Big John’s Rockin’ BBQ Puts Kissimmee on Top of the Smoke Map
Big John's Rockin' BBQ takes No. 1 in our BBQ rankings with a Net Score of 90.9 — why it won, and what to get when you go.
2 minute read
Big John’s Rockin’ BBQ is the No. 1 bbq pick in Orlando — not by our say-so, but by the numbers. In Orlando Citizen’s Top Businesses rankings, it posted a Net Score of 90.9, the highest in its category, on a blended 4.8★ drawn from 313 public reviews. This is the winner’s profile: why it won, what to get when you go, and the details that make it a Kissimmee fixture.
Why it won
Our Net Score blends a business’s public ratings across the review sources we could retrieve — here: Google 4.8★ (313) — weights them by review volume, and then applies Bayesian shrinkage (m = 200) so a handful of five-star reviews can’t outrank a proven track record. Big John’s Rockin’ BBQ cleared a field of 15 ranked businesses in BBQ. That is a clear margin over the No. 2 finisher, Jesse’s Rib Shack (87.3). Scores compare only within a category, and the underlying ratings were retrieved November 14, 2026.
What to order
The sampler platter to survey the menu, or the brisket Philly; reviewers say get the ribs.
The local detail
Lakeside in Kissimmee with live music, a big pet-friendly patio, and a brisket biscuit at breakfast.
The essentials
- Find it: 220 E Monument Ave, Kissimmee, FL 34741-5722
- Directions: Get directions
- Neighborhood: Kissimmee
- Hours: Mon–Wed 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Thu–Sat 7 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sun 8 a.m.–8 p.m. (as listed in November 2026 — confirm before a special trip)
- Phone: 833-998-8701
- Online: official site
See the full list: The 10 Best BBQ Joints in Orlando — every ranked business in this category, with scores.
Share this award:
Share on Facebook · Post on X · ·
🏆 Big John's Rockin' BBQ — this award is yours to use
Congratulations on Best BBQ 2026. The badge is free to use on your website, your socials and in your window — all we ask is that it links back to your feature, this page.
⬇ Download the badge (PNG, full size)
Or paste this snippet into your website — it displays the badge and links to your feature:
Photo: mikedevlin (CC BY-SA), via Openverse. Photo-grade treatment by Orlando Citizen. The photograph is representative of the category, not the business itself.
Part of Orlando Citizen’s Top Businesses in Orlando series. Net Scores are recalculated from fresh public review data each edition.
Orlando Citizen by email
The weekly edition, in your inbox
One email, every Saturday: the week’s edition of Orlando Citizen — the week’s stories, rankings and winners, gathered in one place. Free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Related Stories
Spotted an error? Tell us — corrections · How we rank