Last year I was hiking the PCT and a bit of snow and ice spread out over 3 days grounded me in…read moreMount Laguna. So, I grabbed a room across the street at the Mt Laguna Lodge and ate many of my meals at The Outpost. I am going to be completely honest here... I fell in love with this place because of so many reasons, but mainly because it took care of "my people"... yes, the backpackers. The service was so incredible. From the friendly guys in the back on the grill supplying me with ingredient information to the professionalism of the lovely young lady working the register... to the barkeeps to an amazingly talented woman from San Diego who was the musical talent one evening... I seriously don't feel you could assemble a more amazing cast to encounter all in one place. The food... what kind of 5-star review of a restaurant would be complete if you didn't mention the food? Well, it was equally as great ... I found no reason to claim that the selections I purchased were anythjng less than flawless.... yeah, flawless. With a lot of people coming up from Greater San Diego on the weekends, they put out some incredibly amazing BBQ offerings (but only on the weekends). I never wanted to leave and they probably thought I was moving to the mountain beeeeecause mosat backpackers stay overnight ans then they are gone. Not me, lol. I need to say that no proper review of this business would be complete without saying that the husband and wife team running the place were well beyond super cool to me. Oh, and you know you stayed in town a good long time when you leave knowing all about little league teams having games canceled because of the weather and the history of the local structures. Fast forward almost a full year, and now... needless to say that I was pretty bummed out when I did a spur of the moment, 3-hour drive to Mt. Laguna (Saturday, March 7, 2026) for a re-experience, only to find The Outpost closed due to a septic leak. I am sure hoping that they will have this all fixed up soon... especially with the Pacific Crest Trail hiker season having launched on March 1 (it runs through May 31). Since the people that run this place are awesome folks, I would hate as much for them to miss out on their potential income as I would be disappointed for the hikers who may fail to have the chance to have the excellent experience that I had in 2025. Best advice: Call ahead to ensure they're open. My fingers are crossed... Respectfully, I Remain, "Trail Chef" P.C.T. 2025

My family and I stopped by here during our stay in Mt. Laguna. I must admit that I wasn't expecting…read moremuch given how remote the area is. I was pleasantly surprised at how good the food was. We ordered the smoked wings, a California burrito, the little Laguna BBQ board , chicken strips and a pizza and everything was delicious. The food was flavorful and perfectly seasoned. The restaurant has inside and outside seating. The service was great. The lady was friendly and patient while we decided what to order. If we're ever in town again, we will definitely stop by The Outpost.

We enjoy meeting family here. The area outside has tables with misters for when it's hot and an…read morearea for the kids to play so they aren't restricted to a table the whole time. They also have live music on certain evenings which is really nice. There is often a wait for a table. Service varies a lot! Sometimes it is awesome and other times really lacking. The food also varies. My husband loves the tri-tip sandwich, but they often run out of tri-tip, and it can be delicious or dry and tough. I gave up on tri-tip because of the lack of consistency. I really like the brisket burrito. It's even better than the meat plates. And the brisket in general is really good. The sides are pretty good but none of us are crazy about the fries. They also have a kids menu which is nice. And if you save room for dessert, as simple as it is, the hot fudge sundae is a favorite. Over all I would recommend this place. It's a relaxing place to chill, have a meal and a beer, listen to some music or watch a game on the tv, and let the kids run and play so they aren't bored.

Always the best spot for BBQ, it never disappoints. Tucked away in Flint Springs. A little out of…read morethe way but worth the drive. Today I had the Double Wide BBQ Burger It came with chopped brisket. This burger also comes with fries. Everything is freshly BBQ'd. Also had the George Strait Fried Pickles. (I ordered these just for the name)!!! Also very good. The house pickles are great and they're complimentary. The best Go-To place to visit

Off the beaten path! It is so worth the stop. Everything is homemade! Everything is incredible!…read more The soup to a burger! It was awesome! Service is excellent! Hometown feel! Nice people!

We started coming here because our family photographer (XO Kim -- check out my review!) highly…read morerecommended it, and it has become our tradition after every photo session for about five years. Enticing our kids with the animals at XO Ranch and then grabbing food at Descanso Junction has been our routine that just works. It has made taking family pictures a better experience. We always bring our dogs to the photo shoot and sit outside on the patio at Descano Junction Restaurant. We have enjoyed sitting outside. There is a wooden chair that my kids love squishing themselves into. At night they have garland lights. Unfortunately the laat time we came the heater did not have gas and we were freezing. My two younger kids still opted to eat with us because they wanted to eat with our dogs and sit in the chair. Portions here are generous and priced well. Honestly, I could probably share with my youngest, but since it's a bit of a drive for us, we each get our own dish and take home leftovers. Some menu items are served only at certain times and days, so plan around that. Service has always been consistently good -- friendly and attentive, even when we're seated on the patio with the dogs. They sell dog friendly burger patties for $5.99. Our Favorite Items Smaller Bites These come with two sliders and one side. We've tried all the options and have zero complaints. Burgers My kids love the burgers here. They're a great size and always come out juicy. We order them Medium to Medium-Well. For sides, you can pick fries, potato salad, or coleslaw, or pay extra for battered onion rings, soup, or a salad (I usually upgrade). Favorites for my family: * Traditional * Bacon Cheeseburger * Ultimate Burger My favorite burger is the Mushroom Burger I'm a mushroom lover, and this one is always cooked perfectly. Taco Salad Huge. I order it with Carne Asada and it's delicious every time. BBQ Combo: You can create your own combo. Options: Jack Daniel's Tri Tip Saint Louis Style Pork Ribs Smoked Pulled Pork Desserts I'm a dessert person. I don't have a must eat here but its a good way to end the meal. We have tried the brownie, cheesecake and apple pie. If you're in the area, definitely check this place out. Great portions, fair prices, tasty food, and consistently good service. And don't forget to walk around the shops on the same lot afterward.

I love pizza, but this was my first time trying this style and it did not disappoint! The BBQ meat…read moreoverload pizza is seriously a bomb. It's packed with flavor, loaded with toppings, and perfectly cooked with a nice crispy crust. The combination of smoky, savory, and slightly sweet BBQ flavors just works so well. Every bite was satisfying and definitely something different from your usual pizza. Great spot to grab a bite while in Julian good vibes, solid food, and a must-try in julian trip!

Let me just start by saying The food is so great! I had the Mac and cheese with the pork belly it…read morejust melts in your mouth the sauce is so good that they paired with the pork belly goes perfect! Service is great as well we were confused before when we first visited but Julian is a small town so some places close pretty early if you wanna try this place do not wait for it to close! Go ahead and try it out before closing! The inside kinda reminded us of game of thrones or Harry Potter with the tables set up in a very awesome way! I have to recommend this place specially if you're in Julian area

First time at Jays Southern Café and wow... what an experience! Vi was a whole vibe--super sweet,…read morefriendly, and really helped my hubby and me decide on what to order since it was our first visit. She made us feel right at home. Now let's talk food... the brisket was out of this world! Tender, flavorful, and just the right amount of smokiness. Paired with the coleslaw (so fresh and delicious) and their BBQ sauce that was sweet but not overpowering, the whole combo was dynamite. I even had to snap a "before" pic of the plate--and let's just say the "after" pic didn't survive because it was THAT good! They were out of dessert during our visit, but I'll definitely be back to try that cinnamon and lemon pound cake that customers around us were raving about. Big shoutout to Vi and to Penelope (I believe she was the cook that day) for serving up not just a meal, but an experience. The layout was super cool and very clean. I never knew this place was in Alpine but I found my new barbecue spot. Definitely come and support as they are a hidden gem We'll 100% be back soon--thanks again for the warm hospitality and amazing food!

Hey, Yelp Community! If you're looking for the BEST BBQ and Soul Food restaurant in East County,…read moreJay's Southern Cafe is the go-to spot. My brisket sandwich with a special BBQ sauce was hands down the most amazing brisket sandwich I've had. OMG, that BBQ sauce was an added yummy flavorful touch along with the fresh creamy coleslaw...the combo sooo finger-lickin' good. The young man's customer service was top notch with a smile. I didn't have to wait. Thank you!! Whenever you're in the area, you have to stop by to eat some delicious authentic Southern food and support a local family-owned business. It's Alpine BEST kept foodie secret.

Not the best photo. But trust me, this place is worth it. Ribs have a savory smoky flavor, the BBQ…read moreis sweet with the perfect amount of tang. The macaroni is superb. The beans are tangy and savory. Great food.

Unfortunately it's a no for me ..service was great but the food 4stars . I genuinely just didn't…read morefeel the love or flavor

We hosted an event for 450 people. Phil's offered excellent suggestions, arrived in plenty of time…read moreto provide efficient service and very testy food. Than you Sergio and Melissa.

It's still good solid bbq. Ribs were good, although a little overcooked for me but some people…read morelike the fall off the bone style. Pulled pork was legit! And chicken was tasty. Also pleasantly surprised by the beans! If you go to the bar area, you can sit down and a server will come to you. All in all, a good experience.

This place I'll admit was a bar but in the corner of the eye was the sign bubbas smokehouse bbq. So…read morewe tried it and "WOW" had to be some of the best smoked meat I've ever eaten ! The waitresses, very friendly and the size of the portions perfect.I personally will make a stop here when we go back.

Probably the most driest ribs And chicken I've…read moreunfortunately had the experience to taste. For the price and quantity, this is very disappointing.