Mohawk Smokehouse at Tasty Takeover Orlando: Is It Really Orlando’s Best BBQ?

What Is Tasty Takeover Orlando?

For those unfamiliar, Tasty Takeover is a weekly food truck event in Orlando that features rotating vendors. It starts at 6:30 PM and attracts serious crowds, especially for the popular spots like Mohawk Smokehouse. Fair warning: if you want the full menu, show up early because items sell out fast.

My Complicated Relationship With Food Trucks

Look, I have a weird relationship with food trucks. I always want to like them, but I often end up disappointed because I’m paying restaurant prices without any of the comforts of even basic establishments. No bathroom, no designated seating area, so I end up eating in my car, smelling up the interior and possibly making a mess.

Also, while food trucks are trendy and a great way for food businesses to get off the ground (which I respect), a lot of them are pretty basic. Pizzas, wings, tacos…these are tired ideas unless the execution is exceptional. Most don’t deliver well enough to become serious brick and mortar contenders.

But the rotation at Tasty Takeover Orlando actually caught my attention. I put off visiting for a long time, but I finally made it out to try Mohawk Smokehouse and Pudding Queen.

The 50-Minute Wait at Mohawk Smokehouse Orlando

We arrived around 6:50 PM, just 20 minutes after Tasty Takeover officially opened. I expected Mohawk Smokehouse to be popular, but I did not expect this level of chaos. By the time I reached the front of the line, they had already run out of the pork belly burnt ends. After waiting 50 minutes just to place my order, I was not thrilled.

Here’s the thing: it’s not like they were cooking the BBQ on the spot. Most of what they did was filling plates and containers or cutting up meat. This is a logistical problem that could easily be solved with more staff. BBQ does not sit well in warming pans and will eventually dry out, so the long wait actually hurts the food quality.

What We Ordered: Brisket, Ribs, and Sides

I ordered a half pound of brisket, a half rack of their traditional St. Louis style ribs, potato salad, and mac and cheese. It was definitely enough food for leftovers.

The Brisket

They gave me two slices: one fatty cut from the point and one from the flat. The fatty portion was excellent. Tender, smokey, rich, everything you want from good brisket. The flat, however, was quite dry.

This is pretty common with brisket. Whole briskets can easily weigh 20 pounds, and it’s nearly impossible to cook them so both the thick point end and the lean flat end reach perfect doneness. Blame the anatomy of the cow. Maybe a wagyu brisket would solve that problem, but that’s not everyday Texas BBQ.

The Spare Ribs

The ribs were just okay. This is another cut that doesn’t sit well in warming pans. The doneness was actually perfect. The meat wasn’t sliding off the bone but was tender enough to bite clean off. I could tell these were smoked well, but unfortunately, they sat too long because some pieces were starting to dry out.

Potato Salad (The MVP)

The potato salad was my favorite thing from Mohawk Smokehouse Orlando. I loved that it was tangy, well seasoned, and had a nice crunch from diced celery. My wife thought it was too sour for her taste, but I thought it complemented the rich barbecue perfectly and gave a nice break from all the meat juices. Yes, I’m aware mayo isn’t exactly a chaser to meat juices, but it worked.

Mac and Cheese (The Letdown)

I overheard the lady in front of me hyping up the mac and cheese, so I figured why not. Random lady in line, I won’t trust your food recommendations again.

This was the lowlight from Mohawk Smokehouse. The mac and cheese was bland. You could taste cheese and that was about it. Maybe that’s what they were going for, but I prefer more depth. Give me some sharp cheddar for a little zest, or add complexity with spices like mustard powder.

I also wasn’t a fan of the visible fat separation. I could see oil seeping from the sides. Better emulsification with sodium citrate or even some Kraft singles would help bind it together. Overall, it was too greasy for my taste.

Pudding Queen Saved Dessert

My favorite dessert after barbecue is banana pudding, but unfortunately Mohawk Smokehouse wasn’t serving it that night. Lucky for me, Pudding Queen was also at Tasty Takeover Orlando.

This is some thick pudding. I personally would have preferred it a bit runnier like traditional banana pudding, and I would have liked the original Nilla wafers instead of the Chessmen cookies she uses. But this is still some good pudding. Super sweet, ultra indulgent goodness to end an overall coma-inducing meal.

A Note About the Photos

Fair warning: the pictures in this post aren’t great due to bad lighting and food just not looking appetizing in takeout containers. Of course, I could have brought my mirrorless camera and worked some angles, but I’m self-conscious about being that guy who photographs everything he eats. I couldn’t bring myself to draw that kind of attention.

About My BBQ Background

I can’t say I’m an expert on American barbecue. I’ve only had it a handful of times, though I’ve had periods of being a hobbyist pitmaster in my backyard with some successes and mostly failures. I want to like barbecue more than I actually do since I find it too decadent, even as a prominent meat enjoyer. But I heard so much hype about Mohawk Smokehouse that I had to see if they lived up to their claim of being Orlando’s best.

The Verdict: Is Mohawk Smokehouse Orlando Worth It?

Mohawk Smokehouse is good if you can get it really fresh before it starts suffering from sitting out too long. But would I wait 50 minutes in line again? Absolutely not. That’s a logistical issue they could easily solve with a couple more staff members.

Do I think they’re the best BBQ in Orlando? They’re the best I’ve tried in Orlando, but I don’t think they lived up to the hype. The brisket point was excellent, the potato salad was fantastic, but the dry flat cut, mediocre ribs, and disappointing mac and cheese brought down the overall experience.

Pudding Queen is great, and I’d totally try their other flavors, but I don’t often find myself at food truck or pop-up events.

Tips for Visiting Tasty Takeover Orlando

• Show up by 6:30 PM if you want the full menu from popular vendors
• Bring cash just in case (some vendors are card-only, others prefer cash)
• Plan to eat in your car or bring a blanket for the grass
• Order the potato salad at Mohawk Smokehouse, skip the mac and cheese
• Get there early to avoid the brutal wait times at Mohawk Smokehouse Orlando

If you’ve been to Tasty Takeover Orlando or tried Mohawk Smokehouse, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Did you have better luck with timing? What did you order?