MISSION BBQ — Restaurant in Ocala

UPDATE: DELICIOUS AS USUAL!! I have now been many times... they are consistently awesome! Tried the pulled chicken sandwich with some of the Alabama White Sauce... very, very good!! Cory the General Manager is great... he stopped by to check on us and other guests multiple times on my various visits. He is very passionate about the quality of the food and the guests experience and it shows when you visit! They have some new items coming out after Thanksgiving... smoked Prime Rib, a new side - sweet creamed corn, and speaking of sweet... the sweet treat is changing from apple cobbler to a caramel bread pudding! Check out my original review below... Great job to all the staff at Mission BBQ Ocala!

ORIGINAL REVIEW:

I have to say this BBQ restaurant is AWESOME! You can definitely taste the smoke flavors in the meats. The pulled pork is moist without being fatty. The smoked chicken is literally fall off the bone... loved it! They have ribs, pork, brisket, wings, half chickens, and also an Incredible smoked turkey!! I am probably missing some items... go check it out for yourself!! Now any good BBQ sandwich or plate needs flavorful sides and Mission BBQ has this nailed also. If you like greens then you will love the greens w onion and tomatoes in a mild vinegar sauce. Other favs include their baked beans, mac n cheese, cheesy potatoes. Yes they have Cole slaw and seasoned fries also. They have a variety of custom bbq sauces and a nice Carolina Vinegar sauce on the table. If your a veteran or first responder they have a special way of saying thank you! This is a New BBQ restaurant in Ocala, Florida conveniently located on SR200 across from the Hobby Lobby plaza. Please note it is not full service. You order at the counter and get your own drinks and refills. They call your name when your meal is ready. The staff is very friendly and more than eager to answer all your questions about their menu!! If you buy their specialty cup once upfront with your meal today, you can bring it back for discounted beverage refills on future visits. (Ask for details though first!!).... oh I almost forgot... if you are a cheese fanatic like me, you can also ask for them to melt cheddar cheese on your sandwich!! There is outside tables also for those who like outside or have your furry family with you!! Dont worry... there is plenty of parking behind the building! Thanks Mission BBQ management and staff!! They bent over backwards to ensure I have been more than satisfied now on about 4 visits!! I put some pics of restaurant and menu board for you future...

A Once-Great Experience Now Marred by Disappointing Changes

I have been a loyal, day one customer of Mission-BBQ and have always considered myself a regular at the Ocala branch. Over time, my wife and I developed a friendly relationship with the store manager, Cory, and many of the staff who knew us by our first names. Our interactions with Cory were always positive, and his personal touch added to our overall dining experience.

Last year, upon Cory's recommendation, we participated in Mission-BBQ's Thanksgiving meal. Despite initial reservations about the cost, the experience exceeded our expectations, prompting us to choose Mission-BBQ for a destination Thanksgiving this year with 16 people. The feedback from our guests was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing their intention to make Mission-BBQ their go-to for future holiday meals.

However, our recent experiences have been far from satisfactory. The decline started when we attended the VIP brunch, only to learn that Cory was leaving. Despite reassurances about his replacement, subsequent visits have been disappointing. Our Christmas Prime Rib dinner, which we pre-ordered, turned into a horrible experience, marking our last in-person dining disappointment.

During our visit to confirm details for a Christmas Eve pickup, the decline became more evident. The assumption that I was the veteran, ignoring my wife's service, was a stark contrast to the previous personalized service under Cory. The lobby and drink area, once impeccably maintained, now showed signs of neglect, with trays left on tables and no offer to clear them.

For the holiday meal pickup, miscommunication about the opening time left our daughter waiting unnecessarily. Upon our return, we discovered a crucial oversight - the absence of reheating instructions. Multiple calls to the store yielded inconsistent information and a lack of knowledge about the prime rib reheating process. Our Christmas meal left guests hungry as it took MUCH longer to bring the roast to proper...

Most restaurants don't get this high of an average rating but after going I can see why! We were in a rush on a road trip that was running behind so we were looking for a counter restaurant that wasn't typical fast food. We have a big family so we hate to spend a lot and be disappointed. We were very pleased with this place! We tried the pulled pork sandwiches, Mac and cheese, beans, and fries. Everything was excellent!! I am a foodie and I judge hard :) The pulled pork was perfect. So tender and not greasy at all. We loved all the different sauce choices. I like spicy and loved the hot honey one which had just the right amount of heat. Fries were very good (fresh cut aren't always but these were excellent) and well seasoned. Ranch was very good too. Mac and cheese was homemade and very cheesy. I wanted to try the cornbread but didn't see it on the menu. But then I saw someone eating it as I left so I should have asked. It looked really good. Customer service also excellent which can also be hard to find. They were very generous and kind to our family and gave us a complimentary dessert for our first time. We ordered Togo and everything was well packaged. We ended up eating some there and they went out of their way to clean a table specifically big enough for our family. FYI, they also have clean fancy restrooms. Highly recommend this place! Perfect anytime but definitely recommend as a great option if you are on a road trip. The experience was a huge blessing to our family. We never tip at a counter place but we did here :) Great to see a business that really cares about food quality...