It ain't Texas bbq, but it's still damn good. My go to are the beef ribs and the tri-tip sandwich. Both are excellent. Service is always friendly and fast. Place is clean and well kept. It is expensive, but, i mean, what isn't these days? read more

Decided to hit Phils Before heading back to LA but the one on Midway was too packed. When I say packed it was around 50 min wait on a Sunday night around 530. So we decided to try another location which was this one got lucky it only took around 25 min to get sitted. I am impressed tho even it's not the original spot this is still Bussin! SLAPS! and not no mids either. The food did not disappoint. I like ordering the sauce on the side just FYI in my opinion it's better than getting drenched with the sauce. The place is really loud which is OK for me because my 3 little princess gets really loud. Unlike the one on midway I feel like they are about the same size just missing the souvenir area. read more

Phil's BBQ - BBQ wings with a kik and beef ribs dinner with side of fries. - Barbeque Near Me - Santee, California

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Take my rating with a grain of salt I'm sure if you love BBQ you'll probably like this spot, I personally am indifferent when it comes to BBQ but I think this place was good. The service was good and the restaurant was clean. (I'm also not big on eating pork so also not my jam bc many BBQ spots are primarily pork) so if you like BBQ you will probably like it more than me. read more

phil's bbq... Gosh i don't even have words for it. First i would love to say that my busser brooklyn the little tiny blonde girl. When we first sat down she came to us and introduced her self to us and immediatly made us feel welcomed and like we were her first priority. I see her doing the most and she seems like she was handling multiple sections and it looked like they were low staff the day we came. I overheard her trying to communicate with her managers and she was really professional. She really showed that she knew what she was doing and made the food taste great. No complaints about the food, but i def know that brooklyn needs more than what she gets. i came in yesterday but i will be coming in again due to her giving an amazing experience. read more

I don't ever write reviews, but I wanted to shoutout how kind the staff is here. I've now been to Phil's twice (Santee location and San Marcos) and both locations the staff was incredibly kind. I hope they are treated well by the management and owners because they are extremely helpful and make the business go round. Jasmine at Santee went above and beyond to answer all my questions with a smile on her face and never once rushed me even though it was Saturday night and they were busy and there was a line behind me. I worked in service for over 15 years and know what kind of patience that takes! On top of that, the bbq sauce is sooo good. Reminds me of a sauce I used to get at a place in NYC that I've been missing. So glad I found this spot to fill that craving. It's a thinner sauce with a nice tangy flavor. My new go to bbq spot! read more

Phil's BBQ takes their customer service very serious. I had an issue once out of maybe 100 times going there. I have been to Many locations and they are always great. This Mission Gorge store has always been great with the Niblet Meals and the Bar Service was always great. When I had an issue Phil's reached out to me right away. They assured me my feedback was received and would take care of it. I am looking forward to going there again to feast on the Beef Ribs. My Son and Dad are just as happy and excited to go there again. We all live in santee and like the Mission Gorge Location. read more

Phil's BBQ - Beef Rib Dinner with extra Beef Bone. - Barbeque Near Me - Santee, California

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The portions were crazy big in my opinion, which was super good. Each rib dinner portion comes with 2 sides - so I picked the Mac salad and potato salad. They cut the richness and sweetness of the bbq ribs pretty well. Sauce was just too much and sweet for me. read more

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Went to Phil's BBQ and got a Caesar salad and chicken on the side thinking who could possibly mess up a salad. Somehow they still managed to turn that into a disaster. The Caesar dressing tasted off immediately completely wrong one bite in and both me and my friend looked at each other like something wasn't right. Then the chicken came out dry enough to qualify as beef jerky. Good chicken doesn't need barbecue sauce drowning it just to make it edible. But the real nightmare started hours later maybe even minutes Both of us ended up with some of the worst stomach imaginable even though I had more chicken I could definitely pin this on the salad this stomach pain was the kind where you're questioning every life decision while curled up in agony on your bathroom floor. I genuinely don't understand how you mess up a salad A SALAD. And that dry ahh chicken definitely did not help. Don't eat at this place unless you wanna be stuck on the toilet shitting. (review is only about salad an chicken everything else was very good Ambiance and service wise I'm just talking abt that salad) read more

First time at Phil's. Decided to dine in and ordered a mix of options to try out a bit of everything. I started with a half rack, Mac salad and beens 9/10. We ordered a tri trip sandwich to try the meat, melt in the mouth. 10/10. Then my partner ordered ribless ribs tickler that came with fries, coleslaw. 10/10 as it was all meat!! We also added one sausage to get the free drink. 10/10. Epic visit! Great food, very nice service and fast delivery. We will be back. read more

Phil's BBQ - Fast easy ordering. - Barbeque Near Me - Santee, California

Phil's BBQ crushed it. I got the full rack of baby back ribs with double fries and honestly, I could've kept going if I wasn't already in a food coma. Ribs were super tender, saucy, and full of flavor. Fries were crispy and on point. The place has a fun, no-frills vibe -- loud, busy, and smelling like BBQ heaven. Staff was cool and quick with the food. Definitely coming back. read more

Phil's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Santee, California

5 stars isn't for the food, it's for the service! Brynn and Nicole made it worth the visit. They were friendly, proactive, and went way above and beyond to make sure everything was handled perfectly, even though it wasn't technically needed. Their positive attitudes and professionalism made all the difference. The food was meh but huge shout out to Brynn and Nicole! Five stars aren't enough. I'll definitely come back to them! read more

This location in Santee was rockin last Sunday afternoon. They did a great job of clearing tables which allowed our wait time to move pretty quick. Our party of 3 only waited about 15 mns for a table. Having servers help bring your food to the table is a nice touch. Price is about average for good fast food these days. 3 brisket sandwiches, 2 plates of gigantic onion rings and 3 bottomless sodas came to about 66$ before tip. Plenty of parking. Wheelchair accessible, fun atmosphere (not quiet), great food. We love eating at Phils. read more

Came here for the fist time in years. The gentleman at the front named William was friendly. But the bar staff were top notch! The bbq was good, but the girls at the bar Brynn and Nicole were such great people! Very attentive and really good at reading people. I will definitely come back for a drink just because of them. Management please give them a raise ! Well done read more

I recommend this spot if you're a big fan of barbecue!! Worth the wait even tho we got served too fast that we demolished our dish as soon as it hit our face!! read more

Phil's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Santee, California

Decided to try out this Phil's location in Santee! We came by around 1PM and there was no line with lots of seating. Compared to the main location...I personally preferred the less hectic feel here. Staff was friendly. We weren't too hungry, but two of us ordered: -beef rib dinner, sauce on side, small fries, small slaw $32.49 -large caesar $8.49 with chicken, extra $3.75 Beef rib was quite pricey but was very good. Definitely recommend getting small sides since portions are large and you get the variety. I do enjoy Phil's locations since they have a lot of DIY stations. Drinks, utensils, hand washing stations, etc. Easy parking in the plaza as well. They do charge an auto service charge (I believe around 10% or so...so keep that in mind). Solid spot! Highly recommend this location to beat the wait! read more

Mac salad and beef ribs never disappoint, some of my absolute favorite along with their El toro sandwich. I also recently tried their cornbread for the first time and I was very pleased because it was very soft and came with this maple butter on the side. Service is usually pretty quick and you can always find a nice clean seat!! read more

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My family and I dined at Phil's in Santee yesterday evening. The food was delicious as always. And the workers are always courteous. A young man by the name of Landen stopped by our table a few times while we were eating, he was so polite, and had a great personality. Thank you Landen for being so attentive. read more

The food was delicious. The ribs were moist, seasoned, and easy to eat. It was a perfect portion for me, since I was able to take some to-go for lunch or dinner for another time. The macaroni salad was creamy and in small bits, which I thought was really cute. The coleslaw was very fresh. There was a lot more than I was expecting. The staff is nice and patient. You just go up to the counter to order, and you just pick up food at the side of the counter. The restaurant really gives off a bbq restaurant vibe. There are lots of TVs that keep you updated on any sports games going on and play the games as well. Overall, great time to go out to hang out with friends or family. read more

Phil's BBQ - Fresh Cole Slaw (Small) Macaroni Salad (Small) Beef Rib Dinner - Barbeque Near Me - Santee, California

Thought I would go eat at Phil's BBQ after work since it's still early. Ordered beefy bone dinner with one large side at 4:51pm. Wasn't busy at all and a few people ordering to go. I waited for over 20 minutes while watching all the takeout orders being served even the ones after me. The waiter was nice and apologetic for waiting so long. It wasn't his fault. I would understand if it was busy, but it wasn't. There are other options around. Probably won't ever come back again. It's already overprice, so waiting that long for heating up old food is not worth it. read more

Phil's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Santee, California

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Food 8/10 The food was great! Had a quarter rib dinner and that was more than enough for 1 person. Service: 8/10 The line to order was long and finding an open table was challenging but the staff were nice. Ambiance: 8/10 The place is packed all the time and a little loud sometimes but you can still carry on a conversation without having to yell over the table. read more

Ordered 2 platters with beef ribs dry with the BBQ sauce on the side. I hadn't had them in almost a year and a half. We were so excited and got them to go about 20 minutes away. The sides of baked beans, onion rings, and coleslaw were great! Now the most important part the beef ribs were over half inedible!! They were just globs of fat with Barely any decent bits of meat. The meal was so expensive and we were so let down. It seems like they definitely have cheapened down their meat. read more

Phil's BBQ - Beef Rib Tickler meal, Broham sandwich, sausage link, 10 mesquite wings, extra beef rib - Barbeque Near Me - Santee, California

I have been to the other Phil's BBQ but prefer this location. There was a shorter wait time to order, and it was easier to get a table. Inside was spacious; they also had TVs, giving a BBQ/sports bar vibe. I ordered Baby Back Ribs & Chicken Dinner and Mango Margarita. The ribs and chicken were good. The meats were tender, but they did not have a lot of smokiness flavor. The sides (coleslaw and mac salad) were okay, too. The margarita was excellent. According to the bartender, the Mango Margarita was one of their bestsellers because it was a good pair with the ribs and chicken. The prices were reasonable, and the portions were generous. The best thing about this place was its service. A staff member went around the room to make sure everything was good with the diners, and he also took the plates when we were done. read more

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Great place for family and love the ribs. Wide open area for lots of family. Lots of good choices of food here my favorites always the beef ribs with the macaroni salad. read more

I just wanted to say that I had a wonderful experience today for my son's birthday. My server Gavin came up with the staff and they sang happy birthday to my son. Gavin was very attentive and made us feel special. read more

Been coming here for YEARS and I am never disappointed with service or quality of food. The manage always comes around asking how our experience is and if there's anything they can do for us. Waiters are always around asking if we need anything as well. They are quick to serve and have AMAZING customer service. Would recommend EVERYONE to come and enjoy this food and service!!! read more

Excellent customer service. The food is off of the highly recommended to friends and family. Excellent atmosphere highly recommended. The wings are off the Hook as well the rest of their food as well. read more

Food was great got the bbq service was quite efficient and the ambiance was fun with lots of sports to watch on many tv's in bar area.

Phil's BBQ in Santee was great. We had a group of 20 for dinner after a funeral. We reserved a large table to acomodate our group. 3 of us got there early and the table was not ready yet. The manager profusely apologized and was waiting on another party to finish to setup for us. By the time everyone arrived it was ready. She worked very hard to make sure we were taken care of and all went well. The food was excellent and the staff were extremely friendly. read more

We went to Phil's bbq for a bday dinner and we had Isis as our cashier. She was so welcoming and has a great personality. Very welcoming and helped guide us with our order. Love her smile and sense of humor - Thank you so much Isis. Hope to see you again. You are awesome read more

We came here after the safari park, so we were starving. It was our first time here and the lady at the front taking our order was helpful in answering our questions and giving us time to curate a filling meal. We went with the full rib dinner that came with 2 small sides (we got potato salad and baked beans) and a quarter piece of chicken to share although we could've done a half chicken, it was so good. We picked up the food from the counter and the chicken in itself sold me because it was so juicy, the ribs were also super tender and sauced perfectly. The place was pretty packed and bustling for a Monday. Would definitely come here again. read more

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The cornbread alone was 10/10. The wings were seasoned well. The quarter chicken looked undercooked so we put it in the oven to ensure it was cooked thoroughly. The macaroni salad was delicious and potato salad was decent. I prefer smaller cut for the potatoes and a little bit more flavor. I am from the South and bbq is a big thing. Definitely would recommend Phil's B read more

We celebrated our sons birthday with family at the Santee Phil's and we had the best employee helping our table out...Aiden was so on top of everything! There were 14 of us in our group and he made sure everyone had everything they needed at all times. He also took note it was our son's birthday and he and his co-workers came together to sing happy birthday in the most charismatic way! He was attentive, professional, funny, interactive and gave the best service we've had at this location. We visit Phil's about once a month and lately the service has been hit and miss, as well as the food. Last night the food was not on point unfortunately, but Aiden made up for that with his stellar customer service! read more

Great place for family to visit for BBQ and also very nice staff. The food is hot and delicious.

I usually go to the Sports Arena location, but the wait to order and a table can be forever. My friend recommended Santee and I was delighted! Plenty of seating and parking on a Friday night with a shorter wait time to order. Food was great, but the service was outstanding! The cashier was friendly and repeated the order so there would be no mistakes. There were runners checking regularly on diners and clearing plates and trash. We were in the mood for beef ribs and they did not disappoint. The one disappointment was the sausage link. I have been wanting to try it and was sad at how soft and bland the link was. The good news was I was allowed to add the $5 link and drink deal to my rib tickler! read more

Phil's BBQ - Beef rib ticker on right, add-on sausage link on left and beef rib dinner with corn in back - Barbeque Near Me - Santee, California

Service and food is great . The busser Gavyn was very friendly and attentive. I will look for his section next time !

Still have the best bbq beef ribs anywhere! They are moist & meaty . Service is fast and the line always move efficiently. read more

Phil's BBQ - Waiting for my food order that I just placed. - Barbeque Near Me - Santee, California

Came for the the ribs. Was very pleased with the size and taste of the beefy ribs. Pros: Great quality bbq and sides. Lots of beer in tap. Cons: Expect a long line. (pro tip try getting a seat at the bar for small parties) Overall: Great spot to come for BBQ and a drink. Try the beef ribs, you will not be disappointed. read more

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

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We absolutely love this hidden gem. We go at least once a week to visit Courtney in the bar. She is so sweet and always goes out of her way to take care of us. Food and drinks never disappoint, happy hour deals are awesome too. We will continue with our weekly visits. read more

Been back a few more times and I have had more than enough experiences to say that my initial review was no damn fluke, the bar area is the place to be and the Saturday crew is f#cking legit. Abby and Cass, we're looking at you! Seriously, the 8,582,734 reviews about Phil's will let you know that the food is good, that's a given, but this little machine that keeps the bar from dying of thirst and that puts your cardiologist on high alert continues to get my praise. They remember more than your face, not just your name, not your "go-to" ribless/chickless (sauce on the side) with coleslaw, but also your poison - a vodka/soda for me. Cass and Abby got you! Seriously, Saturday is the day to sit at the bar here. The gals will talk football with you (the 49'ers? Really Abby?) and build a vibe, that's for sure. It's football season, now get me loaded(ish), you two! read more

Phil's Santee is on point. Abby, Isis and Courtney in the bar are the best and are friendly, efficient, and always make us feel like we're right where we belong. Happy hour prices can't be beat. We love it here, both with and without kids. TY Phil's! read more