4 Rivers Smokehouse

Great place! It is not a traditional sit down restaurant but the food is very good. I had the beef rib which was great. The sides were excellent, the smoked chicken was great, and the burger was fantastic. They had ample seating with good air conditioning, and the outdoor seating was very nice too. They had a dessert that was something like a blondie but it was excellent. I enjoyed this place.

The one restaurant genre that Tallahassee has been missing is good, local BBQ. While four rivers is not local, it is darn good. You can smell that mouth watering BBQ smell far down Thomasville Road.
What really makes for rivers stand out amongst other BBQ joints is the large selection and quality of southern sides.
Until I find a preferred local option, 4 rivers is definitely my BBQ of choice.

I would like to say that if you’re looking for great BBQ in Tallahassee, this is the spot. Unfortunately, there’s also not a lot of great BBQ in town (if you love Sonny’s, just stop eating BBQ).
This place is usually packed during normal meal times so you’ll probably be waiting in line. I’ve eaten almost everything on the menu, including the $ 25 brontosaurus rib. My two favorite times are the beef brisket, half lean half juicy, and the burnt ends.
Pro tip: most of the time, when you get the dinner, you can switch out the biscuit for a different side. If you’re a fan of bread though, get the jalapeño cornbread instead of the biscuit.
Overall, great BBQ. Never disappoints. Awesome and unique selection of bottled sodas as well.

Since I am from Orlando, I know 4 rivers. This spot is three stars. Tasty, consistent bbq. Is it cravable? No. But the burnt ends are yummy. They have good sides. I like their green beans and collards. I have no idea if they are fresh made but they are tasty.
Their sauces are sweet, even the spicy one and their baked beans are also VERY sweet. Almost too much to be enjoyed. I really like their mustard sauce! It goes very well with the pulled pork.
If you are craving bbq, you will not be let down, but it lacks a refinement that exists at any chain.

The food was absolutely fanfreakingtastic!!! It’s got a picnic table feel to the atmosphere and a lot of thought went into it. Wasn’t too thrilled with spending close to 20 bucks a person and getting served with paper plates and plastic forks. But on the flip side we got our food immediately and I have never had flavor like that! We went on a Friday night and it was really crowded so we had to sit outside in the cold to eat. ****i would recommend heaters on the outside deck****
Normally I would give a 4 star if the food was good… But it’s getting 5 stars because it was that freaking amazing!!! We will definitely be back

I do not understand the cult following of 4Rivers. The meats are good, but not amazing, and frankly, the side items are a waste of space and calories. I am not a BBQ expert by any means, but soggy fries and flavorless items are bad no matter what type of restaurant one is dining at.
The Burnt Ends are a unique and delicious meat item, but that one thing is not enough for me to overlook that all the sides and atmosphere are poor.
The collards were flavorless, the coleslaw was passable, the pasta in the mac n cheese was extremely overdone, and the cheese sauce had no flavor to it — it tasted like cheese flavored cream instead of actual cheese sauce. The fried items are not freshly prepared and just sit on the line getting soggy. The bread used for the sandwiches is too soft to hold the amount of meat they put on them. The only side that was actually good was the biscuit.
I don’t care for the fact that most tables are cafeteria-​style long communal tables, and there are no plates — just trays. The place gets very loud and I find it an unpleasant dining experience.
I’ve been twice to make sure I didn’t have a bad experience on my first try, but it was no better the second time around and I will not return.

What is good barbecue? There may be as many answers as there are mouths shoveling in ‘cue at any given moment. That said, this mouth sure loves some of what 4 Rivers is smokin’.
4 Rivers brisket is killer and they have a way with BBQ sandwiches — try the Destroyer!
This place is also on point with their side game. Creamy mac and cheese, bread pudding made with doughnuts, cheesy grit cakes, bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers, yum…
If you ever have room, the dessert case is tempting. There are some bodacious confections on that bakery shelf.
Specialty soda lovers will enjoy the selection of old fashioned and regional bottled soft drinks in the cold case.
4 Rivers is a Florida-​based chain that is slowly expanding into other markets throughout the state. The owner is a big FSU fan and has staked his claim in Tallahassee with the Seminoles, giving longtime local supporters Sonny’s a run for their money.

I’m so envious of all the folks new to Tallahassee… for the freshman that started this past Summer, this place (among other new establishments) have always existed. For older generations like me, Tally was a baron town with only a small handful of [great] restaurants to choose from. On the flip side, had 4 Rivers been around when I was in school, I probably would have gained the Freshman 15, Sophmore 16, Junior Jelly Belly and then a Senior Super Stomach. For those who have been to the original 4 Rivers down in Orlando, then it’s only natural to be excited that Tally now has one. As far as BBQ goes, this place is the truth.
Just like classic BBQ joints in the deep south of Texas, you get a tray lined with paper and order along a production line building a tray of freshly carved meats and sides made with love. You can’t go wrong with anything, but for first-​timers I highly recommend trying the brisket.
Overall, the food is phenomenally coma-​inducing and the service is super friendly. If it hasn’t already, it will surely become one of Tally’s best restaurants.

Kids! I lived in two cities in Texas for six and a half years. I will never call myself a Texan but when it comes to BBQ I acquire the Texas taste!
I’ve had plenty of Texas BBQ and Four Rivers really has no comparison. I do realize it’s a chain. But that doesn’t matter as long as it’s good. I’ll give Four Rivers a passing score which means I’ll probably come again if I crave BBQ in Tallahassee. Why is that? Well, where else can you go? This town doesn’t offer a lot of options, does it?
On my most recent visit, I got the burned ends dinner with three sides of greens, corn & mashed sweet potatoes. Price is a bit high for the portion and quality. Burned ends were not bad but they weren’t amazing either. Sides were above average.
Now this makes me miss Rudy’s BBQ or even Bill Miller’s (a chain in SATX)! Not to mention the legendary Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood, TX! Too bad I didn’t make it to Franklin’s in ATX. But kids! A word of caution: Don’t mess with Texas. And don’t talk about BBQ with someone who still has her Texas license plate either! ;)

Let me clear. I very much disliked the 4Rivers in Winter Park. But I love good BBQ/​Smokehouse cookin’ so I decided to give the one here in Tallahassee a try. Even going in with a negative option I found myself pleasantly suprised. The staff was friendly, eager to please and helpful. Once I made it clear I was a gluten free diner they went out of their way to make sure they didn’t cross contaminate.
I ordered the beef brisket with a side of pulled pork, green bean, french fries and fried okra. The meal was to split between my husband and I. I took the fries and pulled pork. The meal was easy to split between two people, it could honestly be split between 3 light eaters. Our total came out to about $ 24 with two drinks so it’ll set you back a little bit, but it’s large portions so bear that in mind.
The food was above average, but not life changing. The meats were flavorful and moist. The fries crispy. The okra was a little chewy but my husband said it was flavored well. Green beans were savory and fresh.
Where this location really shines though is its staff. Can’t rave about them enough. Levi, Morgan, and Amber took great care of us, with Morgan even coming outside to make sure we were happy. Tommy the GM stopped by our table to follow up and I assured him my opinon had been turned around.
Go on out to 4Rivers. You won’t be disappointed, if you take it for what it is, a regional gem with good food and great service.

I heard a lot of hype going in. Tallahassee needed an excellent BBQ place. There are a lot of good ones, but none on this level. There business model is incredible. They serve fresh BBQ quickly. Who else can do that? They have a line just like Subway and you pick what kind of meat/​sandwich you want and then you pick what sides to go with it. The food is great. You can’t really go wrong with any of their meats. Collard greens were incredible and the fries were deliciously seasoned and fried. I don’t recommend the macaroni and cheese though, it tasted too bland.
Atmosphere is casual. They have 4 or 5 big tables instead of having twice the amount of smaller ones. They have a nice outdoor space as well.

Best Barbeque in Tallahassee. Great service, great food, and a great atmosphere. Very good BBQ sandwich.

Place:
It was very busy which in my book means all bbq is fresh. Restaurant itself is very large with seating inside and outside. No waitress… order food, get your food and pay for your food all at once… seat yourself. More my style quick and cheap.
Food:
I ordered BRONTOSAURUS beef ribs… one of only places to get beef ribs in tally. It was delicious. Couple of my friends didn’t want to spend as much as me so they got beef brisket… little salty for my liking. Another got Pulled pork and it was spot on. Dipped everything in their sweet bbq sauce. I got collards for side.
4 stars instead of 5 because I got my other spots that are just a little bit more juicier… but would def return for their beef ribs and collards…

Delicious!
This is definitely a good value. A good satisfying meal will not cost you more than 10 bucks unless you want to splurge for other kinds of meat or their delicious dessert.
This is just like a Chipotle, BUT for BBQ. The attire is very casual, and the patrons move consistently and there are people cleaning the tables as they empty so you’ll find a seat. Usually you share the long tables or the smaller ones with someone else. Who knows, you might. make a new friend. Despite this, it doesn’t feel crowded at all. There is also outside seating.
As you are on the line you decide what you want. If you get a sandwich and you don’t want the bread you’ll get the meat on the tray and they can give you biscuits instead.
You can try as many sides as you want. My favorites are the bread pudding (it has banana in it!) And the sweet potato casserole, which I believe has nuts. However, you can taste the sides before you try them which is helpful because they have a few.
When you get to the end you see the desserts
They are tempting and delicious. A «bomb» is a cupcake size cake filled with mousse and it costs almost 5 dollar but it is delicious.
I find that I’m usually too stuffed to finish my sides and dessert, but that’s no problem because they provide lids for the sides containers and boxes for dessert and bags.
You can also order for take out, and pick up at a side window!

EDIT: I am docking my review down a star for the poor attitude I have received from the employees on multiple occasions. I would drop this review down to 3.5 stars for the rudeness of the employees that I find is quite frankly unacceptable.
You can only imagine my elation when I moved to Tallahassee and found out a 4 Rivers Smokehouse would be opening up. I think I literally drove by every day, waiting for the moment when the world’s best barbecue place would open up.
That day was today. Finally. I’ve been to the 4 Rivers in Tampa but it was a little far away so it was a little difficult for me to get there. Now that I live very close to 4 Rivers I’ll definitely be going a lot more often.
This location is pretty big and is full of friendly people! I was greeted immediately and asked if I wanted to sample any meats. I tried the burnt ends and the pork before settling on the pork platter for my meal. I liked the burnt ends but found them a little too sweet.
The sides were delicious as usual. The collard greens were perfectly cooked, the cornbread salad was divine and of course the bacon wrapped jalapeño was excellent as well.
4 Rivers has a lot of dessert options too if you happen to save any room for it. Be warned you’ll be receiving a ton of food though, so be prepared to be really full upon leaving this place.
This is easily the best BBQ that will probably ever be in Tallahassee. It puts Sonny’s, which is very highly rated here, to shame. It’s some of the best ‘cue in the state and I am so thrilled it’s made its way here to Tallahassee!

As a Certified Master BBQ Judge with the FL BBQ Assn., I think I know a thing or two about BBQ. I have tried hundreds of samples of competition bbq, eaten at many restaurants and smoked myself for many years.
This place is the real deal. First off, I am not typically a fan of brisket outside of TX, but this place is on point! It is so good, that it is what I have ordered twice now. The brisket is tied with my #1 favorite brisket I had in Austin, TX.
I have also eaten the St. Louis style pork ribs and was very impressed. I have had no better in a restaurant.
The sides are very good. Collard greens are spectacular, the green beans and slaw are good and the Mac-​n-​cheese was typical — but the kids ate it up!
I am also very impressed from my two visits how well they handle the traffic they get for as new as they are.
I highly recommend this smokehouse! I can’t wait to go back and try their other meats!

Not bad for fast food BBQ. The service is quick too. They can have a line out the door and you’ll still get through it in 10 minutes.
I wasn’t exactly blown away by their food, especially not the sides, but I don’t have any complaints either.

WOW oh WOW! I think I have found a solid Southern BBQ restaurant. My friend invited me to this restaurant and I never heard it before. There are many more locations around Florida and it has a pretty good reputation. I am not a really big fan of BBQ food, but this place was amaaaazing. It was a rainy day and the line was still around the building. It was good comfort food as well.
We decided to share our sandwiches to try two different things. We got the Angus Brisket and the Southern Pulled Pork. Both were amazing and delicious. Moist pork and a very hearty meaty brisket. It came with sides of which I ordered the macaroni and the baked beans. OH my lordy I really really really fell in love with them. It was warm and super comforting. Every taste made my stomach full of joy. 4 Rivers also serves a lot of cool drinks and sodas in old fashioned glass bottles with all of these funky names. Mine was Swamp Pop Satsuma Fizz flavor. For dessert we then had the coconut cake and it was definitely on point. 5 stars for you!

Tallahassee BBQ lovers rejoice!
The new fresh face on the block proves why its reputation remains unmatched. 4 Rivers has rolled out the red carpet and built an empire of a restaurant in an area most desperate for solid BBQ.
The joint itself is a beautifully constructed property. Filled with FSU décor, motivational canvases and eye-​catching brick walls, 4 Rivers wasted no expense on their vision.
Now, onto the mouth watering BBQ. I feasted on burnt ends. Typically, not seen on many menus, burnt ends are the delicacy of the BBQ world. They were served on a buttery roll, in which teeth weren’t a necessity. The meat was incredibly tender and unbelievably delicious to the last bite.
For sides, I decided on creamy mac and cheese and smoky baked beans. Make sure not to forget their signature BBQ sauces, which are appropriately placed at the table. The red sauce had hints of red pepper flakes I believe, and gave the burnt end sandwich a well-​balanced heat.
4 Rivers made a lasting impression in merely one quick experience. While waiting in line, servers came by to offer us smoked, pulled chicken samples. Also, if you’re craving sweets, you’re in luck! Because they have a desert selection with items like red velvet cake and a Guinness brownie.
My bet is those lines will remain out the door for years to come.

Great concept — and its apparent this chain BBQ outlet will do well in TLH. I did enjoy the meal. We came on opening day (a soft opening, if I understood correctly) and were treated to very good food!
Ian, on the training team for the restaurant, offered me a look at the operation and I gratefully accepted! 100% is made on location — that’s impressive (No Sysco or the like). Also met Tommy, the GM, who was also very welcoming.
18 hour smoking of brisket at 225.
I had the tri-​tip with chimichurri which I found exceptionally good. Garlic corn and mustard greens completed the plate. Wife had green beans, baked beans, sweet potato and salad and loved it.
The first time we came (opening day), I ordered the brisket which I found to be too salty for my liking — however, I realized I had only tried the cap of the lean side — where the rub would have concentrated itself — so I’m looking forward to take #2 with the brisket!
We’ll come again and again.