I went to "Toms Soul Food" in Boca Raton often when I was at Florida Atlantic University in the mid 1970's. It was in a small, converted house in a residential neighborhood and you could only get take out. Is this a descendant of that one? I remember later, maybe in the 80's I went to the new location where you could eat in, but I'm not sure if it was still in Boca. My roommate would always get shrimp scampi and I would try everything offered. My favorite was the black-eyed peas! read more

Yelp don't fail me now. That was my thought process as I ventured out for lunch today with a co-worker. I was seriously craving some BBQ so after consulting with the oracle of goodness ( also known as my Yelp app) we ventured out. It is a very small place that screams authentic the moment you walk in the door. No frills. Repeat, no frills. This isn't a date night place oozing with ambiance. I could smell the pit as we walked across the parking lot and my Pavlovian response kicked in. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich, mac and cheese, baked beans and hush puppies. I know what you're thinking, it's a lot of food but hey, don't judge me...LOL. I was amazed at the portion size. There was enough pulled pork to make three huge sandwiches. The brought out a roll in a zip lock sandwich bag and I promptly made and devoured some heavenly pork. So juicy, smoky and flavorful. The hush puppies were so good...crunchy brown on the outside, sweet and tender inside. I was popping these in my mouth and at frenetic and calorically unhealthy pace. They are delicious but moderation is advised. The baked beans were good but the mac and cheese was not on par with everything else. That's the only thing that didn't knock my socks off. My friend had the fried catfish. "Excellent" he exclaimed! Again, the portions were huge. He had fried okra and collard greens as his sides and he proclaimed them "the ultimate soul food" side dishes. The service was homey, polite and simple. Nothing fancy, just right. Needless to say it was more than we could eat and we got to-go containers to wrap up the rest for later. I only hope I can survive the oncoming food induced coma in time to rally for a big weekend. Highly recommended for serious "Q" lovers. read more

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I fondly remember the east boca location. Today I came with the same guy who took me to the original Tom's back in 1994, my ex chip. I loved miss Joyce at the take out window. The new place here in Boynton doesn't have that :(. Chip ordered the pulled pork sandwich and I got the 3 rib and 1 side (collards). My meal was delicious. The Tom's rib sauce was like sugar it was delicious. If you're looking for the original fantastic fall off the bone ribs from tom's you need to come back and visit this location in Boynton Beach you will thank me later.... oh yeah...you get a free ice cream with your order...i ....got ...strawberry!!! read more

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It's back. The next generation of the family carrying on with the great taste. The BBQ is a little sweeter than the orginal but still great. I do miss the orginal sides that the old Tom's Place had. Still great people and great food. read more

Simply said...GOOD OL FASHIONED BBQ! Ribs were great and the pulled pork was amazing....as always the sauce is the BOSS...and the sauce was the right mix between tangy and spice! Get the fried Okra! read more

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Our first experience with Tom's was last week. There is a great back story to the place with the orange BBQ truck parked out front. Everyone working there is related to Tom and Helen in some way. I really wish I could have given more than two stars. First I did not order the Ribs or the Pulled Pork...I might have had a better experience. I ordered the pulled beef. Most places serve smoked brisket as their beef offering. Whyat I got was neigther brisket or smoked or even pulled for that matter. It tasted like commercial roast beef that is defrosted and served to unwitting diners. My suspicions were confirmed when I discovered that it was still frozen. I complained and sent it back. What I got the second time was the beef from my earlier tray heated up with some pulled pork added. How did I know this? The paper from tray # 1 was mixed into tray # 2. So as I am experiencing tray # 2 and shooing away the flies that came in the open door I get hit with something wet from the rafters. Needless to say I will not ever come back. read more

Good ribs, but not ready for prime time. The ribs are definitely the star of the show here, because there isn't much else to write home about. The restaurant ran out of cornbread, coleslaw and a few other items. No one knows how to answer a phone so they leave it off the hook, so there is a constant busy signal. Service is slow and the decor looks like something straight out of the 1990's. They couldn't even get their door to work, so you had to enter through the mall. We would go again if they got their act together, but you cannot simply live off your laurels. You could go to Mississippi Sweets and get ribs and chicken just about as good with better service and management that runs a smooth ship. read more

Tom's Place. You sneaky, unassuming, little, place. If there were ever a place on Earth, it would be Tom's. Tom's Place. I take BBQ very seriously - I may have to list BBQ on my Yelp profile for "last meal on earth". That being said, I don't know any hotspots in South Florida for BBQ...until now! Tom's Place! Inside is cozy. It reminds me of a cabin at sleep-away camp. We stopped in on Sunday night an hour before close and they were out of ribs and potato salad among other things. A good sign. Some regulars came in after us and they were crackin' jokes and being cool with the like-minded staff. Soul food, man. We got our grub to go and opted for pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans and macaroni & cheese. They gave us our buns for the pulled pork sandwiches in little ziploc bags so that they wouldn't get soggy on the way home, which was so well played. We were each given enough pork to eat for 2 days and the pork tasted just as good on day 2. If Tom's Place turns out to be consistent, this will be a 5 star establishment! read more

We re-discovered this place on a recent trip to Boynton Beach. Having been a fan of the previous incarnations of Tom's in Boca and Tom's Juniors in Delray Beach, we were pleasantly surprised when we found it on Boynton Beach Blvd. We were excited when we learned that this was the family's latest venture. We checked it out on a recent Saturday night. It's a small restaurant with a few tables, relatively quiet and the decor is hand-me-down from the previous restaurant. We tried our old favorites which are the ribs and for the first time tried their pulled pork. Ribs were good, the sauce was a little sweeter than I remember the original being, and while not the fall-off-the bone tender that I remember; the ribs were very good. But on the other hand, the pulled pork was probably the best I've ever had ---- --- and I've had plenty over the years. In all the years that I've eaten at Tom's in the past, I have never tried their pulled pork and upon discovering it on this visit, I was disappointed that I had never tried it previously. Sides were good - they had some of the old standards: rice/grave, collard greens, slaw, beans etc. The sweet tea was a little overly sweet but all in all, it was good to find an old friend in a new location. Definitely worth checking out and it was worth the trip (and we traveled from Pembroke Pines). read more

I really wanted to like this place but my first impression was horrible... I was hoping for fall off the bone ribs.. Unfortunately I didn't get that. The ribs were extremely tough and distasteful. The cornbread was stale. It tasted like it was previously frozen. Yuck! The corn on the cob was flavorless and according to my co worker her potato salad was as well. Will not be back. read more

Heard through the grapevine that Tom's was one of the best BBQ joints in South Florida...so, dived in and got the St. Louis ribs and pulled pork combo with collard greens and baked beans!! Everything was outstanding and homemade (some BBQ joints masquerade as authentic using sides out of the can)....I will have to say that it is in my Top 10 of BBQ joints visited and I have been to a lot of them...the only disappointment was that they were "sold out" of the homemade Red Velvet cake!! read more

GREAT BBQ! was visiting and needed some good ribs. small, unassuming place like most GOOD bbq joints are. everyone real friendly. full rack with two sides was a great late lunch for three of us. and try and half sweet tea half lemonade there.... deeeeelicious! a must stop for anyone for sure. read more

The good thing about this place was the waitresses were extremely friendly but the food was awful. We love BBQ but this was just bad. My boyfriend had the ribs, they were tough and dry. My chopped beef tasted as if it was previously cooked, frozen and then re heated again. I couldn't even finish my plate. The fried okra was extremely over cooked, dry and flavorless. It's so sad because they have all these prestigious photos and awards on their wall but it seems as though they have lost their touch... read more

Amazing dining experience.. had the buffalo wings,... crisp, moist, tender with an outrageous sauce! Ribs were very good too. As others had pointed out, a little tough, but delicious. I had the sauce on the side, and it was a great meal. My friend had the BBQ chicken, and it too was moist and delicious. The beans were very tasty, as were the collard greens. My wife had the chicken sandwich, which she enjoyed. The mac and cheese side was very good. Everyone also loved the corn muffins. The owners were very friendly as well. All in all, a fun evening. read more

Years ago we ate at the original "Tom's Place" in Delray and it was really great food. We understood that this location is operated by a family member of the original Tom's Place and based upon that we drove almost 45 miles to get there. When I barbecue I use "Tom's Barbecue Sauce" (available at Publix) with the names of the original owners, Tom and Helen Wright on the label. Same taste as the original restaurant, but not the same taste as we were served today. Here is a synopsis of what we found: CHICKEN - 1/2 chicken dinners - The chicken was far too dry. Dry, dry chicken. SAUCE: Did not taste like the original sauce or the bottled Tom's sauce. COLLARD GREENS - I love collard greens and I've eaten them at restaurants, homes and on take-out plates from many church fund raising dinners, but could not force myself to like these. They had more vinegar than any other and I could not eat them. FRENCH FRIES - Appeared to be filled with grease and we each only ate one or part of one. CORN MUFFIN - They could have com from a box or a mix. Nothing special. COLESLAW- The slaw tasted great but I had concerns about slaw being served that is not cold. BAKED BEANS - The beans were OK but not good enough to bring us back or to re-order them if we ever did come back. The dining area was very clean and the kitchen and bathroom appeared very clean as well. The staff was friendly. The "dining experience" would be fine if not for the food. We wish the owners well, but would not come here to eat even if our $25+ lunch was offered to us gratis. read more

Went to Tom's in Boynton Beach after not having been there for many years, when it was located in Boca. I had high expectations and was not disappointed it was the tastiest and best barbecue I've had since my last visit to Tom's. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender, and the pulled pork was smoky and tasty. The portions were enormous. Tom and staff were very friendly and terrific. The restaurant is tiny, and we ate outside. Don't expect atmosphere, just great barbecue. Heads up: Tom's is leaving the Boynton Beach location at the end of March, but will continue from the Delray Beach area. read more

Tom's Place - Barbeque Near Me

Wonderful BBQ Pork & Chicken and a lot of food. The cornbread was delicious and hot, freshly baked. The coleslaw was very tasty and it went very well with the BBQ. The only thing missing in my view was hush puppies! I will return. Our out of town friends loved the place as well. We had so much food, we took half of it home and the four of us had a second meal the next day! Highly recommended. read more

The Best BBQ in Florida. simply delicious and the cornbread is as close to perfect as cornbread can get- I mean unbelievable!! So happy they re-opened and are still making fantastic BBQ! If you are on the east coast it's worth driving 2-3 hours to taste this - a real treat! read more

Ah ...for the old days. Once upon a time is no longer for Tom's Place. It really is just another low end place with so-so food and pretty bad service. Living on the past rep when the old man ran it and knew how to ! Save yourself...DON'T read more

Awesome. Just awesome. Best BBQ in Florida hands down.

When u first pull up the place looks a little sketchy. Small not a lot of parking. Small dining area, that looks like its right out of the 70s. The menu was simple and not expensive. I ordered the pulled pork and the baked beans. My other foodie ordered the ribs and the fried okra. The okra came out quick, was delicious with a thick breading. My pulled pork was huge. It came out on a plate with a bun in a bag next to it. As soon as I tried it I knew I wasn't gonna use the bun. The baked beans were hot and full of Smokey flavor. My buddies plate...a rib sandwich. It came out and she forgot the bun. It reminded me of the Flintstones when they bring the side of beef and the car tips over. He immediately said is this the sandwich? She said yes. Our eyes said it all! Wow!! I tried a couple...so delicious. They had a crisp texture on the edges. U could taste the smoke....and the sauce...great spare ribs.....I will be back again!!! read more

I was working in the area and i decide to walk in and order a special 3 ribs with french fries the BBQ sauce was so good that i bought a pint of the sauce,next day i went back and i had a pulled pork just as good,the food is great the place is noisy because of the road and also a generator outside , I'll definetely go back read more

We all went to tom's ribs and then he moved.I live in New Jersey but have a home in Boyton Beach.We are going to Florida and will all be going to Tom's to eat.The best ribs I have every had.All the food is great and you must take home his sauce it is great.Thank you for coming to Boynton Beach.We all missed you.Geraldine. Can not wait to eat there. read more

OK, this is the real Toms Place for those wondering. Tom and wife are both deceased but the family has re-opened in Boynton. It is not in a great neighborhood but I felt very safe nonetheless. I remember traveling an hour from Miami to Boca in the 80's. Place was packed no matter when you went. The original was no reservations, no credit card, no checks. And they needed none of that. Waits were an hour at best and was single file like cattle. I remember the guy would walk up and down the line pointing at you and proclaiming 2?, 4?, etc. It wouldn't matter if he passed 10 families waiting for an hour. If there was a need for a party of two and one just walked in...that was their lucky day. The plates were HOT. I still never had a better corn bread. Ribs had a perfect smoke and the sauce quiet possibly was laced with heroin it was so addicting. At first bite you thought, wow this sauce is great. Halfway through you found yourself snorting the stuff. It was so good a guy offered them $100,000 for the recipe. When they declined, he paid a chemist to make it. Their sauce is/was on grocery store shelves for decades it seemed. But, you cant bottle that stuff and it wasn't as good. Boca closed down a long time ago. The family had a food truck on Australian and Palm Beach Lakes (what I like to call homicide alley). They ended up opening a structure across the street and that went out pretty fast. They are at it again in Boynton with Tom and Helen's daughter (I think that was her name) in the kitchen. Like I said, it isn't in the best place and easy to miss. Its right across from Bud's Chicken on Boynton Beach Blvd, west of Federal, west of the RR tracks. She was telling me that they are going to be opening in a place just west of downtown Delray, across from the Police Department. So the food at this reincarnation is not "spot on Tom's" but it kicks ass and if I wasn't holding it to such high standards, I probably would be raving about it. Plates were super hot, similar smoke taste. I got the ribs...duh, and they are awesome. Beans were OK. Décor was really pretty cool because it was like walking through a time machine to the Boca place. Do yourself and this family a favor and get your butt in there at least once. read more