Mojo Old City BBQ — Restaurant in Florida

It always hurts my heart to give a negative experience review. Living in Jax Beach, I visited the Mojo location on Beach Blvd often and am incredibly familiar with the menu. I only recently realized there was a location here in StA and promptly went there for lunch. I LOVE Carolina BBQ- specifically North Carolina BBQ… with the delightful vinegar/pepper sauce. While I would usually order the fried chicken at the Beach location (it truly is THAT GOOD!), I needed a BBQ fix. We parked in the Mojo lot, only seeing the “employee only” signs after parking. We went in and asked the host about it, to which he responded it would be okay (given it was 2p on a week day, I guess). We initially sat outside; however, rain drove us in. That’s where it went downhill. The staff forgot about us. Trust me! I recognize staffing is problematic in StA and do not review negatively for delays due to lack of staffing. However, when the staff clusters together for social hour versus taking an order or simply bringing a drink refill… Then, there was my pulled pork. It was not only drowning in the vinegar sauce (which, again, I LOVE that type of sauce, having grown up eating it), but the salt content… I honestly think someone actually dropped a container of salt into the pork and simply stirred it in and went about his day. I literally could not eat it. Two bites. I thought, “Ok. Everywhere has an ‘off day.’ At least I have the MnC!” Nope. It was not a taste sensation either, and this is one of the sides they’re known for. The only saving grace for my meal was the onion ring appetizer. Having seen that I had eaten literally nothing of the meal and asking for a check, you would think the wait staff would ask if it was OK. Nope. $35 to, effectively, eat two onion rings and have 1 glass of tea (staff never came back to refill my glass, though I waved her down and asked). So, I mentioned the parking at the beginning, right? Where the host said we’d be fine? We weren’t. Blocked in by employees, we had to go back in and ask for help. I get it- this probably happens a LOT!! I absolutely understand the frustration that ensues. However, the host should have politely asked us to move our car versus telling us it was okay and we could keep the car there. The staff we asked for help in the situation were rude, even when told the host said we could park there. Again, I can only imagine the daily frustration that could be avoided with (a) more visible signage at the entrance, (b) appropriate communication from the host, and (c) cones/gate/something to physically block entrance (but easily moved by the staff). Unfortunately, the best part of my experience was the limited time on the patio, which was FANTASTIC!

Food: 2/5, which is gracious and only due to great onion rings Service: 1/5, being overwhelmed and short-staffed is understandable, rudeness isn’t! Atmosphere: 4/5 for the great patio seating

I am on the fence with giving this place another chance (they have plenty of good reviews on the brisket). I’ve never had anything less than a rock-star experience at the Beach location. I’m disappointed my experience at this location was so...

First time visiting beautiful ST Augustine and while driving down the road looking for parking my nose picked up on some serious smelling bbq. Once parked I immediately had to find this place to feed my hunger. Let me say this place was simply put simply fantastic! The restaurant was extremely busy but due to the size of the restaurant we were sat immediately. Never did we feel any sense of it being over crowded or felt like we needed to rush eating. We ended up eating their twice and both times were in bbq heaven. For our first meal there my girlfriend had the pulled pork, sweet potato mash and bbq pit beans while I enjoyed their ribs with mashed potatoes and bbq pit beans. People let me tell you this place can through down some bbq. The pulled pork was moist, succulent and simply delicious. My ribs were mouth watering delicious. They were very moist and packed with tons of flavor. These ribs were so packed full of flavor that I didn't even want to put sauce on them. For me being a huge sauce person this is a big deal. I did dabble with their sauce which were very good as well. Now the second time we went my girlfriend had their quesadilla and I had their beef burnt ends. Once again super pleases with the quality of the food. The quesadilla was good but the beef burnt ends were on a whole different level. Sweet Lord have mercy the beef burnt ends I had were mind blowing. They were everything a good burnt end should be and more. The burnt ends were packed with flavor, moist and had plenty of delicious fat just the way I like it. Not over fatty but just right where the meat was flavorful beyond belive and perfectly moist. Folks I can go on and on about how much I loved my experience at Mojo BBQ in ST Augustine. I didn't take many pictures like I normally would but I couldn't resist just digging in to the great smelling food. Hope this review helps! If you go you will definitely fall in love...

ALL HYPE

Food - the portion sizes for the money paid were very small. The brisket dry and the sausage tasted like they bought it and heated it up in the microwave. In addition, the kids menu states their meal comes with icecream (it is $7.99 for a kids meal) and they were completely out and fully expected us just to pay the full amount even though they weren’t going to provide the icecream our kids were already looking forward to. She stated that the icecream was “free” if they had it and since they didn’t they didn’t have to provide it. As you can see in the photo that is not AT All what it says.

Parking - there is no parking lot for the patrons. We parked in employee parking by mistake because their signs are on the side after you enter the lot and we noticed it after we were in the restaurant and I returned to the car to get medicine for my daughter. By that time we were blocked in by cars parked in the middle and not in the parking spaces.

Staff - I politely approached the staff and explained our mistake in parking and she replied that I was not supposed to park there (I acknowledged that from the beginning of the conversation). She told me they would not move their cars to let us out because we shouldn’t have parked there. I asked for a manager and she did say she would make a way for us to get out, but the lady that spoke unkindly was shaking her head and laughing at me as I was explaining the matter to the manager. Our waitress was very nice and provided good service. Later on the icecream deal the manager was unapologetic and unprofessional in the exchange.

I also spoke to the general manager and he...