The atmosphere is decent and the servers were friendly. This is probably a place best suited for drinks and live music. The menu and the food we ordered was mediocre at best - mostly fried offerings. Might be a really great place for a music and cold beer, but I wouldn't really recommend this place to anyone looking for good food. read more

The BBQ food is good, the band was great, the drinks were really expensive. You can get 3ozs of sangria for $7. Way too much. And the no-Sea ums ruined that night and the next. Have drinks before going and bring a lot of insect repellent. read more

Great Kayak launch site on the Myakka River. A morning of paddling on the beautiful natural areas in Myakka Park. So good. I paddled there three [3 ] times this month. A, well deserved, table filled with good grub and Banjo music overlooking the River. I, highly recommend, the collard greens, goes with everything, after all. I, also, like the seafood combo. read more

while my family would likely go with a 3, the more i think about it, the more i think *i* would give it a 4, despite a series of micro incidents. straws weren't given with drinks (had to ask another server) but i was delighted to see that they were biodegradable straws! as for the meal, my parents complained about their garlic bread being burnt, rice being dry, and their coleslaw being flavorless, but my beans and hushpuppies were delicious. the selection of BBQ sauces were delicious, even the day after! the sweet potato fries were tasty, but some weren't exactly cooked all the way through. plastic cutlery instead of silver cutlery? seemed to contradict the cool straws, imo. pulled pork and beef brisket were tasty. also, holy portions! i definitely had enough for leftovers the next day. (the sweet potato fries after throwing them into the oven the next day... oh my goodness. delicious!) as an added treat, the take-away boxes were also biodegradable! tldr; pros: big portions, surprisingly environmentally friendly. cons: inconsistent food quality and service. (dad: "and tell'em that there are no french fries!!") ps, they had an excellent, contemporary christmas playlist including the legend, queen christina aguilera. read more

Snook Haven - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, Florida

Been here before and enjoyed their food and their live music. Decided to go back and saw there were 2 different musical groups listed for the evening. Upon arrival, the bandstand was empty and crowd was minimal. We asked the waitress if music was still scheduled and she said no because it rained earlier in the day...? It wasn't flooded or anything and not even wet out anymore...plus the stage is covered. So idk what the deal was with canceling their entertainment that draws business in. I guess they just have so much income and business that they don't mind the loss of income for a night. Poor management model. But either way, our group decided to go elsewhere. Oh well. read more

If you enjoy kayaking with gators and banjo music with a bayou feel this is the place for you, otherwise not much to do.

Had lunch here with my girlfriend and we loved it. Great BBQ! We ordered the platters and shared everything. The ribs were great, with a nice dry rub that didn't even need additional sauce. Pulled pork was moist and flavorful. The wings were good, kielbasa was perfect and the brisket had great flavor without becoming dry. I'm not big on bbq sauce but tried all 4 they offered. Good sauces but the meat is tasty enough without it too. We had collards, Mac and cheese, red beans and rice, baked beans and homemade chips for sides. All were great, especially the chips and baked beans. Our waitress was friendly and attentive, while giving us some information on the kayak/canoe rentals they offer for the river too. Also there was a really good band playing which we enjoyed as well. read more

A friend told me about this place and since it's a dive we decided to try it out on a hot Sunday afternoon. It's not a place you can see from the road...in fact, you have to know about it before you can find it. You take the turnoff at the sign and then drive slowly down a dirt road with moss covered trees that provided a cool but slightly eerie canopy for over a mile. Once there the live band was belting out throaty blues numbers and people were chowing down on the dive food, drinking beer and doing relatively sedate dance moves. Ya, it's an older crowd but so is MOST of Florida. We didn't eat only drank really cold drafts and enjoyed the river views and people watching. This is a great place to go and hang out for an afternoon. Oh, they also have canoe and kayak rentals as well as alligators. read more

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If you want to experience true Florida (Fl Crackers included!), come to Snook Haven. It's right on the river and you can rent a canoe after lunch and go see some of native Florida and...alligators!!! We had the Jumbo Wings (seriously good and very big) and the Pulled Pork Tacos, both amazing. The tacos arrived slightly less warm, but I did wait and have some wings before I ate them. However, flavors were awesome! Great band and lots of dancers. Will be back when I'm back in town!!! read more

Snook Haven - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, Florida

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Hole in the wall dive bar. Love it. With the name snook haven and being on a river I expected to get a nice grouper sandwich but only seafood on menu was shrimp sandwich and mahi dinner platter. Too bad Band played and singer tried to sing. Get me an Uber and I could get toasted here. Come for the character and ambiance not so much the food although the pulled pork was good read more

What an amazing hidden gem! As another reviewer said, it has a real "old Florida" feel. To get here, you drive down a narrow dirt road with trees on either side - it's really beautiful. The place is really big with outside seating on almost every side and a fairly large indoor seating area. They have live entertainment almost every day but sadly we missed it ! I wasn't too hungry so I only ordered sweet potato wedges and corn on the cob. In a previous review I said I had the best sweet potato fries ever in Savannah, but this place beat those by a long shot. Definitely order these if you come here!!! The corn was okay. My dad had the brisket sandwich and said it was a bit too spicy for his taste but still delicious. Overall - amazing! Great atmosphere, good food, and friendly service. read more

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It has been many years since I've been to Snook Haven. I was on the Myakka River with a friend from Austria. And when I motored past, we decided to tie up at their dock and have a late lunch. Ewald is quite particular about healthy food. But Wendy the bar tender talked him into trying their gator bites with myakka chips. I was a little surprised. I had their big cheese burger which went down well with my two drafts. As others have pointed out, this is simple American food prepared well and fresh. It comes out the way they pride themselves. This was a very nice warm and sunny Florida winter day near 80. And we spent 4 hours on the river so far. So the good simple fare was perfect. The menu has a good selection of fish, pulled pork fried okra ... for example. Nothing is pre-cooked. They had the banjo band inside today. The dulcimer and banjo bands here are pretty well known in the area. There are bands almost everyday, one around noon and one in the evening. Almost all the outdoor tables were taken, and the inside as well. Several groups from their tour boat trips were there. Some were eating after a tour and other before. The boat skipper Captain Terry ordered something to take out at the bar where we sat. Guess another tour will start soon. You can usually see gators on these tours. You can also rent canoes and kayaks. We were in a small fishing boat which is only a foot above the water. So we got a real close look, see pictures http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/lgYhKSJaWQhyn1NrvkbwzA?select=qzy9sn-QoB9Nj5D4-5DKcQ . Snook Haven is a delightful and fun experience. Their theme is the alligator http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/lgYhKSJaWQhyn1NrvkbwzA?select=lcRGbne1ND14TmPA4cP-BQ. A genuine and unique Florida experience which cannot be replicated! read more

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We've been to Snook Haven to eat a few times. You drive down a sandy road to the restaurant that looks like it started small and has been added onto a number of times. They have palms growing up through the roof. There is plenty of indoor seating if the weather is favoring insects but we sat outside right over by the river on a perfectly warm afternoon. They provide table service and the food is higher quality bar food like wings, burgers, fish & chips and my favorite, fried gator tail. Very resonably priced. friendly service. When I say higher quality I mean very well prepared. My only real complaint is the beer selection but at a good local place like this that's to be expected. Just about every major domestic beer is offered and most people are buying by the pitcher. Too bad they don't have any good microbrews or real imports. It's just not that kind of place. Just the usual Heinys and becks which are just like the US majors. I had a couple of Yeanglings. You don't know what to expect here, there was a couple of guys playing guitar on the small stage outside under the oaks. I heard Sunday is bike day here also. read more

Snook Haven - Seating by the river - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, Florida

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Such a different place, everyone needs to give it a try. The food and service were both decent. The atmosphere is very unique and relaxing. Hope to visit again when the live music is going on. read more

Fun place and great food! If your lucky you might see a gator swim by. Service was great

Great place to get lost on a weekend day, enjoy a beer, listen to live music and enjoy a snack from a variety of menu items. Venue is outside in a court yard setting. read more

I love the location of this canoe-dock dive, and the atmosphere is fun! A live band played while Harley-Davidson clad bikers enjoyed their ice cold bud light twist of bottles. We ate inside only because of the bees- they are just honey bees, but my kids rather not be bothered. Our waitress, Rachel, was super friendly and attentive! Everyone in our party was happy and glad we picked it. The food was good, but nothing so exciting to describe here. (That's the only reason why it's 4 instead of 5 stars) When I visit the area again this will be on my list to return - it was a fun lunch! read more

Snook Haven - Brisket and spicy slaw - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, Florida

What a fun place to go! We wanted to try a place that felt "Florida," and my family took us here. Excellent choice! The layout itself is fun- we chose to sit outdoors. You can also chose to sit inside where there's lots of decorations. There's space for live bands and there's an outdoor gift shop. It's very family friendly. The best was the food! If you like smoked meats, this is it!!! They have amazing homemade potato chips and BBQ sauces. I opted for the smoked veggie wrap-DELISH! The fried green tomatoes were good also. The only improvement I would make is the bathroom- it is more or less an outhouse. Overall, give this place a try! read more

A unique place is what came to mind when visiting here. Need to travel down a dirt road to get here, reminded me of a camp site. Once we arrived we had the option to dine in or out, we chose to sit a picnic table. This required us to go to the counter and place our order. The woman taking our order was very nice, we had a nice short laughing conversation with her. We placed our order and were giving a beeper to hold up when it went off to notify staff of where we sitting. The girl who brought our food to us was very nice. Now for the food, my wife had ribs with sides of home made chips and Mac n cheese. I had brisket and ribs with sides of Mac n cheese and beans. Ribs were good with a little bite of pepper in the rub. Brisket was very good. My beans were not what i was expecting visually but the taste was great. Mac n cheese was good and my wife commented the chips were one of the best she has had. read more

The pulled pork is worth the trip, and it is a trip to get to this out of the way smokehouse located on the Myakka river. The place was packed on the Sunday afternoon we visited, had to take their shuttle from the entrance of the park. Despite the large crowd we had no problem finding a table for 10. The old Florida setting was made that much better with a rockin' band playing. We came for the food though and were not disappointed. As mentioned the pulled pork was our favorite. Brisket got mixed reviews, mostly positive. Ribs were dryer than my tastes. Spare ribs had a rub that was too spicy. Homemade chips were excellent as were the collard greens and fried okra. Gator bites more batter than gator. Appreciated the four different BBQ sauces on the table. Very impressed with the kids meals. They were plentiful and well prepared (fish and chips & cheese burger)...and best of all cheap at just $3.95 plus drinks. Overall value seemed reasonable and service was excellent. Snook Haven is a bit out of the way from just about anywhere but worth a visit for a unique experience and quality smokehouse. read more

While it is off the beaten path and not much to look at, this place had the best bbq I've ever had!! Friendly staff and amazing food!

Good old Florida fish camp. Both the Fish & Chips and the Shrimp Po boy we're fresh & tastey! But the location right on the river with live music made it a Great spot read more

Snook Haven - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, Florida

GO ON Banjo Thursday! This is a must see. Comfortable, casual outdoor fun. Lots of picnic tables and chairs. read more

Snook Haven - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, Florida

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Love this bar. Crocs are right there when you look into the water. The food was great, order and wait at your table while you listen to music and enjoy the peacefulness on the river! read more

I'm new to the area and decided to eat dinner at snook haven for Mother's Day , excellent service and the food was great (brisket , ribs and loved my shrimp po boy...highly recommend.... read more

Was pleasantly surprised by this place actually. Great service, pretty views, and the food was very good. Gator bites for an appetizer, which were super crispy, and the sunrise salad with smoked salmon was awesome!! Loved their bean salad with Apple cider vinegar and generous amount of salmon and feta cheese. Will definitely be returning to this restaurant. read more

Snook Haven - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, Florida

Only good if you like fried food. If you want fresh fish this is NOT your spot. The servers are all extremely nice and the location was cute but the food was just not impressive and memorable in anyway read more

Great food with nice service. Plenty of seats and great vide with live performances. Not to mention prices are very fair.

Go-to spot to take guests from out of town. Unique atmosphere and good barbecue. Fun outdoor lunch with view of the river.

Great food and atmosphere! The servers are great. Such a neat place backed up to the Myakka River.

Snook Haven is a great place to enjoy live music and old Florida scenery. It used to have great food. The BBQ items were a must and we have eaten at Snook many times arriving by car or kayak. This week's visit was very disappointing. The beef BBQ, collards and Mac and cheese all fell well short of expectations. No one in our group had anything positive to say about any of the food. Such a shame. We will be back for the music and a drink but not for a meal. read more

This was our first time at Snook Haven and it was wonderful the wait staff was very pleasant and knowledgeable. The band that played was excellent and you could still have conversations with your friends. I had the camp salad with blackened shrimp and it was delicious my friend had the brisket and could cut it with his fork. It was a wonderful experience read more

Wonderful fish and chips great barbecue people are friendly and it's just a fun place to take guess when they come to town and so pretty, right on the river. read more

The atmosphere is wonderful. The servers are great. Food is good...a little spendy. We're here on a Friday night. The live entertainment is "Joey O." He's singing religious songs and Christmas songs and being preachy - even after the manager spoke with him. He says he's been playing here "for 7 years." We will not be back on a Friday. Too bad. Kind of ruined the evening. You can see him at the south jetty in Venice on Sunday mornings... which is where this music belongs. read more

Our friends took us here...at first its like whete are going? But what a fun afternoon we had. Live band good food and cold beer. Yes the drinks are on the pricey side but worth going. I even bought a tshirt to remind me of the fun we had.. read more

Great place to eat. A fairly limited menu Everything is good Service is terrific Great history and surroundings Tarzan filmed here read more

We decided to stop in for a cold draft beer about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We had to drive in on their half inch thick dusty road about a half mile to get to the restaurant. Dust was everywhere and the cars had to be washed. I asked if they had a happy hour which they said they did not. I ordered two Florida Cracker beers which were $5.45 each. I felt they were expensive to be served in plastic cups. My wife indicated the female restroom was gross with wetness and sand all over the floor. My feeling is there's a lot better places to go for beer. read more

Such a fun outdoor environment with live music. Beer on tap, can't go wrong. Food was delicious -- ordered sandwiches. The homemade chips are amazing!! read more

I love this place. Nothing fancy but the food is always good. The people are very friendly. You can eat outside with ample spacing and listen to music. read more

This is my second visit in the last few weeks. The food was excellent and the staff took great care of us. Can't wait to come back again!