4176 Apalachee Pkwy. Tallahassee, FL 32311
(850) 877-3336
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About 2 miles east of Capital Circle on Apalachee Parkway is Smokies BBQ restaurant. Despite the small appearance of the building this place is BIG on flavor.  Smokies BBQ is located at 4176 Apalachee Pkwy. directly across the street from Mom & Dad’s Restaurant, and is always cooking up tasty, fall-off-the-bone chicken and pork.  The best part of Smokies is their BBQ sauce.  I have never tasted a better sauce.  It is worth the drive just to sample the sauce.

The menu contains plenty of sides to choose from to accompany your meal of chicken, ribs or BBQ.  The portions are generous as well as filling and the price is unbeatable. The night I was there, I sampled the pulled pork sandwich and two side combo the cost…a mere $5.25 that included a sweet tea at no extra cost.

Smokie’s is open Tuesday through Sunday,11am to 10pm.  They also have delivery and catering available.

Please call 877-3336 for directions or to place your order.

Who doesn’t love a perfectly seasoned steak?  This is something you will always find at Marie Livingston’s.  This locally owned restaurant has a lot different cuts of steak, a great selection of fish and different types of pasta, and many sides to choose for your entree.

I always get the 7oz fillet.  It is a very lean cut, just the right amount of meat and it is seasoned to perfection.  I enjoy getting the baked sweet potato with my meal and there are always freshly baked yeast rolls served with it.  The salads are fresh, and served with the dressing on the side.  Other guests in my party ordered a variety of cuts of meat and were very impressed with their choice.

Marie Livingston’s is a Tallahassee landmark and worth making the trip for lunch or dinner.  There is usually a wait of some length, so consider making a reservation.  The atmosphere is casual and the servers are very polite.  I really believe that this place give Outback a run for their money.

The other night we ventured out in the terrible stormy weather (right before Tropical Storm Fay hit) to Rubie Sky for dinner. We were one of four or five tables that had patrons. Our server was prompt and very polite.

We had never been to Rubie Sky, we didn’t know what to expect, and I think we chose the right night to go there. We had an appetizer of fried mozzarella with a marinara dipping sauce. Nothing special but very yummy. I ordered the soup of the day, Tomato Basil, and a side of grilled asparagus. My companion ordered a steak dish with four or five small fillets, covered in a delicious sauce, with a side of mashed potatoes and carrots. The dinner was also served with a basket of bread, rolls and cornbread, with a side of honey butter.

Overall, the meal was excellent. The food was perfectly cooked, everything had an excellent flavor, the service was great and ambiance of the restaurant was very calming. We also enjoyed hearing the live music from the Sky Bar.

I recommend trying Rubie Sky is you have never been there. I look forward to returning in the near future. I feel the pricing of all the menu items was very fair and we were pleasantly surprised at how affordable the bill was. On the evening I was dining, there were very few kids in the restaurant. However, I would not hesitate to bring the kids for a NICE evening out.

www.therubiesky.com

www.foodgloriousfood.com

Located at Betton Place on Thomasville Road, Food Glorious Food is a great spot to hit up for lunch. Their menu consists of a variety of local favorites and fresh meats and veggies. I was there last week and I always try to get something different. On this trip I had the grilled Gulf Shrimp on a crispy blackbean patty, topped with sour cream, salsa and spinach. It was very well done, had a little spicy kick to it, and melted in my mouth. The hamburgers and shoe string fries are great, as well as the fresh fried grouper over grits. Food Glorious Food provides a nice variety of beef, chicken and fish on the menu. There is inside and outside dining, and if you are in the mood, definitely check out the desserts. There are LOTS to choose from and none are disappointing. They are open for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday and lunch on Monday.

Mom and Dad’s restaurant has been a Tallahassee establishment for 47 years. If you haven’t been, you need to go. They have been in the same building for 47 years and walking in does give the feeling of going back in time. The walls are paneled, the pictures and maps on the walls have probably been there since the day it opened and the tables are pushed closely together. We arrived and thought there would be a small wait, but we were seated immediately.

The food is fabulous! The menu is extensive, with lots of things to choose from and something for every taste. The lasagna is a staple there. All my life I have heard about how great the lasagna is at Mom & Dad’s. Well, there is a reason that everyone gets it! It is a very generous portion, made from a family recipe, large enough to take most of it home for lunch the next day. The chopped veal parmesan is great! It comes with a side dish of linguine with red sauce. The veal was perfectly cooked.

Our server was very well trained and new just what to suggest to make sure we enjoyed the meal.

Like I said before, the restaurant has been in business for 47 years. There is a good reason for this…it’s good! If you haven’t been, go. What are you waiting for?

www.jasmine-cafe.com/

I am always looking for the freshest sushi in town. I think I may have found it. There was no one in the restaurant when we got there and we were able to park right up front. Jasmine slowly filled in as we were there for about an hour or so.

We ordered strictly sushi…there are many things on the menu, but the sushi is the best. We started with Salmon Bruschetta and ordered off the $1-$2 per piece Nigiri menu. They had fish we had never tried before such as mackerel and grouper on rice. The smoked salmon and the yellow-tail tuna were superb. We also ordered the Spider roll. It was great!

If you are looking for very fresh sushi and good service, I suggest going here. The atmosphere is funky and modern. I look forward to returning.

www.famousdaves.com

“A Damn Good Burger!”

The month of June I have been relentlessly looking for the “Best Burger in Tallahassee. I have tried a few places and had some potential blog worthy burgers leading up to this article, but none inspired me to post until I went to Famous Dave’s. In a place known for its ribs and BBQ Famous Dave’s now is a place I will go to get a damn good burger.

Of course rating food is literally one’s own likes/dislikes and particular palette, so if you like all beef char-grilled burgers this is one you have to try. Here it is:

“Dave’s Favorite”

Melted Jack cheese, two strips of smoked bacon, and Dave’s favorite sauce - Rich & Sassy® - atop a char-grilled 8 oz. burger.

BURGER LOVER’S ENJOY!

www.cabosgrill.com

I always love going to a restaurant that I know will be great, no matter what I order. I went on a Wednesday night to Cabo’s, a great local hangout that has been in Tallahassee for years. I love the menu which features both fresh seafood, Mexican dishes, and heart healthy foods (denoted by a heart icon). Every now and then you an go off the menu….like what happened on Wednesday night. It wasn’t very busy and I was craving an enchilada, while my husband was craving a Shrimp Burger.

The enchilada was great with lots of chicken and cheese. My husband had a special request, a shrimp burger like the ones he used to have growing up on the Coast of North Carolina. Toasted bun, grilled and seasoned shrimp, cocktail sauce and coleslaw. It was perfect and even spurred the curiosity of the cook. He ended up making himself one at the end of the night.

If you go, you will get great service, you will get fresh fish, and you will get your order promptly. We LOVE going to Cabo’s. Just be ready for a little wait during the weekend. It’s never too long and you always satisfy your cravings.

www.old-town-cafe.com/menu.html

Located on Timberlane Road, Old Town Cafe is a great place to go if you are looking for variety. We went on a week night and I had forgotten how extensive their menu was. There is literally everything to choose from, depending on your mood. A friend of ours had eaten there every night for a week and always got something very different.

The Blue Plate Special of the night was Country Fried Steak with Mashed potatoes, gravy and corn. YUM! The steak was cooked perfectly and the gravy left you wanting more.

I had Fish Tacos. Two tacos, on with fried Tilapia, the other with grilled Tilapia. Both tacos had lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. I didn’t know what expect from Old Town Cafe when I ordered the Fish Tacos, but they were very good and very large.

I recommend going to OTC if you get the chance. There are so many menu items to choose from and the I know it will be enjoyable. I look forward to my next visit…and maybe another Blue Plate Special!

123 E 5th Ave
Tallahassee, FL 32303
(850) 412-1114

www.bellabellatallahassee.com

One of the best restaurants in town that is a sure bet every time in Bella Bella.  This little Italian restaurant is consistent, tasty and packed with people every time I go there.  Last night my husband and I decided to have enjoy our date night and order a LOT of food.

It was loud and the air was filled with fun. We sat at a table towards the back. Our server, Mason, was very friendly and polite. After much thought, we ordered the appetizer of the day, the Lobster Artichoke Dip. It was a very generous bowl of dip served with toasted pita chips.  Our soups came out next, each of us ordering the soup specials of the day, Creamy Tomato Basil and Cauliflower Cheddar.  (I NEVER eat cauliflower, but this was Fabulous!)

For the entree, my husband had one of the specials of the day, the Veal Parmesean.  It was a very generous portion of angel hair pasta with marinara and two large sliced of perfectly cooked veal on top of the pasta, covered in mozzarella cheese.  I ordered one of my favorites, the Gorgonzola Ravioli. It is a spinach ravioli stuffed with Gorgonzola cheese and covered in a simple tomato basil sauce.

We each ended up taking about half of our dish home with us, it was GREAT the next day for lunch! I would definitely recommend taking an opportunity to get over to Bella Bella. It is worth the trip, great food and friendly, prompt service. The pricing is very reasonable and the atmosphere is fun and organic. The windows are hand painted and there is outside seating available. See you there!