OAKWOOD SMOKEHOUSE & GRILL
OAKWOOD SMOKEHOUSE & GRILL is one of Central Florida's sharpest contradictions: 4.7 stars from 2,437 diners, and a D health grade from the state. People plainly love the food. The inspection report tells a rougher story.
By health score it sits safer than 7% of Lake County restaurants we grade — among the riskier kitchens in the county. The grade reflects 4 high-priority, 1 intermediate, and 5 basic violations at its last inspection on March 31, 2026. Safer, higher-graded picks nearby are listed below.
Loved (4.7★) but failing (D, 60/100) · safer than 7% of Lake County
Get directions Call (352) 751-5640
Safer options nearby
Higher-graded restaurants close to OAKWOOD SMOKEHOUSE & GRILL, by Florida DBPR grade:
- NISHCO HOSPITALITY INC
- OAK HOUSE
- HUEY MAGOO'S LADY LAKE
Restaurant details
- Health grade
- D (60/100)
- Violations
- 10 total — 4 high-priority, 1 intermediate, 5 basic
- Address
- 860 S HWY 27/441, Lady Lake, FL
- Cuisine
- Other
- Categories
- Grill, Barbecue restaurant, Restaurant
- Price
- $10–20
- Rating
- 4.7 stars (2437 reviews)
- Seats
- 150
- Phone
- (352) 751-5640
- Website
- Official website
Community Rating
Reviews via GoogleWhat diners say — our read
4.3 stars across 21 reviews, a D health grade — those two numbers are not describing the same visit. Where front-of-house comes up, the rating that follows averages 4.3, so it reads as a strength.
No one in this corpus comments on how much food arrives at all. The single most common rating left here is 5 stars (14 of 21). Of the 21 rated reviews, 16 sit at four stars or better and 2 at two or below.
None of that is visible in a star rating: the most recent DBPR inspection graded this kitchen a D (60/100), citing 4 high-priority, 1 intermediate, and 5 basic violations. Diner sentiment and inspection result are measuring different things here, and only one of them is checked by the state. The visit behind that grade was March 31, 2026. On health score it sits safer than 7% of the Lake County restaurants we grade. For specifics, the last inspection cited food from approved source and cross-contamination.
The practical read: people enjoy eating here, and the kitchen still failed its last inspection. Those are separate claims, and only the second one gets checked by anybody. The reviews themselves follow, unedited and newest first.
Our own analysis of 21 reviews for this restaurant, set against its Florida DBPR inspection record. How we calculate grades →
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Excelente ambiente familiar. El especial de combo de costillas es una buena opción.
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Got the chicken fried salad. Was very good and service was very friendly. Food came quickly and restaurant was very clean and inviting.
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Delicious with very good service. I reduced one star because my carryout onion rings were cold.
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I remember this not being that great of a restaurant when I last went in 2011. I never got around to revisiting this restaurant back when I was still living in Florida from 2007 to 2026.
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It’s FREEZING in here, food gets cold fast.
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Been there many times. Ribs all fall off the bone.
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We had a great time eating at OakWood on 441. Food is great, zero complaints. Service is great. EVEN THE RANCH WAS GREAT. Kids were completely enamored with our waiter (Bryce) such a great personality, and great with the kiddos, family, checking in on everything. Give him a raise. 5 outta 5 stars.
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NOICE!!! ❤️ went for my bday. SO GOOD! Thank you Savannah! Hope I got her name right..
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This is a good restaurant.I used the one in Wildwood for years which was smaller.This one is larger and has a good service.It's best to go early before 6 o'clock.You can also get things to go.I had the hamburgers , they were really good. We also had the ribs baby back a number of times and they were always really good.
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Best ribs i ever ad hands down!!!
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Great BBQ and great staff.
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Best ribs around!
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Best BBQ in town
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The best ribs!! Service is great! Highly recommend!!
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We LOVE Oakwood. Get takeout at least twice a week. The BEST burgers and fried shrimp, delicious collards. HOWEVER the fries are always terrible. Cold and nasty. Recently they changed to crinkle fries, my favorite! The last 3 times the fries have been ice cold in the middle, one time even still frozen. Do better guys!
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Great restaurant. Nice friendly people and very fast and good food
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I am new to the Lady Lake area and have been on the search for the best non-fast food hamburger and I have found it here (in my opinion). Not that the other places around don't have good burgers and food it just here they are flame broiled and have that special taste.
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Great food and service. Sad no more Mahi Mahi sandwich
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Horrible food horrible manager only gave us 10% for two meals that were horrible me and my mom been going there for years will not go back ever again it's always a bad sign when you go to the bathroom and your food's already at the table
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My husband got the full rack of ribs with a salad instead of 2 sides. The ribs were fall of the bone and just good, not impressive but good. I had the pulled pork sandwich as I always do with corn fritters The hamburger bun was different and the pulled pork had a different strange taste. I asked our server and she said they had changed the buns and also had changed the bbq sauce from what they used to use. A hamburger bun is a burger bun but this one was really smaller and just different. It was like a Mc Donald's bun not the ones like Oakwood used to have. I told her that I always got the bbq pulled pork and noticed a difference and it was not good. She said she would mention it to the manager.
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Don't order fish, sweet potato fries are sooo good
Overall Score
43 / 100
Composite score from health grade, dietary options, ratings, and inspection record — distinct from the state-derived health grade.
Opening hours
- Monday
- 11 AM to 8 PM
- Tuesday
- 11 AM to 8 PM
- Wednesday
- 11 AM to 8 PM
- Thursday
- 11 AM to 8 PM
- Friday
- 11 AM to 8 PM
- Saturday
- 11 AM to 8 PM
- Sunday
- 11 AM to 3 PM
Inspection history
The following records are from Florida DBPR public inspection records, most recent first.
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March 31, 2026 · Complaint Full
Inspection Completed - No Further Action
4 high-priority · 1 intermediate · 5 basic
- 01 — Food from approved source; safe, unadulterated, sound condition
- 03 — Temperature control of foods (cold/hot holding, cooking, cooling, reheating) (×2)
- 08 — Cross-contamination: raw foods separated; food protected during prep/storage
- 14 — Food-contact & nonfood-contact surfaces properly designed/maintained (×2)
- 22 — Food-contact surfaces clean and sanitized
- 23 — Nonfood-contact surfaces clean
- 36 — Floors, walls, ceilings clean & maintained; proper ventilation
- 53 — Food manager certification; employee food-safety training
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November 13, 2025 · Routine - Food
Inspection Completed - No Further Action
0 high-priority · 0 intermediate · 9 basic
- 08 — Cross-contamination: raw foods separated; food protected during prep/storage (×2)
- 14 — Food-contact & nonfood-contact surfaces properly designed/maintained
- 21 — Wiping cloths; clean & soiled linens; laundry
- 22 — Food-contact surfaces clean and sanitized (×2)
- 23 — Nonfood-contact surfaces clean
- 36 — Floors, walls, ceilings clean & maintained; proper ventilation (×2)
This grade is calculated by us from Florida DBPR public inspection records — Florida does not issue official grades. How we calculate it →
Data last updated: March 31, 2026