Barbecue
perfectly hot, as in temperature. The sauce that comes with it is excellent, not too sweet, not too tangy and not spicy at all. It’s so good, you’ll lick it off your fingers. The place offers four barbecue sauces to top your meals: sizzling, mild, sweet and smoking. Each sauce lives true to its name. The beans were amazing. Cooked al dente with a smoky and spicy sauce that wasn’t overbearing. Surprisingly, the kids’ menu chicken tenders were among our favorites. Better than even the pulled pork. There’s a salad and dessert bar that you can add for additional $3 a person, though our server never offered it. (We had to ask.) If you go with kids, this is a nice extra to have.
SKIP: The pulled pork was flavorless, dry and nearly cold.
VIBE: The restaurant is spacious with more than 20 booths, several more tables and a soft rock station playing. It’s a typical American diner with plenty of space for the entire family.
HOURS AND INFO: Open everyday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 6120 Lake Worth Road, Greenacres; 561-9630112; sonnysbbq.com
— Julio Poletti
MISSISSIPPI SWEETS, Lake Worth
THE ‘CUE: I wasn’t aware that Mississippi BBQ was a thing, and for me, the barbecue was a tasty, generic version. The baby back ribs are seasoned and the perfect kind of messy. And the tips of the ribs? Yes, you get some char in there from the grill, which is a win for any ‘cuecraving human. The standout here is in the pulled meat division. The beef and pork are expertly seasoned and don’t beg for sauce. Though your sauce choices — a mild red or mild mustard sauce — offer a great complement to the Texas-style toast that accompanies the pulled beef and pork platter.
GOOD BITES: More sweet cornbread, please! Man, that is some good stuff. Get extra (99 cents). Trust me. While the platters offer a mix for the indecisive and the ribs ($19.99 full slab/$14.59 half slab) are, indeed, fall-offthe-bone, the winner here was of the pulled variety. No need for a big appetite when the pulled pork is so darn good. Get it on a roll ($7.79) with the mustard sauce, and save your fingers for licking at the end.
SKIP: If you’re going for takeout, skip the Mississippi Sweets as a side — that is, the thinly-sliced and deep fried sweet potatoes. They do not travel well, and there’s nothing worse than soft potato chips. Also, not impressed with the green beans. Tasted like they were poured from a can.
VIBE: A cute, full-service restaurant that’s family-friendly. Tables aren’t on top of each other and there are TVs, so whether you bring the fam or just want to catch a game over some ‘cue, Mississippi Sweets is a good fit. It’s a great neighborhood establishment with an easy-going vibe. But barbecue snobs beware: The ‘cue is tasty but not taste-budshattering.
HOURS AND INFO: Lake Worth location: Open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday from 12 to 9 p.m. 9859-29 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, 561-6424748. Boca Raton location: Open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 2399 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561-394-6779; mississippisweetsbbq.com
— Samantha Ragland
SHANE’S RIB SHACK, Royal Palm Beach
THE ‘CUE: This 15-year-old Atlanta-based chain of restaurants serves Southern-style barbecue and sides. They pride themselves on slowcooked baby back ribs, and hand-chopped chicken and pork. There are five sauces — including Shane’s Original and Carolina Mustard — to choose from; which is good because the barbecue is not very flavorful on its own. The chicken is juicy and ribs are tender and the meat falls off the bone; but unfortunately it tastes like it was cooked on a gas grill.
GOOD BITES: The barbecue may not immediately bring you back, but there are some good sides. The sweet potato fries are a delight, the mac and cheese is creamy, fried okra was light and coleslaw was tasty. As far as desserts, the peach cobbler, a Southern delicacy, is also very good and tastes like it was made fresh.
SKIP: The rib and chicken combo was a disappointment. Instead of whole chicken quarters with the combo ($18.99), the chicken was diced and slathered in sauce, and, surprisingly, it included chicken tenders.
VIBE: Tucked into the northwest elbow of the Southern Crossing shopping center, Shane’s has become a community staple. Largely because it is reasonably priced, and has a nice interior that is very family-oriented. You walk up to the counter to order, but your food is brought to your table. There is a large outdoor patio to eat as well.
HOURS AND INFO: Open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; at 11051 Southern Blvd., Suite 150, Royal Palm Beach; 561333-7427; shanesribshack. com
— Rick Christie
TREE’S WINGS & RIBS, Royal Palm Beach
THE ‘CUE: Tree’s is a veritable institution in the central-western communities. There’s hardly anyone you can meet in Royal Palm Beach, Wellington or Loxahatchee Groves who has not eaten food from Tree’s, or at least knows about the “Home of the best wings and ribs. Ever.” Eat in, take out or delivery, Tree’s ubiquitous little cars can be seen darting around the streets. At some point, the “wings” in “Tree’s Wings & Ribs” apparently became its focus and specialty because the barbecue definitely is not.
GOOD BITES: The corn on the cob was sweet, crunchy and fresh; likely locally sourced from farms in the Glades.
SKIP: We tried the rib & wing combo ($16.99), and there was not much to crow about. The baby back ribs tasted as if they’d been boiled before putting them on a grill to get a little char on them. The sauce on them didn’t help at all. The wings in the combo were over-cooked, and the baked beans tasted like they came straight from can; all leaving us to wonder what makes Tree’s so popular.
VIBE: We didn’t eat in, but the restaurant’s interior has a funky, Southern rock style and has a full bar. It’s a little dark, and the full bar doesn’t necessarily make for a “family-friendly” atmosphere. But it looks like a cool hangout after work or Saturday nights.
HOURS AND INFO: Open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight at 603 Royal Palm Beach Blvd., Royal Palm Beach; 561-791-1535; treeswingsandribs.com
— Rick Christie
SMOKEY BONES
BAR & FIRE GRILL, Wellington
THE ‘CUE: Smokey Bones is a true rib place. While the Aventura-based chain has a plentiful menu of items, it puts ribs out front — whether they are baby back smoked St. Louis ribs. Typically, they have two house smokers going with hickory logs daily, and you can get your ribs dryrubbed or wet off the grill. The sauces are delicious. It’s gone through a few owners the last few years but is now under the umbrella of Sun Capital Partners. That hasn’t done much to advance their “non-stop mission to raise the Bar-B-Q.”
GOOD BITES: I got the St. Louis Ribs Combo ($17.99) with fire-roasted corn and baked beans. The ribs and chicken had a great smoky flavor down into the meat. It could have done with a little less time on the grill so that it was not so dry. The dry rub seasonings were piled onto the ribs a bit too much; but nothing that couldn’t be easily rectified. And the sweet and spicy sauce was a nice addition. The corn and baked beans were also good, and the meal was topped off nicely with a Bag O’ Donuts ($6.59) for dessert. They are served hot, and caked in a cinnamon sugar.
SKIP: The sweet iced tea ($2.99) was a bit bland, and will likely not please many Southern palates that have grown up with much sweeter.
VIBE: The restaurant has a nice open atmosphere that, while it has a huge bar at its center, still feels like a place that you can take the family for a casual meal. Interestingly, one side of the restaurant has more of a sports bar feel with multiple big screens TVs for watching.
HOURS AND INFO: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 10260 Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington; 561-383-8240; smokeybones.com
— Rick Christie
PIG-STY BBQ, Boynton Beach
THE ‘CUE: Pig-Sty is the domain of award-winning pitmaster Bryan Tyrell, who pays homage to the low-andslow, wood-smoked barbecue style of his native Kansas City. Tyrell knows a thing or two about ‘cue. Back in Missouri, he was smokehouse manager at the famed Oklahoma Joe’s, a spot Zagat deemed to be “Best BBQ restaurant in the world.”
GOOD BITES: So you may not come to a Kansas Citystyle ‘cue joint for pastrami, but if it’s Friday, pastrami ($9.99) is what you must have. It’s smoked, juicy and generous in portion. Stacked high on rye, it’s arguably the best pastrami in the county. Other noteworthy options include pitsmoked meats (pulled pork, brisket, smoked ham, sausage, smoked salmon), an overloaded Frito Pie ($6.99), $8.99 sandwiches like The Big Pig (heap of pulled pork, sausage, bacon), even a smoked veggie sandwich called Hippy Picnic.
Impressive sides ($3 to $9) include meaty chili, Grandmama’s Cheesy Mac (so good) and a tangy-creamy loaded potato salad. Sweets: Tyrell has been making delicious no-churn ice cream in a variety of flavors. We loved the blueberry ice cream. We also loved Pig-Sty’s Gooey Butter Cake, even though its crumbs stuck to our fingers when we peeled off the plastic wrap Tyrell uses to keep them fresh.
SKIP: The free popcorn. You will need the room for the ‘cue feast ahead.
VIBE: Rustic and real. The food is served cafeteria-style. You walk up to the counter and watch them carve your meat and scoop out your side dishes. The desserts are self-serve from the fridge. Expect no frills here, just outstanding barbecue. There is music, however: Thursdays are now “Grateful Thursdays,” featuring jamband performances.
HOURS AND INFO: Open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 706 W. Boynton Beach Blvd., Boynton Beach; 561810-5801; pigstybbq.com
— Liz Balmaseda
LUCILLE’S BAD TO THE BONE, Boynton Beach
THE ‘CUE: It seems Lucille’s has taken a detour from a classic barbecue joint. My first thought was: “How can a barbecue place not serve collard greens or mac and cheese as sides?” Signs in the restaurant promise “real-pit BBQ,” and while there is plenty of barbecue, the menu has a lot more to offer, like wings, burgers, seafood, tacos, wraps and a large variety of salads.
GOOD BITES: My son finished every drop of his pulled pork sandwich, which came piled high on the bun ($5.99). The pulled pork went especially well with the Carolina Mustard sauce. It was our favorite sauce, with mustard, vinegar and just the right amount of spice. Lucille’s offers three other specialty sauces (House BBQ, Smokey BBQ and Spicy BBQ). The Spicy BBQ was our second favorite. The baby back ribs, which I like served naked, came smothered with barbecue sauce. They did have a nice smoky flavor. We had ours on the Pit Platter IV (22.99), which also included chopped beef brisket and pulled pork. The creamed spinach was our favorite side.
SKIP: The beef brisket. I was looking forward to a traditional brisket prepared slow-cooked, with a nice seared crispy outside. Lucille’s brisket comes chopped up with barbecue sauce, red onions and sweet relish. That’s overly prepared for my taste.
VIBE: This is a familyfriendly full-service restaurant. We visited on a Wednesday night when kids eat free. It offers a fun atmosphere where the wait staff wear shirts that say “Nice Rack,’ and “Peace, Love and BBQ.” The service was outstanding.
HOURS AND INFO: Open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Lucile’s has three locations: 3011 Yamato Road, Boca Raton; 6691 Boynton Beach Blvd., Boynton Beach and 9173 Atlantic Ave., Suite 120, Delray Beach. badtothebonebbq.com
— Laura Lordi
TROYS’s BAR-BE-QUE, Boynton Beach
THE ‘CUE: The Troy’s business, which started as a very popular Southern barbecue food truck, recently expanded to a brick-and-mortar restaurant. It still serves some of the best barbecue I’ve tasted. However, due to its recent transition, it still has some kinks to work out. For example, on a recent lunch visit, when trying to order collard greens, I was told they wouldn’t be ready for another 1 ½ hours. On the recent Tuesday visit, the ribs tasted like they were leftovers.
GOOD BITES: The brisket ($20.59 as a brisket and ribs combo dinner). Although somewhat fatty, the meat had an amazing smoky taste and was very moist with a good, crisp char on it. You can’t go wrong with a pulled pork sandwich here. It’s served on a soft potato bun (lunch combo with fries special $10). The sides were a major hit: The mac and cheese was served the way my momma use to make — soul-food style, baked with lots of cheese with bits of crust throughout. The baked beans were served thick, with what tasted like molasses and brown sugar with bits of bacon.
SKIP: The ribs. I was so looking forward to them, but they were small, dry with barely any meat.
VIBE: The new sit-down restaurant is a no-frills kind of place. Order from the line and take your food to go or dine in.
HOURS AND INFO: Open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Mondays at 1920 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach; 561-740-1125; bbqtroys.com
— Laura Lordi
SMOKE BBQ, Delray Beach
THE CUE: Kansas City style, slow-smoked for 12 hours. No less and according to staff, sometimes longer. The meat will come off the bone of a half rack of spare ribs beautifully. Ask for your barbecue sauce on the side so you can taste the restaurant’s mystery dry rub on the meat. It is delicious. You’ve got three choices for sauce here. The basics. Tangy, sweet and peppery. Any of them will do, but you won’t leave wanting a bottle to take home. The brisket over top the Oink N’ Moo nachos is probably the juiciest I’ve tasted in the county. A smoky, sweet flavor. Spice will come from the fresh jalapeño topping. Ever had soggy, messy (not in a good way) nachos? Yeah, you won’t have to worry about that here. The fried corn tortillas are drizzled with the right amount of homemade queso, sour cream and guacamole. While the menu says it’s great for sharing, you may or may not be able to eat them by yourself. Not because it’s a small portion but because it’s extremely satisfying for a hungry belly.
GOOD BITES: THE CORNBREAD! Do not skip the cinnamon butter on the side. Overall, warm, buttery and sweet. You’ll find yourself wanting more.
SKIP: The Kansas City sandwich with beef brisket under melted provolone and a thick cut onion ring may sound tasty to some, but it’s average. The kind of sandwich you’d be tempted to smother in condiments. Also skip the mac and cheese.
THE VIBE: Wood tables, Texas-ish decor and three huge projector screens. It resembles the ultimate man cave, though it is great for families as well.
HOURS AND INFO: Open Tuesday through Thursday from noon to 10 p.m., Friday through Saturday from noon to 2 a.m., Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. (closed Mondays) at 8 E. Atlantic Ave, Delray Beach; 561 330-4236; eatbqnow.com
— Corvaya Jeffries