Went here prior to the pandemic and visited again last month (December 2025). The food is still consistent from my earlier visit. Would definitely go back again and highly recommend this BBQ joint. read more

Ended up here after the deli we wanted to go to was closed. Saw they had been featured on Diners, Drive-In and Dives so we were pumped to try it. I can only imagine the chef or owner has changed since being on DDD. This place was sub par BBQ at best. The brisket was flavorless - not even a decent smoke flavor. The Mac n cheese was beyond terrible. It was overcooked pasta with watery broken "cheese" sauce (not sure if it even qualifies as cheese). When I asked them if that is how it is meant to be they dumped it and gave me a "fresh" one, it was exactly like the first one. Someone in line told me to get the corn bread, that was also a mistake. It was dry and subpar like the rest of the meal. Save your time and money. Find another local dive to try. read more

I'm not too sure what the hype is about this place, but after reading some reviews - it seems like there is a new chef? I had Gorilla Barbeque bookmarked for quite some time. Decided to check it out because I was in the area and there was no line. Ordered a rack of ribs, beans and cornbread. The ribs were pretty good and we were given sides of barbeque sauce. The beans were not good - it was plain and bland. The cornbread was not great either. Luckily, the ribs were good. But, not good enough to care to come back to try anything else. Super bummed since I saw this place highly reviewed and it's been on my list for so long to try. read more

Gorilla Barbeque - (M) Beans over rice and cornbread - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

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They had my food ready in under 2 minutes. Then it destroyed my stomach for the rest of the evening. For being so expensive and highly recommended for years, I was not expecting that result. It was just a bit of rumbling stomachache but then I was in/out of my bathroom 5 times that night. It was so delicious going in, and dreadful going out. Will not return. read more

Gorilla Barbeque - Mac 'n' Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

Like many others, I have driven by this place many times and after a hard days work finally decided to stop by. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. While the brisket was tender and edible it was very bland. The Mac and cheese was extremely unpleasant. Grainy, oily, wet, and all around just not good even by fast food standards. Chic fil a Mac and cheese is 10/10 compared to this. The cheese itself was basically a glob that didn't mix with the overcooked pasta they used. Overall a waste of $30 and will not be back at all. read more

We have been going here for many years, NEVER disappointed in their food! Always delicious we are big fans of the ribs & potato salad! The BEST around including the East Bay read more

This is a great spot before or after your beach adventures. It hasn't changed much in the last 10 years. Food tastes exactly as i remember which is a good sign. The line outside is sometimes hit or miss but if you come like an hour after opening, we've had success with no line. Here's what to get: 1) ribs - get mixed - lean and fatty 2) hot links 3) Mac and cheese 4) optional- potato salad but note, it's unique! It's like mashed potatoes. Not your traditional Potato salad. read more

Gorilla Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

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GORILLA BARBECUE (GB) in Pacifica at 2145 Coast Hwy has been smoking it up since 2006! Ribs, chicken, hot links & sides. Bonus: housemade BBQ sauce. Hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12 Noon until sold out! Even the Flavortown man, Guy Fieri, made his famous visit here. GB is set in an old red refurbished train so it's takeout with most people eating in their car, taking it to the beach or home to eat. Believe there's some outdoor seating during the summer but it's pretty cool weather year round. Five stars on the smoky, barbecue mains with a few points off for okay sides and no seating. I don't mind on the latter point but I know it bugs some people. You see the menu posted outside where the usual queue of people waiting patiently to get inside to order. When they run out of barbecue that's it, doors closed for the day even if posted closing hours. Believe now it does say closed when they run out of barbecue! Staff is welcoming and helpful with questions on their barbecue offerings. Ordered: Half Rack Ribs 1/2 lb. Lean brisket 1/2 lb. Fatty brisket (YES!!!!) Half Barbecued Chicken Sides: Mac n' cheese, Coleslaw Complimentary: Housemade BBQ sauce, or ask for the Housemade Habanero BBQ sauce Overall, consistently good barbecue! The HALF RACK OF RIBS, BARBECUE CHICKEN, HALF POUND FATTY BRISKET was smoky, tender, moist and flavorful, with or without housemade BBQ sauce. For an extra kick, ask for the housemade Habanero BBQ sauce. The LEAN BRISKET, while just as smoky and flavorful, was a tad dry without the extra fat to maintain its moistness. No worries, pile this smoky LEAN BRISKET into a sandwich, some house-made BBQ sauce, topped w/coleslaw and it's all good! GORILLA BARBECUE is a definite local favorite. Their barbecue is solid but get in there before all the smoky, barbecue runs out for the day! See you there! read more

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Well, the menu that they have online is not what they have in the store when you get there they're usually out of ribs. Everything is à la cart is there's no combo plates nothing and the food is raw potato salad. Taste like garlic. You get a tiny tiny little cup it's not even a cup. It's where you put sauce in and it's 350. I brought my chicken home. I was disappointed because it was no ribs, but I got some chicken asked for some barbecue sauce on the side as soon as I got home, I opened up my chicken and it was raw completely bloody and red. I threw the whole meal the way the only thing that was edible was the cornbread. I do not recommend this barbecue place now. I know why there was no line anymore. read more

I've driven by this place many times and was finally in the area while they were open (they're only open Friday-Sunday starting at noon). I was really looking forward to trying it out, but overall, the experience was just okay. I had the beef brisket and the pulled pork; both had good flavor, but the brisket wasn't as tender as I've had at other spots, and the pulled pork was a little on the dry side. I also tried the cornbread, which had a nice flavor but was a bit dry and crumbly. Service was fine, nothing standout. Glad I finally got to check it out, but not sure I'd go out of my way for it again. read more

Ordered about $80 worth of yummy food. Then the sauce in which was provided was lacking, like they are trying to hide the recipe, where none of us are trying to figure out and respect the process. Wish they'd provided more sauce than those little bins they half filled. The meat was ok, maybe if they put more foot into it (even an elbow), this place would be smackin'!! Someone fell off to not care how great this place used to offer to the regulars. read more

I've been wanting to try this place for years. But the long line has always been a little off putting. But today the stars were aligned and there was no line at 1:30PM. I finally went inside and was pleasantly surprised how nice, clean, and well organized they were. I didn't expect it since the outside is so simple. The young woman behind the counter was very helpful and super friendly. Answering my stupid questions like does the sandwich come with lettuce and tomatoes with a pleasant smile that implied you don't know how good this sandwich is going to be without it. Of course she was fully correct. I don't eat beef or pork, but was looking forward to the chicken. After considering my options I got the chicken sandwich with peppers added. See pictures. The sandwiches come with one side. I picked the coleslaw. The sandwich is served on a soft French style roll with simply the chicken meat and very limited toppings. It doesn't need any toppings because the meat is so well cooked and so delicious on its own. Yet I still got the peppers. It was perfect and very satisfying. There is no seating at the restaurant. It's all to-go. The menu is limited, but what they do they do very well. Looking forward to the next time I go and trying different sides. Maybe next time I'll try the half chicken. :) read more

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Should have listened to the reviews. Brisket was dry dry dry. 1/2 rack of pork ribs I thought would be baby rack. Full size, fatty and no flavor. I look forward to having the meat fall off the bone...not having to pry off. Lots of folks came in and asked for the chicken, but they were out. Sorry, probably won't be back to try again. There are better barbecue options in SF. Nice folks, friendly but something was just off. read more

We stopped by for Sunday lunch and the food was really disappointing. We got the chicken sandwich with brisket. Service was wonderful but food was mediocre and Mac and cheese tasted horrible. Unfortunately we don't be returning read more

I fun little bbq spot on the side of the pacific highway in a train car. I thought their bbq sauce was pretty good. However their brisket was a bit tough and hard to chew through. I liked their ribs though but felt a bit underwhelming for a bbq spot read more

Gorilla Barbeque - Rack Of Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

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I've wanted to try Gorilla many times when I pass by here. After trying it out recently, it's something I can pass on next time. Situated across from the beach inside an old train caboose, Gorilla serves the BBQ basics (ribs, links, chicken, brisket). You can order by the lb or as a sandwich combo. I tried the brisket (you can choose fatty, lean or mixed) and I chose fatty. What I found lacking was any sort of rub or flavor to the meat. It looked bland. Though some pieces were fatty, there were some pretty dry ones in my order. Inside, there was no where to see the meats as well, which I appreciate when I visit other BBQ spots. I like to see the piles of meat, their outer layer of rub and even the staff slicing into the meats to fulfill my order. Didn't get that here, and the food didn't impress me much. read more

Unfortunately our recent order made me drop a star. Usually both the ribs and chicken are 1000% amazing but only the chicken was worth raving about. The ribs were very dry and tough, maybe the kitchen was just having an off day. We ordered well before closing time so I don't think the ribs had the chance to sit all day and coagulate. I guess even the best places sometimes miss. We'll give them a pass since their chicken has been consistently good. Try it before it quickly sells out. I guarantee you'll fall in love. Lastly, a whole chicken will feed you for a few days so if you're not a fan of leftovers, choose the halfsie :) read more

Gorilla Barbeque - Fresh whole BBQ chicken still hot!! - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

I don't even understand what people like about this place ...Safeway has better ribs and sides and is cheaper. Also they have never done anything to improve their service. Their hours are unreliable , their days open are unreliable, they won't do anything about the issue that they only have one door for people to go in and of... which includes stairs that people always block and they do nothing about It's a real issue for people who are handicapped and can't walk well to have to fight up and downstairs This place is glad to take your money but won't do anything to help with the issue that they create on their stairs and entrance read more

My family and I have been making the trek to Gorilla BBQ for several years. They have been very consistent. The wait isn't too bad, but be prepared to wait around ~20+ minutes. Make sure to go early so they don't sell out of what you want. WORTH ORDERING: - Ribs: dry style, nice tender meet. Does need the BBQ sauce - Chicken: great flavor! - Mac & Cheese: good flavor, quality cheese and noodles I'D PASS ON: - Rice and Beans, was very watery - Corn Bread, not worth the price Overall, great local joint for BBQ in the Bay! Always fun to take for to go and eat on the beach. read more

Gorilla Barbeque - Menu (June 2024) - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

It's been awhile since I last visited Gorilla Barbecue in Pacifica. Apparently, I didn't give a review and possibly, a place I wanted to revisit to give a fair review. First time (about 10 yrs ago) I had the ribs and mac n cheese and thought it decent (a bit dry, not flavorful) and unfortunately, hadn't been back since. It was 5:30 and mentioned they were out of chicken, pulled pork...and then after we ordered told ribs were out too. I guess we'll go with the brisket which I prefer and friend was offered brisket and links. We both enjoyed the brisket: flavorful, tender, juicy...my friend said the links were "ok" and had a kick. We were the last customers so we both opted not to get any sides but given 3 cornbread each which was nice. Overall, 3.5 for the items ordered. Service was friendly, pricing reasonable and inline with like places. Located along Coastal Highway 1 to the left. You'll see the lone, orange freight car with a line of people. There was only 2 people ahead of us when we got there with most items out. Place is set up for takeout only read more

Gorilla Barbeque - Beef Brisket - last customers of the day (Saturday, 5:45pm) - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

They opened as soon as the clock hit 12. 10/10. The ribs are the best in the bay. Sides are good too.

We pass by this place often and finally made the stop. We always see a line formed outside during lunchtime. We arrived around 12:30 and the line went quickly. Excellent customer service -- friendly and fast. Ordered ribs, pulled pork, and corn bread. Ribs fall off the bone and their bbq sauce is delicious. I recommend heating up the corn bread and adding extra butter. read more

Gorilla Barbeque - 1/2 Rack Of Ribs and Cornbread - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

There is nowhere to eat at this location other than in your car. I ride a motorcycle, so I just took my meal home, along with the to-go order of brisket and two sides. The meat is delicious, and gosh, they are not shy about the portions served. I ordered the beans and rice along with their mac and cheese. I'm not a fan of either of those sides. I wrongly thought the beans and rice would be like New Orleans red beans and rice, and it was not. My mistake. The mac and cheese tasted a bit bland. I won't order those sides again, but I will go back for the meat. The staff is very friendly too. A good discovery for me, for sure. read more

Gorilla Barbeque - The brisket steak sandwhich. - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

This place has fallen from grace. I haven't been here in a long while despite living close. They're only open for three days a week in a small window of time. Came in because I was getting that "caveman needs meat" hankering. Mind you they no longer have plate meals so everything is à la carte. Ordered 1/2lb of mixed brisket, part lean part fatty, and 1/2 a rack of ribs with a side of mac & cheese and corn bread. BBQ sauce was good too! Brought it home and opened up the brisket to see I was given all lean and the meat was dryer than a grannies panties! The ribs looked anorexic as well. Now for $50+ I was expecting some good bbq but this ain't it! Ive been to some of the best bbq locals in the nation; STL, Texas, and North Carolina, but this bbq makes Cali look so bad. Best part of the meal was the sides, they were good, but not anything mind blowing. All in all I won't be coming back here again and will drive to the city to 4505 BBQ on Divisadero. Such a shame as they are real close. read more

Gorilla Barbeque - Sad anorexic ribs! - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

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We came here after hiking at moir point and even though they don't open until 12pm, there was a line forming as early as 11am! There's no indoor seating nor table service, it's more of an order to-go place. They will provide utensils as many customers eat in their car like a car picnic. It's not your typical bbq joints where they cut & measure the meat for you. Their system is quick & efficient. There is one door in & out so it can get crowded esp when you're passing through with trays of food.. We ordered a pound of brisket, half rack ribs, 2 hotlinks, XL Mac & cheese (not on their menu), small potato salad and 2 cornbreads. Obviously, we were hungry haha but we also had leftovers. The potato salad was yummy & small was a perfect size for a side. The cornbread was on the sweeter side. The brisket was tender & juicy. The hotlinks were short & stubby, not your typical look for a hotlink. The mac & cheese wasn't the best but maybe it's our preference. The clumps of cheese wasn't it for me. The bbq sauce added that extra zing! The ribs were fall off the bone too! Another bonus was that all of that was just under $100! Definitely bang for your buck! By the time we left the parking lot, the traffic coming into Pacifica was pretty bad. Would I make the drive & sit in traffic for this bbq? Debatable. But if you're in town or around this area, definitely get you some & don't forget to get there early to stand in line & to make sure they don't run out of anything you may want. read more

Gorilla Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

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Barbecue anyone? Absolutely, if you are in the area of Pacifica. Trust me when I say run, do not walk, to Gorilla Barbecue! We were in the area and the hubster found this gem. Apparently, this barbecue is so epic, that on occasion people will line up an hour before they open. So we had to come here to get our BBQ on. It's a cute box car converted into this quaint restaurant. One can smell the deliciousness upon your arrival. The parking area is ample, but could use some repaving. This is an order at the counter and carry out type place. Which we were fine with as we enjoyed our meal at a local park. The staff is courteous, friendly and even help with suggestions. We ordered a half rack of pork ribs, the beef brisket, Mac and cheese, and baked beans. Their ribs practically fell off the bone and the brisket was chef kiss-eye-rolling to-the-back-of-your-head-super delicious! Baked beans really are only the hubster's thing and he enjoyed them. Now to the Mac & Cheese...not a fan. Sorry. But this was the only let down. It was not cheesy and goey, but more congealed. Definitely not appetizing. But it did not warrant any removal of stars from me. (Note: if I went inside I may have ordered another side, but that's a different story.) The portions are plentiful so we had leftovers to enjoy later. Come and enjoy this delicious food as soon as you can. You will go bananas for Gorilla Barbecue just like we did! read more

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I stopped off and bought a half rack ribs some mac and cheese and some coleslaw , when i got home i opened the larger container and could not identify it by looking at it , very weird collar, so i took a bite and spit it out immediately the same for the coleslaw neither were edible , the ribs were mediocre at best , read more

I have been wanting to try for quite sometime, and was able to try today. It's pretty good! Fair prices and good portions. I had the brisket sandwich with coleslaw and a side order of cornbread. Just beware that you will be sleepy after eating, which is a good sign for BBQ... lol. I will definitely be coming back. read more

Used to come here all the time back in the day, then switched jobs and went years without visiting Gorilla BBQ....that is until earlier this month when I was in the area for a hair appointment. A lot has changed - they're only open Friday-Sunday now, and gone are the combo plates where you'd get cornbread and sides with your meats. I was a little taken aback that I had to order their mac&cheese separately, and that they had run out of brisket that Friday I went (even though they just opened). They did tell me no brisket is a rare occurrence for them, so I'm rounding up my 3.5 stars to 4 because while I miss the combo plates, Gorilla's been in the BBQ game for a minute and the food still doesn't miss a beat. read more

disappointing I've probably visited this place over 4 times now and every-time was a bust (ran out of stuff) or they were closed until yesterday! They only ran out of hot links which was a bummer but we did get to order some things. There was a little bit of line when we got there but it went by quick! The road to park was rocky.. but i guess part of the vibe? *** We ordered (based on staff recommendation): - Beef Brisket: pretty dry. again not much flavor 2/5 Stars - 1/2 Rack of Ribs: nothing crazy special. not much 'smoke' flavor. just tasted like meat.. lol 3/5 Stars - Mac n Cheese: sooooo disappointing. The noodle was so soft that the whole thing tasted like it was made two-three days ago.. there wasn't really any flavor. no cheese. no kick. definitely a no go. 0/5 Stars - Coleslaw: pretty good! not too sweet but for almost $7 for that size.. 3/5 Stars Overall, very disappointing. I guess the episode where Guy Furry comes and reviews this place was over a decade ago. Anyways, good place to try once and move on. read more

Gorilla Barbeque - Beef Brisket, 1/2 rack, mac n cheese, cole slaw - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

The first time I tried Gorilla BBQ I had a combo meal with brisket, sausage and pulled pork and though it was okay. This time, I wanted a 2 meat combo of chicken and ribs was talked into ordering a whole chicken with the half rack of ribs and thought the meat was excellent. The ribs and chicken were full of smoky flavor and you could see smoke ring. The meat was juicy and pull apart tender. The combo comes with a choice of 2 sides, beans and rice, a corn muffin and BBQ sauce. I thought the bbq sauce was well balanced. Their mac n cheese is okay, as is their potato salad. The corn muffin was pretty good. The portions are very generous and my most recent meal was eaten over multiple days and still tasted delicious! Some times the line can be pretty long but on this most recent visit I waited 2 minutes to order and 5 minutes for the food. Parking is available in their lot, which can be a bit crazy given that there are no painted lines. There is no seating so be prepared to eat in your car or on your car or take your food elsewhere. The staff is friendly and it's clear there's a lot of locals that stop by. It's a simple operation that runs smoothly to get folks in and out. read more

We unfortunately stopped here for lunch & I had the worst pulled pork sandwich I've probably ever had. It was all fat & some nasty tender thing. It was so unappetizing. I pulled a hard, long, tenden thing out of my mouth. It was just disgusting. The one star is for the really yummy Mac & cheese!! my husband said the rice & beans were good too but his brisket was just alright. read more

Gorilla Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

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Unfortunately, I gotta tell the truth about my experience. So, I just wanted my 68+ 5 dollar tip be worth the trip. Super expensive and lack of quality is a problem. Dry, dry, drier, driest brisket I have ever had on earth. Dry pork: Haphazardly cut-up and pulled, no juice, decent smoke tho. Wet flavorless beans and over-cooked rice. Soggy Mac and cheese with cheese bits that seemed old and something you'd find in a old 1970's cafeteria. Mashed potato salad. Flavor is very reminiscent of every store bought potato salad I've ever tasted. My feeling is that it is exactly that, but they may whip it up and smooth it out and add a bit of spice and call it there own. The corn bread is a criminal offense. Straight-up JIFFY! DRY AS EFF, SICKLY SWEET, CHEAP TASTING, AND TINY @ $2.75 per muffin. Counter staff was nice. I wanted to enjoy some good BBQ. And Sadly, this joint is all hype. read more

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Going on a hike before 2:30pm? Snag a rack of Gorilla BBQ ribs! Great to-go BBQ. Perfectly crispy and juicy. The line is pretty quick, and they're open until they run out. There is no seating, so make sure you've got a picnic spot in mind or drop the tailgate in the shade. read more

Gorilla Barbeque - The boxcar - Barbeque Near Me - Pacifica, California

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Gorilla Barbeque was a very pleasant visit. I arrived at 1:45pm on a Friday and it was not busy at all. The parking lot had plenty of space. As they're only opened fri/sat/sun, fridays the least busiest. The restaurant itself is a small bungalow with no seating. We ate in the parking lot, we couldn't wait to eat lol. We ordered corn bread, Mac n cheese, pulled pork, rack of ribs, and beef brisket. The star of the show was definitely the rack of ribs! It was so juicy and flavorful. The beef brisket was also juicy, while the pulled pork was just decent. For the Mac n cheese and corn bread, they were also decent. I think i would come back for the rack of ribs. The employee working the register was super nice and funny! We also only waited a few minutes before receiving our order. Our order was roughly 100$ before tips. read more

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I came to this place on a whim, just happened to be driving and was hungry. There is a lot of parking, and where you order is on a boxcar from a train. Their menu is really simple which makes ordering easy. I had ordered a brisket sandwich, with mac and cheese, and a Dr. Pepper. It came out to $23.62. The girl taking the order was super nice and they were starting to get a bit busy, so the order taking process was straight to the point. I did like how when I ordered the brisket sandwich they gave the option if I wanted lean, fatty, or a mix. The sandwich is really big, which I liked and their side of mac and cheese was a bit small. I didn't really like the mac and cheese to be honest, but it wasn't bad. My boyfriend had ordered potato salad as his side with his sandwich and said it was okay and a little too mushy. The meat itself was really good but a little dry and needed a bit of extra barbecue sauce on it. Their barbecue sauce is good as it's on the sweeter side. I wish they had more options of sauces like mild, medium, and spicy barbecue. The inside of the boxcar is very homey and cute, very aesthetic. And they pop out ordered super fast. read more

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Finally went in there after years of driving by. I should have kept driving today. I just got the brisket and it terrible. Just dry, gray looking, no bark, and not tender at all. This is worse than those airport BBQ joints. Just terrible. You're much better off going to breakwater BBQ in half moon bay. read more

We started getting bbq here some years ago, and even up to last summer, it was good. In earlier times, there'd always be a line, so when we passed there recently and there was no line, we thought we'd got lucky, so stopped by. Unfortunately, seems to have gone downhill. Ribs were dry and under-seasoned. read more

Disappointed. Went on a sunday at 1:30 Ordered 1lb brisket, mixed fatty/lean. Was cut poorly, dogchew fashion. Non linear cuts. Really dry all around. Got hot links, they were obviously cooked the day before, dried out and sad looking. Tasted "ok" despite being the driest sausage ive ever eaten. And then got a full rack of ribs. These were alright, but still a bit dry, seemed parts were double cooked, or reheated even. Mightve been better on an actual cook day, but sunday seemed like they were just doing leftovers. Cornbread was good, mac was good, potato salad surprisingly good. I might give them another try on a friday when food is fresh, but sunday seems sus. read more

I was not impressed with the BBQ at all, it has an aftertaste that I did not really care for and there was nothing special about the sides. The service was ok, not friendly. It's a take home place so not much ambiance, but interesting that they sell out of a train. The price is also pretty steep, if I had to do it all over again I'd probably head to Armadillo Willy's. read more