well i had very high expectations for Big Lees and the food side didn't disappoint. Some of the Best Brisket i have had in a long time. The things that need to worked on like cleanliness of restaurant trash was over flowing. soda and tea machines were all not working at the time i went to get our drinks.someone told the staff and they eventually got out to fill the sweet tea, and get the soda machine up and running. When we got there the line was out the door amd down the sidewalk!.I double checked with the wife and she said well we had been wanting to try them and dont get down to Ocala very often so we opted to wait in line, eventually it was our turn i had the wife sit at an open table as the seating is extremely and i mean extremely limited. ppl were staging to get seats when ppl eventually got up after eating , I ordered our food ,at the time of ordering they bad everything i had ordered. by the time my order( 1 hr later )came up they were out of baked beans , so i got the wife corn nuggets. By the time i got to her with the food i had to refills her drink and finally sweet tea was full, There was a lady there who ordered , she told me while we were standing there it had been almost 2 hrs till she got her order.....!!!! Think with their popularity they may need to look into expansion if possible of the present location. or moving to a Much much larger location. And hire more help elevate the pressure off of the workers as they were definitely trying to keep up with the demand and sheer volume of customers. read more

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I'm from Orlando, but went to Gainesville for a concert and noticed this way close by. There was a small line out the door on a Sunday afternoon, but it moved quick. I ordered the family meal which comes with all their meats, four sides and four rolls. I noticed the rolls were missing and the girl at the register said they were out of rolls. Paying over $80 with tax and tip I'd expect something to make up for it. Brisket: extremely dry and had to put a lot of their BBB sauce on it to make it edible. Ribs: tasty but hardly any meat Pork: good, but I've had much better Sausage: no complaints, delicious Special Tea: had an odd taste that I couldn't put my finger on it, but wouldn't order again. I had to put sauce on everything but the sausage and good bbq doesn't need sauce. They had a special banana pudding cheesecake that was honestly the best thing we had and it was absolutely delish. The service is great, but very loud inside so stand near the front or you may not hear your name. This place has been on my bucket list, especially after seeing all the TikTok's and cooking shows he's been on, but I won't be back., read more

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Visiting friends in Ocala and they suggested Big Lee's for lunch. We arrived around 2 pm and it wasn't busy. The four of us ordered various meals and extra sides so we could try everything. The employees were very friendly, and when we mentioned that it was our first visit the employee taking our order made great suggestions. Service was excellent and we didn't have to wait long for our food. We all enjoyed the food. Everything we ordered was excellent. There were two BBQ sauces on the table but neither was spicy. A friendly employee offered to bring spicy BBQ sauce, she brought it in a small cup and it was just spicy enough. The only issue we had was that the music was much too loud. I like music, and don't mind loud-ish music in restaurants. But this music was so loud that we couldn't even have conversation. I'm certified in hearing testing and happened to have my sound level meter with me. I checked the sound of the music and it was 94.9 decibels, which exceeds OSHA's safe limit of 85 decibels. 94.9 is a level where permanent hearing damage can occur. Besides the super loud music the rest of the visit was good. Other reviews have mentioned the blaring music as well. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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Having moved from Texas, the bar for good BBQ is set high for us. When our other Texas transplant friends invited us to sample BBQ at Big Lee's, we went with healthy skepticism...but with some anticipation as we've seen the proprietor win competitions and be featured on Triple D. He can't be besting others with less than top notch BBQ, can he? I ordered the Burnt Ends plate ($16), excited to see it on the menu since burnt ends are not always available to order in most Texas BBQ joints since they run out of it very early. My wife tried their Pulled Pork sandwich ($14) and our friends ordered the Brisket/Burnt Ends combo ($18) and a Smash Burger ($12). My wife thought the pulled pork, while tender, lacked the smoky flavor we've come to expect. She had to douse it with their mustard-based BBQ sauce, which was actually pretty good. The burnt ends were nice and tender but I would echo my wife's feedback about the meat lacking that distinctive smokiness. Additionally, I'm used to burnt ends having all that concentrated flavor and char...this one didn't have that. The prices are decent...a good value for BBQ nowadays. However, their offerings fell short of our perhaps lofty expectations. We'll have to check out other local BBQ joints to match BBQ from Salt Lick, Black's, Kreutz Market, Smitty's, and even Luling City Market...not to mention those legendary BBQ joints in Austin. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Pulled Pork sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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The WORST!!! Food was awful, cold and service almost non existent. Unbelievable that this guys on Food Network.

We had to stop in and try this place as I kept seeing TikTok's about how great this place was. My husband got the pork and I got the burnt ends. The food was very good. They have a couple different bbq sauces and they were all very good. We both got Mac n cheese which was very good, we got fried okra which was good and baked beans which were great. We both tried out the Big Lee's tea and it was so good. The staff here was very friendly and helped us pick items out to try. The restaurant itself is small and not many places to sit but there is additional seating outside. Great little place to try for sure. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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I WANT ALL THE SMOKE! I heard so much about this place and expected good things. However the food was painfully mediocre. I got the big plate with brisket, beans and fries and a pulled pork sandwich with mac. The brisket was pretty insignificant lacking any real flavor or... smoke. Zero smokiness. The beans were ehh and the fries were run of the mill fast food spuds. The pulled pork and mac n cheese was kind of okay in the way that your coworkers office party potato salad is kinda okay; it fills you up but leaves you reminiscing of a better meal made in your own home. I cant understand the hype other than whats available in Ocala in comparison makes Lee's "incredible". I wish I had a hot tub time machine to get my $50 back. Oh well read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Lees bbq - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

We were up in the Ocala area and decided to finally pop in on a Sunday afternoon. It was busy but the line moved quickly. The girl at the register was super sweet & helpful. We got two pit plates, an extra side of pork, and two drinks for $44. Not a bad price considering BBQ is expensive! The food was out quickly and there was adequate seating inside. My main reason for 4 stars is because they were out of rolls which they did not specify until I got the tray and asked about them, since I thought maybe they forgot. I also thought the restaurant was a little underwhelming overall and the food was delicious, but not "drive an hour" worth it. If you're in the area, 100% I'd recommend stopping in. The meats were tender & tasty but the portions overall seemed small. I also felt like it was "quick service" BBQ, which I can get anywhere in Orlando (i.e.- Bubbalou's, 4 Rivers, Polite Pig, etc.) and it lacked the WOW factor that you get from somewhere like Smokemade Meats. I was happy and satisfied, but would only stop in if I was nearby! read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Pit Plates with brisket, burnt ends, slaw. Top had fried okra. Bottom had pork added and corn nuggets (delish) - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Rashad Jones (the owner) was very awesome to meet and very friendly. The servers behind the counter were nice and helpful. The ambiance was friendly but busy. The food was amazing. Coming from Texas where people take pride in their BBQ, where Texas usually falls short is on their side dishes. This place was great! The sausage and brisket had great flavor, but the sides were just as great. They lifted and elevated the experience and I would definitely go back!! read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Sausage, fried okra, "the Kelly" (Mac & cheese with brisket), coleslaw, roll, and banana pudding cheese cake. - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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Food and service was excellent! Greeted when we walked and Lee himself was behind the register. Food and service was excellent! Greeted when we walked and Lee himself was behind the register. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Chopped brisket sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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Me and my family were here at late December for a family meals before an event. We ordered the family meals and it was able to feed all 4 of us (adults) They were very flavorful and the cashier and server are both very friendly and approachable! The restaurant is clean and chic! The food is yummy and tender! I especially love the brisket! I wish they have the burst end in the family meals before also. read more

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.We got there a little close to an hour before closing and they were out of ribs, sausage, chicken but luckily had brisket and pulled pork. Unfortunately also out of desserts. But they remained friendly, helpful in answering questions, patient when we needed more clarification. The food was good. I would say the fried corn was my favorite side. The brisket was flavorful and juicy. The sweet sauce is popular but I loved their tangy sauce. Once the craziness of the shift died down, they made sure to check on us... twice. Extremely friendly staff. For the people complaining, read the room. Obviously if the staff is so inundated with orders, they wont be as attending. Also, if you go towards the end of the day, they might be running low on a few things because everything is made fresh. read more

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Food is mediocre bbq at best. It sure what happened to the sliced brisket but I got chopped up beef fat! GROSS! They ran out of ribs and sausage 2 hours before closing. There was no organization and literally NOT one employee smiled. NOT ONE, the manager smiled as she told me I would have to wait for tea that I'd already been waiting 20 minutes for. Then she said she would refund the drink back to my card without knowing who in the hell I am. BAD BUSINESS!! Maybe he should have stuck with the food truck! read more

I got the little rib plate, which came with three ribs and two sides. I picked the corn nuggets and french fries, and also tried their sausage. I got everything as takeout and reheated it in the air fryer. The sausage had a nice kick and a crispy skin. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender, juicy, and full of flavor. The corn nuggets were very crispy and a good size. The fries were standard but solid. Overall, it was really good barbecue, but not quite good enough to drive all the way to Ocala from Gainesville just for it. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Rib plate - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

This. Place. Was. Amazing!! I'm not much of a barbecue fan but this place did not disappoint and I heard it was a really popular spot so me and my boyfriend had to try. My boyfriend knew about this spot and told me that he wanted to try it . I didn't know it is owned by Rashad jones. For context he was on cooking shows and won master of "cue" and the show eat, sleep, barbecue. My boyfriend told me about him and this place so I was very excited to see what his barbecue was about. When I tell you this place did not disappoint!! It did not disappoint like I was surprised how much I like it considering that I don't eat barbecue as much. The ambiance was super cute and gave me that ocala feel when I entered. You were immediately greeted when you entered by them saying "welcome to big Lees" . The staff were amazing, very friendly and provided great selections. I was able to try their famous sweet tea infused I can't remember what the exact name was but it was really good. The food was the best part aside from the decor. When I tell you the tacos were flavorful they were flavorful! I added the street corn on top and I was so satisfied with the meal. I was also able to try my boyfriend's food as well which he got the rib tips. We happened to be in the area of ocala and wanted to try this place and I'm not going to lie I will drive 2 hours again just to eat at this spot. That's how good it was. 10/10 I recommend! Thank you big lees for the amazing service and amazing food read more

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This is a very good barbecue place and a fantastic location with friendly staff. I would definitely come back again. read more

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Food is fantastic! Had the chopped brisket sandwich and fried okra. My brother and sister in law were visiting from Buffalo and loved it too. Staff and service were great. read more

Oh. My. Goodness! This place is awesome! We were driving through the Ocala area and HAD to come eat here - to try the food that beat Bobby Flay. We tried every meat except the sausage and they were all delicious- just the right amount of smoke and so tender! We tried 3 different bbq sauces and all 3 complemented the bbq really well, not covering the taste of the meat, and all distinct in flavor. The were out of the peach cobbler and banana pudding, BUT the Biscoff cookie cheesecake was SO decadent we didn't miss them (neither my husband nor I are really cheesecake lovers, but this one I would definitely order again!). Divine. If I had to only order one or two meat choices I would choose burnt ends and the ribs. I like the corn nuggets over the fried okra also (they were out of baked beans, Mac n cheese, and Mexican corn). Fries were perfectly seasoned crinkle cut, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Perfect. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Left-Chicken, fries and fried okra. Right - Burnt ends and Brisket with fried okra and corn nuggets. - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

You walk in and u are greeted with a warm welcome in prices are not bad at all the employees are very nice the food is cooked fresh and delicious it just falls right apart the place is very clean will definitely be back read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Small brisket plate with half fries and half fried okra - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Great BBQ joint! prepare to wait as there is only one person taking orders. They were sold out of the peach cobbler by 3pm, So go early. The short ribs were excellent, and the staff is very friendly. There was limited seating, but it was worth the wait! Try Big Lee's Tea as well! read more

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The wait for this amazingly wonderful tasty food was over an hour long but very much worth it. It's crowded and very tight to get through tables. So that is challenging. Line was wrapped around the outside seating into the parking lot. But like I said it was worth it. Employees very nice and nice added touch passing out samples. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Brisket / burnt ends and macaroni. - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Absolutely the best BBQ joint I've had since leaving the Great State of Texas. Heard folks saying that they have drove more than 4 hours to visit Big Lee's. Doesn't matter what time you arrive there's a wait. The staff is friendly and welcoming. Owner is fantastic and personable. Will be back for sure read more

Wow. Now this is some finger licking bbq well Worth the hour drive. The burnt ends were so tender juicy. The ribs bursting with flavor and fell off the bone. This is what bbq should be. The flavor of the fried okra was refreshing so much better than the kind you find in the grocery stores frozen section. The Mac n cheese was nice and thick and had just the right amount of cheese in it. The sauces are good. The fries are nice and crispy. The staff are friendly and fast. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Big Lee's - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

It has been a while since I've been to big Lee's barbecue we ordered the burnt ends and we really wasn't that impressed. It didn't taste like it. Come off the grill. It taste like it come out of the oven. We bought some tea. It was a little too sweet for my taste. Service was good. The facilities is clean. I will be returning. Maybe to try the chicken next time. read more

All hype and marketing. Wife enjoyed the brisket, but the chicken had zero BBQ flavor. Just baked chicken and needed every sauce they had. I don't eat gluten or pork so brisket, chicken, slaw and corn were my only options. Slaw was good not great. Corn is going directly in the trash. read more

I made an error on my previous review...so sorry! My personal favorite is the ribs unless it is Tuesday. Tuesday Taco is awesome. Not a traditional taco but way better. And, 1/2 pound of burnt ends for dessert. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Tacos - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

There may be a line when you arrive if you go on a weekend, but it's definitely worth the wait. Took probably about 15-20 min for us, but you should get your food pretty soon after ordering. While waiting we got to try the corn nuggets and hibiscus tea! I got a big platter of brisket with a side of corn nuggets and Mac n cheese, as well as some ribs! Everything was tender and cooked well. I tried all 3 sauces and loved the vinegary base on them all. I think I liked the spicy one a bit more, but all were great! The Mac and cheese and corn nuggets were perfect and the cheesecake was divine! The hibiscus tea is sweet and so refreshing as well. There is seating inside as well as outside, and some tables are big enough for a large party. Food was wonderful and the staff was great, so it was definitely worth the short trip over to Ocala. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Brisket platter: 2 sides were corn nuggets, Mac n cheese. Dessert: biscoff cheesecake Drink: Hibiscus tea - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Love the greeting upon interest.The food was delicious.The surface was okay.The atmosphere was nice.I would definitely go back again read more

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Food was ok. Brisket didn't have much of a smoked flavor. Fries were OK. Street corn was good. Overall it's an ok bbq place in a strip center. read more

Kept hearing about all the hype on tiktok so I wanted to give this place a try. We came around 2 pm and right off the bat the place seemed very packed. I've heard big things about the service here so I was excited to see what the hype was all about. When entering the staff seemed extremely overwhelmed and stressed by the constant orders and there were a few customers that left the line due to the wait or they had been waiting quite some time for the food. I wouldn't recommend this place if you're in a rush or trying to bring a large group of people as it's a little chaotic inside and the staff seemed stressed. As for the food, I ordered the big plate of ribs with sides of baked beans and seasoned fries and the Kathy which is mac and cheese and brisket. The food overall was average at best. I wasn't particularly amazed by any of it. The portions were small even though I got a big plate and they ran out of rolls and didn't tell us until we noticed. Overall I would say this place is overhyped and I wouldn't go out of my way to try it. read more

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The sides were good but the meat was too greasy for us. The service was very good. Wish there was better seating available, it's a very small area. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Burnt ends, baked beans, fries and roll. - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

If there are more open tables than occupied tables, and there is an hour plus line, your service staff need to be fired. Sure they are kind, but I don't need a 5 minute conversation to order a sandwich. Regarding the meat, while it was tender, there was no flavor. A frozen hamburger patty has more flavor than their meat (pork, brisket). I'll give them credit for a decent sausage and okra but that's about it. I don't plan to return. read more

When you go into a food coma after your done but don't want to stop eating! That's Big Lees! The staff is so friendly and watching 'the show' meats being cut, fresh okra being fried. I was so happy to catch the dinner crowd. Looking at the food and waiting in line I was thirsty. The tea they make will top off the whole experience with the best tea to drink while you wait. I've been a fan for years I'm coming back to buy your tea by the gallon read more

You know a spot is good when there is a line forming. Meat was good well and the flavors were good. We got the "Yes" sampler. It says it serves 2-3 people, but between two of us, it was enough food for another two meals. read more

Three from me if it weren't for the peach cobbler. Damn, I'd come back for that ...but hospitality was funny. I'll say the girls up front weren't exactly friendly is all. Pork was good, sides were less pedestrian than they looked. And they weren't exactly cheap with the meats, but I'm also picky with my brisket and this is what I call saucy barbeque. Good with sauce. While it was tender and juicy with a nice thick fat cap others might complain about, it wasn't smoked which is sort of what I thought a 50 buck lunch for two was paying for. Was good overall but I really wasn't wanting a pot roast sandwich. read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - fatty pot roast sammy with pedestrian mac and cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Well we definitely wanted to make sure that we hit this place since we are out in Ocala quite often. It's been really promoted on social media and TV. We ordered Burnt ends and we got cut tender brisket. Nothing like burnt ends should be. 2. We ordered pulled pork sandwich and it was tender but no flavor. The beans and mac&cheese were very basic. Truly honesty the Big Lee's was the best thing we had. The place is small and made for a quick eat and go. The service was as a little bit rushed as they seemed stressed. read more

IDK what y'all are complaining about. We got here right when they opened and trued a little bit of all the smoked meats except the burnt ends. Smokey but bit overpowering. The portions come in little and big, so order as much as you want. Also you can add in to the platter you choose All the aides are good too. Mac n cheese, creamy/cheesy. Yup!! Baked beans, sugary and flavorful French fries, crispy and fluffy. Cole slaw rivals a good Popeyes service. Attendant and friendly employees Overall flavor rivals a good Texas establishment. Better than Dicky's read more

Still the best BBQ. Love coming when im back in Ocala . Me and my family come once a month . It always top notch food and service read more

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After watching a video on YouTube about Big Lee's, we couldn't wait until we were passing through the Ocala area again. We stopping for lunch & we're not disappointed! My husband & I ordered the family meal so we could sample most of the meats and sides. Their ribs fell off the bone before they had a chance to touch our lips (so delicious), the brisket had so much flavor, the sausage had more flavors than I could pick out & the chicken was so juicy! We had the fried okra, mac-n-cheese, beans, and coleslaw... all recommended! The sweet tea is on point for a bar b q joint! The staff was super friendly & actually enjoyed being there. The place was packed (Sunday at 2pm) so you know they are doing something right! Do yourself a favor, take the small detour off I-75 when coming through Ocala & eat at Big Lee's!!!! read more

Big Lee’s Barbecue - Menue - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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I'm going to attempt to give a straightforward review without getting my feelings involved... Doc and I were looking forward to visiting this place after seeing so many posts and ads, so we decided to do a day date and make a road trip to Ocala (1.5 hrs). The food was lukewarm (we prefer our food hot). The brisket was tender but slightly underseasoned. The Mac and cheese was very loose. The baked beans had a decent taste however, they were barely warm. I'm going to leave it at that. The people were friendly and nice. The more you know read more