Hot Spot Barbecue

Reviews

• TT

  tammy

  1 day ago
  1.0
  I have eaten at Hot Spot many times so when son and daughter in law wanted to get good BBQ in Pensacola, we headed to Hot Spot BIG MISTAKE. The decor has never been a reason to go to this restaurant, but now it's like going to a cheap fair. Our food was terrible and the presentation was what I imagine food in a prison would be like. All the meats that we ordered were dry and un appetizing to look at. I was so embarrassed because I had spoken so highly of this place and we drove over from Fort Walton Beach just to get their BBQ. The prices for this disgusting food were outrageous I spent 100.00 for the 3 of us to eat and my daughter in law couldn't even eat her food. The lemon pie, for which they are famous, was crappy too... did not even resemble the homemade pies I have had there in the past. Overall, a huge disappointment and an even bigger waste of 100.00. We could have eaten in a number of restaurants in Pensacola for that amount of money for lunch and had a delicious experience. Will never go back to Hot Spot or recommend it to anyone. Oh, one last thing the sides tasted like thy were left over from Thanksgiving!
• DB

  David Bentley

  3 days ago
  5.0
  It wasn’t the smoke this time, not exactly. At Hot Spot BBQ, just off the hum of downtown Pensacola, it was the heat first — that rising, living warmth that slips out the door every time someone walks in, carrying with it the scent of ribs that have spent their morning learning patience. It’s a different kind of promise than Brother’s, less ancient maybe, but no less honest. The kind of promise a man recognizes as soon as he steps inside: you’re about to eat well. The ribs arrive with no need for introduction. They sit there with that quiet confidence of meat that knows it’s been tended properly — A‑plus ribs by any measure, tender enough to yield but still holding the dignity of the bone. They aren’t quite the sermon that Brother’s delivers, but they don’t pretend to be. They’re their own thing, a little sweeter, a little looser, a little more willing to let you enjoy them without demanding reflection. The mac and cheese plays its role without fuss, creamy and warm, the kind of side that doesn’t try to steal the spotlight but knows exactly how to support the main act. But the Brunswick stew — that’s where Hot Spot shows its hand. Thick, rich, layered with the kind of depth that only comes from someone who understands that stew isn’t a recipe, it’s a memory. Every spoonful feels like it’s been simmering since early morning, coaxed into something that stands shoulder‑to‑shoulder with any stew in the South. And then there is the banana pudding. There are desserts, and then there are the things a man remembers long after the plate is empty. Hot Spot’s banana pudding belongs to the latter. Silky, cool, impossibly balanced — the kind of dessert that doesn’t just finish a meal but crowns it. It is, without exaggeration, the best of the best, no matter where you’ve eaten or how far you’ve traveled. A man could build a whole afternoon around that pudding and walk away feeling he’d made the right choice. When the meal is done and the bones lie quiet on the tray, when the last streak of cheese has been scraped from the bowl and the final spoonful of pudding has been savored, Hot Spot BBQ leaves you with a truth of its own: not all great barbecue has to thunder. Some of it speaks in warm tones and steady hands, in ribs that satisfy, stew that comforts, and pudding that borders on divine. A wise man will remember that — and he’ll find his way back.
• LS

  Lois Smith

  5 days ago
  4.0
  Been coming here 10 years. I do feel like the food has gotten smaller and the price higher... still my favorite bbq.
• SW

  Susan Worthington

  Jan 3, 2026
  5.0
  This was our second time at Hot Spot Barbecue. You know the food's going to be good when you drive to downtown and find a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant with the smokers right there on the corner. You can smell the yumminess from a few blocks away. The comfortable and laid back atmosphere made us feel right at home (which is really what you want in a BBQ restaurant, right?). Our server was friendly and prompt. My husband got the 3-meat dinner: ribs, pulled pork, and brisket. He devoured it. I opted for the build-your-stuffed-potato option topped with chicken. I also ordered the cheese and sour cream. When I ordered and mentioned I might end up getting more sour cream if I felt the potato was dry, the server said he could bring some of the au jus from the brisket with my potato but could also get more sour cream if that's what I wanted. When my potato came it was huge and baked perfectly. The chopped chicken breast tasted so good. I added the au jus, and it added a great depth of flavor. Our server checked on us often (but not too often). 10/10 will be back.
• YG

  Yaritza Garcia

  Dec 26, 2025
  5.0
  Delicious, Savory, SEASONED! Funny staff and great service! Let's see Mission's do that 💩.

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