Ok so the husband and I love a good bbq date night. And this place did not disappoint! Amazing…read morecornbread, cobbler, mac n cheese as good as Mama makes it, and oh my god the maple butter. We're coming back!

Can here on a Sunday late afternoon. It was fairly empty when we arrived, but filled up throughout…read moreour time there. Anyways.. we ordered at the counter and our food was brought out to us after just a few minutes.. I got there pulled pork sandwich. The sandwich had a huge amount of pulled pork. This, and their tri tip sandwich was savory and satisfying. Husband got the baby back ribs. They came off the bone easily. My family esp enjoyed their Mac n cheese balls with the dip that comes it. The sides are purchased separate and come in generous sharing portions. We enjoyed the sweet potato fries, potato wedges, and onion rings. All nice n crisp. By that point, I was too full and took some bread pudding home for later. I enjoyed the flavor, but the texture was bit too mushy for me. The ladies working were incredibly friendly and sweet to everyone. A nice casual, clean dining area. There were multiple TVs on showing sports, without it being super loud. The dining area was actually a bit quiet until more people started showing up. Prices are fair. Definitely a place to try.

Honestly this is the best place for BBQ in all of San Diego !…read more I ordered the following below: *Grand Ole Beef Rib: 5/5 - The best ribs I have ever had ! Yes they are pricey, and you can only order a minimum of 1lb. However, the rib is so juicy, soft, and tender it literally falls off the bone ! It is seasoned so well you don't even have to add bbq sauce ! I was full just eating both these ribs ! *Tri-Tip Sandwich: 4/5 - A very great and tasting sandwich ! The meat its self is very tasty, juicy, & tender. The bun does complement it pretty well as well as its soft yet crispy. The chimichurri is a nice addition. *French Fries: 5/5 - Golden, crispy, seasoned fries. A great option to be paired with your delicious meats ! Fluffy white potato on the inside yet crispy and ridged on the outside ! *Mac & Cheese: 3/5 - Average mac & cheese. Was creamy, less cheesy. The macaroni was cooked perfectly however I felt it needed more salt, cheese or something to make it stand out more. Upon entering this establishment there is a lot of old western theme ! A buck in the wall, nice old oak bar, wooden tables and chairs ! They also have seating outside in the back where sometimes they play live music ! In addition on hot days they have some mist and fans spraying around to keep you cool ! The service was exceptional ! I always love coming to this place ! Very great food ! Nice vibes and friendly people !

Haven't been here in a while. I love the place! The out back area is such a great space and the…read morelive music is always awesome. Our server was soooooo nice but our service was soooooo bad! Wedge salad, wings and sandwiches all arrived together...that sucked. The Societe Pupil was NOT cold. Bummer that ya can't grab pickles anymore. We got ours when we finally asked for them. Would have been a great snack while waiting for ALL of the dishes to come out at the same time...that would have helped. Food is always good. Never asked about a second drink...which we would have DEFINITELY had! Sat about 15 minutes after we were done eating and sitting with empty glasses we got up and went inside to have someone at the front counter ring us out. Oh yeah...wonderful surprise when we found out about the Dole Whip!

Really top tier BBQ and happy hour for San Diego!…read more Halle sets a high standard for service, everyone was nice Also, solid vibes.

First off the food hands down amazing, go it's so good. The service was great as well I am…read moredefinitely coming back.

Coops BBQ was amazing! The brisket and ribs were absolutely delicious, and the sauce was so good…read more The sides were also super good, the mac and cheese, potato salad, rice and beans, and especially the candied yams, that was my favorite! On top of the great food, the customer service was excellent. Estela was so friendly, welcoming, and helpful, which made the whole experience even better. Definitely a spot we'll be coming back to.

Small chill spot, friendly faces (especially Mr. Coop!), and the food is delicious! Took the day…read moreoff for a lil family day. Heard about this place from Gareth Eats and Marvelous Muncher, they did not lead me astray! My wife and kid can be pretty picky. For the amount of food we ordered, we would usually have leftover, but we finished the whole thing! * 2 lbs of chicken - so juicy, great taste, especially with that BBQ sauce. My wife usually complains that BBQ is so salty, or too vinegary, not this time. She loved it! * Mac and cheese - Creamy! Cheesy! Good! * Coleslaw - fresh, I think there's a light vinaigrette. I usually like mayo on mine, but I can see how this pairs better with the rest of the food. * Potato Salad - solid, not too salty as well. Just right! * Beans and Rice - I think I should've gone large on this one. So good! * Peach Cobbler - legit. Warm. Peachy. Cobblery. * Sweet Potato Pie - I was surprised, because I usually am not a fan of sweet potato. Tasty, not too sweet! Mr. Coop checked in with us once in a while to make sure we're all good, stopped by and gave me a sample of the bacon. Sweet, real tasty! I'm excited to come back and try the ribs and brisket! Smelled so good coming in!

I remember back in 2018 Chef Hanis Calvin founded The Pioneer.  I saw him hard at work in the…read morekitchen and the bbq was very good.  Sadly he left for other ventures.  I'm visiting for the last time as The Pioneer closed on July 8, 2025. Pioneer Bbq smokes their meats with white oak which gives their meats a smoky flavor without the bitter aftertaste. Pork baby back ribs were tender and had a smoky aroma and flavor from the white oak.  Dry rub gave the ribs a bit of sweetness from the brown sugar and some spice from the black pepper.  Very tasty. Prime beef brisket was tender and juicy.  Peppercorn based dry rub and the smoky flavor combined with the high quality beef into some delicious brisket. Staff was nice and efficient.  I'll miss this place Chef Hanis created.  I was told I could get the same Texas style bbq at a sister restaurant Del's Hideout which employs the same Executive Chef Tim Eylens.  It was back in 2011 I first sampled Chef Hanis food at Carnitas Snack Shack.  Best carnitas I ever had.  It's been since 2023 when I last saw Chef Hanis at the now closed Carbon Bbq.  I hope he is doing well. https://www.hungryones.com/2023/08/carbon-bbq/ To absent friends, lost loves, old gods, and the season of mists; and may each and every one of us always give the devil his due. Neil Gaiman

Enjoyed a good bbq me at pioneer. The meat was pretty tender and the corn was a nice side…read more Unfortunately looks like they've closed. Dels hideout, their sister restaurant is an another good bbq option.

Still my go to place for bbq beef ribs on (Sundays only) their food is always freshly cooked to…read moreorder. Plenty of clean seating inside with Flat screen TV's to enjoy sports watching. Service is always friendly & you'll always run into the owner Tyron - front & center. It's obvious he knows his customers & always greeting & getting to know new customers. Staff is just as gravy with service to help & please.

Checked out I Que BBQ and overall it was a solid experience. I went with the dry rub ribs and got…read morethe sauce on the side -- ribs were on point, super flavorful and cooked right. Honestly, I originally pulled up for the banana pudding and it did not disappoint. Definitely a highlight and worth getting if you go. Only downside for me was the sides. The potato salad just wasn't it -- potatoes were kinda undercooked and not really my style. All in all, good BBQ spot with some standout items, just might be a little selective with the sides next time.

I wish I had come here sooner. Got here on a Friday at 12 because I finally had a weekday off to do…read morethe boots on the ground journalism people deserve. Ordering was quick and simple at its own window the. We got a booth by the bar. We had a buzzer that rang almost immediately. I grabbed my own michelada while my partner was grabbing the food. They had on a few movies no loud music blaring and I can see it would get loud when packed. Brisket was amazing and this is my go to next time. The jalapeño link was also delicious. The beef rib was a lil dry which was disappointing I love a good beef rib. Pulled pork would be great on a sandwich. Cole slaw had no onions and it was my perfect complement to the bbq sauce. The Mac and cheese was sooooo rich and delicious. Quick tip ask for more bbq sauce if you're like me and drown your meat. Michelada was ok I'll probably just get a beer next time.

I keep wanting to like this place, it's in my 'hood and it draws a good crowd. I remember liking…read moreit more, back in the day, but the last 2 visits were MEH. The other day, I got the tri tip sandwich with chimichurri. The order came up quickly. I live a couple of blocks away. By the time I was home, the sandwich was cold. Not lukewarm, not tepid, but cold. But the REALLY disturbing thing was the bun/bread. It fell apart, into large chunks, the minute I opened the paper wrap up. A sandwich has two major components, BREAD and the filler. Can't you have decent fresh bread? This seems to be a challenge lately for the Grand Ole BBQ. A couple of months ago, I got the hot links, and they were served on the most run of the mill, grocery store quality, HAMBURGER bun. LINKS, folks, should be on a hot dog shaped bun, not cut up into small pieces and placed on a cheap, round, bun. I can't decide if this is hipsters, serving food and doing it their way, with whatever happens to be available at the moment, or if this is management saying "we don't care about your expectations." It isn't novel, to put links on a hamburger bun, it doesn't make it artsy, or unique, it makes it look like an afterthought. So does try-tip on a bun that wasn't. And the chimichurri- driest, almost oil-free chimichurri I've ever had, I had to add oil, at home, to be able to spread it. Good chimichurri isn't difficult, I make it all of the time. Make an effort people. Restaurant are closing. Disregarding your customer is one quicker way to meet that end.

It was great BBQ. This is a local shop who knows what they're doing. Tried their ribs, brisket and…read moretri tip. The highlight of the meal is definitely their brisket, nice amount of BBQ sauce, tender yet crispy bark and very juicy. Their ribs are also great and the fall of the bone type, better than something like Phil's BBQ honestly. And their tri tip is also good, but the brisket outshines it. Food is definitely not cheap, but a good BBQ place is usually not on the cheap side anyway. It's on par with other BBQ place but done really well. Server is also very kind and attentive, but place does looks a bit old, the table is a bit worn, but doesn't change how good the food tastes so I'll give it a pass. A nice place to watch games too if you're into it. Looking forward to go back to this place again one day

It was good BBQ! The…read moremenu is simple and straight forward which is always appreciated. We asked if the combo plates were large enough to share (2 people) and were told it was. The #3 combo was great. Rib tips with our additional meat choice being the half rack of pork ribs. Meat was nice and tender. Not dry at all. The side of beer battered onion ring were a little over done but very addicting none the less. Cornbread and slaw were subpar but not a deal breaker for this place. The beans were also not overly sweet and very good with the meat. Staff was friendly and helpful and coming to watch the football game was nice. Not overly crowded and everyone there seemed to be enjoying themselves. We will surely be back!

This place is a trip! Old school La Mesa for the win…read more It's obvious that the building is been around a long while, however you would never know by how well they maintain the place. The old school furniture feels so nostalgic. The order at the counter and get your food was a little different but works well and food was served fast. But let's face it! I'm not there because of the building our counter service. I came for the brisket! How good could it be anyway? Melt in your mouth good! It's officially reached the top 3 in San Diego for me! I'd go back again and again even without table service and no margaritas! This place would probably be on regular rotation for me if they had a full bar.

By chance ran into some friends I hadn't seen in a while and we decided to have BBQ for lunch. It…read morewas the first time for all of us to try this place. I got the brisket sandwich and navy bean soup. I thought the soup had a nice homemade flavor. The brisket was tasty and plentiful but there were a couple of drier pieces. I decided not to eat the hamburger bun bread because I prefer toasted bread. My friends got the half chicken daily special. They really enjoyed their meal with BBQ sauce reminded them of when they lived in Texas. One minute it was empty and then a long line formed the next minute. It's like everyone got the memo! The place was really tidy with simple style cafeteria decor.

The hubby and I stopped by for breakfast this morning and we are so glad we did. We've been here…read morebefore but I've never put in a review and Camryn was a standout today! She knows her stuff-knows how to ask the right questions so that you get what you really want. For instance, I was on the fence about having biscuits and gravy but I asked if the gravy was really peppery. She offered to get me a small taste and although it was delicious, I've been a little under the weather so I decided I didn't want anything really heavy. Instead I ordered the 3 egg scramble with their smoked ham and added cheese-it was really good and a huge serving including their potatoes and English muffin. I'll probably be able to make two more meals from this serving! My husband ordered the eggs Benedict and asked which potatoes they would be able to make the most crispy as we both like our potatoes crispy. She suggested the hash browns and even asked if he wanted them crispy on both sides which was a great way to get them the way he wanted. Those kinds of gestures really make the difference when you're dining out. The eggs Benedict and the hash browns were delicious, btw. :) Camryn had a great personality too-very friendly, bright and quick. She did a great job of checking in on all of her tables. When we go back I hope we are lucky enough to have Camryn serve us again but all of the servers seemed very friendly as well. Great job, Izzy's and Camryn!

Well dang. After consistent letdowns from this place it's time to say something and change my…read morerating. This place used to be top 3 for me in terms of breakfast. I've made this my destination breakfast for birthdays, weekends, friends brunches. This was literally the spot. The last 3 times though.... A bummer. The first letdown... these cooks have a tendency to overload their scrambles with uncooked green onions. While it may be good for others, it's not good for me. So i will CONSISTENTLY ask for light green onions. The first let down... a waitress who has been there for a while.. tried to gaslight me into thinking that if I had asked for light green onions, it'd be "a laughable amount". I asked for it anyways and it came packed with green onions. She ate her words, apologized and discounted our breakfast. The second time, the same waitress... the same interaction... but this time it came with zero green onions. She came back and said "it's either all or nothing haha". That was unnecessary. The third time... asking a completely different waitress.... Completely different interaction. 30min later, the omlette comes out packed with green onions and the waitress ignores us for the duration of our stay. So no breakfast for me lol. I understand I'm the picky eater. But dang. I wanna waste the food and not a literal bunch of green onions from the prep bin. The one thing they seem to be consistent on is goofing up my order, so it's time to move on.