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    Breakwater Barbecue

    4.3 (461 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

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    BREAKWATER BARBECUE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Breakwater Barbecue

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    Ribs, Brisket, Cornbread, Beans & Greens
    Bethany W.

    My family came on a Saturday afternoon and it was ofc pretty busy. We waited a bit in line and unfortunately waited a LONG time for our food. There is a good amount of seating; we found a nice covered table outside. We tried the ribs (yummy!), brisket (a bit dry and not too flavorful), cornbread (so good!), and beans & greens (6/10). The bbq sauces are fantastic. The sandwich is what took super long. They accidentally gave it to another customer and gave us more free ribs & brisket as we waited, which was really nice. I'm giving 4 stars for the price to portion size ratio. This place is pricey and the portions were pretty small. Without the free meat (for waiting years) we would've left hungry. This is a fun place with solid food.....but not worth the wait and price in my opinion!

    Susan M.

    Came here right when it opened on a Saturday. There was a line but it moved quickly. We ordered a combo platter with 2 ribs, 2 slices of brisket, 1 sausage, and 2 sides. Beer selection was great - lots of local California brews. Ribs: 5/5 Delicious - didn't even need sauce Brisket: 5/5 - juicy and tender Sausage: 2/5 - way too much pepper flavor for me Mac n cheese: 3/5 - pretty decent, but again too heavy on the pepper I'd come back for the ribs and brisket! Staff were friendly and tables were plentiful (though inside filled up quickly after opening).

    Outside
    Raymond G.

    Great bbq spot with a nice sized parking lot. The staff there are friendly and fast, and it was very cozy inside. The food is amazing! The brisket melts before you even chew it. The ribs can be pulled off the bone with a piece of their tallow cooked tortillas. What impressed me is that everything seems to be hand made in house, the sauces, pickles, sausage, tortillas. Everything was delicious, it wasn't just the meat.

    Texas sheet cake
    Lynnelle E.

    Finally, went to the new location and it's nice. It's bigger and has plenty of parking. The food is just as delicious as I remember. My only request is, they need to bring the beef rib back. I heard it's been a while since it's been back.

    Bbq smoker

    Brisket is the Best I've had in forever!!! Cornbread was amazing slaw good birria tacos amazing we were passing through town we had huge appetites forgot to take pictures of our food But it was definitely the best BBQ I had great customer service Manager was Great !!! Thank you see ya soon

    Brisket melt
    Nina L.

    Made our way to Breakwater on our last trip to half moon bay. They moved locations since our last visit. It was way busier this time but it was also a holiday weekend and a gorgeous day. The outdoor patio is still dog friendly. The food is still great and are big portions. I had a brisket sandwich with a small side of chili. My husband had a brisket melt. Both delicious and filling.

    Texas trinity pus extra meats and tortillas
    Patrick B.

    Best brisket and ribs that I've ever had in norcal by a significant margin (think they'd be middle of the pack in texas, but that's still a huge get for the Bay). Handmade tortillas in beef tallow were spectacular, but since they brought them out 15 minutes before the rest of our food came, they definitely weren't as warm or soft as they could have been. Sausage, pulled pork, and sides were all decent. Sauces were a big letdown, which isn't particularly important with texas style bbq, but it feels like it'd be an easy oversight to correct. Service, vibes inside, decor, live music, all spectacular - it was packed and I'm honestly surprised there weren't even more people.

    Fred T.

    It was the okayest of times it was the worst of times...... Dickens aside, that sums up our experience here. Backwater has been on our to visit list for a while now and since we were at the nurseries there (post pumpkin festival madness we took the opportunity to stop by. Nice big space and the staff was friend and on point. The draft I ordered was served in a cold glass and was tasty. The food..... Brisket Bahn Mi: Okay I know Bahn Mi at a BBQ place but hey it was on the menu and it was a mess. This just did not work. Way too much mayonnaise, and while the description did not claim the cucumber and carrots were pickled, had they been, it may have helped things. Good burnt ends are glorious but these look like they had trimmed a regular slice and then griddled them. They had a really overly tough mouthfeel and required a fair amount of chewing to get through. Baja Fish Tacos: The cod was well fried, moist and tasty. The aioli added a bit of heat and richness, but the slaw just did not work. The slaw was super bland and it one noted these tacos in a subtraction by addition way. Its a pity as again the fish was great but it desperately needed a acidic element to it like say pickled onions. The Burger: The burger was actually really good and makes the top 15 at #12. The meat was tasty and well seasoned. The chopped brisket on the top added a nice element and I wanted more of it. The caramelized onions added a nice sweet element to it. The fixing were fresh and the bun while soft held up. It was a well executed burger Potato Salad: Its was good. I normally prefer a chunky style but this one had good flavor and was quite good. unlike the slaw it seemed to be well seasoned Because we did not get the brisket I will defer a BBQ ranking despite the disappointing burnt ends. There is plenty of parking and there is a proper intersection at the junction which can be an issue on Hwy 1. Burger and BBQ standings 1) The Office Burger - Fathers Office - Los Angeles, CA 2) The Best Damn Cheeseburger - 4505 Burger and BBQ, San Francisco, CA 3) Burger - Moo's Craft BBQ- Los Angeles, CA 4) Tie: Ed's Favorite, King City Grill, King City, CA 4) Tie: Bacon Cheeseburger - Cafe Arbor, Stanford, CA 6) The Big Boy, Big Boy, Indian Springs, NV 7) The Hot Farmer, The Barn, Half Moon Bay, CA 8) The C&H Burger, Clove and Hoof, Oakland, CA 9) Cheese Burger, Sketchers Food Spot, Gardenia, CA 10) Burger, Dad's Luncheonette, Half Moon Bay, CA 11) Single Burger, Paper Plate, Long Island City, NY 12) Breakwater Burger, Breakwater BBQ, El Granada, CA RIP Golden State - Los Angeles, CA LOCOL - Oakland, CA Dan Gordons - Palo Alto, CA Inaugural BBQ Rankings: 1 - Moo's Craft BBQ - Los Angeles, CA 2- 4505 Burgers & BBQ - San Francisco, CA 3 - Salinas City BBQ - Salinas, CA 4 - Chicken In A Barrel - Kapaa, HI 5 - Kinder's Meats Deli BBQ - Walnut Creek, CA 6 - Mighty Quinn's Barbeque - West Village, NY 7 - Armadillo Willy's BBQ, Los Altos, CA RIP Texas Smokehouse BBQ - San Jose, CA Horn BBQ - Oakland, CA

    Pulled pork
    Janet T.

    I was in town and wanted to get some brisket from here. I decided to try the salad this time and it did not disappoint. Fresh lettuce and crunchy croutons with the addition of the brisket was perfect. I didn't want anything too heavy, so the salad was a great option for me. When I am in town, I would get food here. Service is fine and plenty of seats inside and outside the place.

    Ridiculously large brisket sandwich
    Kit W.

    The Bay Area tends to be a wasteland of bbq. What should be reasonably priced accessible food is either not done well or stratospherically expensive. Breakwater is definitely not cheap but it was pretty good. I felt like both the potato salad and the Cole slaw could use a bit of salt, an my brisket was not bad. And not bad brisket is something not many places can claim - a lot of the bbq places in the Bay Area pass off way worse. After seeing them, the brisket sandwich was the way to go - I think they heaped on as much or more meat on the bun (one of our party's sandwich was ridiculously large) and you got both buns rather than one slice.

    A little bit of everything! Chili fries, brisket, ribs, beef rib, and cornbread

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    Ask the Community - Breakwater Barbecue

    Is there outdoor seating where dogs are allowed?

    yes, there is outdoor seating where dogs are allowed. I have bought my dog there before.

    Does the outdoor section have heaters?

    No it does not

    What kind of oils does your kitchen use?

    Beef tallow, and canola

    Will you be open Friday, day after Thanksgiving?

    They'll be closed that day. Holiday hours are posted on their website https://www.breakwaterbbq.com/contact

    View All 6 Questions

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    Posada Alta Cocina

    Posada Alta Cocina

    4.5
    (1.4k reviews)
    39.9 mi
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    Five stars for overall experience. Our party of 6 shared the parm crusted tempura cauliflower,…read morePosada's Mixta Paella, and King Ranch Enchiladas and enjoyed the live music offered on "Paella Monday". As our organizer mentioned, they were fully booked that night so do reserve early. Warm earthy tones in the decor made for a comfortable, inviting atmosphere and the light jazz ensemble and lovely vocal performances elevated the evening's experience. The ambiance is a strong point. Being a paella newbie, I definitely looked forward to tasting a version especially after watching cooking shows over the years. The saffron broth rice nicely counterbalanced the seasoned shrimp, sausage and other ingredients. Thumbs up. I had several portions. The tempura cauliflower - good. KR Enchiladas were cheesey and rich, plumply filled, and the accompanied rice accented with corn. Since we shared the three enchiladas, my small piece was enough for me. Suggest passing on the sourdough side that came with the paella. The bread had melted, but cooled cheese on it and there was not much free broth in the paella to soak therewith anyway. With water being the group's primary beverage, perhaps request a carafe of water at the table to ease the thirstier folks (me). Our wait person gave helpful suggestions and efficient service. The rest of the staff had hustle. As normal with live music, be prepared to raise your voice and repeat yourself in conversations. Parking is ample, with a short walk, in this Nob Hill Foods shopping center.

    Took a group of 10, the food was amazing and the service is top tier…read more I had the NIMAN RANCH AGUA CHILE RIBEYE... my god that was perfect. Melts in your mouth. Highly recommend starting with the SHRIMP AND AVOCADO for the table!!! Very cool place! I will be back...VERY SOON!

    Photos
    Private table for two in the wine room.
    Private table for two in the wine room.
    Shrimp Fajitas
    Shrimp Fajitas
    Corn rice accompaniment to the Blueberry Mole Shortribs

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    Corn rice accompaniment to the Blueberry Mole Shortribs

    Breakwater Barbecue - bbq - Updated August 2026

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