There’s a popular new barbecue restaurant on the MS Coast. Is it as good as everyone says?
You can smell the smoker before you walk in. That’s always a good sign.
The building formerly home to Kajun Kick has a new owner and has been renovated to house the Black-owned, soulful barbecue joint Big Roosta’s.
Located at 14129 Dedeaux Rd. near Orange Grove in Gulfport, Big Roosta’s opened in January and made its first dollar on New Year’s Day.
The establishment is still ironing out its opening with menu changes, specials, staff training and signage, but it’s already gained significant notoriety for its boxed meals with a perfect five star rating on Facebook so far.
Inside you’ll find a few tables, friendly and attentive staff, a colorful vibe with R&B music setting the tone. Off to the side is a hidden treat. A table draped in pink with cookies, cupcakes and different flavors of homemade lemonade in Mason jars.
This is Easha’s Creative Treats. Her sweets pair perfectly with the smoky tastes that come out of the kitchen behind the register.
Popular on the menu are the grilled meats plates. Chopped chicken, pork spare ribs, pulled pork, smoked wings and more, with sides that include butter Cajun corn, okra and fries.
I believe the best way to truly test a barbecue joint is through their wings, so that’s exactly what I did. I ordered the six-piece wings with fries. The box came with 10 wings, ranch and their tangy house sauce.
The wings were cooked perfectly and came out hot and fresh. The Cajun country rub gave it a unique taste that went well with the Big Roosta sauce. The meat was impressively tender and fell off the bone with ease.
Incredibly, there was little grease leftover. This left nothing but the Cajun flavor on my fingers and kept the fries perfectly crisp.
Other wing flavors include lemon pepper, honey hot, sweet chili and many more.
In one sitting, Big Roosta’s became my go-to for wings. If you’re in Gulfport and looking for fresh-off-the-grill wings and barbecue, Big Roosta’s is more than deserving of your attention.
There’s smash burgers with your choice of toppings, and egg rolls on the menu, as well.
The restaurant is still working out the hours, but they open each day at 10 a.m. and close when the food sells out.
