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Where to Get BBQ Food in Tampa Bay

There’s nothing better than some good old-fashioned barbecue on a beautiful Florida day, but setting up the grill and getting all the ingredients together can be a hassle. Especially if you’re just trying to relax, so we put together this list of all the best places to get barbecue food in Tampa Bay where you can just sit back and let the experts do all the work.

chef cutting up barbecue ribs

No matter what you’re looking for, if it can be grilled, you’re bound to find it on the menu at one of these amazing restaurants. They’ve got everything you can think of at these Tampa BBQ spots like ribs, wings, brisket, pulled pork, and so much more. Check out my guide below to experience the work of true barbecue pitmasters and just follow that tantalizing, smoky aroma of charcoal and seasoned meats to satiate all of your wildest BBQ cravings. 


Shundra’s Soul Smokehouse

3887 Northdale Blvd, Tampa, FL 33624
Phone: 813-269-0989
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Right on the corner of Premier Drive and Northdale Boulevard in the Greater Northdale neighborhood of Tampa Bay is Shundra’s Soul Smokehouse, and they are one of Tampa’s best BBQ restaurants. Shundra’s takes a lot of pride in making absolutely all of their amazing food in-house, from scratch, and we don’t blame them one bit because it is all delicious. Having recently opened their doors in January of 2020, Shundra’s Soul Smokehouse is new to the Tampa Bay BBQ restaurant scene, so everyone should get out there and support them so they can stick around for a long time to come. 


Al’s Finger Licking Good BBQ

1609 Angel Oliva Senior St, Tampa, FL 33605
Phone: 813-956-0675

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Number one on the list is Al’s Finger Licking Good BBQ, and boy do they live up to their name. Al’s serves some of the best barbecue in Tampa Bay right in the heart of gorgeous Ybor City. Al’s started serving amazing Tennessee-style barbecue in 2003 out of a concession stand, eventually evolving into a full dine-in restaurant in 2009. Today, Al’s Finger Licking BBQ has become a Tampa fixture and it’s not hard to see why. When you head to Al’s, we recommend trying some of his signature Finger Licking Good Ribs with a side of Ericka’s Spicy Collard Greens.


Konan’s BBQ

1510 N Hubert Ave, Tampa, FL 33607
Phone: 813-870-0404
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Konan’s BBQ is delicious Tampa Bay barbecue done right, and it’s one of our favorite places to go when we’re in Northwest Tampa because of its close proximity to the Tampa International Airport and the International Plaza and Bay Street shopping mall. They’ve been serving up some of the best barbecue here at Konan’s since 2011 with no signs of stopping anytime soon. Everything here is delicious, especially their desserts like sweet potato pie and bread pudding, so make sure you save room for after all the barbecue. 

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BJ’s Alabama BBQ

3423 S Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33629

Phone: 813-374-0219

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BJ’s Alabama BBQ is one of Tampa’s best restaurants where you can find real, authentic Alabama-style barbecue. They’re located in the Virginia Park neighborhood of South Tampa on the corner of South Dale Mabry Highway and West El Prado Boulevard. Just keep an eye out for the big white sign with red letters and you can’t miss it. Our favorite thing to do here at BJ’s is order their Everything Platter so that we get to try it all, but make sure you bring someone to share with because it is a gargantuan amount of food.


Sarge’s Smokehouse BBQ 

1500 W Cass St, Tampa, FL 33606
Phone: 813-285-6097
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Next up is Sarge’s Smokehouse BBQ located on the corner of West Cass Street and North Oregon Boulevard in The North Hyde Park area of Tampa Bay, and they serve some of the best barbecue we’ve ever had. If you love to support the troops and eat delicious BBQ all at one restaurant, this is the place for you because Sarge’s is owned by three military veterans with over 75 years of combined service to our country. Can’t decide if you want chicken, beef, or pork? You don’t have to! Our favorite sandwich at Sarge’s BBQ, the Smokehouse Club, is a ¾-pound sandwich that’s piled high with all three savory meats along with bacon and coleslaw.


Wicked Oak Barbecue

6607 N Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 33604
Phone: 813-304-2425
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Wicked Oak is one of the best Tampa Bay barbecue restaurants that you can find up in the Seminole Heights area, but it’s tucked away off the beaten path, so you may need to keep your eyes peeled for it, or else you might drive right by it. Tampa Bay is known for its Cuban sandwiches, and the one Wicked Oak serves is absolutely exceptional. They call it a “Que-Ban”, which we think is hilariously clever, and they use their exquisite slow-smoked pulled pork and homemade mustard to really make it stand out among the rest. 


Kojak’s House of Ribs

2808 W Gandy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33611
Phone: 813-837-3774
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Kojak’s House of Ribs is one of the oldest and best barbecue joints in Tampa, and once you try it, you’ll understand why they’ve been such a popular BBQ restaurant for so long. As their name suggests, Kojak’s specializes in ribs, but don’t worry because you can get everything from smoked hot sausage to chopped beef brisket and a whole barbecued chicken if that’s what you’re craving. Just be sure to save room for some incredible key lime pie or fresh apple cake afterwards because Kojak’s desserts are unbelievably tasty.

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Deviled Pig

3307 S Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33629
Phone: 813-766-1188

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Located on the corner of South Dale Mabry Highway and West Leona Street in Tampa’s Virginia Park neighborhood, Deviled Pig is a fairly new barbecue restaurant that opened in 2018 and has been pumping out fantastic BBQ ever since. They have an incredible sandwich here that we simply cannot resist: the Pirate Shipwreck Sandwich. It’s basically two pieces of fresh, locally-baked Cuban bread holding together a succulent mound of smoked turkey and pulled pork topped with mouth-watering pork belly bacon and homemade mustard sauce. 


Jimbo’s Pit Bar-B-Q

4103 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609
Phone: 813-289-9724

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Since 1970, Jimbo’s Pit Bar-B-Q has been serving some of South Tampa’s best barbecue with no signs of slowing down. They serve amazing breakfast, lunch, and dinner here at Jimbo’s, and the food is so good here that you’ll want to stop in for all three. We love Jimbo’s dinners the most since all of their dinner meals come with two sides and hush puppies. What more could we ask for?


Jazzy’s BBQ

5703 W Waters Ave, Tampa, FL 33634
Phone: 813-243-8872
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Jazzy’s BBQ will put some rhythm in your soul with their classic Tampa Bay barbecue recipes. They have everything here including ribs, beef, pork, chicken, and sausage, with plenty of amazing sides to go with it all. Having trouble choosing what to order? Jazzy’s makes it easy, offering their King of Kings dinner which is simply all five meats piled high on your plate. Jazzy’s is also perfect if you’re planning for a large event with lots of people thanks to the fact that they sell all of their barbecue by the pound, so you can make sure everyone gets to try this delicious BBQ.


First Choice Bar-B-Que

10113 E Adamo Dr, Tampa, FL 33619
Phone: 813-621-7434

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First Choice Bar-B-Que is a terrific destination for families to go and enjoy a day of fun and some of the best barbecue in Tampa Bay thanks to its close proximity to exciting places like Skyzone Trampoline Park and The Airosphere amusement park. What we love most about First Choice is that, in addition to smoked beef, they have corned beef brisket on their menu, as well, and we order it every time along with a side of their macaroni salad.

See also  15 Top-Rated BBQ Restaurants in America

The Brisket Shoppe

4004 Henderson Blvd, Tampa, FL 33629
Phone: 813-605-4005
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The Brisket Shoppe is located directly in the heart of South Tampa off of Henderson Boulevard, and they have some of the best BBQ in Tampa Bay⸺hands down. Brisket is in their name and it’s definitely their game here at The Brisket Shoppe. Every slice is tender and juicy with a completely perfect smoke ring, so you can tell whoever was smokin these meats knew what they were doing. They use only U.S.D.A-certified prime beef brisket, as well, so that probably explains why it’s our favorite brisket spot in all of Tampa Bay.


OrderQD

4304 S Dale Mabry Hwy Suite 1, Tampa, FL 33611
Phone: 888-737-6325
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OrderQD is an amazing restaurant hidden away off of South Dale Mabry Highway in the Bayshore Beautiful area of South Tampa, and their BBQ is some of the best in the city. We love QD because of their hugely expansive menu of delicious barbecue as well as many other foods to go with it. Our favorite thing to order here at QD is their BBQD sandwich; it comes with pulled pork or rotisserie chicken topped with coleslaw and slathered in their mouth-watering Korean BBQ sauce.


Mission BBQ

13612 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33613
Phone: 813-443-9443

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Just north of the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus on Bruce B. Downs. Boulevard, Mission BBQ is the place to go for some of Tampa Bay’s best BBQ. Mission BBQ is a well-known barbecue restaurant throughout Florida and has never let us down when we stop by, giving us great service and, of course, mouth-watering barbecue food. Their menu is huge here at Mission. Basically, anything delicious you can think of, they smoke it and serve it. 


4 Rivers Smokehouse

623 S MacDill Ave, Tampa, FL 33609

Phone:  844-474-8377
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4 Rivers Smokehouse is a famous BBQ restaurant located just north of the gorgeous Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club, off of South MacDill Avenue, in the South Tampa area, and their barbecue is some of the best in Tampa Bay. It’s a family-owned business that started in Florida over 10 years ago in 2009, and since then, they have been pumping out incredibly tasty BBQ meals like their classic Burnt Ends Melt sandwich that we simply can’t get enough of. 

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Written by Brian Nagele

Brian attended West Virginia University, then started his career in the IT industry before following his passion for marketing and hospitality. He has over 20 years experience in the restaurant and bar industry.

As a former restaurant owner, he knows about running a food business and loves to eat and enjoy cocktails on a regular basis. He constantly travels to new cities tasting and reviewing the most popular spots.

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