Food was great. Loved the salad bar. Will definitely go back. Service was fast and friendly. Overall restaurant was cute.

I got lost in the sauce, as my grandkids would say!!! There are so many sauce options here, and they are all fantastic! I love the pulled pork and mac and cheese. The bubba nuggets are to die for. I can't wait to return again and again! I am a true BBQ snob and I give this place an A+ read more

I have been wanting to go check this place out since May and I finally had an opportunity to go. This restaurant is WONDERFUL! I sat across from the salad bar and observed the employee, Karen, as she worked while humming and dancing. She takes pride in her work and it shows! These are the type of employees that should be recognized for all of their hard work! That salad bar was clean and stocked up! Could not have been any better. I asked our waitress for her name because she's a behind the scenes kinda gal and I hope she gets to read this. Her hard work and positive energy was noticed and felt! The music was great and the ambiance was nice. I like the little bar and may sit back there next time. I had the all you can eat salad bar. The veggies and fruit fresh were fresh and delicious! I'll definitely be back. Everyone was friendly and I look forward to giving them more business. read more

I drive between Tallahassee area and Tampa every few months. I really like stopping in Crystal River for food and stretch break and some shopping. Good BBQ food. Staff is extremely friendly and nice running around and doing a lot so it was a bit of wait but not bad I went with my 2 Aunties. I had the Bessie's Best Sandwich: Texas Brisket, Melted Cheddar and Texas Sausage. It was yummy. I really liked the sausage it had I little kick to it but not too hot. The brisket was ok definitely need BBQ sauce. They have lots of sauces to choose from my favorite is Mississippi Mud sauce which is sweet with molasses. I tried the honey and smoky which they where nice (sorry I don't remember the cute names). The bread is grilled which I just love. I had a side waffle cut sweet potato fries that were good. (Waffle cut is one my favorite type of fries. My Aunties both had unlimited salad bar. Which looked really good. Nice fresh veggies also had fixings for taco salad with taco meat and tortilla chips. It has wide selection of dressings made in house. My Aunties really enjoyed the salad bar. The decor is fun country with funny signs and American flags. Plays country music. Nice clean bathroom. Good place to stop. Food came super quickly. Have outdoor seating. Have tables for larger groups. Nice spot. Will most likely stop again when driving through. read more

BubbaQue's - Crystal River - Bessie's Best - Barbeque Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

My husband and I ate here on 5/7/25. I was so delighted to see they had a salad bar, and I can say it was very good. All the ingredients were fresh, the salad bar was clean, the service was excellent and very attentive. I had the sausage dinner and hubby had ribs. All cooked to perfection. I had steamed corn on the cob and it was cooked just right and tasted fresh and not soggy, but nice and crisp. Hubby had Coors lite and I had their IPA. I can't remember the name. Prices are variable, but I think a person can find what they want and not spend a fortune. We will be back. read more

We always have great service Savannah was amazing!! Great food as always and even better staff!!! Thank you read more

Not a lot of options in this area. Decor is outdoors. Waitress was nice, did well for the amount of tables she had to cover. You can tell the unlimited $13 buffet the food has been sitting for too: lettuce browning, mash potato hard on top, green beans/cabbage extra salty. Even another customer ask them to bring out fresh lettuce. My quarter chicken came out before I even came back from buffet, which means it wasn't cook to order just heated. Maybe it's cuz we came at 2ish, but that's not good business. I rarely give bad reviews, I don't live here, so I won't be back anyways. read more

BubbaQue's - Crystal River - Quarter chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

Excellent ribs. We had Vanessa taking care of us and she was the best. We had the Sticky Bones Ribs with caramelized sauce with the sweet tater fries and the coleslaw and corn on the cob. Highly recommended. You have to come and try them. Service is great and the food came really fast out of the kitchen. read more

BubbaQue's - Crystal River - Sticky Bones Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

See all

Pulled pork excellant but very pricey. 8.99 for JUST the sandwich & it was on a normal Hamburg bun size bun. The BBQ sauce was thin & runny but had a good flavor. Additional 6.99 to add salad bar again pricey Ayce salad bar was good but no potato salad, no macaroni salad or coleslaw and was 12.99. Broccoli salad was dry, chicken salad was good as was the tuna salad. The meatballs were good, the nachos were ok and the fruit was good. Not sure we'd go again ONLY because it was a bit pricey and portions are small for that cost read more

BubbaQue's - Crystal River - BBQ pork - Barbeque Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

First time here! Place is great! Food is delicious! The salad bar rocks! Dustin the bartender is very personal able, made great suggestions. Has a nice country feel atmosphere with nice wooden decor. I love BBQ however the sauces were ok, wasn't blown away. read more

See all

Delicious BBQ everything we've tried so far has been amazing, my favorite is the brisket meltdown sandwich! The staff are always friendly and attentive even when it's slammed busy and the service is quick! Definitely our favorite BBQ spot in Crystal River read more

What a pleasant surprise after 1.5 hrs of tubing in Crystal River! Large menu and an awesome salad bar! We started with an appetizer of Fried Pickle Chips. I think they were the best I've ever had. You get a full bottle of ranch and blue cheese for dipping, so you never run out of sauce! For lunch, I opted for the all-you-can-eat salad bar for $11.99. All of the salad bar items were so fresh and quite an assortment of choices which included broccoli-cheddar soup, chili, nachos, taco meat, pudding and fresh fruit. You won't go hungry! Highly recommend! read more

See all

Bubbaque's used to be a good fast food BBQ place but like many before it has lost its way. Tonight's meal which was supposed to be brisket, beans, and bread turned out to be cardboard, crap, and well the bread just wasn't there. The wait staff was rude and dismissive. 50 for dried dog food. read more

Ordered take out and had the onion rings appetizer and the Bubbas Salad w/ chopped BBQ chicken. Had to wait excessively long before the staff could tend to retrieving my food from the kitchen and processing payment. Returned to hotel room, to find that they forgot the disposable silverware (had to go back). The onion rings were good (even cold), but the salad was not what was advertised. There were no onion rings, croutons, or crackers on, or with, the salad. The BBQ chicken that came with the salad was mediocre. For over $12 with tax, the salad didn't deliver the value you'd expect. read more

BubbaQue's - Crystal River - Bubbas Salad - Barbeque Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

Great BBQ spot in Crystal river. Their meat is served without sauce so you can add their amazing house made sauces on the meat. They have about 7 sauces, each is delicious. The meat is smoked till they fall off the bones, you can really taste the smokiness. I love the salad and nacho bar, which is only $6 even you added it to your meal. Otherwise, it's only $11. Definitely recommend and will drive back to town just for food. read more

BubbaQue's - Crystal River - Sauces and amazingly smoked meat - Barbeque Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

Excellent food and exceptional service. Went there for lunch on Valentine's Day. Chris was our service who exemplifies what great customer service is all about. read more

We picked this place because we love bbq and are originally from Kansas City where the barbecue is king! I would have to say this barbecue was very good and they had great size portions. The salad bar even looked good. we rarely have good barbecue unless we cook it ourselves here in Florida, but this place was really good and we would go back if we came back to Crystal River. read more

Great food the best ribs ever!! The craziest waitress we loved her, can't decide if we will be back for her or the ribs but we will be back!! Did I mention how delicious the ribs were read more

Had a great meal, plenty of left overs for later, and the service was excellent. We had the big bubba dinner deal and split that among 2 of us with no problems. The salad bar has an excellent selection of choices and was well worth the extra $7. Our server Emily was amazing. read more

I didn't order leftovers! I got the motherclucker sandwich with chicken. Tasted just like chicken you reheat after a few days. The whole thing was tasteless. Best thing was the fries once I put the tangy mustard on them. My son got the chicken fingers and said best he ever ate! So there is that. Good service and ambiance, very cute, kinda reminded me of being in Frontierland at Disney world. I would not return though, that chicken was all kinds of gross. read more

BubbaQue's - Crystal River - Motherclucker sandwich, gross. - Barbeque Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

See all

I can't say enough about the flavor of the food!!! Totally the best smoked sausage for sure and awesome smoked ribs and tried the pulled pork sandwich with an xtra side of sausage. You talk about good, it's way beyond good!!!!!!! All different kinds of side sauces. Waitress was a bit short (bartender) but the food and the owner makes up for it. Try it you will love it. The mich crew! read more

Nice location, nice restaurant... BUT it's pricey, small servings, and we all 4 talked about our experience at bubbaques and did we like the food, price worth it, was anything a favorite, would we go back? It was unanimous... No, No, No, and only if there wasn't any other place to go. We had also previously stopped at the one in Chiefland and it was the same, only that one has a bad location with bad parking. read more

The food is great! Service was great! The Texas Nachos were absolutely delicious. Chris was our server, so professional, courteous, and personable read more

We had a catering order for over 120 people. All of the food was fantastic, the delivery was right on time and Steve was very helpful with ordering and Mike did a great job cooking it. Can't thank them enough for making our event perfect. Thank you. read more

We were there on Oct. 15, during the Scarecrow festival. This place has inside and outside covered eating areas. They have lots of Bbq sauces to use. The prices were fair and serving size was good. The pulled pork was really good but I also had the chicken. I have to say the chicken was not dry or burned. The smoked flavor was very good. Next time I hope to try the brisket. The collards and the fried okra are also good side choices as was the Mac and cheese. There were 4 of us and the service was prompt and meals were served quickly. read more

Stopped in for takeout on our way home from a 5 1/2 hour drive and couldn't have been more satisfied! The staff is very friendly and helpful. We sat at the bar and had a beer while we decided what from their very large menu we wanted. We decided on a pulled pork dinner with cole slaw and a combo of chicken and pulled pork with cole slaw and collard greens. Both dishes were delicious! We had our to go order before we were even finished with our beer! Great place! Looking forward to going back! The interior looked friendly and inviting! They have multiple BBQ sauces, we tried the mustard, the sweet and the hot. All were very good but wish there was one that was a little hotter. Not a deal breaker though! read more

Excellent service and delicious food! I ordered the wings & pulled pork. Their selection of sauces is impressive, but my favorite would be the Sugar Shack Sweet BBQ! Sydney was the best server, super friendly & very knowledgeable about the menu! Definitely coming back again! AND we got a free cookie!!! read more

BubbaQue's - Crystal River - Cookie - Barbeque Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

Visiting Crystal River and found this local gem to satisfy my smoked bbq craving. Must order the wings with their "homemade award winning dry rub" and the St. Louis ribs with the bbq sauce made in-house. Erica the bartender makes the best margarita with her own blend to the mix. Must try! read more

See all

We were starving after a day of kayaking at Three Sisters Springs, so we ate something hearty! We went to this highly rated Barbecue Restaurant and were not disappointed!! We arrived at the most ideal time, at 3-3:30 p.m. Our bartender provided prompt service. Hands down, the Fried Green Maters are a must-try! The pulled pork was what I ordered. At each table, there was a barbecue sauce variety. We would eat here again! read more

See all

Stopped in here for lunch and ended up getting wings and the all you can eat salad bar. Food is nothing fancy, but it was good and the staff friendly and professional. read more

See all

I would eat here again. This was a great place with decent pricing. Great menu selection and they even have a salad buffet bar too. Don't skip this place if your are visiting Crystal River. read more

See all

BubbaQues is located on Citrus Avenue in the historic section of downtown Crystal River. Outside the building looks like the typical historic buildings along the road but once you step inside the doors it's definitely a rustic country feel throughout the several dining areas. Very nicely done to make their diners feel comfortable and relaxed. We came in the middle of a dinner time rush - the place had tables constantly turning over and the staff was efficient in cleaning off tables and seating people. All of BubbaQue's staff were friendly greeting us as we walked in and our waitress Madi (short for Madison) was top notch. Attentive and friendly, offering suggestions about the menu items, she offered the service we love - feeling valued as a customer but not overbearing. While we were waiting for our food after ordering, my husband and I noticed the manager out and about. Going from table to table, talking and shaking hands with his guests showed us that he cares about his patron's dining experience. So refreshing to see. We ordered our drinks - unsweetened ice tea as usual but we noticed they had alcoholic beverages. Bottled beer and mixed drinks are some of the selections we noticed at tables around us. For our appetizer we ordered fried pickles. It's one of our favorites and we wanted to compare them to other restaurants. We were not disappointed at all. A nice healthy portion of hot, crispy fried pickles were delivered to our table with a unique twist. They were served with a squeeze bottle of ranch dressing- what fun! We loved squirting as much ranch as we wanted on our chips. Just be careful when biting into the freshly fried pickles - they were juicy and can easily burn your mouth if you're not careful. Try to wait until they're a little cooler- it was hard to do though.... BubbaQue's offers a nice selection of appetizers including mini corn dogs which our neighbors at the next table ordered and graciously offered us a taste! Another healthy size portion for an appetizer. The corn dogs were delicious! Not too sweet ( some places make them taste like candy), perfect batter to dog ratio, crispy on the outside and fully cooked in the middle. This is a great treat for kids of all ages including me! For our mains we chose BubbaQue's half a smoked chicken that came with a slice of garlic toast and our choice of two sides. I chose their collard greens for one of my sides. Good but could use a little improvement by adding some smoked ham hock meat or smoked bacon for that extra something- something. I did add the hot pepper sauce that's on the table and it really improved their flavor. My second choice was their smoked jalapeno poppers. You get two poppers as a side dish and I have to say they were outstanding. Not too spicy and loaded with cream cheese and wrapped in delicious crispy bacon. A unusual side item but greatly appreciated!! I wanted more!! BubbaQue's smoked chicken was delightful!! Tender, juicy meat, crispy skin with a yummy dry rub and just the perfect amount of smoke flavor that enhanced the meat without overpowering it. Winner, winner chicken dinner!!!!! Another fabulous treat is that BubbaQue's offers TEN ( yes, that's right TEN) different barbecue sauces on your table. I chose the Rump Roaster sauce which had a little kick of hot pepper in it. Not a kick you in the face burn but a little tingle on the back of your tongue. Very delicious and paired well with my chicken. My husband decided to be a mixologist and mixed several together to suit his taste buds. The chicken was a very generous portion and I took half of it home with me! After we were finished eating and were waiting for our payment to be processed, the manager came over and asked us if everything met our approval. He also told us they have a really nice Sunday special of smoked chicken with a two dollar discount. We definitely will be going back on a Sunday to give that a try. A really great dining experience and I'm kicking myself for not trying BubbaQue's sooner!! I think with the tourists and residents frequenting BubbaQue's for great barbecue it will be a Crystal River dining destination for some time to come! read more

See all

2 of my party ordered the St. Louis plate "sticky bones". I was really hungry after a day on the river, but was very disappointed when we were all brought out 5 very small and dry baby back ribs. I guess they gave all the spare ribs to 'Baby Bubba'. read more

BubbaQue's - Crystal River - Not St. Louis ribs... - Barbeque Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

Amazing food!!! But what really impressed me was the owner came out and introduced himself and talked with us for 30 minutes. IMPRESSIVE! We love family owned businesses and this is one everyone needs to frequent! Patriotic and very genuine. read more

The barbecue was tender & pretty tasty. There was a wide assortment of sauces to try and to mix and match. I had the pulled pork & brisket - the pork was more moist & flavorful. I would go back - but it's still not the authentic, amazing bbq I'm on the hunt for. read more

This was a cute little spot! Next time we are in Crystal River we will for sure stop in. Service was great, the atmosphere was fun and the food was amazing! We both had the pulled pork sandwich with fries and coleslaw. It was so good!!! Love the option of all the sauces they provide and it was fun to try them out. They also had a very nice salad bar which we didn't have but looked clean and fresh. read more

Tons of sauces! Great food! Bread was fantastic and sides were to die for! Great service! Highly recommend the pulled pork read more

BubbaQue's - Crystal River - Barbeque Near Me - Crystal River, Florida

Worst bbq. Soggy bread, chewy chicken, and overpriced. Go somewhere else in the area.

This was a meh meal for a family of 5. Mediocre at best. My chicken sandwich was cold and the bread was like a soggy wierdness.

Totally disgusting food. Terrible mac and cheese. Brisket was totally dry and tasteless - so dry it was almost inedible. $15 sandwich came on a hamburger bun and wasn't much bigger than a BK double cheeseburger. Brownie wasn't terrible but was a weird cross between a brownie and cake. Too bad they don't care near as much about their food as their advertising. Will NEVER eat there again. Deserve zero stars, but that's not an option. read more