When you show up at the 4Rivers in Winter Garden, you see what looks like to be decent sized BBQ restaurant with a line of 25 people out the door. It was a Saturday night that me and my sister went around 6pm and the location and concept is still recent, but it was extremely impressive none the less when it is your first time at any 4Rivers location.

Orlando is not one of those locations on the map of the United States that people go, ” I got to have BBQ when I am there”, but we do have a few hole in the wall places here and there that do a really good job of putting out a good product. 4Rivers is definitely at the top of my list right now when it comes to places that I will go to when I am in the mood for BBQ and don’t want to make it myself. They have a few locations now around Orlando, there is the Winter Garden location, Winter Park which is the original, one in Longwood, and one on University Drive by UCF. There is also a location in Jacksonville and Gainsville.

4Rivers was found by John River’s, originally a manager of a billion-dollar pharmaceutical distribution company and got a lot of experience in business modeling at many different companies. He started working out of his garage and grew his popularity with his own ministry participants until he opened the Winter Park location and blew it out of the water.

if you read my previous post, So you want to be a chef, then you can see that this is a perfect example of what I was saying about going into a different career path and then finishing with what you truly love after you make your “nut” (money). Not sure if Mr River’s always had a hankering for doing a big BBQ restaurant from the beginning , but no matter what it has definitely paid off.

Now when you finally get through the line and inside you find that majority of the building is the kitchen, the serving line (which includes the nicest and most delicious display of deserts I have ever seen at any BBQ joint), and a handful of tables, and based on business that meant we were taking ours outside. Luckily they have a really big, enclosed porch area, with a lot of fans, which meant that even though it was hot outside you could still eat and enjoy comfortably.

The two pictures above are of there dinner plates of the half rack of ribs and the beef brisket. Both were reasonable priced, the ribs were about 14 and the brisket was 12. I also got the smoked jalapenos as one of my sides, getting myself to try and enjoy more spicy food items. I really liked everything about my experience.

I like to consider myself a BBQ expert when it comes to food quality, flavor, and dryness of the protein being served and both proteins had plenty of flavor, juiciness, and the final test that gets my stamp of approval was that I wanted more. I am not saying it is the best BBQ out there, and I am not saying it is the best in the state, but I would definitely choose 4Rivers first when anyone asks me where to go for BBQ in Orlando.

The building was clean, the atmosphere was really authentic and cool, the staff was extremely friendly, the eating areas were constantly maintained, and everything about the experience was legit. If you haven’t had a chance to go out and enjoy, then take a friend and try it out and let me know what you think.