The Red Shed Eastpoint — Restaurant in Florida

After a few trips to The RED SHED, I feel qualified to make an informed review. These one and done reviewers get my goat. Guess they never have off days. Barbeque is an art and some days the paint runs despite the artist's best efforts.

Having eaten 'Que from restaurants, homes, and competitions all across these Great United States, I know what is good, what is not, and what is great.

The moment you arrive at the RED SHED it is obvious that artists are at work here. The place looks unique and smells like the smoker is working hard. Friendly people are cooking for folks and serving the customers like gracious friends. From the first time I walked up to the window to place my order Charla has made me feel special. Every trip it is the same top shelf treatment.

The smells wafting around the open air dining area aren't false advertising. A pitmaster is at work combining meat, seasoning, smoke, and heat to create masterpieces. My first trip he didn't want to serve me the ribs because they weren't falling off the bone like people expect. I talked him into it and got perfect competition ribs. Clean bite, easy chew, and great flavor. Subsequent visits I got the same flavor but they left the bone clean just like folks like. Pulled pork has been spot on every time. Smoked sausage has been flavorful and the alligator sausage is an exquisite experience when it is available. Haven't made it on a Sunday for brisket but I know it will be tasty when I get a chance to eat some. They have put good to great meat in my box every time I have been there.

Sides. Sides. Sides. When it comes to beans, slaw, stew, tater salad, and mac'n'chz, everybody has the kind they like. Don't bust on a place because they don't make it like yo' momma did. My experiences with RED SHED sides have been positive. The beans are good representatives of the genre but aren't academy award winners and I still get them every time. My wife says I am picky about slaw. I am and as a result I rarely order it. So I don't know if theirs is the kind you like because I haven't had any. Had the stew for the first time this week. Initial impressions are that it is flavorful and filled with fresh ingredients. So it isn't like everybody else's and that's a great thing. I never order potato salad. Since my Mom isn't here to make it anymore, I don't eat it anymore. The RED SHED's might be great. I will let you try it and tell me. The smoked mac and cheese has been tasty every time. And by every time I mean I get it every time and every time it is good.

Sometimes good food. Sometimes great food. Always spectacular service. Come to the RED SHED and you might see me returning to enjoy their barbeque...

I've been here 2 times. First when they were pretty new and a second time about half a year later and here is my rundown. FOOD: Pork - Bland but not terrible, but the portions on the sandwhich could be bigger. Bread wasn't anything fancy. On par with Lloyds cold pulled pork from the grocery store. Ribs - Bland but not terrible. Nothing special, but not bad either. Smoked Wings - good. Nice flavor, well done. Mac and Cheese - Not so good. Cold and sour both times I had it even though it was highly recommended. Beans - Really bad. Seemed like they were made from dried beans which had only cooked about half way. Sauces - Only tried the rootbeer which was supposed to be a specialty and did not like it. Left a bad taste. OVERALL FOOD RATING - 3. Ok, but nothing to write home about.

SERVICE + STAFF: On site - No problems with the man named Mark. He was friendly and eager to please. Not sure if he is the owner or just an employee because he was there the first time I went but not the second. There was a lady there the second time whose name I don't know. She wasn't as outgoing as Mark but wasn't rude or anything. Wait Time - Longer than normal but not a big deal.

Even though I give the food a 3 and the people and service on site weren't mean to me personally, I can't give them a score better than 2 because of the way they treat some of their other customers, going so far as to go through their facebook profiles to dig up their pictures to put on their website to make fun of. Everyone in Tallahassee is talking about it right now and other people will cover the story better than I can. Normally I'd say don't judge the restaurant by the personal behavior of the staff after hours but they were doing it on the business website as representatives of the restaurant so there isn't any way to separate the rudeness from the review of the business overall. I like local businesses and these people have done good before by hosting craft shows and such, but they have lost their way and need to earn the good will of Tallahassee back. Until then I can't give them better...

What a great experience we had here!!! To truly understand BBQ you must realize not every eating experience will be the same. Sometimes the cut of meat or time you go will not be the best. Call an order in ahead of time if you want to make sure it fresh. It can be frustrating, but if you know small BBQ joints you know how it goes. The owners where very nice. The Ribs where by far top 3 we have had In Tallahassee. They where pretty fresh when we got them and had a decent to good amount of meet on them with good flavor. They where pricey at $13. Would like to see a double meet combo for that price. A $8-10 for just the rib plate would be more fitting. Mac and cheese was okay could have been creamier, coleslaw was good, the pulled pork tacos where bomb!!!!! The Asian slaw was legit. We liked to put spicy BBQ sauce in them. The sausage was solid nothing fancy though, Kids chicken sliders where very tasty.

Great atmosphere!!! with tic tac toe and other games for kids to play. This is a must stop by for people to try at least once. If you have ever gone to a place where your kids can play games while you wait for your food you know how great it is.

Will definitely be trying to pre order some...