We had passed this bbq joint a couple times now on our way to and from June Lake. We were not even that hungry coming back from June Lake, but the line was small and it was time to try it out. Let me start with the best tri tip I have ever had in my life. I love Santa Maria style bbq. This tri tip was better than any I have had in Santa Maria. The seasoning is just fantastic and yes I bought some. The St. Louis Ribs were thick and meaty. St. Louis ribs are not my favorite type of ribe as I prefer beef or baby backs, but they work some serious magic here. The smoke, the seasoning, and the passion for the craft is obvious at first bite. My kids were in heaven. We love bbq and meat in general. Everything was so tender and smokey. It was so good that I could not add sauce to anything. Pulled pork is my least favorite of bbq meats, but again, they found a way to impress me. Tender, smokey, and delicious. It's a smaller kitchen/ seating area, so the ambience is more of a small, bbq joint where you can see the smoke master work his magic, so don't expect a full bar and indoor, air conditioned seating. Their specialty is exceptional smoked bbq. I would love to see them add an oak smoked rib eye plate to the menu and that would be my only complaint. I could only imagine what they can do to a rib eye after that tri tip. I am dreaming of it while I write this review. They also have some way of air sealing your order to take with you to merely reheat. I think I will be doing this next time and eating it at the lake. read more

Best BBQ we ever had. We ordered full rack of ribs and kid love the tri tip, so tender and juicy. We will definitely come back next time in town. read more

BBQ bomb , wait is a bit but totally worth it ! I'll be back next time in Tahoe area... one thing I would add to their menu is pulled pork Mac and cheese read more

Mediocre bbq. Excellent sides. Friendly staff. Not sure what all the raves are about. We got the 2-person sampler platter to go. The ribs were tough and underdone and virtually inedible. We did know this until we were miles down the road or I would have complained and asked for something else. The pulled pork was fair, chicken and tri tip definitely the best of the meats but still nothing to write home about. Rolls, Potato salad and Mac and cheese were great but not exactly why we stopped at a bbq place. read more

Completely lived up to its rating of Yelp's highest rated restaurant in 2015! Hubby had the tri tip sandwich and I had the pulled pork- both tender & delicious & bonus!: they're served on pretzel buns. Cole slaw was a tangy, tasty yummy departure from your heavy mayo types. It was 103 when we arrived so our group of 6 with 3 dogs took it to go and ate at the park in Lone Pine where we enjoyed the lawn and shade. How did we pass this gem all these years without stopping???!!!! So happy to have read about it in Sunset mag so we didn't blow past it again! read more

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

PRETTY GOOD BBQ! Tried Copper Top for the first time last week. Food was good, service was quick. I have heard the wait can be long, or they are not always open. But if you are driving by between normal meal times, it is probably a good option if you don't want to spend too much time at a restaurant. Pros- quick service after ordering Cons - no restroom facilities Edited to add: according to the owner there is a restroom inside the building. I guess I just didn't see it-- maybe you have to ask. read more

Ate here a few days ago , for the first time. I had the platter that consisted of : ribs , chicken , shredded pork and a macaroni and cheese. The service was great , the wait was short and the outdoor benches were nice. I've never had this style of macaroni and cheese , it was like spicy and very flavorful , yummy ! The meat was very tender , melted right in my mouth. I dont eat much smoked foods but this was the best I've ever had . Every time I go thru that town I'll be stopping by .Great job you all! read more

We always stop at this fantastic bbq place on the way to and from Mammoth. Everything is delicious- I'm partial to the pulled pork and my husband loves the ribs. Do not forget to add in some Mac and cheese and potato salad to complete your meal. Matt (the owner) is so very personable and has a great business going! read more

I'm out here from Austin on vacation, and the tri tip here is not to be missed out on. Wonderful seasoning with a touch of bark and a delicious medium rare. We need tri tip like this in Texas, the medium rare is a perfect balance to brisket. Don't miss out on this! Also, super tasty local Kolsch. read more

Didn't really live up to the hype of one of the best restaurants in America, but it was still good. The baked beans were unique and had a little bit of a Mexican flavor to them, we had the pulled pork and a half rack of ribs, which weren't terribly memorable. There's not a ton in the area so if you are causing down 395 and are hungry, I would recommend stopping here! read more

This place is an A + +!!! Friendly staff, amazing food, outdoor misters to keep you cool, BIODEGRADABLE CONTAINERS (so huge) for food and drink, worlds First bbq vending machine for when they're not open, family owned and operated, locally brewed root beer, cream soda and beer.....what else could you want??!!!?! We will be stopping by here each time we drive the 395 and if they're closed we'll just hit the vending machine. Wish there were more conscientious businesses like this on the planet!! Thank you Hank and Matthew! read more

Highly recommend this place the food is the bomb the people who work here are amazing You gotta try the pickle frog balls

Best BBQ I've had! It comes with sauce but you won't need it. Definitely going to return.

This probably has to be best tri-tip I've ever tasted. IN. THE. WHOLE. WIDE. WORLD! Must stop here on the way to mammoth or Tahoe. read more

This is an amazing bbq joint off the 395. So glad we stopped here on our trip. We tried all of the meats and the ribs were the clear winner. Amazing flavor! Tri tip also very solid especially in the sandwich. The sides were not that great, but we were here for the bbq and they delivered in spades. Will definitely return! read more

I really like the tri-tip and their potatoe salad is excellent. Everytime I go the staff is friendly and they always have a line to the street. read more

Wow! I love great bbq and this place has it! The pulled pork, tri tip and ribs were all fantastic! Some of the best I've ever had. It's the type of place where you order from a counter and sit outside. Country music and wonderful wood smoke all add to the experience, so be prepared to get to know the other customers and savor Hank's amazing bbq. Side note, we read about Copper Top from another restaurant's bad yelp review. That customer raved about C.T. so we decided to make the trek... We are so grateful we did! read more

Copper Top BBQ - Tri tip on the grill... So yummy! - Barbeque Near Me - Big Pine, California

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Outstanding Tri-tip and Mac and cheese Just what we needed after a morning of skiing and a long drive ahead of us! Will come again for sure! read more

Everything I'm looking for in authentic American BBQ. Zero dollars spent on slick crowd sourced design and decoration. All focus on putting wood, flame, and smoke to delicious meats. My visit was the perfect storm of a life-long BBQ nerd and practitioner traveling the backroads to a far destination suddenly passing thru a cloud of savory smoke coming from a line of well-used smokers right there on the side of the road!! Perfect moments like this are so rare. The three meat combo met all expectations but the St Louis style pork ribs were sheer perfection. Mandate must try! read more

Saw this place on our drive through town.. smelled great tasted pretty good! The tri tip sandwich was yummy - their pretzel buns are super yummy! - and the pulled pork sandwich was even better! Brownie was perfectly moist :) They don't offer much for kiddos.. so we ordered Mac and cheese. While it was yummy, it's got a heavy smoky flavor so kids prob won't take well to it. Overall- great place to stop in Big Pine! read more

Copper Top BBQ - Sign on their vending machine - Barbeque Near Me - Big Pine, California

We are staying at the campground down the road. They had good ratings here and thought we would give it a try. We were not disappointed. The ribs had a generous portion of meat on them and they were not dried out. The tri-tip was good and so was the potato salad. I believe the rolls were Hawaiian sweet rolls which I love. We would eat here again if in the area. read more

So, so tasty. Be ready to stand in line. The St. Louis ribs are way up there in flavor and perfectly done with just enough bite to remind you you're eating a rib. The pulled pork is very good. Potato salad was fresh and provided balance to the meats. The green chile with beans was a refreshing and mildly spicy, way better than the usual sweetness of baked beans. A comparatively new set of items on their menu is vacuum-pack service for their meats. Just heat them up by boiling them in the bag. This is perfect for those heading to the mountains for camping or skiing, or for those wanting a quick meal when they get home. In addition to fountain sodas, they serve artisanal sodas from Death Valley, and local beers. Prices are very good for bbq, especially considering the remote location. They have a small parking lot in the back. There is plenty of neighborhood street parking. Bring sunblock and a hat as the Eastern Sierra sun can be brutal. The sad thing for my group of four was that we did not realize the brisket was missing until hours later and 40 miles down the road. We called Copper Top and talked to Matt. After an exchange of email, they refunded me the amount of the missing item. I'm very happy that they made good on an honest mistake. read more

Yelped it, so we went there today. Ordered "pork rib' plate. Four ribs is not a half rack, --- 6 is. You only get one side, a stupid little Hawaiian bread roll and a drink. The ribs were shoe leather tough. Ok flavor, I guess. But it's clear they rush the meats. To get fall off the bone ribs takes about 7 hours. Of the four ribs I got, only one was really edible. The other three were tough old meat, and generally flavorless. Dude, where's the hickory? Wheres the smoke? Wheres the sweet/hot/smokey/tangy flavor pallette? The sauce tasted homemade, but still lacked half the flavors it should have. The potato salad was better than the BBQ, which is telling. I threw the store bought roll away. Lame. For $18:I won't be back, and I think they better turn their food around fast, based on some other recent reviews I'm seeing. read more

Every year for the past few years when my family and I go camping. We always drive by this place and it's always busy and never had a chance to stop and check it out. This year my sister and I finally got to stop by and try it and even met the owner Hank "Mr. Copper Top" himself. It was pretty good BBQ. The coleslaw and potato salad was tasty too. read more

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

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Awesome BBQ! Hank is friendly and says hi to all the patrons. Just good hometown food. I only wish they made turkey. Thanks for using corn oil based plastics. the thanks you! read more

A pretty good sandwich, excellent bread, with a bit too much fat. Potato salad had a nice, fresh flavor. Would have loved a non fire roasted beans. Smile read more

Driving to Mammoth we stopped here for lunch; our daughter recommended it. She was so right! Everything was delicious. The tri tip was juicy and tender, the ribs were meaty and seasoned perfectly. And don't let me forget the potato salad, homemade quality and with dill pickle chunks, I loved it! Seating is a little tight. And even though I wasn't sitting downwind I smelled BBQ in my hair the rest of the day. Small price for such a GOOD lunch read more

Excellent food, service and hospitality. Hank(owner) was very friendly and sat and talked with us for awhile. Both the pork and ribs were excellent read more

Probably the Best BBQ I have ever had. The pork ribs, tri-tip, pulled pork Awesome!!!! The sides we had - Mac and Cheese, Beans (made with ??? especially incredible), and Potato Salad were also excellent!!!! Can't wait to back!!! I can' wait until the new location is completed. We got the platter for 2 and it was ample for three of us. The three barbecues on the front lawn with the copper lids adds a sense of "credibility" to how good the food is. read more

I used to be vegetarian but then I tried Copper Top BBQ. My non-veggie friends told it was the best in the US, so I decided to try it. Like, when I am at home I still eat only veggies but when I drive to Mammoth and I pass Big Pine I "cheat", but ONLY with Copper Top. They are my food affair. Best Tri-Tip ever! read more

Food is great and delicious. Service is outstanding and always give what you ask for. They have a lot of different kinds of food to choose from on their own food culture. Place is very nice. Would love to come back for more. read more

we stop here everytime we're in the area. still pretty full at 4p, but people are distancing themselves well. food is always good

Amazing BBQ! Ribs are a must try. I had the sampler with ribs, tri tip, and pulled pork. It was delicious. Everything was juicy and flavorful. The tri tip didn't even need BBQ sauce. read more

Copper Top BBQ - Sampler with ribs tri tip and pulled pork. - Barbeque Near Me - Big Pine, California

The best barbecue in all of California for sure - maybe best in the country!!! I say this having managed a Memphis BBQ Restaurant for years...this father and son owned operation has some of the best Tri-tip and ribs in the biz. You won't regret stopping here to eat, but may regret if you don't get some for the road too. read more

Best BBQ I've ever had!!! The owner was so nice too. Will definitely be going out of our way on our next trip to Cali to hit this place up.

Great little place by far some of the best ribs great smoke flavor. Even had to get a rack to go. They even have a bbq vending machine for when they are not open read more

We found this place on our way back down from South Lake Tahoe, and OMG! This is the BEST bbq I have ever had! It was also VERY affordable and my husband and we're FULL. The customer service is also the best. We're definitely going to stop here every time we go up to the mountains. 20 stars!! read more

We made a drive from Wasco which is 40 miles northwest of Bakersfield and stop off to eat at Copper Top Barbeque on 4th of July, one of its busiest days and seen Hank in action he had all pits smoking and a long line...we ordered Tritip, Brisket, Ribs and links sausage and had beans and salad on the side and sat at the picnic tables to eat and every thing was tender and tasted superb and we are family that ques also and have southern roots, so we know good food when we taste it. It was worth the drive and plan to do it again soon. read more

I've been eating Hanks BBQ for twenty plus years, mainly at our family BBQs and party's. It is his passion, BBQing and sharing samples with friends he made through food. Yes, it's an out door BBQ spot, yes his menu is limited, BUT it is prepared with true BBQ, the copper top BBQ and Santa Maria grill. Not cooked in a oven, Just cooked like you were with your family and friends ,Outdoors with Good Friends and Good Food!!! Oh and that smell of charcoal and wood... Really gets your ready for great food to come. read more

Copper Top BBQ - Doing what he loves most. - Barbeque Near Me - Big Pine, California

Ribs, pulled pork and, tri tip with the sauce are straight fire!! That potato salad is seasoned right! Wish they had baked beans instead of the chili. King's Hawaiian sweet rolls! Free refills on soda! Downside: ice tastes like sh*t. No inside seating. Meat is pricy! 1lb pulled pork $18 with no sides!! But they did have a nice tent that is very cute to eat in with a little fire in it. read more

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