Rob's Family BBQ Plantation — Restaurant in Plantation

I've been going to Rob Scruby's restaurants since 2015. Even when things are tight, I find a way to grab their food at least twice a month. Every party, every catering, Rob's. Every recommendation for BBQ, Rob's. The food is uncontestibly the best smoked BBQ from here to about mid-FL. Even in all of FL or the US, I guarantee Rob's ends up in top 5 or top 10 for sure.

So, look, I get that this is a family-owned spot, and of course you have to take care of your people. I wouldn’t normally even call that nepotism. But here’s the problem.

When I walk in at 4:00 p.m. on a Saturday, which should be prime time, the person working the front counter is literally hiding behind it, head down on her phone facing away from the register. It takes two separate employees from the kitchen to yell over and tell her that a customer is standing at the register. She still doesn’t look up until someone tells her to for a second time. Incidentally, the kitchen staff that mentioned spmwone was there to the counter person also didn't greet me. No "hi" or "be right with you," nothing. Upon revealing herself from behind and in the corner of the counter ordering setup, the counter person/tablet operator seemed very content to explain she didn't have menus. When I asked for items to be read from the point of sale, I was given incorrect prices I didn't notice until on the pay screen.

Why there is a tip screen at the end is beyond me. It's a Chipotle style walk order and sit except you wait for your food and it's brought to your table.

However, if you'd like gratuity for service, you have to acknowledge you are in the restaurant and hospitality industry, and customer service is a fundamental piece of the puzzle the counter girl can't seem to figure out.

On the whole, the type of behavior exhibited today is not just unprofessional. It is disrespectful to the business and to the customer.

Do better, Rob's. Great food means nothing if the service tells customers they don’t matter. I want your food to stick around...

Plantation, FL. Five stars for Rob’s grandson manning the register, tables and phone orders.

Beans were the same great taste as always, full of beef and savory molasses flavor. The sauces were the same as always. The potato salad was still good as ever!

The potato salad is not on the menu but I asked for it and I got it! Why is it that way? I think because Rob’s used to have potato salad on their salad bar and people still order it as a side.

The potato salad is so good people still order it even though it’s not on the menu!

It’s a taste of Grandma’s cooking: Potato chunks, bits of onion, bits of celery, bits of egg, Hellman’s mayo (I think, at least it’s not sweet); and a little salt. I’ve ordered it as my main entree more than once. It’s not much to look at but it’s good.

Yes, food wasn’t up to the greatness of Rob and Mary’s exacting standards, but I want the grandson to have time to grow into his grandparents’ greatness. The smoky flavor of pit bbq was still there. The cook has time to learn to add salt to the pulled pork.

I didn’t catch the grandson’s name but he had dark hair and acted like an Eagle Scout. He delivered our food and we had a bet on whether he was a grandkid or not. My husband won the bet.

So I asked him if Rob was still around, and he said yes, he sees his grandparents at family get togethers. They sold all the baseball stuff and antiques from the previous location. His grandparents are doing fine.

Pros of this location: Comfier seats (the old location had wooden benches in a freezing cold AC draft); a shelf where you could get your own hot sauce, to go boxes, and other condiments; less overhead (less servers, so they could streamline business during economic roller coaster moves); and great pit bbq. If you think it’s not as salty, just add salt, it’s there on the table.

I hope the next time we come they have better, bigger buns and a bit more salt on the pulled chicken.

Good luck to Scruby’s grandkids. Long live the...

Full disclosure I’m from NC. I know good BBQ. I also understand that every “BBQ family” has their own recipe that they will never change. I just feel like Robs is sub par all the way around. The pulled pork has no flavor and the sauce is horrible. It’s seems like some variation of Heinz. They lack authentic and original sides. The macroni and cheese is an up charge and it is horrible. No crust or any extras. A small styrofoam cup of bake beans comes with every meal and they don’t fill it up. Bean seam like they are from a can with bbq sauce poured in them. The slaw is bland. I would give this place more stars if the pricing was reasonable. A rib dinner is $27. Really….for a shopping center BBQ place??? Service is standard for a BBQ place. The only issue I have had is the sometimes you are invisible to the counter lady when she is chatting with her friends. In summary this place is basic, bland, over priced and does not have a gimmick to keep you coming back. I have explored the menu thoroughly hoping to find something positive about my neighborhood bbq place but I...