Jacksonviile

Southern Smokehouse Opening on Yellow Bluff Road in Jacksonville

The new restaurant will bring barbecue, a full liquor bar, and a 120-seat dining room to the area.

Picture courtesy of Southern Smokehouse.

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Louis Joseph and Baylee Joseph, owners of South Atlantic Hospitality, are preparing to open Southern Smokehouse at 12741 Yellow Bluff Rd., Suites 1 and 2, Jacksonville, FL 32226. Louis Joseph told Business Debut the team is targeting an early to mid-August opening.

Business Debut learned of this story first from What Now.

What to Expect

Southern Smokehouse will be South Atlantic Hospitality’s first barbecue concept and second restaurant. Joseph also owns Southern Coast Seafood at 1301 Monument Road in Jacksonville, which opened in February 2020.

Joseph said Southern Coast Seafood’s backbone is seafood, but the restaurant has also used its smoker for several menu items, including smoked wings, fish dip, mushrooms and tomatoes used on some dishes. Over the past six years, the team has also tested small-batch barbecue specials there as another option for regulars, Joseph told Business Debut.

That experience helped lead to Southern Smokehouse, Joseph said. He identified a need for more restaurants in the Yellow Bluff Road area, particularly barbecue. The new restaurant will be full service, with hosts, servers and support staff.

The restaurant will have 120 seats and a full-service liquor bar, something Joseph said is not common among barbecue restaurants in the area.

Guests can expect traditional barbecue items with Southern Smokehouse’s own spin, Joseph told Business Debut. The menu is planned to include more salad options than a typical barbecue restaurant, handheld items, signature sauces and spreads, barbecue lasagna, weekly specials and a turkey leg.

Joseph said the restaurant will have a Southern lodge-style feel, with decor and background music meant to fit the surrounding community. He said the area still carries an old-school Southern feel, and the team wants the restaurant to reflect that.

Southern Coast Seafood has also allowed Joseph to work with smoked items over the years, including smoked wings, fish dip, mushrooms and tomatoes, along with small-batch barbecue specials.

Joseph said the local community can expect a consistent product at a fair price, along with a clean environment and capable service.

“We pride ourselves on being very clean,” Joseph told Business Debut. “I think that’s what the local community can look forward to for when we open in that area.”

Opening Timeline

The general contractor is scheduled to finish construction by late June, Joseph told Business Debut. After that, the team will complete decorative work, bring in additional equipment, prepare food and alcohol operations, and train staff. Southern Smokehouse is targeting an early to mid-August opening.

Hours

Joseph said the tentative plan is to open daily at 10:30 a.m. The restaurant is expected to operate Sunday through Thursday until about 8:30 or 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday until about 9:30 p.m.