Best Friends BBQ — Restaurant in Port Saint Lucie

I really wanted to give this place a better rating than 3 stars, but my one experience there was really a mixed bag. I'll definitely return in the future to try them again and update my review as necessary, however this is all about my experience there this past Memorial Day weekend.

Look, there is lots to like here! The folks are friendly, patient and helpful, and more than happy to answer any questions and help you decide what to order.

Also, the potato salad was out of this world! I believe they made it with pickle relish which gave it a slightly fresh and tangy note that cut some of the typical potato salad unctuousness.

The corn bread? A nostalgic classic! It was thick and pillowy, with just a breath of moisture to it so that it was perfectly crumbly in all the right ways.

Lastly, the location right along the Intracoastal was the perfect place to eat BBQ in a uniquely Floridian fashion - the sights, sounds and smells were unforgettable. Mind you, it can be a bit windy there when the breeze is onshore, so just be careful that your table's umbrella doesn't get loose and skewer a fellow BBQ-loving patron. ;-)

The big downside for me, regrettably, was the BBQ itself...hence the 3-star review. We ordered a holiday special of a full rack of Baby Back Ribs and one large side for $25.

We ordered the ribs with sweet Carolina style sauce along with the aforementioned potato salad.

Disappointingly, the ribs were particularly dry. If they were sauced, it was during the smoking process because what we received had a shellaced surface. I must admit that I prefer my ribs finished over some hot coals with a final saucing in order to produce some caramelization and complexity.

As I mentioned, these had a shellaced surface and maybe seemed like they had been done hours before and kept in a warmer because they were simply way too dried out, without even a hint of fattiness to introduce some succulence to the party. They were... OK.

But not good, and that's disappointing.

To be honest, I'm not a fan of baby backs. They're a bit too temperamental. I love me some St Louis style spareribs because they can take a good smoke with a bit more margin of error, and the fattier cut certainly makes it easier to retain that unctuous mouthfeel for which spareribs are renowned!

One thing I did enjoy about their ribs was that they left on the membrane during cooking. I'm a big fan of leaving it on since the end product usually produces a crispy, chewy counter to the soft, rib-eating experience that I feel like helps provide some contrast. I know removing the membrane is quite popular with the competitive BBQ set, but I also know what I like.

Look I hate to give a middling review, but it is what it is. Maybe I just got the wrong thing? Maybe I should have avoided the Baby Back special and ordered some classic spareribs!?

So, would I say to avoid this little piece of roadside heaven? NEVER! I hope I just ordered and received the unusual fluke and got the less-than-great meal that only 1 in 1,000 receives. Still, I received it... And it wasn't that good. Nobody is prefect, I suppose.

I'll return. But when I do, I'm ordering the brisket and spareribs that so many folks seem to appreciate so much.

See you soon, Best...

Not sure if it's normal service in the BBQ industry to stand in front of the window for 10 minutes before even being greated when there are no other customers. Strange but this place has really long waits when the order was finally placed it took so long. ALSO the Cole slaw made my friend have exploding diarrhea for a week! This place is a dump! absolute eye sore when heading to the beach. This place is not a quick in and out for take out food. Plan on it taking quite a bit of time out of your day ! They do not have a fridge to keep food at temperature and no where to wash hands. How are the employees supposed to wash hands? Food is ok but got to at least be able to customize orders a little bit. Cheeseburger can only have cheese and nothing else no onions no nothing. Strange ... Won't be going back as there is a hot dog place there now and the whole area behind conchy Joe's there is disgusting with grease and rats! I wonder what this place got from the health department...

1st things 1st, in my opinion most bbq is bbq and it really takes a lot to stand out from the pack, unfortunately, this place doesn't! It's just another bbq place! What does stand out to me is the price, and the amount of meat in a sandwich! $12 for a pulled pork sandwich! No sides, nothing else, just a sandwich! I think they should drop the price and perhaps cut the meat in half, once you finish the sandwich you will have at least enough meat spilled out to easily make another sandwich, probably more, now your left eating a bowl of meat with a fork. All of my party felt the same exact way, none of us finished it, and most ended up tossing meat in river trying to attract fish! For this price you can sit in a restaurant and get sides included, plus a restroom to wash...