Gator Q's

The Gator Q's BBQ in Waldo has no affiliation with the Gator Q's that is in High Springs. This BBQ joint is right off Waldo road just past the downtown area. There's parking directly on Waldo Road which wasn't a problem to utilize.While the building is small, there is bar seating indoors (but no bar). The outdoor tables were in the shade so it probably wouldn't be too unbearable to eat in their outdoor area.When I stopped I was expecting a dirty little BBQ shack, but was pleased to find that is was very clean inside, leading me to feel a little more comfortable eating here. I ordered the sliced turkey plate with green beans and mac & cheese (about $7). The staff was friendly and got me the food quickly. The quality of their BBQ however didn't compare to most BBQ joints in Gainesville. The turkey was some of the driest I've had. The sweet sauce which I had to use a generous portion of was pretty good though. The sides tasted fine and the Texas toast drenched in butter was great.While there's room for improvement, I'll stop here again instead of a fast food joint (which is the majority of dining options in Waldo).

The barbecue itself is pretty good. A little fatty for me on the cuts (we had brisket and sliced pork) but I prefer my meat totally lean, so that probably had an influence on my opinion. The mac and cheese was entirely bland, no amount of salt and pepper could save it, but the potatoes were pretty good. The worst part was the wait - nearly half an hour for a to-go order when they didn't seem busy at all. We'll give them another shot in a little while for comparison, there's not a ton of super local options!(This review sat in draft form for me for a while - I think this place may be closed now...)

A total dive!!! I live at the beach north of St. Augustine and when going to Gainesville, I stopped by this palce and loved it. Know I also live in Austin, I am not a fan of Texas BBQ, and this place gave me the fix I was needing. Good pulled pork, great beans (double helping) and the slaw was good too. I love hole in the walls, in Waldo of all places. But watch for the speed traps, as I was eating with my son, we saw the cops nailing people--so the signs are not kidding if it says 25, dont even go 26. But for 10 minutes out of Gainesville, a nice uptick for a town that is known for its speed-traps and not much more.