This self described BBQ Joint is exactly that, the real deal. They will make you feel like you just arrived home. Everything we had was absolutely fabulus and the prices are very reasonable. Highly recommend. read more

if you go to Fat-boys , Don't go on Tuesday. Normally, the food is good here. However, today.... My food tasted like sh*t smells. The Mac n' Cheese wasn't done. The Brisket was over done, too smokey and the cut was garbage. Didn't even try the chicken. My wife's birthday dinner went to the trash. So disappointed . read more

10/10! The food is so delicious and fresh here! Best barbecue I've had in a while! The side dishes were a hit for me from the baked beans, corn nuggets, collard greens and Mac and cheese! Whoever is in the kitchen knows what they're doing and should never stop, lol! You can tell evening is made with love. There are a variety of different barbecue sauces on each table, the customer service was great and the vibes are very chill! This is a must try bbq spot for all my bbq lovers, you won't regret it! read more

Fat Boys BBQ - Pit Master Plate - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

We were looking to try a different bbq restaurant while in Ocala. After reading the reviews we decided to give them a try. We weren't disappointed. The restaurant looked rustic. We were greeted upon walking in by Jessica who was very polite and friendly! She asked us where we would like to sit. We decided to eat on their outdoor patio. Their beer selection was decent. Our food came out in a timely manner and was pretty good bbq. Only drawback was that the patio tables weren't very clean. A little wipe down of the tables would go far. Definitely worth a try! read more

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Wasn't a planned stop as we had planned on cooking out at our nearby campsite. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate so we came here as I had remembered seeing it driving into town. This place had the best bbq I have ever had in Florida. Apparently they had new owners that brought this place in 2020 and brought it back to its former glory after it was shut down. We ordered the bbq pork sandwich, some brisket, baked beans, and finished it off with cobbler. THIS IS THE BEST BBQ I HAE EVER HAD IN THE STAE IF FLORIDA! everything was cooked to perfection. The baked beans were loaded with meats. The staff was as friendly as can be and seemed proud of the food they were serving. Definitely give this place a try! read more

RESTAURANT is Very Clean, Staff is Super Friendly, 2Meat Special; Your choice of meats White or Dark Meat Chicken, Pork, Brisket lean or with fat. Cornbread or Garlic Toast, and choice of 2 sides. SO MUCH BETTER THAN SONNY'S!! Pay them a visit you will be back and back guaranteed! read more

Fat Boys BBQ - 2 Meat Special $20.99 - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

I'm really fussy about my bbq. I have had great Texas, Louisiana and Carolina BBQ. Now I can say... I finally had great Florida BBQ! When you order ribs that have a beautiful, flavorful crust on the outside and are tender but not falling apart (boiled), and do not need BBQ sauce well... that is what good ribs are all about!!! I absolutely adore collards when they are done right! The collards here are so good they'll make your tongue slap your brains out! Dang!!! Yummy jalapeño cornbread and delish iced tea. Man I wish we lived closer but now we have a BBQ go to when we travel up there. Jessica was amazingly sweet and very knowledgeable! read more

Fat Boys BBQ - Ribs and killlllerkollards! - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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First , service terribly slow not attentive very friendly when ya walk in Second , food not very high quality. The all you can eat ribs were extremely fatty greasy and just a different taste. And even if you wanted a sec order they never came back to check on ya , drinks were completely empty . Third, they charged me for a side salad when it was presented as a side. And dint want to offer a receipt to verify your being correctly charge , thank goodness for math wizard grandson. But... side note... banana pudding not bad read more

We ordered take out yesterday and I knew the minute my husband brought it in that something had changed. Owners! The brisket was not good at all, very fatty and mushy. I got 2 tiny fatty pieces. My fried okra was cooked in old oil along with the fries. My husband's pulled pork was dry as a bone and crisp on the ends. His fries were bad, the oil is old or something. Which happens. I also ordered the $11 "banana pudding" skip it. It was literally vanilla pudding with some canned cool whip on top. With 4 vanilla wafers and 5 thin slices of banana. That's not what we call banana pudding in the south. It was quite sad and I would change the name to vanilla pudding. I called to make sure they knew how bad it was. The entire $50+ worth of food went into the trash. So the owner called me back. She's very defensive of her "homemake cooking". She offered me a 25% discount on my next trip. I declined because I won't be back. I'll go right back to Sonny's, because Fat Boys isn't the same as it was under the previous owners. It's bad bad and with her attitude, I won't give my money to them anymore. This place USED to be the bbq place that you could get great food at a good price. Not anymore, I suggest they get it together before the season. They won't be in business long and maybe the new owner will care that their food is crap. It's sad for the area because there are very few good restaurants in that area. I don't think people will be pleased with the quality and quantity of food they get. If we had been in restaurant I would've definitely sent it back. So instead I'll spend my hard earned money elsewhere. I suggest you do the same. It was completely inedible and she doesn't care. So back to Sonnys it is. And I hate that for the area. The owners don't care and won't listen to constructive criticism. Her loss not mine. Skip this place seriously. read more

Fat Boys BBQ - Two tiny fatty pieces of awful and very expensive brisket.This stretched out over a foot long. 2 skinny pieces of fat! - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Pulled over for lunch on our road trip. We ordered the six shooter platter with burnt ends, ribs, beef brisket and pulled pork. A mountain of food was soon delivered to our table. I will note that the table was clean and not sticky. They do clean the place :-) So let's dig in! The burnt ends were sticky and carmaelized yumminess. The ribs were pretty good. The beef brisket was a bit dry (we asked for the fatty side and still it was dry). The pulled pork was nicely smoked. The sides. The okra was hot and the accompanying sauce was bland. The green beans were plentiful but bland. The jalapeño corn bread wanted to be delicious but was bland and smelled like pepper without any kick. The baked beans were pure sugar. There was also a handful of Texas toast (buttered and tasty slightly of garlic salt?) and some crinklecut fries. The BBQ sauces were need I say it? Bland. The sweet was glorified catsup. The spicy wasn't deserving the the name. The Carolina was barely more than BBQ flavored mustard. And the only one worth trying was the Blueberry. It was actually a success. read more

Fat Boys BBQ - The platter of food - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Best damn BBQ in Ocala, we pass five BBQ places to come here. Great casual atmosphere excellent and friendly staff. (Jessica and Austin) The burnt ends and sliced brisket is the absolute best, great ribs, pulled pork, wings. All sides have been great, we will definitely be coming back again and again! Forget the chain BBQ, skip it and go straight here!!!! You won't be disappointed, my next visit we are going for the big ass beef rib dinner!!!! read more

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Great food and very friendly service! I went in with two friends for a quick lunch after swimming in the springs. I intentionally ordered white meat chicken to see if it was dry, it was perfect. I also really enjoyed the blueberry barbecue sauce. It wasn't overly fruity and a little tangy. It wasn't what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised. I was not a fan of this sweet potato cornbread, it was a little soggy for my taste. Everything else was spot on! read more

Fat Boys BBQ - Quarter chicken, french fries, sweet, potato, cornbread, and fried okra - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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We had an awesome early dinner on Saturday. The meats were fantastic with great smoked flavor. The green beans were off the charts good and not overcooked like most places read more

I recently ordered hoping for a great BBQ experience, but unfortunately, it was a huge letdown. The brisket was dry and lacked the rich, smoky flavor I expected. It felt like it had been overcooked and old. It was reminiscent of cardboard. The beef rib was equally disappointing - it had way too much fat, making it greasy and hard to enjoy. To top it off, the overall seasoning was off; it felt like the meat wasn't properly marinated or seasoned, resulting in a bland and unappetizing taste. This barbecue NEEDS sauce. Upon opening it I was hit with the smell of old bbq. It was surprisingly moist so if you go on the fabled "better days" you might be able to get a fresh rib and season it yourself at home. The flavors just didn't come together, and I left feeling like I had wasted both my time and money. I won't be returning anytime soon. The Mac and cheese was decent and the green beans straight out the can with generous amounts of brisket & potatoes throughout which was ok. It would've been great if the brisket was at least good. read more

Fat Boys BBQ - 1/4 Brisket & Blueberry Barbecue sauce - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Damn we have been wasting gas and money by going to the other place. Today was our first time trying Fat Boys after 10 years of living in Ocala! We are so sorry that we haven't tried you guys sooner! I ordered the beef ribs and they were amazing! Sides weren't really up to par (burnt fries mixed with okay fries and dry mac n cheese) but the beef rib totally made up for it. No stars will be docked because I'm certain the sides will probably be better next time we come! Bye for now read more

Fat Boys BBQ - Beef rib, fries, corn bread and mac and cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Great BBq. We had the ribs, wings and brisket. Everything was tender and falling off the bone. Wonderful surprise about the wings, most smoked wings the skin is soft, but they actually give theirs a quick fry after smoking, i loved it. Collared greens were well seasoned and meaty. Generous portions. Overall top notch bbq, we will be back. FYI- this resturant is not part of The Fat Boys chain. read more

fabulous BBQ meal in a clean and upgraded atmosphere, with fabulous service and very well priced! read more

Fat Boys BBQ - Smoked brisket, pulled pork, beans and corn on the cob - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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This place was really good! I was in town for work and stopped in for dinner one night. Everyone there was very kind and friendly, also they were having like a trivia night so that was fun to watch. The food was amazing and the sauces were really good. I highly recommend... read more

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Being from Miami, you wouldn't consider me a BBQ snob. I have rarely come across any place nationwide beyond a "good" or "decent BBQ" rating. Well, Fat Boys is only the 2nd 5 star, AMAZING BBQ restaurant I have found. The rub blend on the ribs, the 3 homemade sauces, the meat quality, and portions all contribute to creating BBQ that is as flavorful as it is tender. They even offer what very few BBQ places do...BEEF ribs ($28). Even more impressive, they somehow made the typically dry or firm spare ribs as tender as the smaller, more delicate baby back ribs. Actually, I don't remember seeing baby backs on the menu...and am glad. We got lucky because we unknowingly came on All You Can Eat Rib night ($26). Those started off with 7-8 ribs meaty enough to practically dare you to ask for more. We actually never got to ask for more because we had to take home some on the original plate. The sides were the ONLY part I would rank as good. The mac-n-cheese was saucey but not very flavorful, and the collars seemed a little too salty for me, although a friend approved of the salt level. Surprisingly, the corn nuggets and potato salad were the star sides. All entrees came with choice of 2 sides to be eaten/shared on casual, wooden picnic tables with padded seating. This place definitely is going to make us visit our Ocala friends more often! God bless!! read more

Started with two ordered of Skinny Boy Deal. I got burned ends and wife got chicken wings. She got jalapeño corn beard and Mac and cheese. I got TX toast and tots. The TX toast wasn't great and wife didn't care for the corn bread very dense. The burns ends would just about melt in your mouth, WOW! The chicken wings were nice and tender. Both were a solid hit. Got the blueberry cobbler with ice cream to finish off the meal. Another great item. Sauces- tried the sweet and it was good, but that blueberry was great. So good I got 2 bottles to go. Highly recommend , stop by and try them for yourself. Service was very good. read more

New to town and have been looking for some good and fresh bbq. Wow, did this place nail it. Everything was fresh and served quick. 10/10 will be coming back. read more

I had read so much about the resurgence of this restaurant I had to give it a try. The environment is pretty cool and the greeting was super awesome. if you're looking for Full Service, this is not it but I do like the concept. It's less staff dependent. If somebody doesn't show up it doesn't impact your service. I love it when you walk into it environment and people don't assume you know what you're doing and that's exactly what happened. we walked in and were greeted with a full info session of how to order pay and receive our food many kudos for that! We both ordered the lean brisket with two sides. Lean is no joke here so if you're looking for any fat at all don't order lean. The fried okra was tasty especially with the spicy ranch sauce for dip. The best was the cornbread. It is sweet so if that's not your thing you may want to go with the Texas Toast. My mom and I both had the Mac & cheese and both felt it was missing a little taste. Strongly encourage you to try it. The portions are huge and the staff is extremely helpful. read more

Fat Boys BBQ - Lean brisket, Mac & cheese, fried okra, and corn bread oh my! - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Stopped in for a quick lunch. The server recommended the ribs and the brisket so got that along with the Mac &cheese and coleslaw. Both the sides were very good. The ribs were also very good. The brisket was good also. Better than most places but not the best I've had. It could use a little more bark and a little more moisture and it would have been a 5 star. Brisket is by far the hardest meats to get right and so many people like it different ways. I like sliced and from the point not the flat. It was sliced so that was a win. Will be back next time I'm in the area. read more

Fat Boys BBQ - 2 meat platter. Brisket and ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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Quick stop along the way... should have gotten pics. Counter service and self serve drink fountain. Staff were friendly and helpful. The seating was a mix of booths and tables in one large room. Macaroni & cheese and jalapeño cornbread were great. Pork wasn't super flavorful but sauce options were good (spicy, sweet, Carolina, and blueberry). I like the other sides we tried as well: fried okra, cornbread, and bbq baked beans. Kids were pumped to get ice cream with chocolate sauce with their kid meals. Again, sides were yummy. Only lacking points for the actual BBQ meat flavor. Maybe next time we'll try the brisket... read more

The rub on those wings was fantastic, we really enjoyed it all though. The ribs, the fries, the brisket.

This place was an unexpected surprise. The restaurant is recently under new management so I decided to give it a try. I ordered the brisket plate and I believe it's the best brisket that I have ever had. It was very tender and awesome. Good job guys ! read more

My husband and I have come here 3 times in the past four months. We have tried the ribs, the chicken wings, and the brisket and have enjoyed it all. I particularly like the fried okra. We feel the prices are fair and serving size is enough to bring some home. We like this place and will continue going there. read more

Our kayak tour guide at Silver Spring State Park recommended Fat Boys BBQ as a great local place for lunch and we are so glad we took him up on that recommendation! Jessica greeted us with a smile at the door and took our order quickly, and just a minute or two after we sat down with our drinks, our food was already being delivered. The brisket was perfectly tender and they had an amazing assortment of BBQ sauces to try. Comfortable laid back atmosphere and friendly faces all around. We would definitely eat here again! This place well deserves these five stars! read more

I'm from Texas trying to eat BBQ in Florida ( BBQ is known in Texas)... I can say the service was amazing and welcoming. I got to try the first baked potato with Brisket they've made ( I decided to call it the fat Boy heart attack) it was absolutely delicious ( needs a little more butter) but the flavor was amazing. We tried ribs, sausage, chicken and brisket and by far the Brisket takes all... brisket is a much try. I will definitely be back and highly recommend this place... To: Fat Boys, your brisket is better than most places in Texas Epic!!! read more

Good eats and great service. Glad to have tis establishment back in Ocala! Great place to stop by! read more

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Ordered six guns feast very disappointed in the food and the price. $64 for maybe one adult and kid I can go to Sunny's bbq spend less and get way more food and better quality. Would not recommend. read more

This was the worst experience I have ever had with a BBQ place. You order at the counter, and they bring you the food. The service was bad the BBQ sauces were runny like water. The food was cold and the ribs I ordered were dried out and just nasty. The floors were dirty like they and not been cleaned in a while. We were not happy with this place at all. Will hit Sonny's up next time. read more

Would give it zero if we could. Meat was tasteless and fatty. Green beans ice cold. Beans from a can no flavor. Styrofoam cups and the cheapest plastic ware made. No thank you. We should have known when it was empty. Will be surprised if it is still open by end of year. read more

I was introduced to Fat Boyz BBQ at a function for Lennar homes in Williston. It was a wonderful event with lots of nice people both, company and residents. We had the sausage pulled pork. Both were excellent. The Mac and cheese was the best I have had since arriving in Ocala. The potato salad was sweet and crispy. Like most people, the young man at the window was extremely polite and knowledgeable. Highly recommend this business. read more

Important to note ""under new management" means not the same Fatboys. First, you no longer order at the register and take a seat. This is a problem when you have one waitress taking orders to go, taking orders over the phone and taking orders from all the people you forced to seat who are now waiting to order. All when they could have ordered at the register and kept the place operating efficiently. We watched a guy leave because he was so upset about the wait and getting the wrong order. No wonder, the waitress was overwhelmed and still insisted everyone sit. When someone asked to order at the register, they were told we seat you now. Why???? That's great if you are properly staffed, but you are not. Important to note, recipes have changed too. It's a different restaurant and they should have changed the name. The ribs are not the same. The cobbler is not cobbler, it's literally a muffin. Food was ok but be warmed, if you are returning and expecting the old Fatboys it is NOT the same! read more

What a difference new owners have made in this establishment. We were pleasantly surprised when we entered there for dinner. It is very clean and inviting. You order in the front, and then a friendly server brings out the food. The food?! Wow!! The servings are more than generous. My husband ordered the two meats with pork and brisket. His sides were jalapeño cornbread, beans and macaroni and cheese. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with fries. There are sauces on the table--even a surprising blueberry bbq sauce. The bread pudding with ice cream was also delicious. read more

Well, this is the second time I visited Fat Boy's since it had changed ownership only to discover it had changed hands again. Having been there twice with the current owners I can honestly say that the food is very good as is the service. I first ordered the 4 meats that comes with lots of sides and a generous amount of food on a half sheet tray. Last week I ordered the t 2 meat tray and again, was not disappointed. Fat Boys is now one of my local barbecue stops. read more

The bbq beans are almost as good as grandmas....so dang good. Mac cheese was next level. My fav was the pulled pork with the blueberry chipotle. The ribs were really good....huge portions, so definitely enough to share! read more

Food was 'Meh'. Service was fantastic! And the ambiance was relaxing. It was a good pit stop for a long drive I had. read more

This BBQ restaurant has been around since 1970. They have recently reopened under new ownership. This review will be from my 2nd visit. Unlike the chain restaurant that is next-door, Fat Boys is locally owned. And it shows. The ribs are fall off the bone tender. They are not over smokey like another place with will remain nameless. The BBQ sauce is very much homemade. The sausages are wonderful. Snappy casings and tender. The coleslaw isn't drowned is mayonnaise. The fries are crisp. I've traveled a lot around the south, and I'll bet this BBQ against any. Other than Texas. Prices are very competitive. And when you consider you don't pay a waitress you save 15% to 20% over the competition. read more

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