Sonny's BBQ — Restaurant in Florida

Edit: I took away another star for your poor/ lack luster response to my review that only made us angrier. My fiancé recommend this place after he had eaten at another location. We got there and emediatly the waitress made us feel weird. She would not acknowledge my fiancé nor did she greet us or tell us her name. She then from the whole time were there only spoke to me. My man is not white and this made both of us feel very off. Then the food came.... for the appetizer we got the loaded tots. They were actually pretty good and it gave us time to experiment with the sauces. They had a peach sauce I believe at the front of the table that honestly was great. I got the pulled pork sandwich with beans which was fine. Now my fiancé got the pick 3 think is what it was called. He got the macaroni with meat in it, a sweet potato, ribs, and pulled pork maybe... he took like two bites of each and refused to eat more.. he said the meat tasted rancid/extremely gamie. The sweet potato tasted not fresh and like it had been sitting out for a day or two. The fat in the macaroni literally had him dry heaving. The waitress at the end comes by and asks how it was and my fiancé said well it's still on my plate it was bad. The lady asks well what didnt you like about it. He goes through each item and tells her his thoughts. She then hands us the bill and gives me a to go box.. ANY OTHER RESTAURANT WOULD HAVE SEEN THAT FULL PLATE AND GAVE HIM A REFUND. I will not be going back. I can see from the reviews we aren't the only the ones who got bad meat. You made my fiancé feel very upset about the way he looks and is portrayed as well....

Lake City, Florida location, December 7th 2023. Spent about 50 bucks. First off, let me begin on the customer service aspect of this review. Horrendous, appalling, rude, one of those "youre wasting my time type of attitudes, all I wanted was to pick up my food and pay... In my order I was given 7 thin slices of what I guess was sausage jerky, that dry and flavorless of sausage, 2 pieces of pigeon, and I say that because the thigh and leg were the smallest I've even seen in my existence, and the grossest pull pork I've ever had, almost tasted as if was bought from rowes iga.. Got some pigeon wings as well, dry. The corn literally has pieces of corn husk in it, like it came from a store brand can, the Mac and cheese, is the same I buy from Winn Dixie in a box in Lake City. Exactly the same, cant change my mind. Garlic bread... WTH was that because it wasn't garlic bread, could have used it to clean my Oklahoma smokers grates, come to think of it i shouldn't have thrown it out. This is our 2nd time trying this place, you know giving them a second chance, we know sonny's is really good! NOT THIS LOCATION!!! Stay away...You've all been warned! I should complain to corporate about this location!! That's how serious i am about the portions, flavors(had zero, guess they depend on the sauce for flavor), the complete lack of and semblance of what good customer service is whatsoever. Highly disappointed as what this location has become! What we wanted was Sonny's, what we got was not in any shape or form of what Sonnys is. This wasnt BBQ food....

The industry standard!

There may be better BBQ, but you would have to be a local to know about it ...😇

And, there is most certainly far worse BBQ.....😵

At Sonny's, whether in your home town, or someone else's, you can count on a quality, real BBQ experience, at a price that guarantees a real value!

UPDATE 07FEB2025: Been a while since my last visit to the Lake City Pit....O was definitely not disappointed!!!

My waiter, Tony was a step ahead of me the entire time, I never felt I needed anything! Excellent service....

The Chicken....I just don't even have the words to explain how moist and tender it was. When the white meat is just as tender and juicy (but completely done...) as the dark meat, somebody is doin' something right!

UPDATE 04MAY2024: SO I SPENT 20 MINUTES AT MY TABLE SIDE WITH PETER THE MANAGER ON DUTY AND PITMASTER. I ASKED HIM, "HOW DO YOU GET THE CHICKEN SO TENDER AND MOIST?" HE SAID I CAN TELL YOU MOST OF HOW BUT NOT ALL OF HOW..." LOLOL I GET IT....A DEDICATED COMPANY MAN FO'SHO!

MY WAITER, DAVID NEVER MISSED A BEAT. I NEVER ASKED FOR A SINGLE THING AND HE WAS ALWAYS ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE GAME. I WILL REQUEST HIM NEXT TIME I'M HERE.

NO DOUBT NO MATTER HOW GOOD THE FOOD IS AT A RESTAURANT, THE MANAGEMENT AND CREW WILL DETERMINE IF A BUSINESS STAYS IN BUSINESS - OR NOT. PEOPLE LIKE PETER AND DAVID ARE WHY SONNY'S CONTINUES TO GROW AND GROW AND GROW.

PITMASTERS LIKE PETER, OR WHY CONTEMPLATING SELLING MY OWN...