This little bbq place is outstanding. Worth a stop. You won't be dissapointed. I've had alot of BBQ and this is one of the best I've ever had hands down. Mike clearly put thought and effort into his craft. He was right there, doing his thing.
We were staying at the Dolphin's Plus hotel right behind Mike's lunch truck/wagon. We could smell the BBQ (smelled really good) as we pulled in so we asked the front desk clerk (Heather) if it was any good. She said, "yeah, it's pretty good".
My wife and I split the brisket plate ($12.00). It came with a healthy serving of beef brisket was was really f'in good. Smoky, beefy, moist and juicy. It had that smoke ring just inside that delicious outside crust that true BBQ aficionados know is a mark of a well prepared brisket. It came with a cornbread and two sides and we opted for the mac and cheese and the coleslaw. Everything was incredible. My wife is a picky eater and she gobbled up the mac and cheese and half the cornbread. I was lucky to get in one bite and our kid was out of luck. The mac and cheese was delicious. Nice and cheesy with a baked topping of bread crumbs and potato chips and a slight spiciness that I can't put my finger on but it was incredible. The coleslaw also was delicious. Good slaw is hard to find. Anyone that likes coleslaw knows what I mean. It's either swimming in cream or liquid, or too creamy or too sweet or too something. This one was perfect. The cabbage was finely chopped and not long and stringy which I hate. It wasn't drenched in liquid and the liquid was not creamy (I hate that too in slaw). The cornbread was moist and delicious as well.
We go to the keys a lot and definitely will be stopping to visit Mike's truck on the way down. I saw some guy get the burnt ends and I am defintely getting those next time. They looked freakin delicious.
If Mike ever gets a stand alone BBQ place in the keys he would kill it. There's no BBQ places in the key largo area, much less a decent BBQ place that I know of and I go down there a lot. Good luck Mike. I hope you get a stand alone place. Collect a hundred 5 star reviews on Yelp, go tot he bank and get a loan based on the reviews. Doesn't matter where you put it, word will get around and you will be found. You will kill it my friend.
Only one negative: He's not in Miami where I live. I have to drive to Key Largo for the best BBQ I've found in S. Florida. Oh well. For you locals, yes, it's better than Shorty's. Don't even go there. read more