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Pioneer BBQ

3.9 (726 reviews)

Pioneer BBQ Barbeque Restaurant Photos

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PIONEER BBQ ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Trendy
Moderate noise
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Pioneer BBQ

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Tykeshia J.

The service here is exceptional. The waitress was very polite and attentive. The restaurant give me cool renovated warehouse vibes. There plenty of TVs around to catch some games playing. The parking lot is sort of small, so if it was a busy day it may be an issue with parking. Lastly, the bbq, the pulled park was okay. The mac and cheese was runny, everything else had no flavor. I would say this place is good for a drink with friends or solo, but the BBQ definitely is not anything to look forward too.

2 plate combo
Hannah N.

I am shocked that I have not left a review of this spot yet as we have been multiple times! We love coming to this spot for dinner when we have the time because they do close rather early during the week so sometimes we can not make it over there in time. We came in for a Saturday night dinner and also got to enjoy doing trivia as well. I am a tri tip lover so when I read that they do a tri tip special on Saturdays I knew I had to order it and it was SOO good! I did the tri tip plate which came with 2 sides which I did the baked potato and the elote corn which everything was great. My boyfriend got the beans and mac n cheese as his sides and both of those were amazing as well. You really can't go wrong with their side options! Can't wait to come back again soon!

Reuben
Tiffany P.

Quality bbq spot in Grossmont! Super friendly staff who actually exude that they like their job lol. Ordered the Reuben which had the thickest pieces of pastrami I ever had! It came on rye bread with classic tasting sauerkraut (hell yeah probiotics). For dessert, I ordered the seasonal bread pudding a la mode. The seasonal fruit was blackberries, and that dessert was pretty amazing. 10/10

G R.

We went to Pioneer BBQ for Valentine's Day Dinner, they did not disappoint $59.95 for 2! Food: Ribs, meaty & tasty; chicken, tasty too! But that brisket was everything & more, I haven't had any better here in California. Beans, potato salad & coleslaw were on point as well. We had the cherry cheesecake for dessert, (it was like a deconstructed cheesecake in a glass) wasn't too sweet & very tasty! Service: Top notch! Super nice people, very welcoming! Ambiance: One of the best for us, not too crowded, laid back, not too loud, I liked the lay out of the restaurant, the whole vibe was my kind of place. I will add we usually go to Coasters in PB, but I do like the Pioneer location better (for various reasons; mainly the riffraff in PB & crowds)

BBQ POTATO SKINS
Adam B.

Sat at the bar seemed to get there right before the rush. Nice, clean, semi industrial look. We shared the loaded fries, potato skins and chicken tenders. Carolina gold bbq sauce was excellent. Fries had a lot going on, the cheese sauce didn't fit in for me. Chicken tenders were some of the best I've ever had. Potato skins were very good. I'll be back to try a sandwich sometime. It's a bit pricey. Even appetizers were over $15. No killer deals on happy hour. Essential a $1 off some beers and well drinks.

Brisket sandwich with baked potato
Yael M.

I have driven past this place a multitude of times and finally got a change to check them out! I love that this restaurant is family-oriented and they also own Del's Hideout which is another restaurant that's known to be kid- friendly. They have an extensive menu of local brews but I just tried their brisket sandwich with a baked potato. The brisket was so tender and flavorful, and was served on a fluffy brioche bun. My baked potatoe came with butter and sour cream, and was the perfect addition to the sandwich. The meal was a large portion for me and I ended up taking my leftovers home. At $20, I felt that it was fairly priced for bbq. I will definitely be back to try more off their menu along with their happy hour specials. If you're looking for delicious BBQ, friendly service, and a welcoming atmosphere- this is it!

Ribs, Meatloaf, Baked Beans, Street Corn, Cornbread
William H.

People raving about this place so....you know I had to check it out. It's a BBQ spot that serves alcohol. Walking in there's plenty of seating inside and a bar in front of you. Wait for a second and you'll be seated. I ordered the 2 Meat Combo with Meat Loaf, Ribs w/ Street Corn, Baked Beans & Cornbread. Plus I also tried a Loaded Potato Skins. Ribs were ok but wish they had more flavor. Meatloaf was ok and there's not a lot of meat. Street Corn was ok...Baked Beans were good....Cornbread was ok....Loaded Potatoes were good. If you're in the area check it out.

Daily Specials sound really good
Taura G.

Came here on a Saturday Night on Veterans Day. Parking lot was full and there was a sign that there wasw parking at Albertsons next door. We did that and found a parking spot quickly. The walk was about 3 mins and the weather was cool and crisp outside. When we arrived, the hostess seated us right away. My husband wanted to watch the football games and the spot that we were initially shown had no tv view. We tried to flag down the hostess but she was in deep conversation with another table. A man who was near the bar came to see about helping us. He wiped off a bar top table and we were able to relocate. This was very cool of him. He even offered to put the game on that we wanted, super cool dude. We sat and our server came over and introduced herself. She would bring back iced waters and then take our order. We ordered the BBQ Meal For Two. It had 6oz brisket, pulled pork, bbq chicken, texas toast, and came with choice of 3 sides. We chose: Collard Greens, Mac N Cheese, and mashed potatoes for our sides. Food came out like in 5mins! It was very unexpected. The portions were decent and the toast was warm and crunchy. The brisket was a bit fatty, but the smoke flavor was awesome. They gave us the most marbled fatty slices and it was not enjoyable. The bbq chicken was a little dry and didn't have much taste to it. I put bbq sauce on it, and it is a spicy sauce so it wasn't my thing. The pulled pork I did not try but my husband said that it was very good with good smoke flavor. The sides were okay. I asked for a dessert menu and instead of giving me one, our server told me the 4 items on it. That bothered me a bit, as I like to see how the chef describes their menu items. They had no options that included chocolate in the dessert, so I passed and thanked our server for letting me know. Overall, the customer service was very good. The place was packed, TVs had all the college football games on, and the trivia added a great atmosphere. They have Saturday Night Trivia here. It is pretty exciting to watch and they made the first round a Veterans Category. I loved the energy. We noticed that they some great daily specials, so would like to come back to try some of them.

Keith K.

My first time here was a great experience! I ordered the pulled pork with baby back ribs. Both were excellent! The pulled pork was tender and tasty and the ribs were meaty and had great flavor. Even the sides were very good. I had the baked beans, bacon potato salad and a cornbread muffin. Service was also great. I will add Pioneer BBQ to my list of favorite California BBQ restaurants!

Outside
Erica C.

9/8/2024 - Only my second time here. Arrived in early afternoon and plenty of sitting. I wouldn't go here on a Sunday. Several tables with guests watching football games with game jerseys. Very loud in there with screaming and whatever. Ok. Ordered smoke meatloaf with potato salad, baked potatoes and Texas toast. The meatloaf was not good and had a kick. Taste like spam. They put some glaze or something on it and it had a spice kick and you only add sauces to meatloaf when it's dry. I would not get again. I taste no smoke flavor to the meatloaf except the sauce they placed in it. Rest of the sides were fine. I took 2 stars off for lack of good quality meatloaf. I'm always looking for a good meatloaf. Skip it here. Also, very expensive. See photos.

BIG O' MELT (GF*) with Brisket
Rick H.

Dude....first of all, the food here is amazing and it's clear that a lot of love goes into it.....and at a fair price. Second, service is exceptional, the server being knowledgeable about the food as well as the beer selection. Third, when does a server or manager ask how did "we" do? It's always more about "everything ok"? So, my response was you guys rocked it! I know it takes a team and you all did well! For my meal I ordered the Big O Melt, basically a grilled Swiss cheese on Texas Toast with caramelized onions and add your choice of BBQ meats, I chose Brisket. The meal included a side, I selected Street Corn. The sandwich was exceptional. The brisket moist and flavorful, the cheese and caramelized onions worked, add some spiced bbq sauce and Carolina style bbq sauce and it's a match made in heaven. The street corn side was a good choice; had me at first bite, canned corn but good, sweet, firm, add lime juice, a tad of mayo or cream, cotija cheese, and tajin on top (my interpretation). Paired nicely with the sandwich, other choices included Cole slaw, baked beans, fries, side salad, etc. I really enjoyed the music, decor, layout, etc, will definitely come back with family and/or friends. The only negative comment would be access in and out and parking, a bit tight.

Checking out this place for the first time !

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2 years ago

It is wonderful experience with amazing food. And a great space for families from the local community. Highly recommend.

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1 year ago

Food is amazing! Great location and fun relaxing atmosphere!! I recommend, great sports bar.

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This restaurant exceeded our expectations, serving outstanding food that left a lasting impression on our family's first visit.

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2 years ago

3.5 stars. Service was ok. Food was good but not at the top of the list of BBQ places. It's on my neighborhood so very convenient.

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Pioneer BBQ Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Pioneer BBQ

Is this real deal wood smoked bbq or baked?

Hi Nemo, All meats are smoked with white oak in our Southern Pride smokers. So yes, it's the real… Read more

Is this place dog friendly?

Yes, they have an outside patio..

View All 3 Questions

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Pioneer BBQ - bbq - Updated May 2026

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