We finally stopped after hearing about and seeing it every time I head north. I got the tri tip sandwich which was tasty ,even though it seemed a little expensive. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because the guy at the counter, Josh I believe was his name, came across short and unprofessional to us and then he was very friendly to the attractive lady next in line. I felt that he should treat all paying customers with the same friendliness. read more

I expected good things from this place being they have signs saying "voted #1 in USA"... Food was good but not great, a little cold and chicken wasn't fall off the bone. More like almost undercooked. Also biggest no-no is talking about a customer when they can hear you! Just because I asked for an extra side of hot sauce, the employee goes talking to his friends about it. Saying I should buy my own bottle. Tisk tisk! read more

We drove pass this place on our way to Lake Tahoe but we decided we would try it on our way back home. It was so worth the wait!! Probably the best BBQ meets we've had! Our entire family loves it! Highly recommended! read more

My wife and I stopped here. Hank greeted us with a big smile. We sat down to the BEST Tri-tip sandwich ever. Hank checked in on us and asked if we have tried the pork ribs. We hadn't so he gave us each a rib to try. I must say the barbecue sauce he uses is special. For a great barbecue experience try it you'll like it. As we left we noticed a vending machine containing vacuum packed BBQ Chicken, Tri-Tip and Ribs. We took home the ribs heated in boiling water while sealed in vacuum package. It was great, just great. Thanks Hank, we'll be back. read more

can't go wrong with some ribs.. best food for miles.. everything on the menu is fire..

We saw the great reviews and decided to stop here on the way to mammoth. There was a long line and the smells from the bbq were great. The Good The pulled pork sandwich and Cole slaw were excellent. The food was served quickly once ordered and the staff was very friendly. They had picnic style seating which was cool. The Bad The prices were a little high. I get it's A tourist stop but 14 bucks for a sandwich a side and a drink is way high. The tritip was cooked well but way too chewy and had no flavor. You had to use the BBQ sauce if you wanted any flavor. read more

Soooooooo good!! We just left and I had to write a review right away. The ribs are insane, honestly probably the best I've ever had. They ship and we are already talking about ordering some of the ribs. The owner is one of the nicest genuine people to talk to. And!! The meat is super well sourced, no hormones, antibiotics or any of that crap. Don't miss this delicious spot! It's amazing read more

This is the best BBQ I've ever had . Love coppertop !! will b back here every year for my fix . The tri tip is amazing . Definitely recommend read more

Finally got to enjoy an awesome meal at Cooper Top BBQ! Gotta say by far the Best BBQ my hubby Todd and I have ever had. Also my husband Todd got to meet Hank & his son; great people. A must STOP on your way to & from Mammoth Lakes or June Lake...... read more

Great ribs and fast service. The cook was nice and friendly to talk with. Will definitely eat there again when ever I drive through.

My dad and I have waited a long time to try this place. What a disappointment. We each got the sampler. The ribs were like jerky, dry and little flavor. The pulled pork tasted like it was made in a slow cooker. The tri tip was ok, but nothing phenomenal. The potato salad was just ok. The green chili beans were very good, definitely the best part of the meal. The people were very nice, but most of the food was not very good at all. I don't know where the hype comes from. read more

We have been stopping the past few years in November, on a trip up to hike and visit Sierras for my husbands bday. The bbq here is always so good, the first time we stopped we just bought lunch, the next year we bought enough for two meals and last year we even stopped on the way home and bought some of the vacuum sealed to take back! My husband likes both the tri tip and the ribs. I don't eat beef/pork, and I am often disappointed with chicken from most red meat-centric bbq places, BUT Copper Top has the BEST bbq chicken- it is really smoky and tender. The beans are also great, with tasty bits of good spicy chili, maybe Hatch? So, with all that is changing, I just wanted to check in and see if Copper Top was still open- it has been tough times for many small businesses. Surprised and happy to read reviews, and the website, that they are actually having quite the busy summer- but I see no chicken on the menu!!?!? I hope this is only temporary- and look forward to visiting soon- we miss the beautiful Sierras and Owens Valley. read more

This place has the best customer service ! So nice and friendly and very comforting !

Most authentic bbq spot I've been to. The Mojave Red paired perfectly with the pulled pork sandwich meal- gotta add the coleslaw! Perfect meal coming out of, or into, the mountains. Their specialty tri-tip is incredible. read more

OMG! The meat was flavorful and didn't even need the amazing sauce. Hank was smoking it all up perfectly. This place is a must stop if you're in the area. read more

Great place to eat the food was delicious. Definitely this will be my first stop whenever I come to bishop.

Quick stop on way home from Mt. Patterson Jeep trip. Amazing service in 100 plus heat. Ribs had crust and rare and tender inside. Tri tip sandwich was full of flavor with tender meat. Do yourself a favor and have a Death Valley Pale Ale. Soo good. Service was fast and friendly. Better than a fast food stop by far! read more

Some of the best bbq I've ever had. Enjoyed the sampler and had to go back for the pulled pork sandwich. Both were amazing. read more

Copper Top BBQ - It's all cooked right there... - Barbeque Near Me - Big Pine, California

A must stop if you are headed to Mammoth. The kids look forward to it every year while driving through Big Pine. The ribs are really, really good. read more

I'm giving you 4/5 stars to be nice, because I may be back and it wasn't bad or anything. I really see why this place had the best rating - I went hiking later that day and the whole time I was thinking about how great a rack of salty, fatty, overly-sweet ribs would be. Compared to the other options (How about some nice jicama sticks from Carroll's? *puke* Can someone please tell me why the hell Carroll's carries jicama?) in town, this place is great. I've had a ton of BBQ, mostly in Texas. Everywhere else I've been disappointed. I had high hopes for the #1 rated joint in America, but once again I am a bit disappointed. No brisket (my favorite), because it's California and for some reason we eat tri-tip instead out here. So, I just ordered a rack of ribs, because pulled pork is bleh and chicken sucks, and sides are for people that don't know how to eat meat. The ribs had this super sweet glaze on them that I didn't like very much. They're ribs, not Frosted Flakes. I'd really rather just put a little BBQ sauce on them here and there. They were nice and meaty, although they didn't quite have that zing that you get sometimes from amazing BBQ. Pickles and onions would have been nice too, but of course I must remember that I am not in Texas. I also noticed that the rub you had for sale had a bunch of junk in it, like hydrogenated soybean oil (at least that's what my friend said, I never looked). Now, I understand most restaurants, even nice ones probably put a bunch of crap in everyone's food, but still....hydrogenated soybean oil? I understand MSG, because at least it can help food taste better. But a trans fatty oil is just cost cutting and convenience. I'm sure you could find a healthier alternative if you chose to do so. read more

Ridiculous great bbq. Been there many times, ribs to die for, tri tip the bomb! This place ruined bbq for me, the places I used to go to can't compare. I gotta drive to big pine to get bbq! Simply the best! read more

I drive from Reno to So Cal and back once a month. I have cruised right by many times but a gf recommended this place so I stopped. I'll never cruise by without stopping again. BEST, meatiest, tastiest ribs EVER, Including in places I've eaten in Kansas City, Arkansas and No Dakota. The Tri Tip is also fantastic, sauce and sides every bit as great - home made delicious. read more

I ordered the sampler platter and everything was awesome. They give you good bbq sauce but the rub is so amazing I didn't even use it.

So good! Came up here on the way to Bishop for the weekend and stopped....got ribs, pulled pork, tri tip and chicken, all were amazing. I wish they had brisket tho. But amazing read more

Copper Top BBQ is a carnivore's delight and a welcome escape from Subway, McDonald's, and convenience store burritos. As you drive closer, you can smell the meat cooking blocks away. Hungry vacationers in the High Sierra will be happy to find mouth-watering, first-rate, all-American barbecue here, right off Hwy 395 in the tiny town of Big Pine.* The smoky, tender, red meat of the ribs melts off the bone. The tri-tip is lean and juicy. The sweet, tangy sauce is close to perfect. The cole slaw is crunchy and not too vinegary, and the chili is lightly flavored with mild green chiles. Wish I could have cooked like this when we threw Fourth of July family barbecues! The only negatives: our chicken breast was dry and tough, and this place runs out of too many menu items in the early evening. Try lunch if you want your full choice of main dishes and sides. Copper Top BBQ is run by the father-and-son team of Hank and Matthew Otten, and they do a great job. The ribs here are as good as Everett & Jones and Flint's, the legendary old-school BBQ joints in Oakland & Berkeley, California. * Big Pine is north of Lone Pine & Independence, and south of Bishop & Mammoth read more

Passed by at least 4 times a year for the last couple years. Looked good just didn't "have the time". Today I ate the best BBQ tritip I've ever eaten. Met Hank while son Mathew took over the grill. For me, dont change a thing. I have to try everything now. See ya on next pass. read more

Hank was at the grill working hard, pleasant gentleman, even in the cold. I assume the son came up with the idea to post #1 in USA, but it's not. I can also assume those "Yelpers" who gave 5 stars haven't had the privilege of true BBQ. My following reasons are: 1) Tri-Tip was tough 2) Ribs weren't "meaty" enough, maybe not the highest quality, favor so-so. 3) Cole Slaw was watery and too much mustard seeds. 4) Sampler came with one token very small sweet bread roll, never had sweet bread w/ BBQ. As others have written, if you're really hungry coming off the mountain and you past the "Other" BBQ stops, this may satisfy your taste buds. read more

It was good not great. Being a BBQ fan I have eating at some of the best in the country. We had the trip tip, pulled pork and the ribs and it all tasted the same to me. Service was good and I was shocked that one of the owners was actually tending the pit, which was cool. They are working hard to put out a good product. I will stop by again. read more

Copper Top BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Big Pine, California

Cruising down Highway 395 and we were getting hungry. Yelped this place and read the reviews and thought we would try it out. I ordered the 3 meat combo with two sides. The chicken was on point, the ribs outstanding, but alas, the Tri-tip was a little under cooked for my taste. It had nice, seasoned bark on the outside, but the center was pink and chewy. My two sides were potato salad, which was not your typical spud salad, but I liked it. The other, chili beans, which were also not your typical chili beans, but were quite tasty. The prices are very reasonable, portions are a good size, and the place is nice and tidy. You can eat outside on the benches or on the benches inside their shed. Plenty of street parking. If I am ever in the area again, I would gladly get my grub on here again. read more

BEST BBQ FOR MIIIILES!! OMG It was soooo good!!! Family owned. Amazing delicious BBQ. Come hungry because the portions are satisfyingly big. Also I met Hank, one of the owners and he was very cool. Ask about his story. :) Enjoy! read more

I just passed by Copper Top and as much as I love their grilled ribs and smoked barbecue meats, I can't get over the lackluster side dishes that added zero nutritional value or flavor to the meal that I had last time I ate here. The potato salad is just sad, no flavor, no salt, no reason to eat and the coke slaw doesn't get much better. The other options are potato chips, pickles and Hawaiian rolls. Unless all you want is meat you are going to forget the sides as soon as possible. Or you can pick them up at your local grocery deli. With so much apparent love going into the barbecue, the sides stand it as a passing thought. How about grilling some fresh corn? Or Grilling some simple yellow and green zucchini? Or any vegetables? For your potato salad and coke slaw, How about a new recipe that includes some fresh herbs and flavors? Or make delicious garlic mash-potatoes? Either way if your sides match up the the quality of your barbecue you will always have a line outside and repeat customers for life. Thank you for your hard work. read more

Don't let the long lines discourage you. The good here is worth the wait. Our faves are the tri tip sandwich with the chili. The all meat combo is great too! You can't go wrong with this menu...enjoy! read more

It was our first time here, and we loved every bite of it! I had the tri tip sandwich meal, the meat was so juicy and tender, I didn't even need to add BBQ sauce to it. But I did and it made the sandwich that much better. The BBQ had a kick to it but not too much, just enough. My bf had the Big Pine Sampler with chicken, and he says "it's f***ing tasty!" Sorry for the cussing, but it was all so flavorful! We also got to meet the owner, who kindly enough gave our dogs a piece of tri tip. If you're a dog lover, then you know how awesome that is! We will definitely be back! read more

Driving back to So. Cal from Reno, tried to stop in Bishop to eat, Big trucks kept us from entering eateries. All of sudden Copper Top BBQ appeared off the road side. We just had to stop, Hank the owner introduced himself before we even had a chance to read the menu. He was a great host and his food was amazing. We had ribs, brisket, and his mouth watering chicken. The smoke BBQ from the grill filled the air and the scenery from the mountains made this stop just one to remember. Hank was just wonderful even giving us local fruits and vegies when he found out we were just married. Thank you Hank, can't wait to go back just to stop at Copper Top BBQ. read more

Copper Top BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Big Pine, California

Awesome service and food! You can tell the owner, Hank has a real passion for BBQ and his customers. Loved the whole setup with the tents and misters to keep us cool. We had never tried tri-tip before, as we are from the southeast and we loved it! read more

Copper Top BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Big Pine, California

Wow this is some great BBQ! We were staying in Lone Pine to do Mt Whitney and made the trip north to Big Pine for lunch. It was well worth it. Hank, the owner/cook is hospitable, stopping to visit for a bit. We loved hearing stories of his days in the dairy business down in So Cal, years and years ago. Don't expect more than a picnic type of setting. But, it is clean and cheery. We sat under an awning with a mister system and were comfortable. We had tender bbq chicken, pulled pork and the ribs. The side dishes of potato salad and slaw were great accompaniments. Kudos to you, Hank!! read more

Copper Top BBQ - Hank and his Santa Maria style tri tip - Barbeque Near Me - Big Pine, California

A true gem! Authentic and amazingly tasty, clean and welcoming, cozy outdoor seating with wooden picnic tables and an awning and mister for hot days. The baby back ribs were moist, smokey and full of flavor-they didn't need any extra sauce at all. The tri-tip was melt-in-your-mouth tender with a delicious Santa Maria seasoning. Beans were excellent, four bean mix with pepper, cumin, and garlic. Potato salad was tangy and slightly spicy with big chunks of red potato, pickles, and a mustard-based dressing. This spot Wil be my new regular go-to on the way up Hwy 395. read more

Awesome food, awesome scenery. It really doesn't get any better than this. I will most definitely be back on all my trips up here to the Eastern Sierra's. I tried most of the menu and I personally dig the tri-tip more than everything else, but everything was cooked to perfection and I have zero complaints. Also, give them a call to check and see if they actually have food before you get there. Showed up at 3:30pm one day and they had no meat left. Luckily, I am visiting again and got the chance to try. read more

Copper Top BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Big Pine, California

Being a P. I. I get around. BEST EVER. EVER!! And there is a moving father/son story behind this success story. See Hank. If your lucky, he will tell you. read more

Copper Top BBQ - The best barbecued food is cooked by a guy from Holland - Barbeque Near Me - Big Pine, California

Amazing bbq...ribs and tri-tip all the way!! The coleslaw goes amazing with the tri-tip! Going to stop here every time I go to mammoth! read more