decent place...had the pork open face beause i wanted the cole slaw. i am not a big fan of the b bread but the pork was good sliced and the sause was not my fav but good. ice tea is good. next time I will definelty get the conch chowder
(3)
sam a.
Like Corey Patterson on the Cubs, I was SO wanting this place to be great...such great potential. It has all the right ingredients. Great location, history/pedigree, attitude, decor, service. God, I wanted the food to just seal it for me. Alas, it fell short. I have absolutely suffering since coming down here for some great BBQ. And I mean brisket. So, when I saw the beef plate on the menu, my heart skipped a beat. I ordered...and when the nice waitress came with a platter stacked so high, my heart started beating faster and faster....only to be crushed. Its not brisket, just glorified deli meat slices in sauce. Yeah, the portions are HUGE, but the meat was bland. The Bimini bread was great, but man, a BBQ place has gotta have good BBQ. Honestly, I was so disappointed at this point that I gave up on the place there and then. But it has its charms for sure. The upstairs wraparound patio/porch is a great place to get food and beer, and this place is a *BARGAIN* for the portions you get. Its got some colorful history too, a friend told me it used to be named Dirty Ernie's in the 80s, but changed. All in all, a good, almost great find...if only they'd put some flavor into their BBQ. Maybe I got the smokemaster on a bad day...who knows. I'll give them another shot in 6 months.
(3)
M. S.
I ate here for lunch last Fall while visiting the area. Although it's not much to look at, the food was great, along with the service. I had the grilled dolphin plate, and my companions had more traditional barbecue items - chicken, beef, etc. Everyone was pleased with their respective meals. The Bimini bread was delicious as well. The prices are very reasonable considering the portion sizes and quality. I would definitely eat here again if given the opportunity, and recommend it highly.
(4)
Lance M.
We almost didn't eat here because of bad reviews. Well, yet again yelp was wrong. The food was great only to be out done by the amazing service from Ashley. If you go, beg to be in her section; one of the best waitresses we have had ever. I don't think we would be considered an easy group either. We shoes up with 5 kids ages 5 and up. She treated the whole family like we were her only table that night. Would defiantly go back. A solid 5 star joint.
(5)
Jim M.
Our waitress was very busy, working hard. All the bartender was doing was talking th o her friends. No co operating up stairs
(3)
Ginny E.
The conch fritters were amazing. Conch salad was tasty. The coconut shrimp was amazing, did not disappoint. Not a fan of the conch chowder though as it was more like chili and I really hate chili. Deffs don't eat it if you're on a date because it was loaded with beans.
(4)
Phil A.
Only ol' timers still call it Dirty Ernies....but out of love for this original Florida joint. Im a tradtionalist and get the same everytime, The Special with Pork. This is the standard, a bowl of the best conch chowder with a half ( large by most comparisons) pork sandwich, layered between two massive slices of bimini bread, slobered with their signature sauce. And for good measure a slice of bread to dunk in the chowder.....Topped off with some added sherry for the chowder and a frosty beer, you got the best this lovable dive has to offer. I have made this one of my comfort food places for over 30 years and except for some fresh paint, place is still the same.....hopefully it will never change.
(5)
Kara G.
We were driving by and figured we'd check this place out. Glad we did. Service was fast and the food tasted delicious with huge portions. Only 4 stars because we were practically sitting on the people next to us as the place was packed. If we are ever in the area we will go again.
(4)
Michelle A.
Always blown away by how great the chowder and BBQ at Ernies is. Such a great place to grab lunch and a beer. Mary Kate was the best waitress ever. Been coming to this place for 25 years and it never disappoints!
(5)
David L.
Excellent chowder and the Bimini bread was incredible. I had a turkey burger which appeared fresh and added BBQ sauce which was very good. Highly recommended
(4)
Marqus R.
Ernie's is somewhat of a local area institution which has been here for years, but unfortunately I can't say that it is a very good one. It's semi popular with the biker crowd as well as some of those who work in the area and you can have a good time if you're with a large beer guzzling group. For food, however, it's a rather lame duck. The pork is generally dried out, not the most recent of pulls which is generally smothered with a BBQ sauce to cover up its shortcomings. As far as their other BBQ's like ribs, you're much better off heading up the road to Tom Jenkins. Their conch chowder, however, tends to be one of the better features on their menu and their Bahama bread is really the best Bimini bread around.
(3)
Susyn S.
"Continues the tradition of its parent, The Floridian, with a nautical flair" If you've read the reviews about the Fort Lauderdale long time staple, the Floridian Restaurant, you will understand why its other restaurant, Ernie's BBQ is also a long-time staple of a seafood bent. It, too, has been around for years. Doesn't get the politicians and celebrity diners like The Floridian does, but it gets the locals that like to eat hearty and love seafood and Bahama bread. Their conch soup and Bahama bread is apparently quite popular (I don't eat seafood). Me, I am in chicken wing heaven when I go there -- obviously I am not a gourmand. I have eaten there many times with out-of-town consultants from my job who eat everything seafood on the menu and rave about, so that is why I know their seafood is awesome. I can only testify to the absolute awesomeness of their buffalo wings and draft beer. Ernie's is 100% casual in atmosphere; as long as you have a bottom, a top, and shoes, you are good to go there. They have two levels of dining. I love to eat on the second floor, which has a large rooftop bar, a covered deck for dining and drinking, and a view of South Federal Highway that is actually pretty interesting. They have parking right next to the restaurant and also have purchased or leased spaces from the business across the street for more of their customers to park legally. I have always managed to find a legal spot to park there, even when it is very busy. They are located on South Federal Highway, also known as US 1, north of SR 84 and the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and south of SE 17th Street Causeway; you can't turn into it directly from northbound Federal; you have to pull a u-turn north of it, but you can pull into it directly from southbound Federal at the corner of SE 19th Street. If you are staying at hotels on South Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale, SR 84 (also called SE 24th Street), SE 17th Street Causeway, near the Port Everglades seaport, near Broward General Medical Center, etc., then you are close to Ernie's. I highly recommend that visitors to Fort Lauderdale who like to eat hearty dine both at Ernie's and its parent The Floridian during your stay -- their generous portions, wide and varied menus, reasonable prices, great atmosphere and yum yum delicious food are a must try.
(5)
Melissa K.
The conch chowder and beef samdwich are excellent. Get the 1/2 sandwich and soup combo. The service is always nice and fast.
(5)
Brian B.
They should be ashamed to call themselves a bbq restaurant. I had the sliced pork sandwich. They do make their own sauce, however, it tasted like spicey tomato water with the same consistency. They also smoke their own meat, well, attempt to. The bimini bread and fries were good. The beer was cold. If you want real bbq in Ft Lauderdale go 3 blocks down the road to Tom Jenkins' bbq (thats another review;)
(1)
Pearl C.
This is the most disgusting and nastiess restaurant i have been to,the carpet is horrible and has not been cleaned in ages,flies and mosquitoes everywhere,the only edible thing was the bread.
(1)
Lauren R.
The Ernie's special is pretty good. The chowder did seem like it came out of a can. Although it's worth going there for the Bimini bread alone
(3)
Fred S.
My mother often told me that if you have nothing nice to say, then don't say anything at all. But my mother has the luxury of never having dined at Ernie's. Words are insufficient to describe the depth of my newly found and red hot HATE for this Ft. Lauderdale landmark. We were there on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Place was virtually empty with the exception of the bar area, and it appeared as though the patrons cozied up to the bar had the good sense to not eat. Subpar is good in golf, not in cuisine, and if it had even made subpar I might have given it 2 stars, partly for the sheer entertainment value of watching the surly wait staff chew up customers. Mostly hilarious. If you are a fan of really, really bad French onion soup and cardboard, then I can cheerily suggest the drywall moist pork slathered in the house "BBQ sauce." If, on the other hand, you are not a fan of dried out, flavorless pork swimming in chunky onion sauce, then you might want to try the one-of-a-kind coconut shrimp. On second thought, don't. Ever. There is much better bbq available in the area. After this experience, something from a can would probably get a better rating.
(1)
Di A.
Great food, huge portions, excellent service and friendly staff. Will definitely go back
(5)
Elissa R.
I have to say this was one of the worst barbecue places I've been to. First, the bimini bread was challah bread. Second, the place needs a major makeover. I know it's old, but its old and rundown. The three of us in my party ordered barbecue pork. Unlike the barbecue pork you get at most restaurants that comes on a plate and you can add your own sauce, this one looked like it had come out of a crockpot, already swimming in juices. It was serves with no other barbecue sauce. When I asked for once, they brought a cup of the slimy crockpot stew. My brother, who is a barbecue fiend, couldn't even eat half of it. The corn and fries it came with were good though. The portion, itself, was huge. The reason I give it two stars is because the server was really nice.
(2)
Kevin C.
All I've heard from locals is how great this place is and how they can't wait to come back if they've moved away. I honestly need to tell them to get out more and to go to Texas to try some real BBQ. The service was good but the food just didn't do anything for me and the BBQ sauce was very soupy and didn't have a good flavor.
(2)
Hilda H.
I went in because they were open, I intended to go to Tom Jenkins but they were closed on Sundays. What caught my attention to Ernies besides that was that they have a really cool paint job. The place outside took me back to Scarface were Tony Montana wore a tropical shirt and there was this Miami sunset wall paper. Anyways, i wish i could have found the food just as attractive after all that is the reason why we all go to restaurants mostly. They dont have baby back ribs, their style is St Louie's ribs and they are full of lard and heavy charded. My plate also brought their famous Bimini bread,corn and cole slaw along with their BBQ chicken. I ate the breast and the wing and it was just plain OK. The chicken needed some season because it had no taste. The worst part of the experience was that when i cut into the leg and thigh aspect my chicken was RAW, the meat was completely uncooked and it was bleeding (you can see the picture). I also had ordered the conch chowder, they swear by this. Their conch chowder was plainly blend, mostly vegetables, it tasted like tomato can soup and there was barely any conch left. Our server came to check on us just twice, i had to get up a couple of times to get water and drink refills. If you want really amazing conch chowder try Aruba beach cafe, the portion is more than enough for two for the same price and it truly is house made. I will never be caught dead in this place, the manager never came to apologies for the raw chicken incident and really the service was as mediocre and as poor as the food. when i went the place only had three costumers inside. If their service and food doesn't change for good this place will not be open for long. This is very sad to me i continue on my hunt for great BBQ. Its very hard to get amazing BBQ here in S.Florida, whenever i crave it so badly i have to go to Daytona were hands down its the best BBQ that Ive ever had so far.
(1)
Atom U.
I don't do BBQ or fish or any of that so I can't talk about how great or how horrible most of the menu is. What i can tell you, is that the beer is cold, tequila well stocked. The fries are good, and the grilled cheese on Bimini bread is awesome. Most waitresses / bartenders are also nice. The upstairs patio overlooking the always insane US-1 is fun.
(3)
Paul D.
This place has become kind of a tradition to stop at whenever we first arrive in Fort Lauderdale. Generally, the food and beer is OK and the atmosphere is, well, Dirty ernie's. This past trip we ordered the conch chowder which was great as always. We also ordered the beef bbq dinner and the pork bbq dinner. Both were mediocre at best. There was a lot of food served but both the beef and pork were overcooked and dry even though it was swimming in some weird sauce. The bimini bread does not seem like the same recipe I remember from years past.
(3)
Rosita R.
All we can say for this place is that it's not your typical BBQ joint. The service was good, the Bimini Bread was great. However if you want traditional keep going north to Tom Jenkins or Hickory Sticks.
(2)
Chris D.
Loved this place! All the food was cooked and prepared very well. The service was great and the atmosphere was relaxed. We will definitely be back next time we are in the area. We highly recommend the chicken wings, ribs and the stuffed tomato salad!
(4)
Yvette R.
I would have to say if you want to go and have some drinks this is a good place because it's kind of empty and the bartender will actually serve you without having to wait but if you're going to order food good luck in trying to get a waitress because the skinny lady totally ignores you and even though they're all at the cash register when you walk in the door they seem totally oblivious that you just walked in the door and they're just talking about money and stuff. standing there for a good 5 minutes and I realized that you have to seat yourself . the atmosphere is kind of like for old fogies and the food is not that great I ordered the ribs and then the bread with bbq ribs its supposed to be BBQ ribs but it was a barbecue soup and really liquidly like water with chunks of onions and a table spoon of coleslaw I ordered a Kiwi pie and it tasted like cheesecake so I'm not going back there again
(2)
T. C.
The conch chowder is the best. I've been visiting this place for years. I love their bimini bread, too.
(5)
JL Q.
I've been visiting Ernie's since 1986 when I had my first vacation to Ft Lauderdale. One year I cam so often to get anything with conch in it that I coined the term being "conched out". Well, after this recent visit, I think I've finally reached that point. I have always enjoyed coming to Ernie's but the conch fritters I got recently were cooked in oil that was too hot, leaving them with a burnt taste. There was too much of a hard crust on the outside of each fritter. They are also tasteless without the cocktail sauce they serve with it. Since there are so many other places to get GREAT fritters at, I won't be making a trip in from the Springs for them anymore. Instead of world famous, I called them worst ever. Every since The Floridian on Las Olas took over this venerable institution on Federal Highway, they have struggled to give this place an identify. Well, the one it had before it started changing hands was fine and worked for decades. You shouldn't have gone messing with it. If you want to bring back what it had, go and look at all the menu items and compare them to what was on the menu 25 years ago. Prepare it just like it was then, and/or delete it from the menu if you can't do it right. And the first thing you should do is get rid of the sarcastic, caustic, OLD complaining waitress with the euro-trash accent. That kind of pissy attitude works much better at Dick's Last Resort. I wouldn't be throwing around any insults if I was you, lady, because your day in the spotlight has come and faded.
(2)
Jana O.
The food was amazing the place was clean and fun and Ashley our waitress was top-notch service. Definitely a must when you're in the area.
(5)
Bill S.
This restaurant has been here since 1957 or so and is a Fort Lauderdale institution. The food is good, but not great. This place is much more fun with a large group of people.
(3)
Dave G.
After years of living here, we finally decided to check it our for lunch. The menu looked great and the prices seem to be a great value for the area. Our waitress brought us our Iced Tea and then we waited 10 minutes and never saw her again. She was also the bartender but was no where to be seen. We left the money for the tea on the table and left. I really wanted to love this local joint but if this is what the service was like, I guess it will be a long time until I make it back.
(1)
Bill B.
Love the Bimini bread and they have decent conch chowder. A little over priced but ok. Service just depends on the day, and food is right down the middle of the road. Not really good BBQ..so not sure if they should consider themselves a BBQ spot.. But overall a good taste of old FL
(3)
Jason B.
I am a HUGE fan of this unique, tangy BBQ. The ribs are always falling off the bone and the food always comes out quick. Let's be honest, however...this place is a dive. Its been around forever and is super casual. But don't let the appearance fool you! I recommend sitting on the patio upstairs. Plenty of tvs, fresh air, and fast service. I always get the Rib dinner which comes with corn on the cob, coleslaw, Bimini bread, and a full rack of ribs. Mmmm...I'm salivating just typing about it!
(4)
Lissa g.
Great! a taste of old Ft. lauderdale, with good food and a great rooftop view! Try the Ahi Tuna Sandwich on Bimini Bread! awesome!
(4)
Tina T.
The pulled pork sandwich was good.. The atmosphere seemed a little racist..I ate here twice... Nothing really stands out in my memory besides this
(2)
Alejandro D.
I was expecting some BOMB BBQ...Oh was I disappointed! The BBQ sauce was NASTY! It looked like a sloppy mess!
(1)
El B.
Had a 4 hour layover at the Ft Lauderdale Hollywood airport, was looking for some good food to pass the time. Saw the reviews, and cruised over to check it out. We sat on the second floor by the railing, and enjoyed the view of the street while sipping on some cold refreshments and eating a large amount of food. I tried the following: Beef sandwhich and conch chowder, potato skins, onion rings, pork and chicken plate with cole slaw and bimini bread, and a pitcher of beer. The food was amazing, loved the smokiness of the pork, and the bbq sauce was decent also. This huge meal set us back about $40 so for me it was a great meal and a great deal. Definitely recommend it to anyone in the area looking for cool ambience, and good food. Oh, almost forgot that our waitress (forgot her name, blonde girl) was very friendly and had several menu suggestions, and was prompt with service.
(5)
Jason A.
Wasn't impressed with some of the food, but the conch fritters are awesome, fried catfish was great, the open faced sandwich was great a little too much sauce but great non the less. The Bimini bread was great very fresh.
(3)
Chrissy S.
Disappointing service and mediocre food. Sat upstairs on the patio. Ordered the sloppy Jo looking for pulled pork. The food was ready 3 minutes after we ordered, which was weird. It seemed it was in a crockpot ready to go. The corn on the cob was awful, tasted like it had been soaking in a pot of water all day. Server was not very good, was more interested chatting with the bar patrons, didn't check on us, and we had to ask for the check after waiting forever.
(2)
James S.
I go there for the conch chowder. It is some of the best and comes with a couple slices of bimini bread. I have not had the bar b que though. It is not anything fancy and is more like a dive bar than a eating establishment. But if you like conch chowder it has some of the best around.
(3)
John G.
Ernie's is a good joint. I like to go upstairs and sit at the patio bar. The conch fritters are really good and it's a really chill atmosphere. The bartenders are pretty friendly, but won't talk your ear off if you are just doing your thing. They remember you though. One bartender remembered me from a single visit over a year ago. They are good about sharing and splitting food and are accommodating. My favorite dish is the buffalo shrimp salad. Real nice. If you are in Fort Lauderdale you gotta go to Ernie's. It's a staple.
(5)
Kevin H.
This place has the slowest service I have ever experienced. Not only that but the food is mediocre at best. You won't catch me there ever again.
(1)
Barbara S.
Having passed Ernie's -BBQ numerous times, friends and I did finally stop in for lunch. The food and service were outstanding. Large portions were the norm. We all had salads with blackened or grilled mahi and thoroughly enjoyed the fresh, moist fish and salad fixings. Ribs looked delicious and I know we will return to try almost everything on the menu. Ashley, our server was friendly, helpful, and very attentive. We will ask for Ashley when we return, though other wait staff staff seemed very busy waiting on their customers. Shame on us for now choosing to dine there sooner. Will make up for lost time.
(5)
Jess K.
This place was pretty much a disaster. The staff was wonderful. Very welcoming and checked on us periodically. But the food??? Yea the restaurant should really just rip up the menu and start over. I had the Caesar salad and buffalo shrimp. My boyfriend had the beef dinner. The salad was ok. But then again, it doesn't take any talent to make a salad. But the shrimp was simply fried and placed in a basket lined with hot sauce. I bit into and it was just nothing but oil and the shrimp was just not clean. I was only able to eat two of the eight. My boyfriends plate was no better. It was literally just a bunch of meat on a plate floating in tomato sauce. The staff was the only good thing we noticed there.
(2)
Connolly F.
Not Impressed... I felt like the bread was around grocery store bakery quality. The conch fritters tasted like hush puppies, nothing special. The conch chowder tasted like canned chili. We took everyone's recommendation and had the sliced pork sandwich, the best part was the sauce and thank goodness for it because the pork was dry as a bone. I hate to go one star but even the service was lame for such a supposed local institution. I wouldn't go back and wouldn't recommend to a friend.
(1)
Tsz-Cheong C.
Ok food. Service staff and kitchen was a bit slow, but very friendly. The food took about 20 minutes to come out. I had the fried fish combo platter. The fish and the batter was a little underseasoned for my taste. My buddy had the ribs, the ribs were ok and the barbecue sauce that were on the ribs were ehhh. I have had better.
(2)
David D.
If your looking for pulled pork. Forget it. This is lean sliced meat. Designed to be slathered in their own special BBQ sauce. Its a home brew sauce with bits of onions and other spices. I have eaten there 3 times and have always had good portions. And pretty decent flavor. The sweet bread is fresher than store Hawaiian bread but thats the flavor and it makes a nice foldover.. Several big TV's with whatever sports games are on. Full Bar, Looks like a local hangout..
(3)
Charlie F.
Had lunch there today. Old Ft. Lauderdale dive with some dive charm, if that makes sense. After reading reviews I expected nothing so after digesting food and my thoughts I say the place isn't as bad as all that. The service was fast, courteous, and the conch chowder very good. I tried the pork sandwich with the Bimini bread and it was pretty good! I may go back. Looks like it may be a fun spot at hppy hour although the neighborhood isn't Las Olas by any stretch.
(3)
Bob H.
A Ft Lauderdale institution, I have been coming here every time I am in town for the last 30 years. Love the conch chowder, and the sandwiches are there own version of BBQ. The servers are always friendly and the beer is always cold. One of my all time favorites.
(4)
Tiffany G.
The menu has grown quite a bit since my childhood, but I still always order my old standby 1/2 BBQ pork sandwich and cup of conch chowder. Always, always add a little bit of the sherry that is on every table to your conch chowder, delish! I would say how many years I've been coming to Ernie's, but I wouldn't want to give away my age! The service is very friendly but can be a little bit slow. It's worth the wait, especially for their Bimini bread and homemade BBQ sauce.
(4)
Kat M.
Been going here for years before & after I fly in and out of Ft. Lauderdale. Awesome BBQ pork sandwiches on Bimini bread, conch chowder and BBQ chicken. Casual atmosphere, staff is very good. Great food you won't be disappointed. Wish we had this a bit closer to our home in Delray a Beach!
(4)
Justin P.
Stopped in here for some late night food. Turns out I was too late and had just missed the last call for food. Sapphire made it happen for me anyways. She brought out a bowl of some of the best conch chowder I've ever had and a ridiculous amount of Bimini bread. Great service and food all around. Be forewarned it has a dive bar feel to it but if you're like me that just makes it better.
(4)
Charles K.
Dive bar, huge portions of mediocre BBQ. should have tried the chowder as recommended.
(2)
Guy C.
Long wait for service although the place wasn't too busy. Ribs were awesome and I don't use that word often. Well worth going! The sides were also tops. Don't expect to be out of there in an hour- its more like 2.
(4)
Joel S.
One of the oddest sauces I have had on bbq. Very heavy and overly tomato based. Visiting from an area that takes bbq and smoked meats seriously I found the flavors lacking.
(2)
Lily L.
Came here for exactly what is says. Conch chowder! & I was not disappointed. Very chill outside bar upstairs. The drinks were strong. I only go for the chowder, so no comment on anything else. Great chowder w/ great atmosphere.
(3)
Brad C.
Pork sandwich was ok but the Bimini bread and BBQ sauce was great. Wish I had gotten the conch chowder. I give it a 7.
(4)
Ty L.
A friend took me took to Ernie's for my bday. BBQ ribs were good. Surprisingly, the look is a bit misleading. I expected a Soul restaurant but this place is predominately white, which was not an issue. Portions were big and hearty. Definitely will be back.
(5)
Brian L.
Short, sweet, and to the point. The conch chowder is very good. It does live up the hype. The bimini bread, which really reminds me of challah, is nice. It is very good to dunk into the chowder. The BBQ was good, although my general preference is more for vinegar than sweet when enjoying BBQ. If you are going for lunch, I would recommend going for a cup of the chowder as having a bowl plus an entree is a lot of food.
(4)
Andy G.
I come often. I agree with all the bad reviews stay away from this place. Leave the Conch Chowder "fake" Bimini Bread and BBQ all for me. Honestly the complaints on here are from people ordering the cheapest thing on the menu, try the ribs or fried fish, it's all good.
(5)
Steven T.
This place was a hot dive! I had asked around town about good BBQ and the locals mentioned Ernie's. We had the conch soup of which was good, but the bread that came with it was out of this world. I'm not much of a bread person, but I ate three large slices of this stuff. It was amazingly soft and fresh with a slight sweet taste. Yummy! Then we ordered the BBQ pork platter and BBQ beef platter. It was delicious and you need to try out the place. It was def more than enough to eat. Service was great and friendly. Give it a shot because these hole in the wall places can be the best of the town.
(4)
Rick Y.
I have to preface this review with the fact that I have been coming to "Dirty Ernie's" since I was 17. Back then Ernie was still at the helm. He'd fit right in with the Tea-Party philosophers if he were still alive. All of the Mr. Dodo sayings painted on the walls have been covered over, redrawn, covered over again, etc. by an endless succession of new owners. Ernie had strange views on taxes, bootleg rum and guns, and people he did not want to serve. I do remember one night he threw out a crew of bikers (Fla's Outlaw Chapter). They came by later that night and blasted out his front windows with a rail mounted 50cal., while the bar was still open. [just a little local color] Since Ernie disappeared for parts unknown, an endless succession of owners have tried to capitalize on this unique little gem and it's spotted past. Sometimes they are perfect, with the menu being so close to the original that I swear Ernie is back in the kitchen. Other times, dismal. BUT I keep coming back. I like the conch chowder and the Bimini Bread, though on a slow afternoon, the bread usually gets stale in the kitchen. I love the pork BBQ. I'll drink whatever beer they have, though I am still partial to St. Pauli's (only at Ernie's, though). New additions are sometimes great, such as the grilled tuna sandwich. AND.....So what if what you order isn't prepared just like you wanted??? Stay at home if you don't want to take a few chances. This place isn't known for it's haute cuisine! You can't beat the view from the top deck. I've wasted quite a few afternoons sitting on the edge, beer in hand, watching the parade of professional girls (mostly girls, but not all) working the street on Federal Highway. Cheap entertainment, mostly high comedy. Point is, Ernie's, though not the original, has not become a franchise and has not become just one more polished den of G-rated, family safe dining. The place is ...... unique.... to Ft. Lauderdale. Brownie's is gone, Lester's is gone (Lester's Bar), The Bloodshot Eye is gone, Nards is gone.... local color is now defined in shades of pastel. Here you can still get a bright splash of brilliant red! Spend an afternoon on the upper deck to get the full picture..... much better enjoyed if you ditch your job for the afternoon.
(4)
Sarah G.
I've been coming to this place for years. I am a fan of their buffalo burgers. They make their own bbq sauce, its not traditional but it tastes really good. The servers are really friendly. You seat yourself at this place. This is definitely a place where you need to know what to order. I'd stick with a burger, their pulled pork, or conch chowder.
(3)
John H.
Sadly, Ernies is not what it was - as far as the BBQ is concerned. I did not finish my fat filled Open Face BBQ sandwich which was drenched in a weird relish based watery "BBQ sauce". Probably still good party bar for a group of friends.
(1)
Martin O.
At Ernie's BBQ, I had a Opened Faced BBQ Pork Sandwich with fries and cold slaw. The pork was thinly sliced and the BBQ sauce sweet with chopped onions on a thick chunk of Bimini bread. I also had a bowl of their Conch Chowder with several larger chunks of the Bimini bread. The restaurant has a large bar area and an upstairs patio. They play '70s music. While I was there, I heard some Doobie Bros, Creedence Clearwater Revival etc. There is parking in front.
(3)
Chris G.
Standard pub fare, friendly staff, good prices, and a roof deck to boot.
(3)
Johnny L.
Sports Bar that serves mediocre BBQ. We came to this place because it was open late and had the giant word "BBQ" written on the side of the building. The place is 2 stories with 2 different kinds of settings. The first floor is like a family sports bar. The second floor is an outdoor patio with blaring music. The service was nice and the menu is pretty large. I got the BBQ sliced pork and sliced beef sandwich with a cup of their "famous conch chowder". My friends ordered some onion rings, and some open faced sandwiches. The BBQ wasn't that good. Simply put. The sliced beef and pork sandwich had no smokey taste or any semblance of bbq flavor. The meat (though very plentiful) didn't really do anything for my taste buds. The bimini bread is great on its own (especially with the conch chowder), but makes a terrible sandwich holding apparatus because it is so soft and falls apart easily. Ended up having to use a knife and fork. The sauce that comes with it wasn't really sauce so much that it was a soup (even had some beans and veggies and such). The open faced sandwiches don't look that much better. The one saving grace was their conch chowder. It really was good. Every spoonful had chunks of meat and veggies. I could really taste the conch in each spoon. AND the slice of bimini bread that comes with it was incredible. Slighty crusty on the outside but just soft and warm on the inside. Perfect for soup dipping. Onion rings were great too. Though it's called a BBQ Joint. Don't come for the BBQ. They have a nice bar and several big-screen TVs. I think the food experience would have been different had I tried non-BBQ items. The review is for trying the namesake BBQ that they offered. They've got burgers, sandwiches, and other things that might entice me to come back (most everything else seemed good). Just don't go for BBQ.
(2)
Amelia R.
I love this place and it is my go to bar whenever in the Lauderdale area. It has been around for a long time so you know they are doing something right. So the bimini bread sandwiches have to be eaten with a knife and fork...so what? Their barbecue sauce is not like the stuff that comes out of the bottle...get over it. And yes, there is a stripper pole upstairs. But, there is also a dart board, a pool table, a jukebox, and typically a large group of slightly intoxicated people. Stay down stairs if you want a family atmosphere, that is why it is there. The food is always good and always fast. Need I remind you it is a bar anyways so you will be receiving bar-like food. The drinks are stiff, the help is friendly, and it is always entertaining. I recommend anyone who is coming to the area to hit Ernie's for a good meal and a good time.
(5)
Gato N.
Visited Fort Lauderdale, and searched for a restaurant nearby with yelp! Seems that the bimini bread is famous at this place so I was excited to try it since I am a big bread eater! I ordered the conch stew which was pretty awesome stuff to try. It came with a huge portion of the bread with butter on the side. The bread was so good, it is slightly sweet and tasted good with the stew. The stew was good also, had a little spiciness to it, but I felt like it could use a little more flavor. I believe the stew was actually called "conch chowder" so I was expecting a creamy soup like clam chowder but it was a tomato base. I also tried the BBQ pork sandwich which was the usual smokey BBQ pork goodness on that famous bread. The BBQ sauce was vinegar based southern style. The service was super quick, this is a must go place when you are feeling hungry!
(4)
Tiff B.
get the conch chowder. i visit fort lauderdale at least four times a year and ernie's is one of my favorite restaurants. as other reviewers have mentioned, it's a bit of a hole in the wall, but it's a consistently good hole in the wall that i make sure to visit every time. sit upstairs if the weather is nice, spring for the large bowl, and get extra butter for the bimini bread; if you have reasonable expectations you won't be sorry.
(5)
Marie O.
Okay... so Im giving this 5 stars based on what I ate there and I have no clue about the value or taste of anything else.... so with this being said, the pork plate or open pork sandwich are the way to go!!!! Its very relaxed and chill upstairs! The beer is a decent price for not being a happy hour time that we went, but the sliced thinly pork with the most yummiest oniony, slightly vinegary, warm barbecue sauce if off the chain... especially with the soft bimini bread and yummy corn on the cob!! I will be back every time just for this, and btw the portion was huge!!
(5)
Tanya G.
Its a hard place to get with all the us 1 traffic but its worth a try if you like fall off bone ribs,ill be back service was decent,, Im new to writing reviews so im writing this for dining i did 2 weeks ago,but if its still in my mind it must be good
(3)
Nicole S.
My husband had heard this place was awesome, so I let him order food to go from there (even though Yelp warned me). The best thing about the whole meal was the bimini bread they used for the sandwiches. Apparently there is some debate whether this is or is not actual bimini bread. I have not had it other than here (I don't think) so I have no authority to judge. It's fresh and a little sweet. The conch chowder was like a veggie soup, which would be good if I had ordered that, but, like others, expect it to be cream-based. PLEASE rename the soup for Pete's sake! The meat was ok at best. No flavor whatsoever. Had a pork and beef sandwich in our order. Neither was particularly good. Ok, not going back... I didn't barf, so I'm giving it 2 stars, even though it probably deserves just one. But they got my order correct and I ate a little bit of everything. (I was starving, but whatever....) P.S. I worry about the individuals that scored this place really well, they apparently have not experienced really good food -- it is a sad day in America when a person has not had at least one 5 star meal. (**moment of silence**) ;)
(2)
Mark M.
Sliced pork sandwich is great, have it every time I visit.
(4)
Kevin K.
The conch chowder is the best! i'm a south Florida native and I've had everyone and their bahamian momma's chowder and I'd swear by Earnie's. the BBQ is great and i love their sauce.
(5)
Robert C.
The food is good but BBQ sauce is tomato based and to me this is not BBQ but all is well food is good. And I walked out happy
(2)
Dave P.
OK, my harsh review is based on the fact that they have BBQ. Let me be clear. THEY THINK THEY HAVE BBQ. Most of the rest of us would disagree. So we were looking to go to a much better BBQ venue that's a little north of here and starts with a "P", but we ran out of time so this colorful place was close and we took a chance. Upon entering, we noticed it was a dumpy dive bar. Maybe even a dumpy, trashy, biker bar. OK, that's OK. Were here for the food. Upstairs to the outdoor deck we go. Yep, dumpy up here to but at least there were some breezes. So the very friendly waitress stops by. No, she really wasn't that friendly, but the 4 rum and cokes I had on the plane helped her out a little. So after our beers arrive and a perusing of the menu, we both settle on the "Sloppy Pete" sandwich. Hers with sweet potato fries, mine with regular fries. So food shows up in a timely manner and I am perplexed. In my slightly buzzed state I ask my wife what we ordered. She replied that we ordered a pork sandwich. Well folks I may be a yankee, or at least considered one, but when I order a sandwich, It comes between TWO slices of some form of bread. This had one very thick slice of what they would call bimini bread. It was in fact an open faced sandwich as they say. They advertised an open face sandwich which is why we went with this one. Because we didn't want it! Oh well. Now onto the new problem. What is that piled on top of said bread?? It sure as shit doesn't look like pork?? Waitress comes back and she verifies it is pork and we received what we ordered. OK. Moving on. Dig in. Hmmm. Try again. Hmmmm. Once more. Hmmmm. I look at my wife and I ask her to tell me what she thinks it is? She said it looks and tastes like "sloppy joe" mix from a can, IE "manwich". I laugh and say holy shit you are right!!! Yes, it was comical that they were trying to pass this off as some form of bullshit BBQ! Fries were standard. But as with many places like this, I went in expecting shit, and It didn't disappoint. I just prefer my shit sandwich to be between TWO pieces of bread, not on top of one! In a previous review, someone said that the local outlaw biker chapter came by one night and shot out the front windows of this place. I'm willing to bet they had the same "sandwich" I did. Now if I just wanted to hang out in a dive bar and drink some beers, this place would suffice. It just didn't do it for my BBQ hunger. Sorry Ernie, wherever you are.
(1)
Alycia W.
This place is a hole in the wall, but is pretty cool especially if you go upstairs to eat. I don't know how their BBQ is though as I've opted for non BBQ items everytime I've gone. On the way up the staircase is this weird trippy black light place, but then when you get upstairs there are tv's and a second bar (the first is downstairs). This place is kind of diner-ish even though it's not a diner the service is very similar to one. I have always gotten good quick service here, if you want your server to wait on you hand and foot this is not the place... The Monte Cristo sandwich is the s*** seriously it's sooooo good and sooooooo bad for you. Obviously since I've eaten it plenty of times before the positives outway the negative (5 billion calories) for me. They don't have any drink specials which I don't like. Well at least on liquor they don't have specials, IDK about beer though. Also the bimini bread is pretty okay, similar to challah, but no where near as good as Bimini Boatyard's bimini bread. So overall I would say this is a nice hole in the wall not a 5 star dining experience, but its definitely a place to check out as it's been around for nearly 30 years longer than I've been alive.
(3)
Elena C.
As locals and never having been to Ernie's, we decided to give the place a shot. Their claim to fame is their conch chowder and Bimini bread. A small cup of the conch chowder is almost $6, so I ordered expecting something amazing. When it arrived and I took my first bite, it was all carrot and no conch. There was almost no conch in my entire cup. It was not good. It tastes like a tangy tomato soup...but that's it. I also ordered the shredded pork sandwich and started to feel sick. Bimini bread didn't taste like Bimini bread. Tasted like regular white bread, not the sweet and buttery deliciousness I expected. Service was slow and mediocre l. I never plan on returning.
(1)
Erik B.
I've been coming to Ernie's for my entire life. In fact, my mom has been coming Ernie's for just abot HER entire life as well. This place is a Ft Lauderdale institution. It's been through a few different iterations and while the decor may not be quite as nutjob-libertarian as it used to be, the food has always been spot on. The downstairs has a bar and seating in blissfully cold a/c. The upstairs has a bar and an open-air patio. I love the patio, but the cigarette smoke can get annoying if it's busy. First off, if you come here you absolutely MUST have conch. Either in fritters, chowder, or salad (think ceviche-ish), conch is a must-have. Just please, for the love of god, don't pronounce it like it's spelled. It's pronounced conK, not conCH. Nothing will brand you as a Yankee or a Canadian faster than asking for conCH chowder. My typical Ernie's meal is a platter of conch fritters and a bowl of spicy conch chowder with sherry dribbled in. Amazing. They also do decent and HUGE pork sandwiches. Nothing like you'd get at a real bbq place like Texas Hold Em, but not too shabby. Again, the reason to come here is the conch. I miss the old Ernie's interior, which was decorated wall to wall with strange paintings of a bird (seagull? Pelican?) spouting libertarian screeds about death to the govt, don't pay taxes, etc etc. It was super Florida-funky. It's still got the local, dive bar vibe but it's also missing a certain edge. Still, order the conch and you won't go wrong.
(4)
John R.
This is, quite possibly, the worst meal I have eaten in quite some time. Conch fritters tast like stuffing, conch chowder tastes like it was made in 1985, Bimini bread is nothing more than somewhat stale tasteless bread. I came hungry and left turned off. The waitress was sloppy, spilled my water all over me, dropped food on the tables and chairs. Just an overall miserable experience.
(1)
Tobi G.
Use to be called Dirty Ernie's, but that was years ago. We still like to go and enjoy the food no matter what they call it. The conch chowder and the Bimini Bread are the best in town. We also enjoy the BBQ Beef and BBQ Pork Sandwiches. You can eat down stairs or try the upper deck. Price is right. Very casual. Hope you enjoy.
(4)
Craig B.
This restaurant serves the worst food I have ever had. We stopped in to kill some time while waiting to pick someone up at the airport. First impression was that it was empty on a Saturday night. Whenever I see that, I wonder how long the food has been sitting around. Physically, the property is a dump and it smells. I tried the BBQ beef sandwich. The meat resembled roast beef slices but had a lot of gristle and fat on it. The meat was hard to chew through and had no seasoning whatsoever. Completely tasteless except for the chewy fat. There was "Barbecue" sauce on it. The BBQ sauce was really vinegar with chunky salsa in it. Tasted disgusting. Sent the order back. The wife-unit ordered the conch fritters. They were a strange color, one not usually associated with conch fritters so I didn't try them. She tried a bite and almost gagged. We disassembled the fritter and could not identify what anything was, especially the dark mass in the center. We sent them back. The waitress behind the bar agreed that the fritters are really bad there. The service was very slow considering how few people were there. The bartender with the giant fake cans has a snotty attitude and tried to blame us for their horrible food. She's better suited for work in the "Entertainment" industry, but only on the B-shift. I suppose if you work nearby and want a quick beer after work, it'll do but why bother, the re are a lot of bars in this area. If you decide to try the food, well, you have been warned.
(1)
Roland S.
The food here was okay, but not really good, and certainly not up to the hype. We spent an evening here with a largish group; we just had to check out the place since it's a local institution. The political scrawlings on the wall were interesting, and the place was generally friendly. The thing they're known for, the BBQ sauce, was passable but not special - thin and not terribly flavorful. The bimini bread was pretty good, authentic or not I don't know, but the chowder didn't seem like anything special. The service here was friendly but slow and not always on the ball. I can't imagine I'll go to this place again.
(2)
k a.
Generic bar food. my friends did like their bimini bread for their sandwiches. It was pretty convenient because it was close to the airport and made it an easy place to rendezvous for our group while waiting on our many different flight schedules
(3)
Sultan A.
The beef was not good at all. The bread is normal. Service is slow and not exit. The corn is good.
(1)
Peter D.
Great place, filled with locals. BBQ beef sandwich never let's you down
(4)
Patrick C.
Disappointed. Stopped here with some friends after the boat show. Have driven by for years and always heard good things. Turned out to be one of the worst meals I have ever punished myself with. The whole group agreed. Smoked fish dip was nasty. Way too salty and fake liquid smoke flavor. Conch fritters were almost tasteless. Seemed like leftover Stove Top stuffing that was fried. Chicken quarter was way overlooked and dry. I won't beat up on the ribs too bad as I know that generally, the masses enjoy "fall-off-the-bone". They were definitely that. More like boiled so long that the bones began to break down and hollowed out. Ears of corn were way overdone and soggy. Cole slaw was good. Iced tea was great. Checked it off the list and won't be back.
(1)
Jimmi L.
As always Great Food! Fast service and nice place! If you get a chance GO! I have been going here for almost 16 years. It's well worth it!
(5)
Mike A.
A poor attempt at BBQ
(1)
Scott D.
I'm not from the area, but have been coming to Ft. Lauderdale for years visiting family. My wife and I always stop for the conch fritters and chowder. The bar has been spruced up in the last decade, but the fritters and chowder are still the same.
(4)
Kyle H.
I did not like ernies at all. I thought there BBQ sauce was not good at all and there bread was not good. none of it impressed me. It was reccomded to us by a friend and it just was not a pleasent experience. it is dirty it has no view and THERE IS A STRIPER POLE on the INSIDE! NOT A PLACE FOR A FAMILY!!! NOT RECCOMENDED
(1)
Tiffin D.
Wow, a step back in time. A 70's theme bar that has a pacemaker and just keeps on ticking. They have paint and they know how to use it. The outside of the building is bright orange with black palm trees. The stairs from the downstairs dining area up to the upstairs open covered patio is painted aqua blue with fish and lit solely by black lights. And the outside door to the Women's bathroom upstairs has a poster of topless women advertising the month of February. True 70's class, I love dives like these. Mid-week the place is packed during lunch hour with close by locals out for lunch, mostly in their 50's, some in shorts, some in dress shirts. Their small parking lot gets full enough that they have complimentary valet parking. The big draw here is the big food. As for quality and execution, well, why do you need that, it is big food for big people. I tried the pork BBQ, that is one weird dish. Bimini bread (think 1" cuts of slightly sweet Wonder Bread) filled with 4 to 5-inch pile of thin 1/16" slices of pork (made me think deli roast beef), served with a side of vinegar BBQ sauce. The pork was a little tough, overcooked, smoked a good deal and somehow really salty. The vinegar sauce was made by a far distant relative of North Carolina that lived in Texas, it had tomato sauce in it and a ton of cooked diced onion. I sort of liked the sauce at the time, but the lingering onion turned me off of it after the meal. The BBQ sandwich wasn't good, it wasn't awful, but it did round out my BBQ survey of the country (and I don't need to ever order it again). I had half a sandwich that I wasn't sure what to do with the next day, other than give me great guilt that 10 oz of salty smoky overcooked pork was sitting in my refrigerator. The local word is that the BBQ joint down the road, Tom Jenkin's, is better and at Ernie's you should stick with the other items on the menu. (The open outdoor patio upstairs is covered, has ceiling fans and allows smoking, if you need nicotine to eat.)
(3)
Michael S.
Have been going here since the 70's. It has either slowly slid down hill or my tastes and expectations have risen but I don't think it is me. I still seek the dives and holes in the wall but they need to be doing a bit more than resting on their past glory. They need to maintain. The last time I had the conch chowder the few pieces of conch I could find tasted like burnt erasers. The bimini bread was still great but the pork was just not up to par. There are so many places doing pork now that they just need to pay a little more attention to what they are preparing. I hope Ernies is around for another 30-40 years but I also hope they pick up their game a little.
(2)
Laurie H.
My Fiance and I visited Ernie's last evening (2/6/14) and had terrible/NO service! We went directly to the upstairs outside patio and sat down to join just two other tables which were occupied on the patio. We sat and talk for amongst ourselves and never had any of the 3 waitress approach our table even though they went to the table right next to us and cleaned several tables in the area. Then a 4 women walked in, sat down and were instantly greeted by a waitress. That was it, we were frustrated and left, near the staircase there was a waitress standing in the doorway and saw how we were mad and said to us 'it wasn't my turn to serve you/a table'! What! Absolutely ridiculous and unsatisfactory. Where is the management? Obviously need to train your wait staff about customer service. It will be a long time before we return, if ever to this restaurant. Went around the block to an Italian restaurant and had an excellent dining experience.
(1)
Joshua M.
BBQ, Really? This place has nothing to do with BBQ. The pork sandwich leaves something to be desired. They have a decent conch chowder (it is a red chowder not a cream chowder, which is what a conch chowder should be). The Bimini bread is decent but nothing to write home about. Neither of these things would ever lead someone to consider this a BBQ restaurant. On a side note they have some pretty radical fiscal posters on the wall. Didn't bother me but it could bother someone who gets offended by others political opinions. I thought they were funny because the posters showed a complete lack of understanding. If the posters had good points they certainly didn't make them.
(2)
Susan E.
First time here. Waitress kept apologizing but I didn't know why - nothing was askance. Service and food were FANTASTIC!!!!!! BBQ sauce was AMAZING!!!!!!!!! LOVED this place. Will go back again and again and again!!!!!!!!!!
(5)
Dave J.
Cool old style bar. Had seen Ernie's BBQ before and decided to stop for lunch. I had Conch Chowder, Chicken Cheese Steak and Iced Tea. The chowder was good but just slightly lacking in the amount of Conch. Not too surprising considering the price of Conch these days, it was served with a huge slice of Bimini Bread. The bread was excellent. The chicken cheese steak was huge and excellent, it's served on 2 thick slices of toasted Bimini bread. If you're wearing a nice shirt wear a bib for this one. The iced tea was very good also. Prices very fair with huge portions. Lots of locals, not touristy with good service. I'll be back.
(3)
Bernardo A.
I found Ernie's BBQ the week I moved to Ft. Lauderdale. I didn't know anyone and I found myself hungry while driving home at 9:00pm after an entire day of house-hunting. There were five or six police cruisers parked in Ernie's parking lot that night so, of course, I slammed on my breaks and found a parking spot. Ernie's is a bar and a restaurant. Their conch chowder is the best in the area and goes perfectly well with a cold beer. I also happen to like their vinegary BBQ. It's not sticky sweet but savory with a bite. The left-over sauce is great for dipping your bimini bread. The service is fine but there is a marked difference between the way regulars get treated and casual guests get treated so that might turn some people off. Mind you, they are not rude to strangers or anything like that, but they do treat their regular customers like family. People tend to either love Ernie's or hate it. I happen to love it because sometimes (I'm paraphrasing an Elite Yelper here, Michelle C. from Miami)... good food doesn't need to be great as long as you have good company and a great place to chill. Ernie's, for me, is a great place to chill...and a sure place to find a cop if you ever need one!
(4)
Lori O.
I've eaten here many times, love the chicken wings and bimini bread. There's a nice outdoor area to sit upstairs and have a beer while you wait for the grub. It's been around a long time, has my recommendation!
(5)
Mark B.
Conch chowder and Bimini bread. Local bar serving good drinks.
(4)
Jeff F.
The conch salad is solid. The Bimini bread was a big thick fluffy white bread if thats your thing its not mine. Pork BBQ dinner sucked. It was sliced deli pork in bbq sauce not real BBQ.
(2)
Melissa W.
Hubby and I had the conch stew, half sandwich and a burger. Everything was great and super sized.
(3)
Steve N.
I really enjoyed this place. I was in Ft. Lauderdale for work and looking for a place to eat dinner. I drove by and noticed two cop cars in the parking lot. Knowing that the cops usually know the best places to eat I pulled in. That theory proved correct. I got a pork sandwich. An amazing bbq sauce comes on the side. I loved every bite. They make their own bread there too which is amazing. I would go back in a heartbeat.
(5)
Scott D.
Good predictable BBQ when you need it.
(3)
Scotto B.
Delicious! If you want conch chowder, conch fritters, or the best sweet tea in fort lauderdale - this is the place for you! The Bimini Bread is available to purchase by the loaf - I highly recommend it!
(4)
Cheryl K.
I thought it was pretty tasty and they had very cold beer and that's always a plus. We had ordered the rib and chicken platter and the pork and chicken platter. It came with a large corn on the cobb and coleslaw and bread, good bread at that. Also, the ribs were the best we ever had. For sure when we come back through Fort Lauderdale, FL we will be stopping here for sure
(5)
Eric D.
Well I had high hopes going into this place....I had heard lots of good things about this place from some friends who grew up in lauderdale. I was told i needed to try a few things that were renowned there. The Bimini bread, conch chowder, and conch fritters. I have to say they did make some damn good chowder. And the bimini bread is also very good. The conch fritters were a let down. While not the worst fritters ever, far from the best. Not enough conch taste in them, and way to much dough. The pork sandwich was also good, although if you get the open face sandwich, its more like a pile of shaved pork resting on a piece of bread....quite a meal. Overall the place was a good stop on the way to the airport. Also a side note, the best seats are upstairs and outside ( if the weather is nice), however the server told us that upstairs we couldnt get draft beer, only by the bottle....kinda odd
(3)
Kristine F.
The food and service were good. Not great, not a restaurant I'd go back to. Portions are huge. Bread is really good. I had the beef open face sandwich, When they say that your meat is smothered in BBQ sauce, they mean it. I myself didn't like the BBQ sauce, they had Sweet Baby Rays on the table and I should have asked for their sauce on the side. It is a tomato based sauce that is thin with onions on it. It wasn't real vinegary, but they have vinegar on the table. There was a smoke ring on the meat, however it didn't taste smoked, and there wasn't any smokey smell inside or outside of this place. So I'm not sure how the pink ring got there.... ANY WHO... Not horrible, just not great.
(2)
Natalie S.
There is nothing BBQ about Ernie's BBQ....Im not even sure how they thought whatever they put together and plated it as BBQ, became a thought in the first place. Yuck!
(1)
RayChill M.
This place is a family favorite. Every time my father comes down here the first stop is ernie's. then he has to tell us all AGAIN that if he found out he had one last meal to eat before he died, this would be it. I even take him a loaf of bimini bread and a quart of sauce when I fly up to see him. This is for real. I of course love it too, the bread is perfect, the sauce is perfectly flavored for me and the conch salad is easily the best I've had. Love this place. I only gave it four stars because every time I go I get the same thing. BBQ sandwich, conch salad and a beer. Anything else, I have no idea
(4)
Sherry R.
yuk...really wanted to like this place...uninspired bbq...better place down the block.
(1)
Aunkhofmishra ..
The only bad thing is that the portion are huge. But even with that complaint, you get the most bang for your buck. It has a very old Americana restaurant/ bar. Staff is friendly. I ordered the appetizer of mushrooms and it seemed like they were never ending. I also had the Monte Carlo. It was delicious. I never had a sandwich that required maple syrup. I would definitely go there again.
(4)
Stephen F.
I've been stopping in for the last decade or so. It's not fancy but the food is delicious. The sauce is a mix of a vinegar and ketchup, somewhat soupy but perfect for getting absorbed into the the fresh Bimini bread. The coleslaw is something that I'd put up against KFC, in other words delicious. the service is always friendly and attentive. In my opinion it's better than 3 stars.
(4)
Michelle H.
My husband took me some where new today! I definitely like the laid back atmosphere. The food was great. Big portions, so you can take food home for later. We sat on the roof top deck, on a beautiful sunny day. We ordered the Greek Salad, Monte Cristo Sandwich, and smoked fish dip. So yummy! Our server/bartenders name was Ashley. Such a sweet heart. Very attentive and knowledgeable on the menu. Its mid day on Saturday so the traffic is kind of heavy. You end up hearing every car horn, acceleration, and breaks. No biggie. If you don't mind a little street noise.
(4)
Byron D.
OMG..the barBque beef is to die for ..that sauce is amazing and the bimini bread..I keep wanting to try the fish spread because every time i'm at this place people are buying it carry out!! Wife and I always share the bbq beef sandwich and fries..more than enough for 2!!
(5)
Clay P.
I just enjoy Ernie's & make a point to stop in when pass thru FLL for a BBQ beef sandwich and cold drink to kill some time take always take a loaf of Bimini bread along for later make greats french toast . Friendly service open late and Sundays .
(4)
Chris J.
A little 'rough around the edges' yet this place has a nice mix of patrons, young and old - a good sign of a good place. Nice menu with good selection of seafood/bar food, nice prices. The 2nd story open seating area has a nice breeze to enjoy the south Florida winter weather. Service is good. With my amount of travel, I'm always looking for this type of place to grab a beer and a good bite to eat, while enjoying the local people. Worth the stop ;)
(4)
MICHELLE C.
My salesman at my car dealership wanted me to take a car out for a drive and go eat lunch to discuss with my husband if I liked it. This area has a ton of fast food establishments around. We saw this place and thought why not give them a try. Pretty cool place once inside. They have a dining area downstairs with a large bar area then upstairs they have a nice open patio. It's ancient, dive bar, not sure how long this place has been here but you can smell the spilled beer which I'm sure there have been many crazy nights here. Our server gave us great service. I started with a shocktop draft beer and we ordered conch fritters. A large basket came out, plentiful heavily breaded and they were large. They were not that good as you couldn't really taste any conch from all the batter. I decided to order a pork sandwich with fries on Bimini bread. Prices are very reasonable. From the picture you can see how large this sandwich was. Crazy, enough for two people for sure. The Bimini bread was amazing. The cole slaw was delicious, creamy and such great flavor. Fries were good as well. Now the pork was just ok. It was sliced very bland as I prefer some smokiness and more flavor. The cup of sauce was odd, was this BBQ sauce, not real sure I have ever tasted BBQ sauce like this. It was a thin sauce with onions and I believe peppers in it. Was not a big fan of their sauce at all. Cool place to grab a beer eat ok food. Good service and the prices you can't beat especially for the portion sizes.
(3)
Keith B.
Swamp a que. This was a description at the table. Not sure what exactly I ate. More i think about the more unsure i get about this place. Ordered a bbq pork and chicken platter. It came swimming in some light weird bbq broth...can't even call it sauce bc it wasn't thick. Lot of it though. And hence Swamp a que was born. Place is rundown. Dirty. Just not my bag..... Even the bimini bread was just so so...best thing we had though.
(2)
Jack B.
Four of us decided to try this place, as we were getting ready to head out of town. We love to try local places over the chains. So we gave it a shot. The inside was in great shape, I don't know why a reviewer would say its run-down, because its not. We were greeted by the bartender (it was early 11:30am) and he asked us if we needed something to drink, we took a water and diet coke. He said no need to pay him, would be added to our bill. So our friends show up and we head upstairs to the covered outside area and ordered some Conch Fritters, they were good. We then each ordered, I ordered the 1/2 sandwich and 1/2 soup, and the soup was amazing, exactly what I needed, with bread, to dip in the soup. I then had the bbq sandwich which was very good too. I was impressed with the local flavor and the place had a good crowd for a new years day. I would recommend you try it if you get a moment, the food was very good, atmosphere nice and the staff were very friendly and helpful. You could do a lot worse in Ft. Lauderdale!
(4)
Shabba R.
Large variety of food options, including BBQ of course. The food was great when I dined there, drinks were reasonable price and strong, atmosphere was good and it wasn't too loud. There is a full liquor bar. The portions are pretty large, and their "Bimini Bread" is like a soft and slightly sweet version of thick texas toast. Their bbq pork that I got is slicked bbq pork, not pulled like at most bbq joints, so just keep that in mind if you're going there expecting a specific style of meat prep.
(4)
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Address :1843 S Federal Hwy
Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33316
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Divey Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
doug a.
decent place...had the pork open face beause i wanted the cole slaw. i am not a big fan of the b bread but the pork was good sliced and the sause was not my fav but good. ice tea is good. next time I will definelty get the conch chowder
(3)sam a.
Like Corey Patterson on the Cubs, I was SO wanting this place to be great...such great potential. It has all the right ingredients. Great location, history/pedigree, attitude, decor, service. God, I wanted the food to just seal it for me. Alas, it fell short. I have absolutely suffering since coming down here for some great BBQ. And I mean brisket. So, when I saw the beef plate on the menu, my heart skipped a beat. I ordered...and when the nice waitress came with a platter stacked so high, my heart started beating faster and faster....only to be crushed. Its not brisket, just glorified deli meat slices in sauce. Yeah, the portions are HUGE, but the meat was bland. The Bimini bread was great, but man, a BBQ place has gotta have good BBQ. Honestly, I was so disappointed at this point that I gave up on the place there and then. But it has its charms for sure. The upstairs wraparound patio/porch is a great place to get food and beer, and this place is a *BARGAIN* for the portions you get. Its got some colorful history too, a friend told me it used to be named Dirty Ernie's in the 80s, but changed. All in all, a good, almost great find...if only they'd put some flavor into their BBQ. Maybe I got the smokemaster on a bad day...who knows. I'll give them another shot in 6 months.
(3)M. S.
I ate here for lunch last Fall while visiting the area. Although it's not much to look at, the food was great, along with the service. I had the grilled dolphin plate, and my companions had more traditional barbecue items - chicken, beef, etc. Everyone was pleased with their respective meals. The Bimini bread was delicious as well. The prices are very reasonable considering the portion sizes and quality. I would definitely eat here again if given the opportunity, and recommend it highly.
(4)Lance M.
We almost didn't eat here because of bad reviews. Well, yet again yelp was wrong. The food was great only to be out done by the amazing service from Ashley. If you go, beg to be in her section; one of the best waitresses we have had ever. I don't think we would be considered an easy group either. We shoes up with 5 kids ages 5 and up. She treated the whole family like we were her only table that night. Would defiantly go back. A solid 5 star joint.
(5)Jim M.
Our waitress was very busy, working hard. All the bartender was doing was talking th o her friends. No co operating up stairs
(3)Ginny E.
The conch fritters were amazing. Conch salad was tasty. The coconut shrimp was amazing, did not disappoint. Not a fan of the conch chowder though as it was more like chili and I really hate chili. Deffs don't eat it if you're on a date because it was loaded with beans.
(4)Phil A.
Only ol' timers still call it Dirty Ernies....but out of love for this original Florida joint. Im a tradtionalist and get the same everytime, The Special with Pork. This is the standard, a bowl of the best conch chowder with a half ( large by most comparisons) pork sandwich, layered between two massive slices of bimini bread, slobered with their signature sauce. And for good measure a slice of bread to dunk in the chowder.....Topped off with some added sherry for the chowder and a frosty beer, you got the best this lovable dive has to offer. I have made this one of my comfort food places for over 30 years and except for some fresh paint, place is still the same.....hopefully it will never change.
(5)Kara G.
We were driving by and figured we'd check this place out. Glad we did. Service was fast and the food tasted delicious with huge portions. Only 4 stars because we were practically sitting on the people next to us as the place was packed. If we are ever in the area we will go again.
(4)Michelle A.
Always blown away by how great the chowder and BBQ at Ernies is. Such a great place to grab lunch and a beer. Mary Kate was the best waitress ever. Been coming to this place for 25 years and it never disappoints!
(5)David L.
Excellent chowder and the Bimini bread was incredible. I had a turkey burger which appeared fresh and added BBQ sauce which was very good. Highly recommended
(4)Marqus R.
Ernie's is somewhat of a local area institution which has been here for years, but unfortunately I can't say that it is a very good one. It's semi popular with the biker crowd as well as some of those who work in the area and you can have a good time if you're with a large beer guzzling group. For food, however, it's a rather lame duck. The pork is generally dried out, not the most recent of pulls which is generally smothered with a BBQ sauce to cover up its shortcomings. As far as their other BBQ's like ribs, you're much better off heading up the road to Tom Jenkins. Their conch chowder, however, tends to be one of the better features on their menu and their Bahama bread is really the best Bimini bread around.
(3)Susyn S.
"Continues the tradition of its parent, The Floridian, with a nautical flair" If you've read the reviews about the Fort Lauderdale long time staple, the Floridian Restaurant, you will understand why its other restaurant, Ernie's BBQ is also a long-time staple of a seafood bent. It, too, has been around for years. Doesn't get the politicians and celebrity diners like The Floridian does, but it gets the locals that like to eat hearty and love seafood and Bahama bread. Their conch soup and Bahama bread is apparently quite popular (I don't eat seafood). Me, I am in chicken wing heaven when I go there -- obviously I am not a gourmand. I have eaten there many times with out-of-town consultants from my job who eat everything seafood on the menu and rave about, so that is why I know their seafood is awesome. I can only testify to the absolute awesomeness of their buffalo wings and draft beer. Ernie's is 100% casual in atmosphere; as long as you have a bottom, a top, and shoes, you are good to go there. They have two levels of dining. I love to eat on the second floor, which has a large rooftop bar, a covered deck for dining and drinking, and a view of South Federal Highway that is actually pretty interesting. They have parking right next to the restaurant and also have purchased or leased spaces from the business across the street for more of their customers to park legally. I have always managed to find a legal spot to park there, even when it is very busy. They are located on South Federal Highway, also known as US 1, north of SR 84 and the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and south of SE 17th Street Causeway; you can't turn into it directly from northbound Federal; you have to pull a u-turn north of it, but you can pull into it directly from southbound Federal at the corner of SE 19th Street. If you are staying at hotels on South Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale, SR 84 (also called SE 24th Street), SE 17th Street Causeway, near the Port Everglades seaport, near Broward General Medical Center, etc., then you are close to Ernie's. I highly recommend that visitors to Fort Lauderdale who like to eat hearty dine both at Ernie's and its parent The Floridian during your stay -- their generous portions, wide and varied menus, reasonable prices, great atmosphere and yum yum delicious food are a must try.
(5)Melissa K.
The conch chowder and beef samdwich are excellent. Get the 1/2 sandwich and soup combo. The service is always nice and fast.
(5)Brian B.
They should be ashamed to call themselves a bbq restaurant. I had the sliced pork sandwich. They do make their own sauce, however, it tasted like spicey tomato water with the same consistency. They also smoke their own meat, well, attempt to. The bimini bread and fries were good. The beer was cold. If you want real bbq in Ft Lauderdale go 3 blocks down the road to Tom Jenkins' bbq (thats another review;)
(1)Pearl C.
This is the most disgusting and nastiess restaurant i have been to,the carpet is horrible and has not been cleaned in ages,flies and mosquitoes everywhere,the only edible thing was the bread.
(1)Lauren R.
The Ernie's special is pretty good. The chowder did seem like it came out of a can. Although it's worth going there for the Bimini bread alone
(3)Fred S.
My mother often told me that if you have nothing nice to say, then don't say anything at all. But my mother has the luxury of never having dined at Ernie's. Words are insufficient to describe the depth of my newly found and red hot HATE for this Ft. Lauderdale landmark. We were there on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Place was virtually empty with the exception of the bar area, and it appeared as though the patrons cozied up to the bar had the good sense to not eat. Subpar is good in golf, not in cuisine, and if it had even made subpar I might have given it 2 stars, partly for the sheer entertainment value of watching the surly wait staff chew up customers. Mostly hilarious. If you are a fan of really, really bad French onion soup and cardboard, then I can cheerily suggest the drywall moist pork slathered in the house "BBQ sauce." If, on the other hand, you are not a fan of dried out, flavorless pork swimming in chunky onion sauce, then you might want to try the one-of-a-kind coconut shrimp. On second thought, don't. Ever. There is much better bbq available in the area. After this experience, something from a can would probably get a better rating.
(1)Di A.
Great food, huge portions, excellent service and friendly staff. Will definitely go back
(5)Elissa R.
I have to say this was one of the worst barbecue places I've been to. First, the bimini bread was challah bread. Second, the place needs a major makeover. I know it's old, but its old and rundown. The three of us in my party ordered barbecue pork. Unlike the barbecue pork you get at most restaurants that comes on a plate and you can add your own sauce, this one looked like it had come out of a crockpot, already swimming in juices. It was serves with no other barbecue sauce. When I asked for once, they brought a cup of the slimy crockpot stew. My brother, who is a barbecue fiend, couldn't even eat half of it. The corn and fries it came with were good though. The portion, itself, was huge. The reason I give it two stars is because the server was really nice.
(2)Kevin C.
All I've heard from locals is how great this place is and how they can't wait to come back if they've moved away. I honestly need to tell them to get out more and to go to Texas to try some real BBQ. The service was good but the food just didn't do anything for me and the BBQ sauce was very soupy and didn't have a good flavor.
(2)Hilda H.
I went in because they were open, I intended to go to Tom Jenkins but they were closed on Sundays. What caught my attention to Ernies besides that was that they have a really cool paint job. The place outside took me back to Scarface were Tony Montana wore a tropical shirt and there was this Miami sunset wall paper. Anyways, i wish i could have found the food just as attractive after all that is the reason why we all go to restaurants mostly. They dont have baby back ribs, their style is St Louie's ribs and they are full of lard and heavy charded. My plate also brought their famous Bimini bread,corn and cole slaw along with their BBQ chicken. I ate the breast and the wing and it was just plain OK. The chicken needed some season because it had no taste. The worst part of the experience was that when i cut into the leg and thigh aspect my chicken was RAW, the meat was completely uncooked and it was bleeding (you can see the picture). I also had ordered the conch chowder, they swear by this. Their conch chowder was plainly blend, mostly vegetables, it tasted like tomato can soup and there was barely any conch left. Our server came to check on us just twice, i had to get up a couple of times to get water and drink refills. If you want really amazing conch chowder try Aruba beach cafe, the portion is more than enough for two for the same price and it truly is house made. I will never be caught dead in this place, the manager never came to apologies for the raw chicken incident and really the service was as mediocre and as poor as the food. when i went the place only had three costumers inside. If their service and food doesn't change for good this place will not be open for long. This is very sad to me i continue on my hunt for great BBQ. Its very hard to get amazing BBQ here in S.Florida, whenever i crave it so badly i have to go to Daytona were hands down its the best BBQ that Ive ever had so far.
(1)Atom U.
I don't do BBQ or fish or any of that so I can't talk about how great or how horrible most of the menu is. What i can tell you, is that the beer is cold, tequila well stocked. The fries are good, and the grilled cheese on Bimini bread is awesome. Most waitresses / bartenders are also nice. The upstairs patio overlooking the always insane US-1 is fun.
(3)Paul D.
This place has become kind of a tradition to stop at whenever we first arrive in Fort Lauderdale. Generally, the food and beer is OK and the atmosphere is, well, Dirty ernie's. This past trip we ordered the conch chowder which was great as always. We also ordered the beef bbq dinner and the pork bbq dinner. Both were mediocre at best. There was a lot of food served but both the beef and pork were overcooked and dry even though it was swimming in some weird sauce. The bimini bread does not seem like the same recipe I remember from years past.
(3)Rosita R.
All we can say for this place is that it's not your typical BBQ joint. The service was good, the Bimini Bread was great. However if you want traditional keep going north to Tom Jenkins or Hickory Sticks.
(2)Chris D.
Loved this place! All the food was cooked and prepared very well. The service was great and the atmosphere was relaxed. We will definitely be back next time we are in the area. We highly recommend the chicken wings, ribs and the stuffed tomato salad!
(4)Yvette R.
I would have to say if you want to go and have some drinks this is a good place because it's kind of empty and the bartender will actually serve you without having to wait but if you're going to order food good luck in trying to get a waitress because the skinny lady totally ignores you and even though they're all at the cash register when you walk in the door they seem totally oblivious that you just walked in the door and they're just talking about money and stuff. standing there for a good 5 minutes and I realized that you have to seat yourself . the atmosphere is kind of like for old fogies and the food is not that great I ordered the ribs and then the bread with bbq ribs its supposed to be BBQ ribs but it was a barbecue soup and really liquidly like water with chunks of onions and a table spoon of coleslaw I ordered a Kiwi pie and it tasted like cheesecake so I'm not going back there again
(2)T. C.
The conch chowder is the best. I've been visiting this place for years. I love their bimini bread, too.
(5)JL Q.
I've been visiting Ernie's since 1986 when I had my first vacation to Ft Lauderdale. One year I cam so often to get anything with conch in it that I coined the term being "conched out". Well, after this recent visit, I think I've finally reached that point. I have always enjoyed coming to Ernie's but the conch fritters I got recently were cooked in oil that was too hot, leaving them with a burnt taste. There was too much of a hard crust on the outside of each fritter. They are also tasteless without the cocktail sauce they serve with it. Since there are so many other places to get GREAT fritters at, I won't be making a trip in from the Springs for them anymore. Instead of world famous, I called them worst ever. Every since The Floridian on Las Olas took over this venerable institution on Federal Highway, they have struggled to give this place an identify. Well, the one it had before it started changing hands was fine and worked for decades. You shouldn't have gone messing with it. If you want to bring back what it had, go and look at all the menu items and compare them to what was on the menu 25 years ago. Prepare it just like it was then, and/or delete it from the menu if you can't do it right. And the first thing you should do is get rid of the sarcastic, caustic, OLD complaining waitress with the euro-trash accent. That kind of pissy attitude works much better at Dick's Last Resort. I wouldn't be throwing around any insults if I was you, lady, because your day in the spotlight has come and faded.
(2)Jana O.
The food was amazing the place was clean and fun and Ashley our waitress was top-notch service. Definitely a must when you're in the area.
(5)Bill S.
This restaurant has been here since 1957 or so and is a Fort Lauderdale institution. The food is good, but not great. This place is much more fun with a large group of people.
(3)Dave G.
After years of living here, we finally decided to check it our for lunch. The menu looked great and the prices seem to be a great value for the area. Our waitress brought us our Iced Tea and then we waited 10 minutes and never saw her again. She was also the bartender but was no where to be seen. We left the money for the tea on the table and left. I really wanted to love this local joint but if this is what the service was like, I guess it will be a long time until I make it back.
(1)Bill B.
Love the Bimini bread and they have decent conch chowder. A little over priced but ok. Service just depends on the day, and food is right down the middle of the road. Not really good BBQ..so not sure if they should consider themselves a BBQ spot.. But overall a good taste of old FL
(3)Jason B.
I am a HUGE fan of this unique, tangy BBQ. The ribs are always falling off the bone and the food always comes out quick. Let's be honest, however...this place is a dive. Its been around forever and is super casual. But don't let the appearance fool you! I recommend sitting on the patio upstairs. Plenty of tvs, fresh air, and fast service. I always get the Rib dinner which comes with corn on the cob, coleslaw, Bimini bread, and a full rack of ribs. Mmmm...I'm salivating just typing about it!
(4)Lissa g.
Great! a taste of old Ft. lauderdale, with good food and a great rooftop view! Try the Ahi Tuna Sandwich on Bimini Bread! awesome!
(4)Tina T.
The pulled pork sandwich was good.. The atmosphere seemed a little racist..I ate here twice... Nothing really stands out in my memory besides this
(2)Alejandro D.
I was expecting some BOMB BBQ...Oh was I disappointed! The BBQ sauce was NASTY! It looked like a sloppy mess!
(1)El B.
Had a 4 hour layover at the Ft Lauderdale Hollywood airport, was looking for some good food to pass the time. Saw the reviews, and cruised over to check it out. We sat on the second floor by the railing, and enjoyed the view of the street while sipping on some cold refreshments and eating a large amount of food. I tried the following: Beef sandwhich and conch chowder, potato skins, onion rings, pork and chicken plate with cole slaw and bimini bread, and a pitcher of beer. The food was amazing, loved the smokiness of the pork, and the bbq sauce was decent also. This huge meal set us back about $40 so for me it was a great meal and a great deal. Definitely recommend it to anyone in the area looking for cool ambience, and good food. Oh, almost forgot that our waitress (forgot her name, blonde girl) was very friendly and had several menu suggestions, and was prompt with service.
(5)Jason A.
Wasn't impressed with some of the food, but the conch fritters are awesome, fried catfish was great, the open faced sandwich was great a little too much sauce but great non the less. The Bimini bread was great very fresh.
(3)Chrissy S.
Disappointing service and mediocre food. Sat upstairs on the patio. Ordered the sloppy Jo looking for pulled pork. The food was ready 3 minutes after we ordered, which was weird. It seemed it was in a crockpot ready to go. The corn on the cob was awful, tasted like it had been soaking in a pot of water all day. Server was not very good, was more interested chatting with the bar patrons, didn't check on us, and we had to ask for the check after waiting forever.
(2)James S.
I go there for the conch chowder. It is some of the best and comes with a couple slices of bimini bread. I have not had the bar b que though. It is not anything fancy and is more like a dive bar than a eating establishment. But if you like conch chowder it has some of the best around.
(3)John G.
Ernie's is a good joint. I like to go upstairs and sit at the patio bar. The conch fritters are really good and it's a really chill atmosphere. The bartenders are pretty friendly, but won't talk your ear off if you are just doing your thing. They remember you though. One bartender remembered me from a single visit over a year ago. They are good about sharing and splitting food and are accommodating. My favorite dish is the buffalo shrimp salad. Real nice. If you are in Fort Lauderdale you gotta go to Ernie's. It's a staple.
(5)Kevin H.
This place has the slowest service I have ever experienced. Not only that but the food is mediocre at best. You won't catch me there ever again.
(1)Barbara S.
Having passed Ernie's -BBQ numerous times, friends and I did finally stop in for lunch. The food and service were outstanding. Large portions were the norm. We all had salads with blackened or grilled mahi and thoroughly enjoyed the fresh, moist fish and salad fixings. Ribs looked delicious and I know we will return to try almost everything on the menu. Ashley, our server was friendly, helpful, and very attentive. We will ask for Ashley when we return, though other wait staff staff seemed very busy waiting on their customers. Shame on us for now choosing to dine there sooner. Will make up for lost time.
(5)Jess K.
This place was pretty much a disaster. The staff was wonderful. Very welcoming and checked on us periodically. But the food??? Yea the restaurant should really just rip up the menu and start over. I had the Caesar salad and buffalo shrimp. My boyfriend had the beef dinner. The salad was ok. But then again, it doesn't take any talent to make a salad. But the shrimp was simply fried and placed in a basket lined with hot sauce. I bit into and it was just nothing but oil and the shrimp was just not clean. I was only able to eat two of the eight. My boyfriends plate was no better. It was literally just a bunch of meat on a plate floating in tomato sauce. The staff was the only good thing we noticed there.
(2)Connolly F.
Not Impressed... I felt like the bread was around grocery store bakery quality. The conch fritters tasted like hush puppies, nothing special. The conch chowder tasted like canned chili. We took everyone's recommendation and had the sliced pork sandwich, the best part was the sauce and thank goodness for it because the pork was dry as a bone. I hate to go one star but even the service was lame for such a supposed local institution. I wouldn't go back and wouldn't recommend to a friend.
(1)Tsz-Cheong C.
Ok food. Service staff and kitchen was a bit slow, but very friendly. The food took about 20 minutes to come out. I had the fried fish combo platter. The fish and the batter was a little underseasoned for my taste. My buddy had the ribs, the ribs were ok and the barbecue sauce that were on the ribs were ehhh. I have had better.
(2)David D.
If your looking for pulled pork. Forget it. This is lean sliced meat. Designed to be slathered in their own special BBQ sauce. Its a home brew sauce with bits of onions and other spices. I have eaten there 3 times and have always had good portions. And pretty decent flavor. The sweet bread is fresher than store Hawaiian bread but thats the flavor and it makes a nice foldover.. Several big TV's with whatever sports games are on. Full Bar, Looks like a local hangout..
(3)Charlie F.
Had lunch there today. Old Ft. Lauderdale dive with some dive charm, if that makes sense. After reading reviews I expected nothing so after digesting food and my thoughts I say the place isn't as bad as all that. The service was fast, courteous, and the conch chowder very good. I tried the pork sandwich with the Bimini bread and it was pretty good! I may go back. Looks like it may be a fun spot at hppy hour although the neighborhood isn't Las Olas by any stretch.
(3)Bob H.
A Ft Lauderdale institution, I have been coming here every time I am in town for the last 30 years. Love the conch chowder, and the sandwiches are there own version of BBQ. The servers are always friendly and the beer is always cold. One of my all time favorites.
(4)Tiffany G.
The menu has grown quite a bit since my childhood, but I still always order my old standby 1/2 BBQ pork sandwich and cup of conch chowder. Always, always add a little bit of the sherry that is on every table to your conch chowder, delish! I would say how many years I've been coming to Ernie's, but I wouldn't want to give away my age! The service is very friendly but can be a little bit slow. It's worth the wait, especially for their Bimini bread and homemade BBQ sauce.
(4)Kat M.
Been going here for years before & after I fly in and out of Ft. Lauderdale. Awesome BBQ pork sandwiches on Bimini bread, conch chowder and BBQ chicken. Casual atmosphere, staff is very good. Great food you won't be disappointed. Wish we had this a bit closer to our home in Delray a Beach!
(4)Justin P.
Stopped in here for some late night food. Turns out I was too late and had just missed the last call for food. Sapphire made it happen for me anyways. She brought out a bowl of some of the best conch chowder I've ever had and a ridiculous amount of Bimini bread. Great service and food all around. Be forewarned it has a dive bar feel to it but if you're like me that just makes it better.
(4)Charles K.
Dive bar, huge portions of mediocre BBQ. should have tried the chowder as recommended.
(2)Guy C.
Long wait for service although the place wasn't too busy. Ribs were awesome and I don't use that word often. Well worth going! The sides were also tops. Don't expect to be out of there in an hour- its more like 2.
(4)Joel S.
One of the oddest sauces I have had on bbq. Very heavy and overly tomato based. Visiting from an area that takes bbq and smoked meats seriously I found the flavors lacking.
(2)Lily L.
Came here for exactly what is says. Conch chowder! & I was not disappointed. Very chill outside bar upstairs. The drinks were strong. I only go for the chowder, so no comment on anything else. Great chowder w/ great atmosphere.
(3)Brad C.
Pork sandwich was ok but the Bimini bread and BBQ sauce was great. Wish I had gotten the conch chowder. I give it a 7.
(4)Ty L.
A friend took me took to Ernie's for my bday. BBQ ribs were good. Surprisingly, the look is a bit misleading. I expected a Soul restaurant but this place is predominately white, which was not an issue. Portions were big and hearty. Definitely will be back.
(5)Brian L.
Short, sweet, and to the point. The conch chowder is very good. It does live up the hype. The bimini bread, which really reminds me of challah, is nice. It is very good to dunk into the chowder. The BBQ was good, although my general preference is more for vinegar than sweet when enjoying BBQ. If you are going for lunch, I would recommend going for a cup of the chowder as having a bowl plus an entree is a lot of food.
(4)Andy G.
I come often. I agree with all the bad reviews stay away from this place. Leave the Conch Chowder "fake" Bimini Bread and BBQ all for me. Honestly the complaints on here are from people ordering the cheapest thing on the menu, try the ribs or fried fish, it's all good.
(5)Steven T.
This place was a hot dive! I had asked around town about good BBQ and the locals mentioned Ernie's. We had the conch soup of which was good, but the bread that came with it was out of this world. I'm not much of a bread person, but I ate three large slices of this stuff. It was amazingly soft and fresh with a slight sweet taste. Yummy! Then we ordered the BBQ pork platter and BBQ beef platter. It was delicious and you need to try out the place. It was def more than enough to eat. Service was great and friendly. Give it a shot because these hole in the wall places can be the best of the town.
(4)Rick Y.
I have to preface this review with the fact that I have been coming to "Dirty Ernie's" since I was 17. Back then Ernie was still at the helm. He'd fit right in with the Tea-Party philosophers if he were still alive. All of the Mr. Dodo sayings painted on the walls have been covered over, redrawn, covered over again, etc. by an endless succession of new owners. Ernie had strange views on taxes, bootleg rum and guns, and people he did not want to serve. I do remember one night he threw out a crew of bikers (Fla's Outlaw Chapter). They came by later that night and blasted out his front windows with a rail mounted 50cal., while the bar was still open. [just a little local color] Since Ernie disappeared for parts unknown, an endless succession of owners have tried to capitalize on this unique little gem and it's spotted past. Sometimes they are perfect, with the menu being so close to the original that I swear Ernie is back in the kitchen. Other times, dismal. BUT I keep coming back. I like the conch chowder and the Bimini Bread, though on a slow afternoon, the bread usually gets stale in the kitchen. I love the pork BBQ. I'll drink whatever beer they have, though I am still partial to St. Pauli's (only at Ernie's, though). New additions are sometimes great, such as the grilled tuna sandwich. AND.....So what if what you order isn't prepared just like you wanted??? Stay at home if you don't want to take a few chances. This place isn't known for it's haute cuisine! You can't beat the view from the top deck. I've wasted quite a few afternoons sitting on the edge, beer in hand, watching the parade of professional girls (mostly girls, but not all) working the street on Federal Highway. Cheap entertainment, mostly high comedy. Point is, Ernie's, though not the original, has not become a franchise and has not become just one more polished den of G-rated, family safe dining. The place is ...... unique.... to Ft. Lauderdale. Brownie's is gone, Lester's is gone (Lester's Bar), The Bloodshot Eye is gone, Nards is gone.... local color is now defined in shades of pastel. Here you can still get a bright splash of brilliant red! Spend an afternoon on the upper deck to get the full picture..... much better enjoyed if you ditch your job for the afternoon.
(4)Sarah G.
I've been coming to this place for years. I am a fan of their buffalo burgers. They make their own bbq sauce, its not traditional but it tastes really good. The servers are really friendly. You seat yourself at this place. This is definitely a place where you need to know what to order. I'd stick with a burger, their pulled pork, or conch chowder.
(3)John H.
Sadly, Ernies is not what it was - as far as the BBQ is concerned. I did not finish my fat filled Open Face BBQ sandwich which was drenched in a weird relish based watery "BBQ sauce". Probably still good party bar for a group of friends.
(1)Martin O.
At Ernie's BBQ, I had a Opened Faced BBQ Pork Sandwich with fries and cold slaw. The pork was thinly sliced and the BBQ sauce sweet with chopped onions on a thick chunk of Bimini bread. I also had a bowl of their Conch Chowder with several larger chunks of the Bimini bread. The restaurant has a large bar area and an upstairs patio. They play '70s music. While I was there, I heard some Doobie Bros, Creedence Clearwater Revival etc. There is parking in front.
(3)Chris G.
Standard pub fare, friendly staff, good prices, and a roof deck to boot.
(3)Johnny L.
Sports Bar that serves mediocre BBQ. We came to this place because it was open late and had the giant word "BBQ" written on the side of the building. The place is 2 stories with 2 different kinds of settings. The first floor is like a family sports bar. The second floor is an outdoor patio with blaring music. The service was nice and the menu is pretty large. I got the BBQ sliced pork and sliced beef sandwich with a cup of their "famous conch chowder". My friends ordered some onion rings, and some open faced sandwiches. The BBQ wasn't that good. Simply put. The sliced beef and pork sandwich had no smokey taste or any semblance of bbq flavor. The meat (though very plentiful) didn't really do anything for my taste buds. The bimini bread is great on its own (especially with the conch chowder), but makes a terrible sandwich holding apparatus because it is so soft and falls apart easily. Ended up having to use a knife and fork. The sauce that comes with it wasn't really sauce so much that it was a soup (even had some beans and veggies and such). The open faced sandwiches don't look that much better. The one saving grace was their conch chowder. It really was good. Every spoonful had chunks of meat and veggies. I could really taste the conch in each spoon. AND the slice of bimini bread that comes with it was incredible. Slighty crusty on the outside but just soft and warm on the inside. Perfect for soup dipping. Onion rings were great too. Though it's called a BBQ Joint. Don't come for the BBQ. They have a nice bar and several big-screen TVs. I think the food experience would have been different had I tried non-BBQ items. The review is for trying the namesake BBQ that they offered. They've got burgers, sandwiches, and other things that might entice me to come back (most everything else seemed good). Just don't go for BBQ.
(2)Amelia R.
I love this place and it is my go to bar whenever in the Lauderdale area. It has been around for a long time so you know they are doing something right. So the bimini bread sandwiches have to be eaten with a knife and fork...so what? Their barbecue sauce is not like the stuff that comes out of the bottle...get over it. And yes, there is a stripper pole upstairs. But, there is also a dart board, a pool table, a jukebox, and typically a large group of slightly intoxicated people. Stay down stairs if you want a family atmosphere, that is why it is there. The food is always good and always fast. Need I remind you it is a bar anyways so you will be receiving bar-like food. The drinks are stiff, the help is friendly, and it is always entertaining. I recommend anyone who is coming to the area to hit Ernie's for a good meal and a good time.
(5)Gato N.
Visited Fort Lauderdale, and searched for a restaurant nearby with yelp! Seems that the bimini bread is famous at this place so I was excited to try it since I am a big bread eater! I ordered the conch stew which was pretty awesome stuff to try. It came with a huge portion of the bread with butter on the side. The bread was so good, it is slightly sweet and tasted good with the stew. The stew was good also, had a little spiciness to it, but I felt like it could use a little more flavor. I believe the stew was actually called "conch chowder" so I was expecting a creamy soup like clam chowder but it was a tomato base. I also tried the BBQ pork sandwich which was the usual smokey BBQ pork goodness on that famous bread. The BBQ sauce was vinegar based southern style. The service was super quick, this is a must go place when you are feeling hungry!
(4)Tiff B.
get the conch chowder. i visit fort lauderdale at least four times a year and ernie's is one of my favorite restaurants. as other reviewers have mentioned, it's a bit of a hole in the wall, but it's a consistently good hole in the wall that i make sure to visit every time. sit upstairs if the weather is nice, spring for the large bowl, and get extra butter for the bimini bread; if you have reasonable expectations you won't be sorry.
(5)Marie O.
Okay... so Im giving this 5 stars based on what I ate there and I have no clue about the value or taste of anything else.... so with this being said, the pork plate or open pork sandwich are the way to go!!!! Its very relaxed and chill upstairs! The beer is a decent price for not being a happy hour time that we went, but the sliced thinly pork with the most yummiest oniony, slightly vinegary, warm barbecue sauce if off the chain... especially with the soft bimini bread and yummy corn on the cob!! I will be back every time just for this, and btw the portion was huge!!
(5)Tanya G.
Its a hard place to get with all the us 1 traffic but its worth a try if you like fall off bone ribs,ill be back service was decent,, Im new to writing reviews so im writing this for dining i did 2 weeks ago,but if its still in my mind it must be good
(3)Nicole S.
My husband had heard this place was awesome, so I let him order food to go from there (even though Yelp warned me). The best thing about the whole meal was the bimini bread they used for the sandwiches. Apparently there is some debate whether this is or is not actual bimini bread. I have not had it other than here (I don't think) so I have no authority to judge. It's fresh and a little sweet. The conch chowder was like a veggie soup, which would be good if I had ordered that, but, like others, expect it to be cream-based. PLEASE rename the soup for Pete's sake! The meat was ok at best. No flavor whatsoever. Had a pork and beef sandwich in our order. Neither was particularly good. Ok, not going back... I didn't barf, so I'm giving it 2 stars, even though it probably deserves just one. But they got my order correct and I ate a little bit of everything. (I was starving, but whatever....) P.S. I worry about the individuals that scored this place really well, they apparently have not experienced really good food -- it is a sad day in America when a person has not had at least one 5 star meal. (**moment of silence**) ;)
(2)Mark M.
Sliced pork sandwich is great, have it every time I visit.
(4)Kevin K.
The conch chowder is the best! i'm a south Florida native and I've had everyone and their bahamian momma's chowder and I'd swear by Earnie's. the BBQ is great and i love their sauce.
(5)Robert C.
The food is good but BBQ sauce is tomato based and to me this is not BBQ but all is well food is good. And I walked out happy
(2)Dave P.
OK, my harsh review is based on the fact that they have BBQ. Let me be clear. THEY THINK THEY HAVE BBQ. Most of the rest of us would disagree. So we were looking to go to a much better BBQ venue that's a little north of here and starts with a "P", but we ran out of time so this colorful place was close and we took a chance. Upon entering, we noticed it was a dumpy dive bar. Maybe even a dumpy, trashy, biker bar. OK, that's OK. Were here for the food. Upstairs to the outdoor deck we go. Yep, dumpy up here to but at least there were some breezes. So the very friendly waitress stops by. No, she really wasn't that friendly, but the 4 rum and cokes I had on the plane helped her out a little. So after our beers arrive and a perusing of the menu, we both settle on the "Sloppy Pete" sandwich. Hers with sweet potato fries, mine with regular fries. So food shows up in a timely manner and I am perplexed. In my slightly buzzed state I ask my wife what we ordered. She replied that we ordered a pork sandwich. Well folks I may be a yankee, or at least considered one, but when I order a sandwich, It comes between TWO slices of some form of bread. This had one very thick slice of what they would call bimini bread. It was in fact an open faced sandwich as they say. They advertised an open face sandwich which is why we went with this one. Because we didn't want it! Oh well. Now onto the new problem. What is that piled on top of said bread?? It sure as shit doesn't look like pork?? Waitress comes back and she verifies it is pork and we received what we ordered. OK. Moving on. Dig in. Hmmm. Try again. Hmmmm. Once more. Hmmmm. I look at my wife and I ask her to tell me what she thinks it is? She said it looks and tastes like "sloppy joe" mix from a can, IE "manwich". I laugh and say holy shit you are right!!! Yes, it was comical that they were trying to pass this off as some form of bullshit BBQ! Fries were standard. But as with many places like this, I went in expecting shit, and It didn't disappoint. I just prefer my shit sandwich to be between TWO pieces of bread, not on top of one! In a previous review, someone said that the local outlaw biker chapter came by one night and shot out the front windows of this place. I'm willing to bet they had the same "sandwich" I did. Now if I just wanted to hang out in a dive bar and drink some beers, this place would suffice. It just didn't do it for my BBQ hunger. Sorry Ernie, wherever you are.
(1)Alycia W.
This place is a hole in the wall, but is pretty cool especially if you go upstairs to eat. I don't know how their BBQ is though as I've opted for non BBQ items everytime I've gone. On the way up the staircase is this weird trippy black light place, but then when you get upstairs there are tv's and a second bar (the first is downstairs). This place is kind of diner-ish even though it's not a diner the service is very similar to one. I have always gotten good quick service here, if you want your server to wait on you hand and foot this is not the place... The Monte Cristo sandwich is the s*** seriously it's sooooo good and sooooooo bad for you. Obviously since I've eaten it plenty of times before the positives outway the negative (5 billion calories) for me. They don't have any drink specials which I don't like. Well at least on liquor they don't have specials, IDK about beer though. Also the bimini bread is pretty okay, similar to challah, but no where near as good as Bimini Boatyard's bimini bread. So overall I would say this is a nice hole in the wall not a 5 star dining experience, but its definitely a place to check out as it's been around for nearly 30 years longer than I've been alive.
(3)Elena C.
As locals and never having been to Ernie's, we decided to give the place a shot. Their claim to fame is their conch chowder and Bimini bread. A small cup of the conch chowder is almost $6, so I ordered expecting something amazing. When it arrived and I took my first bite, it was all carrot and no conch. There was almost no conch in my entire cup. It was not good. It tastes like a tangy tomato soup...but that's it. I also ordered the shredded pork sandwich and started to feel sick. Bimini bread didn't taste like Bimini bread. Tasted like regular white bread, not the sweet and buttery deliciousness I expected. Service was slow and mediocre l. I never plan on returning.
(1)Erik B.
I've been coming to Ernie's for my entire life. In fact, my mom has been coming Ernie's for just abot HER entire life as well. This place is a Ft Lauderdale institution. It's been through a few different iterations and while the decor may not be quite as nutjob-libertarian as it used to be, the food has always been spot on. The downstairs has a bar and seating in blissfully cold a/c. The upstairs has a bar and an open-air patio. I love the patio, but the cigarette smoke can get annoying if it's busy. First off, if you come here you absolutely MUST have conch. Either in fritters, chowder, or salad (think ceviche-ish), conch is a must-have. Just please, for the love of god, don't pronounce it like it's spelled. It's pronounced conK, not conCH. Nothing will brand you as a Yankee or a Canadian faster than asking for conCH chowder. My typical Ernie's meal is a platter of conch fritters and a bowl of spicy conch chowder with sherry dribbled in. Amazing. They also do decent and HUGE pork sandwiches. Nothing like you'd get at a real bbq place like Texas Hold Em, but not too shabby. Again, the reason to come here is the conch. I miss the old Ernie's interior, which was decorated wall to wall with strange paintings of a bird (seagull? Pelican?) spouting libertarian screeds about death to the govt, don't pay taxes, etc etc. It was super Florida-funky. It's still got the local, dive bar vibe but it's also missing a certain edge. Still, order the conch and you won't go wrong.
(4)John R.
This is, quite possibly, the worst meal I have eaten in quite some time. Conch fritters tast like stuffing, conch chowder tastes like it was made in 1985, Bimini bread is nothing more than somewhat stale tasteless bread. I came hungry and left turned off. The waitress was sloppy, spilled my water all over me, dropped food on the tables and chairs. Just an overall miserable experience.
(1)Tobi G.
Use to be called Dirty Ernie's, but that was years ago. We still like to go and enjoy the food no matter what they call it. The conch chowder and the Bimini Bread are the best in town. We also enjoy the BBQ Beef and BBQ Pork Sandwiches. You can eat down stairs or try the upper deck. Price is right. Very casual. Hope you enjoy.
(4)Craig B.
This restaurant serves the worst food I have ever had. We stopped in to kill some time while waiting to pick someone up at the airport. First impression was that it was empty on a Saturday night. Whenever I see that, I wonder how long the food has been sitting around. Physically, the property is a dump and it smells. I tried the BBQ beef sandwich. The meat resembled roast beef slices but had a lot of gristle and fat on it. The meat was hard to chew through and had no seasoning whatsoever. Completely tasteless except for the chewy fat. There was "Barbecue" sauce on it. The BBQ sauce was really vinegar with chunky salsa in it. Tasted disgusting. Sent the order back. The wife-unit ordered the conch fritters. They were a strange color, one not usually associated with conch fritters so I didn't try them. She tried a bite and almost gagged. We disassembled the fritter and could not identify what anything was, especially the dark mass in the center. We sent them back. The waitress behind the bar agreed that the fritters are really bad there. The service was very slow considering how few people were there. The bartender with the giant fake cans has a snotty attitude and tried to blame us for their horrible food. She's better suited for work in the "Entertainment" industry, but only on the B-shift. I suppose if you work nearby and want a quick beer after work, it'll do but why bother, the re are a lot of bars in this area. If you decide to try the food, well, you have been warned.
(1)Roland S.
The food here was okay, but not really good, and certainly not up to the hype. We spent an evening here with a largish group; we just had to check out the place since it's a local institution. The political scrawlings on the wall were interesting, and the place was generally friendly. The thing they're known for, the BBQ sauce, was passable but not special - thin and not terribly flavorful. The bimini bread was pretty good, authentic or not I don't know, but the chowder didn't seem like anything special. The service here was friendly but slow and not always on the ball. I can't imagine I'll go to this place again.
(2)k a.
Generic bar food. my friends did like their bimini bread for their sandwiches. It was pretty convenient because it was close to the airport and made it an easy place to rendezvous for our group while waiting on our many different flight schedules
(3)Sultan A.
The beef was not good at all. The bread is normal. Service is slow and not exit. The corn is good.
(1)Peter D.
Great place, filled with locals. BBQ beef sandwich never let's you down
(4)Patrick C.
Disappointed. Stopped here with some friends after the boat show. Have driven by for years and always heard good things. Turned out to be one of the worst meals I have ever punished myself with. The whole group agreed. Smoked fish dip was nasty. Way too salty and fake liquid smoke flavor. Conch fritters were almost tasteless. Seemed like leftover Stove Top stuffing that was fried. Chicken quarter was way overlooked and dry. I won't beat up on the ribs too bad as I know that generally, the masses enjoy "fall-off-the-bone". They were definitely that. More like boiled so long that the bones began to break down and hollowed out. Ears of corn were way overdone and soggy. Cole slaw was good. Iced tea was great. Checked it off the list and won't be back.
(1)Jimmi L.
As always Great Food! Fast service and nice place! If you get a chance GO! I have been going here for almost 16 years. It's well worth it!
(5)Mike A.
A poor attempt at BBQ
(1)Scott D.
I'm not from the area, but have been coming to Ft. Lauderdale for years visiting family. My wife and I always stop for the conch fritters and chowder. The bar has been spruced up in the last decade, but the fritters and chowder are still the same.
(4)Kyle H.
I did not like ernies at all. I thought there BBQ sauce was not good at all and there bread was not good. none of it impressed me. It was reccomded to us by a friend and it just was not a pleasent experience. it is dirty it has no view and THERE IS A STRIPER POLE on the INSIDE! NOT A PLACE FOR A FAMILY!!! NOT RECCOMENDED
(1)Tiffin D.
Wow, a step back in time. A 70's theme bar that has a pacemaker and just keeps on ticking. They have paint and they know how to use it. The outside of the building is bright orange with black palm trees. The stairs from the downstairs dining area up to the upstairs open covered patio is painted aqua blue with fish and lit solely by black lights. And the outside door to the Women's bathroom upstairs has a poster of topless women advertising the month of February. True 70's class, I love dives like these. Mid-week the place is packed during lunch hour with close by locals out for lunch, mostly in their 50's, some in shorts, some in dress shirts. Their small parking lot gets full enough that they have complimentary valet parking. The big draw here is the big food. As for quality and execution, well, why do you need that, it is big food for big people. I tried the pork BBQ, that is one weird dish. Bimini bread (think 1" cuts of slightly sweet Wonder Bread) filled with 4 to 5-inch pile of thin 1/16" slices of pork (made me think deli roast beef), served with a side of vinegar BBQ sauce. The pork was a little tough, overcooked, smoked a good deal and somehow really salty. The vinegar sauce was made by a far distant relative of North Carolina that lived in Texas, it had tomato sauce in it and a ton of cooked diced onion. I sort of liked the sauce at the time, but the lingering onion turned me off of it after the meal. The BBQ sandwich wasn't good, it wasn't awful, but it did round out my BBQ survey of the country (and I don't need to ever order it again). I had half a sandwich that I wasn't sure what to do with the next day, other than give me great guilt that 10 oz of salty smoky overcooked pork was sitting in my refrigerator. The local word is that the BBQ joint down the road, Tom Jenkin's, is better and at Ernie's you should stick with the other items on the menu. (The open outdoor patio upstairs is covered, has ceiling fans and allows smoking, if you need nicotine to eat.)
(3)Michael S.
Have been going here since the 70's. It has either slowly slid down hill or my tastes and expectations have risen but I don't think it is me. I still seek the dives and holes in the wall but they need to be doing a bit more than resting on their past glory. They need to maintain. The last time I had the conch chowder the few pieces of conch I could find tasted like burnt erasers. The bimini bread was still great but the pork was just not up to par. There are so many places doing pork now that they just need to pay a little more attention to what they are preparing. I hope Ernies is around for another 30-40 years but I also hope they pick up their game a little.
(2)Laurie H.
My Fiance and I visited Ernie's last evening (2/6/14) and had terrible/NO service! We went directly to the upstairs outside patio and sat down to join just two other tables which were occupied on the patio. We sat and talk for amongst ourselves and never had any of the 3 waitress approach our table even though they went to the table right next to us and cleaned several tables in the area. Then a 4 women walked in, sat down and were instantly greeted by a waitress. That was it, we were frustrated and left, near the staircase there was a waitress standing in the doorway and saw how we were mad and said to us 'it wasn't my turn to serve you/a table'! What! Absolutely ridiculous and unsatisfactory. Where is the management? Obviously need to train your wait staff about customer service. It will be a long time before we return, if ever to this restaurant. Went around the block to an Italian restaurant and had an excellent dining experience.
(1)Joshua M.
BBQ, Really? This place has nothing to do with BBQ. The pork sandwich leaves something to be desired. They have a decent conch chowder (it is a red chowder not a cream chowder, which is what a conch chowder should be). The Bimini bread is decent but nothing to write home about. Neither of these things would ever lead someone to consider this a BBQ restaurant. On a side note they have some pretty radical fiscal posters on the wall. Didn't bother me but it could bother someone who gets offended by others political opinions. I thought they were funny because the posters showed a complete lack of understanding. If the posters had good points they certainly didn't make them.
(2)Susan E.
First time here. Waitress kept apologizing but I didn't know why - nothing was askance. Service and food were FANTASTIC!!!!!! BBQ sauce was AMAZING!!!!!!!!! LOVED this place. Will go back again and again and again!!!!!!!!!!
(5)Dave J.
Cool old style bar. Had seen Ernie's BBQ before and decided to stop for lunch. I had Conch Chowder, Chicken Cheese Steak and Iced Tea. The chowder was good but just slightly lacking in the amount of Conch. Not too surprising considering the price of Conch these days, it was served with a huge slice of Bimini Bread. The bread was excellent. The chicken cheese steak was huge and excellent, it's served on 2 thick slices of toasted Bimini bread. If you're wearing a nice shirt wear a bib for this one. The iced tea was very good also. Prices very fair with huge portions. Lots of locals, not touristy with good service. I'll be back.
(3)Bernardo A.
I found Ernie's BBQ the week I moved to Ft. Lauderdale. I didn't know anyone and I found myself hungry while driving home at 9:00pm after an entire day of house-hunting. There were five or six police cruisers parked in Ernie's parking lot that night so, of course, I slammed on my breaks and found a parking spot. Ernie's is a bar and a restaurant. Their conch chowder is the best in the area and goes perfectly well with a cold beer. I also happen to like their vinegary BBQ. It's not sticky sweet but savory with a bite. The left-over sauce is great for dipping your bimini bread. The service is fine but there is a marked difference between the way regulars get treated and casual guests get treated so that might turn some people off. Mind you, they are not rude to strangers or anything like that, but they do treat their regular customers like family. People tend to either love Ernie's or hate it. I happen to love it because sometimes (I'm paraphrasing an Elite Yelper here, Michelle C. from Miami)... good food doesn't need to be great as long as you have good company and a great place to chill. Ernie's, for me, is a great place to chill...and a sure place to find a cop if you ever need one!
(4)Lori O.
I've eaten here many times, love the chicken wings and bimini bread. There's a nice outdoor area to sit upstairs and have a beer while you wait for the grub. It's been around a long time, has my recommendation!
(5)Mark B.
Conch chowder and Bimini bread. Local bar serving good drinks.
(4)Jeff F.
The conch salad is solid. The Bimini bread was a big thick fluffy white bread if thats your thing its not mine. Pork BBQ dinner sucked. It was sliced deli pork in bbq sauce not real BBQ.
(2)Melissa W.
Hubby and I had the conch stew, half sandwich and a burger. Everything was great and super sized.
(3)Steve N.
I really enjoyed this place. I was in Ft. Lauderdale for work and looking for a place to eat dinner. I drove by and noticed two cop cars in the parking lot. Knowing that the cops usually know the best places to eat I pulled in. That theory proved correct. I got a pork sandwich. An amazing bbq sauce comes on the side. I loved every bite. They make their own bread there too which is amazing. I would go back in a heartbeat.
(5)Scott D.
Good predictable BBQ when you need it.
(3)Scotto B.
Delicious! If you want conch chowder, conch fritters, or the best sweet tea in fort lauderdale - this is the place for you! The Bimini Bread is available to purchase by the loaf - I highly recommend it!
(4)Cheryl K.
I thought it was pretty tasty and they had very cold beer and that's always a plus. We had ordered the rib and chicken platter and the pork and chicken platter. It came with a large corn on the cobb and coleslaw and bread, good bread at that. Also, the ribs were the best we ever had. For sure when we come back through Fort Lauderdale, FL we will be stopping here for sure
(5)Eric D.
Well I had high hopes going into this place....I had heard lots of good things about this place from some friends who grew up in lauderdale. I was told i needed to try a few things that were renowned there. The Bimini bread, conch chowder, and conch fritters. I have to say they did make some damn good chowder. And the bimini bread is also very good. The conch fritters were a let down. While not the worst fritters ever, far from the best. Not enough conch taste in them, and way to much dough. The pork sandwich was also good, although if you get the open face sandwich, its more like a pile of shaved pork resting on a piece of bread....quite a meal. Overall the place was a good stop on the way to the airport. Also a side note, the best seats are upstairs and outside ( if the weather is nice), however the server told us that upstairs we couldnt get draft beer, only by the bottle....kinda odd
(3)Kristine F.
The food and service were good. Not great, not a restaurant I'd go back to. Portions are huge. Bread is really good. I had the beef open face sandwich, When they say that your meat is smothered in BBQ sauce, they mean it. I myself didn't like the BBQ sauce, they had Sweet Baby Rays on the table and I should have asked for their sauce on the side. It is a tomato based sauce that is thin with onions on it. It wasn't real vinegary, but they have vinegar on the table. There was a smoke ring on the meat, however it didn't taste smoked, and there wasn't any smokey smell inside or outside of this place. So I'm not sure how the pink ring got there.... ANY WHO... Not horrible, just not great.
(2)Natalie S.
There is nothing BBQ about Ernie's BBQ....Im not even sure how they thought whatever they put together and plated it as BBQ, became a thought in the first place. Yuck!
(1)RayChill M.
This place is a family favorite. Every time my father comes down here the first stop is ernie's. then he has to tell us all AGAIN that if he found out he had one last meal to eat before he died, this would be it. I even take him a loaf of bimini bread and a quart of sauce when I fly up to see him. This is for real. I of course love it too, the bread is perfect, the sauce is perfectly flavored for me and the conch salad is easily the best I've had. Love this place. I only gave it four stars because every time I go I get the same thing. BBQ sandwich, conch salad and a beer. Anything else, I have no idea
(4)Sherry R.
yuk...really wanted to like this place...uninspired bbq...better place down the block.
(1)Aunkhofmishra ..
The only bad thing is that the portion are huge. But even with that complaint, you get the most bang for your buck. It has a very old Americana restaurant/ bar. Staff is friendly. I ordered the appetizer of mushrooms and it seemed like they were never ending. I also had the Monte Carlo. It was delicious. I never had a sandwich that required maple syrup. I would definitely go there again.
(4)Stephen F.
I've been stopping in for the last decade or so. It's not fancy but the food is delicious. The sauce is a mix of a vinegar and ketchup, somewhat soupy but perfect for getting absorbed into the the fresh Bimini bread. The coleslaw is something that I'd put up against KFC, in other words delicious. the service is always friendly and attentive. In my opinion it's better than 3 stars.
(4)Michelle H.
My husband took me some where new today! I definitely like the laid back atmosphere. The food was great. Big portions, so you can take food home for later. We sat on the roof top deck, on a beautiful sunny day. We ordered the Greek Salad, Monte Cristo Sandwich, and smoked fish dip. So yummy! Our server/bartenders name was Ashley. Such a sweet heart. Very attentive and knowledgeable on the menu. Its mid day on Saturday so the traffic is kind of heavy. You end up hearing every car horn, acceleration, and breaks. No biggie. If you don't mind a little street noise.
(4)Byron D.
OMG..the barBque beef is to die for ..that sauce is amazing and the bimini bread..I keep wanting to try the fish spread because every time i'm at this place people are buying it carry out!! Wife and I always share the bbq beef sandwich and fries..more than enough for 2!!
(5)Clay P.
I just enjoy Ernie's & make a point to stop in when pass thru FLL for a BBQ beef sandwich and cold drink to kill some time take always take a loaf of Bimini bread along for later make greats french toast . Friendly service open late and Sundays .
(4)Chris J.
A little 'rough around the edges' yet this place has a nice mix of patrons, young and old - a good sign of a good place. Nice menu with good selection of seafood/bar food, nice prices. The 2nd story open seating area has a nice breeze to enjoy the south Florida winter weather. Service is good. With my amount of travel, I'm always looking for this type of place to grab a beer and a good bite to eat, while enjoying the local people. Worth the stop ;)
(4)MICHELLE C.
My salesman at my car dealership wanted me to take a car out for a drive and go eat lunch to discuss with my husband if I liked it. This area has a ton of fast food establishments around. We saw this place and thought why not give them a try. Pretty cool place once inside. They have a dining area downstairs with a large bar area then upstairs they have a nice open patio. It's ancient, dive bar, not sure how long this place has been here but you can smell the spilled beer which I'm sure there have been many crazy nights here. Our server gave us great service. I started with a shocktop draft beer and we ordered conch fritters. A large basket came out, plentiful heavily breaded and they were large. They were not that good as you couldn't really taste any conch from all the batter. I decided to order a pork sandwich with fries on Bimini bread. Prices are very reasonable. From the picture you can see how large this sandwich was. Crazy, enough for two people for sure. The Bimini bread was amazing. The cole slaw was delicious, creamy and such great flavor. Fries were good as well. Now the pork was just ok. It was sliced very bland as I prefer some smokiness and more flavor. The cup of sauce was odd, was this BBQ sauce, not real sure I have ever tasted BBQ sauce like this. It was a thin sauce with onions and I believe peppers in it. Was not a big fan of their sauce at all. Cool place to grab a beer eat ok food. Good service and the prices you can't beat especially for the portion sizes.
(3)Keith B.
Swamp a que. This was a description at the table. Not sure what exactly I ate. More i think about the more unsure i get about this place. Ordered a bbq pork and chicken platter. It came swimming in some light weird bbq broth...can't even call it sauce bc it wasn't thick. Lot of it though. And hence Swamp a que was born. Place is rundown. Dirty. Just not my bag..... Even the bimini bread was just so so...best thing we had though.
(2)Jack B.
Four of us decided to try this place, as we were getting ready to head out of town. We love to try local places over the chains. So we gave it a shot. The inside was in great shape, I don't know why a reviewer would say its run-down, because its not. We were greeted by the bartender (it was early 11:30am) and he asked us if we needed something to drink, we took a water and diet coke. He said no need to pay him, would be added to our bill. So our friends show up and we head upstairs to the covered outside area and ordered some Conch Fritters, they were good. We then each ordered, I ordered the 1/2 sandwich and 1/2 soup, and the soup was amazing, exactly what I needed, with bread, to dip in the soup. I then had the bbq sandwich which was very good too. I was impressed with the local flavor and the place had a good crowd for a new years day. I would recommend you try it if you get a moment, the food was very good, atmosphere nice and the staff were very friendly and helpful. You could do a lot worse in Ft. Lauderdale!
(4)Shabba R.
Large variety of food options, including BBQ of course. The food was great when I dined there, drinks were reasonable price and strong, atmosphere was good and it wasn't too loud. There is a full liquor bar. The portions are pretty large, and their "Bimini Bread" is like a soft and slightly sweet version of thick texas toast. Their bbq pork that I got is slicked bbq pork, not pulled like at most bbq joints, so just keep that in mind if you're going there expecting a specific style of meat prep.
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