Cruising north back home from Monterey, and saw this on maps when looking for food. When we pulled in, I didn't see a restaurant. It's just a gravel parking lot and little store with random fresh goodies. I was confused for a sec, but then i saw a big smoker and bbq on the side of the store, with a big sign and realized you had to go inside the store to order. This was one of the best decisions of my life! The ribs were insanely good! Everything was good! I got every kind of meat! If you're reading this and debating stopping by.... If they are open and mikes' on the smoker, GO!!! Go in the store, order, and you'll be glad you did! I sat on the patio table and felt bad for every person driving by not stopping to try this hidden gem bbq! Mike nailed it!! And his 3 special bbq sauces! I WILL BE BACK! The store has cool stuff too. Garlic and nuts and random fun goodies. (I snagged some spicy walnuts and sweet glazed pecans) read more

Mike's Backyard BBQ - St. Louis Ribs 1/2 rack - Barbeque Near Me - Gilroy, California

Wasted an hour of my time to be told they were out of the main things we ordered. They Offered to sub and then tried to up sell me on more stuff I didn't want to make up the difference instead of just refunding me the difference. Avoid if you have anywhere to be and if you actually want to eat what you ordered. This place has single-handedly made me decide to avoid local food choices on road trips. Oh, and the bbq was mid. read more

Mike knows what he is doing! This was a nice stop on the road for some solid small-batch bbq. read more

BBQ in a garlic shop, they cooked the bbq outside the garlic shop, order is done inside the garlic store. We have the ribs (the best), tri tip and pulled pork. All come with garlic bread and baked beans which were delicious. Tri tip was abit bland, we dipped it with the house sauce, it was great. Pulled pork was average. read more

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Ribs were so tasty they didnt need sauce. Brisket was excellent as well. Perfect smoke ring and juicy. Even the beans and pickles were tasty. Well done Mike! read more

Best brisket i have ever had! Really moist tender and, oh so very delicious. This is a Sunday and they had sold everything out by 3pm today. A bit on the expensive side, but what BBQ is cheap. It was totally worth it! Will come again when I am in the area. read more

We were so pleasantly surprised to find Mike's Backyard BBQ inside Garlic World when we stopped. We hadn't planned on having lunch there, but we couldn't resist the delicious smells. The woman taking the orders was very nice. We ordered the half rack of ribs ($23) and the Tri tip sandwich ($18). We were able to find a nice table outside on the covered patio to eat at. The food was good and they gave us three different sauces and pickle spears, which we loved. It was a simple meal and we enjoyed it. We would definitely stop here again. read more

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Awesome BBQ place in Garlic World. I ordered the 1/2 lb pork ribs and they were delicious. The meat was falling off the bone.. The sauces that they offered were super tasty. The coleslaw was good and the garlic bread was amazing. The staff was super friendly and helpful. I sat at the tables outside and enjoyed my meal. This is definitely a place that I will be back to. read more

Mike's Backyard BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Gilroy, California

All I Want to Q Husband and wife run American BBQ catering and pop-up that serves up their wares every weekend at famous Hwy 101 S roadside specialty food stand, Garlic World. The Good: *Love the location at Garlic World, which is one of our favorite places to get spices, sauces, and pickled veg, as we stop-by often on the way back home when driving 101N. *Friendly service *Plenty of parking in the private lot *Outdoor seating only *Drinks and beer available but must be purchased thru Garlic World. *Great prices as the Small Family Meal is a steal at $49 *BBQ beans were very unique and delicious and had a very Bush's Baked Beans texture but a more earthy, less sweet flavor that we both adored. *Brisket (Sundays only) was solid! Nice smoke, tender, and thicc cuts. *Ribs were good but the texture was a little off. Just felt like they needed another 30-45min in the smoker, but otherwise they were great. *Three housemade sauces that were all pretty good, but the sweet & spicy was the best of the bunch. *Chicken was smokey and a bit dry, but overall very acceptable. *Housemade pickles! *Delivery thru DoorDash The Meh: *Coleslaw was OK but desperately needed salt. *Garlic Bread was really just French bread with the "essence" of Garlic. This is Gilroy--let us have the Garlic flavor! The Ugly: *Trying to merge back on the freeway can be a bit hairy, so gird your loins... 0_o Conclusion: Damn fine BBQ at great prices. read more

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Located in Garlic World, this unassuming bbq spot rocked my world. I honestly was not expecting much. But when I first got a whiff of that bbq, oh boy did I have to try some of that brisket! I just had lunch so unfortunately I just ordered a sandwich to get a taste. And I was not disappointed!! So Judy and tender and the smoke ring was perfect. My only regret is that I did not buy some more to go! Excellent service and food was served right quick. Seating outside. Plenty of parking. Would definitely come again when driving to/from San Francisco! Only open on weekends so plan accordingly if you want to try some of this legit bbq! read more

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This is a real bbq place which is rare in California. Anyone that's eaten southern bbq knows California 'bbq' is laughable. But Mike's was amazing. Especially the ribs. And the pricing is inexpensive relative to California. I was expecting high prices and small portions but the 4 meat was well worth the money and there was a proper amount of meat. Highly recommend. read more

Stopped by this spot early on a Saturday. Tried the tri tip. It was perfect. Tender with a great flavor from the rub. OUTSTANDING. Came back on Sunday to try brisket- unfortunately they were sold out. My advice is get there early! read more

We enjoyed the tri-trip and the brisket - lots of flavor and the meat was so tender. The 3 sauces were very good. The garlic bread and the refreshing coleslaw came with the meal. Service was great. Overall, an enjoyable meal indeed! Highly recommend. read more

BBQ x Garlic World, a great combo! Ribs were stellar (succulent meat and sizable portion). Tri-Tip and Chicken Breast were a bit dry unfortunately. Coleslaw and Baked Beans sides were solid. Wished they would've cranked up the garlic on the Garlic Bread though! Fav sauce was the Smokey BBQ. And some Garlic Ice Cream as dessert. Definitely worth it if passing through! read more

Super quick service and food came out so quick. Located inside of garlic world and you pay separately in the back stand. Lots of outdoor seating available. Ribs fell right off the bone and didnt really need any bbq sauce bc it was SO flavorful. Tri tip is also a MUST!! Brisket is only on sundays unfortunately read more

Mike's Backyard BBQ - Ribs, tri tip, pulled pork, chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Gilroy, California

order, prep, delivery, all very efficient. delicious BBQ sauces, tried all three, wife favaorite was the "secret," mine the "smokey.". pulled pork was perfectly cooked. most people don't know, but its easy to F-UP pulled pork by cooking it even 2-5 mins too long. Mike's was perfect, great flavor, juicy, pleasing to the palate. the 8oz platter is enough for a reasonable sized lunch for 2 people, which includes 2 small pieces of what i think was either french, or sour dough bread-also very good. the coleslaw also very good. If I had to complain, it would be the road film/dust on the tables, they oughtta leave some paper towels and windex out on the tables, so you can clean the table and benches off, before eating. read more

Mike's Backyard BBQ - Biz card - Barbeque Near Me - Gilroy, California

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Awesome bbq. The tri ttip is tender and juicy. The sauces are yummy. Great service. We really enjoyed the lunch. We will come again.

At the last second, my friend and I stopped to check this restaurant out and Garlic World. We are so happy that we did! The Tri Tip was cooked and seasoned to perfection, exactly the tenderness you are looking for when getting bbq. Unfortunately they were out of the Pork Ribs & Brisket, but it gives us a reason to come back here! The order itself didn't take too long at all to be made, the service on point. Great place, definitely try it! read more

Mike's Backyard BBQ - "The Platter" Tri Tip - Barbeque Near Me - Gilroy, California

nice spot right next to garlic world. we stopped by after cherry picking and was convinced by the great reviews. for 6, we ordered the large platter - beans and slaw: average - garlic bread: so garlicky and soft! - ribs: delicious! - chicken: nice smoked flavor - tri tip: wow!!! so tender and delicious, best item - pulled pork: solid although the food was good, was a bit bummed by the service. instead of the 12 ribs that was included, only 3 were available. options were wait 45m for the rest or get a substitution. we opted for pulled pork substitution but the amount they gave us in exchange was very minimal (about a fistful of meat) read more

Mike's Backyard BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Gilroy, California

What can I said, I ordered for a party of 30, Brisket was from another planet I think is one of the best I have ever tried, pull pork and ribs was outstanding same as Trip Tip, and the chicken was really good. For sides I ordered bread, beans oh my God they were great and the Cole salad was really good. So if you want a really outstanding food experience you should go there, thanks Mike you should be doing this from Tuesday to Sunday and you will bring joy to a lot of people, oh and Mike and his team are amazing. read more

I think the food gods smiled upon me and my family when we found Mikes bbq. When my parents moved to the area we were worried we'd have to settle on bbq 152, which severely lacked flavor and soul. Not with Mike's BBQ. Here your meats are dripping with flavor. We've never tasted a brisket so delicious and tender. We frequent Capelo's bbq and we thought we knew what good brisket was, but Mike's delivers that punch of flavor and smokiness. The Tri-tip is also succulent and I myself have never been a fan of it, but I thoroughly enjoyed this Tri-tip and wanted more. The chicken is my go-to since I try my best to only have red meat in occasion and I can usually taste the spices and lemon permeating through to the entire breast or leg. The family here is so lovely and we wish them all the best. I love having conversation with the wife, Leslie, as we wait for our food. Sometimes we have the opportunity to speak with Mike and we see the joy it brings him when we tell him how much we enjoy his food. He really cares for his craft. We haven't spoken with their son, but you can tell he also puts a lot of care into his work. It's always hard waiting for the weekend and we daydream about having Mike's bbq. read more

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Amazing bbq! We had the tri-tip sandwich, garlic lover style, and it came with two delicious sauces on the side (one that was smoky and sweet, the other one vinegary and garlicky, both delicious.) it also came with garlic bread, choice of cole slaw or beans (we had the slaw) and a pickle spear. This was high quality bbq. We unfortunately didn't get to try the brisket, so we will definitely be back! read more

My wife and I were looking for a BBQ spot in San Jose and while searching came upon Mikes, a little out of our way but was worth the drive. Unfortunately it was on a Saturday and they only had Tri-Tip and but no Brisket, but it was juicy, tender and the portion was enough. The sides were good also. My wife had a pulled pork sandwich and she loved it (very picky eater soooo...). Mike was a very pleasant man who was making the Brisket for Sunday and warned us to get there early because they sell out quickly. Sauces are spot on. Easy parking and can stroll the Garlic store while there. Overall 5 stars read more

I drove nearly 5 hours for Mike's ribs! DELICIOUS read more

Probably one of the best BBQ ribs in California! But I'm from SF and there aren't much here or in the east bay so coming across this place during a stop in a road trip going back up 101 north is a pretty nice break for a long distance. Now the ribs stole the show, I came here almost a month ago and I still remembered it! It was literally fall off the bone Super moist and juicy but so tender it just slid off the rib bone. We went twice, once going down and needed to stop for gas nearby and 2nd time back up on 101 for them and buying a whole rack to bring home for the fam because we enjoyed it so much! The BBQ sauce complimented the meats and I wish they made more to sell but they don't. Either way it's a great spot to stop for lunch especially on a roadtrip. If you're heading up north on 101, passing Gilroy definitely give it a try! (The pulled pork was a little dry The tri-tip was good, but because tri-tips are usually a lean cut it was also slightly more dry than I would've preferred more fatty skin around it.) read more

Ordered food for my husband's birthday. Tri-tip was amazingly perfect and the ribs were just as good! Thus is now our go-to place.

There's BBQ and Than there's BBQ. We called to order 4 family packs for my birthday, and it was phenomenal. Ribs perfectly seasoned, fall off the bone deliciousness. Pulled pork was juicy, savory perfection. Tri tip that you literally the best I've had. Chicken was expertly seasoned and cooked. I can keep going on the sides and service but I'm guessing you get the idea. We will be back, again and again. read more

I'm so glad I found this place! I decided to stop at Garlic World just to browse and immediately I noticed the grill outside then once I entered the store I saw the stand and the line and knew I had to give this place a try. The menu is short and sweet as they have BBQ sandwiches, plates, ribs, chicken and tri-tip. I went with the tri-tip sandwich and that comes with baked beans and garlic bread. While waiting for my food I noticed the three bbq sauces that they had available. I tried the Mike's special sauce and the regular bbq sauce. The tri-tip sandwich was amazing!! The bread was soft and buttery while the tri-tip was so tender and juicy. It was seasoned to perfection and they loaded the meat on there. It really didn't need the sauce as the meat had so much flavor. The garlic bread was really good as well and as were the beans. The service here was amazing and the family that owns it were so friendly and welcoming and you can tell that they love what they do and they are amazing on the grill!! I will definitely be back and I recommend coming here if you're in the area! read more

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The food was so delicious and moist it was ready when we arrived and the food had great side dishes too. We had a wonderful dinner with Mike's meal . read more

What can you say about such an amazing place. I recall ordering the last tidbits they had prior to closing and what a treat it was. Outside of my own BBQ cooking (man ego talking) this is my absolute go-to place!!!! I have never ever had a dry meal ever!!! The family bends over backwards to assist. I strongly suggest stopping by if you are on the 101 north and want a tasty sandwich as all the locals know to order well in advance. read more

Picked up a late afternoon lunch for my pops 77th birthday. Got the small family meal with good amount of food for price. Meal came with rib, tri tip, and chicken as well as beans, coleslaw and 1/2 loaf garlic bread. Definitely will be back! read more

Good bbq in Gilroy area. I wish they were opened more days in the week. We had the pork ribs, pulled pork, potato salad and pork and beans with french bread and a pickle. The pork and beans could of used some fix'ns and the french bread would be better as garlic bread. Otherwise the meat was done right. We'll be ordering again this weekend. Price was good too! read more

Ribs were great, nice bark, and tender. Priced well with portions sizes and quality a definite return

Great Food! I mean I drive over 40 miles sometimes to get this! Delicious all around. Service is amazing with the host treating you amazing and letting you order and sit. The ambiance is a grocery store outlet for local growers and farmers to sell products (gilroy) Definitely recommend 10/10 BRISKET and Tritip read more

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Great food and service. A bit pricey, but worth it. We went two days in a row. Ribs and tri-tip sandwich are delicious.

We're particular and not easily impressed by everybody's bbq so we rarely find a place that we like. Mike is doing it right! The rubs on the meat were flavorful and his bbq sauce was tasty. Prices were fair and quantities were generous--they don't skimp. Do yourself a favor and try it!! read more

First time customer, lifetime hooked now. We tried all their meats this weekend. I usually like one more than another at other bbq joints but at Mike's Backyard BBQ everything is great. Not salty not overly smoked. And their sauces are awesome finishing touches. Perfection. When you hear other customers coming up after dining in and telling them how much they enjoyed their meals then Mikes is doing something right. Winner! read more

Truth is, I wasn't that hungry. But I did get food envy when I saw a plate of barbecue go by. Oh my goodness. The tri-tip was out of this world. I don't want to over sell it but man it was good. We got a half pound with garlic, bread and pickles. It was the perfect snack. i usually have to pay twice as much to get food at this quality and portion size. They are located inside garlic world. Greg was very pleasant and answered my questions, and gave some good advice on the offerings and the sauces We enjoyed our food sitting at the tables in front of the garlic world store read more

Mike's Backyard BBQ - Counter - Barbeque Near Me - Gilroy, California

Sooooooo good! Meat was melting off the ribs it was so tender. My slow eating toddler scarfed down three ribs in minutes not even interested in the sauces (which are yummy but so unnecessary). Lovely seasoning and the tender bbq that you dream of. Can't wait to go back. read more

This is the best BBQ I have ever tasted!! Mike and crew make excellent tri-tip, ribs, chicken, beans, salad, garlic bread!! Mike is a first class act!!!! Beyond delicious!! And great people too!! read more