Alex’s

AMAZING! My boyfriend and I ate here on a whim and it was incredible!
The foot was cooked so well and the potato salad was out of this world good! And I’m very picky with potato salad.

Thanks for the tip off on this place Brett N. While the dining rooms décor or aesthetics is not overly thematic the BBQ here is legit. I did have the utmost respect for the tribute to a fellow Motorcycle enthusiast in the dining area. The staff was friendly and helpful co trafficking some of the reviews posted. You are bowled over by smoke and smoked meats as you break the plane of the doorway. Not a lot of sauce choices but you don’t need a lot of choices. They got the sauce right on the first try. In my opinion the sides were ordinary, nothing extravagant about them but who wants sides that outside the reason we all scour the world for first class BBQ. I had the big boy Platter which is a generous portion of all the smoked meats that they offer. I would say that the superstars of this feast were the smoked sausage and the BBQ ribs. If you are a fan of 1^st Choice BBQ, this place can run door handle to door handle in a very close BBQ drag race. If I was to add any constructive input it would be please add some paper towel Rolls to the table. A 6″ x 6″ wafer thin napkin has no chance against the mess you will make devouring this huge meal. Part two is its good to add a bit of fat for flavor to the pulled pork but this seemed a little overboard. It’s a texture thing really but a great experience and one sorely needed with all of the pretenders of BBQ greatness coming and then vanishing here in the Bay Area.

Why 4 stars? Because our selections ranged from average to solid.
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The good: Alex’s definitely smells like a true BBQ joint. Upon entering the thresh hold of the door, you’re greeted with an overwhelming smell of smoked meats. That may not be a positive for everybody, but I think it’s awesome.
The not so good: Only a small amount of our dinner resulted in that «brick-​in-​the-​stomach» feeling. I’m not exactly sure as to why this happened, but it generally occurs when ingesting a lower quality grade of cuisine. Ex: It never happens at 4 Rivers.
I ordered the ribs and pulled pork. The pulled pork was definitely my favorite of the two, as the ribs seemed to be the main cause of said brick-​in-​stomachitis.
My favorite part of the meal was the mac-​n-​cheese, which is probably my favorite out of all of the Carrollwood-​area BBQ joints. It’s a basic, old school flavor, but I couldn’t get enough of it. The potato sold was very solid as well.
I would try Alex’s again based on the proximity to my house and my eternal love for BBQ.

When it comes to BBQ… Alex knew bbq! First wanna say rest in peace to Alex who just passed away not too long ago
He left behind a legacy and his sons who have been working there forever learned to perfect the trade just like their father did. I have been going to Alexs for almost 15 years now and have never been disappointed. They are the definition of southern hospitality by making you feel like part of the family every visit. Their ribs fall off the bones and the chicken is never dry. Brisket is tender and juicy and pulled pork is flavorful and doesnt have a lot of fat chunks. Every time i have to get the fried okra and mac n cheese with sweet bbq to dip the okra in. Hats off to the sons who have stepped up to continue the legacy I know they are making their dad proud. Ifyou’re in the area or even if you’re not lol make the trip to Alexs and give them a taste. I promise you won’t regret it.

When I walked in the place was filled with smoke. I asked the guy at the counter and he said it was because he just emptied the pans. I asked if the wings were fried or smoked since the smoky atmosphere got me in the mood for smoked meat but they are fried. The cook came up and told me I could get smoked wings but I would have to call ahead a few hours in advance. I ordered ribs with coleslaw and baked beans. The BBQ sauce was awesome but lacking and when I went for the bottle on the table it was wing sauce! The meat was cooked well and tender but NOT SMOKED. Smoked meat has a natural ring around it that shows it was cooked correctly, slow and low and this was lacking. I got a picture of the cut open rib. The coleslaw was bland but it’s hard to find good coleslaw that isn’t homemade. The beans were awesome. I guess I should have checked the sign before I went in because they started closing up shop around me. For BBQ there has to be a better place than Alex’s around Carrollwood.

Huge hit! I had a party last night with around 50 people, and Alex’s catered. The party was on Davis Islands, and most of the attendees had never had Alex’s before. I got tons of compliments on the food – pulled pork, wings, mac n cheese, green beans, baked beans, and cole slaw. The food was very fresh, and my party guests all wanted to know where it was from. I will definitely have Alex’s cater for my next event. Thanks to Sean and Matt who delivered it and set it all up!

Alex is the best BBQ cook I’ve ever known. He was a very nice guy with a big heart. The food he makes comes from the heart. You can taste it in the meat they take pride in what they do. Best BBQ restaurant in tampa by far.

Not much to say here food was just ok. Kinda expensive for what you get as well. Place also really needs to be remodeled

Must say, I like this place better than jazzys. The macaroni was smaller and had more flavor. Potato salad had delicious chunks. And ribs were perfect. The only thing I didn’t care for is the fact that your given white bread instead of corn bread. Coleslaw and potato salad is better at jazzys as per my dad. Alex bbq is a MUST TRY. Also a wonderful place bc they’re very involved with community.

The bbq was good, and I love the fact that the sauce was sweet. The macaroni and cheese was amazing, and so was the okra. I really can’t find anything wrong with the food at all. So why 3 stars? Because I was greeted with a very off-​putting «Hey. Let me know when you’re ready to order». To me, customer service, and a smile, and maybe a hint of «I’m happy you’re spending money in my establishment, when there’s hundreds of others to choose from» goes a long way. It’s a shame that people don’t understand that these days. I felt like a burden as a customer, so even though I found the food to be excellent and authentic, I more than likely will take my business to a place that wants it.

I’m sorry we tried it and it was not tasty at all. The only reason we came here was 4 rivers smokehouse had a line going outside the building. Alex’s was practically empty and I now know why. Maybe I’m spoiled having moved here from Austin, Tx and having Franklins bbq and the salt lick bbq this was not even in the same ball park. This is just my 2 cent, but look at the pictures all food is drowning in bbq sauce for a reason to try and add some flavor.

I’m a big fan of BBQ and the places around Tampa can be pretty bad, so we decided to give this little Strip Mall special a shot. It looks dreadful from the outside and every bit as bad when you walk in. It’s not overly clean and the help range from indifferent to merely adequate.
However, good food trumps all and the food here is pretty darn good. Sampled the Pulled Pork which was excellent and the Brisket which was merely good. Came back soon after and tried other stuff, all of which ranged from pretty good to downright excellent. I guess you need to remember… never judge a book by its cover because this place is FAR better than it looks.

Do not go another day in your life with out stopping into this carnivores paradise! Alex’s has been around foreverrr and it is for obvious reasons. I highly recommend the pulled pork sandwich, ribs, Mac n cheese, onion rings, cole slaw, beans… umm yeah pretty much everything. All I’m saying is when you smell the smokey gold rolling out of Alex’s firepit while at the ehrlich and west village light don’t just keep going, pull in!

It’s not the best BBQ. It’s not the worst BBQ. It’s just good BBQ. I’ve been going here for years and most of the time you get the smokey, tender meat that Alex’s is known for however on occasion a few pieces of tough and dry pork will make its way into your order. Luckily, most meals come with a side of their sweet and tangy BBQ sauce.
My go to meal is the Big Boy Platter which easily lives up to its name. For under $ 15, you get 2 ribs, a chicken thigh, sliced sausage, and a generous portion of pulled pork that I never seem to finish no matter how hungry I am. If that isn’t enough, it also comes with your choice of 2 sides including but not limited to the following:
1) Mac and Cheese — My personal favorite. Its soft and not overly cheesy with a kick of black pepper and pinch of cayenne.
2) Fried okra — Like all their fried items, each order is individually cooked resulting in a crispy, lightly seasoned outside with a tender inside.
3) Fries — large thick cut steak fries that come out steaming hot from the fryer. Be careful not to burn your mouth eating them.
4) Corn on the cob — I’d stay away from these. Every time I’ve ordered, I’ve gotten soggy, chewy, and bland corn that has had all its flavored leached away from sitting in whatever cooker they use to keep their corn warm.
5+6) Beans and slaw — I grouped these together because they seem pretty standard to me.
It’s one of Carrolwood’s long time staples where locals know they can rely on Alex for a decent meal. I know I do.
TL;DR — Good bang for your buck BBQ

With a craving for great BBQ, we ended up stopping here for a quick bite to eat during our travels in Tampa.
The staff behind the ordering counter were extremely friendly and professional.
You simply go to the counter and order your selection of food and they will call you up when it’s ready. Yes this isn’t a fancy BBQ restaurant, the food is served on plastic/​paper plates, but when has BBQ food been «fancy»?
With many amazing options on the menu, I finally decided to order the Pulled Pork Platter with Cole Slaw & BBQ beans, it was delicious! I loved every bite of it. This was a great find!

Ribs, chicken, beef are good. Sauce is ok. Make sure you say light sauce bc the put a lot. Hamburgers are not good they’re like bubba burgers, and hotdog I tried was old from morning in fact it was white inside, and they put it on Texas toast instead of a bun. So stay with ribs, chicken, or pork. One bad thing is they are not always consistent. Sometimes great. Sometimes it’ll do, and one time when I ordered that hotdog was BAD. But I’ll still order again.

Having grown up nearby to Alex’s this is the BBQ I judge most BBQ against. Everything is great here. I love having the big boy platter or some Brunswick stew, but my go to food is a full rack of ribs with cole slaw and fried okra! Southern heaven in the plate. You know it’s going to be great just after you walk in and are hit with the beautiful aroma of smoke and pork. Try anything and you won’t be disappointed, just make sure you slather it in their delicious sauce!!!

YUM!!! I love me some good Southern barbeque, and the folks from Alex’s Southern-​style Bar-​B Q in Northern Carrollwood know how to load up their smoker with some very tasty food. As their slogan says, this place is «very Southern, very Country, and very good!»
Alex and his team park their smoker near the intersection of Ehrlich and W. Village Drive (roughly across the street from Ackerman’s Jewelers) every weekend, and you can smell the wood smoke and the slow-​cooked meats as you approach the area. The actual restaurant is in a small (mostly vacant) strip mall along W. Village Drive. Don’t be surprised to see a lot of Sheriff’s cars parked there during lunch time, because the food here is outstanding, and the locals know it!
The menu is your basic combination of pork ribs, chopped beef, pulled pork, smoked chicken, smoked homemade sausages, and smoked wings. The sides include BBQ beans, cole slaw, potato salad, Mac & Cheese, corn on the cob, fries, fried okra, onion rings, and collard greens. The meat is served without sauce, and you can choose to add their mildly sweet sauce, or the smoky spicy sauce as you please. Honestly the meats taste excellent without the sauce — as it should be.
In addition to the delicious food, Alex is best known for his «Xmas for the Kids» bicycle drive. Each year he begins collecting bicycles, and donations for bicycles, from his customers, and then he gives the under-​privileged kids in the community a bicycle and a bike helmet for Christmas. It’s a great story of community involvement, and another great reason for you to visit Alex’s Southern-​style Bar-​B Q.

So, we had Alex’s at our work for lunch a couple of months ago and it was good. I was driving by the restaurant and decided to stop in for a quick bite… Inside the restaurant are pictures on the wall of old time Tampa and memorabilia.
I ordered the BBQ Chicken with a side of baked beans and coleslaw. We were told to help ourselves to drinks and our order would be up soon. I dispensed some sweet tea and when I first took a sip, it tasted like the inside of the container had not been cleaned out in a long time… I switched to soda… but was hesitant.
The food came out and the first thing I noticed was that the chicken was COVERED in BBQ sauce. To me that is a red flag as if they were trying to hide something. And I was not proven wrong. The meat on the chicken was dry and only a couple of bites per piece, I like BBQ sauce, but it should only be used in compliment with, not as the main attraction. I tried the beans and they were sweet… Like somebody dumped a ton of sugar in the pot. I know some people like their beans this way, however, I am not a fan.
…the coleslaw was okay…
Maybe it was just the night I went, but it is going to take a lot to bring me back.

Disclaimer on my BBQ reviews: I don’t do pork, which for some folks IS BBQ, so my experience of most BBQ joints may be really different than yours.
I really wanted to like Alex’s. First, I love being able to support business that give back to the community and Alex’s has a great program of repairing and providing bicycles. Second, this place is in a great location for me and I would have loved to have someplace close with outstanding BBQ.
But alas — Alex’s is not for me. I had the beef dinner with mac n’ cheese and baked beans. The beef by itself was okay but a little dry. With the sauce, it was overwhelmingly sweet — a theme that was repeated in the beans. The beans tasted of nothing but brown sugar with maybe a few spices peeking through the sugar-​coated main taste. The mac n’ cheese was okay, but I’ve actually had better versions that came from a box. My dinner companion had pork and proclaimed it «okay». He would probably visit here again, but I don’t think I will be.