SEBASTIAN — For cold beer and savory barbecue at reasonable prices, Woody’s is a great choice. Located in a small shopping plaza at the intersection of Roseland Road and U.S. 1, half a mile south of the bridge over the St. Sebastian River, the big downhome restaurant is conveniently located for fishermen coming in off the water, commuters on their way home and families in Roseland, Sebastian and southern Brevard County.
On a recent Monday evening, it attracted an eclectic crowd of retiree couples, families with children, construction workers, sportsmen and people who looked like neighborhood regulars. Everyone received a warm, friendly greeting and was promptly seated.
Woody’s is a big restaurant, with a display kitchen and large seating area in front, a rectangular bar in the middle by the restrooms and another roomy seating area beyond the bar. No doubt it is a lively scene on weekend evenings.
The décor goes with the southern Americana menu. Booth tables resemble picnic tables, but with padded seats, and are separated by lattice-top dividers. Wagon-wheel chandeliers with kerosene lamp-type glass globes provide illumination. The walls are paneled with rough planks reminiscent of barn siding.
The young woman who escorted us to our table took our drink orders and our server, Linda, came along right behind her to tell us about the evening special. Not too surprising, it involved a large amount of pulled pork, all you could eat, in fact, for $11.
I ordered pork, but only a single plateful, in the form of Woody’s Famous Pork Sampler, which is a hearty and very tasty combination of Bar-B-Q pork, Carolina pulled pork, spare ribs and smoked sausage. The sausage was the standout, with a complex spicy flavor. The meat came with two sides selected from a long list that includes more than a dozen choices. I chose applesauce and cornbread.
My wife ordered a Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich, described accurately in the menu as a “Melt in your mouth sandwich, [which consists of] tender Carolina pulled pork piled high and served with pickles on a bun or Texas toast.” The sandwich was as good as advertised. Likewise the sweet potato fries served along with it.
While waiting for our entrees, we shared a plate of Awesome Onion Rings, which were a highlight of our meal, thick slices of sweet onion lightly breaded and fried to a perfect golden brown. Neither of us could stop eating them despite the dish’s failure to qualify as health food.
Service was attentive without being intrusive and there was a friendly, familial feel to the dining experience, almost like eating at the house of a friend or relative instead of at a restaurant.
Woody’s is a moderate-size chain with 33 restaurants in seven states and Puerto Rico, according to Woodys.com. Two thirds – 22 – of the outlets are in Florida, including the original location in Jacksonville and one in Melbourne.
According to the website, Woody Mills and his partner, Yolanda Mawman, set out 30 years ago “to create a Bar-B-Q restaurant where the meat melted in your mouth, the cole slaw was so fresh you’d think it was mixed at your table, and the authentic Bar-B-Q flavored beans were the best you’d ever had. So with their passion for Bar-B-Q and a dog-eared collection of homemade recipes, they went on to create a dining experience in the tradition of the South’s great hometown Bar-B-Q shacks. It’s the kind of Bar-B-Q you and your family can call, well, your Bar-B-Q.”
Dinner for two with a shared appetizer and one beer each (Woody’s advertises “the coldest in town”) came to $40 with tip.
