I were so happy we found…read morethis spot. The atmosphere was very welcoming from the moment we walked in. We got the "two meats and two sides" combo. We also learned that the lemonade and fruit punch come with refills. I usually don't even like fruit punch, but this one was so good that I made my boyfriend try it again! The lemonade was also excellent -- not overly sweet and not too tangy. They really make great homemade drinks here. The coleslaw was fantastic, and the green beans were cooked perfectly with great flavor. I had sliced brisket and pulled pork with both the house sauce and tangy sauce. Everything was delicious! The more we ate, the more we wanted to come back and try the rest of the menu. I also got the chicken breast with collard greens and mac and cheese. I'm saving some for tomorrow, but I already know it's going to be amazing! "Lastly, their prices are very reasonable, especially for the quality of food they serve. The value here is honestly amazing. Everyone there was so nice, and I think we even met the owner. We truly feel like we found the best BBQ spot! We loved the food so much that we took photos and sent them to our families. Super friendly people and fantastic food -- we'll definitely be back!

    Girl lemme tell you. This was some of the best bbq I've had in a longggg time. The brisket??? I…read morewasn't even chewing!!! Practically dissolved in my mouth. The coleslaw??? Fresh. Creamy. Sweet. Deeeeelicious. The fries were so crisp and the seasoning was phenomenal. I stole a bite of my grandpa's mac and cheese and the pepper in it was absolutely perfect. Not only did we eat there, i HAD to order more brisket to go!!! I knew i was gonna need a late night snack and i KNEW all id be dreaming about is the mother f*ckin brisket. I had to switch up the sides and try the garlic mashed potatoes (review update coming soon). The staff was incredibly friendly and so kind with explaining the menu and helping us choose what we wanted. If you're in Orlando for 5 minutes, do not waste your time anywhere else. I will b back. (Late night update: bomb as hell cold)

    Photos
    Uncle Tony's Backyard Bbq - Drinks

    Drinks

    Uncle Tony's Backyard Bbq - Sliced Brisket

    Sliced Brisket

    Uncle Tony's Backyard Bbq - Fatty brisket, very good you have the option between fatty and lien and chopped and sliced

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    Fatty brisket, very good you have the option between fatty and lien and chopped and sliced

    Smokehouse On The River - tradamerican - Updated June 2026

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