I am always looking for a good BBQ here in Key West as my hubby loves his baby back ribs. So we finally tried Smoked BBQ which has been open for awhile now. It is located on a houseboat at Garrison Bight Marina, so you have some nice water views. And, you can actually bring your fish here after a charter and they will smoke it for you!
Speaking of smoked fish, we started off with an order of fish dip. They have regular and spicy, and since my husband does not do spicy we went for regular. It had a nice, smoky flavor and not too much mayo. It was different from the usual fish dips that I have had in the past, but tasty nonetheless. And I loved their homemade salt seasoning that they put on the tortilla chips that they served with the dip.
After ordering our fish dip along with a cheeseburger with fries for me and a platter with half BBQ chicken and baby back ribs with mac and cheese and baked beans for my husband, we seated ourselves at one of the picnic tables overlooking the marina. While it was very hot outside, we were very comfortable sitting in the boat and enjoyed the views. We checked out the array of BBQ sauces that were on the table for us to choose from. We both like a sweeter option, so we located that one, tried it out and deemed it acceptable.
When the food was brought out to us we were eager to give it a try. The sides were winners. The mac and cheese was made with pepper jack or maybe a few jalapeños, so it had a little kick to it which I loved. The baked beans were good, and I think I detected some sweet spices in there like perhaps some clove; different but good, and a nice signature flavor for the restaurant.
Smoked BBQ chicken and ribs. 
A cheeseburger and fries at Smoked BBQ. 
Fish dip at Smoked BBQ
I have to say that we were disappointed with the actual BBQ though. The chicken was boring. It had no flavor to it at all with the exception of the skin covered with rub. The ribs were not bad, but they were not as falling off of the bone and tender as I would have liked.
As for the burger, it was nothing to write home about, so I probably would not order it again. It had a slightly smoky flavor to it which I expected and liked, but other than that it lacked any meat flavor and was really dry, even with the sweet BBQ sauce that I added. The fries were good and they were sprinkled with the same seasoning that was on the tortilla chips that I really liked. It was a little sweet and salty all at once.
I have to say that the staff were super friendly and we really liked them. You can tell that they love what they do.
After we ate here we were told by some friends that absolutely love this place that the brisket and the pulled pork is amazing, so we will have to go back one day and sample some of that. Plus I would like to try a few other sides from their menu that looked interesting like their smoked potato salad and their version of a loaded baked potato. Can you tell I like my spuds?
If you are looking for a very relaxed place on the water with a great staff, I would give this place a try. But it was a bit pricy in my opinion. Our food and 2 bottles of water cost over $50 plus tip.
There are many places to eat on this island, so before you decide where to go, be sure to read my other Key West restaurant reviews; check out our restaurant review section of this blog.
To see what is happening on the island during your visit, check out our Key West Events Calendar to see other upcoming special events.
And for more information about the fun side of Key West… things to do and see in our island city, go to our Key West Web Site.
Feel free to Email Me if you have any questions about Key West!!
