Central Florida BBQ Restaraunt Guide
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Sweet & Salty Island Grindz

Updated 2026-08-18 · 6,088 reviewed · 140 listed · Scored from 27 Google reviews · How we rank ›

4.5(27) 68 composite score See reviews on Google ✓ Google-verified
Traditional Smokehouse BBQ
Sweet & Salty Island Grindz
Service
Traditional Smokehouse BBQ
Reviews
27

What recent reviews say

Sweet & Salty Island Grindz delivers standout Hawaiian plate lunches centered on tender, perfectly-breaded chicken katsu with balanced sauce, generous sides, and fair pricing. The small kitchen turns out fresh, hot food to order in a clean food-hall setting with a friendly team, though waits run long and specialties like spam musubi and kalbi beef sometimes disappoint compared to the chicken.

Their viral Hot Butter Chicken Sandwich has a loyal following, and staff remember regulars warmly. Consistency beyond chicken dishes remains a watch-out, and occasional sell-outs signal both freshness and limited inventory. Family-friendly vibe with shared seating and a bar nearby make it worth a detour off the main road in Apopka.

Praised for
  • tender, flavorful chicken and katsu
  • generous portions
  • fresh, made-to-order food
  • friendly staff and service
  • Hawaiian plate lunch authenticity
Watch-outs
  • inconsistent quality across menu items
  • long wait times
  • some non-chicken dishes underperform
  • items occasionally out of stock
tender-meatgenerous-portionsfriendly-staffauthentic-flavorfast-casual-lineclean-dining-arealong-wait-timesinconsistent-quality
Best for: Locals and visitors craving authentic Hawaiian plate lunches with exceptional chicken dishes.
Think twice if: You're in a hurry or want reliable consistency across the full menu. Non-chicken items and side dishes vary in quality.

Strengths

  • chicken katsu with housemade tonkatsu sauce
  • generous, complete plate portions
  • made-to-order freshness
  • viral butter chicken sandwich

Worth knowing

  • Staff members named Tab, Anthony, and Alpha praised for cooking and service
  • Huli Huli Chicken plate is a popular menu rotation
  • Loco Moco Smashburger listed on menu
  • Food made to order, not fast-food style
  • originated as a food truck operated by Will and his wife, now in Hall's on 5th co-op
  • Hot Butter Chicken Katsu Sandwich marketed as Florida's largest chicken sandwich at $15

What reviews say by service

Traditional Smokehouse BBQ
Chicken dishes (katsu, huli huli, spicy chicken sandwich) consistently praised as tender, fresh, and flavorful with balanced sauces. Non-chicken items like kalbi beef and spam musubi are inconsistent.

How it compares

  • Rated 4.5 against a 4.51 average across the 124 traditional smokehouse bbq businesses listed here.
  • Has more Google reviews than 18% of the businesses in this directory.

How we scored this

How We Score
Star rating 67
Review volume 63
Review recency 100
Review sentiment 64
Profile completeness 50
Verification 0

Rating breakdown

5
21
4
2
3
2
2
1
1
1

Common questions

How long does food take?
Made to order, so allow a wait. Reviewers note this signals freshness, though one customer waited 35 minutes.
What's the signature item?
The chicken katsu plate and the viral Hot Butter Chicken Sandwich ($15) are most-praised. Huli Huli Chicken and Kalua Pork plates also popular.
Do you need to find parking or seating?
It's in Hall's on 5th food court with shared indoor and outdoor seating nearby, plus parking in the adjacent lot. The location is off the main road, so it takes some looking for first-time visitors.

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Last updated 2026-08-18