This was quite the process in the making but Aptos St BBQ knocked it out of the park! We had them cater our rehearsal dinner for our guests and the food and service blew everyone out of the water. We got multiple compliments about how good the food was: from the brisket to the vegan sausage to the mac and cheese. If we lived any closer, I would frequent all the time! read more

Wow! I used Aptos St. BBQ for my birthday party and it was a huge hit. All the guests raved about how good the meat was. We had a substantial amount of leftovers that we were able to share with family and neighbors. I would also like to add that the communication between catering team and myself was excellent and it met all of my expectations; I would definitely use them again! read more

I visited Aptos BBQ for the first time yesterday with a friend, and even though I've lived in the Santa Cruz area for years, I can't believe it took me this long to try it! The food was absolutely delicious, and I really appreciated the great selection of beers they had on tap. I also loved that the restaurant is dog-friendly, which made the experience even better. A special shout-out to the employee serving the beer! He was incredibly friendly, patient, and happy to let us sample different beers, even with a line behind us. I'm usually the type of person who rushes because I don't want to hold anyone up, but he never made us feel rushed and took the time to help us find something we'd enjoy. That level of customer service really stood out. Overall, it was a great experience from the food to the atmosphere and the staff. I'll definitely be back to try more items on the menu. Highly recommend! read more

Amazing BBQ, absolutely classic Aptos spot. There's no better place in the Santa Cruz area for some high quality smoked meats. The burnt ends are typically my favorite here, but you can't go wrong no matter what. It's a regular spot for us, and for a good reason. We feel very lucky to live near Aptos St BBQ! read more

I am a vegetarian, and my friend is not. She loved everything, and I loved all the wonderful sides. I love the baked potato, especially, the mac & cheese, the coleslaw, the cornbread with the extra benefit of honey was delicious rather than dry. Live music was amazing. The band was incredible and we really enjoyed sitting outside and enjoying the breeze along with the warm cherry pie and cold ice cream companion which was a great way to celebrate her birthday. If you are anywhere near Aptos take a trip to Aptos BBQ you will find great service, excellent food that arrives not long after you settle into the seat of your choice and live music if you are lucky! read more

Aptos Street BBQ is DA BOMB DIGGITY!!! If you like BBQ, this is the real deal. It has meat that is tender and smoky; there is homemade BBQ sauce; there is live Blues music (some days); there is fantastic local beer on tap; and fancy soda. It's a seat-yourself and clear-your-own-dishes kind of place, but that feels right for a true BBQ place. They have wet wipes and lots of napkins at the counter because you'll need them. Prices can be a little steep for the bigger plates because of the cost of meat, but I get the "mini" plates that come with smaller portions of meat, one side (your choice), and bread (your choice of corn bread or garlic bread). If you're lucky, they may remember to give you a little chocolate in your tray. (They don't always do this, for some reason - sigh.) The only downside is parking isn't the best here. It's street parking, but I've never had an issue. read more

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I'm from the Los Angeles area, closer to Long Beach, and I have no good local BBQ spots that I've found for myself yet. This place is always so delicious and such a treat for me when I come up to visit the Santa Cruz area. My go to is the Baked Potato with brisket and I get the sour cream on the side. One of the best baked potato's I've ever had! The service is always nice. You order at the register and wait for them to call your name when your order is ready. It's a very classic looking BBQ spot and they have live music some nights. It's always very clean but I've heard it can get super super busy during certain times of the day. I'd definitely check it out if you're in the area :) read more

Aptos St BBQ - Brisket Baked Potato (sour cream on the side) - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

This location is part of a chain that also includes Mission St BBQ. 4/5: Brisket is OK but a bit too salty, and not enough smoke flavor. It came room temp. 4/5: White mac n cheese pretty good 3/5: Cornbread They have live music daily 6-8 pm. It's a little over amped but OK. read more

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We had spent most of the day hiking and arrived a bit late to Aptos St Barbecue. Arrived at around 7:45 PM on a Sunday to a pretty busy restaurant with a band playing. We waited in line to place our food order. They were out of some meats including Beef Ribs. Even the pork ribs, we had to negotiate with the cashier. We asked for a full rack, they countered with 4 ribs, and then we finally landed on a half rack. By the time we ordered, the band was wrapping up since their set ended at 8 PM. The food: Pork ribs - tender, but not fall of the bone Brisket - medium slices from the flat - nice flavor and texture Mac & Cheese - my favorite of the sides - good cheese flavor with al dente pasta The other items were fine - coleslaw, potato salad, garlic bread, corn bread. Worth noting, the corn bread is a sliced of corn bread (not a muffin). We also got some pulled pork, but that was a bit too dry for my liking. My advice - definitely get there earlier in the day so you don't miss out on the meat that you want. Everything is self-serve including ordering, getting food, and bussing your table. read more

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This afternoon I rediscovered my new local favorite casual restaurant, Aptos Street BBQ. If you don't know it, try it soon. We had the best experience and can't wait to return. Great pork ribs, cole slaw and beans. And I always get extra to take home. Great atmosphere (check out the cigar box guitar on the wall) and very welcoming and attentive staff. Thanks read more

The best BBQ I have had from a restaurant in a while, if not ever! A family member brought this home one day and it was so delicious. We had a variety of meat and sides but the ribs and mac and cheese had me and everyone at the house going back for seconds! Everything was absolutely cooked to perfection, seasoned well, meat was very tender and falling off the bone, (but not in the yucky way where everything is too soft). Additionally most places have good meat or good bbq sauce but this place had both. I can't speak for the service or the ambiance of the restaurant because I did get it to go. The cons of this place was that it is on the expensive side; however, you get what you pay for! read more

The best BBQ place you will ever be!!! The food is delicious and the brisket is not dry at all, they have live music and a new side that is sausage with jalapeno. The place is really pretty and they serve your food quite quickly. They have artesanal beers which is nice! They have seating inside and outside of the restaurant. Will be coming back! read more

Aptos St BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

Solid BBQ spot in Aptos CA. Lots of seating space and quick moving order counter. They'll give you a shout once your order is ready. BBQ sauce reminded me of Sweet Baby Ray's, eerily so... but, I do like SBR. The sandwiches are sizeable and a bit sloppy. As it should be if you're doing a big bbq sandwich. I did the 'squealing pig' which was their spicy pulled pork sandwich. Nice kick, nothing too crazy. I'd say overall a solid spot, I had my eye on dessert but they were all sold out by the time we rolled through. Live blues 7 nights a week, solid set from the boys up there! read more

I never thought I would find a tri tip sandwich I would like better than Firestone in SLO but I did at Aptos St. BBQ during the summer. The sandwich upgraded to a large for an additional $6 is loaded with tender meat sandwiched in between garlic bread is so flavorful on its own without the need to add BBQ sauce, which is rare. You can have the meats in a sandwich with one side or a meal with two sides and a choice of bread. We did one of each, large tri tip sandwich with Mac n cheese and regular brisket meal with baked potato (for an additional $3), beans and cornbread. Although they are known for their brisket, I fell in love with their tri tip. The sides were just okay, but it really is the meat that you're here for. Just be prepared that the tri-tip does sell out, even before dinner as we discovered recently. read more

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Knew in advance I would be traveling through the area and after looking into a few places, I knew Aptos St BBQ was where I would be stopping for lunch and I am so glad I made the decision. The tri tip sandwich was exactly what I was looking for on that chilly afternoon - the garlic bread it was served on, the bbq sauce, and the tender meat was the perfect pairing. I ordered a side of mac n cheese which was super creamy and garlicky and also so so good. A really great menu of options that I had a hard time choosing what to get - the woman at the register was friendly and helpful when answering any of my questions and making recommendations. Lots of soda and beers on tap as well for those who are into that. The food came out quickly and was reasonably priced for the quality. The space itself is very casual and there was also a good amount of outside seating, though it had rained overnight so the seating was wet but on a nice day I can see how eating outside would be lovely. I would definitely come back if I ever pass through Aptos again and would be a regular customer if this were local to me. read more

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Great bbq, and considerate staff. Ordered ahead and was told it would be ready in 15 minutes, arrived 15 minutes later, and there the food was, ready to go. I appreciate that they were true to their word even tho it was a busy day. I really enjoyed the brisket and Mac & cheese. Soda fountain had a delicious black cherry soda. Will be back when I'm in the area. read more

I stop by Aptos BBQ whenever I'm headed to Santa Cruz. Aptos is at the top of my list for brisket. I've been here at least 6 times. I will say I'm not a big fan of the sides but the brisket makes up for it. Once in a while we get lucky and get live music. Service is quick and friendly. Enough seating inside and outside. read more

Aptos St BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

Considering the reviews, I thought this place would be better. Got the brisket meal with the potato salad, beans, and cornbread. The brisket was too fatty, meat was tender but with all the fat there wasn't enough meat to enjoy. The sides were just ok, beans had a spice to it and the potato salad was average. The pickled cucumber and onion were good but minimal portion. The cornbread did not have any flavor. It's a crispy thing and that's pretty much it. I feel like they gave the honey and butter to give it something but that really shouldn't carry the flavor, it should enhance it.. The staff were nice and the food didn't take long to get at least. They also have an outdoor section if inside is too crowded or you want to step out from the live music (they had that when we were there) read more

Aptos St BBQ - Brisket Meal - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

I've used Aptos BBQ Catering on at least three occasions. The food is fantastic, on time and the communication is very thoughtful and thorough. Even more importantly the food is fresh, delicious and pleasing for just about any crowd. I would not hesitate to recommend this spot to anyone. Thank you Aptos BBQ and we'll be calling again soon! read more

Brisket was beautiful, good flavor, great smoke ring, very tender and juicy. Coleslaw is more vinegar based which is how I like it. read more

Aptos St BBQ - Brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

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We ordered Aptos St BBQ catering for takeout for a family reunion. The process was super easy, service was great and the portions were generous. We did pulled pork and tri tip. Would order again. read more

Came in around 6:30 on a weeknight and it was pretty crowded, but we were still able to snag a table. Great BBQ. We really enjoyed the ribs and the mac and cheese. My nephew highly recommends adding BBQ sauce to the mac and cheese (his idea, not mine ). read more

Aptos St BBQ - Brisket, Mac and Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

We came late an hour before closing and they were sold out of a lot of things. If you want to get a good selection, come earlier! I got a brisket sandwich special - I think the last one that they could make for the day. I really appreciated knowing what's left because it really felt limited! We also got a half rack of ribs, meat was really tender. We also got a potato salad and Mac and cheese. Personally I prefer the potato salad, the Mac and cheese was just ok for me. Looking forward to coming back and trying more meats! read more

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I have eaten here a few times and have had varying experiences. This time, I never received a text, and my food was waiting inside... cold. They were difficult, but eventually reheated it. Still cold. That being said, it's a fun place to be, and the best bbq place nearby. I hope the food is not cold next time. read more

Aptos St BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

Great food, great place. Yummy bbq. The beet salad though... by far, my favorite! I will be coming back for that salad when I'm in the area. On weekends, there is a jazz group that plays live music. Nothing better than live music, bbq, and a beer read more

Aptos St BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

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I'm not usually a bbq meat fan but this place was really good!!! The bbq chicken was insanely juicy inside and the tri tip was perfectly cooked for juicy goodness also! We had the chicken and tri tip meals - really enjoyed the meats - flavorful and juicy! For sides, we had the Mac n cheese, coleslaw and potato salad - I particularly enjoyed the coleslaw. Portions were generous and overall good value for Bay Area. The salad was quite large with plenty of extra accompaniments. There is plenty of inside and outside seating - very dog friendly. Service was friendly and prompt - it is counter order/pickup. The unisex restroom was clean and there is a good sized self parking lot. Definitely would recommend and plan to return! read more

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After camping we stopped by for some bbq. Easy street parking. Went inside and ordered and the. Grabbed a table. Brisket: 3.5/5 a bit fatty and could use more flavor. Fine if you dip in bbq sauce. Tri tip: 4/5 good texture and better flavor than the brisket. Mac n cheese: 3/5 saucy Coleslaw: 4/5 good Garlic bread: kids liked it Cornbread: 3/5 not much flavor, probably better if I put butter and honey on it Each large meal was approx $25. read more

Aptos St BBQ - Menu - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

I used to love this place. Got some pulled pork, beans, garlic bread & coleslaw slaw. Meat was pretty good but not wow. Coleslaw was good. Bread was pretty flavorless. Beans had the weirdest taste. Not your typical BBQ beans. Not a fan. Service was good. Place is cool. Food just isn't what it was though. read more

Food, Food, Food - we ordered the burnt ends, tri-tip, and ribs. We loved ALL of it! I did not eat the ribs without their BBQ sauce, everything else needed no sauce, it was delicious! read more

We catered a lunch for 15 people with Aptos BBQ. The food was packaged well and easy to pick up and transport to the location. The staff were very friendly and helpful. I highly recommend Aptos BBQ for your next event. read more

My brother in law recommended this place, and it did not disappoint. My husband and I shared the pulled pork plate with mac and cheese for the side and the garlic bread. It was amazing. The pork was so soft and flavorful! The mac and cheese was heavenly. The employees were very helpful. They also had live music going on which was awesome. Super great spot to hangout. Lots of beer options. The have stubborn soda and offer a draft cola zero sugar but I haven't tried it so I'm not sure if it is comparable to Diet Coke. read more

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Catering was awesome. My guests all loved it! Good variety, delivery was prompt, good value.

I came here around 6pm on a Saturday during the Memorial Day weekend. I wanted to order the burnt ends and they ran out!! I was so sad but we moved forward with the other meats they had. I got a 4 meat combo that included the hot link, brisket, tri-tip and ribs. Service was nice and nothing special but I thought that the ribs were bland out of everything else. The brisket was not super dry but I would recommend for people to eat the brisket first because it did get dry overtime, especially at the end. The hot link was really meaty but not really chewy, which is different. read more

Aptos St BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

The ribs were 4.5 and the sauce was 4, the brisket was 3.75 and the beans were 3 and so was the corn bread. Rounding up to 4 overall. Lots of beers I'd love to try next time. Fast and friendly service. read more

I kid you not I never make yelp reviews, but I had to the service was very good! I've been to so many restaurants and people don't have common courtesy to say hi anymore, but hear me and my group were welcomed. The food was really good. I know people over hype places, but this is definitely worth the drive. I'm coming from Monterey! Brisket was perfect! Cornbread was a little different, but everybody makes her cornbread different this one. That was more spongey?? , but still very good! Ribs were 10 out of 10 you can't make these at home! read more

Aptos St BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

This is by far the best BBQ place I have ever tasted. We have eaten here twice in less than 2 weeks. Their brisket & pork ribs were so tender & yummy. The only complaint we have is we can't double up on the same type of meat. This won't stop me from coming back for more since I also enjoyed their chicken bbq together with their brisket and pork ribs. Staff gave us the wrong sides the second time we visited the place. (gave us chili beans instead of coleslaw). Sides of coleslaw & potato salad were good. Mac&cheese tasted average. Gender neutral restrooms were very clean & spacious enough to go skateboarding. read more

First time coming here. Came with my hubby for a staycation! Food: so yum ! The taste of the bbq flavor was amazing ! The smokiness of the meat ! Service: cool ! Ambiance: it felt like a small town with locals enjoying their day. The wooden ceiling, the Texas- like decor and everything was cool. Looking forward to returning here. read more

Aptos St BBQ - Chicken Meal - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

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Two meat meal: Ribs, Brisket, Mac & Cheese, beans, and corn bread. Ribs were great although the brisket was a little too fatty. Mac & cheese was okay it wasn't anything special. Beans tasted great! read more

Aptos St BBQ - Two Meat Meal - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

Solid barbecue definitely will visit again. The craft sodas are good. The ambiance is cool. Service was great.

I really liked my bbq chicken, beans, and coleslaw. The cornbread has a good texture but is not super flavorful. We got an apple cider and it was great. Service was fast and good. Helped me clean my trey when they didn't need to. Great ambiance for gatherings. Strung lights and lots of outdoor space. Dog friendly. read more