Crydermans Barbecue at Downtown Melbourne and Cocoa Village Review

If you like barbecue food, then be prepared to have your mouthwatering with this blog post. Crydermans Barbecue opened up in Cocoa Village two years ago and quickly became the best place to get barbecue in Brevard County. It’s one place we are always craving, but rarely get a chance to go!

I’ll get more into why that is below. However, the good news is they now have two locations, as the Downtown Melbourne spot just opened a couple of month ago. This still hasn’t stopped the hour long lines for food, but just proves how delicious the place actually is!

Location and Atmosphere

Both locations have an indoor ordering area and an outdoor eating area. There is a roof over both so you can still enjoy your smoked meat here if it is raining. Cocoa Village is where it started with the first restaurant being located in a renovated 1930’s gas station.

The Downtown Melbourne location took over what used to be Sugar Shack Doughnuts and because of that, there is a bit more space inside. Both spots have the ideal laid-back environment for eating barbecue. It would feel less authentic if you weren’t eating brisket at a picnic table!

Because of this, there is not much atmosphere, despite the fact that you will be there for a while. Crydermans Barbecue is notorious for their long waits for food. This has a lot to do with the fact that they are only open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 AM to whenever they run out of food. Usually this is around 4 PM, and they always run out! We thought with two locations, the waits might go down, but it seems to have only added to the hype of Crydermans Barbecue! I recommend going right at 11 AM on a weekday and not noon on a Friday, like we did last time. The wait was over an hour!

Crydermans Barbecue Menu

The menu is very simple here, as you just choose which meat you want and whether or not it’s on a sandwich. They have Beef Brisket, Turkey Breast, Pulled Pork, Pork Spare Ribs and Sausage all served by the pound. The prices vary from $12 per pound for the sausage up to $21 per pound for the brisket.

You can also get a brisket sandwich for $10 or a turkey or a pulled pork sandwich for $9. Their most famous sandwich is the Texas 2-Step, which is sausage, chopped beef, cole slaw and pickled red onions on a bun for $11.

So far, I have had every meat on the Crydermans menu except for the turkey, and have been seriously impressed! The brisket is obviously the favorite as it is super tender and so flavorful. You can get a fatty or a lean cut, and I always get lean. It’s the perfect consistency and still melts in your mouth!

My second favorite is surprisingly the sausage. I am not usually a huge fan of sausage, but this one is smoked to perfection. You can never go wrong with pulled pork, especially here, as it is also very tender. The only offering I’m not in love with is the pork ribs. They are still really good, but they just don’t live up to the other options! I’ll have to try the turkey soon, but obviously the red meat is what you want to get here.

Sides and More

It’s always nice to have a side or two with all this meat, and Crydermans Barbecue has some great options. The baked beans are hands down the best. Not only are they smoked, but they also have pieces of brisket and pulled pork!

The other three sides are Mac and Cheese, Loaded Potato Salad and the House Slaw. They are all great accompaniments. The mac and cheese was a bit on the soft side, but the cheesiness makes up for it. The  slaw has the right amount of tang to go along with so much barbecue. I still haven’t had the potato salad yet, but it looks tasty! If you don’t order sides, the meal comes with pickles and onions

Like I said, the menu is pretty simple and this sums it up! They have sodas, iced tea and beer, all for under $5, although it is a basic beer selection. There is often a bread pudding of the day, but I think for most people treat the barbecue is the dessert! There is no kids menu, but you can order as big or as small of a portion of meat as you like. Obviously, there’s not much on the menu for vegetarians, as the mac and cheese is pretty much the only item without meat.

Crydermans Barbecue in the Community

The first time we heard about Crydermans was when they won the Downtown Melbourne Food and Wine festival in 2017. They have since won in 2018, and you will have to visit the festival this year to see if they take the crown a third time! It takes place on November 16th in 2019 and you can get tickets here.

Ever since that first win, Crydermans Barbecue has really taken the area by storm. We saw them again at the Downtown Eau Gallie Whiskey in the District event. Here, they were serving Brisket Confit tacos with purple cabbage and a housemade roasted jalapeno/tomatilla cream! This was absolutely to die for and we have been dreaming about it ever since! They sometimes make it at the restaurant, so be sure to follow their Instagram and don’t hesitate to go if you see they are on the menu!

We love this place so much, that we did a take out order for the Fourth of July. If you want to carry-out, you have to order a minimum of $100 of food, but it’s worth it to skip the line. We had a delicious barbecue at home and would not hesitate to do it again! You can call or order online.

Know Before You Go: Crydermans Barbecue

No matter where you are on the Space Coast, be it north or south, it is now easier to eat at Crydermans Barbecue! I can’t recommend going enough, especially if you haven’t yet. This is the only thing we have had in the area that compares to barbecue we have had in Tennessee and North Carolina. This is apparently Texas style barbecue, which I have not had before, but from all the reviews, you know it is the real deal! Here’s a few things to remember about dining here.

• Crydermans Barbecue hours are 11 AM to around 4 PM Tuesday through Saturday. They will close whenever they run out of food, so it could be earlier some days! Get there as close to a 11 AM as possible.
• The food here is pricier than you might expect for a no-frills operation, but it is because of the quality of meat. Andrew and I spend a little over $40 for lunch for two here, but usually have leftovers.
• There are two locations with the first being in Cocoa Village and the second in Downtown Melbourne.
• Seating is outdoor only and you can get your food to-go. Dogs are allowed, but you may have to tie them up outside when you go in to order.
• You can pre-order food, but there is a $100 minimum to do so.

What’s your favorite barbecue place? this is definitely ours! Make sure to try it next time if you are in the area. If you want more local restaurant reviews, check out my Top 10 Restaurants in Melbourne, FL post or if you are here on vacation, I have a complete Space Coast Travel Guide.