The moment that BBQ lovers across Tampa Bay have waited for is finally here: Kojak’s House of Ribs—which operated its flagship south Tampa location for 44 years—will reopen in Seffner at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 1.
The new Kojak’s will open out of a former Pizza Hut at 1809 S Parsons Ave. Although the new location looks quite different from its previous old-school farmhouse-turned-restuarant, the upcoming Kojak’s will have the same management and menu that made it famous so many years ago.
The Kojak’s website recommends that you call ahead at 813-324-8371 to avoid the expected long waits during the Feb. 1 grand opening. And according to the hundreds of excited Facebook comments, one can assume that next week’s opening will be a huge event.
The Kojak’s menu consists of slow cooked pork, beef and chicken, homemade sides and decadent desserts—like Mama’s chocolate cake and Aunt Shelby's Key Lime Pie. You can even cover BBQ favorites like pulled pork, hot smoked sausage and pork ribs in some house-made Kojak’s BBQ sauce, which you can purchase in bulk.
There’s a dinner menu where you can purchase platters and combinations, in addition to a-la-carte selections where you can buy chicken, beef, or pork chopped BBQ, chopped beef brisket and side orders by the half-pint, pint, or quart.
You can also buy a-la-carte slabs of ribs, hot sausages, as well as half or quarter chickens. Coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, parsley potatoes, and baked beans occupy the side menu, while sodas, teas, coffee, and Kojak’s renown homemade sangria are among the beverages offered.
The Tampa Bay Times said the barbecue restaurant with the Pizza Hut-style roof will seat about 48 people, although the new Kojak’s will focus more on takeout service versus dine-in. The forthcoming Seffner location is set to have some competition as Hungry Harry's Famous BBQ—another local favorite—is located right across the street.
Kojak’s House of Ribs made headlines in spring of 2021 when owner Chris Forney announced the closure of its south Tampa flagship location after 48 years of family-owned and operated business. When the iconic farmhouse was built in 1927, nothing surrounded it but woods. Now, the bungalow-turned-restaurant and its surrounding property will be turned into a brand new apartment complex.
The new Kojak’s House of Ribs will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and closed on Mondays.
