Welcome back, Polk County.
Mike here.
We haven't had a breakdown of BBQ since we had local votes come together to bring us The Best BBQ In Polk County, so I figured we could see what Winter Haven is cookin' up.
One thing you'll quickly notice is Winter Haven (and the surrounding small towns) actually made up a good portion of our original list.
Is Winter Haven area the King Of BBQ in Polk?
Jimbo's and Low & Slow in Lakeland get name dropped anytime BBQ comes up, but do they beat the top of this list?
Let me know in the comments.
But for now...
The Best BBQ Spots in Winter Haven, Florida.
And, as always, this isn’t just a list I’ve put together based on my own preferences…
This list was built from HUNDREDS of votes, from locals just like you.
Let’s go 
Special Author’s Note:
I've only been here in Polk for about 10 years now, so I don't have the authority to be giving deep criticisms on BBQ. Being from a melting pot like NY and traveling a bunch before I settled in Polk has given me the chance to taste a wide range of food — but definitely not enough to rank Polk BBQ.
First Place: Blackburn’s BBQ
The Best BBQ Spot In Winter Haven, Florida
Blackburn's BBQ — 169 N 5th St, Eagle Lake, FL 33839
To start the list we have Blackburn's, which shouldn't come as a surprise considering they were a landslide winner on our list of the best BBQ in Polk County.
Again Blackburns dominated with another landslide, showing that last time was clearly not a fluke.
We also have a full Local Spotlight article on them telling The Blackburn's Story here.
Voters shared:
- "Blackburn's is the most consistent great BBQ and service for sure."
- "Blackburn's is the place if you want absolutely amazing BBQ!"
- "The best BBQ I've had in all of Polk County is Blackburn's BBQ."
As we mentioned in our last feature of Blackburns: from brisket to ribs to sides, it’s one of those spots that people go out of their way for.
And one voter summed it up perfectly:
“If you haven’t had Blackburn’s, you’re missing out.”
Second Place: Smokin' Ox
The Second Best BBQ Spot In Winter Haven, Florida
Smokin' Ox — 204 6th St SW, Winter Haven, FL 33880
Up from the number four spot [in the best BBQ in Polk] to the second slot here is Smokin' Ox!
Blackburn's is technically in Eagle Lake, making Smokin' Ox the winner in Winter Haven specifically.
The smoked wings also got a TON of love, which obviously caught my attention.
With voters sharing:
- "The Smokin' OX hands down."
- "The smoked wings are to die for."
- "Smokin' Ox is the absolute BEST!"
Smokin' OX came up over and over again, and some of the recommendations were probably the strongest reactions we saw outside of Blackburn's.
This is definitely one Katie and I need to get to sooner rather than later.
Third Place: Smokin’ Jim's House of Bar-B-Q
The Third Best BBQ Spot In Winter Haven, Florida
Smokin’ Jim's House of Bar-B-Q — 3615 Havendale Blvd, Auburndale
Coming in at number three is Smokin' Jim's House of Bar-B-Q in Auburndale.
You'll notice that we have a lot of spots in the top five that are technically just outside of Winter Haven (two of which are in Auburndale).
For a small town, Auburndale is cookin' up some good BBQ, and Winter Haven locals noticed.
With voters sharing:
- "Smokin’ Jim's House of Bar-B-Q."
- "Smokin Jim's."
- "Blackburns and Smokin Jim’s."
This is definitely another local staple.
Fourth Place: Peebles BBQ
The Fourth Best BBQ Spot In Winter Haven, Florida
Peebles BBQ — 441 Dixie Hwy, Auburndale, FL 33823
Moving down one slot from being the third in the whole county is Peebles in Auburndale.
Another spot technically just outside of Winter Haven, Peebles is a long time local favorite and hidden gem in Polk County.
With voters sharing:
- "Peebles for ribs."
- "Peebles BBQ in Auburndale."
- "Been BBQ'ing longer than all of them for a reason."
This is a spot that has been around since 1947 and locals still love it.
That's saying something...
Fifth Place: Ovation Bistro & Bar
The Fifth Best BBQ Spot In Winter Haven, Florida
Ovation Bistro & Bar — 7130 Cypress Gardens Blvd, Winter Haven
Rounding out our top five is Ovation Bistro & Bar.
Now, Ovation is definitely the wildcard here.
It's not a BBQ-only restaurant like the other four spots above it, but it still received enough recommendations from locals specifically talking about BBQ that I felt like it deserved the final spot.
And it also gives you something a little different if you're going out with a group where not everyone is craving BBQ.
Voters said things like:
- "Ovation Bistro and Bar."
- "Ovation Bistro & Bar, Winter Haven."
- "Ovation."
If you want BBQ but also want a bigger menu to choose from, this might be the most flexible option in the top five.
Other Great BBQ Spots Options In Winter Haven, Florida
If you’re anything like me, you want to try all the best BBQ in Winter Haven, Florida so you can be the judge for yourself.
So here is the rest of the top ten BBQ spots in Winter Haven, Florida (in order 6-10):
- #6 — Cooter's Smokehouse BBQ (Davenport)
- #7 — Swamp Boys BBQ (Food Truck)
- #8 — Sonny's BBQ
- #9 — Big Daddy's BBQ
- #10 — Jimbo's Pit BBQ (Lakeland)
Which gives us the full top 10 BBQ Spots in Winter Haven.
And brings us to the moment you’ve all been waiting for…
My personal opinion (that no one asked for 
).
Here are my top BBQ spots:
- Blackburn's BBQ
- Smokin' Ox
- Saving This Spot
Like I said, I'm not the authority on BBQ...
But, as always, I'm still going to reserve and save my last slot here until I try all of these on the list.
That said, Swamp Boys BBQ food truck is definitely one I've had my eye on for a while!
THANKS!
Thanks for reading this edition of The Polk Squeeze today.
Share this with a friend who's been looking for the best BBQ food in Winter Haven.
- Mike Romaine
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