Pigout BBQ & Southern Soul Food — Restaurant in Florida

Fist off, I read the reviews and blame myself for this self inflicted wound to my digestive system. My family and I are in town from Texas and we decided to try all spectrums of food that's offered in Bradenton, we were impressed with the seafood offerings at other local restaurants in town. We were driving down Manatee Drive and I almost wrecked when I saw the huge pit smokers outside the restaurant. I gained my composure to make it back to the hotel and pulled up the menu items and read atleast 50 reviews, I figured some of the bad reviews were written by competitors trying to sway people away from this restaurant, I offer my apologies to the reviewers point of reference and admit that I was trying to want to like this place as much as some of them posted. I feel terrible because I invited friends to this restaurant having not trying it out myself before hand and then recommending. When we arrived I could smell the smokers as soon as exiting my car, the decor was puzzling and intriguing at the same time, lets get to the food. I orders the pork steak sizzler with fried mac and cheese, and the sweet mashed potato. The steak was over cooked and lacked seasoning, the grilled onions and mushrooms added a much needed moisture component. The sweet mashed potato was horrid, no flavor other than the low budget apple sauce used to mask this abomination of a sacred part of soul food. The fried Mac and cheese was consistent with the rest of the food.... Lacked seasoning. I'm not trying to hit the place over the head with a fire department grade axe, but if you have the words soul food on your menu (name) freaking live up to it or change your name. My wife had the smoked brisket, no part of the brisket was smoked, no smoke ring, no smoke flavor, the only smoke we received was the check. Overall, as one poster said, avoid until they get better. I hope the owner reads this with an objective mindset. This was the worst dining experience we've had, we left the uneaten food, and...

If you’re looking for a no-frills, hole-in-the-wall BBQ joint with solid flavors and big portions, Pigout BBQ & Southern Soul Food in Bradenton is worth a visit.

We ordered a half rack of spare ribs with pulled chicken and another with pulled pork, plus a mix of sides—potato salad, mac n’ cheese, baked beans, and mashed sweet potatoes—so we could try a bit of everything.

The ribs were the standout, with a great tangy and sweet BBQ flavor and a tender, moist texture. The pulled pork had a decent smoky flavor, but the pulled chicken tasted more like rotisserie chicken than slow-smoked BBQ. Both pulled meats were extremely juicy—almost too watery—but still enjoyable.

The house-made sauces were fantastic, with a choice between a sweet BBQ and a golden mustard-based sauce—both were flavorful and complemented the meats well.

Among the sides, the potato salad was my favorite. It’s made with a mix of regular and sweet potatoes, giving it a unique pinkish hue, which might be unexpected for some, but I loved it. The mac n’ cheese was a close second—creamy and perfectly cooked. The baked beans were good, but the mashed sweet potatoes were just okay. I noticed a lot of people ordering the fried okra, so that’s on my list for next time.

Portion sizes were very generous, and I even had leftovers—which is rare for me!

The atmosphere is what you’d expect from a classic hole-in-the-wall BBQ joint—casual, laid-back, and no frills. The service was friendly, not the fastest, but welcoming.

Overall, I’d definitely go back and try the smoked bone-in chicken, brisket, and fried okra next time. If you’re in Bradenton and craving BBQ, Pigout is a...

EDIT: I've eaten here two more times since my first review (5 stars) and the food has been inconsistent and not the same quality. Last time I had the same thing as the first time, brisket sandwich. It was dried out and the mac and cheese was cool and pasty. I asked to have some that was hot and they brought it back hot but it was so dried and thick, I didn't even eat it. Just went today and ordered smoked chicken, the skin was white, not even really cooked. I was disappointed. My first visit was so great but now I need to find a new BBQ joint. Bummer. This place was awesome. It's somewhat a "picnic" style place. I sat outdoors smelling the wonderful aroma of the meat on the smoker. It was not overpowering, simply delightful. My server was pleasant and expedient. I ordered a brisket sandwich which came with au jus, several bbq sauce bottles, and 2 sides. I ordered mac n cheese which was great and cucumber salad and it was delightful. Cucumbers were sliced machine thin with thinly sliced onions in a lightly seasoned vinegar with a hint of sweetness. May go back today for a container of it, it was so good. The brisket was melt in your mouth tender, juicy with great smoky flavor piled high on a bun. No scrimping on the brisket. Au jus was very flavorful and made from real broth. The Mac n cheese was cheesy and HOT. It stayed hot until the end of my meal. I can't stand lukewarm mac-n-cheese. Makes me want to lose it. Prices were good. They serve sandwiches, plates, family meals and many others. I'll be going back. This will be my bbq go to. Also it has a bar inside with indoor...