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    Hickory & Spice

    4.6 (508 reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 7:30 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Hickory & Spice Photos

    HICKORY & SPICE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Hickory & Spice

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    Brisket tacos. Yum!!
    Amy S.

    Wowie!!! This place is delicious. Ate here last night and came back again. Onion rings are THE BOMB. Crunchy and full of flavor. They are a great addition to the wonderful sandwiches. Pulled pork is incredible, tender and flavor is great. Nice coleslaw too. The lean brisket is another great item. The tacos perfect!! Ranch beans are new for us and again, yummy. The service is so good- everyone is happy and food served quickly. Clean and cute location. TVs and a bar area in addition to tables. Walk up and order and choose your seat. Definitely visit this spot. Well worth the drive and price. Incredible!!

    Dino beef ribs only on the weekends
    Krystle B.

    Sooo delicious!!! Definitely get the Dino ribs!!!! And the onion rings and the brisket sandwich was delicious tooo!!!! Definitely going to be our go to spot!!!

    Pulled pork and onion rings
    Christa R.

    My husband is a huge BBQ fan and this spot hits the spot! The onion rings are so crispy and have a sweetness to it. I usually don't care for brisket, but this one was so good. It had a yummy pepper flavor to it and was so tender. Ribs were also really good, it wasn't fall off the bone, but still tender and flavorful. The Mac n cheese was probably the only thing I didn't care for, I don't really like the grainy-ness of it. The staff was really nice and attentive, the chef even came out to check on us. I wish this was closer to me, but I would def come back if I was in the area. Oh! The pickles were really good too! It was crunchy, tangy, and sweet.

    5 piece pork ribs, beans, and cole slaw
    Rishi C.

    Had a craving for BBQ so I stopped by for dinner tonight. While this place wasn't the best, it did satisfy my bbq craving (for now). The restaurant is located in the Target plaza with plenty of parking nearby. The restaurant has a bar area and plenty of seating as well. You order at the counter and then grab a seat at either area while you wait for your food. They also have a takeout area with spices and sodas you can check out while you wait. Service was nice and they were quick with our food. I ordered the 3 piece brisket plate with mac & cheese and cornbread, onion rings, and a five piece pork rib plate with beans and cole slaw. The mac & cheese was grainy and pretty bland, which was a disappointment considering the smoked cheeses that were used. The beans were also overly sweet and overpowered by the peppers that were used. I was really hoping to get more of a smoky flavor on both these items, and that was missing unfortunately. The cole slaw was great, especially for those who like vinegar-based cole slaw. The onion rings were good too, though I wish they had ranch because that would've made them great. The cornbread was just fine, nothing special. The stars of the show were the meats, the brisket was juicy and tender, and the ribs were fantastic. The ribs were my favorite thing, they were tender and pulled off the bone effortlessly, and were packed with tons of flavor. Both meats came with bbq sauce which also provided lots of flavor. If I were to come back, I'd totally get a rib plate and coleslaw, which is what I'd recommend to anyone visiting. Overall, this place has some promise, but it's not the best bbq I've had in OC. I'd say it's worth a visit if you're in the area, but I'd avoid the sides and focus on the meats.

    Adult mac & cheese and tater tots
    Angela B.

    Had to come check out Hickory & Spice after hearing several friends rave about it. I'm pleased to report, the hype is real! The dining area is cozy yet spacious and is arranged nicely. Orders are placed at the counter and delivered to your table when it's ready. Beverage selection is comprised of canned soda and bottled water/tea. There is also a sit down bar. Service was outstanding! The counter employee was friendly, efficient, and happy to answer questions. Throughout the meal the workers checked in on us and the owner even stopped by our table to ask how we were doing. The food was delicious! In order to try more things, I shared everything with my friend. The turkey sandwich was ah-mazing! Sliced, smoked turkey breast with melted cheese, a very yummy honey mustard sauce (and I usually don't like mustard!), and a very nice cranberry pecan spread had me wishing I didn't have to share! The adult mac & cheese was creamy and cheesy with bits of bacon mixed in was definitely more sophisticated than the average mac & cheese! The cheeses were very mild, so this dish could've used some more seasoning. We also had the tots with "fairy dust" which were perfectly crunchy with a hint of sweetness. Looking forward to coming back soon. And I won't be sharing my turkey sandwich next time :)

    Signage
    Kimmie W.

    Love, love BBQ- was checking out a few places close to my job. Saw the reviews for Hickory and Spice and decided to try it. Shout to Stefano for taking my order- really nice, down to earth!!! To Go Order Large Beef Brisket Plate with A Large Side of Adult Mac and Cheese, Ranch Beans- and additional sides of Creamed Corn and Onion Rings. Beef Brisket so tender and juicy- just how i like it- some BBQ places leave the Brisket too long- a big slab of beef jerky. I dont who the GRILL MASTER is behind the scenes, but He has definitely mastered the ART of grilling BBQ. FYI you dont need teeth to eat this meat (Brisket). OMG so good -- give this man a TV show!!! Whoever grilled this brisket has some blessed hands!!! The Adult Mac and Cheese is good- I like Mac and Cheese with a slight crusting of cheese on top of mixed in. Oohwee the onion rings!!!! I asked for Ranch dressing, Roddy said they only serve honey mustard and ketchup with the onion rings. Funny thing is I didnt use either- the onion rings dont need any sauce. The onion rings are so crunchy with a slight hint of honey flavor. I kept eating until there was only two left in the container- Man this is soo good!! The Ranch Beans hands down the best in the Cali- if there is anyone who can top these RANCH beans I love to know.. There is a melange of beans, onions, and peppers- omg so tasty!! Last but most definitely not least - the creamed corn- can you make the sides larger- I will definitely buy!!! I dont know if there is cheese mixed in with the corn but it is delicious!!! Hickory and Spice and all that's nice-YOU definitely have some winning food combinations!!!

    The front of the restaurant
    Doug B.

    A friend and I stopped by Hickory & Spice for some BBQ lunch. You place your order at the register and then they deliver it to your table. There are mostly tables inside but there are also a few booths by the entrance. They also have a bar area and there are several TVs usually playing sports. There is a ton of parking right out front. I ordered the regular pork spare rib plate with tater tots. The ribs had great flavor and the meat practically fell off the bone. There were only three bones but they do have a large size with five bones and an additional side if you want more. The tater tots were good and there were a lot of them. I liked the pickles and pickled onions on the plate which complimented the rest of the plate well. They also have a variety of different BBQ sauces if you want to try something besides the default sauce. I heard that the onion rings here were very good so I had to order those as well and they definitely did not disappoint. They had a great thick crispy panko crust and the fairy dust sprinkle gives them a little sweetness. My friend is a regular here and he devoured the large pulled pork plate with creamed corn and ranch beans. The owner is very friendly and stopped by several tables before stopping by ours to say hello. We actually chit chatted about different BBQ places and then he generously brought out a few burnt ends for us to enjoy. They were melt in your mouth delicious. Hickory & Spice is very solid BBQ. All BBQ places are on the expensive side but the quality here is top notch and the owner and pitmaster has won many national awards for his BBQ.

    Beef brisket sandwich and tater tots
    Sandra M.

    This was my first time trying this place and it definitely won't be my last!!! The food was superb. I tried the beef brisket sandwich with a side of tater tots, my husband had the beef brisket plate with tots and Mac n cheese. He also had the homemade corn bread. The meat was cooked to perfection very tender and great flavor. The place is nice we went around 1pm and there was plenty of seating. This place is definitely worth trying

    Regular brisket plate with "Adult" mac-n-cheese. Both were ok. Small portion. Burnt ends were just added for the pic
    Laura H.

    I ordered a Regular Beef Brisket Plate with the "Adult" Mac-n-Cheese for the one side. Pros: 1. Brisket was tender, almost melt in your mouth. I appreciated that they included strips with varied marbleization. 2. I like when pickled items are part of the plate, especially if they're made in-house. Pickles were sour while the onions were sweet, so you get a good mix. Cons: 1. Smaller portion than I had expected for a regular-sized hearty meal. It looked a little sad on the metal tray. 2. Brisket was very salty. I didn't want to add any sort of sauce to offset it since I was worried about overpowering flavors, and I don't like brisket doused with sweet barbecue sauce. 3. "Adult" mac was disappointing with how bland it was. I love smoked gouda, but this mac didn't taste cheesy enough to me, or maybe it needed some more salt. Also, the thick, starchy tubes of penne didn't seem like the best vehicle for the blend if cheeses used. I'd prefer elbow, shell, or corkscrew. I sampled a burnt end from my friend's plate, and it was decent. Different from the mouthwatering, savory, juicy meat cubes in the Midwest, cuz those are something else. They set the bar pretty high, so props to Hickory and Spice for offering their version of a beloved food. Free lot parking is part of the large corner plaza. Fast-casual spot where you order up front a then take your number to one of the many tables inside. Service was quick and friendly. Staff dropped by many times to check on us. Interior was clean and casual. You can tell that they take pride in what they do there.

    Jesse K.

    Amazing little spot! Cool place to watch the game and grab a beer and some BBQ! I will say their beef rib they do bi weekly is absolutely amazing! Their normal pork ribs are also top notch! My only wish is if they have a jalapeños and cheese sausage or any sausage for that matter. There kids meals are clutch my son loved it and there was a generous portion which we appreciate! The gentleman who took our order was also our "server" he was very nice and helpful but you could tell he was being pulled all over! They could use a little help in the front but hardly an issue. For larger parties there is a nice room for a larger group. All in all super cool ! Super good and definitely worth supporting local! Also! Onion rings are lit!

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    Ask the Community - Hickory & Spice

    Do they do catering or sell larger trays?

    Yes, they do catering. I'm not certain about selling larger trays but I assume they do.

    Do they sell gift certificates?

    They sell gift "cards" in any denomination of your choice.

    Will they smoke a brisket if I bring one in?

    Probably not give he is a busy man but Iit doesn't hurt to ask Rick.

    Does this place have ayce?

    No they don't

    Do they have ranch for their onion rings? I was told they don't but I was surprised to hear that.

    I don't think they do, but you don't need anything for these rings. They are amazing.

    Are the meats really smoked here (over coal/wood/pellets)?

    EVERYTHING is cooked in our kitchen with real fire producing real smoke. People come in and because our dining room doesn't smell like smoke wonder about this. I am happy to give kitchen tours to show the smokers and the exhaust system responsible.… Read more

    What kind of smoker is used to smoke the meats?

    i cant quite say exactly but what i can tell you is the man behind the smoker has won multiple bbq competitions all over the country.

    Are there any gluten free options?

    Yes Ian, but you'll have to request for this upon arrival.

    View All 10 Questions

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    Hickory & Spice - bbq - Updated May 2026

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