We have been to Darrell’s Restaurant in Venice quite a few times, because how could we stay away! It’s one of the best BBQ places in Venice, for a number of reasons.
Where is Darrell’s Restaurant in Venice?
Darrell’s Restaurant is located at 215 S Tamiami Trail, Venice, FL 34285. For those familiar with the area, it is on the island of Venice just south of Venice Avenue. The exterior of the building looks like a log cabin and oozes with Southern charm. We actually like it for take out when we go on picnics, but it’s equally impressive to bring guests to dine in!
What are the prices like at Darrell’s Restaurant?
Depending on what the choice of entree is, Darrell’s Restaurant is an affordable option for a family to eat but can get higher in prices for more traditionally expensive entrees. With appetizers, soups and salads in the $8-$10 range and entrees that range as low as $8 to as high as the Brisket for $14.99 or the Down on the Keys Mac and Cheese for $15.99.
What Is On Their Menu?
What is the Best Deal?
The best bang for your buck is going to be the Hungry Heifer which can easily feed 2-4 people for $24. It includes a little bit of everything with your choice of sauces, 2 sides and cornbread:
- 1/2 lb of St Louis Ribs
- 1/4 piece of Chicken
- 1/4 lb of Pork
- 1/4 lb of Brisket
What is it like inside Darrell’s?
The interior dining area of Darrell’s has an industrial theme with Southern charm. The chairs are metal, which if you have any kind of chunk on you, can be uncomfortable after a while. Jason and I typically ask for one of their banquet chairs if we know we’ll be there a while. They also have a private room for large parties which is great when the whole family comes down!
Our Review of Darrell’s Restaurant
I love having family from out of town and showing off the amazing food we have in this area! When my cousin and her boyfriend requested BBQ for dinner, I knew we had to bring them to Darrell’s Restaurant.
We were the first table in at Darrell’s Restaurant today for lunch. Delicious plates of food all across the board. Starting off with the pork rinds and down on the keys mac and cheese… my cousin’s boyfriend is a massive foodie, and just started ordering a bunch of different things to try and his smile just kept getting bigger.
What We Ordered For Dinner
His favorite aspect was the homemade dressings and sauces, mixed with the fall-apart tender bbq meats on his Andy Dandy platter and he said the baked beans were the best he’s had in a very long time. He also commented about how he loved that the owner was obviously so passionate about his business, it really influences the atmosphere of the restaurant.
My cousin tried fried okra for the first time and found it “interesting” but liked it, collard greens, fried chicken and the mashed potatoes. We neglected to get a photo of her meal because she simply was too hungry to wait and had dug in the second it hit the table. She loved every bite and really enjoyed the cornbread.
We added on an order of “Pig Wings” which are like little pork lollipops of happiness. They were juicy and tender with just the right amount of sauce, it’s easy to dive right in.
My personal favorite is the Brisket Baked Potato, which is exactly what I ordered. The potato is nice and large, loaded up with smoked brisket, aged blue cheese crumbles and green onions. I drizzle their sweet BBQ sauce on top and it’s the perfect balance of flavors.
It’s never a bad meal at Darrell’s. When you can get there early and get parking right up front, that’s even better.
