One of Poway’s newest restaurants, Smokin J’s is a BBQ powerhouse! Located near Old Poway Park, their small storefront puts out some of the best Que I’ve had in SoCal. I believe they’re in the process of expanding and will have ample dine in facilities soon. Everything here is made from scratch, in-house. I’ve had their brisket a couple times and it is excellent. Quite moist and richly marbled. They also make a delicious looking pecan pie (my fave) that I can’t wait to try soon!
(Visited December 26, 2019) Outstanding 2 Meat Combo at Pioneer BBQ! Cheddar sausage was excellent, brisket decent, mac & cheese nothing to write home about, and tater salad that was remarkably good.
(Visited November 12, 2019) Outstanding Half Rib Dinner at Phil’s BBQ in Santee! I always order mine sauce on the side, or “SOS” as they say at Phil’s. I believe this is one of their two locations still open for takeout during all this ‘rona mess.
Lady Bird’s Texas Red Chili was outstanding at Grand Ole BBQ in Flinn Springs! Comes in cup or bowl, you can add shredded cheddar, sour cream, red onions, pico, etc. The chili is made with BBQ pork and beef with ground chilies, spices and beer. The best part, NO beans! For some reason you can also add mac & cheese for an additional charge. I’m not sure who thinks that sounds good mixed with chili. I requested it on the side and I’m glad I did. It was excellent. Highly recommended if you visit GOB and happen to be a chili fan. They also make a chili verde (green) version. I
Back in Amarillo after a long day of driving! We originally intended to have dinner at The Big Texan but the wait was obscene. Instead we lucked out and had a great dinner at Dyer’s BBQ just down the road from our hotel. The Dyer family has been serving their family BBQ recipes in the Texas panhandle for over 50 years! I enjoyed a great combination plate that included brisket, jalapeño sausage, incredibly smooth tater salad, etc.
One of my new favorite restaurants in east county, Pioneer Barbecue in San Carlos is an absolute standout! They sport an impressive menu with a thoughtful and original selection of smoked meat combos, brisket-topped burgers, whiskey-glazed meatloaf sandwiches, and many other BBQ classics. The atmosphere, vibe and service is all top-shelf. I was really impressed! Totally worth the short drive down from Ramona. A plethora of beer on tap and a full bar with great looking cocktails. I highly recommend if you haven’t been.
I ordered a two-meat combo and selected the split chicken and links. Chicken was a brined, tender, smoked half-chicken that was just excellent. Crispy skin and moist, succulent meat. The links were smoked beef and pork dotted with cheddar cheese nodules. Some of the best BBQ sausages I’ve had! Tater salad was outstanding. Made with bacon, mayo, onion, celery, and whole grain mustard. The mac & cheese exceeded my expectations. I didn’t have high hopes after looking at photos on Yelp. I had to order it though since it’s my favorite vegetable! Not the best mac I’ve had but it was really tasty. The mac here is topped with crispy chicharron which is a nice touch!
One of my favorite chain restaurants, Chili’s, always brings it home with their signature baby back ribs! Their BBQ combo platter is excellent. I always order it with the jalapeño cheddar sausage, etc. I just don’t recommend their brisket.
This dish at Phil’s underscores the fact that BBQ is always better on the bone. They call it “Rib-less Chick-less”. It’s basically boneless ribs and chicken with two sides. Unfortunately the chicken was over cooked and the ribs were dried out.
