Shorty's BBQ - Dadeland-South Dixie

"This Miami classic has stood in the same location for over 70 years, so it’s been a part of Kendall way before finishing every sentence with bro became a thing. While they don’t serve Miami’s best barbecue, it’s solid and there’s something uniquely charming about eating ribs in a log cabin under the Dadeland South Metrorail station. The spare ribs are the thing to get here along with a side of baked beans and coleslaw. The corn on the cob is served in a styrofoam boat filled with more melted butter than you’ll need, but it’s a can’t-miss Shorty's tradition (along with rinsing your fingers in a little cup of hot water after your meal). Make sure to finish with a not-too-tart slice of key lime pie." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo, mariana trabanino

"Eat with the locals and get some cheap ‘cue at Miami’s Shorty's. The pulled pork sandwiches and sweet tea have been a favorite in the area for more than 70 years." - Eater Staff

"Shorty’s may not serve Miami’s best barbecue, but there is something essentially Miami about going to a 70-year-old barbecue spot in a log cabin under the Metrorail tracks in Kendall. Shorty’s transports us to a time when most of Dade was farmland, and the friendly service and communal wooden tables make us feel like we just crashed a cookout. The food is solid enough to give us a reason to keep coming back here, too. The spare ribs are the best thing to get from the smoker—the meat falls off the bone and has a deep hickory flavor. Make sure to ask for their vinegar sauce to slather over everything. And save room for a big slice of homemade key lime pie, which is custardy, intensely sweet, and mildly tart. Shorty’s does offer all this food to go and has two newer locations in Miami and Davie, but we always feel a little guilty cheating on the original Dadeland location." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo

"This barbecue spot is actually older than the Metrorail, and has been a Kendall staple for over seventy years. It’s also just a two-minute walk from the Dadeland South station. Dine in and enjoy pulled pork and baby back ribs in a log cabin that would make Lincoln jealous, or take it to-go on the train and let the smell of smoked meats make your fellow passengers jealous." - Virginia Otazo, Ryan Pfeffer

"Shorty’s may not serve Miami’s best barbecue, but there is something unique and fun about going to one of Miami’s oldest barbecue spots in a 70-year old log cabin under the Dadeland South Metrorail station. If you combine all the elements of a meal here, it’s much more than the sum of its parts. Shorty’s transports us to a time when most of Dade was farmland, and the friendly service and communal tables make us feel like we just crashed someone’s cookout. The food itself is solid. An appetizer of fried green tomatoes with a spicy ranch dipping sauce is as good as anything you’ll get in the Deep South—thin, crispy crust, and tart, delicately sweet unripe tomatoes. And if you order the corn, you’ll get to roll the cob in a styrofoam boat of melted butter before you take each bite. The spare ribs are the best and most classic item to get from the smoker here. The meat falls off the bone and has a deep smoky flavor. The pulled pork and baby back ribs are also good—but the brisket and chicken tend to be dry and underwhelming. Their cole slaw, which comes with every BBQ platter, is one of our favorites in Miami: sweet, creamy, and seasoned with celery seeds. Whatever you order just make sure to ask for their vinegar sauce to slather over the meat. And do save room for a big slice of homemade key lime pie, which is custardy, intensely sweet, and mildly tart.. Shorty’s does offer all this food to-go and has 2 newer locations in Miami and Davie—but any experience outside of the original Dadeland location just doesn’t quite feel the same." - Carlos C Olaechea