Darrell’s Restaurant
Brick Yard Plaza,530 US Hwy 41 ByPass S, Ste 20A & 21A, Venice, FL, 34293
Darrell’s Restaurant Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Venice for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Venice for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Venice for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
Brick Yard Plaza,530 US Hwy 41 ByPass S, Ste 20A & 21A
Venice, FL, 34293 - Phone (941) 485-9900
- Website https://www.darrellsrestaurant.net
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
- Mon : 11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Josh H.
All I have to say is wow! Absolutely AMAZING barbecue. And great customer service too. Andre took such great care of us and is genuinely passionate about the food here. We started with the "pig wings" appetizer. Ok, these things are so good they should be illegal!! They were juicy and fall-off-the-bone delicious. I could have easily polished off a few more... But good thing I didn't. Needed plenty of room for the generously portioned entree. The main course was the "Andy dandy" - brisket & pulled pork. You get one side and I chose the highly recommended Mac & cheese. Again.. So much food, yet so juicy. And the homemade sweet bbq sauce complimented both meats perfectly. The cornbread was a big hit too! So glad I found this place, can't wait to come back!
(5)Sal G.
I love barbeque. I am always looking for more. Most of all, I am just looking for a place that actually tastes good. As I was in Venice, I got that hankering and searched around. As I saw Darrell's, we decided to give it a try for lunch. It took a while for us to be seated, which is surprising considering it was empty. After looking at the menu, we ordered the following items: Hungry Heffer Mac n Cheese Mash and gravy Fried green tomatoes Chicken and dumplings I love to create my own buffet when going to a new restaurant, we all get to try all of the new items instead of having to stick to just one plate. Overall, though, there wasn't really anything that stood out. The food was greasier than I would have expected from all of the other reviews and the flavor wasn't anything spectacular. I may return at some point later in life just to see if anything has changed, but I won't go out of my way to come back.
(3)Travis F.
Get your FAT pants on and show up hungry! This place is AwEsOmE! Southern classics just the way Mee-Maw used to make. The Fried Okra, Southern fried chicken, pulled pork, smoked brisket, black eyed peas and catfish were all worthy of a 5 star rating. The woman that owns the place was as sweet as can be and the service was excellent as well. If you're staying on the island... Get down here, if you're not... GET DOWN HERE!
(5)Harley Y.
The food here is to die for, you will love this place if you love homemade foods, and there drinks are great to, and for everything you get the price is not that bad. I give this place 5 stars
(5)conor b.
Tucked away in the back of a plaza, we were greeted by a friendly waiter. We sat outside in a cute little courtyard. Inside dining didn't have the same charm. We had never been before and our waiter had a few suggestions for us to try. Fried pickles as an appetizer. I literally cursed out loud when I tasted the delicious sauce that came with them. Super fresh, light breading, and juicy crisp pickles. ****in' great. I ordered the pulled piggy with macaroni and cheese and a baked sweet potato. The macaroni and cheese is made fresh to order. The macaroni and cheese really takes center stage. Fresh cheese and cream. Just like mama never made. Cornbread is warm, light and fluffy. Baked sweet potato was good, swimming a little in butter, but I enjoyed it. The pulled pork was smoky, juicy and the portion was almost obscene. Two to three times what I've gotten elsewhere at other bbq joints. Try the red bottle hot bbq sauce. Very good. 'Nanner pudding for dessert. It's like good old home cookin' without your aunt asking you "when you gonna get married?" every five minutes. Solid.
(5)Tori G.
came here yesterday for the first time. Diffidently the aloha vib here. I couldn't express to you anymore how welcomed you will feel as soon as you walk in! Strange location, but super cute! Little hard to find in the plaza due to small hidden sign behind a column but you'll find it near the fountain. But soon enough they're relocating onto the beach so kudos for this guy!! Right off the bat we were joyfully greeted by the owner himself, he sat is down asked us what we'd like to drink and said our server would be right with us surly enough right as he stepped away to grab our drink our waitress came on over asking what we'd like to drink and to all of our surprise there Darrell was with our drinks we were all laughing bustin chops, looked over the menu for what seemed like forever because everything looks so good. He recommend mac n cheese and it really helped me quick decide so I got it absolutely scared out of my skin to order "homemade" Mac and cheese because no matter where you go there's always something gross and funky about people's restaurant "homemade" mac n cheese. What was not even a 10-15 min wait from placing our order our food was being walked on over to us. It not only looked delish it smelt mouth watering! Once we drenched our food in their bbq sauces we dug right on in... Died and came back. Food was so good it was speechless but me being me I couldn't shut up about how good it was. Great dish! The pork was cooked beautifully, shredded nicely and presented pretty :) Mac n cheese itself was dull.. In a good way! Actually a great way and let me tell you why once you've got not only that pork on top once you add that bbq.... OMG. But wait that's not it, what really made this dish .. Was the corn bread! It was made with love. I mean. All the food is, I'm nosey I watched everyone's dish come out and smelt them as they were walked past me and placed a table over.. That corn bread was rich, heavy and sweet! Not many restaurants nail a great corn bread taste! I can't stress this Mac n cheese enough I'm so glad I tried it and I'm sorry for ever just read this long rant!! Moving on my man being a man of course didn't super rant on his dish at least not like how I did but he did eat all of his food.... And the rest of mine :D and he's not typically the human vacuum type of guy... So he obviously enjoyed it and we are both absolutely thrilled to be coming back to this location and the new location that soon will be opening up on the beach. Before we had left Darrell had offered up dessert.. I can't say no to food!! Come on now!! Got his banana dessert... Dude off the chart if you love bananas or banana cream/pudding pie you're gonna love this! You'd think after such a huge meal you'd want to not just crawl out the restaurant more like sloth on out... This dessert is so light and .. Oddly refreshing it sort of knocks you out of that food coma, come on now we all know that feeling where you hold your food and gaze at it like "ugh ew man done eating you feel like crap now" it'll about 80% go away (: upon the time being here lots of bustin chops laughing, being loud and ... Being personable which is a great attribute to not only a great restaurant but the owner himself (: people love that !! Gives you a reason to be a loyal customer who keeps coming back telling everyone about the place. And no matter where I go now I'm gonna have to tell people about this place because.. You can tell those who work here love it. And you can see the passion from Darrell sunbeam right out of him. Love the passion here everyone has for this place! Kid friendly, people friendly, nice little plaza area. Takes AMEX!!(: k I think I'm done!! Just check it out! You'll love it! You leave with this high of joy it's like ... Twilight zone happy.
(5)Bryce S.
Hidden gem discovered via Yelp... Spot on!! I'm not a fan of cornbread and even that was yummy. Great service. Great food! A 'must go' when in the area.
(5)Chris G.
Holy crap what a gem. This little restaurant is tucked away in a small plaza out near 41 and you would never guess it was there. Thanks to yelp, I found it. This place was just 5/5 delicious. Everything from the sweet tea to there complimentary corn bread was worth every single penny spent. I had the grilled pork chop with Mac n cheese and baked beans. The Mac n cheese was fresh and tasty, the baked beans were hot and delicious, and the pork was the best I've had in years. Not only was the food good, but the service was as well the best I've had in a long time. I'm in the Business of restaurants, and the service was very detailed and friendly. Even the little things like the corn bread which was nice and fluffy and tasteful, and the homemade tea was worth it. I'm going back for sure.
(5)Vernon M.
Alice and I visited this eatery after being recommended by a friend. Great recommendation! Alice got the smoked chicken with black eyed beans and sweet potato. I got the Hungry Heifer smoked meat sampler with ribs, brisket, pulled pork and smoked chicken along with BE beans and mashed potato with brown gravy. Everything cooked very well, ribs had just enough fall off/hold on the bone. Serving sizes were large with BE beans at least a cup and my mashed was at least a whole LARGE potato. I took 2/3 of my meat home, along with a piece of their pecan pie. Well worth the visit. Only concern was Alice's unsweetened tea was on the verge of going sour. Service was friendly and very attentive.
(4)Corrin B.
Wow, everything was great: the food, the people, the atmosphere. I am surprised that I haven't tried this restaurant prior to my most recent visit because there are not that many choices in Venice. From my experience, I feel like everything on their menu is probably good however I can personally say order with confidence the: gumbo, cornbread or the Andy Dandy you will not be disappointed.
(5)Larry R.
Merciful heavens. There are BBQ joints. There are fry places. This is both. The 'que was awesome. Melting meats. Amazing, rich mac and cheese. I had the catfish. I've not had it that good in decades. Great service, lovely setting. In the region once a year and I'm here to tell you, January 2016, I know where I'll be.
(5)Nicolas L.
Darrell's Restaurant is delicious! I love a good mac and cheese so I tried the special of the day, the Piggy Back Mac and it was addictive! The noodles were tender and the cheese was melty and full of cheesy flavor. The pork was tender, juicy and flavorful. Overall, Darrell's is a great place to eat and I look forward to visiting again.
(4)Kristen C.
Great service! Yummy bbq! Clean and cute atmosphere!!! Loved the shaded exterior seating. Beautiful!
(4)Caitlin M.
Underwhelming. The place comes highly spoken of in the area. But the food speaks otherwise. The restaurant is small, decor is fitting, beverage selection limited. The macaroni looked and tasted like it had been sitting around, chicken fingers are supposedly hand breaded on site but we're thin and dry.
(2)Natalie B.
With the family driving to Tampa after a week long vacation in Marco Island and found this place on Yelp. WOW. This was the best meal we had all week. Friendly service, amazing menu and everything we tried was out of this world, even the fresh brewed sweet tea! Loved how the drinks were all served in big mason jars. Our family split two orders of fried pickles, so good. Some other things we ordered were the ribs, beef brisket sandwich, pulled pork (all with the sweet bbq on top - mmm), the BEST and gooiest mac and cheese ever, and to top it off the banana pudding. Can only praise this place. We all left overly stuffed - took the cornbread to go. Wish we could have taken some back to New Jersey with us! We will definitely be back next time we are in the area.
(5)Abby D.
We stopped in here for a few drinks before actual dinner. I had homemade sangria (which was awesome) and we tried a little side of Mac and cheese which was also awesome. The hospitality is amazing. These people are great and I would come back any day .
(4)Lisa C.
The food was good especially the Mac and Cheese. Best I have ever had. My big complaint is this place does not have AC! There is a breeze but it's hard to eat hot food when you are sweating and the humidity makes you sweat. It is hard to find...tiny sign at the road and them you just have to walk into the shopping center patio area and look for the yellow chairs. The Mac and cheese was good enough to make me come back.
(4)Lydia H.
The pulled pork and homemade sweet BBQ sauce is delicious. The gumbo is out of this world. The pig wings are better then chicken. Our waiter was so helpful and even gave us tea to go. We will definitely come back!!
(5)Rob M.
From all of the 5 star reviews I REALLY was expecting and hoping this place to be fantastic. Overall it was good, but definitely not 5 stars good. Granted, I cook, I BBQ, I'm a foodie. So my expectations are a bit higher. Staff: Friendly Banana Pudding - It was OK, not mind blowing. Pig Wings - they were just OK. The BBQ sauce on them left much to be desired. The blue cheese dressing was runny and could stand more blue cheese in it. Reg Mac&Cheese - good consistency, BUT lacked flavor Cornbread - good, moist and tasty Sweet potato- good Ribs get their own section: Appearance - These were a bland uniform yellow brown color. No bark. Texture - These were PERFECTLY cooked. Its a misconception that ribs should fall off the bone. When you take a bite the meat should pull off the bone cleanly and with little effort, as these did. Moisture was also on par. If the rest of the meal was as good as the texture, it would have been amazing. Seasoning - Their rub is just OK. Smoke - Very light smoke. Personally I prefer more smoke. Sauce - The BBQ sauces left much to be desired ( I only tried the hot and sweet). They tasted commercial to me. Recap: A decent friendly place to eat, but not exceptional BBQ.
(3)Krissy M.
SO yummy. We love visiting this place, and have been several times since our first visit last year. My favorite items: - Down the Keys Mac n Cheese - spicy mac and cheese with CRAWFISH! - Pig Wings (SOOOO GOOD) - Brisket - Cornbread - Peach Tea (MMMMMMMMMMMM) - Po Boy Sandwich - Pulled Pork Sandwich But seriously. Everything. SO GOOD.
(5)John W.
Excellent food. The collard greens are great. The pork chops amazing, and Corn bread perfect. They are hidden in the back corner of brick yard. Service was great and sweat tea also. My girl friend had fried green tomatoes, Mac and cheese and cucumber salad in which I tried all 3 and say very delicious food. Highly recommend. Decent prices also. Very happy.
(5)Karl C.
Our family stopped here for lunch and couldn't have been happier. The service was fast and friendly, and Mrs Darrell came out to talk with us for a bit as well, which was wonderful. The food simply put was amazing. I had the hungry Heffer (sampler) which had some of the best brisket I've ever tasted and some fall off the bone ribs. The collard greens and Mac and cheese were also noteworthy, and it was all washed down with a ice cold mason jar of proper sweet tea. All in all it was one of the culinary highlights of our trip. My only regret is that we don't live closer.
(5)Todd F.
Good food and amazing service. Darrell personally served us and couldn't be a nicer gentleman. We chose this from the yelp reviews and we were not disappointed.
(5)Courtney K.
Amazing!!! This is a must try! I saw the reviews and I headed down and it was SO delicious!! Pulled pork is delicious, tender and Mac and cheese is perfection :)
(5)Samatha E.
Best home cooked food! This restaurant is a gem. The owners and staff are all such nice people and very attentive. Best cornbread I've ever had. Their soups are always outstanding. I really am enjoying the 10% off summer promo!
(5)Katie S.
We just found our new favorite restaurant in Venice! We've been coming to Venice for 5 years and are upset it took us this long to find it. Tucked back in the same plaza as Mi Pueblo on 41 you are a fool to not add Darrell's to your dine-out experience. Delicious pork, savory sauces, generous portions and the best mason jar of sweet tea is sure to bring you back again and again. (Make sure you try the mac n cheese) This quaint, friendly, family oriented restaurant will not disappoint! We can't wait until next year!
(5)Kassie N.
Visiting my parents and went to lunch with my Mom's friends...the food was delicious. The pulled pork was delicious. I can not have Gluten so I had no bun and no sauce and it was still one of the best BBQ's I have ever had. They do have clearly marked gf items on their menu and plan to expand very soon. I love how friendly the staff is and the owner and his wife greet every customer (mostly by name!). Everyone in our party thought their food was delicious. Look forward to visiting again soon.
(5)James R.
The food is good there, I have eaten there about gour times and the quality went down from excellent to good. With the absence of Daryl at the establishment the quality has gone down tremendously. He is a fine man, I hope he gets back soon.
(4)Daniel P.
We came here referred by a friend and it was some of the best southern home style cooking we've had. The St. Louis style ribs we fall off the bone and the Mac and cheese was awesome. We will definitely be back.
(5)Kara K.
After reading reviews here, we decided to give this place a try last night. We picked up an early dinner to-go. We ordered the Hungry Heffer and pig wings with mac and cheese and baked beans as sides. For under $30, we had more than enough for the three of us with leftovers for lunch today. The food was fantastic, in particular the Mac and cheese (OMG, a must try). My parents, who love in town, are already planning on making this a regular dinner spot.
(5)Diana P.
Went there for a late lunch today. The food was fantastic. I had the crab cake entree with Mac & Cheese and baked beans. I also had the banana pudding for dessert. Food was very satisfying. Definitely recommend this place. I will be going back.
(5)Patti P.
Very good and staff is friendly. My boyfriend loves their ribs. Give them a try.
(5)Beverly W.
First time there. Food was awesome, servings were huge, service was fantastic! Owner was very friendly and outgoing. He greeted us as we walked in the door and always made sure we were comfortable. His staff was just as friendly.. Mac and cheese was very cheesy and cornbread was very moist. My husband and son had the special which was Mac and cheese with pulled pork on top. We will definitely go back next year when we come down to visit relatives.
(5)Francisco P.
We love this place. We drive over 30 minutes to go have dinner here. The pug wings are amazing!!!
(5)Mario V.
Really liked this place!! The place is clean and the decor is nice and bright. The server was very friendly, informative and attentive. The BBQ and sides where absolutely phenomenal! The ribs where amazing, clean and smokey I would recommend this place for anyone looking for good BBQ in Venice which is evidently very hard to come by.
(5)Jess S.
Please, whatever you do, try the banana pudding. The fact that it's served in a mason jar makes it that much better. The cornbread was soft and tasted deliciously cakey. No butter needed. Also, Mac n cheese is made fresh with cream & fresh cheese. No boxed mix here.
(4)Melissa W.
Hands down definitely some of the best Southern style bbq we've ever had! The staff is very friendly and the food is incredible! We had the pig's wings as a starter and will be going back for seconds before we leave the Venice/Sarasota area. We also shared the hungry heffer platter that includes every smoked meat on the menu and it is definitely more than enough for 2 people! The Mac and cheese and cucumber salad accompanied our main dish and we're both delicious! A must go when you're nearby!
(5)Michael D.
Had a GREAT lunch there on Saturday. Food was amazing, and the server was a very nice guy. I had the fried catfish with the mac and cheese (AMAZING), and fries. The catfish was definitely fresh, and very moist. Wifey had the pulled pork sandwich and cole slaw. I ate a lot of that too! Was full and fulfilled all at the same time. Wish we lived closer, this would be a couple times a month meal. Go support this great local establishment.
(5)Luz L.
Wow!!! A must eat!!! Best place to eat in Venice Beach, Florida!!!! I will be spreading the word, Southern Cuisine at its best!
(5)Brittany M.
First off, the owner is exactly what you would expect from a southern style restaurant - one of the friendliest and welcoming guys you'll ever meet as a stranger. Food was amazing. I had the Hungry Heffer which is a sampling of all the great smoked meats this place has to offer. My friends had crab cakes and pulled pork sandwich, with banana pudding for dessert. The only reason we had leftovers were because of the portion size of my meal. I think we licked our plates clean. Atmosphere is sensational. Spanish courtyard with fountains, quiet and shaded. Perfect weather helped - although I know that's not something Darryl can control but the sunshine matched his warm personality and passion for food. I live in California and I am sad that I can't come back again!
(5)Shawn F.
This is my first review ever on Yelp. I'm not writing this for any free dessert or anything, but because this place is absolutely amazing. A friend and I are in Venice on a business trip for a week, and decided to give this place a try. The only thing better than the food, is Darrel. This guy walks around, checks on everyone constantly, and is one of the coolest guys I've ever met. Definitely a must visit. I've never enjoyed any restaurant as much as this place. Food recommendation: piggybac-mac
(5)Octavio F.
This place was excellent all around. Establishment is quaint, clean, and inviting. You feel like home. The service was phenomenal. Very honest, attentive, and helpful in explaining the menu and making recommendations. The food was outstanding! Excellent slow roast bbq. Please try as I rarely give 5 stars. Enjoy!
(5)Larry R.
This place has some of the best smoked ribs I have ever had! I love their homemade barbecue sauces as well! This place is a great hidden gem in the Venice area! Great cornbread and sweet potato fries!
(5)Joy S.
What a happy find!! We were in the area looking at cars and ran into dinner time. So to Darrell's we went based on other YELPS...SO GLAD WE DID!!! The place is tucked away in a courtyard strip mall and it's so cute. There is outside seating as well as inside with BIG comfy yellow chairs which makes the place even brighter. It was well before the dinner rush so we had the place to ourselves. We were told about the specials and of the day items and since we were so hungry we placed a fried mushroom order with our drink order. So glad we did...the mushrooms are batter dipped right then and there...and they were yummy-licious!! It's a nice sized order for the three of us to split and not ruin our appetite which is a good thing because their portions are very generous. Our daughter had the special of mac-n-cheese with pulled pork on top and it comes with a pc of cornbread, I had the pulled pork with 2 sides, cole slaw and baked beans and hubby had the Hungry Heifer with 2 sides, collards and mac-n-cheese. EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING!!! Seriously...not one complaint...the mac-n-cheese is creamy and super cheesy, the cole slaw was seasoned just right, and collards were yummy AND fresh (not out of a can) oh and the CORNBREAD!!! Soft and semi-sweet with no corn grittiness at all. The pulled pork was well done!! Not to Smokey and not over dry. Hubby's Heifer plate came with some ribs, pulled pork and brisket and chicken. The chicken was smoked and still moist, the brisket was really tender and so were the ribs. This place is a homerun!! They serve their drinks in large mason jars which is cute and their staff is very attentive and friendly. Our only problem is that we live in NE Bradenton and they are all the way down in Nokomis which is really far LOL...BUT...if you are in the area this is a must try!!!
(5)Frank C.
A quick yelp stop unplanned, the BBQ was spot on and the beat collar greens so far. Shared the Hungry Heffer a great combo of all the house bbq. Staff was pleasant and a good turn around time. A enjoyable meal. A clean and inviting restaurant.
(4)Dave S.
Tucked away in a courtyard opposite a Mexican restaurant.....watch for the Brickyard Plaza sign as you travel south on Rt. 41. I had an excellent rack of ribs (dry rubbed) with black eye peas & coleslaw....wife had pulled pork with baked beans & collard greens.....all were excellent. Also had a side order of mac 'n cheese which was good as I've ever had. This is a very casual place with very reasonable prices....wait staff (Joe) also very attentive & pleasant. If you're in the area, give them a try....you won't be disappointed.
(4)Julia S.
Tucked back inside The Brickyard on the US 41 Bypass Venice is a cozy little BBQ that offers all the home cooking and bbq you could ever want! I love the huge iced tea in the mason jars, I tried the half rack of ribs, sweet potato mac n cheese and cornbread, it was everything it needed to be. My better half had the pulled pork with sweet potato fries, mac & corn bread. The food was certainly homey and well prepared, service was over the top with Darrell checking on us and other tables several times throughout the meal. We of course had to try the peach cobbler in the mason jar overflowing with whip, amazing, that's it. I need to be starving to eat this kind of food, it's a bit heavy for me, and I had another meal with the leftovers I took home. Definitely will return.
(5)Brandi H.
My family visited Darrel's last week during our spring break vacation after reading the reviews here. We had high expectations and were not disappointed. Even though I normally eat healthy meals, I chose the Down the Keys Mac and Cheese. This meal is not your normal Mac and cheese. The cheese is more of a cheese sauce than straight up cheese. And it was full of crawfish and shrimp! I loved it! My husband and his father split the Hungry Heifer which came with brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and a half chicken. It was plenty of food for them. My kids loved this place too. The waitstaff was friendly and made sure everything was perfect. We will definitely be returning on our next trip to the area! I would highly recommend Darrel's!
(5)Stephanie F.
Decent fried chicken and steak. The fried green tomatoes were good...kind of greasy, but the dipping sauce was excellent. The Mac and cheese was delicious.
(3)Jack K.
Nice local BBQ joint in a quaint setting. Prices were good and the food was prepared well. They win a local BBQ contest last year so that says something. Service was courteous and efficient. No snobbery here. Just good food made and served by nice people.
(4)Bob M.
Once again this place is the bomb and NO, I don't work for them. Brought new people here again tonight as once again a HOMERUN. I will always come back.
(5)Colby S.
Amazing meal and awesome service from start to finish. Sally, Darrell's mom was so sweet and overly generous. Our waitress was fantastic and extremely friendly. The food was real southern cooking and came out very quick. We will definitely be back for another trip! FYI, I had house salad with grilled shrimp (real great grilled flavor), my husband had pulled pork, Mac'n cheese and collard greens and everything was fantastic! My sons chicken fingers were perfectly breaded and fries were house cut. Awesome experience!
(5)Mark B.
My first time in area and I was looking for a good southern BBQ place. This place hit the spot. Great ribs, fried green tomatoes, corn bread, and more. My family loved the pulled pork. Atmosphere was great and staff was attentive and friendly. Place was clean and comfortable with a relaxed vibe. The Brickyard courtyard outside looked really cool at night with red light lanterns hanging from the trees. I would highly recommend.
(5)Gwendolyn F.
Waiter was very nice. Clean place great outside seating. The food is cooked well and with care. Hubby had the ribs and they were excellent. I had the catfish and Mac n cheese. The breading on the fried catfish had a nice crunch and the Mac n cheese was cheesy they both needed seasoning. Southern food is bursting with flavor and they weren't.
(4)Chelsea F.
Very pleased with this place. No wait, friendly staff. I don't eat meat so it's hard to find a BBQ spot that can make both me and my meat-loving family happy. Not much in the way of vegetarian dishes but I got a Caesar salad, cornbread, and a sweet potato which were all delicious. Fried okra and pickles as an app and the "dirt cup" for dessert (the homemade chocolate pudding is amazing) I had plenty to eat and they were happy to take care of me despite my eating restrictions. Rest of my family seemed pleased as well. We'd surely go again! I'll go back and give them 5 stars when they add a veg entree to their menu. ;)
(4)Rebecca H.
The best BBQ in Venice ! The hubs and I love BBQ , and not only is this place delicious , the staff couldn't make you feel more like family! We had the $20.00 platter, so we could try everything and had delicious cornbread. If you love BBQ , you'll love Darrell's !
(5)Ryan B.
This place is off the chain!!!!! Highly recommend it. You will not be disappointed. Best Collards green I've ever had. BBQ is really good. They don't drown it in sauce which I like.
(5)Lillian M.
YUMMO....I had been wanting to try this place and certainly happy I did. Excellent freshly made food and great service; chicken tenders = the bomb and blackened salmon = equally the bomb!....great sweet tea....I'll definitely go again and often....
(5)Janet M.
Was really looking forward to going back to Darrell's after a great meal last year. Fried chicken and crab cakes were so so and fried green tomatoes, cornbread and pork wings were very good. Collards are "yuppified" but good. Fair warning to easterners, the beans are not traditional baked beans. Mac & cheese had a scorched flavor. They should've thrown out the roux and started a new batch. Not sure if I'll try it again.
(2)Elaine J.
Positive: the owner is active in the restaurant and checks by all the tables and it is great to see that. Negative: did not like the "famous" fried chicken at all.
(2)Philip A.
Not from town, but found on Yelp. Went for lunch. Party of 5 and everyone enjoyed their meal. Very friendly staff. Great overall experience!
(5)V B.
Arrived to the restaurant for lunch recently after seeing the stellar reviews. Living in Atlanta, I am very used to incredible BBQ, so I decided to give Darrell's a try. The staff was very friendly and welcoming; however the food was not so good. In order to get a full sample, I ordered the plate of pulled pork and brisket, with a side of mac and cheese. The meats tasted like they had been sitting around all day and were maybe microwaved before they got to the table. In addition to not tasting all that great, the food was also cold. The mac and cheese was soupy and flavorless. I did enjoy the cornbread and sauces, but the main part of the meal was not enjoyable. The table was also very sticky and the chairs were very wobbly and need to be repaired. Really wanted to enjoy it, but it sadly undelivered. Maybe Darrell was off that day?
(2)Nan C.
Oh how I wish every chef that opened a restaurant had even half the passion that Darrell does about food!!!! Don't blink or you'll miss the restaurant sign. It's over powered by the large Mi Pueblo sign...please at all costs skip that place, but that's another review. This is about REAL FOOD! We went there twice this vacation trip and would have been there more had we found it earlier. The place is bright and cheery and clean. We were greeted as soon as we walked in and felt instantly welcomed----not like we were just 2 more tickets walking in. Our first visit we had a nice young man as our server. Very knowledgeable about the menu. He suggested we split the Hungry Heffer...ribs, pulled pork, brisket, bbq chicken corn bread and 2 sides. I got the mac & cheese WOW!!!My husband got the mashed potatoes and gravy...so good all made in house! The corn bread is brought in and it is delish...more like corn cake..yumm. Second visit I got the ribs again...they are so delicious...the house bbq sauces are awesome. LOVED the spicy one!!! Again fantastic, friendly, attentive service. This time we had a lovely lady...so great to talk with her (and I am totally embarrassed I forgot her name!!) She was awesome!! Darrell came over and sat with us and I have to tell you just after a few minutes of speaking with him and hearing his passion and love of food and people I was almost in tears!!! What a breathe of fresh air...loves cooking...loves making people happy with his food---what an awesome combination!!! I cannot say enough about him and wish him and his family the most success!!! We are telling everyone and YOU should not miss stopping in.
(5)Jennifer H.
Found this little restaurant on yelp and it was a great pick! The food was good, the thick and sticky BBQ sauce was excellent, service was amazing but the most impressive part is Darrell himself! He was so friendly and attentive...not just to us but the whole restaurant! You just don't see that at very many establishments.
(5)Joe T.
Had a fantastic dinner tonight! The chili was awesome. Very tasty and loaded with meat. The pulled pork was juicy and great tasting with the sauces all adding additional flavor. Portion size was very good. Great mashed potatoes and gravy. The cucumber salad was not very good so order any of the other side dishes. We will return and recommend Darrell's to anyone that likes BBQ.
(5)Jack O.
If you are in the Venice area you should come check this place out. Big portions friendly staff. Ask for Darrell. Great food
(5)Karina S.
OMG!!! Thank God my friend and I found this little dinner by reading the reviews on yelp. Glad we stop by when we were in town yesterday. Love service and the food is fantastic. The owner (Darrell) come around the tables to make sure you happy with everything:) Please, do yourself a favorite and stop by have great meal. Enjoy!!!
(5)Carol R.
Everything we had was awesome! Fried Chicken, BBQ, mashed potatoes with gravy, mac & cheese, coleslaw, and cornbread. Everything was excellent!!!
(5)Erica M.
En route from Punta Gorda to Tampa, we decided to give Darrell's a shot after seeing the excellent yelp reviews. We started with the pig wings, which are 2 pork loins smoked until they are fall-off-the-bone tender. Mind-blowing good. If only I could get those for an entree! For our main we shared the Hungry Heffer, which was PLENTY for 2 people. We got to try a little bit of everything. The ribs and Mac and cheese were quite good. The chicken was somehow falling off the bone, but dry. The pulled pork was a bit dry, too. The brisket was good, as were the cornbread and baked beans. The service was fantastic...our server was friendly and attentive. Apparently the table behind us waited a while for their food, which I only learned when their server brought their food and said dessert was on the house to apologize for the delay. Good customer service right there!! Bathrooms were clean, interior was air conditioned and outdoor was on a lovely courtyard. We will be back, especially for that Mac n cheese and the pig wings. Hopefully the dry chicken and pork were out of the ordinary!
(4)Maureen F.
A little bit hard to find because we could not spot the sign from the street. I think Darrell has his whole family at work. Darrell came by our table at least 3 times to make sure everything was OK, and shook our hands when we left, thanking us for dining at his place. The service here is fantastic and it matches the food. My 10 year old and I shared a $20 Heffer Platter (or something like that) with 4 different kinds of barbeque, 2 sides and corn bread. Loved every bite. The ribs were tender and tasty, pulled pork yummy, and the chicken was too. Personally, I found the brisket too fatty, but I think we got the end pieces or something. Didn't matter because we had way too much food for the 2 of us anyway. Daughter said the baked beans were the best she had ever eaten and she wanted seconds of the mac and cheese, but she never could have found room for it in her belly. We will go back to Darrell's next time we are in Venice. Much better than the touristy places we had eaten last time we were in town.
(5)Mike B.
Darrell is the best! So friendly, so accommodating! The good was great. We had the fried pickles and they were some of the best I've had. Spears with just a little breading on them. I had the Hungry Heffer. A little bit of every meat plus black eyed peas and collard greens.
(5)J D.
The owner and his wife were great. And so concerned that everything was OK. And boy was it! Real good food, quality ingredients. and everything fresh and cooked from scratch. Crab cakes and fried green tomatoes yummy! Fried chicken, crisp and juicy.
(5)Meredith T.
Went in for lunch with my grandmother. Restaurant wasn't busy at all and service was absolutely terrible. Server brought brought us our check without asking if we wanted anything else. We wanted dessert! I mean as a server I want my check to be as high as possible to receive highest possible tip. If the food wasn't good I probably would not come back.
(3)Linda C.
Can't say we had the greatest experience with the service, but the food was great and they tried hard. We went on a Monday night between Christmas and New Year's. Got seated, pleasantly, right away, but then waited quite some time for a server to bring menus and take our soft drink orders. The hostess noticed, and with no prompting, asked if we'd waited a long time and comped the drinks. Then, we ordered. It took forever to get our order, and the waiter had messed up on one of our orders: a pit chicken instead of a 2-piece fried chicken. We were planning on sharing the 4-piece fried chicken (that was brought correctly) along with the 2-piece fried chicken anyway, so we were given a second plate and were both able to start eating with all of our sides as well. The corrected 2-piece fried chicken took another forever to come, and by then we were full and just asked to pack it up to go. I left my credit card out to pay, and the hostess -- again without prompting -- came by and said there would be no charge for the meal. I left a cash tip, relieved that we didn't have to complain and that they really knew where they were lacking and wanted to make it right. The fried chicken and sides of mac and cheese, house salad, mashed potatoes with gravy, and cole slaw were all excellent, and the food was delivered hot as soon as it was ready. Everything was cooked to order, very fresh, and high quality. I think it was a busy night during an unusual week. I would definitely give them a second chance with the service. It was clear they were monitoring everyone's wait times and aware immediately when they were not living up to their own standards. The rest of the patrons seemed to be happy, and the place was welcoming and clean with a good vibe. We ate inside, but there was also a very pleasant area where we could have chosen to eat outdoors in the great weather. It was busy, but not so bad we couldn't get a table quickly. (Oh -- and yeah I know it says I live in Massachusetts, which I do, but I visit Florida pretty often.)
(4)Paul F.
Darrel is a great guy, great service and good food! The way I like it! Will go again!
(5)Brooke M.
Really really good food! Had the Mac and Cheese and it was amazing! The owner and staff are super friendly and fun. Really cool location. Definitely will go there every time we visit Venice.
(5)Beth C.
We were pleasantly surprised to find Darrell's. I had a BLT wrap (daily special) which came with a side (I picked sweet potato fries and they were the best I've had). The bacon was plentiful, the tomatoes were fresh and the wrap was a delight to my taste buds! Very reasonably priced. Hubby had the brisket sandwich and says it was very good. Staff is very friendly also.
(5)Christina M.
Awesome service!!!! The crab cakes and fried green tomatoes were amazing!!! Great prices
(5)Shlamie G.
Darrell's was wonderful. Brisket and salmon was as good as it gets! Great service (Andre) was so welcoming. Will definitely return.
(5)Joanne F.
Awesome fried pork chops. Best southern home style food in Venice. When we come here on vacation we visit Darells more than once
(5)Rachel P.
I'm a Southern girl and I know good Southern food. Darrell's Restaurant is it! I never thought Venice would have a restaurant with this type of food! I love the fried pork chops. They are huge and perfectly seasoned. The mac and cheese is amazing and the cornbread is the best I've ever had! It's sweet and almost cake like. Amazing!!!! The customer service is always fantastic. Darrell himself is often seen in the dining room making sure everyone is happy and chatting with customers. Drinks are served in giant mason jars so you don't need refills every 2 minutes. For dessert I recommend their banana pudding. It's served in a mason jar as well and is heavenly. My only complaint is the restaurant needs to be bigger! I love this place and hope it's around forever!
(5)Kevin W.
Excellent food and fantastic service. Went there because of a Yelp review and everything was great. I had a pulled pork sandwich with Mac n cheese. The pork had a sweet BBQ sauce on it. My wife had the quarter chicken which had a Carolina based sauce and collard greens. Everything was excellent. My wife loves cornbread and she said this was the best she had ever had. We travel thru the south a lot and eat BBQ wherever we go, so the cornbread compliment holds some weight. The owner came around and made sure everything was delicious. He was super friendly and appreciative of our business. We would definitely go back.
(5)Robyn B.
Thank you Yelp for another great find! The owner Darrell was such a nice guy, we enjoyed our conversation with him! If we lived locally we would definitely be regulars! I told Darrell he needs to open a restaurant in our small town in NJ he would make millions! The location is very cute, it's set back in a small villa style shopping area. The restaurant was spotless, we sat outside there was plenty of seating outside it was perfect for a beautiful Florida day. The sign is hard to see so don't miss it while driving by. We love comfort food, my husband and I both had brisket sandwiches. The meat melted in our mouths and the BBQ sauce was awesome. I dumped my coleslaw on top of my sandwich, it gave it a nice tangy crunch. My 3 year old had the chicken fingers, they were homemade and amazing! Everything that came out of the kitchen looked and smelled great! Next time we come back to the area we are going to try the fried chicken, I wish we were in the area longer so we could go back for dinner tonight. The hours say they are closed on Sundays but they are open.
(5)Samuel S.
Cutting through town and saw the great reviews so decided to check it out. Wow! Was thoroughly impressed! Not only was the food delicious but the friendly service makes you want to keep coming back. Thr mac and cheese was out of this world and the andy dandy was spot on. Great value as you get sides with each meal and some incredible corn bread. I will definitely be coming back.
(5)Charlie H.
Today was the second visit for my wife and I and it was a great as the first trip. We happened upon it by accident and we are so glad we did. The owner Darrell is awesome. So wants your meal to be perfect and so far it has been for me and my wife. First trip I had the Chicken Pot Pie and today the Fried Pork Chops. Both were excellent. My wife today had fried chicken. She said it was great. And she knows fried chicken. Her mashed potatoes and gray were exceptional. My pork chops were fried perfectly. Light batter and juicy. Best of all though was the Collard Greens. Cooked and seasoned to perfection. I also had fried okra and it was delicious. Not really a fan of the cornbread. It's good, but not the type I enjoy. Our waiter Steve was great. Give it try if you like country cooking.
(5)Samantha J.
I don't eat anywhere else. Best food in town and the friendliest staff you will find. Support locals :)
(5)Tony C.
Wow! Excellent local find! Mac & Cheese was wonderful and brisket/ pull pork was to die for. Friendly staff as well. Bravo!
(5)Lucie P.
Nice find in Venice. Food was great and so was the service. Will make a return trip to Venice. We all order different items and they were all great. Love the Dirt! Pecan Pie was a dream. Banana Pudding was the best.
(5)Annie O.
I would highly recommend this restaurant for one of the best BBQ places in Venice. Their food was amazing!! Working at an area hotel, I need to be able to recommend places to eat. I recommend this place almost daily to our guests when they ask for area place to eat. Each and every time the guest has come back to thank me for the recommendation, they all love it! The portions are generous and the food is well made. I would recommend anything on the menu, you can't go wrong. The ribs fall off the bone, the brisket is so tender, melt in your mouth. I had the pleasure of meeting "Mrs Darrell and explained that I worked in the hotel business and wanted to be able to recommend. This was after getting our food, so we were not treated "special" to get the recommendation. If you are looking for good food, this is a place to go for the BBQ!
(5)Blake H.
Darrell's was great! Darrell was actually our server when we went on Labor Day. He and his mom were wonderful. Our table had ribs, pulled pork, collard greens, mac-n-cheese, and cornbread. Everything was wonderful. The homemade sauces were delicious. Next time we will have to order dessert.
(4)Genny S.
Darrell the owner is amazing!! Attentive service and the best delicious southern style BBQ and sides ever. My husband had the down in the keys Mac and cheese and raved about it. The brisket and pork I had was better than any of the others I've had. Just amazing food and service!! Go, you will not be disappointed !
(5)Brenden J.
Stopped by Darrell's last night. Server recommended the Andy Dandy - pork shoulder and brisket with cornbread and two sides. Mac and cheese an mashed potatoes were my sides - both were clearly homemade and from scratch. The meats were excellent and the portion siZes were massive. Will definitely return.
(5)Matt S.
TL:DR I highly recommend Darrell's - order anything and get Mac n cheese as a side. I've eaten at Darrell's a few times, and can confirm that it is my favorite restaurant in the Sarasota area. If you are looking for good southern food in SRQ, drive south a few miles to Venice and eat at Darrell's. My girlfriend said it right - the restaurant seems like it was given the once-over by Gordon Ramsay or the Restaurant Impossible guy. I'm not saying it was a nightmare at all, but that everything just seemed perfect, from the decor to the food, the place is just awesome. Darrell's experience in the restaurant business really shows. The menu is the perfect size to give you plenty to choose from, but not too large as to be unmanageable. It truly is southern style cuisine. It isn't a BBQ place, although BBQ is certainly on the menu (and delicious). You can order tasty fried chicken, some of the best Mac b cheese you will ever have (each portion made to order), a bowl of ridiculously good gumbo...or one of his specials. I've tried both the chicken fried steak (yum!) and the bone-in ribeye (another special that blew me away). The fried shrimp and huge and meaty with an excellent flavor - a great app. The staff are fantastic at the restaurant. Darrell came by a few times to see how we were doing, as did his mom! Such a nice woman. Everyone I've encountered at the restaurant seems to genuinely be enjoying themselves. I don't know what Darrell is doing to keep his staff happy, but he is doing it right. All of the friendly people really make me want to go back. I have a feeling that they are truly proud of their restaurant, and that pride puts a smile on their face. Or maybe Darrell just doesn't tolerate any nonsense with his staff. Lol. Who knows. Either way, like I said, it's working. Here are some other things that help land the restaurant as my favorite in the area. 1. Drinks served in mason jars. That's the kind of class I want from a restaurant like this. 2. Bathroom is really clean. I like that. 3. Gorgeous courtyard (shared with Mi Pueblo) and outdoor dining available 4. Pig wings...I wish I could order them as an entree. 5. Delicious sweet tea, that isn't painfully sweet. It was really good. 6. Everything tastes like it was made to order. So fresh, so good. 7. Banana (nanner) pudding, also served in a mason jar (capped with a lid to go, if you desire) 8. Big TV in the bar area with baseball on (I'm thinking football might be on during the NFL season?) 9. Country music playing...not too loud, but providing a nice atmosphere 10. I can't say it enough - a wonderfully friendly staff, every time I go.
(5)Robert M.
Absolutely delicious. Perfect portions, well priced beer. Good Mac and cheese as well as baked beans. I highly recommend the country fried steak
(5)Bob O.
Visited Darrel's on the first night of our vacation to Venice based on Yelp review. It was so good we went back the next night. The service was excellent and very friendly. My wife, daughter and I all ordered something different and shared. Everything was fresh and delicious. Try any or all of the house specials...turkey dinner-great! Mac an cheese with shrimp and crawfish-insane! Andy Dandy(BBQ pork and brisket - amazing! We also recommend the fried chicken and crab cakes (we went 2 nights-remember). Can't wait to go again!
(5)Lisa H.
We started going to Darrell's shortly after they opened and made it one of our few regular spots in Venice ... we prefer to cook at home because we are very picky! Anyway, we've moved to Sarasota and don't get there too often lately. A friend of ours infant son had to have open heart surgery this past Friday and we wanted to take them something special. Their favorite food is BBQ, so we instantly thought of Darrell's! My husband called Darrell to place an order and explained the situation. We had EVERY intention to pay for the food, but Darrell insisted to donate it! WHAT??? Who does that? Darrell does! Ever since the first time we sat down in this place, Darrell (and the rest of the staff) makes you feel at home and spends time talking to you about more then the food he serves. The food is ALWAYS consistently cooked to perfection and insanely delicious. I've got to also mention that he has had basically the same serving staffing since day #1 ... that says a lot about a restaurant, happy staff = happy customers.
(5)Amanda P.
Love, love, love this place! I've tried several items, and every, single dish is amazing!!! Blackened Salmon is the best salmon I've ever had, and they have this amazing mango bbq sauce they give me to compliment everything from the fish, to the sweet potato fries. We love Darrell and his family, and we will be back again and again.
(5)Rachel T.
Great southern food and atmosphere. Glad I have somewhere to go for some yummy comfort food!
(5)Louis S.
Server was amazing , food was awesome and prices were on point....we'll be back soon....
(5)Roy S.
Just got into the area a week ago and was searching for place to have dinner. Well as luck would have it my son and I stumbled across Darrell's. This restaurant is a small venue with a staff that is exceptional and the food matches the exceptionalism of the staff. My son had the brisket and pulled pork and raved about it all during the meal. I had the two piece fried chicken with cucumber salad and okra, absolutely delicious. No matter what was on the menu all the people around us ordered different dishes and I could hear them giving rave reviews about the food and the staff. Sally, the owner's mother who was working the front door is just a peach. Any owner of a restaurant would be thrilled to have her work their front door. Jeff our waiter was attentive but not hanging over our backs. He knew the menu inside and out, knew it was our first time, and made suggestions. Perfect. If you're ever in the area you have to go here. If you don't, shame on you.
(5)Suzi F.
After reading the article about Darrell's in Venice magazine, my family and I made reservations branching out from our usual routine. We enjoyed the fantastic food and personal service we experienced here. The owner was so engaged with all customers, and my family found him to be very personable-we will definitely be back to support his new business. The food was amazing, dessert too! We tried the ribs, pork chops, and crab cakes/ fried green tomatoes and 3 different deserts-all very tasty and at a good value. So glad to have found this new restaurant so close to my Grandma's house.
(5)Thomas W.
GREAT spot. Food is awesome, high quality. Excellent, friendly service. A can't miss Venice go-to.
(5)Mike T.
Really good food and even better service from the folks there. Lots of options on the menu and they are all good. We had a party of six and the service was great
(4)James S.
All the 5 star reviews says it all. Great food. Great service. Hard to find but worth the effort to get there.
(5)Svetlana S.
That is really good! We tried Hungry Heffer and loved each bite of it. Mac and cheese side is just delicious. Darrell and his family were just as friendly as owners of such place should be. Recommend!
(5)Bob M.
Great southern comfort food, great service and great ambiance (especially the outside seating.). The ribs, fried chicken, mac & cheese and fried okra are to die for. The owner, Darrell (surprise!) is a wonderful host and makes you feel like a regular on your first visit (so far we've been here three times and we will be back!)
(5)Patrick C.
This food was delicious, absolutely amazing. Definitely worth a visit. I will definitely be coming back. Try the brisket sandwich and Mac n cheese. Great service and great food, what else can you ask for!?
(5)Robert S.
This place is not big; but it has the best kind of comfort foods. Brings back memories of childhood, playing all day and coming home to a great meal. Joel's suggestions were the best. Will defiantly be back. Mac and Cheese was too good.
(5)George W.
There were seven of us including 4 guests from England. We wanted to give our guests a Southern experience, & this was such a beautiful example of delicious food & Southern hospitality. Darrell greeted us at the door & made us feel so welcome. The men were overwhelmed with the quarts!! of Yuengling provided. We took photos to send back to England. They thought they were so remarkable. Steve was our server & was so attentive & kind. Made us feel like family. He allowed my 89 year old mom to order from the child's meal, because her appetite is so small. She loved her small portion of ribs & white sangria. In all, we ordered among us the full racks of ribs, the pulled pork dinners (mine-A++), the fried chicken dinner, the pork chop dinner, and a salad with fresh catch (cod). The food was absolutely tender, delicious, outstanding. Sauces for the ribs & pulled pork were varied (hot, sweet, mustardy) & luscious. Wanted to have dessert, but the portions are so delicious & large, couldn't fit any.. (Cornbread was sweet & really great, too, as was shrimp bisque.). I am really a food snob, but I loved this place. It's honest & delicious. Thank you, Darrell!
(5)Joe B.
I see that there many good reviews for Darrell's and am beginning to question the validity of some of these reviews. We tried it out with another couple tonight because there were a load of five star ratings. My ribs were less than mediocre and my cornbread was cold, like it just came out of the freezer. My friend's catfish was fair and too small to make a good comment. Wife's crab cakes were just fair. The only thing worth while was the Mac and Cheese. Not a good meal and won't be returning soon.
(1)Arthur T.
Darrell's is pretty awesome. I love to go there for lunch and get the pulled pork or the brisket. The pig wings are also amazing. 2 for 8.00 but worth it. Venice has some pretty good Bbq options for a coastal city. Darrell's adds to the roster quite well.
(4)Carol R.
Great food and excellent service. The brisket is one of the best we've ever had. You won't find an owner more committed to customer satisfaction than Darrell.
(5)Beth R.
My husband just said, "Thanks,Yelp, for helping us find an original." I've made a vow to only review places now that have few reviews or are underpublicized...or where my opinion runs counter to prevailing sentiment. It's hard to know how to rate a place like Darrell's. Placed in the context of where I live (DC metro area), to give it a five means it would be placed in the same league as Washington's finest dining establishments. But, to be fair, I need to rate Darrell's in the context of Venice, FL, a somewhat sleepy town with middle-of-the-road tastes and an overabundance of "Italian" restaurants. This newcomer to the Venice scene is located off the US 41 business bypass strip, but is tucked in the back of a Spanish-style courtyard with a huge live oak screening the highway and a burbling fountain so that if you opt to dine outside you can forget for a moment that you are in strip mall hell. My husband was over the moon about Darrell's fried chicken. He's been searching for the quintessential fried chicken ever since our favorite place outside of Charleston, SC, closed...and he thought he found it here. We also had the brisket and I ordered the campfire stew, which was essentially a hearty beef stew. The restaurant was out of its "catch of the day" that day which I would have liked to have tried. I liked the cornbread which was sweet and moist (which I believe is northern, not southern,style). We ordered the perfectly fine sliced cucumber salad covered with a light, ranch-style dressing. My mother-in-law said she liked the collard greens. I was going to order the sweet potato fries but was informed that they came frozen. Hoping the management will consider peeling and dicing some sweet potatoes so they can legitimately claim ownership of something homemade. This hit all my husband's buttons in terms of price and taste and he says it was far better than the current number #1 listed restaurant in Venice on Yelp (Made in Italy). As a relatively new restaurant in Venice, let's hope Darrell's thrives and endures. Let me put it this way, better to eat at Darrell's than a chain like Sonny's Bar-B-Q®.
(5)Eli F.
What a dinner! What a dinner! Can't say enough good things about this restaurant. They offer down home Southern cooking. The fried green tomatoes were a real treat. I never thought I would ever eat them again. Darrell's were really yummy! We also had the grilled shrimp appetizer with a perfect dipping sauce. I had the fried chicken. My dad had the catfish and my husband had the macaroni and cheese with shrimp and crawfish tails. Make sure you save room for desserts. Yummy apple crisp and ice cream and pecan pie. I was disappointed that the banana cream pudding was not ready to serve. I guess that means we will have to return real soon. I hear they have delicious chicken pot pie on Sunday. Last week they sold out early. The atmosphere is cheery. Everyone working there seemed to really enjoy being there. It is contagious! I know why Darrelll's was voted The Best New Restaurant of 2013! Check it out yourself. You won't be dissappointed.
(5)Rick D.
My wife & I were staying in Nokomis for a few days and checked for a local restaurant. We decided to try Darrell's. First of all the setting in the Brickyard Plaza is more like a plaza in Mexico than a strip mall. The lighted tress and fountains a especially beautiful at night. When we entered Darrel himself greeted & seated us big hug for my wife and firm handshake for me it was like we were family. He astutely noticed that we were interested in the USA vs Belgium World Cup Soccer Match so he turned the TV so we had a good view. I ordered a bottled beer that came guickly ... both the bottle & the mason jar were frozen. fantastic. Dinner was BBQ brisket, Mac&cheese, Cole slaw, cornbread. All were perfect. My personal preference for slaw is that it not be chopped, but rather stringy. either way the flavor was good. Nothing was over seasoned so order extra BBQ sauce if you like strong flavor. My wife had cornbread, sweat potato, and 2 piece chicken dinner and black bean soup, delicious. My wife had the sangria, came in mason jar and was delicious. Prices are modest, atmosphere great, food & drinks perfect.
(4)P O.
Sorry, but the "The best damm fried chicken in town" was dry and had no taste. KFC was better. The chicken soup was very good along with the friendly service. The corn bread was good along with the fried Okra.
(2)Jon R.
I live in Venice and stay away from the restaurants during the season...Went for a birthday dinner....Went to trip Advisor looking for someplace new..Food was great..had the ribs ...wife had the fried chicken..sides were good...I would give it a try...There are a lot of over priced places here...Going back for the Country Fired steak...Wednesdays only..It may even rate five stars
(4)The R.
Great service, seated right away. Darrell personally thanked us for coming in. Food was very good. Excellent BBQ sauce. Great location with plenty of parking. An all around pleasant experience. Darrell again thanked us as we left. We'll go back!
(4)Ben F.
Had a great dinner. Huge portions of delicious food. Pulled pork and brisket were both great. Plenty of BBQ sauce with options for different kinds. Collard greens and corn bread were excellent. They accidentally brought me the baked beans instead of my sweet potato but immediately apologized and brought one out. Service was good and Darrell himself came out to say hi and check on the meal. Loved sitting outside on the patio.
(5)James G.
This new restaurant is really a 3+ and could easily become a 4 based on my initial visit last week. My brisket sandwich had a good flavor and the sauce was spot on. I'm from Texas and found the brisket a bit mushy. Maybe they do it that way in other areas. The fried okra was the best I've had since my grandmother passed away - not over-breaded. I was disappointed by the mediocre beer selection - Bud, Miller Lite etc. - and by their being out of the signature banana pudding. I didn't see Darrell but the waitress exuded Southern hospitality. I look forward to returning to sample other offerings and, hopefully, banana pudding.
(3)John V. C.
Went to Darrell's for the first time a couple of days ago. Our party of 3 sat outside for dinner on a nice warm evening. The seating and tables were nice and comfortable. The service was very friendly and timely, not obtrusive. A nice casual place. Kids are fine. The iced tea was tasty and sweetened just right. I had the "hearty heffer" combo dinner with absolutely delicious barbecued beef brisket, pulled pork, chicken and ribs. It came with a wonderful BBQ sauce already applied...as it turns out just the way I like it. The cornbread was excellent and just a little sweet...perfect. You get 2 sides with most dinners. I loved my fried okra and sweet potato fries. Nice and light and no grease at all. My dinner companions loved their entrees as well. One had beef brisket with pulled pork with very good Mac and cheese and the okra. The other had a traditional turkey dinner that really looked good. The portions are generous so we had no room for dessert this time. We found a new favorite place for comfort food.
(5)Steve M.
Wow! After searching for 20 minutes based on Yelp's incorrect directions we find Darrell's. what a find! Just opened the end of June, they have pulled it together. Food, service and people skills. They have a complete but manageable menu. A lot of comfort food, BBQ, fried chicken, etc. They featured Sea Bass and two types of crab cakes tonight. My wife had been thinking about a cheeseburger and fries all day and went for their classic with cheddar cheese. I opted for the brisket, collard greens and cucumbers in sour cream. I can honestly say that two of the three were the best I've ever had. The brisket was tender and not overpowered by smoke. The collards were tender and flavorful but not over cooked. Wine and Beer only, but a good selection. The chef, Pete stopped by the table checking on our meal...nice touch. When were leaving the staff genuinely thanked us. We'll be back!
(5)Harriett Z.
Yum. Hubby had half rack ribs. He loved them. Te baked beans are delicious. And I had the black bean burger again. Best vegetarian 'burger' I've had. Is now a staple for us. The apple crisp was really good but a little difficult to get down to through ice cream. A good feed.
(5)J B.
Too good not to write a review. Excellent food. Great service. Super value. Joel , our waiter was attentive and friendly. The owner stopped by the table to check on our satisfaction.
(5)