4 Rivers Smokehouse — Restaurant in Jacksonville

Here's my 1st restaurant review this year. After a few months off, I'm back on the road, and back to the grind. I drove from Utah to Florida a couple weeks ago, and I have been extremely busy getting back on project. I've only had fast food for a minute, so this Friday evening, 4 Rivers BBQ is a short walk from my hotel. 4 Rivers isn't a fancy place, and they have several locations. They are a bit pricy, but having an expense account is cool. I ordered the ribs and brisket combo with 2 sides, mashed sweet potatoes and baked cheese grits. I added the bread pudding, because I always have a sweet tooth after dinner. While advancing to the register, of course they have desserts on display. Chocolate. I do love me some chocolate. The Texas sheet cake was added to my order also. I'll take that back to the hotel for later. Add the sweet tea, and dinner is complete. The brisket was perfect. Fork tender, and smoky flavor. The ribs of course are not the best, that crown still belongs to Swine House Barbecue. 4 Rivers only offers 2 sauces, Original and Hot. Hot is mild at best. All of the sides I had were great. Highly recommended the baked cheese grits. They have a good atmosphere, wood top tables, rolls of paper towels, beautiful patio seating and helpful friendly staff. Overall, not the best BBQ ever, but I'll give it 5 stars,...

This is actually a 4 1/2 ⭐ review as a very small but important item needs addressing. First a very large and easy to enter, if you are heading East on Baymeadows but a bit of a challenge if you are heading West as you need to U turn after passing 4 Rivers. Parking is excellent as well as entry. This is not a table order place but an easy to read menu board is very helpful. As you order you may get to watch them prepare the trays which is a pleasant experience. Bill likes his Brisket moist with the Fat still on and by placing his order with the cutter he got just what we both wanted. The combination of the Cutter and the out of this world moist Brisket is a reason that they will see us again so 5 ⭐ and then some. We ordered the 2+2 of Brisket and Burnt Ends... this is where they lose a ⭐. The Burnt Ends should be crispy but these were sooo soggy... not to Bill's liking. The two sides of Sweet Potato Casserole and Green beans were outstanding and enough for two a sure 5 ⭐ accross the board. You get to add you own sauce which is great as neither of us are big on drowning the meat in BQ sauce HOWEVER we tried three in small amounts and all were very good. This is a nice clean and well staffed place that is good for friends and family be they young or more senior. Oh looking for the restroom??? It's outside in the outside seating...

Went there a few hours ago. Sorry to be honest but this is the worst b b q I have ever been to. I thought it was a restaurant. More like a cafeteria. You wait on line and choose. Your unappetizing food is served on a metal tray, a paper bag under it. By time you pay the cashier, your food has turned into an ice cube. I had pulled pork with no bread. It looked like slop on a plate. My guest had brisket. Even though the ounces were 5 oz and 7 oz, the portion was less than what I give my dog. She had collards and Mac and cheese. We turned the food back in, still like it came from an ice box. The seating reminded me of a prison movie where you eat on metal trays. We had a tablespoon of meat. Over priced 32 dollars for 2 meals. Fountain drinks almost 3 dollars for a med size. I had to put on so much sauce, it was about to swim off the plate and go next door to Burger King. My French fries came in a Burger King type sleeve when brought out to me. It was just 100 percent disgusting. If I wanted a prison style dining, cafeteria style atmosphere I could have gone down town to Bay Street and dined with felons. Awful. Zero stars. Do not go. Bonos is ten times better and much more...