Aptos St BBQ was a convenient restaurant near State park Nisene Marks. Order at the counter and pickup your food. Food comes fast. They use a fancy soft drink dispenser. Food was slightly above average. Safety Pluses - Online menu, Delivery services available, online ordering. Food Review: 2 Meat Meal ($26) pull pork was not as good as the ribs. Average, not special. 7.5/10 pork ribs were tender and sauced. Solid. 8/10 beans side had a slight kick. Average 7/10 mac cheese was better than expect. Not too cheesy. 7.5/10 garlic bread was average 7.5/10 Overall - Very Good Food - Very Good Decor - Very Good Service - Very Good Value - Good Would we come back - Maybe read more

Aptos St. BBQ never disappoints, it is the spot for flavorful, well-smoked barbecue in a fun, relaxed setting. The meats are tender and packed with smoky goodness, and the delicious sides perfectly complement the meal. Tri-tip is juicy, ribs cooked just right, I love the sandwiches too and the spicy sauce is a must! The ambience is laid-back with outdoor seating and music in the evenings. The customer service is friendly and efficient, staff make you feel welcome. A great spot to grab a cold beer, great food and have a good time. read more

Aptos BBQ makes some great stuff. They have really nailed it on their smoked meats, particularly their brisket, trip tip, and pulled pork. When I arrived at 6 pm on a Thursday night I was informed they were completely sold out of all the meats with the exception of the pulled pork (even though it was listed on the sold out chalk board pictured below.) If you visit their website, you'll see their hours listed as 7 am - 9 pm "or sold out" and they take that last part seriously so don't bet on coming here late unless you call ahead first to confirm they still have inventory to sell. The vibe is lively here every night starting at 6 with their rotation of different bands coming in to share their music. Customers are a mix of families, college students, locals and tourists alike and seating can get tight during these hours. I typically order one of the bbq meals which comes with a couple sides and a piece of bread of you're choice (corn bread, garlic bread, etc...) My only gripe with the bbq plate is that the sides are very small. They're only slightly larger than the cups they provide for their BBQ sauce. Sides are so easy to make and they're inexpensive for restaurants, I wish they would be a little more generous with these portions on their plates. read more

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Updated review: well unfortunately this place seems to be going down hill like everywhere else. The meal tonight was tiny compared to what we used to get. Not much meat in the full brisket meal, and the sides are in smaller containers it seems like. Also the garlic bread was flat and burned and pretty gross. They used to have this nice soft garlic bread, but the slice I got tonight was inedible and gross. Not sure I'll be back any time soon which is a shame cause it used to be one of my fave places in the area... read more

Food was decent but not very warm like it sat around for a bit. Not a hot and fresh vibe. Salads were good. Cool interior. Order and pick up at the front . read more

We had an event for our employees and ASBBQ came through! They helped to deliver lunched to our 23 various sites through our Santa Cruz County and helped to feed over a 1,000 employees over the course of three days. Jane and Michael were super responsive and helpful. Our employees love this event because they love the food! When I had my opportunity to eat my meal, I was thoroughly satisfied with my choice. PAMF Aptos St. BBQ! read more

One of my favorite places to eat, Aptos st. BBQ is not only great food but great service. I'm from Kansas so I know good BBQ- the quality is delicious, the management is friendly and knowledgeable and the environment is clean and inviting! It's exactly what I'm craving when I come into town. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting the area again and again!! read more

Best BBQ spot in Santa Cruz area, even though I don't care for their sides. My favorite is brisket sandwich. I also love their pickled condiments!! read more

Below is my review after I left the restaurant last night. Today, Bonnie contacted me and apologized profusely. She went above and beyond to make it right and assured me this is not the culture they promote at their restaurant. We will return to their restaurant because the food and music was very good and until the bread pudding incident, we were very happy with everything. Original review...... I ordered the bread pudding, but they gave me the berry cobbler. Told me to keep the cobbler and the bread pudding would take a couple of minutes. Next thing I know, a different waitress comes over and says since I kept the cobbler, I had to pay for the bread pudding! Embarrassing and totally unacceptable!!! read more

I tried the combo meal with 2 meats and I picked the ribs + pulled pork. For the sides, I also tried the Mac and cheese and coleslaw with cornbread. My favorite is definitely the ribs and it's tender with smokiness. It even came with cartilage. I also love the Mac and cheese + the coleslaw. Coleslaw is very refreshing to eat and on a lighter sauce side. Cornbread is ok and not as fluffy as I thought it would be. I think next time when I come back, I'll try the garlic bread instead. read more

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This has to be the best bbq around. I had the tri-tip, brisket burnt ends and the pork ribs. All three were done perfectly. read more

Aptos St BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

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Wow, delicious food. Mac & cheese was great and I hear the mac & cheese bowl with pulled pork on top is to die for. We tried the pulled pork and it was so delicious this place really should have a Michelin star read more

Aptos St BBQ - Pulled pork sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

I remember Aptos.  I stayed in a tree house. https://www.hungryones.com/2019/07/aptos-airbnb/ There were lovely redwoods all around.  Loved the scent of the forest.  A bbq joint was in town. https://www.hungryones.com/2019/07/aptos-airbnb/ I return to once again try the bbq at Aptos St Bbq.  I followed the delicious bbq scent to the smokers on the side of the building.  Wood was stacked to be sacrificed for the feast.  I ordered a half rack of ribs.  Ribs were tender and smoky.  Bbq sauce added a sweet flavor.  I loved the smoky pork with the sweet sauce.  I rate them among my favorite ribs. Pulled pork had a nice looking bark but the pork was overcooked and the bark too hard to eat.  I did like the smoky flavor.  Adding a bit of the original bbq sauce added some tasty sweetness. Route 11 bbq chips were crunchy with a mix of sweet and smoky flavor. These are among my fav potato chips. Staff was nice and got the food out quickly.  It was a lovely drive up the coast to Aptos.  Next time I'll get a full rack of ribs and eat the leftovers for breakfast. I remember redwood trees, bumper cars and wolverines The ocean's Trident submarines Lemons, limes and tangerines I remember this I remember California - REM read more

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Oh my god this place was so good. Amazing bbq. Slowly cooked where the meat fell off the bone. Brisket was tender and juicy as fuck. 5/5. Their spicy bbq sauce was one of the best ive had. Good balance of heat and tangyness. 6/5 for the sauce. Corn bread was meh. Needed to be bit sweeter imo. 2/5 Mac and cheese, bomb. 5/5 Come to this spot if in aptos read more

Food was great, came out fast, and was pretty reasonable for quality bbq. Beer selection was solid, and live music a plus. We'll come back next time we're in town! read more

All I can say is Wow! Everything was just super. Nice people. Rustic building with mountain bike parts and decor. Beer and other drinks in bottles/cans and countless beers on tap. The food was incredibly scrumptious! Brisket, chicken, beans and coleslaw were all excellent. I think it's the best BBQ I have ever experienced. So glad we stopped in! read more

Aptos St BBQ - Half chicken, brisket, beans and slaw. - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

Cute place but we were not impressed with the brisket or tri-tip. The brisket was tender but overly crusted in pepper. Smoked brisket should be tender and have flavor, too much pepper just takes away from the time put in smoking it. Tri tip - not tender and not much smoked flavor. I have been spoiled by great Texas smoked brisket so will keep looking elsewhere. Service was good. read more

The food was really great and the salads were really good coming from a BBQ place if you know what I mean. The place itself was great there was live music inside, the vibes were great. The food came out quick but the servers did I miss an item. Overall the place was a great dinner spot for the fam. read more

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In the area and looking for bbq. We had the 4 meat special with two sides. Ordered the spicy hot link, pork ribs, brisket and tri tip. For the sides we got the last bit of mac and cheese and also had potato salads. The meal came with a piece of cornbread. I'd give the place an overall 3.5, which rounds up to a 4. The brisket which they said they were known for was not very good so I was surprised they bragged about it. Maybe we got a bad piece. The sides were awesome and the meats were all right but not super tender. You order at the counter and wait till they call your number. Pretty much a self serve kind of place but everyone is friendly. A very causal vibe going on. Will probably try a different BBQ place when we're in the area. read more

Delicious BBQ! We have loved visiting this restaurant for years. Great food, atmosphere, and staff. Our favorites include the brisket sandwich and mac and cheese. Everything is so good. read more

My friend and I recently visited this wonderful gem in Aptos while staying in Capitola. The service was exceptional, The food was amazing with the ambiance I'm definitely going back read more

Wow, if you happen to pass by Aptos, you must try this sandwich spot. The staff is accommodating and friendly. Love the vibe and deco all around. They even have a nice shady outdoor dining area Our sandwiches were delicious and so was the Mac n cheese. We got the tri tip and brisket, both recs of the staff and it didn't disappoint. read more

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The food was amazing!!! Everyone loved it and went back for seconds! Customer service and delivery were exceptional! Highly recommend Aptos St BBQ! read more

How in gods green earth have I not been here sooner!!!! One of the best barbecue I have ever had. Ribs with sides of coleslaw, cornbread and Stubborn soda. 20years in the bay and it is only now I experienced heavenliness twice; once in the morning on a hike in Nisene Marks and lunch thereafter here!!!!!! read more

Aptos St BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

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The service was nice , they had blues in the background. But the BEST part was the float I got! The float. Soda was customizable in the float. read more

Well worth it! I was staying in Capitola and wanted something different than I generally get when in the area and thought I would give Aptos St BBQ a try. I could not decided which meat I wanted to try so I just played it safe and went with the four meat option. I had the burnt ends.... yummy caramelized chunks of meat, pulled pork.... the right amount of salt and tasted even better dipped in the BBQ sauce.... brisket was so tender and so flavorful that no BBQ sauce was needed.... tri tip, again so tender and flavorful, cooked to perfection, pink around the edges so you could tell it was slow cooked. I paid the extra $1 to upgrade to a baked potato, this thing was so big that three people could have shared it. Cooked perfectly, I was afraid being so large that the center may not be cooked through but it was. For my second side I requested the mac n cheese, but I can't review it as they did not pack it in my bag. I was disappointed but was not going to drive back after already being sat down next to a warm fire ready to eat for the first time that day. I had enough food to satisfy me for dinner and then again for lunch the following day. Service was great. Being my first time I asked questions and the young man at the register was very helpful. Again, the only thing I was not happy about is that they left one dish out and it was clearly printed on my receipt. Location was a little tight, parking was sparse but still able to find a spot. Since I did not dine in I can't really speak on it, but it looked comfy and seemed to have enough seating to accommodate a large party if you came with a bunch of friends. read more

We hosted a potluck BBQ for a bunch of friends where everyone brought a side dish. We used Aptos BBQ to cater the chicken and ribs. The chicken was good, but the ribs were fantastic. No leftovers of them. The package included plates, napkins, utensils, sauce, etc. It was so simple, just unpack and eat. No doubt we'll use them again. read more

We had our Golf tournament and Aptos St. BBQ provided pulled pork sliders. Eveyone loved them. Great food and the servers were great! Highly recommend BBQ read more

Brisket was very good and I loved the sauce that came with it. I really do wish the portions were a little bigger just because of how good it is and especially the sides, they were pretty small but sooo good. I loved the inside and how they made their own sauces, it was a nice place with good decor. They also had great outside seating! Will be back soon read more

Although reviews were good, our experience was less the stellar. BBQ Pork Ribs and Tri-Tip were dry and flavorless. Sides, including Cole Slaw and Mac and Cheese were flavorless. read more

My husband really liked the salad and the pork ribs fell off the bone. They had blackberry soda and pineapple soda that was very refreshing. read more

Aptos St BBQ - Brisket and pork ribs, coleslaw slaw and mac and cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

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This is a very inviting, friendly place with delicious barbecue and good live blues music. We were visiting the area from out of state and saw this place on yelp. The brisket and tri-tip were excellent and the sides were tasty too. And you can sit and listen to music for as long as you care to. It is definitely a place I'll come back to you when I visit the area again. read more

Andrea is such a breath of fresh air! She gladly takes your requests and truly delivers a welcoming experience. The BBQ smells just heavenly. I ordered a brisket sandwich, cole slaw, corn bread and some burnt ends. Delicious and very satisfying. This was my first visit, but definitely not my last. read more

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Stopped by on a Sunday afternoon for a late lunch. It was slightly busy with 4 people in line and a few of the tables taken up. The place felt very welcoming with the sun coming in through the windows. I don't get many chances to eat bbq since there aren't many around so I was happy I found Aptos St on Yelp. 1lb brisket 4/5: The brisket was well seasoned and I enjoyed the strong peppery touch. Wished some of the brisket was more fatty but that's on the cow. Few pieces were dry luckily bbq sauce fixes that up. I'd get the brisket again. Potato salad 5/5: Solid. One of my favorite bbq sides and would get this again. Cornbread 3/5: Was okay. Wished the cornbread was thicker. read more

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This has been my favorite BBQ spot for YEARS and I'll specifically make the trip down to Santa Cruz just to eat here. Everything is extremely on point and the portion are super generous as well. I always love to get their BBQ sandwiches if I'm taking it to-go to eat at the beach or their meat combos to share. Dining in is also always a great option, they sometimes have live music and a great beer selection to choose from! Service is always great and happy to assist with anything. read more

Aptos St BBQ - 3 Meat Combo - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

Aptos Street barbecue has some pretty sweet barbecue. This is always a good place to go after a long day at the beach. They have plenty of indoor outdoor seating. They have an extensive tap list with a lot of local beers. We got a pound of tri-tip because a large was only 11 ounces. Got a side of baked beans and mac & cheese as well. The tri-tip is perfectly cooked soft and tender and juicy. I would like a little bit more flavor on it. It was awesome that they had a barbecue station with regular spicy barbecue sauce. It was on the sweet side, which was nice. very good for both of them. The baked beans basically just tasted like barbecue sauce. It was OK when I get again. The mac & cheese was good and cheesy Again. Definitely. Would recommend the spot and be back again. read more

Aptos St BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

This was quite literally the best BBQ I have ever eaten in my entire life. If I am ever in the area again I will definitely eat here.

They seem to be the only ones nowadays that are actually using Traditional methods of BBQ and really SMOKING the well prepared meat options . I started eating there and became a fan Since day one.Thats back when they were just a little hole in the wall with a couple tables and a single smoke outside . I'm happy for the and they've been doing well over the years expanding the business while delivering quality food. You can't go wrong eating here. The ribs then pulled pork outshine any barbecue joint I've had in California and the rest of their options are great as well, and everything is always consistent, which could be hard to find in some restaurants.. I recommend trying their desserts at least one time, but make sure you have an appetite still, or someone to share them with because they are like eating another meal . During the Holidays they offer some great specials including smoked Turkeys and Ham along with some other things for a limited time. I recommend the Smoked Ham and it will not disappoint read more

Stumbled across this gem our road-trip and it was amazing. Food was fresh and delicious. They also had Live Jazz music. Definitely will be back if we are in the area! read more

Aptos St BBQ - Ribs and Burnt ends - Barbeque Near Me - Aptos, California

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I shouldn't even give a star because I didn't have the privilege of trying the food. I had an important work meeting at Cabrillo College and needed lunch delivered for us. I picked this place because of their easy online ordering system. I didn't know it was door dash, otherwise I would have picked somewhere else. Our admin assistant placed the order and didn't think anything of it. The day of, the door dash driver was lost and wouldn't answer my call. Then someone from Door Dash calls and tells me the driver doesn't speak English. He wouldn't give me details as to where the driver was and after a frustrating back and forth, he tells me my order is canceled and hangs up. NO FOOD, no nothing! I called Aptos St and after putting me on hold, basically told me tough luck and that I would be refunded. She told me a manager would call me, but I never received a call. This was a $100+ order. Deeply disappointed to say the least, and extremely embarrassed that I had to hold a lunch meeting without food. read more