This is another one of our "must come back" places when we are in Venice. This is our third time back (three for three). Actually our very first time here we couldn't get a seat because it it that popular. I love their chicken and dumpling soup. This is THE definition of comfort for to me. It tastes like a quality chicken pot pie with actual goodies, none of this whole farmland of potatoes, carrot, and peas plus some broth and butter and a shred of chicken tail and calling it a "chicken soup." This was a hearty soup with chunks of white meat chicken and soft dumplings. Basically chicken dumpling soup as they say, vs potatoes cube soup. It is a must have. I really did myself a disservice and only got a cup.... on my own vacation after working throughout the entire pandemic on-site. The gulf shrimp platter (I got blackened) absolutely delicious. I love the Bourbon Sriracha sauce and used it as a dipping sauce for my fries. You can also never go wrong with hearty mashed potatoes and their gravy. My fiance got some brisket pork combo (in the entrees section) plus mac and cheese side... so good!! This is a must go to place, and the staff are super pleasant. Zero complaints from me! read more

Excellent barbecued food.Gives Gold Rush Dinner a run for their money! Actually Darrell used to be the head chef at Gold Rush until one day years ago, the owner and Darrell, had a disagreement and parted ways! Darrell has done well for himself. You won't be disappointed in their food quality,service and atmosphere. read more

I went to Darrell's casual Southern restaurant to get some BBQ but I chickened out. Quite literally. I couldn't resist the offer of lightly battered fried chicken livers AND a two piece fried chicken platter w two sides. The livers were very good- right out of the fryer and not heavily battered. I don't know why but it was served with a side of mild buffalo sauce. You could also dab it in some of their homemade BBQ sauces. The dark meat fried chicken was also very good- lightly battered and right out of the fryer. I chose collards and mashed potatoes w gravy. The greens were tender and very tasty. The mashed potatoes were also good. The sides and a square of sweet cornbread rounded out the southern comfort food platter. Beer and wine is served along with sweet teas and soda. The servers were friendly but were slammed going table to table. I thought about a slice of the frozen peanut butter pie to go but bailed on it. My meal was very good. This is the spot where the locals eat. read more

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The food was the most amazing I've had in the area. And the portions are on the bigger side. The staff was also warm and welcoming. The whole experience was great. I'll definitely be returning. read more

Okay first thing, the kindest most well mannered staff I've ever encountered AND they were all high school age boys...I was laughing and gave kudos to whomever raised them or was running this place! They did awesome. Our favorite thing on the menu is their Fried Pickles. The best fried pickle you'll have in your life. Perfectly breaded and crunchy and crispy and then a soft delish pickle. 10/10 The Ribs were falling off the bone and really great smoky flavor. I liked the bacon wrapped shrimp but wished it wasn't fried personally! Cajun fries were BOMB. I would personally pass on the Mac & cheese, just way too much cheese for me. Good cornbread. My husband had the fried chicken sandwich and loved it - HUGE piece of chicken and really moist. Will tell others about this place! read more

Darrell's Restaurant - Fried pickles - Southern Near Me - Venice, Florida

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We usually have a very good meal here but this last visit was a big letdown. the brisket and pulled pork were both very dry and the brisket tasted like it was reheated. Also, my wife's ribs were extremely fatty. read more

Three of us ordered the St Louis cut ribs. These ribs were full of fat, bones and some type of big thick tendons running through it. There was very little meat on them, especially for the price. My friend made it to the parking lot, but then had to run back in to the bathroom. He finished his rack but suffered the effects pretty quick. Service was good but we won't be back. read more

My husband arrived about a half an hour before closing and we're worried that we might not be able to done in but we got a warm welcome. We were able to enjoy our meal a little past closing time which I was grateful for. Which bearings me to their customer service which was excellent! I got the "hungry heifer" (hilarious)-- my eyes were bigger than my stomach this day but I was able to take a few bites of everything. The brisket was the least impressive, it was overcooked and was bland. The ribs were the best tasting out of them all but still lacked flavor and tenderness. If you need a lot of extra sauces to eat through a meal, that's an indicator that it's not too good. The only 10/10 was the cornbread, which they kindly gave me extras of. read more

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What an awesome place There were 10 of us yesterday at 2 pm. No problem for this restaurant. There is a private room and it was all set up for us. Family drove from Ft Myers and Clermont out side of Orlando. Everything was perfect good food and it was plentiful. We will be back. 5 read more

Read about Darrell's on several reviews and sounded like a place I would enjoy. It was a little bit of a long drive, about an hour, but it was definitely worth it. Food was amazingly delicious. Fried chicken was some of the best I've eaten in a really long time. Collard greens were spot on. Cornbread was slightly sweet and fantastic. Long drive or not I'm coming back really soon and hopefully often. read more

Thanks to Darrell's Restaurant for amazing food and excellent service catering our daughter's wedding reception. The food was delicious, and Darrel's customer service was outstanding! read more

Meh. The brisket was very bland and not smoky. The mac and cheese was smooth and creamy but lacked flavor. The food comes out on metal trays. I've seen this before at BBQ joints, but I'm not a fan. The service and the Caesar salad were good! read more

Any BBQ place that has Greens is spot on and understands what true BBQ is! If your BBQ spot doesn't serve them find another. They were perfect and had options for vinegar. The brisket and ribs were also top notch. read more

Darrell's delivers tasty, homecooked offerings in a casual setting, Unpretentious and unfussy, you will leave from here with a full belly. I enjoyed the selections on my particular visit. I liked that they had cucumber salad which was a nice, unusual option for a side. We sprang for dessert because I heard the banana pudding was not to be missed and it did not disappoint. Service was excellent. Thanks, Darrell's. If you like home cooking and barbecue check this place out! read more

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Darrell's is fantastic - I cant say that enough. We have been there several times and honestly the most outstanding thing there (for me) are the fried wings. The flavor, the texture, the quality, the sauces INSANE. The staff is always friendly, and it makes you feel like you're sitting at your friends house enjoying a great meal. The parking lot does get a little packed so make sure you account for that when going. Their chicken/dumpling soup is ALWAYS a good idea regardless of how warm it is outside. read more

Darrell's Restaurant - Chicken and dumpling soup - Southern Near Me - Venice, Florida

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First time patron! Service was great!! Was looking forward to a good bbq brisket from a BBQ restaurant and was disappointed! My so called "BBQ Brisket" was not smoked but boiled. I was looking for that golden bbq meat but it was not there. I can not say anything regarding their pulled pork or other meats but the the brisket was not bbq! It was boiled! read more

Excellent food and best server Gavin was terrific, organized, kind, helpful and a joy! Took great care of our large group!

Great food and service. Excellent BB. Makes you want to come back and try other things on the menu!!!

We love Darrell's! The food is great, and the service is too. Where else can we find delicious, perfectly prepared chicken livers with white gravy? The fried chicken is crunchy and delicious, and their BBQ brisket is very good. A plethora of good old down home side dishes, many not available at other popular restaurants. read more

That Mac and cheese slapped!!! The sampler was also a good portion of everything the chicken breast was dry but some people love that not me, I'm a dark meat man. So no points deducted. Corn bread and collards were good as well. read more

We aren't from the area and was looking for a casual restaurant with good food. Darrell's is definitely that place! The staff is very friendly and inviting. I was greeted when I walked in and ensured I'd be helped as soon as possible. I ordered to go because my little girl fell asleep on the way. Everything was hot and fresh. I ordered the chicken and waffles and it was incredible. The waffles are so crisp and sweet, they were good without syrup! The chicken was boneless, crunchy and full of flavor. I got mashed potatoes on the side and they were wonderful as well. My partner added a pig wing to his order and while we were expecting something larger for $6, it was so flavorful! He ordered the blackened catfish and it was seasoned very well, very flavorful. Overall, we had a great experience and definitely recommend this place! read more

Darrell's Restaurant - Host stand - Southern Near Me - Venice, Florida

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Food is very good here. Good portions, good service, good options. Too often, too stuffed for dessert. But desserts have been good when we can. Solid tap list. The Florida tap ice water seems to be filtered, which is great. We ALWAYS stop here when in town. Ambiance is exactly what a BBQ casual place should be. read more

Really nice barbecue restaurant in Venice. Food was amazing, best Mac and cheese I've had from a restaurant in a while, the whole chicken was nice and moist. Service was excellent from our server. Only negative is the parking is a bit sus. Would recommend read more

Yum! Went on a recent trip to Venice. Loved the wings and the fried chicken. The Cole slaw was delicious. Baked beans were good too. I asked for wings extra crispy and they were perfect. They forgot to toss them in medium sauce but brought me sauce so I added myself. Evan our server was very nice. He was so busy I felt bad for him. It was early on a Monday night and they were super busy. Will go back next time in Venice. read more

Darrell's Restaurant - Wings, all flats, medium sauce - Southern Near Me - Venice, Florida

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Great catering service - perfect call on the amount needed for our party. BBQ pork and chicken were a big hit. Order was ready at assigned pick up time. Definitely a "do again" for our association picnic! STARS to Darrell's. read more

Had lunch at Darrell's on Turkey Tuesday. The Turkey dinner was 5 star. The service was excellent. read more

Darrell's catered for our group of slightly over 200. Delicious, hot and on time. We've used Darrell a few times and the service and food is always excellent. He is very easy to deal with and very happy to help with suggestions. read more

We just wanted take out. We wanted Darrell's pork rinds, chicken livers and chicken wings. I called to order, Madison caught my drift immediately. Went to pick it up. Gave her a hug and went home and made plates for mom, dad and myself. The wings were Hot to the touch! That's how fresh they were! Great meal and great memories! read more

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Food was ok. Had brisket sandwich. Others at my table had pulled pork with Mac and cheese. They said it was ok, nothing outstanding.

This hands down was the best Barbecue food we've ever had! Dawn, our waitress is the sweetest and so fun to talk to! The food was so incredible and so full of flavor! Can't wait to go back!!!! read more

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The brisket was amazing! Some of the best I've had. The girls at the front desk were super friendly and helpful. I asked for a sample of the brisket since I had never been here before and one of them went and got it right away. Ended up ordering the Andy Dandy to get brisket and pulled pork. The serving was enough for two people. Got a side of fried pickles and even though I'd prefer the small slices, the breading on the spears was terrific. Mac n cheese was very good as well although I did put a little salt and pepper on it. Sweet sauce was perfect too! If I lived here or if I come back for work again, I will definitely eat here again. The inside looked very clean as I was waiting for my order. read more

Darrell's Restaurant - Brisket and pulled pork, Mac n cheese and cornbread. - Southern Near Me - Venice, Florida

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Food, Ordered the Hungry Heifer to get samples of each. Brisket and pulled pork clearly the top of the line, followed by the chicken. The ribs just didn't wow me. I tried the different BBQ sauces and found the Carolina the best, followed in order by their sweet BBQ sauce and the Hot BBQ sauce. The Cole slaw and macaroni and cheese were good. So, I'm taking to go the Pulled pork, brisket, slaw and macaroni and cheese. Staff really good people. Staff provided excellent and friendly service. Ambiance, the smell was great. The moment I walked in, I knew this would be a great meal. read more

Really enjoyed two recent visits here. We have been going to a doctors office nearby and usually stop for lunch while in the area. It's nice to get good southern food. Had the pulled pork Mac n cheese, the pork nachos and fried chicken. Check out the menu, if that is the type food you crave, you will like this place! Good prices for what you get and you can probably count on leftovers. read more

Good southern food with great staff... unique options and they never disappointed . Always worth the try. read more

Darrell's Restaurant - Chicken livers, collards and black eyed peas - Southern Near Me - Venice, Florida

Darrell's is absolutely amazing! Best food in the area. Portions are large and prices are good. If you have room for dessert, you have to try their banana pudding! We always use them for catering church and work functions and Darrell always delivers great food and great customer service! read more

Chicken/ribs dinner. Chicken not fully cooked. Ribs tough and overcooked. Darrell's said they would replace order if I picked it up. I use delivery service because am handicapped and do not drive. Uber service had no solution for me. Now what? Who's responsible here? Should not be me! read more

Food was pretty good I had fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans. Hubby had smoked chicken with Cajun fries and beans. Cornbread was yummy. Banana pudding was a standout. The service though was really slow l, which was odd as there were plenty of people working and not a full house read more

Darrell's Restaurant - Fried chicken - Southern Near Me - Venice, Florida

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This review really is 3.5 stars; 3 seems a little low. There were aspects that were great though. Like my blackened catfish entree. Two large pieces of catfish perfectly seasoned and not too blackened if that makes sense. We loved all the sides options - plenty of healthy ones and unhealthy ones. I liked my broccoli and baked sweet potato with delicious brown sugar cinnamon butter. My son loved his sweet potato fries, and he got a ton of them with his kids meal. His main dish was Mac and cheese and it also came with cornbread. It's funny it was served with more fries than mac and cheese. Unfortunately, he didn't love it and after trying it, my husband and I decided it was lacking richness, like it needed more butter or something. My husband got the pulled pork entree and he did enjoy the meat but felt that it was pretty fatty. He was a fan of the sweet sauce the most and corn bread also. Loved the inside atmosphere. Nice decor that wasn't overwhelming and the staff kept it really clean and non cluttered. Tables nicely spaced too and not crowded feeling. Would we come back though? At 3.5 starts maybe, maybe not. It's fun to compare area bbq's so we'd maybe try another spot first before returning. read more

Darrell's Restaurant - Catfish entree - Southern Near Me - Venice, Florida

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We always come here when we are on vacation for many years. This was the first time we had the crab cakes with fried green tomatoes. Topped with their sweet tea, it had become my favorite and look forward to visiting again. read more

Service was friendly and quick. Nice clean open space. The food was really disappointing. Both burgers were burnt to a crisp. Baked potato was so dry and crumbly. Bbq pork was dry and flavorless. We must have visited on a bad kitchen day. read more