Tropical BBQ Market in West Palm Beach Closes After 3-Year Run

The fast-casual restaurant was a spinoff of the popular Tropical Smokehouse brand.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 10:48pm

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a polished wooden cutting board with a selection of barbecue spices, sauces, and a pair of tongs arranged elegantly on a clean, white background. The dramatic lighting and shadows conceptually represent the abstract challenges of running a restaurant business.The closure of Tropical BBQ Market in West Palm Beach reflects the competitive nature of the restaurant industry and the need for owners to make tough decisions about where to focus their resources.West Palm Beach Today

Tropical BBQ Market, a downtown West Palm Beach restaurant owned by chef Rick Mace and his business partner Jason Lakow, has closed after serving its last meal on March 27, 2026. The restaurant, which opened in August 2023, was a spinoff of the Tropical Smokehouse brand and highlighted Florida and Caribbean flavors. Mace cited the immediate success of the newly opened Tropical Smokehouse location in Delray Beach as a key factor in the decision to close the West Palm Beach restaurant.

Why it matters

The closure of Tropical BBQ Market marks the end of a popular dining option in downtown West Palm Beach, as the city continues to see changes in its restaurant landscape. The decision to focus on the thriving Delray Beach location highlights the competitive nature of the restaurant industry, where owners must make tough choices about where to allocate their resources.

The details

Tropical BBQ Market was owned and operated by chef Rick Mace and his business partner Jason Lakow. The fast-casual restaurant served its last meal on March 27, 2026, after a three-year run in downtown West Palm Beach. Mace cited the immediate success of the newly opened Tropical Smokehouse location in Delray Beach as a key factor in the decision to close the West Palm Beach restaurant, saying the Delray location was outperforming the downtown West Palm Beach restaurant.

  • Tropical BBQ Market opened in August 2023.
  • Tropical BBQ Market served its last meal on March 27, 2026.

The players

Rick Mace

Chef and co-owner of Tropical BBQ Market and Tropical Smokehouse.

Jason Lakow

Business partner and co-owner of Tropical BBQ Market and Tropical Smokehouse.

Siobhan Mace

Wife of Rick Mace and manager of the catering operation at Tropical BBQ Market.

Tropical Smokehouse

The popular restaurant brand that Tropical BBQ Market was a spinoff of, with locations in West Palm Beach and Delray Beach.

Tropical BBQ Market

The fast-casual restaurant in downtown West Palm Beach that has now closed.

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What they’re saying

“We have a location that's three years old and is still doing smaller sales volume than a store that's three months old.”

— Rick Mace, Chef and co-owner

“It's a sad moment in any restaurant when you have to do that. We're super proud of our team and in the food that we were cooking.”

— Rick Mace, Chef and co-owner

“You do right by people that have helped you along the way.”

— Rick Mace, Chef and co-owner

What’s next

Mace said they are still deciding whether any menu items from the downtown West Palm Beach restaurant will be brought to the other two Tropical Smokehouse locations.

The takeaway

The closure of Tropical BBQ Market in downtown West Palm Beach highlights the challenges restaurant owners face in a competitive market, even for a popular brand like Tropical Smokehouse. The decision to focus resources on the thriving Delray Beach location shows the importance of adapting to changing customer preferences and market conditions.