Mohawk Smokehouse BBQ in Orlando

It's not the norm for me to dedicate an entire blog post to a single restaurant or pop-up unless it's brand new and I've had an experience worth sharing. However, Mohawk Smokehouse deserves more than a quick online mention. I had been seeing their pop-ups around town and hearing the same good reviews, but I've learned that those can rarely be trusted anymore. They remained on my radar, but I didn't want to drive too far to a pop-up just to be disappointed, so I put it on the back burner.

Meanwhile, they continued to get glowing reviews, even snagging the best BBQ as the critics' choice from the Sentinel. But my many food disappointments and cynicism left my stance stuck in Shania Twain mode uttering, "That don't impress me much."

On a whim, they came to my mind on a Friday, and I checked their schedule to see they were popping up that night on my side of town. Even better, the pop-up started at five o'clock, which was my ideal time to grab my dinner away from crowds.

Despite the nearing 100-degree temps and the thought of the layers of sweat I'd have to endure eating hot BBQ outside (regular sweat, meat sweats, unmentionable area sweats), I grabbed my husband, and we headed over.

We ordered a large platter with a pound of pulled pork, a pound of brisket, a side of coleslaw, mac and cheese, and two pieces of cornbread. It was more food than two people needed, but a good portion to have leftovers for the next day.

I watched as owner Tyler and his wife Sarah put our plate together. An untouched brisket was sliced in front of me with juices pouring out, and then he tore the pulled pork as it glistened in the sun, with waves of juices rolling back and forth in the aluminum tray. My mouth was salivating. Then he pulled out a tray of mac and cheese that had a gorgeous crust on it. I said, "That looks like someone's grandma made that mac and cheese," to which his wife politely laughed and said, "he can be like a grandma sometimes."

The platter was stunning, and I immediately thought, this could be it; an entire tray of BBQ that hits right here in Orlando.

Brisket is my absolute favorite meat to get when indulging in BBQ, and I'm very picky about it. It's highly respectable when you can find a good brisket because the cut of meat is something that has to be mastered. I want a flavorful and potent, crispy bark with a beautiful smoke ring, and I need it to be so tender that it barely stays intact as you grab a forkful. I don't want to have to use sauce on my brisket; I want it to provide its delectable flavor from how it's smoked and how the bark is prepared.

The first bite was elation, and I moved the sauces aside, knowing they wouldn't be necessary. This brisket was brimming with flavor, thanks to the bark and the smoky flavor infused into the meat.

The pulled pork was just as juicy and had its own smoky flavor. I could tell as Tyler started pulling it apart that the pork had been cooked to a level that had left it succulent and tender, which it was from the very first bite. I eventually did dip some pieces into the sauces so I could try them (I don’t remember what the two sauces were, to be honest, I was in a meat haze), but both were really good with a nice consistency, neither was watery.

The mac and cheese was creamy with good flavor and some lovely crispy pieces from the crust mixed in. It was a melt-in-your-mouth mac by the spoonful. The cornbread was the best cornbread I’ve ever had. It was intensely moist, almost cakelike. Even the coleslaw had a nice mild flavor. It wasn’t overly sweet or overly tangy, which was nice since there was so much flavor in other aspects of the meal; this was more of a cool relief between bites.

Once you get your tray, they point you to grab your own pickled onions and pickles on the side. The pickled onions were done right; tangy, sweet, and slightly salty, still having a light crunch to them.

It's honestly been a long time since I've had a BBQ platter with no misses; it's tough to find these days. While I don't like to hype things, saying they are "the best," this truly is, to me, the best BBQ I've had in Florida. Sure, there are still other contenders out there for me to try, but Mohawk Smokehouse has now set the bar incredibly high. If you go and don't enjoy it, I would be shocked.

The final bill for our meal was $78, which I know is pricey, but I will justify it by saying we got two full pounds of meat. We not only shared this platter, but we also had enough leftovers for lunch the next day for both of us. We recently had BBQ somewhere else in the past week, and we didn't split our food, but the price was about the same. There were no leftovers, and it wasn't nearly as memorable or satisfying on all fronts as Mohawk was.

After I posted a picture to my stories of my platter, my friends who are 4Rivers alum messaged me, "That's Tyler!! He's amazing," and the accolades for him not just as a BBQ phenomenon but his genuine character started rolling in, with tales of how beloved he was to his co-workers, which was a bonus. Supporting good people always feels good.

If you want to try his BBQ and support his passions, follow their socials for their pop-up schedule. They also offer catering as well.

Mohawk Smokehouse on Instagram

All opinions are my own, I was not paid or asked to try this food.