***** Tom’s Place
1225 Palm Beach Boulevard
West Palm Beach, Florida 33401
(561) 832-8774

Yesterday, I told you “guys” about a terrific joint named Betty’s Soul Food Restaurant & B-B-Q. If you haven’t read Betty’s “story,” take a minute “so that” you can “follow” what I am now going to tell you about Tom’s Place.

In the 30+ years that I have been visiting/and or living “full time” in South Florida, there has seemingly always been a Tom’s Place to eat at. My earliest recollection of eating at Tom’s, was at a location (small free-standing building) at the intersection of Dixie Highway and Glades Road in Boca Raton (by the way, Bucky’s Bar-B-Que now occupies the same location). Now, I am not sure as to the exact dates, but after years at the Dixie/Glades spot, Tom’s relocated to a much larger free-standing building located on Federal Highway in Boca Raton and spent a number of years “packing the joint.” Now, I am not sure as to how long Tom’s was at the second location, but I do recall that about 3-4 years ago it closed “for no apparent reason.” To bring you up to date, Tom’s then re-opend in the Summer of 2005 at the West Palm Beach location listed above.

Tom’s Place is a BBQ-Soul Food restaurant. Tom’s is open for lunch-dinner, Tuesday-Thursday 11:30am-9:30pm, Friday 11:30am-10pm and Saturday noon-10pm.

Now for the “hook” to Betty’s ( I have been so busy “yapping” about Tom’s locations etc. that I almost forgot Betty’s altogether).

Betty’s is what I would call a real BBQ-SOUL FOOD RESTAURANT. Betty’s location, its outdoor/indoor decor, its menu and its food are the REAL McCOY.

Tom’s Place is “also” a bbq-soul food restaurant. Tom’s menu is similar to Betty’s, but not a “clone.” Let me put it to you this way, the fact that Tom’s was located in Boca Raton for almost 30 years and has ” located-relocated” 3 times, each time to a bigger and better location, “should tell” you, that Tom’s may just be a bit more “commercialized” than Betty’s is.

If you want to learn what really good Southern BBQ-Soul Food is all about, Tom’s or Betty’s are the places to go. That said, in comparing the two joints, Betty’s would be Yale and Tom’s would be Staten Island Community College.