The Red Top Pit Stop

Great food! The real thing. Everything we tried was very good. Service was very friendly. Definitively will return.

Another great find.
Hubby had the brisket omelette and I had the Philly cheesesteak omelette. BUT the grits are out of this world.
A family place serving breakfast and lunch at 12:00 on a Sunday.
The tables are big or you can meet a new friend.
The kids all seem happy and that makes the dining good for everybody.

Came in for the first time and you can tell this place is family owned. Decoration is really nice (typical southern) and was completely packed which is a good sign coming in to any place. We waited like 10 mins to get seated, which is totally fine with me. Our waitress was Sky, she’s really cute and professional. My friends had ribs, burgers and brisket which looked really goooood.
I ordered a cup of chilli l which had an awesome nice hot kick to it, not overpowering. Now for the main dish. I had the Trump the boss burger which had ½ lb steak burger loaded with cheese & piled high with smoked beef brisket. I chose Mac n Cheese as my side and this was the best mac n cheese i’ve had in my whole life. Not lying when I say this. The burger was also good and tasty and didn’t crumble down when I hold it to start taking a bite. I would totally recommend this place to anyone coming to Lakeland to visit, this is my favorite place if I ever come back to Skydive.
Anyone reading this… Do yourself a favor and visit this place cus’ you won’t regret it!

This is quite possibly the best barbecue that I have had in quite some time. A small, family owned business that does it right. They are north of Rockridge Road on the left; almost to the Pasco County line.
I wish they were closer to town, they would certainly give the local chain restaurants run for their money! Super friendly staff, quick service and again very very good barbecue.
The potato salad and pork is ermagherd good!
Did I mention it was really good? It’s well worth the drive.
I had to return to this review and add this:
I got a bowl of chili to go. They even went the extra mile and double wrapped the Styrofoam bowls and lids so that nothing would spill in the bag. When I got home not a drop was spilled; good luck finding that level of customer care anywhere else. They are willing to go the extra mile — It’s the little things like this that really count. This place is truly a gem.

Once again a great breakfast. Perfect Eggs, crisp hash browns and crispy applewood bacon.

Awesome mom and pop spot… totally worth a detour… lots of choices and fun regulars!!!

Sometimes you stumble on one of those whole-​in-​the-​wall, family-​owned joints located in the middle of nowhere, and they have the most delicious food. This place is one of those.
Recently a friend and I were in the Lakeland area for an event, and on the way there said friend saw this bbq place that «was packed so it just be good.» Headed on our way back to Orlando we decided to stop in and see what all the fuss is about. I don’t eat it often but I do love some good bbq, so was looking forward to checking things out here.
Now, it’s a whole in the wall for sure. Not the cleanest place in the world which is why I gave it the four star rating. But I can tend to overlook this sometimes. We got in just before 4pm, which is apparently when the business closes. But the woman behind the counter was terribly nice and let us order, saying it takes about an hour-​and-​a-​half to close everything down so please come in and enjoy! So we did.
The menu’s rather extensive, but I selected their pork special which was a sandwich, and for the one said that came with the meal I opted for French Fries. Ummm, crinkled Orida. Yes, please! My friend for the same only with slaw versus fries (she didn’t actually eat it, so can’t say if it was any good). They actually have some of the best bbq sauce I’ve ever tasted. So sweet and tangy.
The staff was so nice and courteous the entire visit, several times asking how everything is and «could they get is anything else.» All-​in-​all and incredibly good dining experience.
If I’m ever in the area again I’ll definitely return here for another meal.

Food was really good, thought it was pricey tho. We got the Cowboy nachos, $ 8.99.
Was a small serving for the price, but it was really good. Had a hamburger combo $ 11.99, again pricey but good. Service was great and they were really friendly.

You will not find a better place for a Burger or BBQ. Was looking for a place to go for dinner on my Birthday. After seeing a post on Facebook for the 10 Best Burgers Joints in Lakeland, FL. This place was rated 2. Well I can tell you that, that judgement was off! This place is a #1!!!
I had the Pit Stop Single Combo: $ 10.88 ½ lb Steak Burger w/​American Cheese, French Fries, and a Drink. I added Bacon.
This burger was so flavorful, juicy. It was cooked to perfection. It was cooked on a grill and not burned.
My Husband had a burger called «Trump the Boss $ 11.99». This was ½ lb Steak Burger Loaded with Cheese & Piled High with Smoked Beef Brisket. This burger also is just as good as it sounds. The burger is tender and juicy. The brisket is perfectly smoked.
This is a locally own family based restaurant. The hours are a little funky and it is alittle out of the way, but trust me it is well worth the trip. YOU WILL NOT REGRET THIS TRIP.

I ordered the ribs, pulled pork, collard greens and coleslaw. When they found out I was a new customer, they threw in some brisket and potato salad. That’s what I call excellent customer service. Delicious food, great staff. I will definitely be back.

They have did it again, what a phenomenal omlette today. Of course they let me be creative and I had a Cajun swamp monster with pulled pork omlette lol
It consist of and be ready: peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, grilled chicken, smoked sausage, grilled shrimp, swiss cheese and hash browns cooked inside. With barbecue sauce on top. And a side of the FANTASTIC cheese grits

I am back again. And I brought my wife and sister in law Chris. The girls ordered the brisket breakfast dish. They loved it. It came with potatoes and onions and eggs. AMAZING Chris said. And so so tender. We are sure to be regulars at this friendly diner.
If you like BBQ you’ll love eatin here.

I have lived around the country, I have lived right out side Kansas City, KS and I lived in Austin, TX. I smoke meats myself and this is a gem of a find in lil olé Lakeland, FL.
The brisket was smoked just right and very tender and juicy as it should be, the pulled pork was done well and the ribs had a beautiful smoke ring, my wife had the Guru on Gouda burger, better than Red Robin in our opinion. Here is the kicker, they offer 3 BBQ causes, regular, spicy and honey mustard, the meats did NOT need them, but man did they put them over the top, I mixed the honey mustard and regular, mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
The Mac & Cheese was average, PUT THAT IN THE SMOKER and you would have an outstanding product!!! Smoked Mac & Cheese at a BBQ/​Burger place is a no brainer!
The server was polite, funny and quick witted and right on point with our order and service, she even started a fresh pot of coffee for me!
The wife was also GAGA over the Buyer Pecan ice cream…
Again best BBQ outside of TX or KS we have had in a LOOOOOONNNNGGGGG time, Tell em William sent you, maybe I will get some free BBQ next time ;-)

Don’t be fooled by the outside, make sure you come inside. The most friendly staff to start out– then the food came out. Lots of choices but we all got the pulled pork.
WOW. Had the redneck nachos that were out of this world. Unlike other nachos where there are more chips than meat this is the exact opposite. Small chip piled high with pulled pork, cheese and sauce.
Slaw has a unique flavor that was catchy. Pulled pork is extremely tensor and smokey.
Next time I’m in the area I’ll be stopping here again.

A little hole in the wall with great food– great breakfasts and burgers. I hear the BBQ is delicious too (it sure does smell awesome cooking outside!) We visited based on Unilocal reviews and we were very pleased!

Very good food! Visiting from Michigan and tried this place with our parents, had the pulled pork with no bun — delicious! Kids had burgers and my husband had the beef brisket. Homemade potato salad, mac & cheese sides were great. Kids were offered a scoop of homemade ice cream on the house, I tried a bite, very good! Great service and friendly staff. Will be back.

I was happy to find this pleasant pit stop in a somewhat remote area. First I used the restroom, which was nice and clean. Then I sat down in a booth by the window. Within a few minutes, four different waitresses stopped by to make sure someone had taken my order. The menu offers a lot of choices, but I ordered the basic hamburger, which was outstanding. Then I had a small cup of their homemade ice cream, which was delicious. The total price was $ 10. I would like to return and try the baby back ribs.

On our way to Orlando, passes by this place got attracted by the huge BBQ sign and just walked in. What a big surprise for this beautiful Sunday morning! We got the egg steak cheese burrito, omg this is the best! So satisfying! And their homemade ice cream is another win, try the vanilla flavor, you won’t regret.

I wanted to like this place, my mom and brother stopped here on the way to some basketball camp and loved it, so we went back on the way back to Orlando from Clearwater today.
It’s a dive. And I usually like dives. But not today.
Walking in, it was hard to be wowed. It was dirty, smelly, and small. At our table, the air conditioning was dripping all over my hair, our table and into my water. And to top it off the inside of my glass had some unidentifiable white substance.
I got the brisket with the potatoes and Mac and cheese and ate maybe a little less than half my plate. They’re big plates.
The Mac and cheese was just noodles and some old shredded cheese with a lot of butter in a microwave. Gross.
The brisket tasted alright. But it was not anything too impressive. I’m my opinion it was overly smoked and that did not sit well with my stomach. It was also very fatty. I tasted my boyfriends ribs as well, the sauce outside the ribs was good, but the meat itself was dry and chewy.
The potatoes were okay, they could have been crispier, but that was the only thing that I didn’t dislike.

This place is located in the middle of pretty much nowhere in North Lakeland. I was heading up US 98 one morning and just happened to catch a glimpse of them out of my peripheral vision. I had to slam my brakes. spin my steering wheel and fish tale Dukes of Hazard style so that I wouldn’t pass them up (That might be a dramatization. just roll with it.)
This place is a symbol. the very definition. of small town diner. and I love it. I think there were less than 15 tables. I walked in as the sole customer at around 10:30am. Im not gonna lie it was a little uncomfortable. I felt like they knew I was from out of town. They were very friendly though. The owner. who was also the chef asked if I would like a Philly Cheese Steak omelet because its really good. and he was in the process of making one for himself. Well sure why not. I followed his lead.
Im glad I did. It was really good. Served with my wheat toast and grits. I was a happy fellow. Theres no point in giving you some fancy description of the omelet flavor. It tasted just like its name implies. Like a big delicious philly chz steak omelet. And Im serious. it was a big healthy portion. The grits were the kicker for me. Possibly the best grits Ive ever had. They were a little peppery for my taste. but it worked.
I hear they make a mean burger. Well… Ill be back to check. If that’s the case. 5 stars happenin’ right here.