Welcome back, Polk County.
Mike here.
I started out my first Polk Food Quest with a BBQ joint (Gaskins) and now we're finally hitting it in our Best Food In Polk County.
To be honest, I was a bit hesitant to get to this article, just because it feels like something extremely important to Polk County.
But after 5 strong weeks of this article being the most clicked in the newsletter, I know we need to get to BBQ.
And it needs to be done right ... by doing the entire county!
The Best BBQ Spots in Polk County, 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 love BBQ. But I'm not sure I'm a good enough judge for GOOD BBQ as I need to be for Polk County. Pizza? Bagels? Italian? Even Mexican and burgers and so many other types of food? Absolutely. But BBQ seems sacred here, so I'm sticking to the votes.
First Place: Blackburn’s BBQ
The Best BBQ Spot In Polk County, Florida
Blackburn's BBQ — 169 N 5th St, Eagle Lake, FL 33839
Coming in at number one on our list — and taking the top spot by a landslide — is Blackburn’s BBQ.
Blackburn’s didn’t just win… it dominated.
Across every poll, every thread, and every dataset, Blackburn’s consistently came in as the clear favorite.
With voters sharing:
- “Blackburn’s hands down.”
- “No comparison.”
- “Best BBQ I’ve had this side of Texas.”
- “Worth the drive every time.”
What stood out most wasn’t just the volume, it was the confidence in all of the comments.
There was no debate. The voters knew this was the best of the best.
From brisket to ribs to sides, it’s one of those spots that people go out of their way for; and based on the votes, it delivers every time.
One voter summed it up perfectly:
“If you haven’t had Blackburn’s, you’re missing out.”
Second Place: Jimbo's Pit Bar B-Q
The Second Best BBQ Spot In Polk County, Florida
Jimbo's Pit Bar B-Q — 1215 E Memorial Blvd, Lakeland, FL 33801
Coming in at second is Jimbo’s Pit Bar B-Q — a true Lakeland staple.
Jimbo’s didn’t just perform well… it showed up everywhere.
Across multiple polls, it consistently pulled in votes and strong support, especially from locals who have been going there for years.
With voters sharing:
- “Jimbo’s all the way.”
- “Best ribs in town.”
- “Serving Lakeland for over 60 years for a reason.”
- “Jimbo’s, end of discussion.”
This is the definition of a legacy spot.
Consistency, flavor, and doing things the same way for decades.
One voter highlighted:
“I’ve been going there since I was a kid… still the best.”
Third Place: Peebles BBQ
The Third Best BBQ Spot In Polk County, Florida
Peebles BBQ — 441 Dixie Hwy, Auburndale, FL 33823
Coming in at third is Peebles BBQ.
Peebles didn’t dominate any single poll, but it showed up in every single one.
And that’s what earned it a top three spot.
With voters sharing:
- “Peebles for sure.”
- “True open pit BBQ.”
- “Been around forever.”
It’s one of those places that might not get the loudest comments and reactions, but it consistently gets highlighted and brought up when Polk thinks of BBQ.
This is definitely another staple.
One voter summed it up simply:
“Always good, every time.”
Fourth Place: Smokin’ Ox
The Fourth Best BBQ Spot In Polk County, Florida
Smokin' Ox — 204 6th St SW, Winter Haven, FL 33880
Landing in fourth is Smokin’ Ox; and this is where things start to get kind of interesting.
Smokin’ Ox had one of the biggest surges in later polls, with a lot of strong, passionate responses.
With voters sharing:
- “Smokin’ Ox is the best I’ve had.”
- “Don’t waste your time anywhere else.”
- “Everything is amazing.”
This is the kind of place that people don’t just like ... they rave about it.
This is a must-try BBQ joint in Polk County if you're looking to try to find the "top spot" and give the frontrunners a fair chance.
One voter put it bluntly:
“Hands down the best BBQ I’ve ever eaten.”
Fifth Place: Low & Slow Smokehouse
The Fifth Best BBQ Spot In Polk County, Florida
Low & Slow Smokehouse — 1853 E Memorial Blvd, Lakeland, FL 33801
Rounding out the top five is Low & Slow Smokehouse.
This was one of the fastest-rising spots across all the votes that we pulled across Polk County.
The more votes we pulled, the more it kept showing up.
With voters sharing:
- “Low & Slow is the best in Central Florida.”
- “Brisket melts in your mouth.”
- “Everything we tried was amazing.”
It’s clear this spot has built a strong reputation ... quickly.
Between the quality of the food and the consistency of the feedback, it earned its place in the top five.
One voter highlighted:
“One of the best BBQ meals I’ve had in a long time.”
Other Great BBQ Spots Options In Polk County, Florida
If you’re anything like me, you want to try all the best BBQ in Polk County, Florida so you can be the judge for yourself.
So here is the rest of the top ten BBQ spots in Polk County, Florida (in order 6-10):
- #6 — Smokin’ Jim’s
- #7 — Polk City BBQ Company
- #8 — Frostproof BBQ Company
- #9 — Granger & Sons
- #10 — Cooter’s Smokehouse
Which gives us the full top 10 BBQ Spots in Polk.
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
- Honorable Mention: Gaskins
Just like I reserved the third spot in the best breakfast in Polk County, I'm reserving my third spot here as well.
I'll always reserve that third spot unless I have tried every spot on the list, and there's one or two I still need to hit here!
THANKS!
Thanks for reading this edition of The Polk Squeeze today.
Share this with a friend who's been debating who has the best BBQ food in Polk.
- Mike Romaine
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