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    Breakwater Barbecue

    4.3 (466 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

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    BREAKWATER BARBECUE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Breakwater Barbecue

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    Wings and fish taco
    Angilene I.

    Came on a Saturday afternoon around 5:30pm. Not much of a like or people eating inside but it packed 15 min later. Was only able to get brisket and burnt ends left so we ended up getting the brisket sandwich, wings, fish taco, and chili. Best thing we had was the chili. Brisket sandwich was ok. Not too flavorful definitely need their sauce. Was not too tender, not much fat. The wings also didn't have much taste, definitely need to rely on the sauces for flavor. The fish taco was ok, their yellow sauce wasn't my favorite.

    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.

    Brisket sandwhich, brisket plate, fries, Mac and cheese, potato salad, brioche toast.

    Right off the bat, I can see parking being an issue here. Luckily we came during off hours, so we were able to find parking just fine in their lot. Their ordering process needs to be overhauled . Yes, you can go to their website or third party apps to find pictures of their menu, but that's a hassle customers shouldn't have to adjust to. They have menus as you get close to the register, but it can be hard to decide in that short of time. Maybe place a menu outside, where the line forms, so people can take a pic and have enough time to make an informed decision. Food: 2/5 Wife had the brisket plate ($28) that came with toast and 2 sides (we got the mac&cheese and potato salad) - toast, might be brioche, was really dry. Imagine an airy Popeyes biscuit: 0/5 - Mac & cheese was super pepper forward. The cheese that they used didn't provide much flavor. 0.5/5 - Potato salad: had a strange taste. I thought it tasted like paint, but my wife disagreed. But she did agree there was an off putting taste to it. 0/5 - Brisket: Decent. Nothing mind blowing. 3.5/5 - Brisket sandwich ($18): Fair amount of chopped brisket. The brisket was not cold, but definitely not warm either. 3.5/5 Fries ($4): Amazing. Best thing here. Might be the best fries I've ever had. Really crispy, well seasoned, and perfect thickness. 5/5 They had 2 BBQ sauces. Both didn't really taste like anything. .75/5 Service: 3.5/5 Just your basic order at the counter, pick up your own food, bust your own table. The employees were pleasant and nice. Atmosphere: 2.5/5 Smoky (which is to be expected from a bbq joint), but luckily there's outside seating. Many of the tables were not cleaned off. They allowed a non service dog inside the restaurant for an extended period of time (if that kind of thing bothers you). Bathrooms were clean enough, just some standing water by the drain hole. Overall: 2.5/5 Definitely wouldn't wait to eat here. We gave it another try after being disappointed the first time at their old location. My wife and I have tried many BBQ spots in the Bay Area (Horn's before they got busted, Everett and Jones, Capelo's, Fikscue, Armadillo Willy's, etc). At the end of the day this is just my opinion. Everyone's taste buds are different. If you are around the area during off hours, maybe it's worth a try. Just wanted people to know what to expect.

    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.

    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

    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.

    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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    Page 1 of 12

    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 7 Questions

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    Dad's Luncheonette

    Dad's Luncheonette

    4.4
    (897 reviews)
    3.8 mi
    $$

    Came here on a Sunday around noon and there were a few open empty seats inside as well as some…read moretables outside, but there were people at the restaurant. it's an order at the counter type of place. ~the food~ - Hamburger sandwich: pretty good! I really liked the pickled onion and the choice of white cheddar. I'd say overall it wasn't as greasy as a full burger which I really appreciated! - Mushroom sandwich: out of the 2 sandwiches this one was my favorite! The Maitake mushrooms were very tender and flavorful! - Homemade Potato chips: staff told us that this tends to sell out before the end of the day, but we were lucky enough to get an order of them and they were very very good! The addition of nutritional yeast in the seasoning added a lot of great to the chips! - Herb salad: super refreshing salad, this salad is made with all herbs and the lemon dressing that they used was very light and refreshing, which I think balanced out the rest of the meal! ~overall~ I definitely recommend dad's luncheonette for a quick bite. The staff were very friendly and the food was really good. Everything tasted very fresh and not too heavy.

    Looking at other reviews after eating here, I think I'd go back to try the mushroom burger. I…read morewouldn't go back to eat what I already tried in this visit. Food We ordered 3 burgers, a curry carrot coconut milk soup, and their cream dessert. Burgers were nice, but nothing super special. They were served on sliced bread instead of burger buns. What made the burger interesting were the pickled onions and over medium/hard egg. The soup was fun to try, but not amazing. Carrots could've been softer, the seeds had a fun texture. Coconut milk could've been more blended in. My husband enjoyed the dessert. Service A fairly neutral experience. There's a long line to order, the cashier is nice enough, and then they call out your name to receive your order. Ambiance It's a cute little restaurant just off of highway one. Most of the seating is outdoors in the parking lot. There's lots of tree coverage. Inside the restaurant it has surf shack vibe.

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    Sam's Chowder House

    Sam's Chowder House

    3.6
    (6.2k reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    The ocean views with outside seating is very nice. This used to be my favorite restaurant. I…read moreordered a smoked salmon salad and was very disappointed. It looked like it was prepared in quantity and scooped out onto a plate. I was told the tomatoes were blanched which were not tasty. Next time I'm in HMB I'll try a different restaurant. I gave a 4 because the service was good.

    This was my first visit here at Sam's Chowder House. The parking lot was 100% full. I dropped off…read morethe family and waited in the far left corner for someone to leave. When I walked inside I saw a family looking at their lightly scratched rear bumper and they asked me if I saw anything. I asked the manager Jay to help out that family before they left. Great customer service first impression without me even going inside the restaurant. Thank you Jay for helping out that family. The wait to get called in was around 15-20 mins and i dropped in their little souvenir shop. I met a very helpful and kind person Alex. I picked up a mug and a feelin' crabby shirt for me! Lots of great items here. I'll be back for more. The ambiance was full of sea items. The front main entrance has a fresh lobster tank. The entire building is very clean and organized. Almost 100% full capacity as well. Business is doing great. Finally the food. The best recommendation was from our lovely server Sulem. She was the heart of this wonderful restaurant experience. She went above and beyond to help us out with ordering and customer service. I want to come back and try more foods. The clam chowder being one of them! We enjoyed our meal today. Our favorite was the Aloha. It comes in a sushi and we actually loved it without the rice. Just the sashimi. It was a great first bite of the day. I'll definitely come back with the family again to try more of the menu. Thank you all for such a lovely experience!

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    Gherkin's Sandwich Shop

    Gherkin's Sandwich Shop

    4.1
    (504 reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$

    I was in the area for three days in a row and kept driving past this sandwich spot, so I finally…read moredecided to stop in and check it out. One thing to know: avoid the lunchtime rush if you're in a hurry. It gets busy, and with only two people working, the hot sandwiches can take a little while to come out. That said, the service was friendly . The sandwiches are huge--which is exactly what you'd hope for when you're paying $16-$20. I ordered the Go Green sandwich and added bacon. It was delicious, although I would have liked a little more pesto. Even so, it was filling enough that I had it for both lunch and dinner. I also picked up sandwiches for four other people, and everyone enjoyed theirs. If you're a sandwich lover and find yourself in the area, Gherkins is definitely worth checking out. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm nearby.

    You could fly by this hidden gem when driving on Highway 1, BUT you would be missing out on some of…read morethe best sandwiches around!!! I came here with my cousin who wouldn't stop raving about this sandwich I "had to try". So he, my kids, and I took a drive. Walking in, I really appreciated the cleanliness of the place. They also had a really cool floor that looked like you were standing on the beach. Grade: A The service was great! The person who took my order was patient and very helpful when I was trying to figure out food for my son. I didn't know that they also served breakfast items until noon. I ordered the #27 Nor Cal, a kid's burger for my daughter, and so thankful they offered pancakes for my son. Service grade: A Let's get started on the main attraction for me...the #27 NorCal. There are so many choices on the menu that I really want to highlight how great this one is! I ordered it with Dutch crunch per recommendation from my cousin. The NorCal comes with chicken, teriyaki, peanut sauce, pepper jack cheese, mayo, onions, sprouts, and tomatoes. Yes, peanut sauce. The bread was toasted to perfection and soaked up the sauciness. I'm the first to admit that my cousin was 100% right! I really loved this sandwich. The flavors and quality were off the charts. This sandwich easily goes into my top 5 all-time. Wow! Grade: A+ I really appreciated that they have a kids menu! My son had the pancakes. He usually complains anywhere we go, but he actually turned to me and said that he liked these pancakes. I picked one up and I must saw they were thick, fluffy, and delicious. The fact that my son was happy, made our visit all the more better. Grade: A My daughter had the kid's cheeseburger. The burger was a 1/4 lb and came with a generous portion of fries. The French fries were crispy on the outside and perfectly seasoned. The French roll used for the burger may be the best French roll I've had. (Of course I had to try it) haha The outer part had an easy chew and the inner part was like a pillow. I only tried the bread, but my daughter was overall content. The cheeseburger was a good size for her. Things that I want to try next time include their sourdough bread that looked fantastic, their flan, and this bbq beef sandwich that looked insane! There are also a few other sandwiches that looked good on the menu...chicken marinara and provolone, a honey mustard one, and the other was a California club. I'm still thinking about my sandwich a day later so it may take a few visits before trying others. Apparently this spot is a not-so-hidden gem to others as while we were there, the place filled up fast! When we were leaving, a line had formed and the staff readily took care of everyone. I guess it's a known spot. Gherkin's in Montara will be a must-stop any time I'm remotely near it if not even at home...it's worth the drive! Thank you Gherkin's!

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    Breakwater Barbecue - bbq - Updated August 2026

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