Christina was very kind, patient, and helpful when taking our to-go order at Phil's BBQ. She was friendly, professional, and made sure everything was taken care of. Great customer service and we really appreciated her positive attitude. Thank you, Christina! read more

Came here for the first time on a weekend trip to San Diego and Phil's BBQ will forever now be a go to spot when i'm in the area again. My partner and I shared the full rack of ribs with sauce- and trust me it's enough for 2 hungry people with the 2 sides! The ribs were juicy, tender, soft, melt in your mouth almost kind of vibe. Now, I'm not a coleslaw gal, but I ate this coleslaw as if it was my favorite salad. I ate the coleslaw more than the macaroni salad! (which is a first) lol. Okay the Colossal onion rings and the cornbread with the butter.. bless your soul for it has woken from all the souls of food. HAHA! Service was quick and the lady server was kind enough to take pictures of our group table! There's a reason why I gave this place a 5/5- I could have given it a high 6/5 but you get it. read more

Phil's BBQ - Colossal Onion Rings (Large) - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came here for Father's Day weekend lunchtime. There was plenty of parking on their lot. There was a bit of a wait when we arrived. Got the Full Baby Back Ribs Dinner with small Fresh Cut Fries and small Macaroni Salad for $32.99. Also, got the Beef Rib Dinner with small Fresh Cut Fries and small Sweet Baked Beans for $34.99. Got another Beef Rib Dinner but with small Fresh Cut Fries and small Potatoes Salad for $34.99. The Homemade Cornbread with Maple Butter for $6.99 was a must have for us. All the meat were good and they gave us extra sauces. The Fresh Cut Fries were always a good pair with the meat. The Macaroni Salad and Potato Salad were alright. The Sweet Baked Beans was so good we ordered a separate large side of it for $4.75. Too bad the Homemade Cornbread with Maple Butter was room temperature. They used to serve them warm. It was alright room temperature. We decided to order another one to take so we can have it warm. Very disappointed they don't serve the cornbread warm anymore. The portions were very generous. One dinner plate was enough to fill two adults. Had terrible heartburn at night. Would be sure to take some medications before dining here again. read more

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Delicious! Depending on how big you want portions, honestly a couple sides and an entree can be shared. Onion rings were so crispy. Wings were cooked well. We got sauce on the side. The macaroni salad was also good, not too much or little dressing. The ribless and chickless are meat without bones. Generally I like bone in my meat but, if you are trying to not eat messy then this is perfect. The meat was so soft and flavorful. Service was amazing. So friendly and our cashier walked us through the experience. And even took time to take our order and ask questions and inform us of anything we should know about the items we ordered. The place has a restaurant side and a bar side. Such a fun bbq spot. Perfect for a family dinner or lunch especially with a larger crowd. read more

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Well Gawd Almighty!!! This kinda beef ribs in California?!!! Simply put... exceptional. I dove right into the Beef Rib Dinner, which came with three Big Ol' ribs and your choice of one large side or two small sides. I went with the fries and put up a good fight, but these ribs won. I couldn't finish my plate. The sauce was ridiculously good--sweet, smoky, and packed with flavor. The fries were crispy, seasoned well, and honestly would be the star at a lot of other places. But let's be real... you're here for the ribs. These things were mouth-watering, tender, and loaded with flavor. Every bite had that perfect bark on the outside while staying juicy on the inside. The meat pulled right off the bone and had me questioning why I don't eat here more often. Extremely busy place but staff is helpful and efficient. Place can get loud with all the hustle and bustle but you are at a BBQ SPOT so who cares!!! If you're from San Diego, you've probably already been here or at least heard the hype. If you're visiting, make sure this place is on your to-do list. Some restaurants get a lot of praise and don't live up to it. Phil's absolutely does. read more

Phil's BBQ - Beef Rib Dinner BEFORE - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

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5 stars specifically for Kira and her attentive & chipper attitude!! This woman loves her job and it shows!!!! With our family visit to San Diego, my BD mentioned Phil's. The only Phil's I knew at that point pertained to coffee. Lol. Not being a huge meat eater, I was kind of standoff-ish about the idea but since the establishment is known for being a staple visit whenever people come to SD, I had to do it. The 17K+ reviews and the 4.5 star solid rating also helped with that decision. Known for their slow cooked meats and their large portions, Phil's BBQ is a casual dining experience where you get a combo of self serve and attentive service from the staff- all rolled into one. Our family of 3 arrived for a late lunch. The meal consisted of: *BABY BACK RIB + CHICKEN DINNER $25.99 -paired with potato salad + sweet baked beans *BBQ WINGS- 10ct $11.95 *SAUSAGE LINK $4.99 *COLOSSAL ONION RINGS $9.99 *LARGE SIDE: STEAMED VEGGIES $4.75 * FOUNTAIN DRINKS $3.49/each Ribs and chicken were good. These meats were cooked perfectly- lathered in sauce and very tender. The wings were good and had a light kick to it- nothing to bat an eye over for us adults but a lot of soda breaks were needed for my toddler. Beans were delicious but the potato salad wasn't a fave. The onion rings were the biggest letdown- these were massive in size but so very dry and overly crunchy. This order essentially went untouched after a few bites. the hot link was delicious and the veggies were made well but bland. 3.5 stars for the food but because this review is specifically dedicated to Kira, it's automatically a FIVE!!!! This young lady truly made our visit to Phil's BBQ 100% memorable and very much enjoyed. Service doesn't get any better than what she's offering and her warmth provided to the patrons are unmatched! Girl, YOU DESERVE A MF'N RAISE!!!!!! read more

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Always heard so many great things about Phil's, so knew I had to make a stop while in San Diego. I love bbq but don't think OC has too many great spots. We ordered the beefy ribs and baby back ribs, both were good but I was wowed by the beefy ribs. I was seriously full by just one, so I got to enjoy the rest at home. $35 for this is a pretty good deal. Literally fall off the bone, so much meat, smokey, just perfect. Sides complemented the meats well. I've also tried the cornbread here from the family meal and it is amazing, so much corn flavor and super moist. read more

Phil's BBQ - beefy ribs - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

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We sat at the bar tonight to grab a quick meal & watch some sports as we have done in the past. M. got the Philibuster with beans & I got my usual turkey burger with the onion ring & cheese & small fries. The food took about 25 minutes to come out, and when it did, my turkey burger had no onion ring & no cheese. I mentioned this to the woman who brought it out & she took it back right away. She returned a minute later, and a slice of American cheese and an onion ring had been slapped on the burger. The cheese was not melted at all, and by that time the burger was room temp. M. said his burger was tasty & he enjoyed the beans. My small fries were good & plenty to share. I was a bit disappointed in my turkey burger today, but I'll be hopeful that next time they'll get it right because normally it is really good. Dani was handling the bar well & she was friendly and efficient. I'm not a big drinker these days, but Phil's does have a an affordable & diverse selection of libations if you do choose to imbibe during your nosh sesh or vice versa. Peace. read more

Phil's BBQ - Philibuster with beans (5/18/26) - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

Got there with a short line so we were happy and not cranky from standing for an hour. When we ordered, we had ordered several items, including beans. Finding a seat is typically a task as they are very busy however after a minute or so one of the workers pointed us to a table in the patio . I wasn't too fond of that because they have hard chairs there. When we finally (I'm exaggerating here, we were hangry) got all our food and ate it all except for a few items. We had beef ribs and short ribs and a loaded baked potato. Like I said we had leftovers, but the food was fabulous. The meat came right off the bones. We put our food into containers and realized that we never got the beans that we ordered and agreed to order despite a 10 minute wait. We decided to mention it to somebody and they right away. Got some beans to go for us. Overall, yummy bbq joint. read more

Phil's BBQ - Menu options posted outside - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

So I had really high expectations for this place given it is regarded as THEE BBQ spot to be in San Diego. One side is a restaurant while the other side gives sports bar which was really cool. I'd like to premise this by saying amongst my friends I am considered a BBQ snob. Service - service is SUPERB. Everyone was attentive, constantly checked on us, and when I was absent minded and left my jacket one of the waitresses was nice enough to chase me down to my car. Absolutely no service complaints. Food: So I did not look at the menu before I came. Expecting a traditional menu that included brisket which is one of my favorites because if you can do a good brisket and a tender rib baaaabbyyy we in business. There was no brisket but they offered baby back ribs on and off the bone, chicken on and off the bone and hot links and some other options to satisfy ppl who aren't quite bbq fans. We ordered the baby back ribs with the chicken off the bone, bbq wings, potato salad, fries, baked beans and a chicken Cesar salad. Wings 10 out of 10 BBQ sauce and Ranch 10 out of 10 Ribs tenderness 10/10 and 7 out of 10 on the flavor. It wasn't horrible but it could've been way better Chicken off the bone 3 out of 10. This is because you can tell it wasn't cooked on a grill but seasoned with things to mimic bbq flavors. A salad will be a salad lol. However, they do put the aforementioned chicken on the salad and it wasn't my favorite thing. The sides were good I really appreciate that they have fresh cut fries. The baked beans were perfect. The potato salad was missing something that I couldn't quite put my finger on but when I put Tabasco on it, all was right with the world. read more

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Fun, lively atmosphere with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, making it great for casual lunch or dinners with friends or family. Their ribs and BBQ plates leave you full. The BBQ sauce is what stands out and keeps people coming back. This chain is known for its fast-casual, family-friendly setup and grilled ribs, sandwiches, and chicken. Parking can get pretty crowded during peak lunch and dinner hours since it's right by the Sports Arena area. The lines can also get long, especially on weekends, but service usually moves quickly. Overall, it's a reliable BBQ spot with good food. read more

Phil's BBQ - Chicken Dinner (Half) - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

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Excellent service (Thank you Lizzy and Roxy!)! And a GREAT place to watch Stanley Cup finals=fun and sporty atmosphere! We had happy hour Broham fries (ate em so fast I forgot a pic but I'll steal one from another post) and humongous buttermilk onion rings! Hot honey lemonade (perfection) and a Societe Pupil to wash it all down! And Fabulous chocolate chip cookies (dark and white chips)! See ya'llll soon! read more

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This is my 2nd time to Phil's. When we got there, the line was loooooong! This was a work dinner, so we didn't want to wait long. My coworker said that she saw on TikTok to avoid the lines and sit at the "bar". Boy did that work! Got seated immediately! I always have to get the beef rib if it's on the menu!! The pork ribs were fall off the bone! Don't miss out on the cornbread! I think they only have the one size. Which is fine with me! I ended up taking back to my hotel for midnight snack! Coleslaw cut the richness of the meats and the beans were perfectly sweet. Will go back for the sausage link! read more

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Always a family favorite we chose Phil's for our post graduation lunch. On a Saturday afternoon we showed up with 14 people. The staff happily created a place for us all to sit together while we ordered our food. This was the perfect casual spot for our family to eat and celebrate. The staff also allowed us to bring in a celebratory dessert since their menu does not have a lot of desserts on it. We ordered beef ribs, baby back ribs, chicken, and burgers with coleslaw, fries, and beans as sides. After we ordered one of our guests told us he is allergic to bbq sauce. The staff was very flexible and updated our order before serving it. The only negative of our meal was the burgers were well done. We prefer medium. The flavor was still good so we did not find out until our meal was completed otherwise we would have taken care of it during our meal. Fingers were too sticky to take photos. read more

One of the best BBQ spots in socal. I did take out. It could be confusing at first: you'll see a long line coming out the door for dine in, but just inside you'll see the take out line to the left. Loud inside, but very inviting. From ordering to pick up took about 20 minutes (Memorial Day weekend on a Sunday). Very reasonable wait time. Can't go wrong with any of the foods! read more

Phil's BBQ - Take out line left, dine in right - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

Whoa! I had high expectations after seeing that they had thousands of reviews but ended up disappointed. The line was wrapped around the building. The To-go line is a whole lot quicker. Stay to the left for to-gos. Ordered a full rack and half chicken dinners. Both were mediocre. I thought the ribs were too charred for my liking. It was tender but too sopped with sauce. The sides were average also. I thought the corn on the cob was a few pieces of corn on the cob but it was just one. It was super loud inside too. read more

Phil's BBQ - Full rack dinner and half chicken dinner - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

I haven't been to this Sports Area location in years. It is still packed with long lines. It took about 15-20 minutes to get our group a nice table, and our orders came pretty quickly. We love Phil's Ticklers menu. For $14.99 or less, you get a combo of beef, pork, or chicken with 2 onion rings, fries, and coleslaw. A great deal especially with the generous portion. My chicken was a little dry but everything else was good. My friend said the beef ribs were great and most places don't do beef ribs. We definitely will go here more. read more

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Phil's BBQ is BACK in the game 10/10 across the board. Everything was spectacular--exactly how you want BBQ to hit. Ribs 10/10 Sausage link 10/10 Chicken 8/10 Fries 10/10 Corn 9/10 BBQ sauce 20/10 (seriously... unreal) Flavor, consistency, vibe--all dialed. If you haven't been in a while, it's time. They're firing on all cylinders right now. read more

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We always come here anytime we're down at SD but this time we came with a party of 35 people at a busy Memorial Day Saturday dinner and we were a little worried but the manager there at the time (I think) was Trae and he was amazing because he helped accommodate and work with us very well. We got multiple family meal packages and we were stuffed and very happy! Super grateful for the staff and had an amazing meal and time! read more

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The rib-less tickler is delicious. The meat was super good, I like to get the bbq sauce on the side so I can choose how much I have because it is a bit spicy. I prefer the rib pieces over the chicken pieces. I'd like to try the bone-in rib tickler next time. The fries and onion rings are really good. The cornbread with honey butter is DELICIOUS. It's good without and with the honey butter. It's the best cornbread I've ever had and forever ordering it every time I go now! The pretzel is delicious too and I like how it's crispy with little bubbles on it. read more

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Order: - Beef and Pork ribs, cornbread, beans, coleslaw, fries, loaded baked potato Highlights: - Great service, good amenities and hand washing station - Great flavor and saucyyyy - The sides are great as well I recommend the corn bread 1000% Cons: - Didn't get the chicken this time but it was a bit dry last time - The beef rib was extremely heavy and hard to finish even one rib but very satiating Overall: I will always visit Phil's when i'm around, you can even sit with a dog at the patio section of the restaurant read more

Phil's BBQ - Beef Rib Dinner - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

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I wish I read my review from 6+ years ago because it was the exact reminder I needed. It looks crowded, but a lot of people standing are waiting for a table. Walked up and headed for the to go line and there was no one ahead of me. Ordered the ribs with 1/2 chicken plate, a tri-tip sandwich, and the corn bread which comes with an amazing maple butter spread. Grab and go, and enjoy the food without the wait! read more

Phil's BBQ - Best of Both Baby Back Pork Ribs and Chicken with Cole Slaw & Potato Salad, and 1 order of the Beefy Rib (back) - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

The serving size here is insaneeeee!!! Did family style (honestly just took a bite of a rib and it was pretty good. Just a standard/ classic bbq rib nothing too out of the ordinary) and the corn bread was massive as well but kinda cold. The butter was fiya though! read more

Phil's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

Visited this very popular bbq place in San Diego. Me and my friends went on a Saturday afternoon around 5 and there was a line around the corner already although the wait wasn't that bad, about 20 minutes. Once you get to the front of the line, they will find a table for you and send you the table after you order. I ordered the Beefy Rib Tickler and I could not finish that 1 beef bone, fries, coleslaw and onion rings. The rib was fall off the bone tender, juicy and flavorful. The servers kept checking on us to make sure we have what we needed. The servers are friendly and helpful! We had a great experience. I actually went back the next day to order a full rib to bring home to my family but I am hoping to bring them so they can experience the fun restaurant. read more

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I found myself in Point Loma on a weeknight and was hungry so we swung by the OG Phil's BBQ in sports arena. I had forgotten how long the line to order and get into the restaurant is as I typically go to the Rancho Bernardo location with little to no wait. It took about 35 minutes on a Tuesday night to order so prepare accordingly. If you are not keen to wait they do have a takeout line which is much shorter. I ordered the half baby back ribs and half bbq chicken dinner and picked fries and mac salad as my sides along with their cornbread. There was an immediate hiccup with my order. I asked for all dark meat and the kitchen manager had to be called over to input this. After sitting, I was buzzed to pickup my food fairly quickly which was surprising but when I got to the front the worker informed me she had buzzed me by mistake. I waited another 12 minutes before I was buzzed again only to find there was another hiccup with my order. There was confusion with the chicken portion of my order and the worker called over the same kitchen manager and asked for help but the kitchen manager ignored her. I felt really bad for the poor worker and assured her that it was okay. She was able to sort things out by asking another more senior worker. I finally settled down to enjoy my meal and thankfully the rest of the evening was much better. The food was delicious - this Phils BBQ imo has hands down the best quality food among the Phil's BBQ locations. The table service is also the best as our attendant got us extra plates, extra utensils and came to check on us frequently. All in all this was quite the roller coaster experience but I was thankful that things ended on a high note. read more

Phil's BBQ - Menu - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

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It's been over 10 years since I've been back. The taste is somewhat as I remembered. The price is reasonable. I really enjoyed the baby short ribs and the beef bone. The pulled pork was tender and good too. The portion was good too. The tri-tip was a little too burnt for me. The potato salad and sweet beans helped cut through the richness of the meat. There's still a lot of customers here for a late night. I remember coming here and having to wait an hour to be seated. We didn't have to wait this time. read more

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Came here on a whim during our Sea World vacation. Husband was in paradise! He was drooling over the ribs before we even got seated. Food took a little longer, but will worth the wait. Our server was so great and very knowledgeable about the menu and proms. The ambiance is a warm feel with a home town bar side. read more

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I went to this location the other day and it was pretty busy. But the lines moved quick and my party and I were able to find a table right away. I got the pork rib and chicken combo with fries and cole slaw. The bbq wasn't overly sweet which I liked. The meat was nice and tender as well. The only thing I wished was if the fries were crisper but other than that I found the meal pleasing. read more

Phil's BBQ - Rib Baby Back Rib & Chicken Dinner - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

heard good things about this spot and finally got to try it! they have a few locations around san diego, and this was my first visit. we ordered the cornbread w brown butter, bbq pork ribs, sausage, bbq chicken, double cheeseburger, sweet beans, coleslaw, mac salad, potato salad, and a side salad. the cornbread was easily one of my favorite things we tried. sweet, full of real corn kernels, and absolutely amazing w the brown butter. it's made fresh daily and available until sold out, so definitely grab one if you can! the bbq pork ribs were my fav meat--super tender and packed w flavor. the bbq chicken rlly surprised me too. even the white meat was juicy and not dry at all. the double cheeseburger was thick, juicy, and loaded w toppings. the sausage was ok to me, personally preferred the pork ribs. ambiance was family friendly w plenty of seating. and service was super quick. you order at the counter and pick up at the counter when your food is ready. definitely a must-try spot when you're in san diego! read more

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Phil's BBQ is such a staple of San Diego. We don't usually stop by unless we have people visit from out of town so it's always a nice treat when we do get Phil's! Service has been great every time we come, despite how busy it can get! Though it is pretty loud inside the restaurant, it's a fun and upbeat kind of loud. We opted for takeout this time since we just wanted to enjoy our food at home. Over the years I've craved BBQ less and less because the flavor can be super overwhelming, BUT I can always devour some Phil's baby back ribs and my favorite baked beans! They also make for decent leftovers, too. Until next time! read more

Phil's BBQ - Baby Back Rib and Sweet Baked Beans (Small) with extra BBQ sauce - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

Phil's is hands down one of my fav bbq spots. In fact, it's family tradition when we drive to SD we go straight to Phil's. Service here is always friendly. I am used to ordering at the counter and didn't even know they had a full service side. However while we were standing in line to order we were asked if we wanted to sit on the full service side and were told they had a nice patio that was dog friendly. It was perfect! I ordered the wings, side of tri tip and small side of Mac Salad. All were fantastic. My friend ordered pulled pork and a side of their famous onion rings. Don't leave without trying the onion rings! I also bought 4 of their bottles of sauce to bring back to AZ with me. Yes, it's that good! read more

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We did not have time to wait on a Sunday night for this amazing BBQ joint near the Arena in San Diego. The outdoor seating also had a long wait. Instead, we opted for the take out, which also took about 15 minutes to order. Service was good, but a little rushed and confused. The ribs, wings, and fries were all very tasty and worth the 15 minute wait. A bit pricey, but well with it. Would love to visit another time when we could sit and experience the crowd, which was unusually eclectic! read more

Been coming to Phil's BBQ for years and it still hits every time. The BBQ is super flavorful! smoky, saucy, and consistent all across. As great as the food was though, the service really stood out this visit. They had a full house and they still went out of their way to help carry trays to the table without us even asking. That kind of service stays with me. Not to mention the patio seating was comfortable and somehow stayed cool even in the heat, which made the whole experience just solid. Phil's BBQ never misses read more

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Been to OB a few times for vacation. Always wanted to try Phils. Well I did. So yes its packed. Almost always. So prepare for a wait. Especially when football is on. The staff are abundant and super friendly. Just keep in mind a lot of it is self serve but they will help you out. You go get your food after ordering. And your drinks. If you want to try different meat without hitting the wallet too hard get a tickler and add a beverage that comes with a hot link. Beef Rib Tickler - The beef rib was great. Im not that big of a fan of their BBQ sauce but the rib itself was great.Overall temperature of all the food wasnt hot but it wasnt that cold. The rib itself can be sauced or unsauced I believe. So I got it sauced which they cook the sauce on the meat and they put some fresh sauce on it after. I feel if they just sauce the meat while its cooking should be perfect. Onion Rings - Perfect. Great crunch. Not a whole lot of onion tho. Fries - Good side. Light. Cole Slaw - Tasty and very good side. Hot Link - Not that hot or spicy. Was on the cold side as far as temperature. Very tasty though just wish it was hot in both ways. Beans - Not a fan of these style chile beans. They are soupy and made with southwest chiles. Reminds me of carne en su jugo but I love carne en su jugo. Phils is great to bring friend and family. the portions are big too. read more

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Best BBQ chicken wings ever! And the meal deals are very generous with their portions.

First time dining at Phil Bbq and it was delicious. My bf and I went on a Friday lunch and there were plenty of tables available. We first ordered: Best of Both: beefy rib and chicken dinner with cole slaw and macaroni salad. We also ordered a side of tri tip. It was a 5/5, the beef rib was my favorite. The meat was so tender that the meat fell off the bone. The tri tip was sliced thinly in a bbq sauce. Customer service was excellent, there was a waitress who went around and ask us if we needed anything else. read more

Phil's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

Not the best BBQ in San Diego - sorry tourists- but decent. Decent value for the portion sizes for sure. Always friendly service. Many times though I feel like the food is somewhat lacking in tenderness or genuine flavor. read more

Such a reliable bbq spot in San Diego :) I recently visited this place with a big party of friends on a Friday night. I was surprised to see they were still busy after opening other locations! I always order a boneless tickler plate and it never disappoints, gives me a bite of everything. Also don't forget to order ranch it's soooo good! The staff was so nice to help seat us and push together tables so all our friends could be seated together. The restaurant was clean and comfy. I'd visit again! read more

Phil's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

Stopping by Phil's is a must when you're in San Diego! Great flavor and the hospitality is always great read more

Phil's BBQ - Beefy Rib & Chick-Less Dinner - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

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Been a customer since their first location opened up in Mission Hills. They will always be the best bbq I've ever had, hands down. Recipe is always consistent, customer service is the best and just all around a vibrant atmosphere. read more

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