Delicious meats! We were glad that we came when it wasn't busy and got to order pretty quickly. There was plentiful parking and still enough meat on a Wednesday evening at 5PM. It wasn't busy and it was spacious inside. There was a ton of seating. This time we got to try the dino rib and it was great! It wasn't fall off the bone tender but it was soft. We'll be back to try more of the menu read more

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Good bbq and good price for the portion, I see that it's a spot now ppl can visit w/o the long lines and crowd. The smoked chicken was surprisingly good Dino rib is whatever, BUT the ribs are always made to perfection, especially the candy ribs. Over all pretty good spot to eat at once in the whiled with friends and family in groups read more

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I can honestly say this was hands down the best smoked bbq and sides I've ever had. We ordered the brisket and cheddar sandwich, 1/2 pound of brisket and sides of garlic mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, baked beans, cornbread and candied yams. The sandwich was a great size and so much better tasting than I had imagined. Plenty of juicy brisket, cheese and the Texas toast was toasted to perfection 10/10. The brisket was juicy, flavorful and fall apart tender. All of the sides were amazing and definitely shareable. They were served hot and tasted freshly prepared. Lastly, the service was fantastic. The guy that took our order was very friendly and had such a great welcoming demeanor (not all that common these days). The restaurant is large with plenty of seating, clean and had a nice relaxing vibe. We can't wait to return and try other items. read more

Went here yesterday as it was recommended by my son and it did not disappoint. I ordered the oxtail, cornbread, and beans and every bites was delicious, we also ordered half rack ribs and brisket sandwich, Mac and cheeses and mashed potatoes. Very filling and so good, definitely will be a returning customer. Gotta go early cause it packs in and the occupancy maybe 100 people. Look it up and go and you be the judge! Leave your review too! read more

Destination Smokehouse - Food - Barbeque Near Me - Murrieta, California

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I really wanted to like this place. It's been on my list to try for a while but I'm never this far north. I just happened to be near here for lunch and got the express meal with ribs and beans. I had wanted to try the smoked oxtails but overall too overpriced. The ribs were tough and salty and the cornbread was so dry and crumbly that it just fell apart and wasn't edible. I was honestly expecting a line because this place use to be popular but clearly the quality and hype have declined and prices have increased. Not worth the drive unfortunately read more

First time visiting Destination Smokehouse. The information online with Yelp, was totally different from their actual menu at the restaurant. For instance, they do not have french fries or combo meals. The amount of meat per sandwich is 4 oz rather than 6 oz. We paid $52 for two cheddar and beef sandwiches and a large Mac N Cheese. The sandwiches while skimpy on the meat were tasty but not worth the price. The Mac N Cheese was horrible, it tasted like butter and pepper, lacking cheese and flavor. Unfortunately, cannot recommend and will not be back. read more

What a shame. I came here last October and the highlight of my meal was the pork ribs. I live three hours away and have been trying to get back since. They were some of the best pork ribs I've ever had. Tonight I ordered a full rack of pork ribs and they were extremely disappointing. The ribs were cooked pretty good and the meat more or less fell off the bone. However, there was zero smoke flavor. I mean absolutely none. On top of that the ribs were very bland. I've never in my life had to salt bbq ribs before. I also ended up adding a lot of barbecue sauce to make them edible. I don't understand how you can go from having the best pork rib I've ever had to the worst in just ten months. I positive note the service was very good and the hostess was friendly. Sidenote, it was 6 PM on a Saturday night and they were sold out of brisket, pulled pork and chicken. read more

Destination Smokehouse - Pork ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Murrieta, California

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I've been wanting to try Destination Smokehouse for a long time because I'd heard nothing but great things about the BBQ. After finally making it in, I can honestly say the food absolutely lives up to the hype. I ordered a half-pound of brisket, a half-pound of pulled pork, and a side of coleslaw. The brisket was melt-in-your-mouth tender with an incredible bark and smoky flavor. The pulled pork was juicy, flavorful, and every bit as delicious. The coleslaw was fresh and balanced everything out perfectly. If I were reviewing the food alone, this would be an easy 5-star review. Then the bill showed up. The brisket is around $44 a pound. At that price I had to ask...is this beef, or was it harvested from a free-range unicorn that spent its days getting massages and listening to smooth jazz? My meal came out to around $45. Feeding a family of four here might require a home equity loan and a quick call to your financial advisor. The biggest disappointment isn't even the price--it's the menu. Everything is à la carte. Most great BBQ joints offer two- or three-meat combo platters that come with sides and cornbread. Here it feels like you're building a custom gaming PC. "Want another side?" That's another $15. "Cornbread?" Another $15. "Extra meat?" Might as well refinance the truck. By the time you're done, your meal has more upgrades than my computer. The BBQ sauce was fantastic...both of them. Yep, there are only two choices: regular and spicy. I was hoping for a few more house-made options to match the quality of the meat. I had also heard the restaurant has gone through some changes recently. Maybe that's true, because I was genuinely surprised there wasn't a line. It was pretty quiet inside. I can't help but wonder if the high prices, lack of combo meals, limited sauce selection, and even signs like "Pool table room available only to groups of 5 or more" might be keeping some customers away. Don't get me wrong--I will absolutely be back because the BBQ is legitimately some of the best I've had in Southern California. The pitmaster clearly knows what they're doing. I just hope management considers adding combo platters, a few more sauce choices, and making the overall experience feel like a better value. The meat deserves five stars. My wallet gave it three. read more

Destination Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Murrieta, California

Food was ok but disappointed they were out of chicken ,turkey and pork belly .It was pretty early when we arrived !They asked if we wanted a refund for not having the pork belly we ordered but we drove an hour to eat not get a refund. read more

Destination Smokehouse - Dino rib, pork ribs, brisket ,corn bread,beans, Mac and cheese. - Barbeque Near Me - Murrieta, California

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The food quality is not like what it used to be. The flavor is lacking and the meat is no longer fall off the bone good. Such a disappointment , I will definitely not be back nor will I be recommending this place anymore. read more

I came here not knowing the pitmaster that made this place famous had left. I didnt have anything to compare it too. But I've had better bbq in LA. I ordered the brisket(not bad,decent) the oxtail and beef rib. The last 2 were dry and seemed over cooked? It was towards the end of the day for them around 4-5 so maybe I got the end of the day stuff. It wasn't worth the trip. I guess I missed the glory days of this place. I should have known when the wait was only 15minutes it was a bad sign. The sides were not great either the coleslaw , Mac and cheese and Texas toast all mediocre. It's a shame they couldn't figure out a way to keep it going together. I won't be back. read more

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Walked in, as we're looking at the menu the cashiers calls us over. We still hadn't reviewed the menu. Told him we needed a moment. Then went to order. Zero personality. Zero customer service. Everything we asked they didn't have. We actually ended up walking out cause no need to settle on food with crappy service. Perhaps a menu should also be at the order station so you don't have to walk back and forth. Or perhaps have a representative with some sort of personality who can help advise new guests. read more

We found Tendernism! As someone who enjoys BBQ in Texas, Destination Smokehouse does a good job replicating the flavors. Diving in, the pork belly was the highlight of the meal. It was well seasoned and had a delicious glaze. Literally melts in your mouth! As far as the sides go, don't sleep on the Mac and cheese! They use radiatori pasta gives hearty chews and the cheese sauce is well seasoned. And the yams give holiday spice and everything nice! Smell them and get your mouth watering! The beef rib is visually the star of the show. It tasted like a standard beef rib, but is not anything to rave about. And they don't have the same sides like you would find at most Texas joints. No okra, no peach cobbler, no corn, no desserts. Definitely some room for improvement with the sides. Overall, it's a decent spot that I would probably not wait in line for again for. Get there early and set appropriate expectations. When we arrived, the oxtail was and pork ribs were sold out. Since it's gone viral, expect a decent wait and elevated pricing. For instance, the loaded fries are flavorful, but the price to value ratio is off. They are $23 and are slightly larger than animal fries from In-N-Out. read more

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LOVE,LOVE, LOVE Destination Smokehouse, Been wanting to go for a while,finally made it,It was a 2 hour drive.... Waited in line for 1 hour,Food came out quickly and everything was temperature Hot. Oxtails:The Star of the Restaurant, Delicious & Tender Meat cooked perfectly. Brisket: Tender and Delicious, I didnt even need BBQ Sauce,It was good on its own. Yams: Good,not to sweet. Beans: Good flavor Mac & Cheese: Very good flavor,They use a different kind of Noodles. Coleslaw: Meh Texas Toast: Delicious I like the Ambiance of the Restaurant, Staff was very friendly and helpful about the Platters, It was 5 of us we Ordered a little bit of everything. I will be returning to try more Menu Items. read more

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Figured it'd be fitting for my first post as Yelp Elite 2026 be this joint, especially since I got the email letting me know while I was in line here: Got there at 11. Save you some time here with important info at the top Line starts early, and there's another line inside. I got there at opening and (11) and was eating by 11:45ish. There's a gentleman that lets certain amount of people inside and then you're in another line. You can buy by 1/2 pound. I had anxiety wondering if I was really going to order a pound of everything for 1 person, till I got to front. There is a QR code when you're waiting in line, didn't get a chance to scan as I was being ushered in. Pro tip: ask for to go boxes when you're paying to save you some time. There's a sign that's says onions and pickles are for dine in only, you need the acid to help with all the fatty meats you're chowing down. There's some tables with reserved signs for parties of 6 or more. I believe they would benefit from having communal seating but I had no issues finding a seat right away. Only thing that would make my day better if there was Diet Coke. They're a Pepsi establishment but they did have diet Dr.Pepper. This is my 3rd time. Went when the hype first started and it was. 5. Then my in laws went and I tried their leftovers and it was not good. This time the meat was delicious. I didn't even use sauce. Everything was falloff the bone but not too tender where it's mushy. I've had Franklins and Terry Blacks and this is on that level IMO but you don't have to catch a plane to Austin. Our town needs places like this. I know the internet can ruin things but having a legit viral food spot here does help others prosper. The sides were good. The Mac which I've had 3 times now and I do like was cold. Everything else was piping hot and fresh. Nothing Chef Mic(rowave) can't fix. Get there early to ensure not missing out on anything. The couple next to me; are locals and they've been a few times: said it's been good and they're working their way through the menu. They recommended the tacos and burger. Mentioned that the last time their oxtail was too salty. Fair but give me all the salt with the smoke! Ambiance: place is dark inside. Playing old school hip hop. A few tvs with sports on. There's a un utilized bar, it looks nice and I would have loved to sit there and eat. read more

Destination Smokehouse - 1/2 pound brisket, turkey, oxtail 1/2 slab pork ribs Dino rib 8oz yams, Mac n cheese and beans $195 without tax or tips - Barbeque Near Me - Murrieta, California

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Order: 1 Dino Rib 1/2 lb Pastrami 1/2 lb Oxtails 1/2 lb Brisket 2 Texas Toast 16 oz Mac and Cheese 1 Soda Total: $160.58 I definitely had high expectations for this place based on all the amazing reviews and videos online. We arrived at 11:12 AM, and there was already a long line. We met some awesome people while waiting, which made the hour-long wait go by much faster. Once we ordered, we received our food about 20-30 minutes later, which wasn't bad at all. My husband and I were really excited to try this spot. Unfortunately, the BBQ didn't live up to the hype. When the food arrived, most of it was cold. I'm unsure if this is standard, but it was definitely disappointing--especially given the price. Dino Rib: Solid meat but came cold as well. Extremely tender--the tenderness is definitely there. Pastrami: Very tender, but extremely salty for my taste. Oxtails: Tender and fell off the bone, but unfortunately dry. Brisket: Extremely dry. Texas Toast: Just okay--tasted like frozen bread. Mac and Cheese: By far our favorite item. The pasta used was delicious, and we truly enjoyed it. Sadly, it also arrived cold. Pickled onions and cucumbers: Loved the pickled onions and cucumbers. Yumm! The BBQ sauce was not my favorite at all. It tasted overly sweet and liquidy, almost like pancake syrup--I could literally taste Aunt Jemima. On a positive note, the staff was extremely friendly and kind. We also met the man of the hour, Tenderism. I truly hope this business thrives and is able to improve food quality moving forward. Quality over quantity should really be considered. There's plenty of parking available (both lot and street). There are many tables inside, and the space features nice photos taken by a photographer. The ambiance is very simple and plain. read more

Destination Smokehouse - Receipt - Barbeque Near Me - Murrieta, California

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It was okay--nothing special. My bros were really hyped going in, but we all pretty much left feeling the same: mediocre overall. The staff was dope and definitely the highlight of the visit. The food, though, was mid. The seasoning was fine, but the cuts of meat were pretty disappointing--very fatty and just not great quality. I hope they step it up because the place has potential, but I most likely won't be back to find out. read more

Destination Smokehouse - Candied yams, macaroni, and a bunch of meat - Barbeque Near Me - Murrieta, California

On 12/18/25 we arrived at Destination Smokehouse (DS) approximately 10:20am. We were first in line. Within next 30 mins there was a line of at least 70 people. The hours of operation stated that DS opens at 11:00am. Well today the door opened at 11:30am. Remember myself and 2 family members were the first in line and once we got to the cash register area we had to wait another 10 minutes. After waiting 10 minutes we were summoned to the cashier to place our order. We all knew what we wanted so placing our order was quick. There's plenty of inside seating so we found a table and waited for our food to come. Our food came out within 15 mins. Everything we ordered was delicious even the pineapple cream soda.... Be warned that the food is pricey. Would I come back? Yes I would :) read more

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I thought I didn't like barbecue until I tried this place The food here is 10/10 amazing, and even though it's a bit pricey, you do get a lot of food for your money!! read more

Drove from San Diego for this viral bbq joint and it was a 10/10! I got here an hour early, got vip parking and played scramble in line. While in line, they ask for you to make up your mind and have your order ready. No ummm, ummm, "um IDK what I want". For two big backs, I suggest ordering 1/2 pound of oxtail, 1 pound of brisket, 1 large mac and cheese, 1 small baked beans and two toast. I loved their mac and cheese, it was flavorful and not too thick. Their oxtails were a 10/10. The blackening on the oxtails and brisket were very peppery. Everything TENDERISM!!! I would pass up on the candied yams.. The cloves or whatever christmas flavor that was in it was too powerful and the yam medallions were not soft enough for me. It was an Eeeyuck for me. All in all, I'd come back again for their beans, mac and cheese and oxtails. read more

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Came all the way from Houston, Texas just to see Walter and he didn't disappoint!! Please believe the TENDERNISM hype. Destination is an almost two hour drive one-way from Los Angeles, but worth the windshield time. We ordered a half slab of pork ribs, 1/2 pound of black diamonds (oxtails), baked beans, and yams. I came for the ribs and they were my favorite item by far. They had the perfect peppery bark on them with an amazing sauce brushed over. I appreciated the fact they didn't take away from the BBQ experience by drowning them in sauce. I'm not a fan of oxtails but my girl really enjoyed them and they were tender indeed. Baked beans were good but the yams were my favorite side. Great amount of spices and flavor to the syrup. Next time I will try the brisket but I had a two hour drive back to Santa Monica and didn't want to overeat and catch the itis in LA traffic. The ambiance can vary depending on when you plan to go. I visited on a Friday morning after landing at LAX and arrived around 11:30. I wanted to go right at opening during the weekday to avoid the weekend rush and the possibility of selling out, and I highly recommend this strategy to cut down on the wait time. We waited in line about 45 minutes to get to the register but the food didn't take long to come after we ordered. Obviously the highlight of the whole experience was meeting Walter. He is welcoming and a crowd favorite. It was so nice to see how generous he was with his time walking the floor to speak to customers and allowing pictures and videos. Thank you for making my first visit to Destination memorable. This place truly is #1 in the Nation. read more

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The food is amazing but the wait times are inconsistent. Came one Saturday morning after opening where the line moved smoothly and we got to the counter in about half an hour. Came another Saturday before they even opened but were in line for 2 hours. But there's no real indication of how long you're going to need to wait. As for the food itself, there's lots of meat options and they're all pretty good. Standouts were probably the ribs, brisket, and pastrami. Burgers are also great. The sides are a bit more limited when compared to others and quite average. The Texas toast they hyped up as house made, but also pretty average and a bit expensive. I'm hoping they sort out their wait times. As good as the food was, 2 hours is insanity. read more

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The meet just falls of the bone, literally. It is reallly hard to think of a place that can beat this level of execution. They take smoking seriously here. The mean melts in your mouth. I tried both the brisket - it's basic and you cannot not try brisket. It was really good. They have their bbq raise that's good too. I went late night on Tuesday so unfortunately they ran out of ox tail, but I would try it next time. The burnt ends- absolute fire. Just amazing. Sooooo good. In terms of the orders, they pricing is per pound, but you can ask for a half pound when available. They of course can't split a dino bone, it comes as is in weight, but the brisket is easy to get 0.5 lb. Try multiple items. I can't wait to go back again. read more

Destination Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Murrieta, California

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WHAT A TIME! Thank you for an amazing experience and lunch Nick & Walt! I came with my brother, and we were super early. We got a tour of all their smokers in the back and a nice moment to chat with Nick and Walt about their story. Their personalities shine even more in person than on social media, and what a surprise to discover Walt is a fellow Louisianan! Now let's get to the food! Each item was BANGING! My absolute favorite was the OXTAIL! Social media isn't a facade! Everything literally fell off of the bone! TENDERNISM was in FULL EFFECT! The pork ribs were a close second! The turkey was extremely flavorful (best turkey I've had) and the brisket was also super tender and flavorful! I particularly loved the Mac and yams! The Mac and cheese is unique, from taste to the type of pasta used! Each bite was a party in my mouth! And those YAMS were SLAP YA MAMA worthy! What a lunch, what a restaurant! Wishing continued success for this smokehouse! They deserve all the blessings and virality they're receiving! Social ambiance, amazing music, wonderful service, and delicious food! I'll 100% be coming back! read more

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Wow. I've had amazing BBq in Texas and homemade at family members homes. Little did I know it could also be found in Murrieta! We came with a group of 15 on a Saturday afternoon. The line outside did all the 'talkin'. This was gonna be good and was worth the wait. The food definitely met that expectation. Patrons will wait in line to order and then take a seat. Demand is HIGH on the weekend. Be sure you know what you want before arriving at the counter. Meat is sold a la carte by the pound on platters. Our faves were the ox tails, pork ribs, and brisket. Sides are available for purchase as well. We really enjoyed the beans and Mac and cheese. Pricing is on the expensive side, however, falls in line with good bbq. I never mind paying for quality. That's what you'll get here. read more

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I was out here for vacation nearby and wanted to try a new bbq place. This plaza can get packed since the parking lot is small. You order first then get your table. I got their smoked oxtail, smoked brisket, and pork belly to try. Pork belly and oxtail were tender, brisket was a bit dry for my family who prefers moist brisket. Their rub for all the meat is very black pepper forward, it seemed unbalanced since my family and I thought they were super peppery than other bbq places. I did like the sides, their macaroni and cheese was good. The coleslaw helped cut the heavy oxtail and pork belly from the dish. The staff is nice and the place is clean with lots of seating inside. read more

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Well let's start by saying my brother saw the hype through ig on Jordan's post. This automatically made my brother want to come here for his birthday dinner for the Tenderism, which wish come true. The family and I all went and loved the menu. My mom and I are carnivores so the brisket was keyyyy!! My dad was interested in the loaded fries which he devoured entirely. My mom ordered the bonfire bowl which she loved amd offered some to the rest of the table but only because she felt obligated too. I ordered from the Fire your Way and had the brisket. It was sooo tender, I would've eaten an entire platter if I could have. The Mac and cheese was soo flavorful, honestly one of the best I ever had. Also, I have to shout out the cornbread because OMG so freaking delicious. Even the drink options had variety! When it comes to the place itself, there was an amazing vibe. My dad was jamming to the music the whole time, and so was I. We definitely will be coming here again. The service was quick and the day we went the cashier was patie t because she mentioned the new menu had just dropped so we were learning together. Looking forward to trying more stuff on the menu in the future. Only thing that would've made the experience top tier was an alcoholic beverage tbh, I saw a bar but it was closed. Regardless still bomb! read more

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Pretty disappointed. We went here last year for my birthday and loved it so i easily decided on it for this year too. This time there was no fries, no ranch and no colorful lemonades like last year. I ordered 1/2 pound of brisket, garlic parm mashed potatoes and texas toast ($31). Seemed to be about 3-4 thin slices of brisket, kinda dry and zero flavor. Mashed potatoes were good but glistening in puddles of butter so i was scared to eat too much lol. Toast was the best part but for the price i can buy a whole loaf of bread. The service isn't bad but it's veryy basic. read more

I had to come and check out the viral trending Destination Smokehouse grill with "meat so tender you can eat it with your gums"!!!! The smokehouse is located right in the corner of the shopping center, you can't miss it!!! It is right off the freeway. The overall cleanliness in and out was good and smelled just like a BBQ smokehouse should smell like!! The experience: 1. Stand in line 2. Review the menu on the wall and ahead of time since you are reading this review!! 3. When you get to the counter, order and pay. 4. you will receive a table number, and cups. 5. Open seating- choose a table, place number down. 6. Get your fountain drinks or flavored lemonade's. 7. When food arrives, get ready to dive on in. **Im giving the entire overall experience, customer service and taste of food a 4** It's definitely a place you have to try for yourself. The meat is definitely tender and will fall off the bone. Mac&Cheese and Yams are definitely dishes that are subjective to each persons taste depending on where you grew up. Just like seasoned grits and potato salad. It can taste 100% delicious to me and to you not so much. I can love nutmeg and you can love cinnamon. You can love a roux Mac &cheese and I can love a baked Mac. Baked beans are cooked without meat which are a great idea for all us picky eaters!!! Cole slaw- was not good at all- the taste has a heavy lime with purple cabbage. This reminds me of a potato salad with raisins‍ **Call in ahead and order +Pay as this guarantee you the food you want. Otherwise what you want may be sold out when you arrive. All the beef ribs and brisket SOLD out on my visit!!!! read more

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Stopped here for dinner on a Friday night with a friend and my fiancé. Been seeing this place all over instagram so wanted to see if it was worth the hype. I was honestly surprised how dead it was for a Friday night, literally only two other tables were there. We were so excited to try the brisket and smoked wings but were super disappointed to find out they were out of both. We ended up ordering the beef bone which was like $65, it was okay def not worth 65. We also got the Mac, coleslaw, pork ribs, turkey breast and cornbread. All were okay as well. Ambiance was pretty bland very basic cookie cutter restaurant style and service was okay. Honestly nothing that I would come back for and also a little too expensive for what it was. read more

Destination Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Murrieta, California

Came here the other weekend! We've heard great things about them and they've been trending on social media. When we got here, the line was already around the parking lot and it was at opening. We waited for about 30-45 min just to get inside. Once inside you order at the counter and wait for the food to get delivered to your table. If you want to eat in, I recommend getting there early. Their meat were alright but their prices are high! Their meat is seasoned with pepper so you get that peppery taste with it. Their sauce is delicious and their customer service is exceptional. read more

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Found out about this restaurant through some short-form content, I forget if it was on YouTube or Instagram. Anyway, we came for the beef rib and the mac and cheese, which did not disappoint. Upon entering the restaurant, the first thing you're greeted with is a long winding line to order. We waited approximately 45 minutes to order and maybe another 10-15 minutes to receive our food. It can be on the noisier side but there's a separate area to sit near the bar which is much quieter. Generally, the meat is REALLY GOOD. You don't need a knife to eat this BBQ. I feel like the rub on the beef rib was perfect with the smoke and meat. Zero complaints there. The burnt ends were tender and saucy. I found the brisket to be a bit meh despite being their most popular item. The leaner portion was dry and tough by extension. As far as accompaniments, very good except for the bread. The pickles were fresh and crunchy, and the pickled onions were crunchy and not too sweet or spicy. The pasta used in their mac and cheese is this cute shape called "radiatore," and it picks up the sauce so well. Definitely tasted the garlic and butter in the cheese sauce. The BBQ sauce was pretty standard since I feel that anything more special could have detracted from the meat. The spicy sauce seemed to have been made with Tabasco and the sweet sauce made with vinegar. I preferred the spicy sauce. Sadly, the bread was dry and hard. Perhaps it was toasted way before serving and kept warm under suboptimal conditions. My partner likened the bread to big croutons. Overall, I feel like the price was reasonable for a 3-meat platter with four slices of bread and a large side. This fed two adults with some left over to enjoy at home. Coming from OC, this place was pretty out of the way for us so we would stop by if we were in the area and had the time to do so. read more

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Destination Smokehouse opened mid 2024, and offers slow cooked, tender, and fall-off-the-bone ribs in Murrieta. I heard about this place through my partner's co-workers so we stopped by early afternoon for an early dinner. Food: Pork Ribs (5/5): Slow cooked and fall-off-the-bone, these ribs were absolutely amazing. I've tried Texan BBQ and honestly, this place tasted similar if not better than what I've had there, all the while saving you a trip. El Paso Burger (4.5/5): Popular brisket meat on brioche bun with sweet BBQ sauce. I liked this bread and meat combination more than the brisket & cheddar because the bread wasn't as oily. Brisket & Cheddar (4/5): Brisket on buttered toast. Still good, but the heavily buttered toast can take away from the brisket flavors which is why I preferred the burger instead. Mac & Cheese (4/5): Their mac was different than most with more BBQ, spices, and gave a more thousand island kind of feel. I prefer a more cheese-based mac which is why I didn't think it was as good as the meats but still a solid side. Overall, Destination Smokehouse was really enjoyable. Tender and juicy BBQ are hard to come by; this establishment definitely does it justice. I highly recommend the meat platters because it emphasizes their speciality without other things to get in the way of it. If you do want fries or bread though, go for the combo menu options. read more

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I'd seen enough ads and heard enough chatter that I had to stop by here on my way to San Diego, and boyyyy did I leave full and satisfied. I over indulged in the Mac and ribs first before also trying the yams, beans, and burnt ends. All of the meat was tender and tasty. The service was really good with helping decide the best balance of food and letting us know what was available still as we came closer to end of day. I wish I would have had time to stay and play some pool and walk the bbq off but we had to hit the road but I'll surely be back for more read more

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Service was great. Food was a disappointment. First time eating here and got the brisket and turkey. they had no flavor. overpriced below average bbq read more

I really have to rid of some yelpers. All they do is 5 star everything and is never sincere. They only give scathing reviews when they personally have an experience where they lose money or time. Frustrating! Bc reviews from those people made me try some places i absolutely disliked. My phone died before pictures and check in! My family knows im a check-in lunatic! Lmao! I also just forgot about writing this review since ive been busy traveling in between my 3rd and 2nd home, Vegas, and San Diego for awesome food! I came here with family as we are celebrating his new job! I forgot who mentioned this place from Instagram? I also read some reviews from yelpers, but next time I won't trust those specific yelpers. This place didn't give me a bbq feel. Its spacious but felt oddly like a factory. There was a room with a pool table, however. That's a neat idea! Its a la carte here and I was really interested in the oxtail. They don't have oxtail at Phil's or Lucilles so I thought.. hmmm maybe this place will be the real deal. Nope. 45$ for a lb?!? Woah.. and it was bland!!! This was not what I expected! The Mac n cheese could be good but our food came out warm, room temperature actually. I don't like cold food at all when its supposed to be best eaten hot! The place gets a 3 bc the fries were excellent and the burnt ends was delicious, actually I'll get the burnt ends again! The Texas toast was also good but the cole slaw missed. The brisket was dry and didnt have a good flavor. The main reason for such low stars is bc its simply very expensive for such a small portion. Next time I'll give the Dino ribs a try and maybe the food won't be room temperature! read more

My YELP friend told me that this place was BOMB! And that this place kicks PHIL's BBQ butt any day so I decided to come check it out myself... SONG of the DAY to play along to this YELP REVIEW: LOVELY DAY by BILL WITHERS... I TOOK one BITE of their seasoned FRENCH FRIES and this song kept playing in my head: A lovely day (lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day) (Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day) A lovely day (lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day) FRENCH FRIES: 10/10 Was the STAR of the SHOW! I've had lots of fries in my lifetime but, this one STOOD OUT. It was Seasoned perfectly. Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. It seriously took me to another HAPPY PLACE! PORK RIBS: 10/10 Very satisfying! BRISKET: 9/10 Everything was just so tender and falling apart in my mouth! Took out a point because I'm not use to eating burnt ends. They are good though!! MAC N CHEESE: Oh, that was so comforting! Could eat that everyday but, then my cholesterol won't ever go down LOL. I'll just enjoy it a little bit at a time. I'll take my time with that because everything tastes so much better when you EAT IT SLOWLY!!! CANDIED YAMS: It was like a treat in your mouth. I really like it but, since I'm not use to eating so sweetly by itself I ate it with the meat and the pickled veggies and had myself a SWEET SENSATION!!!!!!!!!!! SERVICE: A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ EVERYONE was so NICE here!! I mean it!!! It was my first time there so I wasn't sure how to order and where to get drinks or where the restrooms were. They didn't make you feel STUPID or pressure you into buying anything and they are very helpful and so patient and don't rush you!! DANG!! Everyone in there was so nice I thought they were on CLOUD 9. Y'ALL really know what EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE is! THANK YOU and BRAVO!!!!! I'll invite some of my girlfriends back here next time!! ROCK ON DESTINATION SMOKEHOUSE!!!!!! read more

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Happened to be in the area and this spot was the first thing that popped up -- and I'm so glad it did. Waited about 20 minutes in line, which wasn't bad, though I will say the people in front and behind me definitely waited a lot longer. Timing might be hit or miss, but once I ordered, the food came out pretty quickly. Note: Meats are served à la carte, so you can pick and choose exactly what you want -- What we tried: * Prime Dino Rib - Absolute bomb. Insanely tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. A must. * Brisket - Classic done right. * Oxtail - Fall-off-the-bone perfection (but a bit salty for my taste). Sides were on point: * Mac and Cheese - To die for. Creamy, cheesy, and downright heavenly. * Texas Toast - Great addition. * Coleslaw - Simple but good. Fresh, light, and a nice balance to the heavier meats. If you're into legit BBQ, this place delivers. read more

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This place is fire! The bad reviews are from internet clowns that havent been here. Im from 3 hours away and any time im in the area, this place is a must. Best oxtail I've ever eaten, not even close. Same with the yams .... I havent had a bad meal here 1 time read more

Five stars coming from someone who does not really like BBQ but did just recently return from Austin Texas and sampling Texas style BBQ. Destination Smokehouse did not disappoint. It is Texas style and everything is ala carte and meats by the pound. Sadly, they had run out of beef ribs but the brisket was awesome. Oxtail is next with Burnt ends as the runner up and pork ribs after that. Everything comes out on a steel tray with red onions, pickles, and other sides that you order. We had also coleslaw, sweet potatoes, and mac/cheese. Service is wonderful and the ambiance is energetic. I definitely will return and hope to sink my teeth into some beef ribs. Note the restaurant is closed on Mondays. read more

Destination Smokehouse - Platter of meats - Barbeque Near Me - Murrieta, California

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