Swing Inn Cafe is one of our favorites for breakfast. Located right in the heart of Old Town Temecula, it is a must-visit. My experience has been with their wonderful breakfast menu, and one of my favorites is the French toast. However, some of my friends swear by their giant cinnamon bun -- it's a must-try! They have a wide variety of breakfast combos and omelets with options for both vegetarians and meat lovers. The service has always been quick and friendly, and they offer both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor patio is also dog-friendly, which is always a plus! Swing Inn is also known for its award-winning BBQ and has been family-owned and operated since 1927. I'm looking forward to visiting again for lunch or dinner and trying some of their BBQ specials. If you're looking for that classic American diner experience while visiting Old Town Temecula, Swing Inn Cafe is definitely worth a stop! read more

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Some of the food is good. The ambiance is clean and comfortable. The service is HORRIBLE (ALL CAPS)! The attitudes and demeanors of the staff give "Breaking Bad" a whole new meaning. For some reason the staff treats you like this is the only Cafe and BBQ spot, in our area, to choose from. Or perhaps they feel their subpar attitudes will go unnoticed because of the owner's affiliation with a show that ENDED 13 years ago! Whatever the root causes of their nasty dispositions need to be corrected because some of the food is good but not great. read more

So this review is more on food and their apparently new policy that is not posted anywhere! Service overall was ok it was busy so that is taken into consideration! So the first thing that bothered me is there is a lot of people waiting outside so it's loud and when they call you to be seated they aren't loud enough so we missed our call after waiting a bit i checked in to find out! 2nd thing Food was not very warm felt like it was sitting a bit so some of our food was room temperature. Food tasted ok. But Portions and cuts were good. Then we went to eat at 630 which is peak dinner time they were already out of baked potatoes and pastrami and some other item. Their mashed potatoes tasted gritty like if they where box mashed potatoes which makes sense with them being out of potatoes. 3rd thing which is their "New Policy" That groups of 6 or more it has to be paid on one card and can Not be split in multiple payments not even split cash and card! So that to me makes absolutely no sense and there are no signs stating this anywhere nor on their site. So overall this place is ok and not really worth what we paid. Definitely won't be back and wouldn't recommend this place to friends. read more

Our friend told us about this BBQ place in Temecula, we were in the area and decided to drop by for lunch. The wait did not look good, it was at least a 45 minute wait and no to go orders. My husband freaking out bc he's so hungry, I told him to go eat and grab a beer in the bar alone while our toddler slept in the car anyway. He sat at the bar and ordered a bunch of food for himself and brought the leftovers to me in the car. We got the family meal with 3 meats and 2 sides. Plenty of food to go around! He ate a good portion but the packed meal looks like a full portion. lol. The meats we got were turkey, pork ribs and brisket. With Mac n cheese and potato salad. The turkey was good and had flavor, just a little dry but I would still get it again, got Smokey flavor too. Pork ribs were bomb and brisket was pretty good, a little dry but dip in the BBQ sauce, it was tasty. And I think it's dry when it came to me bc it was sitting out while he ate then got the leftovers to go. Next time for sure we're all coming in to eat!!! The portions are generous, my husband said service was great, and the BBQ tasted good! Closest thing we have to Texas bbq without going all the way to Grand Ole Asado. Oh btw, I guess Hank from Breaking Bad owns this, we didn't know. We came bc of the good reviews for the food. read more

Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ - 3 meat combo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Temecula, California

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I had breakfast and forgot to take pictures .i was hungry. The service was great . Do friendly truthful because they said there would be a cost on soda water. The outdoors was refreshing! It's country style quaint! I really enjoyed the lunch meals better than the breakfast when I came here before to dine diner style! Tr it and see what you think !! read more

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A coworker of mine recommended this restaurant and suggested I visit if I were ever in the area. I initially hoped to order takeout, but as they do not offer that service, I decided to dine in for lunch. I was fortunate to arrive just before the lunch rush, as a long line formed outside ten minutes after I was seated. The service was excellent; my server was very friendly and professional, and she kindly offered to pack my meal to go if I could not finish it. The ribs were fantastic, offering great flavor and a delicious barbecue sauce, and the portions were generous. I would definitely recommend visiting this establishment if you are in Old Town. The restaurant is spacious and features patio seating. While it was quite noisy, it is to be expected at a barbecue restaurant, and it made for a fun atmosphere. read more

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This is the second or third time I come to this restaurant. I love it so so much! First of all the have parking, which is a huge plus! I ordered a plate to share with my party, with 3 meats and 2 sides. I was so bummed they were out of brisket and hot links. So we had to improvise and got pastrami, ribs and pulled pork. The meats were all delicious!!!! For our sides we got mac n cheese and coleslaw. The mac and cheese was pretty bad :/ the one from the box tastes better than this one. The coleslaw was delicious! Our server was very knowledgeable, nice, attentive and super friendly! I recommend sitting outside, the vibe is super cool seeing the beautiful old town of Temecula. read more

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I could smell the smoke from the parking lot.  The signs promised Texas bbq.  This month my old team had their team lunch at The Swing Inn Cafe.  Temecula is the furthest we have gone for lunch.  But there are quite a few Breaking Bad fans in the group.  Breaking Bad actor Dean Norris bought the place in 2023 and hired pitmaster Nick Yepremian for the bbq. Temecula is hot for a good part of the year.  I noticed they had misters on the patio which had a wonderful cooling effect.  I liked the old building housing the cafe.  Inside it feels like the old days. I ordered a rack of pork ribs with onion rings.  Onion rings were panko battered and had a crunchy exterior and nice onion flavor.  Ribs were coated with a delicious peppery dry rub.  The center of the ribs was tender and juicy.  I loved the mix of pork and smoky peppery flavor of these ribs. I also sampled the beef brisket.  Beef was tender and juicy.  The dry rub gave the brisket a delicious peppery flavor to go with the smoky beef flavor. Great tasting bbq here and the server was nice and efficient.  Next time I'm gonna order a half pound of brisket and pulled pork. Jesse: Wait, wait, hold up! [leans out the car window] Tell me why you're doing this. Seriously. Walter: Why do you do it? Jesse: Money! Mainly. Walter: There you go. Jesse: Nah, come on... Man, some straight like you, giant stick up his ass, all of a sudden at age what, 60, he's just gonna break bad? Breaking Bad read more

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People were nice, BBQ was good but a bit fatty with brisket and ribs. Like a lot of fat!! Smoked turkey Amazing!!! Got the Hank T-shirt but didn't know it would cost $30??? Also got there 7:25pm and they first said the kitchen just closed but then they allowed my order but no pulled pork and other items read more

Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Temecula, California

Found this place on Yelp wanted to give it a try food was really good. The only bad thing was they ran out of all their Texas style barbecue meats. It was really happening that night we went. There was lots of people out. The service was good. It was pretty fast when we ordered our food. It seemed like we had just ordered it. read more

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Drove from over an hour away.. Been on our bucket list for places to try.. Yes, fan of Dean Norris.. It's old town so parking can be a challenge.. The place is super clean and inviting. Staff are friendly.. They were busy so the wait was a bit from the time we ordered.. The food was a 3.7 of a 5.. We shared a three meat platter with two sides.. Brisket, Hot Links, Pork Belly Burnt Ends, Potato Salad, and Macaroni and Cheese.. All in all it wasn't bad and definitely worth the visit and experience.. The Briskit was Awesome! Hands Down The Winner of the Platter.. The hot links were good too.. The Burnt Ends were tough, but the flavor was good.. The Potato Salad and Macaroni and Cheese were ok.. The Macaroni and Cheese was barely warm.. We did try the SCHRADERBRAU and it was really good.. Too bad they don't give you the option to buy a six pack to take home.. I would have bought one as it was yummy.. Would I come back? Yes!! Would Definitely for that Brisket Alone... The staff were friendly and it was a good visit.. read more

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Dear diary, Made a trip here to see uncle Hank and decided to grab some food because we were in line for 3 hours. The service was fast even though there were many customers there that day. The place was lively. We got the half pound smoked brisket and french dip with a beer and a cocktail. The food was delicious and on point. However there was a bug on my pineapple that was a decor for my drink which was disappointing to say the least. There was limited parking especially with all the breaking bad fans but I'm sure it's different on a regular day. read more

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This place is the bomb ! I hunt for bbq places like this straight up! The bbq was on point the sauces were good the sides were good the service was awesome , the ambiance was amazing . Would have been dope to see Hank from breaking bad but the food delivered hit every check mark . The ribs and brisket was so tender and seasoned to perfection, the sausages had a nice kick but not overwhelming. The strawberry lemonade tasted homemade . The Mac and cheese was on point the potato salad had a little too much dill but still was pretty good and the beans were traditional bbq beans . All in all definitely coming back . read more

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IMHO, Unfortunately, our last visit here was extremely disappointing. We ordered 1 pound of brisket and some ribs. We asked if we can order the Point portion of the brisket (the last time we were here and they said "sure just let them know ahead of time". This time we ordered a pound of brisket and asked for the Point, and the waitress had no idea what the point was on a brisket. Then she said we could have juicy or lean and we said juicy. When the plate arrived, we had four slices of the flat part of the brisket which is the lean portion of a brisket and only two slices of the point which is a juicy part. Extremely disappointed with the price and the inconsistency of the barbecue meats. Try to douse the meat with barbecue sauce to help it, but it was still dry. Ribs were OK on one portion other side was dry. Sadly, probably our last time coming here. It's not worth the trip for the inconsistency and the price (and poor service) IMHO. We had to ask for refills twice for our iced tea and beverages even for the water. The baked beans were delicious. Unfortunately, it wasn't worth the price for great baked beans. read more

Here A Missed Feast at Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ Ahoy, Dean! I pen these words in hopes they do not strike like a thunderclap upon your shores. Your artistry on the screen has captured my admiration, yet my heart is heavy as I recount my culinary journey to your esteemed establishment. With eager spirit, I ventured forth from the bustling realms of San Diego, lured by tales spun on TikTok and whispers of flavor that promised a feast to rival the legendary Phil's Barbecue. Alas, my 120-mile pilgrimage left me yearning for more, like a sailor adrift in a sea of unsatisfied cravings. To my dismay, the fabled beef barbecue ribs were absent from your menu--an absence that echoed in the chambers of my heart. Instead, I chose the patty melt, a dish that danced not upon my palate as I had hoped. Accompanied by mac & cheese, it presented a unique flavor, yet was served cold and chewy, like a shipwrecked treasure lost to time. Your servers, true knights of hospitality, graciously presented optional mashed potatoes, but alas, they bore the likeness of instant fare, void of the warmth and care of true mashed potatoes. I sought the Flintstone-style dinosaur bones, yet it seemed those glorious days had vanished like mist at dawn. My daughter ventured to order a small rack of pork ribs, which, while decent, could not elevate our spirits to the heights we sought. Meanwhile, my wife chose the turkey sandwich, which regrettably settled like a stormy tide in her stomach. The ambience, reminiscent of good old-fashioned Temecula, offered ample parking for those who arrive in time, yet I found myself longing for a sensational experience that eluded us. Please, dear Dean, take not these words as daggers, but as a humble plea for your culinary realm to reclaim its former glory. May the winds of fortune guide your kitchen back to the vibrant feasts of yore. God bless, and may your future endeavors be filled with flavors that dance upon the tongue! Captain 619 read more

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Delicious BBQ! What a great find out here in Temecula. We ordered the 3-meat combo with turkey, brisket, and ribs, and everything was cooked perfectly. The portions were huge--we had more than enough food. My wife and son loved it too, which is always a good sign. We'll definitely be back the next time we're craving BBQ! read more

Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ - Three Smoked Meats Platter - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Temecula, California

Great taste food nice portions. reasonably priced. Love this place in the middle of downtown Temecula.

I came here only because of Dean Norris. I didnt read any reviews before hand and just wanted to try it out and maybe catch Hank Shrader on the prowl! We were unsuccessful in that but we did catch some pretty good bbq! I honestly thought that it's a celeb place, food will probably be mid, but was pleasantly surprised! Brisket was tender, flavorful, and juicy. Nice bark and great smoke ring. The pork spare ribs were seasoned well, also juicy and meaty. The BBQ sauces were perfect and loved switching between the spicy and original. Side dishes done well. Service was nice, im impressed the waitresses were as pleasant as they were because of how hot it was on the patio! The ambiance is nice and there are plenty of umbrellas for shade. read more

I only heard of this place when I saw on instagram that actor Dean Norris purchased it. He has played many roles but I know him as DEA Agent Hank Schrader on the show Breaking Bad. What attracted me was the Texas Style BBQ and I've read plenty of positive reviews saying the BBQ is legit. Last Saturday on July 4th we made our way to Temecula to dine at the Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ. The town was packed due to a 250th birthday celebration parade. The parade blocked us from getting to the restaurant. We had to wait until it was over which was like 20 minutes. At the hostess station we were advised it would be a 45 minutes wait for a party of 5. The place was busy with customers but the employees did an excellent job in providing great service. 20 minutes later we were seated outside. There were six parties ahead of us but they didn't show when called. Guess they got tired of waiting. I ordered a full rack of the pork spare ribs with smoked beans as my one side. But when I got my food I had an extra side of smoked beans. The ribs were tender, thick and the meat came of the bone easily. It had a nice smokey taste and the smoked beans complimented the meat. I have to admit one of the best spare pork ribs I had in my life. My mom got the chicken fried steak with mash potatoes and gravy. The chicken fried steak was seasoned well and very tender. My step dad ordered Large Brisket plate with coleslaw. And my brother and sister in law both got the 2 meat plate with smoked turkey and brisket with sides of macaroni and cheese and smoked beans. The beef brisket and smoke turkey was very good according to my family. For dessert I got the cinnamon roll a popular item, step dad and mom shared a slice of apple pie and my brother got the coconut cream pie. Everything was very sweet and delicious. We were hoping to catch Dean but I figured he was probably spending time with family on this holiday. We will return and hopefully he will be there so we can let him know how much we loved his food and acting. read more

Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ - Spare Pork Ribs Full rack, texas toast, side of smoked beans. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Temecula, California

Great BBQ and fast, friendly service! Our food came out quickly, everything was delicious, and the staff was attentive throughout our visit. We had a great experience and would definitely come back. read more

Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ - Blue Lagoon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Temecula, California

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Come here hungry!!! We were able to get in really quickly which was awesome - normally there is a line out the door! The food was good classic breakfast food but made sure to add any of the bbq sauces! Those are the bomb dot com! I wanted to buy a bottle but forgot... read more

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I found this place after watching a YouTuber recommend their brisket, so I decided to give it a try. I don't usually leave negative reviews, but this experience did not meet expectations. I ordered the brisket sandwich, and it was extremely dry. I had to send it back twice, and both times the meat still lacked freshness and quality--it tasted like it was from a previous day's batch. The service was the only positive. The waitress was polite, attentive, and did her best to accommodate the situation. When she checked back in, I let her know the food was not good. For a first-time visit--especially when ordering a recommended item--the expectation should be higher. I wasn't asking for a discount, but the overall experience did not match what was promoted. Based on this visit, I would not recommend this place, and I don't plan on returning. read more

Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ - Dried brisket - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Temecula, California

We went on the weekend and there was a long wait. Glad we checked inside and there were seats at the bar. Tip: If you don't mind sitting at the bar, they are first come first serve. Food and drinks were good. Minus 1 star for the slow service. Red sangria and the Heisenberg cocktail tasted strong. Pork belly was tender and juicy. The breakfast brisket with scrambled eggs and fries was good. I was able to substitute the hash browns/potatoes with fries. The jalapeño poppers stuffed with brisket was filling and only had a mild spice. The desserts (cream pies and cinnamon buns) looked good, but we were stuffed. Will try next time. read more

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Hank what happened? If anyone is wondering, this diner(cafe) in Temecula belongs to the actor Dean Norris(Hank), better known for his role in the classic television series Breaking Bad. I live literally 5 minutes away from this location, and never actually been inside. Just yesterday, me and my wife discovered that finally now, Door Dash allows deliveries from this location. Let's first start off with the potato salad. It was the most bland, non flavorful items I've ever tasted from a BBQ joint period. Hot links were Smokey, but dry externally, and cold internally. Brisket was dry with no flavor. Pulled pork was also extremely dry with no flavor. I actually tried to drench BBQ sauce over the entire spread, and it changed absolutely nothing. Speaking of BBQ sauce, non was provided. It's also a shame that I once spoke about the infamous Destination Smokehouse located in Murrieta just down the way, claiming that they were the worse BBQ spot. But after having now tried this, it has now dethroned that location completely. The hype surrounding this place is solely based around the actor and not the food. Sorry but facts. read more

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Food is delicious, service is great, and ambience is great, pancakes, waffles all breakfast selections are great and good portions Delicious read more

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I come for the breakfast, not the attitude. The waitresses really do have shitty attitudes. I'll still continue to come here anyway, when I'm in town. We'll seat you when we're damn good and ready. That's the mantra. For all of them being employees, they all act like owners. Way too short with everyone and simply bothered by having to do anything. Waitressing is a high school or college kids job, it's not a career job. That's why you have all these older workers with such shitty attitudes. Chuck needs to have weekly or monthly meetings with these people. I can't stand any brown nosing or ass kissing, but the shitty attitude has got to go. It's not just one of them. It's all of them.. read more

Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ - Proof we were here. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Temecula, California

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Best Bbq in Temecula in my opinion.I live in Irvine OC ,I love this place so much I will drive on the weekends just to eat there hot Links and bbq Beans .Impeccable service all staff had great energy and very on point with services. read more

Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ - BBQ Meat & Mac & Cheese and Bbq Beans - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Temecula, California

We arrived around 12 and our party of 3 was seated at 12:25pm on a Saturday. There is parking behind the restaurant. If it's full, there's public parking garage nearby as well. We were seated outside and it was quite sunny. When we were here 2 years ago, there was a jackfruit burger option. But looking at the menu now, the only vegetarian entree options were the popeye omelet and the belgian waffle or french toast. Everything else has meat in it. And there are no vegan options, unless you maybe order just plain carbs. The popeye omelet was good - buttery with lots of veggies. The french toast was good as well. The portions are generous so we had leftovers. Our server was very friendly. read more

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Been wanting to try their "texas style" bbq since I smoke meats at home, but was hugely disappointed. Brisket was dry, we got a platter and we got 3 pieces of flat, all were dry and crumbly, which tells me it's overcooked. Was lacking seasoning. Barely any smoke flavor. Their pork belly burnt ends looked baked instead of smoked. No bark, pieces had no color, and doused in bbq sauce. Their pastrami was a little too salty. Service was a little slow for how many people were dining. Servers were friendly. read more

Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ - Pork belly burnt end, looks baked and not smoked. Had 0 smoke flavor - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Temecula, California

Delicious exquisite BEAUTIFUL cozy great service fabulous coffee delicious food y'all read more

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Where do I begin!? We arrived at 1:00pm on a busy hot Saturday afternoon with a party of 8. The outside cooling misters were in full operation. We were greeted by a 'wonderful' hostess who was 'very accomodating' for our large party on a busy day! We were seated, in about 20 minutes, inside, at a couple of tables pushed together! We ordered different BBQ dishes from their extensive menu. Prices are about what you would expect at a 'real' BBQ place. This one did not disappoint! I got the two meat platter which includes two sides: Brisket - incredible with a nice smoke ring Pork Spare Ribs - this (about half rack) needed a bit more rendering but very tasty. Almost fall off the bone... BBQ beans - just the way I like them: sweet with a little heat and small bits of meat mixed in! Cole Slaw - not my favorite, but a strong showing: creamy and zesty This platter with two side servings had enough food to feed two or three people! Plus two slices of Texas Toast and a short stack of pickles! Everyone in our party enjoyed various items. We also tested the pudding and Reese's pie. Both were delicious!! Service was excellent from our server and the bus staff. Everyone seemed really happy to be there and be serving us! (That's rare these days!) As a special treat we visited the I heart Pud'n store next door! This is where they make the pudding treats served in the restaurant! The young lady in there and her father were also wonderfully welcoming and happy to be there! Treat yourself to their hospitality and good vibes and take home some extra desserts! read more

Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ - This is the excellent 2 Meat Platter with brisket, pork spare ribs, Cole slaw and BBQ beans! $50 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Temecula, California

The hostess was friendly. Hope was our server and she was excellent! We came as a family of 6 before 11am on a Sunday and barely had to wait. There was a huge line building up as we waited for our food. Service was quick and food was amazing! An absolute must in Temecula. read more

Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ - Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Temecula, California

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This had to be one of the worst meals out. I had the pulled pork sandwich. The meat was like mush with no smoky flavor. My husband had the pit master. Not impressed! I would definitely not recommend or return! read more

Food is amazing . The most delicious bbq and smoked brisket I have had in my life. I even crave it specifically from time to time . Breakfast here is delicious too. The Ambiance feels like you're at your moms or grandmas in Texas and chillin with family and being fed amazing food . The drinks are delicious and prices are reasonable. Service is always great . Cheery patient and quick to recommend anything ! Will always come back oh and they have outside seating with misters that's nice in the day when it's hot read more

I'm a sucker for a good BBQ spot, and after hearing about this place, I was excited to try it. We got the brisket and ribs as a two piece combo with a side of Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. The brisket was nice and tender. It wasn't as juicy as I expected, but it was still good! The ribs weren't sliding off the bone showing "tenderism" but it was juicy and very good to eat. I personally love their house bbq sauce which elevates everything. I literally threw it on everything including the Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. Killed more than half the bottle after I was done eating. Also tried their famous cinnamon roll! We ordered it to go, and I honestly would recommend trying it fresh, but it's a cinnamon roll! It won't disappoint. Service-wise, you feel the hospitality right when you step in through the doors. Our waitress was very kind and accommodating even though it was a packed house. She made sure that all our needs were met and always checked up on us even though she was running around like crazy! The restaurant itself had a great smokehouse feel to it. Nice and cozy, and their outdoor seating is scenic since it's located in downtown Temecula. You smell the smokers right when you pull up to the parking lot and that gets your appetite going. Parking is also free when you dine in there! read more

Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ - Brisket, ribs, Mac and cheese, mashed potatoes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Temecula, California

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The breakfast and service was homing and just what you look for at a café. The Pudin next door was just the perfect bite for a beautiful mid morning with my hubby read more

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There's always a long wait here but that's because the food is pretty good and the service is as well. It has a nice country western barbecue feel. There's a lot of outdoor seating which is very nice because inside is rather small. This restaurant has been here forever. We used to come here for breakfast decades ago. It has changed hands but the newest owner is a celebrity and he is really committed to this restaurant and to the city of Temecula. read more

My bf has been wanting to try this spot. We sat outside. Our server was friendly and very busy. What we ordered: 3 Smoked Meats Combo Platter Brisket - it was ok to me. Bf loved it Pork Spareribs - bf loved the ribs, good portion Smoked half Chicken - I loved the chicken, nice and juicy Baked Beans - good Potato Salad - was ok. Bf loved Mac n Cheese - it was ok We liked the sweet bbq sauce We would come back and try other things read more

Swing Inn Cafe & BBQ - 3 Smoked Meats Combo Platter - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Temecula, California

Good flavor was very good but it came out slightly colder than room temp. The potatoes were instant potatoes not fresh so that was disappointing. Service was very good but have to say not being able to pay part cash and rest on card is a big deal breaker. Never had that issue before. But it is what it is. Overall the quality was decent not worth the high prices tho read more

The food was amazing!! The staff soooo incredible!! Loved every moment I had the pulled pork sandwich sooo delicious!!! Also had the banana pudding wow best ever!!! So so so incredible!!!! read more