Mike’s Southern Table
and Smokehouse
By Gary S. Hatrick
Driving on the
northbound
one-way, or
7th St., in
Zephyrhills,
you may have
seen a bright
blue awning
go up around
a restaurant
now called
Mike’s
Southern
Table and Smokehouse and think a brand new restaurant has
come to Zephyrhills.
That is only partially true because the owner and chief chef of
Mike’s Southern Table and Smokehouse, Mike Andrews was
also the owner of Mike’s Smokehouse that was there before.
The hand-carved pig out front is supposed to be him.
On the other hand, the outside is repainted and spruced up,
but the changes that have taken place are far more than just
cosmetic. The menu is different as well, but never fear, the old
menu items are all still available, but it has expanded. You can
now order Salisbury steak, shrimp, or liver and onions, or you
can enjoy their brand-new salad bar.
Also new is the “Deli Subs” section as part of the menu. For
those who used to like “Off the Eaten Path,” the Southern
Table has taken over that menu and made it a bit less expensive
by adding chips or fries and a drink without raising the price.
Andrews has been working restaurants for 14 years and brings
his years of experience and southern cooking skills with modern
tastes to the new venue and needs to make this new restaurant
more popular.
“People thought we were just barbeque.” Andrews said. “We
wanted to let people know we do more than barbecue. We still
do the same barbecue, but we added a bunch of new stuff and
changed things up a little.”
“You can come in and get catfish and grits anytime, shrimp
and grits, collard greens, butter beans, and a lot of other
Southern dishes. Tuesday night we do pot roast on the salad
bar, Thursday night is fried chicken, Friday night we do the
fish fry with clam chowder and soups. We put collard greens
up there or chicken wings at $6.49 for lunch,” Andrews said.
Wednesday has always been All-You-Can-Eat Catfish for 14
years. “And everybody loves our burgers,” he added, which are
made of never frozen Angus beef.
The difference in quality, Andrews says, is that all their food
is made on premises. “We make the patties, make the butter
beans, we bake the biscuits, we make everything.”
Well, one thing is out
of a can, Andrews
admitted shaking his
head. “At breakfast
I was making
homemade corned
beef hash. It took
me two days to make
that, but for some
reason people like
canned corned beef
hash.”
One of the unusual things on the menu started as a joke years
ago, but has remained. It is called the Redneck Platter. It is
catfish, frogs’ legs and alligator with two sides cooked how you
like it, but if you get it breaded, it will be lightly breaded so you
can taste the meat.
Mike’s Southern Table and Smokehouse is located at 5740
7th St. Closed Mondays, open Tuesdays and Thursdays from
7 am to 8 pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 7 am to 9
pm, Sundays from 7 am to 3 pm, Breakfast is served when
they open in the morning. Meeting rooms and Catering are
also available. Contact them at (813) 788-6500 for more
information, but that’s not all.
You can order online at mikessoutherntable.com or on
Facebook, and if you are at work and don’t have time to get
away, Mike’s Southern Table and Smokehouse will deliver to
your workplace. Southern hospitality . . . that’s Mikes.
Hours
Tues - Thurs
7am - 8pm
Friday -
Saturday
7am - 9pm
Sunday
7am-3pm
Joe West, Manager,
stands next to the new salad bar
Easy Ways
to Order
• Online
• Facebook
• Download
Mobile App ~ ~ ~
Catering
Available
ENDLESS Dinner Bar
$849*
Wednesday
$995
Before 2 PM $649
*Tues: Homemade Pot Roast *Thurs: Fried Chicken *Fri: Fish Fry Nite
Appetizers • Smoked Wings • Backyard Burgers
BBQ Plates • Salisbury Steak • Homemade Meatloaf
Deli Subs (Cold & Hot) • Kids Menu (10 & Under)
OPEN 7 AM
Full Breakfast
Menu
SOUP&SALADBAR
Build your own delicious salad creation,
bowl of your favorite homemade soup.
Our endless soup and salad bar makes it
easy and delicious to eat healthy anytime.
5740 7th Street • Zephyrhills, FL 33542
813.788.6500
www.mikesbbqtampa.com
Follow us on Facebook @ Mike’s Smokehouse B-B-Q & Grill
January 2018 Community Magazine 9