Tallahassee is a treasure trove of edible goods. Our local food scene is a force to be reckoned with, boasting a wide variety of represented ethnicities, a broad price range, and varying quality. It is so spectacular, in fact, that sometimes people will get locked in to several restaurants and forget to try some of the lesser known local places.
If you have ever taken Lake Bradford out to the Rez or the golf course or to pick your car up from Hobkirk towing, you have probably noticed that on the right side of the road there are two barbeque smokers and a little shack in the parking lot of a convenience store. This little shack is known as Big D’s BBQ, and it is one of the finest hidden gems in Tallahassee.
Big D’s menu offers a couple of different options involving chicken and ribs. I personally had the chicken dinner, which included a leg and half breast of dark chicken meat, baked beans, and potato salad, and I was nowhere near disappointed. You always hear about chicken “falling off the bone”, but rarely do you actually get to experience it. This chicken was cooked to perfection, nearly melting and doused in a decadently sweet barbecue sauce that was so delicious it demanded that you order extra. The baked beans had a gentle sweet flavor as well, probably a result of the slices of fruit (I think some type of melon, but I’m not sure) floating around in them infusing the juices with their flavor. The potato salad was unique as well, with a light seasoning that gave the right amount of extra flavor to what was already a delicious side. This entire dinner meal was a mere $7, a more than reasonable price for such professionally prepared food.
The staff were an awesome group as well. Technically, Big D’s is only open from Wednesday to Saturday. Ignorant of this, I went on a Tuesday but experienced a stroke of good luck. They happened to have been hired to cater an event that day, and were willing to serve me from the limited menu they had prepared for the event. They also took my trash for me when I was done, which was a great deal more customer service than I expected to receive at a picnic table in a convenience store parking lot.
As for negatives, there was not much to complain about at Big D’s. The location could stand to be improved. Outdoors with limited seating, Big D’s is not exactly prime for a large dine-in group. However, most people take their food to-go so this is not much of an issue. Second, they do not offer drinks. This is okay though, because they are located in a convenience store parking lot and convenience stores happen to carry pretty much any drink you could want.
Big D’s may not look like much on the surface, but they have some amazing food and a friendly staff to offer. They cater to events, and will deliver if your order is over $40. As far as bang for your buck, Big D’s definitely takes the cake, so if you’re feeling hungry on your way to the Rez, stop off and grab a sandwich. You won’t regret it.