Oh yum! First time here so we tried a chicken plate and mix plate, one with the Cole slaw, one…read morewith fries. Meats were so tasty with just the right amount of bbq sauce, served on a delicious pita topped with a small amount of diced sweet onion. Slaw is more like a salad with oil and vinegar which I found to be delicious. Great balance with the bbq sauce. A big portion. Fries were delicious, perfectly done and an ample amount. We dined in and enjoyed the dining area with plenty of seating for large groups .coke products to serve yourself on the fountain machine. Bathrooms were also easy to find and clean. Friendly staff and many diners like us were saying it was their first time here which I love - support small family owned businesses!

Got the antipasto salad today. It was HUGE! Enough for at least 4 persons. Spring mix was fresh and…read morethe assortment of cheeses and meats was generous and delicious!! Well worth the price. Still the friendliest people I've ever met. Great customer service and you leave feeling like a valued friend vs a customer. Go try them out. It is all yummy!

We stopped in for an extremely late - so late it was almost dinner - lunch. There were two other…read moreparties when we walked in, one already seated and chowing down, the other finishing their order at the counter. The menu is fairly large, with lots of meat and side options. We were able to review the menu while the ladies in front of us finished placing their orders (and once the owner adjusted the TVs to be able to show the menus again.) We hadn't eaten anything that day, so we went in knowing we were going to be hungry. The sweet young lady working the counter that day welcomed us in and answered all my questions (what's the soup of the day? navy bean; what comes in the combo? ribs, ham, brisket, bread and two sides) before taking our order and our money. We ended up sharing the combo (with potato salad and onion rings for the sides) and my husband got an extra brisket sandwich because he thought the one plate wouldn't be enough to fill us up. The food came quickly, which was both good and bad. Good because we were, as mentioned, starving. Bad because - well, not "bad" per se, but not ideal - we got the feeling the food had been sitting for a while. And that's really the only knock I have on the meal: that the meat felt a bit tougher than I'm sure it was meant to be, just because we were eating so late in the afternoon. I'm sure it would have been much more tender had we arrived earlier. Still, we had no problems polishing off both the combo plate and my husband's sandwich (which I didn't get a chance to try...I was worried I'd lose a finger if I tried to go in for a nibble). I did enjoy the ribs and the brisket; the ham was my least favorite thing in the combo. It felt a little too bland compared to the other meat offerings, which were smoky and meaty. The onion rings were served with ranch dressing and the potato salad had a nice bite to it - from both the ingredients and the flavors. I think we'd go back, the next time we're in the area, but I don't think we'll go in at such an "off" hour.

I've been coming here since the 80s--it was a family favorite throughout my childhood and a place I…read moreeventually brought my own kids. I was nervous about the new ownership, and unfortunately, my concerns were justified. This was my first time back, and it is definitely not the same food. When I asked if the recipes were the same, the staff gave a non-committal "I think so," but the meal told a different story: The Price: $20 for a single plate is a significant jump. The Meat: I ordered my regular ham and tri-tip combo. Both were disappointing--a mix of fat and overcooked, dried-out, bland meat. The Sauce: The original homemade sauce was delicious and consistent for decades. This new version tastes like generic, bottled sauce straight off a grocery store shelf. The sides: the potato salad used to be perfect and clearly made in-house. Now, it tastes like mass-produced deli salad from a supermarket. It's such a bummer. I don't understand why new owners take over a successful institution that has been a staple since the 70s only to change the recipes for the worse. I've seen this happen recently at other local spots like **Peterson's Donut Corner**, where the quality has dipped and they've stopped taking cash. If you want a taste of "old Escondido" that actually stays true to its roots, go to **Bamboo House**. I went there recently after years away, and it was like a flashback to being a kid--same friendly service, same great prices, and the same delicious food they've been serving for over 30 years. Sadly, The Wrangler aka El Flako's Wrangler Barbecue, has lost a lifelong customer. It's just not the same place anymore.

I cannot recommend this place enough! They catered lunch for my office (60 people) with a days…read morenotice. It was delicious! Probably the best BBQ I have had. All my staff was raving about how good it was and asking where I ordered it from. Briana and her sister were so helpful. They are already asking when we are having it again :)

Ohh shout out to Up in Smoke BBQ! We have ordered from them many times going back to San Marcos…read more Their food is delicious and the portions are huge. We ordered a bit late tonight but they put the order through. They were out of the chili so substituted their mac and cheese which is delish! They even put in a sweet note to let us know they substituted and gave us a larger portion and a some little extras. Hub got the two meat combo and I had the pulled pork sandwich. Best BBQ in North County! I have enough leftovers for two more sandwiches! Thank you Up in Smoke for the delicious food and great customer service. Sorry if we kept you open a little late.

They were good. Passed by there a month ago place looked empty. No body there. Too bad they had…read morebest Mexican food around. Sad

No longer in business .. per the rumors due health department .. and they had good food too.. they…read morealso closed their other location as well.

Bubbas is pretty well decorated for a sports bar. It was 82 degrees outside but even in the back…read morepatio it did not feel hot. Our meal: Hot Girl Summer (drink) tastes like a lighter piña colada. Refreshing Brisket - pretty good, once you scrape off the layer of fat on each piece. Potato salad - lots of dill, tasty but my mom said it needed more salt. Texas toast- delicious. I wanted more. BBQ beans - very good, sweet, but a little too soupy. It's pricy but BBQ tends to be that way anywhere. Eating on grand is expected to cost more anyways.

Your bartender Jeff is a super jerk…read more.. Please fire him... Nice atmosphere... Great location... Hard to park like everything in this area... Food looked good...

It's really nice to have a local brew pub in Escondido! I've been multiple times and really like…read moreit. Very open concept that has a modern feel to it. There is a nice indoor/outdoor vibe as there are some really big glass garage type windows that open (or close). The service has always been very prompt and friendly. I keep going back to their pizza's as they are quite good. I also suggest checking the special of the day as they usually have some pretty cool ones. They also have beer! Quite a few to be honest and if you aren't sure they are great at helping you figure out what works for you. For good food served by nice people in a clean and modern environment, this is the place!

Something feels off here. The vibes in this place are weird and looking into the yelp page…read moreconfirmed my suspicion. First off, Im 100% sure the owner here uses ChatGPT to answer all negative yelp reviews. Any business owner worth their weight is able to think for themselves and use their brain to answer unless they're completely illiterate or too incompetent to think of a good response. Second off, are they even a brewery? I see cans and taps of their own beer, but looking into the business, I dont think they own a brewery at all. This is more along the lines of a taphouse/pub. THAT BEING SAID, the food is quite nice. I think the pizza is great and it feels like they make and roll their own dough which is respectable and ambitious for a random little spot like this. But It is quiet...too quiet. The beer tender would constantly hangout at the handicap table talking to any co-worker with free time on their hands for a long time. Seems like a cushy job honestly. I'm assuming they would hold conversation with customers, but unfortunately There were no customers... its a ghost town, and i left thinking, "This place is creepy." I'll just pick up and eat the pizza at home next time. I'm waiting to see what generic CHATGPT response the owner gives me.

I was happy to revisit this gem on Grand Ave. I walked in with a buddy, and we were quickly greeted…read moreat the front by the friendly cashier. The location has a pretty extensive menu written in chalk on the walk, and it's easy to read. There are choices of sandwiches, salads and a lot of great food in-between. After taking a minute to decide we went with the Southwest Chicken Salad ($16.99) as well as the Hawaiian Chicken Sandwich ($15.99) with a side of hushpuppies. The sauce on the salad was flavorful with just a bit of zest, and they gave us extra so that was really cool. It's a really comfy place to eat with a little bit of a Louisiana feel to it. For good food served by good people, this is the place!

Cuban torta different to find an authentic cuban these days. The last decent Cuban torta i had was…read morein Miami. This is my second time ordering this sandwich the only thing missing was the pickle but i could have asked. Sweet outside seating get a good view of grand as well inside seating is wide open. TVs for entertainment self serve soda. Really good food.

Best to come on Thursday - Sunday when they have their smoked meats. Otherwise just a place to go…read morefor a beer or cocktail and some quick bites.

I was really hoping things would improve under new ownership, but the fabulous Fat Ivor's flavor is…read morelost. With each new owner, the essence of what made this place amazing is chipped away. It's become downright disrespectful to the memory of the originators. The potato skins have been hit by shrinkflation. Tiny potatoes with hardly any bacon bits. Greasy and bland. The dressings taste like they come out of an industrial bucket. Gummy, weird mouth feel, and bland. Fat Ivor's was once famous for their homemade dressings. Even if maybe only semi-homemade, they were a thousand times better than what is currently being served. The ranch and blue cheese dressings had a cult following. I knew a girl who would buy the ranch by the quart every week to enjoy at home. Broasted chicken is special and very difficult to find. It should never have been removed from the menu. Bring back the old logo! Bring back the quality! Not opposed to freshening up the menu, but totally desecrating what makes a place special is disgraceful.

Smoked and Tasty is amazing. I picked up catering from Smoked and Tasty for several days of…read moreholiday group eating. Absolutely everything was fresh, extremely tasty and visually appealing as well. Over the course of a couple of days, I ordered roast ducks, baked salmon with dill and pomengranate seeds, prime rib, arugula salad with apples and pecans, arugula salad with feta cheese, mandarins and pomengranate seeds, roast brussels sprouts, green beans with almonds, roast potatoes and roasted mixed vegetables. There wasn't a single dish that was a miss. Everyone was amazed at how well everything was seasoned. I was looking for authentically good catering. Smoked and Tasty more than delivered. The owner is also super nice!

I was working in the area and was first drawn in by the window advertising, very classic and not…read moreflashy. The second thing that drew me in were the smells of smoked meats and fish (not overpowering at all) I was originally just looking for a place to grab a quick snack and do some computer work. But once I got to talking to one of the friendly staff, my three slices of salmon turned into a lox bagel and I decided to grab a small block of smoked cheddar to take home. *I should note that the lox bagel is the only sandwich item they offer from the menu. Everything else can be purchased by the pound No frills is something you will notice I personally look for in a small business. If there are too many frills, I start to wonder what you're trying to distract me from. Smoked lox was fantastic, the bagel was nice and fresh. Like I said NO FRILLS, just honest smoked offerings made by people who care. I ran into this place without trying and I will definitely come back to try the smoked chicken wings and salmon jerky!

LOVE LOVE LOVE KENNEDYS!!!…read more Great quality. Great seasoning!!! So many options!!! Little pricey, but WORTH IT!!!

I have loved coming to Kennedys for years. My husband and I would make a stop whenever we happen to…read morebe nearby from San Diego. The tacos were perfection and the salsas/dips couldn't be beat! Staff always exceptionally friendly. Fast forward to this Saturday..taco was inedible. I had to forgo the tortilla and just eat the meat because the tortilla was nearly raw. My husband got a burrito which was good. 1 salsa for both items, so we asked for more salsa and got exactly one more haha. Not sure what changed but no longer worth the extra effort to stop by unfortunately.