Food was fantastic! We had Shrimp & Grits and a Shrimp Po boy…read more Don't skip the Key Lime Pie! Service was great! This is a must stop ma & pop joint!

Visiting the Lake Wales area for a day trip. After checking out the Bok Tower Gardens (a must…read moresee), we wanted to find a local dining spot, not a chain restaurant or fast food place. We found Melanie's Seafood! Small place and simple decor. All the cooking is down out in the open. Our server, Cricket, was friendly and inviting and gave us some good recommendations. I had the Mahi Mahi Reuben sandwich with potato salad. My wife ordered the Crabcake sandwich with their own coleslaw. We just drank water. The food was really tasty and welcome. We haven't had any seafood in a while so this was greatly anticipated and it was not disappointing. So tasty and different. The coleslaw was really interesting and flavorful. I asked for the ingredients and was told the secret. Not giving it away here! The restaurant is clean, simple and organized well. It was somewhat quiet because the start of the college football season just started and everyone was watching at home. The service was terrific and attentive. I recommend checking out this place.

We have had this place on our bucket list to try and decided to hit it up after leaving the…read moredisappointing Strawberry Festival, wanting to spend our monies locally. This restaurant is pretty cool and there were plenty of people already indulging, so our hopes were high. Three of us ordered the chopped brisket plate, with x2 sides. The menus listed the cost at $17.49 which seemed reasonable. We ordered a few appetizers, some drinks and a plate for the kids (who ate at the festival) to split. They were very short staffed with only two people working the floor, one of which was the overworked (as far as we were concerned) bartender who took our order at a table. The bartender did her bartending and the drinks were very good. However, whoever was working the kitchen did a subpar job; and the bill was fouled up. My brisket plate included sides of onion rings and fried okra, along with cornbread. I personally was not happy with my selections, taste-wise. The brisket was fairly flavorless and seemed "old" to me. The onion slices within the rings were watery, albeit the rings themselves were firm (not much flavor however). The okra, again, did not have much flavor to them and I failed to finish them. The cornbread was nothing special either. The others felt their food selections were "okay", but this is my review and I disagreed with them - it could've (should've) been better. Upon getting the bill we discovered that we were charged $20.49 for those advertised $17.49 plates. There also was an added 'Florida Tea' cocktail that was not only not delivered, but never ordered. I recommend you check your bills thoroughly before paying. This may have been an anomaly, but maybe not. As for me personally I won't choose to return here anytime soon, unless I am outvoted by the company I keep.

Overall pretty good I'd say...The place was clean...Friendly workers....Had classic rock playing…read morefor music...I got a double smash burger....I'm really not the biggest smash burger guy as I prefer just regular ole fat burgers,lol, but this was pretty good...You can afford what you want to their burgers...Burger basket comes with shoe string fries which were good too. I'd give them 5 stars but the ingredients in their BBQ sauces were not the cleaners ("natural flavors" being one)....That being said the Raspberry Chipotle sauce was my favorite and I put that on my burger....Also, for the mayo freaks out there all they have is Kraft...Yuck !

With a highly rated place in walking distance from my AirBnb, I decided to give this place a shot…read morefor dinner. The interior of the restaurant was definitely bigger than I thought it would be, with plenty of seating for you to enjoy your food in. The staff was friendly but not all too helpful with reccomendations on portion sizes. I ended up ordering 1/4 pound of brisket and a side of baked beans. It came 2 slices of texas toast. I did like the fact that you had a choice of how your food was prepared, be it sliced or chunks and fatty or lean. The brisket was cooked perfectly and the sauces definitely added to the overall flavor. I was definitely happy with the size of the baked beans side amd ended up finishing the leftover I had of this later that night! It was a nice place to eat at and quick ticket time is always appreciated!

The Smokin' Ox is a staple for local BBQ in Polk County. Clayton and his team are always offering…read morespecials like burnt ends and strawberry short cake. The dry rubbed ribs with their house seasoning pair well with all 3 sauces - sweet,spicy or mustard based sauce. Brisket can be ordered sliced or chopped & lean or fatty based on preference of wanting a cut from the flat or point end of the brisket. We enjoy the sliced, lean brisket but also really enjoy the chopped brisket paired on top of the fat fries w / ranch & jalapeños! The brisket is moist and fork tender, we always order a 1 lb. portion so we have extra for later. The sides are well seasoned & flavor packin', never lackin! From creamy 5 cheese mac to turnip greens & green beans...they don't disappoint! If you're in the area and looking for a local gem then look no further. Come in hungry and leave happy! Just tell Clayton and his family that Cam sent ya.

This was our 5th time coming... I love BBQ... This is some of the best.. The BBQ bowl, is so…read moreyummy... The Burnt ends are the real deal... The people are so friendly... We were treated like family..

Located in historic Lake Whites, this local Barbie-Q restaurant is a good choice if you are craving…read moresouthern Barbie-Q. The daily specials are reasonably priced, but the meals are a bit on the pricy side. The Brisket meal included 2 small slices of meat and your choice of two sides and either toast or cornbread. The cornbread was really a unique cornbread pancake. The beans were really sweet and flavorful. The Brisket was well seasoned with a nice dry rub and smoked. Three Barbie-Q sauces, regular, tangy, and spicy. Banana Pudding was made fresh and was yummy. The ambiance was no frills, order at counter, pay, sit at and wait. The wait was a bit long, and for no reason I could understand, as there was only one other table and a person picking up takeout. The staff were nice.

First visit to Polk City Barbeque and it is worth coming back to. We ordered a Grilled Cheese &…read moreBrunswick Stew and Iced tea($9.99), and The General Van Fleet with three sides (Mac n cheese, BBQ Pit beans, Brunswick Stew - and we ordered an extra side of Sweet Apple Cole Slaw($29.99). The General Van Fleet included brisket, pulled pork, ribs, pulled chicken and sausage with your choice of Bread and we chose Texas Toast. This was more than enough for two people to share. I am a brisket person and this brisket was very moist, a bit more fatty than I prefer. The brisket was also a bit more salty than I prefer (mind you, I don't ever salt anything). The sausage was pretty perfect tasting and texture. The pulled pork was probable pretty spot on, even though I'm not a big pork lover. The chicken was chicken....pretty good with any of the three BBQ sauces on the table. The ribs were tasty, and didn't need sauce. The sides were all pretty good. The beans were really good, Sweet Apple Coke Slaw tasted really good and fresh, the Brunswick Stew was a bit different than we are used to and more like a chili and good. The Mac n cheese was creamy and ok. The grilled cheese is made with 5 cheeses and perfectly made.....this is something definitely recommended to consider ordering when you visit. Service is friendly and outstanding. We are excited to return to try some other menu items including the Couch Potato (a fully loaded potato including your choice of meat). The dining room is medium size with tables for two, four and 6. They offer dine in and carry out also. For our first visit, we really enjoyed this and will return!

Food here is delicious another barbecue spot that's a local hangout, good southern hospitality…read moreservice here is also excellent small dining room makes it cozy and the service is on point

My kid's school was having a fair complete with food truck "rally" (does it count as a rally if…read morethere are only 4 food trucks?). There were massive lines for the other 3 trucks, so we ended up at Jimmy's. I ordered two orders of the fried shrimp. My order was done in less than 10 minutes, which was pretty good for a food truck. The fried shrimp is 6 pieces, and it's $12. For $2 more, you get a generous side of fries. The shrimp was huge and sweet. The french fries were thick and well fried, although they were overly salty. You are offered tartar sauce or cocktail sauce. I asked for just ketchup and received nothing. This is a pretty efficient food truck, and I think the prices are reasonable. The shrimp was good, although the fries were salt bombs. The rest of the menu is very crab-heavy (most items are topped with crab), which might or might not appeal to you (it didn't for my family).

Great crab cake burger!…read more I found this food truck when I had an event at Brew Hub. Since I was going to be there for three hours, I figured I needed to nourish myself with a bit of grub first. I'm glad this was the truck that was there because it was definitely satisfying! I got the crab cake burger and it was delicious. There was a good amount of crab in it and the bun was very sturdy. I added fries on for an additional dollar. The fries were solid, but I find my true test for fries it whether I would eat them without any dipping sauce. It didn't have enough seasoning or flavor so I ended up needing ketchup. They were crispy and nicely fried though. I was surprised that adding fries was only a dollar. That's a pretty awesome deal. The workers were super friendly. Since it was hot outside I placed my order and came back five minutes later to grab the food. I would definitely eat at this food truck again!

GET HERE ASAP!!! Me and my youngest swung through and folks in here are going crazy!! The food was…read moretoo good and well worth the price. We ordered the following: Waffle breakfast: 10/10 a LOT of food and all of it was delicious. Chicken n waffles:10/10 chicken fried perfectly. Hunch punch: 10/10 freaky ass name but good Waffles were fluffy and flavorful. Highly recommending this place.

We went in for catfish for the grandmas--and boy, did they love it! My mom never finishes her food,…read morebut she cleared her entire plate. These ladies are picky about their catfish, and they raved about it so much, we're already planning to go back this evening. My husband had the Philly, and I went for the huge burger--so big I could barely finish it, but it was just as good warmed up later. The onion rings? Absolutely amazing. What really made the visit stand out, though, was the staff. TJ was excellent--full of positive energy, a great attitude, and genuinely welcoming. I wish more places had employees like him. We'll definitely be back!

We recently returned to this favorite restaurant from 50 years ago. As a child we stopped at…read morePeebles as often as possible usually eating outside on the picnic tables since we were a rowdy group of kids. My future wife's family loved the BBQ as well so it was such a treat to take my mother-in-law to Peebles for her 85th Birthday after we returned to polk county to retire. We were amazed at how almost nothing had changed. Great BBQ done simply. No air conditioning, gravel parking lot, simple tables in a screened in area and white bread served with the BBQ meat of your choice. Great food, friendly family servers and a step back to a simpler time that should not be forgotten.

This was unexpected gem in rural Polk county. Was excited to visit after reading the reviews in the…read morelocal paper. Would have passed right by if not for my GPS, dirt parking lot, no giant billboards. Service was quick and friendly, and the menu is simple. Was disappointed in no brisket (only on Friday), but i enjoyed the chopped pork, not my favorite. Was hoping for garlic bread instead of a bun, but it worked. The sides were small, but very tasty. Best potato salad i can remember in a while Only open 3 days a week, and not in the summer. A building with no air condition.. wowsers!! An experience worth visiting, but i personally won't go out of the way to return, only if convenient.