- April 25, 2024
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As customers walk through the parking lot at Captain’s BBQ, they are greeted by the smoky aroma of cooked meat coming from one of the eatery’s two smokers, which is strategically placed in front of the restaurant.
“When the winds going the right way, it brings them in off the road,” owner Mike Goodman said laughing.
I sat at the table closest to the front door staring at an assortment of Captain’s must-eat menu items and Goodman kept excusing himself to greet customers and introduce them to the menu.
“It’s all about the customers,” Goodman said returning to his seat. “I want my customers to be as happy about my food as I am.”
But customer service is not the only reason Captain’s BBQ, settled under the Spanish moss at Bing’s Landing, has been voted the number one barbecue spot in the state of Florida.
TripAdvisor, announced May 8, the highest-rated restaurants and top U.S. states for barbecue, based on TripAdvisor’s community of travelers. From sweet and saucy to simple and smoky, these spots serve up low-and-slow cooked meats that are sure to satisfy.
Not only did those reviews land Captain’s a number one finish in Florida, but the 2-year-old barbecue joint, which doubles as a bait shop, cracked the top 10 in the country. Coming in at number eight, nationwide, Captain’s BBQ boasted a 4.5 out of 5 bubble rating with 212 reviews.
“I am going to make this review short,” wrote one reviewer. “If you like smoked BBQ, you must stop here and eat. I have never had better in Florida. It ranks with the best anywhere. Speechless!”
Since the ranking were released, Goodman said that he has seen a spike in businesses. May is usually his slowest time of year, but so far this month, Captain’s has had a steady stream of customers.
“It’s helping with part of the tourism for Flagler County,” Goodman said. “One of my goals is to make The Hammock a tourist destination and good food is one of the first steps.”
I am ashamed to say that in the two years Captain’s has been in business, I had yet to eat a meal there. I had tried the pulled pork at Taste of Flagler one year, delicious. But I had never been in to yet. Until last weekend that is.
The smorgasbord of smoked ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket and a variety of sides stared at me just begging to be eaten. I went straight for the ribs. The fall-off the bone meat had a sweet and smoky flavor. The brown sugar in the rub was just enough for me to say that my mom may have a rival for my favorite rib cook.
“I love of food,” Goodman said. “I'm very particular about what goes into my recipes. Everything here is in a recipe — very specific, they have to follow the recipe. It’s what makes it consistent every time.”
With a background in the pastry arts, recipes are very important to Goodman. Which is exactly why I couldn’t allow myself to get full on the tasty barbecue. Not only did I want left overs, but I also wanted to save room for Gooodman’s made-from-scratch cheesecake. With just four ingredients and a light crumb crust, the cheesecake is light and airy ad oh so good.
But don’t take my word for it. Listen to the more than 200 TripAdvisor users from around the world.
