Wanna experience old Florida and be in the woods? The he Gator Shack is back in the woods and part of the Babcock Ranch eco tour. Luckily we went during off season as it usually is full . The cook is excellent and the food delicious. She makes some of her own sauces. Do the Tour and eat here read more

Gator Shack - Barbeque Near Me - Punta Gorda, Florida

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The food is cooked to order. The portions are very large. I had fried shrimp plate that comes with 2 sides. Others in my party had pulled pork sandwich with potato salad and fried haddock plate with 2 sides. We all had enough leftover for another meal. Waitress was very pleasant read more

Best damn shrimp poboy anywhere, so much food it overflowed the plate yummy going back again very soon

We enjoy the food here. The wings are always large and cooked properly. The service is usually fast but like all bars and grills it can get slow when there is standing room only. If you like rustic and old school Florida you will love the ambience here. Wear your blue jean shorts and tie dyed shirts. Your cowboy hat or anything casual. There is smoking on the patio and at the bar outside. There are 2 small pool tables inside and I believe a golf video game inside. read more

This place is great. A real hidden gem deep in Babcock ranches back country. I've visited this location twice for lunch with coworker and have had pleasant experiences on both occasions. When you arrive seating is on a open table basis seat your self style. Gives you a real southern vibe. Service is prompted. Menu has plenty of different choices to enjoy. So far i've ordered the Gator bites and most recently the fried seafood platter that came with Flounder, shrimp and gator. Food was delicious fresh and hot. Their onion rings are also a nice add on to your order. read more

Gator Shack - Barbeque Near Me - Punta Gorda, Florida

Had lunch there two days ago, a group of 10. We ordered one appetizer of gator so everyone could get a taste. Yummo! One adult had the Gator Po Boy (excellent rated), one adult had the Shrimp Po Boy (excellent rated), one adult had Pulled Pork sandwich (excellent rated), two adults had Reuben Hot Dogs (excellent rated), one adult had Haddock meal (good), one child had a Philly Cheese Steak (excellent rated), one child had the BLT (excellent rated), one child had a hot dog (very good). Our server was Lindsay. Highly recommended. read more

If you are in Southwest Florida and happen to take the Eco Tour near Babcock Ranch, then you will surely have noticed this charming and excellent restaurant. As the tour bus concludes your tour, you will exit in front of the Gator Shack. Don't assume that this is just another " snack bar". This quaint establishment has a great menu of Classic comfort food expertly prepared and served in a friendly environment. It's exactly what you want and need at the end of this great tour. Enjoy. read more

Went ahead and stopped in for lunch while in town. Still friendly, affordable, and delishous food over here. Best food for the best price in the area. Tip: they only have bottled water so bring your own or get a soda/juice instead Seafood platter: fried perfectly, though the gator portion was small Sides and sauces: still the same quality Tip: mix the mustard and their very own Babcock honey for honey mustard Key Lime Pie: very rich almost fudge like consistency, mildly tart but still very sweet, recommend splitting an entree to make room for desert Highly recommend and will continue coming back here time and time again. read more

What a rare find out in the middle of nowhere! Old Florida country vibe. The food was absolutely delicious! The Philly was so good! Staff was friendly. Opened daily 11-2 read more

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stopped in for lunch today after taking the eco-tour which was really cool everybody should take that very informative. We had a party of six sat down order was taken almost immediately had a mixture of burgers salads and barbecued ribs everything was amazing and on point. The fried alligator appetizer was very good with the I believe it was orange marmalade dipping sauce everybody enjoyed it the ribs were very good the sides were excellent will definitely be back again first time eating here but won't be the Last !!! The server was very good also he took care of all of our needs sufficiently and fast ....... read more

Gator Shack - Barbecued ribs homemade cornbread macaroni and cheese and french fries was an excellent meal...... - Barbeque Near Me - Punta Gorda, Florida

The gator shack is the on-site restaurant at Babcock Ranch It features a grill as well as some premade salads and sandwiches that look like they had made earlier about morning Our group enjoyed several salads as well as the barbecue ribs that were large portions and we could not finish The style ribs are not the baby back fall off the bone easy kind of ribs these are the clinch with two hands and tear into them kind of ribs Very good. Very messy. read more

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Always a fun time. Food is good. Service is great. Lots of TVs if you're watching a game and some nights live entertainment.

We stopped into the gator shack because we were doing the eco-tour and we only had about 15 minutes they fried up some of the best gator bites I have ever had in my life. Can't say anything about the rest of the food because we didn't have it but if you're looking for gator bites these are the absolute best read more

I hate to be that one person that doesn't offer any constructive feedback but OMG their food!! The fries were crispy and plentiful, and they were especially nice to serve us with it being so close to closing. The pork cutlet sandwich is delicious and can easily be split between two people or someone with an appetite. We even got a slice of this peanut butter cup pie to just satisfy the rest of the pallet. The atmosphere is not polished--and you may even think you got lost trying to get there--but they 100% make up for it with their food. We're sure to be back for another outdoorsy adventure and maybe take an eco tour that they're known for. read more

By far some of the best food in town or anywhere I have been! When you walk up for the first time you don't expect much. But after you eat your fire thought is, where has this been all my life. Not only is the food awesome but the staff are incredible and treat you like family! When we are close we are going to the Gator Shack! Take time to take the tour if your there, it's amazing. My go to meal is Gator and Kerri's famous ribs! WOW! Get ya some! read more

This little shack is found in the cluster of buildings serving Babcock Ranch Eco Tours. Having read any number of glowing reviews, I'm not happy to write mine. I want some of the food you all experienced. Instead of having BBQ, our party of three ordered grilled chicken sandwiches, fried fish and an appetizer portion of gator bites. The gator bites were ordered for the novelty and we all shared a few bites. They were executed just fine and we had no complaints. The grilled chicken sandwiches were good and the fries and Cole slaw was A-Okay. However, the big disappointment was the fish. It was soggy and limp, like someone hadn't gotten the oil hot enough before putting the filets in to fry. Big disappointment. read more

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We are known to travel near and far for good barbeque and this road trip was well worth it. Shared an order of gator bites for starters. Wow! Best we'd ever had. Both of us ordered the pulled pork sandwich. I had collards and cole slaw and skipped the fries. Real pulled pork was tender and the hot sauce was spectacular. The collards were awesome as well as the cole slaw. Ate oudoors picnic style. A very satisfying experience. read more

Tour was great. We saw far more wildlife than we expected and never knew that a swamp could be so brimming with history. We even learned the difference between a swamp and a marsh. read more

Gator Shack - Mama gator - Barbeque Near Me - Punta Gorda, Florida

Off the beaten path and tucked away in Babcock Ranch. Not gourmet by any means but a good lunch. The portions were large and the gator was yummy. read more

Gator Shack - Outdoor dining and BBQ pit. (Although I'm not sure it gets used too often). - Barbeque Near Me - Punta Gorda, Florida

Had the surf and turf. Delicious and perfectly cooked. She makes her own sauces. She uses chessmen cookies her very creamy banana pudding! Yum! read more

Gator Shack - Surf and turf. Fish, shrimp, gator bites and pulled pork with "not your mamas banana pudding" for dessert. Delicious! - Barbeque Near Me - Punta Gorda, Florida

My wife and I have eaten at the gator shack a few times, and it has always been fantastic! Portions are huge so be careful you might want to share. It's a great place to eat before going on the Eco Tour. Service and staff are awesome! read more

Wow! Sometimes the best food is found in the most unlikely places. Excellent barbecue, some of the best fried fish around and a peanut butter pie that may cause you to utter an expletive or two! The sides are flat out amazing - collards, beans, cornbread and some crazy good hush puppies unlike any I've had before. Worth a trip for certain. read more

Awesome food my coworker and I have been in Florida combined over 80 days by far the best food we have had in the state . Easily for thumbs up. So damn good mama slapped herself kinda hard to find but just keep driving down the long road and enjoy read more

Gator Shack - Burger onion rings mac and cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Punta Gorda, Florida

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Seriously, the food, atmosphere and service here are fantastic! We went on the Babcock Eco Tour (which we also highly recommend) and then came to the Gator Shack for lunch. We were a large party of seven, and ordered so much food (philly cheesteak, chicken sandwich, bowl of chili, macaroni and cheese, flounder basket, BLT sandwich, and more)! Everything was delicious and fresh. The service was excellent. The gentleman helping us was quite and efficient. Highly recommend this gem to everyone! read more

Great food. Great Price. Lots of it! Any questions? This is the perfect spot to enjoy a meal before or after your Babcock Eco-Tour. Either way, just do it! You will enjoy!! read more

Outstanding service and so very clean, the portions are large and full of flavor... We had the Pork Tenderloin and the Philly Cheesesteak and both were great choices. The Cheesesteak was by far the BEST I have ever had!!! read more

Gator Shack - Philly Cheesesteak - Barbeque Near Me - Punta Gorda, Florida

Excellent food... We were here for the Eco--tour, but it would be worth it to come for the food!! We split a pulled pork plate. Plenty for two!! Many side options. We had collards & coleslaw. The meat was juicy & tasty. The gator bites were tender. Highly recommend!!! read more

Can't wait to come back! The best ribs and collard greens I've ever had. Chef John greeted us from the smoker as we walked up. Friendly staff, love the old Florida cracker style buildings. Will have to come and take a swamp buggy tour! read more

Gator Shack - The best ribs and collard greens! - Barbeque Near Me - Punta Gorda, Florida

Amazing food. Fun atmosphere. John is an amazing chef and greets every guest like a long lost buddy. Well worth the drive and will be going back soon. The pork is tender and flavorful and if you've never had gator, this is the place to try it! read more

Delicious and tons of food for a decent price. We had some absolutely delicious BBQ. Atmosphere is laid back and the staff was great! We will be back again! read more

The food is amazing and the service is great. This place is highly recommended. We recently found it and go often now. read more

Gator Shack - Gator bites, shrimp and hush puppies. The orange marmalade sauce that comes with the gator bites is amazing. - Barbeque Near Me - Punta Gorda, Florida

I went on the Eco Tour, and when I saw the massive smoker, I knew they meant business. It's nice to have a classically trained chef making some excellent food. I'm from TX & BBQ snob, and this BBQ is right up there with the best BBQs I've had. No sauce is needed, but the sauce can stand by itself too. The dry rub pork ribs are good and makes me wonder what the same rub on a big beef rib would look like. The pulled pork is flavorful but very slightly dry that requires just a touch of sauce (great balance). The sides are excellent and more upscale than its surroundings. We tried to order a rack, but they didn't have any so they hooked us up with 2 dinner plates and extra pulled pork which worked out great. The greens were not mushy and cooked right. The corn bread was crumbly and buttery. The hush-puppies were a little over done, but very good homemade. Slaw was good. The ranch style beans were very interesting as they tasted like chili. The fish and shrimp were excellent also. I just wish they were not so far, but this is a restaurant that's really punching way above its weight class at affordable prices. read more

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We saw an article about the Gator Shack, so we decided to check it out. As they described in the article, it's definitely an out of the way place and a little hard to find. We got there at 1pm and it was very busy. Most of the people eating there do so after taking the Eco tour. No tables left inside, but plenty of room outside at the covered picnic tables. The food is pretty good, but we honestly wouldn't drive all the way out there again just to eat there. I had a pulled pork sandwich and the Man had a shrimp basket. We both enjoyed them, but again, nothing to write home about. The 3 stars come from the wait time. I understand that one of the Eco tour buses had just let out, so they were very busy, but I don't think they are equipped to handle the crowds. It took 45 minutes for our food to come out. 45 minutes for a sandwich and fried shrimp is WAY too long a wait, especially for average BBQ. read more

What a gem! The food is absolutely fantastic, excellently prepared. The Chef - John is passionate about his food preparation and his creations. I had the barbecue pork sandwich. This is the best eastern Carolina barbecue I have ever eaten without going to North Carolina to get it. Quite frankly, it is better than I ever got in North Carolina. The side dishes you could make a whole meal off of.. they are perfectly prepared and seasoned..we tried all of them! Just fantastic! John the Chef is the man! You can go for just the food without going on the Babcock Eco Tour...although it was great and learned a lot on the tour, I am third generation South Florida girl and still have a lot to learn about our land and resources.... Back to the food, After the first couple of bites we knew we had hit gold in deliciousness! On Friday, Saturday and Sunday he cooks up ribs, we got a slab to go... and oh my goodness, it makes your tongue and mouth dance for pure joy, it is just pure righteousness. We have decided to start coming here for the food on a weekly bases because it is just that fantastic... it is one of the best kept secrets around....good wholesome food at a great price too. Next time I am going for the seafood he cooks up... it is obvious Chef John makes his food with a lot of love ! This is a must go place on your list of places to eat... you won't regret it! You will be regularly dining here too! P.S. don't forget to try the corn bread.. you'll be smiling the whole time you are eating it...it too is that good! read more

There is no real air conditioning. They have one window unit and a few fans. Too hot to eat there in the summer.

This little restaurant is nestled under the pines were the tour buses leave on the nature tour of Babcock Ranch. It is all home cooked food, with friendly service and clean as a whistle. The portions are large and the macaroni and cheese is to die for. Even if you're not doing the tour it's worth it to drive down the single lane asphalt road off of State Road 31 to grab lunch. It's just a friendly place to be with great food. read more

Some of the most legit BBQ I have ever had the pleasure of eating! This place is the real deal. Competition level BBQ for sure.

Wanna know a secret? Eat here and you will be in on something special! Great food at reasonable prices. If you're adventurous try the gator done perfectly, not gummy like you'll find in some places. Great seafood and fantastic Angus burgers. Healthy portions, but leave room for homemade desserts. And you will want to be there on a day when ribs are a specialty. Smoked pork available any day. Wish we lived closer. John is an excellent chef. Simply outstanding. read more

Stopped in for lunch with friends, a very unassuming place to look at. Order your food at the counter and they deliver to your table. Wait staff was very friendly and it seemed like an average place. And then the food arrived, Bam!!! Wow, I'll be talking about this place for the rest of my life. Chef Kerrie knocks it outta the ballpark, never thought deep fried food would warrant a Chef. I'm hear to tell you this place is worth every minute of your time and money. From the delicate breading on the fish to the tender juicy gator, everything we had was top notch. Sauces and sides were all amazing and then we get to the hush puppies. I love hush puppies and have eaten many good ones in my lifetime. Never have I had any that compared to Chef Kerrie's. I won't tell you what makes them unique, you will have to try them yourself and try to figure it out. I guarantee you will not be able to guess it, but if you ask she will tell you. Our friend was the only one with room for dessert and she ordered the Peanut butter pie that was topped with chocolate, caramel and whipped cream, it was so good she said next time she will eat dessert first. Thank you Chef Kerrie and wait staff for a wonderful meal and an awesome experience. read more

Excellent food and great service. I would highly recommend the trip out to Gator Shack. We had a group of 6 and we tried a little bit of everything and it was all delicious. Thanks for the great lunch, John! read more