The chef at Pete's BBQ, David, is awesome. Great customer service; he shows pride in his culinary art, and the BBQ is at the top of my list. I'd say it rivals, or even beats, BBQ in Kansas City, Kansas. The menu is fairly large. I've tried a few selections, and none disappointed. My favorite is the Brisket; the pulled pork is also awesome. And get this: he has his own cornbread recipe, and it's over-the-moon, especially with their homemade butter honey- yes, it's real butter. It's hard to find because it's inside the liquor store, but it has its own designated area. Very warm and family-friendly. As a foodie, I highly recommend it. read more

Brisket: VERY nicely seasoned with a great smoke profile and texture! The smoke flavor is light-to-mid, beautifully complementing the seasoned bark. Visually, it's a stunning cook--great muscle texture, a beautiful smoke ring, and a perfect bark. All the intense flavor and smoke live between the surface and that inner pink ring, so make sure your bite includes a bit of both. Man, what a delicious bite. I've been to that Michelin-recommended BBQ joint east of DTLA, and Pete's 100% blows it out of the water. This place makes California BBQ proud (that other spot is an embarrassment). I only wish they offered some zesty sides to pair with the meats to take it to the absolute next level! 1/3 lb Sausage: First bite delivers a perfect snap followed by great meat texture. Initially, you get hit with a slightly heavy saltiness, followed by a sharp, spicy goodness. I was on the fence after the very first bite, but the more you eat, the more the saltiness balances out. That snap, texture, spice, and salt combo just gets better and better until you realize you can't stop eating it. It is incredibly good. Pairing it with a creamy side perfectly complements the kick. Cornbread Upgrade: YES! The cornbread itself is delicious--excellent texture, great corn flavor, and a very mild sweetness. Plus, it comes with a honey butter blend that is next-level delicious. It was a very pleasant surprise just how good this was! read more

Was starving! Woman on her luteal phase needing red meat! Got their brisket burrito with fries inside, the menu said there's white onions and cilantro in it but I'm eating it right now and there is no cilantro at all! I do not like being lied to! It's honestly not worth coming back for, food is mediocre. read more

We went to Julian for their 4th of July parade. On the way back, we stopped at Petes for some BBQ. We ordered the combo #1, which comes with 1/4 rack St. Louis style pork ribs, 1/2 chicken, 1/3 lb. hot sausage link, 1/3 lb. 4th choice of meat (we chose brisket) , 2 sides (we chose coleslaw and onion rings, there was an upcharge for the rings), and 4 dinner rolls. The description said it feeds 2 people, can probably feed 3 if you are on the smaller side. We got ranch and bbq sauce on the side. I liked the ribs, the hot sausage link, and the brisket. These were flavorful, and not dry. You could smell and taste just the right amount of smoke, which was nice. The chicken was ok, but honestly I am not too big on chicken in general these days. I liked the bbq sauce very much. The onion rings were crispy and delicious, and the included ranch was excellent. The coleslaw was a great palate cleanser in between meats, without being overpowering in any aspect. The rolls were standard store bought and served their purpose. All in all, for around 50 dollars, we had a good meal for 2. Would return again pho sure if in the area. It is located inside a liquor store, and most food places inside a liquor store are good from my experience. Plenty of parking. read more

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My husband had pulled pork and I had a tri-tip sandwich. Both were delicious. We also shared a peach cobbler, also delicious. The BBQ place is located at the back of a liquor store and has plenty of seating. read more

LOVE the food!!! Shaii is great! Im new to this town and he already made me feel like im a local. The flavors are delicious, my favorite is the tri tip!!! read more

Super-local, super small-batch bbq. The counter sits inside a liquor store, where you can purchase your libations with which to wash down whatever you order. The portions will give you plenty of food, but the quality is inconsistent. Brisket has good smoke, ribs are good, pulled pork is dry on the outside and watery in the middle. Sides are alright, generic slaw, mac, baked beans, and cornbread. Dinner rolls are buttery and great with the meat, and the onion rings are nice and crispy. I picked my order up during dinner time (5-6 PM) so I don't know why some of my meat looked and tasted like it sat out all day. I really wanted to love this place, but some of my food didn't seem very fresh. read more

Yum! When I first heard bbq burrito I wasn't sold. Located inside a liquor store in Ramona. My friend loves this place so much that he used their catering for his wedding. I mean tenders juicy bbq meat with sauce and fries inside a burrito is genius. I was very satisfied with this huge meal for $16. This is a must visit. read more

Pete's BBQ - 6/2025 - Barbeque Near Me - Ramona, California

I believe this to be the best BBQ place in Ramona. A very casual place, you walk through a liquor store to get to it. The food is generous and very good. You can sauce it up or have it without, they are very accommodating. I loved their baked beans, they go well with eggs the next morning, if you have leftovers. The ribs are meaty and tender. The tri-tip also delicious and tender. Definitely a keeper. read more

Amazing food (and I'm not a huge bbq fan). Fresh, tasty and homemade! We had tri-tip, potato salad and coleslaw with cornbread. All was awesome. Today we returned for ribs and chicken with the same sides. Great staff and cooks , all super nice and friendly. Basic chairs and tables but clean and comfortable with 3 large screen with car racing, baseball and local sports. Most highly recommended ‍ read more

Pete's BBQ - Tri-Tip plate. - Barbeque Near Me - Ramona, California

Meats smoked to perfection I recommend any of the meats!! I live down the grade and the drive is worth it every time !

Was craving for BBQ Brisket saw this with a 4.3 star review, so we decided to give it a try. We ordered the 1/3 brisket plate with 2 sides and dinner rolls. It was so so and has no taste of the smoking flavor from a professional BBQ restaurant. The restaurant is inside of the Ramona Liquor store. The seating section was nice. read more

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Moved to Ramona a couple of years ago and pass Pete's about six times weekly. I bbq myself, so didn't really have a need to go there. Wife is out of town and I'm craving a burger. I can do the Weevil, Molly's, Rachels or any other good burger joints around town, but I wanted something new. Ordered take out from Pete's. Holy beef this was a good burger at a fair price. Portion was huge (saved half), the "small fries" that come with the burger are a huge portion and seasoned, not just salted, the BBQ sauce on the side was really money and had a smoke component to it. I've got to say, I was impressed. I ordered online and then had to change my pick up time due to a delivery happening at the house. Not a problem. Walked in and they acted like I was a long time customer and everything went smooth. Really up there in Ramona burger eats. I will be back and possibly try some Q to boot. Good job, Pete's. read more

Service at Pete's was exceptional, food was delicious and their spicy bbq sauce is a must try, took home a container for the 4th of July

The food is really good, the service is good and the ambiance is like a bar/BBQ joint.

Man! I hate doing this! Used to love this place, and would have easily given 4 stars several years ago! My mother and I have stopped here numerous times over the years when driving up for a bit of shopping or for day trips to Julian. When we first started going here many years ago, the owner would be present taking orders, along with a young African-American man who cooked in the back, and the food was amazing. I don't know if the same dude owns this business (tall guy with big, chunky necklace), but if he does, I hope he sees this review and makes some changes to improve things here. Although the people who work here have been consistently friendly over the years, unfortunately, the food quality and taste have greatly diminished. I think yesterday may end up being our last time eating here. The past few times we have gone, the food has been inedible. Yesterday was a hopeful attempt to see if things had improved since our last visit. My mother ordered the tri tip sandwich with grilled onions. I was very hesitant and ultimately decided to skip eating here due to our last few experiences and due to the lack of smoke odor (I was taught from an early age that if you do not smell smoke in the place you're ordering barbecue from, then it isn't worth eating). Although the smoker is outdoors, there used to be a faint whiff of smoky goodness in the air when walking past the liquor store/market and to the rear to order. This was not the case yesterday. Sure enough, the meat on my mother's sandwich tasted as though it had been boiled or baked in an oven rather than grilled or smoked. The meat was so tough and difficult to chew that neither my mother nor I could eat it. There was a lot of chewing and spitting out what could not be broken down and/or swallowed before we were forced to just throw the sandwich in the trash. Such a waste of money, as the food here is pretty pricey! The food was once so good that we didn't mind the prices and would go out of our way to make sure we placed an order before heading back down to San Diego. I truly hope that quality control improves at this establishment and that the food gets back to what it once was. read more

Best BBQ in town! We loved everything we had, will be back next time we're here. Peach Cobbler and pulled pork were awesome

The food is good I have never had anything that wasn't good. It's what you would expect. The service has been exceptional. If you are wanting to "dine in" just know it's inside a liquor store, so for a quick bite and go it's perfect but if you're lucky you'll looking to dine with friends and family not so much. I think it would be better in a stand alone location, but understand it's been doing well where it is for quite a while so it's working and can't knock something that works well. People go for the service and the food not to dining location! Ambiance is what you expect in a liquor store with a BBQ joint added. read more

Pete's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Ramona, California

I feel bad to update my initial review negatively but... this place has changed. I am not sure if it's under new ownership, but the food quality went down since my last visit, prior to Covid. The bleu burger was extremely dry and quite bland (you could only taste the bleu cheese). My friend couldn't' finish it as it was too dry for her. I did try it and came to the same conclusion. My chicken BBQ salad... there was no BBQ sauce on the chicken like I had before (I later realized when we left that couple of tables had BBQ sauce containers. not our table and those around). The chicken didn't taste like it used to, drier and definitely didn't feel it was smoked right. Will I give the place another chance? Probably, but I won't travel to Ramona just for their food like I used to. read more

this place literally made my jaw drop. I had to pick it up off the floor because of how good the barbecue is here I've traveled across the country and this is probably the closest barbecue I've had in San Diego that hits the same as when I was on the road. I got the brisket and it is so moist and flavorful. Don't even get me started on the beans they have a spicy cake to them and they're absolutely delicious. I love how they put their sandwiches on a brioche bun as well. The service is super fast and the dude's working are always the most cool people ever. I've gone here three times already and I can't wait to come back. The ambience is honestly so interesting. You would not expect a place that's gonna have this type of barbecue in a liquor store I had no idea this place was even here until I smelled a heavenly aroma at the back of the liquor store. You guys are definitely doing barbecue the right way and i'm looking forward to coming back highly recommend it to everybody and for my San Diego foodies this place is actually a hidden gem. read more

Pete's BBQ - Brisket Sandwich with 1 Side - Barbeque Near Me - Ramona, California

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I was out in Ramona for my kid's scrimmage and he was hungry and we stopped at a local Spot that is in a liquor store and the food was amazing and the guys working there couldn't have been nicer. The BBQ was really good and the onion rings were off the charts delicious. I would make the drive to eat here again. read more

Pete's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Ramona, California

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This was our first visit in almost 30 years in Ramona! The food was great The service was great We WILL be back! Thank you, Pete's! 5 stars read more

If you're a BBQ lover, this place is a must-visit. From the moment you step in, the smoky aroma wraps around you like a warm Southern welcome. I ordered the brisket, ribs, and pulled pork combo -- and every single bite was packed with flavor, juicy beyond belief, and tender enough to fall apart with just a fork. The brisket had that perfect smoke ring and a bark that was rich and caramelized. The ribs? Moist, meaty, and came right off the bone without being mushy. And the pulled pork was so succulent, it melted in my mouth. Don't even get me started on the house-made sauces -- sweet, tangy, and just enough heat to keep things interesting. Sides were no afterthought either. The mac & cheese was creamy and decadent, and the cornbread had just the right balance of crumbly and moist. Service was friendly and fast very attentive. In short, this BBQ joint delivered the kind of meal that lingers in your memory -- and your cravings. I'll definitely be back. Five stars without hesitation. read more

Pete's BBQ - BBQ Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Ramona, California

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Been meaning to try for a while. Yes, it's in the back of a liquor store, but there is a decent seating area and bathroom. The bathroom is critical to get the mess off your hands once you're done. I'm giving this place an extra star for its innovative menu. I'm pretty sure you might not ever find a place that lets you get your BBQ on fries, in a burrito...or a salad! The $14 Pulled Pork Sandwich and craft beer combo has to be the best deal. About 6 beers to choose from. The sandwich is large and the pork is lean. It has coleslaw on it, which I like, and it comes with sauce on it. Somehow those last two elements make the whole thing too wet and messy for me. It was dripping everywhere, which isn't normal to me. They might only have one sauce and it was a little too sweet and not spicy enough for me. Fortunately, I was able to fix it at the table with Valentina sauce. I recommend ordering it with sauce on the side and asking if there's a spicy version. If you're a weirdo who DOESN'T want a beer with their BBQ, the second best deal is probably the $11.99 Pulled Pork Plate. For just $2 more than the $9.99 a la carte sandwich, you get two dinner rolls and two sides, some of which can normally cost $4 each. $2.99 Baked Beans were too sweet, pretty basic and disappointing. $15.99 Brisket Burrito seemed innovative and plenty of money. It was quite big, kind of like a Cali, but it had too much cheese, was heavy and ultimately a bit disappointing. It took my son two meals to finish it. read more

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So yummy! I got the ribs and the brisket and it was delicious and Had great smoke flavor!

Stopped by randomly. Excellent food, excellent staff, great music, fun experience. We were surprised by the poor reviews. Don't believe them! Give this place a try read more

Pete's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Ramona, California

Better off having your down syndrome toddler throw a slab of brisket in the microwave then spending 20 bucks on a brisket plate from here. Brisket was cold and mac and cheese didn't have a hint of cheese. It's butter noodles marketed as mac and cheese. I won't be coming back and I wouldn't drive 100 feet close to this establishment. read more

Had a sampler platter, we will back for more ribs! Standouts were ribs, brisket, fríes and peach cobbler. Service was quick and to the point. read more

A lot of people recommended this place, but it just wasn't for me, so I wouldn't personally recommend it. Customer service was okay, but the food was disappointing. Only thing that really stood out was the bbq sauce. A lot of it was dry, and the sides weren't very good. The mac & cheese looked more like plain pasta, and the cornbread tasted like it had been microwaved. read more

Was in the area and looked up places to eat. I'm so glad I found this place. I went with the tri tip sandwich. Fantastic! !!!!!! Quick service and staff are very friendly ( took a bite before I took the picture) read more

Pete's BBQ - Tri-tip Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Ramona, California

Ribs ... So good! So tender! Two BBQ sauce choices. Indoor seating like a diner. We drive an average of 50 minutes just to get these mouth-watering BBQ ribs. Need I say more? read more

Food ok service sucks very rude was put on hold for 40 minutes they forgot we were on hold

Just do it. So good. Pulled pork sandwich sauce on side. Back pf the liquor store. Clean as a whistle

3.5 rounded up Came here because of an internet rumor that bbq rockstar Sylvie Curry owned this place. That aperently wasn't true. But seeing I was in the area after a hike I decided to give it a try anyway.. You've driven by this place if you coming from Ramona to Escondido because it's that liquor store on the corner with the smoker in the front. You can't miss it. Once inside the liquor store you'll see that there's a small restaurant inside. The menu has plenty of bbq items served in various formats including buns and tortillas. They also sell salads and burgers. * Because this is bbq it means it's going to be expensive. Probably close to $18 person with a drink. * The highlight was the tri-tip. You could really taste the smoke and it was very tender. The problem was the roll the tri-tip was placed on. Lots of bbq joints get this wrong because the roll usually gets soggy.. That's what happened here too. * Really good mac and cheese and macaroni salad. * The pulled pork fries were delicious but the huge green slaw on top was a little much. * Burgers were OK. * Their gyro sandwich got high marks. In summation, if you've always been curious about Pete's BBQ definitely give it a try. There's something for everybody. read more

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I don't understand how this place doesn't have 5 stars. It's in the back of a liquor store, so chill. We moved out of Ramona but went back today to visit and had ti stop in. There were only 2 guys working and they were SOOOO busy!!! And they still managed to take care of us better than most places and the food is exactly how we remembered it. Just yummy. Wish I still lived close, missed the times this place was weekly for us! read more

Restaurant is literally inside of a liquor store. Walk through the liquor store area and place your order at the register in the back. Indoor seating or you can walk out of the liquor store and sit outside. Never seen anything like it. Bbq is expensive in my opinion and this place is no exception. Our order took a really long time, which I also usually expect from a bbq joint, but it was excessive. Like 20+ minutes and we didn't order anything crazy. I got a pulled pork plate, which comes with two sides and bread. Cornbread is extra, otherwise it's dinner rolls. Sides I chose were mac and baked beans. Everything was good, but pulled pork was just meh without a ton of bbq sauce added. Good quantity of food, though! read more

Pete's BBQ - Pulled Pork Plate with 2 Sides - Barbeque Near Me - Ramona, California

Paid $14 for this and I'll probably feed it to the dogs. Not one slice of actual meat.. Just crumbled burnt dog food. read more

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We got half a chicken and a pulled pork sandwich. The chicken was slightly pink on the dark pieces but that was not because it was undercooked. I could could tell because the bone and meat against the bone were super hot. Must be the smoke that makes the pink. The white pieces were so perfectly cooked that I wonder how they time it right. I have never had such juicy breast meat from a bbq. Flavor was not overwhelming smoke flavor either. Tasted like bbq chicken. The huge pork sandwich was piled high with flavorful, juicy pork and almost no sauce (good) and cole slaw on top of that. Somehow I was still able to eat it with two hands without making a mess. It dripped plenty but did not come apart. Great job Pete's! read more

Pete's BBQ - Half chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Ramona, California

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My experience with Pete's bbq catering service in Ramona was utterly disappointing. It started off professional and friendly. Two months in advance we ordered and paid for $1,300 of bbq catering to be dropped off for 50 people at our daughter's outdoor wedding and celebration in Julian. We were really excited about the bbq food we selected to share with our guests. The catering service was far from what was promised, with a lack of attention to detail and poor communication. The food arrived hour and a half late, and when it finally did, it was not complete with agreed amounts of food, no serving utensils or eating utensils (plates, forks, knifes, spoons). We did get one bundle of napkins. The food tasted descent, except the green salads had moldy rotted slices of cucumber throughout, inedible. Seemed like this was their first catering rodeo. Customer service was atrocious; my inquiries about the delay and poor food quality were met with indifference and excuses. I requested to be reimbursed $300 for the inconvenience, hour and half late delivery and rotted salads. We called back twice and never heard back from Pete's bbq. How pathetic!! Overall, this catering service not only failed to meet expectations but also left a bad taste in my mouth - and not in a metaphorical way. Good luck if you select Pete's bbq in Ramona for your catering needs. read more

Pete's BBQ - Moldy Cucumber - Barbeque Near Me - Ramona, California

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Ok yes - this place is inside a liquor store and is a little pricey for plastic cutlery plates. The guys behind the counter were awesome, friendly and patient because let's face it, choosing the right bbq is serious business (for some of us food hounds). Bathroom was clean but a bit dated. The food was surprisingly delish! The bread was moist with light buttery season; I highly recommend the mac n cheese, tri-tip and ribs. Sorry guys I gave the chicken a C-minus, take a page from Canes or Chick-Fil-a. Oh and don't forget the peach cobbler for our visitors from the south (Georgia-Alabama). It'll never be better than maw-maw's but it comes pretty close! Happy bbq hunting! read more