Kojak’s: Where love bloomed over plates of barbecue

TAMPA, Fla. - Ribs, obviously, are the specialty at Kojak’s House of Ribs. That’s what viewer Vicky Mcshane said when she invited Chip Brewster to join her for his Bay Area Best segment, and that’s what she ordered for him.

“It’s got a lot of flavor. It’s not sauced, it’s not drenched in barbeque,” Chip offered as he chewed. “It’s that good; you don’t need the sauce.”

Indeed, the rib dinner is a must-order. But barbeque was not what first brought Vicky to Kojak’s. In fact, she’s never even had it.

“I never ate a rib in my life,” she admitted with a grin, explaining that her first trip to Kojak’s was actually a first date with her now-husband, Bill.

“We met in 1989 and he was like, ‘I want to take you to dinner.’ So he brought me here to Kojak’s. Back then, I was a picky eater. I got chicken.”

That first date led to a second date. Vicky said she enjoyed trying new things with Bill.

“We did things together. We didn’t make it me versus him; we did everything together,” she continued.

But through the years, she’s always stuck with chicken at Kojak’s. And more importantly, she’s also stuck with Bill.  

Kojak’s House of Ribs has been family-owned and operated since 1978, and Vicky says she think’s that’s the reason the food is so good – whether you go with ribs or chicken.

Kojak’s is located at 2808 W. Gandy Blvd. They’re closed on Mondays.

LINK: For more information, visit www.kojaksbbq.net

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