I went today and the tri tip was so good! I want to acknowledge a wonderful young lady I met, her name was Adanya and her service was impeccable she was very welcoming. Will be returning soon. read more

Turns out we agree on the "burnt-end"thing. I'm sure I just stumbled into an experiment that sort of didn't work out. I hope the Breakfast Taco thing expands - I'll be back to see soon read more

Not sure what the negative reviews are all about...unless the food quality is just super inconsistent? That seems unlikely to me... Anyway, this is some of the best BBQ in CA and absolutely some of the best BBQ in the Bay Area (I'm always on the lookout for BBQ spots after having lived in TX for a number of years!). The brisket was on the lean side, but still had some melty fat to keep things juicy and flavorful, plus it had a nice little smoke ring, and it was very tasty. The pork ribs were my personal fave as they were lean, fall-off-the-bone, and had a great, sweet glaze on them. The pulled pork was quite good, very lean, pretty juicy, and went nicely with the spicy vinegar. The garlic bread was fluffy and garlicy, but not overly so. The cornbread was a bit disappointing in that it wasn't very corn-flavored. The mac n cheese was very good, definitely a fancier version than Kraft or 'typical' BBQ mac n cheese, but I liked the big noodles and thick, white cheese sauce. The beans were pretty good, lots of chunks of meat in there, but not the most flavorful I've ever had. Both the regular BBQ sauce and the spicy one were super tasty and gave a nice little extra flavor to the brisket (and bread!). The tiny side of pickled veggies were pointless (I personally like the classic raw white onion and dill pickles on the side of my BBQ). The beer selection is super impressive with a few taps and tons of cans from a wide range of awesome local craft breweries. We'll absolutely be trying more of the menu in the future, especially the breakfast tacos!! read more

First thing first: overall rating is GO! Must try! I just tried the Ribs, brisket and burnt ends and I enjoyed it all. The ribs are a bit sweeter than I like but nothing a bit of 16 mesh wouldn't solve. I like my bbq a bit more on the peppery side. Meat was perfectly cooked, nice bite off the bone but not too soft. Brisket was perfectly cooked. Just the way I like it. Good bite of bark and tender in the middle. Really good Burnt ends were exactly what you would expect. Meet candy. Really good. They thru in beans , potato's salad and Mac and cheese. Nice surprise! Beans were great. Nice bit of heat but not too much. Really good Mac and cheese was really good as well. Potato salad was good but not my favorite. If your like me, nothing will ever replace moms potato salad. So not exactly fair to compare. I want to try the rest of the menu but I would say if you like bbq it a must try ! Final recommendation: Go!! Give it 4 stars but very quickly be a 5 soon. Don't be afraid to provide feedback. It will help them to deliver what the local community is looking for in bbq. read more

Stopped by during a weekday around 1030AM to grab lunch, or so I thought. Parking spots are right outside the location in a parking lot but they are metered. The inside is quaint enough space for small groups. They were training a new staff member when I entered. Stood at the register looking at the menu, wasn't greeted. I asked how long they've been an establishment and was told 3 weeks and that the grand opening was happening during the weekend. As I placed my order I was informed that they were still serving breakfast. Unfortunately I did not get to try, maybe I'll return. read more

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I've been to several restaurants in this space, including the BBQ place that preceded Mt. Diablo. I kept my expectations to a minimum. They're brightened up the space a bit and added a merch wall. The food is good. I tried the pulled pork and the coleslaw. The slaw was 't too sweet or too vinegary. It was also chopped, not shredded. I loved both things about it. I like mine slightly wetter, but the flavor was on point. They portion of pork was generous. It had tough edges that were hard to eat, but the flavor was good. I definitely needed sauce, otherwise it would have been tt dry. The only disappointment was the pickles. They didn't have a lot of flavor. Sandwishes come in regular or large. Regular was more than enough. In fact, with a side it was almost too much. The staff was young, but polite. They never stopped chattering, but it didn't seem to keep them from getting their work done. I want to try the brisket, and if I'm feeling brave, the spicy BBQ sauce. There are a solid 3.5. Recommended. read more

Mt Diablo BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lafayette, California

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I had been craving authentic American barbecue, and since this place recently opened near my parents house, we decided to give it a try while we were visiting. We ordered a huge spread for about 10 people, including a full rack of ribs, one pound each of brisket, tri-tip, and pulled pork, a half chicken, a half pound of burnt ends, jalapeño cheddar sausage, a pint of mac & cheese, a pint of coleslaw, a full loaf of cornbread, and a full loaf of garlic bread. I'll start by saying the service was excellent. The staff was friendly, patient, and very helpful when we had questions about what to order, which we really appreciated. The first disappointment was the value. The prices felt quite high for the portions, and the side sizes weren't accurately represented. For example, the largest mac & cheese is advertised as a pint, but what we received was noticeably smaller than a pint. Unfortunately, the food itself was very hit or miss. The ribs were, without question, the worst we've ever had. They had almost no flavor on their own, relied entirely on the barbecue sauce, and weren't even close to being fall-off-the-bone tender. After just a couple of bites, neither my husband nor I could continue eating them. Out of the entire rack, only three ribs were touched before the rest ended up in the trash. The pulled pork had good flavor but was on the dry side. The half chicken had great flavor, but it was so dry that I wouldn't order it again. The jalapeño cheddar sausage was tasty, although I wish it came with something that complemented it. The brisket and tri-tip were both good, but nothing special. I've had much better at other barbecue restaurants. The burnt ends were easily the best item. The sides were even more disappointing. We ordered a full loaf of cornbread and a full loaf of garlic bread, and they were honestly the worst we've ever had. Both were incredibly dry and completely inedible, so they went straight into the trash. I'm not trying to be rude, but I genuinely don't know how an American barbecue restaurant can serve cornbread of that quality. It was absolutely inedible and, in my opinion, embarrassing for the restaurant to serve to customers. The coleslaw was below average, and the mac & cheese was average at best. For context, we ordered enough food to feed a large group, and despite having around 10 people, we still had well over half the food left. Part of that was because we admittedly overordered, but a significant amount remained simply because several dishes weren't enjoyable enough for anyone to finish. Overall, we're glad we tried it once so we know what it's like, but none of us would return. read more

Brisket was tender and had a decent ratio of fat. Mac and cheese was also delicious Considering horn bbq was in the old spot these guys are giving them a run for their money give it a shot read more

Mt Diablo BBQ - Brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Lafayette, California

The bbq was all fantastic. Tender and juicy. We had 2 meat combos (brisket and ribs) and a (chicken and burnt ends), pulled pork regular meal and a regular tri tip sandwich. Plenty of help, with plenty of meat being cooked. Most likely won't run out of meat by 4:00 like the previous establishment read more

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This place is amazing. Finally, there's really great BBQ in this spot, and this place will last. The BBQ is delicious, the sides are great, and there's so much good looking stuff on the menu including salads and an amazing looking stuffed baked potato. I'm looking forward to coming back soon to try more - it will take many trips! The prices are definitely reasonable. And the people are just wonderful. You can tell this place is run differently. They've also done a wonderful job with the interior (and exterior); it just seems more light and clean inside with several great tables and nice decor. These guys know what they're doing. read more

Mt Diablo BBQ - 4 Rib combo meal with beans and coleslaw - Barbeque Near Me - Lafayette, California

Great BBQ and an even better experience! I went with the salad that Diana recommended, and it was absolutely delicious--fresh, flavorful, and exceeded my expectations. The service was friendly, and the food was fantastic. Definitely a 10/10! Whenever I'm in the area, this will always be one of my top choices. Highly recommend! read more

Mt Diablo BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lafayette, California

Outstanding! Having been a big fan of the former proprietors at this legendary BBQ location in Lafayette, Bo's and Boneheads, I was looking forward to visiting the new Mt. Diablo BBQ this afternoon to see how they measure up. Here's the tale of the tape: We ordered 1 lb. of brisket, 1 lb. of tri-tip, a rack of ribs, mac & cheese, potato salad, and garlic bread. Everything was excellent. The brisket was incredibly juicy, tender, not overly smoky, and perfectly textured, with a great bark. The tri-tip was flavorful and juicy, and the ribs were fall off the bone tender, with just the right bite (mild or spicy sauce). The sides were excellent as well. The counter service friendly, the portions generous, the prices reasonable, the meat elite! Mt. Diablo has really raised the bar at this location: 1. Mt. Diablo 2. Bo's 3. Boneheads. read more

I ordered online, as you can see per my picture. I ordered a lot of food and this is my first time ordering food at this restaurant. I have to say that the meats were good and tasty. The sandwitches are very plain though as they do not include pickles/onions/lettuce/tomatoes just bread and meat and a few sides like bread and baked beans. I arrived at the restaurant to pick up my food, there were 2 ladies behind the cash registers neither greeted me, not a smile or acknowledgment whatsoever. There was a young man bagging an order so I made my way to him and told him that I was there to pick up my order. He didn't greet me either and told me "this is your order". I took my two large bags of food and left. I thought, why did I include a tip for unfriendly and rude service ? read more

Mt Diablo BBQ - This is proof that I went there and ordered food. - Barbeque Near Me - Lafayette, California

Mt. Diablo BBQ absolutely knocked it out of the park! The food was outstanding! The BBQ was tender, juicy, and packed with smoky flavor and every side we tried was just as delicious. You can tell everything is made with care and quality ingredients. Whether you're feeding a family or a large group, they deliver consistently great food that everyone enjoys. The customer service was just as impressive. Every interaction was friendly, professional and welcoming. A special thank you to Jude, who was so great. So professional and attentive! read more

Somewhat disappointing. I ordered the Gaucho sandwich. The bread seemed microwaved and the brisket was full of gristle. It tasted like mustard seed and had no bbq sauce.The mac and cheese side was dry and alfredo flavored. I really liked the patio area and service was friendly. I will try something else next time but not at all what I expected. Good luck with this location! read more

went to the new barbecue, Mt Diablo Bbq... at 12:30 today, we had brisket beef sandwich with coleslaw and they also gave out a free slice of cherry pie as a new customer treat we ordered to go but both the interior and outside dining was available, we also bought a healworks non alcoholic ipa all the food was delicious and the counter staff was both friendly and welcoming the sandwich was enough for two people and was loaded with brisket... we will definitely go back and happy to see a new barbecue place that seems to know what they are doing... the only negative is for the city of Lafayette having paid parking meters in the restaurant private lot if the city is trying to promote new businesses they should also not charge for parking read more

The shredded pork breakfast is delicious! Service is very friendly and efficient. We were there at 8am and it was quiet, clean and comfortable. read more

Mt Diablo BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lafayette, California

I've been to Mt. Diablo BBQ now 3 times, twice for dinner and once for breakfast. The ribs, pulled pork and burnt ends are fantastic. Make sure you get the "hogwash" for the pulled pork and the spicy bbq sauce is mother's milk. This morning I walked my dog there to try the breakfast. Simply fantastic! I had the sandwich w/ brisket and the taco with pulled pork...and a free cup of tasty coffee. Highly recommend. The staff are awesome young people, a lot are from our local high schools. Which is great that MDBBQ is employing kids from our community. The aesthetic is super cool and clean...the lemon trees and music outdoors are a great touch. I'll be back a lot. Five stars all the way! read more

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I should start with this. I am aware that this is a small West Coast chain.I like Real Smoked BBQ isn't a mega-chain, as when most restaurants locations are over saturated, they lose their soul a bit. I will also say, the Real Smoked BBQ restaurants from Carmel to Santa Cruz and up to the bay area are fairly consistent. However, the Aptos Street location is the Goat. A Solid score 10/10 every time! The way their pit master seasons their pork and brisket that results in an amazing bark and deep smoked flavor is absolute fire!. The undercover gems at all of these location is their pulled pork and the hogwash. It's not talked about nor promoted enough! the Hogwash should be mixed into their coleslaw IMO! Both of those items are what made me fall hard for their BBQ. Every time i head over Ca-17 to Santa Cruz or the Aptos area, I will stop for this bbq and a couple of beers. During several work trips on and off for a week at a time in Carmel I ate at their Carmel location for dinner every night. No Joke. at this point I can honestly say,"I have tried just about every single item on the real smoked bbq menu". With that being said, I know their product very well. Now for Mt.Diablo BBQ specifically.When I saw a post on FB about a new bbq spot in Lafayette called Mt.Diablo BBQ, I immediately knew by the font and posted menu it was part of the chain. I was absolutely floored because it's only about 30 minutes from my home. positives-The location is pretty good, outdoor patio is great, inside is a good size, its new and very well kept.(should stay that way) the staff although obviously new; was very friendly and attentive. Negatives-sharing a small paid-metered parking with 3 other businesses makes parking a challenge or you pay a meter for street parking The other "What The?!" for me was, despite the size of the restaurant, they don't have their own bathroom! also shared with the neighbor businesses and requires a lock-code. ask before you go walking out and about to find it About the food, over-all the food was pretty close to what I have come to expect. They have the recipes, and the taste is familiar. However, the pulled pork and hogwash was not the 10 it normally is, id give it a 7.5/10. I know it will get there! As someone who loves bbq ,have enjoyed bbq from hole in the wall locations to heavy hitters in the BBQ scene nation wide, I also make my own homemade regularly.I know that the slight miss is likely because of new equipment, new pit staff, nuance in bbq (seasoning, wood, pit, times, temps,etc), and I feel confident with some break-in and practice that they will nail it. They will either figure out those little nuances or make their own magic! Im excited to go back and see how they progress! read more

Mt Diablo BBQ - Pulled-pork, Hog Wash,mac and cheese, garlic bread, kids hot dog, and fries. - Barbeque Near Me - Lafayette, California

Best brisket and pulled pork I've ever had in California and a very sweet, accommodating staff! Idk how this place wasn't more packed when we went in on a Sunday. Love, love, love this place and will be back (repeatedly). read more

My son and I had lunch here today. Solid bbq, friendly and knowledgeable staff, great service, pleasant location. I had a pulled pork sandwich with beans and coleslaw. My son had a brisket plate with fries. My regular size sandwich was all I could handle, but I'm an aging smaller guy so you may need a large. My son's brisket was smoky, juicy and had great bark. No complaints. FWIW, I developed a taste for bbq when I lived in Kansas City many years ago. I still visit friends regularly, so I have an idea of what goes on in a bbq hub. Some thoughts on comments I've seen here: - The meters in the side parking area are all over Lafayette. I prefer to feed on-street City meters, but they're hard to avoid. Don't blame the owners for this one. - BBQ everywhere is expensive, even (especially?) in rural Texas. Meat, beef in particular, is expensive and smoking meet is labor intensive and time consuming. Mt Diablo BBQ may have a slight Lamorinda premium, but it is generally in line with other bbq places. Check the bbq and smoking subreddits to compare. - The Lafayette location is still on soft open, with the grand opening 8/2. Cut them some slack for whatever bumps you encounter. Do we want good bbq in Lafayette or not? I want to see them succeed. - The interior and deck area are well maintained and attractive. It was a little breezy on the deck, but it was still a nice option when the weather is pleasant as it was today. I can totally see hosting an event here. My one nit is that the pulled pork sandwich didn't include coleslaw the way I've had it at multiple other bbq places. So I bought an extra side of it and rolled my own. Everything else was fine, including the quick service. I feel like this is our last shot to support a bbq place at that location. The owners have been, and continue to be, successful at their other restaurants, so I'm optimistic here. I will be back. Hope to see you there. read more

Mt Diablo BBQ - Pulled pork sandwich, beans, coleslaw - Barbeque Near Me - Lafayette, California

Leaving this review early on in their opening only for the restaurant's information purposes. I will absolutely come back when they have settled in. Ordered 1 lb of brisket. Unfortunately I found it to be dry and salty. Disappointing bc it's $34 a pound! The beans are pretty good. I would have liked the burnt ends but they were out by 3 pm. Will check it out at a later date. read more

Disappointing first visit. We came in excited to try the food, but despite the place being empty, the staff stood by silently watching us study the menu and deliberate for several minutes. Only when we finally stepped up to order did they inform us that nearly everything we wanted was sold out. If most of the menu is unavailable, especially multiple core items, service staff should mention that right away rather than letting customers waste time building an order that isn't possible. Poor communication for a business under new management. read more

Wish I had read the reviews before we went. Brisket was ALL FAT! Beans have no flavor. Tiny portions in little plastic containers. Garlic bread without garlic or butter. Link sandwich was dry as a bone. Definitely won't be returning. Doesn't come close to Everett & Jones bbq. Not too surprised; just disappointed hoping we finally have a decent bbq place in Lamorinda. read more

Brisket sliced thick, smoked perfectly, pink enough to make a vegetarian weep. Gaucho brisket sandwich with chimichurri was unreal. 10/10 Would eat my feelings here again. Happy to have some good BBQ in the neighborhood! read more

Mt Diablo BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lafayette, California

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Honesty the smoky bbq chicken and baked potato is the best to order on the menu, it's so juicy and when you bite it the flavor is perfect. The potato is to die for. Also the service was so great the hostess Dianna was really quick and made our stay great, checking in on us making sure we were satisfied. The atmosphere is very family friendly to join and experience a great bite read more

Mt Diablo BBQ - Toast, Baked Potato and Bbq Chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Lafayette, California

I'll begin with the positives. The new owners have done a nice job with the space. New tables and benches and paint inside and out. It looks as though they've put new decking down as well. Another thing to like is the staff. A friendly and helpful group of people. Now for the food. I'll admit that I only tried one meat, which was the brisket and sadly it was horrific. Tough and dry. It was basically like chewing shoe leather. It was extremely disappointing. I actually threw more than half of it in the garbage. The coleslaw is good and their mac & cheese is good. I ought to give them a second chance on the barbecue, but it was so bad I really don't think I'll be back. read more

Easily top 5 brisket I've had and its not 5. Lia was very helpful in making my side selections offering recommendations based on my stated prefrences. Good attentive service but not overbearing like some places. The brisket was fork cut tender and soft without being too dry like some. I had the ribs as my second meat and they were excellent as well but not as good as the brisket. Mac and cheese was creamy and garlicky not what I expected but good. Potato salad was good and not too bland. Price is competitive with the area. Parking lot is metered, better to park on the street. Not too loud inside even when busy; outside was nice with lots of shade. read more

This is the newly re-opened BBQ spot, Formerly Bo's, then Boneheads, then All the Smoke, then Horn. They all had ok food but the mgmt was inept at all of them. Finally, a BBQ place that is going to do well! These guys have other BBQ restaurants and they know how to run them! Try the brisket, pulled pork, and ribs. Must try the baked potato but it is so large you will need to take most of it home. Also, the Santa Maria salad looks fantastic, didn't have it but saw it go by. Finally, they have 8 beers o tap and cans of other beers as well. Give the place a try, you'll be happy you did! And PS, they have breakfast!! 7am - 9pm are the hours or till they sell out. read more

We came to Mount Diablo BBQ for the first time tonight and everything was delicious!! Very friendly and helpful staff. We shared two meals: pork ribs and burnt ends (both outstanding! 5 stars out of 5). Garlic bread and grilled-style cornbread were both good. Tried 4 different sides: mac and cheese 4/5; coleslaw 5/5; fries 3/5; beans 4/5. Enjoyed the meal with some hard cider. Too full for dessert but berry cobbler and bread pudding looked fantastic! We'll be back soon! read more

We're excited to check out the new BBQ spot in town, but sadly this won't be our new go to place. We ordered a regular size brisket plate with two sides, potato salad and Mac & Cheese. When ordering I had asked for lean brisket and did not receive that at all, not to mention the parts that weren't fat were really tough to cut so a knife was needed. The Mac & cheese was incredibly dry and lacked seasoning/flavor, the potato salad was a really weird pink color that I've never seen and the taste wasn't there and the cornbread was more like a piece of Texas toast made with cornbread ingredients. Lastly, the brisket has too much pepper and that's all we were able to taste. read more

Got a rack of ribs and they were delicious. Staff very nice , nice job with remodel. Can't wait to try the brisket and burnt ends. read more

Mt Diablo BBQ - Rack of ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Lafayette, California

I decided to stop by this bbq place yesterday but I was honestly disappointed. My family and I ordered the two meats and a kids meal with ribs. I got the Tri tip and meat ends with beans, Mac and cheese and cornbread. (Total $85) The service was quick and the staff was nice. The food would've tasted better if it was warm and the Mac and cheese and cornbread lacked flavor. I could've worked with a microwaved plate, I don't think I will be back. read more

The food was okay, but not great. The brisket sandwich had a lot of large chunks of fat, which I didn't like. The service was good overall, but we had to wait a bit before placing our order because the two young women at the register were busy chatting and giggling with each other. A little more attention to customers would have made for a better experience. read more

Lafayette finally has the great BBQ everyone has been yearning for since BO's! Everything we had was perfect. Mildly spicy links with good texture, top quality ribs that were meaty and juicy, moist chicken breast - which often is a problem at BBQ places. Often sides can be hit or miss, but all five we had were perfect: mac & cheese, cole slaw, beans, potato salad and cornbread! Topped off with fast and friendly service, and we have hit the jackpot. Welcome to Lafayette! read more

Stopped in to investigate and so happy to report that this place deserves seconds and thirds! The ribs were awesome, Mac and cheese, on point. Really great! Cornbread doesn't need butter. But indulge if your appetite demands it, add honey! We're coming back, no doubt. Come one, come all! read more

Diana was our server and she was amazing !! She recommended the Barbecue Chicken Sandwich and it was so good !! Would definitely recommend.

The brisket was very dry. The garlic bread was the bottom of a roll and squished without any flavor. The mac and cheese was grainy. Save your money and make another choice. read more

Delicious BBQ restaurant! We went last week for lunch and ordered a tri-tip and pulled pork sandwich. The meat in the sandwiches was so tasty. The service was great too. Can't wait to go back and eat there again. read more

The food was so good and tender! The mac was delicious. Dianna was also very kind and personable!