My husband is from Memphis, so I have to say that we're very particular when it comes to bbq because we've had the best. Cali BBQ definitely holds their own! We tried out the brisket, pork ribs and trip-tip, all of the meats were super flavorful, juicy and perfectly smoked. The sides we had were awesome too, I highly recommend the jalapeño mac and cheese, it had the perfect amount of heat. Their mac salad is awesome too, not too mayonnaisey or sweet. Our server was so fantastic and the manager came by each table to greet everyone. If you're looking for some of the best, legit bbq in SD, Cali BBQ is your spot! read more

Only place in town I go for bbq! Fun friendly atmosphere. It's great to sit with family and enjoy the tailgate meal, or sit at the bar solo to enjoy my peach cobbler. read more

The service was first rate and the food was delicious , and to top it off was the peach cobbler! So good!

Just had lunch there, first time experience. My husband had a combo and I had the cheese steak. Everything was awesome and we brought home enough for dinner. Staff was very friendly, place is clean. Padres were not doing well but, we could see the game in every direction we looked. We will be back soon and bring some friends. read more

Food was awesome as usual, service was outstanding and servers were very patient with our large group! Felt nice and private in our party space! read more

The food here is unbelievably good. The patio is dog friendly, and we've never had a problem with service

I always complain or say that California has everything except decent barbecue - and I've tried it from the Bay Area down. Maybe being from the Midwest and having spent some time down in the south, I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what amazing barbecue tastes like. Since I moved to San Diego I've sorta been avoiding the barbecue scene. Decided to give this place a try tonight and glad I did! I got the brisket sandwich (which was good, just a little fatty, and I felt maybe for the price they could have given more), and my brother got the pulled pork which he really enjoyed. The waitress was attentive and friendly. The sides of coleslaw and French fries were delicious. You order and pay via QR code (Toast Tab), or you can pay in cash at the end. Parking wise there's a side lot near the place and one across the way (marked by signs). The inside isn't too much to write home about - sort of like a sports bar vibe. But lots of friendly faces and a good looking menu! read more

Cali BBQ - Brisket Sandwich Pulled Pork Plate Cole Slaw - Barbeque Near Me - Spring Valley, California

Came in and welcomed me with a smile and got me out the door with a smile thank you and the food was so delicious I prefer the tri tip sandwich and onion rings read more

Literally down the street from my place nestled in a residential area right where apartments are. Parking sucks here you might be better off trying to look for street parking. This place is the next best local barbecue joint if Phil's is too far for you. I remember trying them for a family meal a longggg time ago and remembered it being very bland compared to Phil's. I recently bought pulled pork by the pound and they had sauce on the side and it was actually pretty tasty. I had ut just to add to my homemade nachos. I'd like to give them another try and try their tailgate platter. read more

Cali BBQ - Pulled Pork Pound - Barbeque Near Me - Spring Valley, California

We went in on a day they were short staffed. But that did not dampen our experience. We were not in a hurry and the manager and bartender went over and beyond to accommodate us, even though they were stressed. We ordered the pulled pork fries and the wings. The honey habanero sauce is one of my favorite sauces ever! Spicy with a sweet kick. Even though the fries were smothered, they were still crispy. read more

Cali BBQ - Pulled pork fries - Barbeque Near Me - Spring Valley, California

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Steven did a great job catering my event. The food was great everyone loved it. Would recommend.

Bomb food !! Excellent BBQ , best beans ever ! I recommend the brisket , sandwich or by itself. read more

Cali Comfort Smash Burgers are absolutely delicious. And their chicken wings are the best. They provide enough blue cheese and ranch. Their Bacon wrapped Jalapeños are so good too. I love dipping them in ranch. read more

All I can say about it was WOW! I also got an order for my friend Dan and it seems not only was it delicious but it was enough to share with his wife and 2 kids (adult kids) read more

My husband and I enjoyed some take/out food from Cali BBQ. We got the pulled pork French fries and onion rings. They hit the spot! The onion rings were nice and "puffy" and flavorful. The pulled pork with French fries was scrumptious! And did you know... they have a birthday club! Sign up! I received a $15 food coupon for my birthday. You can't beat that! We'll be back! read more

Good food, great service love this place! Wish they didn't charge extra for Mac n cheese (coleslaw is meh) read more

Cali BBQ - Sucks they charge extra for max n cheese. Use to be able to choose sides - Barbeque Near Me - Spring Valley, California

First time here and I was disappointed. Food wasn't what I was expecting, they served small portions. Staff wasn't as welcoming. Don't recommend. read more

Came here on a work trip this week...I have to thank my Yelp community because of it wasn't for you I would've never found this place. A little off the beaten path in San Diego off the freeway but don't judge a book or the outside by its cover. Once inside this place is wide open with tons of seating both at the bar and in and outside. This place has tons of great bbq choices and for me it was all about the meat. I had their house salad and 1lb of brisket plus I stole some prices of tri-tip from my coworker. The brisket was perfect and for me to say that is a lot. I am a total bbq snob and this place hit all the points. Perfect smoke, bark, flavor, moisture and overall taste. I won't even comment about the salad because this brisket was so good. In addition even though in a total meat coma tried a rib tip and price of stuffed jalapeño both amazing as well. The guys running this place really understand and get the customer service aspect. All around awesome experience and would for sure go back anytime in the area. read more

Cali BBQ - 1lb brisket perfectly done - Barbeque Near Me - Spring Valley, California

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Service is al good. I have had the pleasure of being served by Victoria at the spring valley restaura many times. She is awesome.

Cali is always a great place to eat. The food is always amazing. We picked up food for Xmas and the staff was so nice to speak to us about reheating our food. I also received a text message when the food was ready to be picked up. read more

I was visiting my wife, and she recommended this spot . I was cool until I got there, and the waitress didn't want to take our order but wanted us to order through the app . If that isn't the case, what is here job. On top of that, I work in the food industry, and I was shocked when they brought the food out and and it wasn't like the picture. My better half was embarrassed, and I was like, "So this is California bar b que huh. Ok, I'm not impressed. Maybe next time, I'll just get mexican food . I TOOK PICTURE OF WHAT I RECIEVED, BUT I WILL NOT GO IN THAT DEEP ON THEM . Everyone had a bad day, but the food and customer service were not up to standards . Sorry guys, you will have to get a 1 star from me . read more

Wanted to give a test run before bringing 12-15 of my coworkers there for lunch. I did take out. Wait was 27 min long, and living 5 min away the food was cold. While the food wasn't dogfood it wasn't worth the wait. They served someone who ordered 5 min after i did before me with a larger order, knew my wait was long and didn't even offer a drink or dessert. Hate to give bad reviews and had the food been fire i probably wouldn't have. The lady helping me was nice. read more

I've been to this place a few times and mostly enjoyed it. I went back after a couple years and it's still a fun bar atmosphere. I ordered brisket, rib tips Mac and cheese and the beans. Rib tips were delicious as was the beans. The Mac and cheese was lacking a bit of salt which was solved when I added some. The brisket was on the dry side this time. The jalapeño cornbread was excellent and came with my meal. Our server was pleasant and attentive I forgot her name but I noticed her big beautiful diamond ring and told her. Overall it was a good meal with good service. read more

3 stars because it was difficult to figure out how to place your order. It would have been helpful if someone asked if we had ever used their non traditional ordering system before and guided us on how it all worked. I also had to seek someone out to clear our table and for table needs a few times. They don't take reservations but we were able to get seated without a wait. Large restaurant with a separate room toward the front of the restaurant that can accommodate large parties. How it works: You're greated by a host. You choose your seat. We were a party of 12 plus a toddler and they combined tables & chairs for us in the room toward the front of the restaurant. It can get pretty loud in there as the room echoes. It was a bit confusing as a server took our drink orders in a traditional manner but ordering drinks was through the QR Code as well. We ended up figuring out their ordering system which is by QR Code that is on the table. The QR code is per table and in our case party table. 1. Scan the QR Code 2. Enter your first name and phone number. Since I was hosting our party, I selected the option to "Invite Others" so my guests could place their order using their own phones. Best if each guest enters their names using the shared QR Code from the host (see photo). Their order will show up on the host phone with their name. 3. Enter your order. Your guests orders will show up on your tab under their listed name. You & each guest can add notes to the orders for modifications or special requests. 4. Select place order once you are ready to order. You can leave your tab open and add orders until you close your tab. 5. Servers bring your orders to your table. 6. You can pay directly through your phone or through the cashier. They accept cash payment. Tip was not automatically included on final check. I liked how the party host can see who ordered what. I actually liked this system but it was a challenge to figure out how it worked especially since we had a group of mixed ages from young adult to Seniors 70+. They had a physical menu available but were limited-we just passed the one they gave us around. On to the food: The Rack of Pork Ribs were awesome! Tender, fall off the bone type and the BBQ sauce was superb! The Hot Links were disappointing-overcooked and dry. Had to drown them in the BBQ sauce. The chicken was good but on the dry side-nothing that BBQ sauce couldn't fix. BBQ sauce was on point! The Pulled Pork got great reviews by our guest who ordered a plate. The Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers were whole and stuffed with cheese, the bacon was crispy and the flavors went so well together & came with Ranch Dresssing for dipping. The Macaroni salad and Coleslaw was fresh and good as expected. Seasoned French Fries were very good! The Beer Battered Onion Rings weren't a favorite. We'll definitely be back for the Pork Ribs & BBQ sauce. read more

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It used to be Cali Comfort BBQ, now it's just Cali BBQ. Change of ownership? Anyway, after reading several gushing reviews by Yelpers, and now that this restaurant is open for dining in, my wife and I decided to give it a try. The parking was quite adequate, but the only table available was a tall bar-style table, very small, even for just two people. We took it rather than wait. Looking around while waiting for the menus to arrive, I noticed that this is basically a sports bar, with widescreens on just about all vertical surfaces. After waiting for too long, I flagged down a server who was walking by. She looked at me incredulously when I asked for menus. I mean, it's restaurant, isn't it? She then dismissed me by walking away and telling me to just use my phone. I almost shouted back that we don't go to restaurants with our phones. She stopped walking away and I honestly think she thought I was pranking her. I waited for a response, but instead got a taste of attitude, where I was expected to justify my cell phone 'deficiency'. One star off for such a counterproductive attitude. While we were considering walking out, she provided a device with a tiny screen that would show the electronic version of the menu, a few items at a time. One could never know if the full menu was viewed. We were able to locate a few interesting entrees, although I'm sure we missed many more by not being able to scan a printed menu. We have been to many restaurants which actually provide menus (!), and many have switched to disposable paper menus, which work just fine on several levels. One star off for not providing printed menus. We ordered the 10 piece BBQ wings ($16) and Rib Tips ($12). The wings were very average, but the Rib Tips rose to the level that previous Yelpers had mentioned. They were great ! Upon presenting the entrees to our table, the server asked us if we would like plates. Dishes are also optional here? Yes, BBQ food is somewhat messy, so I guess we need plates. I asked for napkins, same reason. One star off for plates being optional with meals. It's a sports bar, menus and plates are optional, and I don't see returning. read more

Yum ! The seasoned fries were good , habanero wings on point , the size of wings was favorable and the Jake's sandwich also had a good presentation. I mean even the carrots were good ,they were sweet. My four stars comes from my disappointment that my notes were not read or honored . I wanted blue cheese for my wings and got Ranch instead and I asked for a side of tomatoes and didn't receive . My sandwich was lacking a bit of salt and it does taste best when you add the grilled jalapeños. I would also recommend that Cali add some wax paper under the sandwiches as they tend to get a little soggy ! read more

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Great BBQ, great service and casual atmosphere tucked in the neighborhood of Spring Valley

It's really a hit or miss here which is sad. Ambiance::: chill vibes, spacious, parking available Price::: a lot for a little Food::: here's the catch....you never know! The BRISKET is trash, I see a lot of reviews praising it and I'm sure those are people who aren't use to real, authentic, southern bbq. I posted pictures here, it's chunky and fatty, $20 for this sandwich which had about one cup of brisket on it; if that. The WINGS were 5 for $11, decent but ridiculously priced. I know it's a small shop but they have multiple locations, why charge so much? 12 wings at phils bbq is $10 & they're fire. I got the SAUSAGE plate which was decent. Your usual sausage with a little spice, cooked dry. MACARONI SALAD was super dry, the noodles weren't boiled long enough. POTATOE SALAD was good, big chunks of potatoes but heavy on the white sauce so I wiped it off (I know but I didn't want to drink it). The CORN BREAD muffin was decent as well, jalapeno cheddar cheese was different. I did the survey voicing concerns and they said thanks lol. I won't be coming back. read more

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Good food, good customer service, decent price. Wish they had more side and sauce options. Also they do not offer beef ribs and some of the brisket cuts had burnt ends. Not the delicious burnt ends but the part that is hard and you can't eat or enjoy. read more

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Great food! Customer service was awesome!! Highly recommend!!! Fun Place to take your family out for a great night out!!!

Came here for the first time and was not disappointed. Food was delicious, portions were big, and the customer service was above and beyond. Good customer service is hard to come by, but the staff here showed exceptional service. Kind, attentive, and were so nice to our little one who was making us a bit overwhelmed. The restaurant is laid back, but just a nice place to be and enjoy your meal. Shoutout to Isabella, Victoria, David, and Lisa for being here and making our experience great. If you're considering coming here, don't hesitate and just head right in. You won't be disappointed! read more

Update 03/19/2022 We went there the second time for a takeout online order, I loved the little stickers they put on each box so we know what's inside of each box! The food was as good as the first time and they came out fast but the cornbread was put in a pepper bag and some of them were smashed We were going out for a picnic so I asked for more napkins but the staff told me that they already put some napkins in our bag so I didn't get any extra napkins but it turned out that there were only 2 napkins in our bag read more

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Great, delicious food. Everything done right and well. Prompt and friendly service. Online ordering was a breeze. Best BBQ I've had since leaving Atlanta. read more

When arrived host was nice. Waiter in the other hand not so much. Restaurant had a smell like carpet dirty. Clean tables though. Food, jalapeño papers not good they were crunchy to my preference and cheese only on the top. Sides we could substituted not our preference. Meat brisket to dry, pulled pork was ok. Ribs wasn't bad Wings other than buffalo were dry. Hot links ok. Overall I give it a 3. read more

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We always enjoy the warm personal service. The BBQ is delicious-moist, just enough smoke and consistent in quality. The sides are perfect complements to the meats and the jalapeno cheese cornbread is always a treat. read more

I've been eating here for many years. The quality and deliciousness have never changed. The "fall off the bone" ribs are my favorite. The wedding beans are the best beans I've ever had. The best part is it's only five minutes from my house. read more

10/10. I really have nothing bad to say about this restaurant besides that I live too far away from it. The food is great, they got your drinks, and awesome staff. read more

Great food as always. We tried a different restaurant and man what that a mistake!! We will never cheat on you again.

Ordered the tailgate pkg, plus wings, brisket and tri tip, added extra beans and corn bread. Wow what a great meal! Great service great food

Their BBQ is fricking AMAZING!! I can't express how delicious it all is. My favorite is the Brisket. You have to have it!! We also get their sampler from time to time, and thats a great way to try everything. There's not a single thing that isn't out of this world.... read more