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Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ

4.2 (1.2k reviews)
Closed • 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

About Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ

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Order Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ Takeout or Delivery

Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ Photos

BUBBA'S SMOKEHOUSE BBQ ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ

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1/2 baby back platter, baked yam
Yelen P.

Got baby back platter, brisket platter, Phat bastard burger, and The Bubba sandwich, which were all pretty good. Menu says platters come with corn bread, but it came with Texas toast; there are two menus floating around, and the Texas toast is the current one as of this writing. Food was ready quickly. Ambiance - big open concept space, wasn't busy when I was there.

View of the Baked Beans & Cornbread
Adam B.

Got a really weird ambiance being situated in the plaza of an office building and offering fast casual counter service. For an early dinner, they sure seemed to be out of a lot of items. I ordered The Bubba Combo so I could taste a few things (of what was left) but the portions were kinda small and nothing was really standout. Pulled Pork: Pretty standard. Strings of pork that were tender and moist. Went well with the sauce. Chopped Brisket: Was disappointed that they were out of the sliced brisket and only had the chopped brisket. Chopped up so small it kinda tasted like the pulled pork and at times was hard to tell apart. Hot Links: A tasty smoked link that had good smoky grill marks. But kinda small. They added some onions and peppers on top, which felt more like food at Italian fair than BBQ. Baked Beans: Decent taste and had bacon, but served in a small portion like a side sauce container. Cornbread: Muffin-like, just alright.

Don't waste your time with Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ (inside Society). Google says they're open until 11pm on Sundays, and their own website confirms the same--but nowhere does it mention that their kitchen closes earlier. I showed up at 9:50pm, clearly well before the posted closing time, only to be told at the door that they were already closed. I came for the restaurant, not the bar, so that excuse doesn't hold up. If your kitchen shuts down earlier, post it clearly everywhere. Super frustrating and misleading. Maybe I dodged a bullet when it comes to the food and service--guess I'll never know, because I'm not giving this place a second chance. Late-night eaters, don't bother.

Nathan M.

I work across the street and been wanting to try for a while now. Well finally I did and WOW very very good. I tried the baby backs and they were so tender and juicy with lots of flavor. The guy is super nice and you can tell he takes pride in what he does. You can see the passion for cooking when you speak to the guy. Great over all will definitely return to try other menu items.

TianChee S.

New location but still great tasting good ol bbq meat! Very glad it's much closer so I have no more excuses to eating delicious bbq meats! Owner is very nice and friendly and takes pride in his food which is great!

The Bubba Combo: tri tip, baby back ribs, chicken, Macaroni and Cheese with cornbread
Kristie L.

So happy this spot is so close and that it's on the outskirts of crazy parking situations. Came in 25 minutes before they closed and a lot of meat was sold out - great sign! Thankfully, the tri tip, baby back ribs and chicken were still available. Every bite was spot on and the sides were yummy too. Macaroni and cheese was the perfect texture as was the corn bread.

Pulled Pork Sandwich
Brian D.

Bubbas is the only bbq joint in La Jolla and anywhere close. The process seemed a little intense up front with one person running all over the place just before a lunch rush. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich. It was a normal sized sandwich for $14 but not overflowing with meat. The pork could have used some more flavor but the bbq sauce was very good. The Mac n cheese was also under seasoned.

Ordered the brisket sandwich sliced. Got a version where it was not even chopped but like grounded. Meat was dried out and grease all over to the point we could not eat. Had to be a bottom of the barrel situation since we ordered delivery at 7:30pm. Tried to take a bite before putting sauce on and there was no seasoning just grease like it was soaked in it to try and make it juicy/moist again. Mac and cheese tasted good- some of the crunchy cheese was too hard and burnt had to discard those parts, they forgot our baked beans, forgot our vanilla ice cream, the side of sausage link with grilled veggies was the only good part. After fees and etc we wasted $100. Fell for the buy one get one promo.

Macaroni and Cheese
Anna Z.

stopped by here for a little snack haha The service was good, they were quick and considerate. I only got this since I wasn't that hungry but wanted to try something in the area. The ambiance is nice and I saw families eating which is a good sign. It's not really a cute date night spot but I'd definitely return with some buddies. Honestly, the mac and cheese was super solid. Not too mushy or bland at all - I'd definitely recommend!!

View of the menu boards and kitchen service counter
Emmett T.

Barbecued meats are not what you expect to find in terms of restaurants near La Jolla Cove, but that is what Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ has delivered over the years. The last time I visited here was during my pre-Yelp days so I made a pit stop after a late day appointment. Curbside parking on this end of Prospect St is plentiful as it's away from the main cluster of shops and stores. Several items had already been sold out like the beef ribs, sliced brisket, pulled chicken, pulled pork, and cornbread. I ended up choosing one of Bubba's Platters which was one meat (Grilled Tri-Tip was my pick), one side, and a piece of cornbread. The garlic mashed potatoes were my side item, and a large bun replaced the unavailable cornbread. The tri-tip cut was thicker and chewier than other BBQ places I have tried. Seven pieces were provided in the take-out container. Two types of barbecue sauce were included, but each one was quite watery. Pricewise, it's comparable to some local competitors, however a second side dish is usually offered which this place did not match. The overall experience at Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ was middle of the road for me.

1/4 chicken and some brisket

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2 years ago

great bbq i was impressed w all the bbq very nice thanks brisket ribs babybak ribs all great

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Ask the Community - Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ

Is the La Jolla location (permanently) closed?

yes

Is the bbq cooked on a real smoker?

Yes a set contained Southern Pride smoker with hickory chips

Do you have gluten free burger buns?

No sorry

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Bar

Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ - bbq - Updated October 2026

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