Who goes to the coast for BBQ ? Me !!! Always down to try a new BBQ place in the Bay so made the gorgeous drive to try it out. Clean family friendly with lots of seating indoors and outside. Easy yo find with plenty of parking. But we aren't there for parking we wanted BBQ ! Ordered the large platter that came with ribs, links, brisket , 2 large sides - potato salad and Mac n cheese for us and cornbread. Sauces on the table but honestly the rubs don't need sauce that's the sign of good BBQ you don't need sauce and just can enjoy the great flavor of the meat. Nice pink smoke ring on the brisket as well. All of it really good happy to try and def better than most bbq places I've been to recently. read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Large platter enough for 4 ppl to share - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

Great spot Near some cool hiking areas These were good: Tray: _ribs _Mac & cheese _bean n greens Sandwich: _gold rush pulled pork read more

See all

I didn't like my pulled pork, coleslaw and potato salad. My husband didn't like his beef, beans n greens and macaroni n cheese. The cake was ok. I won't be back. Had better BBQ at Capello's in Redwood City and in SF at Brenda's. read more

My 2nd visit (at the new location) was disappointing. They seemed to be out of a lot of things like ribs and brisket and only had the sandwiches - which tasted a bit dry and not nearly as great an experience as the 1st visit (at the first - original locatin). read more

It was my first time trying Texas-style barbecue, and it was definitely a different experience. The brisket was flavorful, portions were generous, and the sides were solid. The vibe is casual and the staff are friendly. read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Texas Trinity $65 - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

After weeks of drooling over Breakwater Barbecue's food photos on Instagram, my boyfriend and I made the drive up from Santa Cruz for lunch. After the first bite we looked at each other, and I knew we would be coming back many times. The best barbecue I've had in awhile! We arrived around 12:30 and it was just starting to get busy, it is seat yourself, and there were a few tables and bar stools still open at this time. Definitely come early, because they do sell out of items daily. We sat at the bar and both bartenders were extremely helpful and friendly. I was thoroughly impressed by the great service. They walked us through the menu and gave us some recommendations on what to try since it was our first time. I loved The Texas Trinity Platter because we were able to try a lot of things, three meats and two sides. The brisket was perfectly cooked, and so tender, and the sausages and ribs had great flavor. We will definitely be back soon. We plan to work our way through the whole menu! Everything looked absolutely delicious. read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Texas Trinity Platter with Beans & Greens and Potato Salad - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

Breakwater Barbeque is a great spot close to the beach, with a small uncovered patio area to enjoy the moody misty weather El Granada offers year round. There is a small private parking lot as well as a small strip of parking along the main road. The interior is spacious with plenty of seating. Utensils and water is self serve inside. The restaurant is fast-casual and you can expect a line especially on weekends. You order at the counter, grab a table, and wait for your buzzer to go off. Pulled pork sandwich - This was delicious. The bun itself is soft, quite substantial with a subtle sweet fluffiness. The pork is smoky and quite tender. The coleslaw is what really makes this sandwich as it brings the brightness and sweetness with green apple bits. The gold rush sauce was tangy but could use more sauce to complement the rather unsalted meat. Texas trinity- This is a great deal for a platter that feeds 2-3 people. The brisket breaks down like butter in your mouth. The ribs nearly fall apart with a simple touch of a fork. The seasoning is great already, so I didn't really reach for any BBQ sauce. The mac and cheese was delicious- rich and cheesy. It could definitely be elevated by adding bits of meat! The chili was probably my least favorite of the meal. It was meat forward and thick in consistency. I typically like a thinner more savory chili. Cornbread - This was the best cornbread I've had in a long time. The cornbread is spongy with a moist interior. Each bite gives you that strong cornmeal taste which I absolutely love. Honestly, I would come back for the cornbread and brisket alone. I would come early because it took about 40 minutes to order and almost 30 minutes to come out- and mind you, we came before opening time. Perhaps my only complaint is the efficiency here. Most BBQ places have the food prepared in advance so its just a matter of slapping food on a plate or assembling a sandwich. Here at Breakwater, the workers are slow and theres just one person preparing sides/slicing meat, etc..meanwhile theres a line out the door full of hungry customers. This place is either severely understaffed or undervalues their customers time. For customers who get there well before opening time, please expect to wait at least an hour before having a bite to eat. Would I return if I'm in the area? Yes, if I wasn't hungry or in a rush to go somewhere else. read more

Breakwater Barbecue - $90 for 3 items - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

See all

Cool place. Stopped in to try it out. Line out the door. Think line would go faster if they put a sign or a tv screen with the menu, most people waited to get to register to look at it. At least put a stack of menus by the front door. I had the fish tacos, pretty good! Wife had the burger with the brisket on top, she said it was just ok, not her favorite. Ended up upsetting her stomach. Potato salad had weird mustard seed taste to it, not horrible but just not good. Wanted beef ribs but $41 each?!?! Good selection of beers, sat at the bar and chatted with Kelly, great, friendly girl that was the highlight of the stop! We'd probably go back just because the service was great! read more

TEXAS MONTHLY & MICHELIN GUIDE The first time I heard about Breakwater Barbecue was in the Michelin Guide as one of the two Bay Area BBQ joints listed. In addition Breakwater Barbecue was featured in Texas Monthly, which is like the Michelin Guide of BBQs. The first time I ate here was the first Sunday of December 2023. On the website it stated that the first and third Sunday of the month beef ribs are available. Even though Breakwater Barbecue opens at Noon on that day I left my house at about that time. I arrived at Breakwater Barbecue close to 1:00 PM. When I got to the front of the line one of the cashiers informed me that the beef ribs were sold out. WTF?! I decided to get the Texas Trinity, which consisted of pork ribs, brisket, and link. Of all the meats the ribs stood out as there were dripping with juices. I knew I wanted to come here because of the beef ribs. I noticed on the website it lists that beef ribs are served on the first and third Sundays of the month. Two weeks later I came back again hoping for some beef ribs. To my disappointment I was informed that the beef ribs would be out of the season. I decided to go back to the item I enjoyed. I ordered the rib plate, which consist of pork ribs. I also decided to order the brisket burnt ends banh mi. This was a unique take on banh mi. The bread was airy and light. The burnt ends were moist as most burnt ends I've eaten tend to be dry. The following January I came back for the first Sunday of the month I was informed that the beef ribs were out of the season. Then in March for St. Patrick's Day weekend when I came here for a Reuben sandwich on rye, which was from a local bakery that Breakwater Barbecue collaborated for the Reuben. I came to the new location last two Sundays ago as that Sunday was the first of the month. Being at the old location multiple times I knew what I wanted to get. I ordered a rib tray, burnt ends banh mi, cornbread, and Texas Sheet. Yet again the beef ribs weren't available. When I come here on either the first or third Sunday of the month I'm disappointed that beef ribs aren't served. One of the servers said go to their Instagram page to find out it beef ribs are served. I'm not on Instragram and in the past the website said beef ribs are served on the first or third Sunday of the month. After eating at Breakwater Barbecue multiple times the best items is the pork rib because it taste like char sui from Chinese BBQ due to the glaze. I contend Breakwater Barbecue has the best pork ribs in the Bay Area. The one item I don't like is pulled pork because I am not a fan of it in general. I'm not a fan of burnt ends, but the burnt ends at Breakwater Barbecue is the best in the Bay Area. The burnt end banh mi is tasty but if the Reuben sandwich is available I would recommend that over the banh mi. Based on the pork ribs I can see why Breakwater Barbecue is listed in both the Michelin Guide and Texas Monthly. read more

See all

Definitely lives up to the hype that the Chronicle touted. If you are in the Half Moon Bay Area, definitely visit Breakwater Barbecue. Yes, you should go before they open and get in line. Like all good bbq places, there's only so much they can smoke for the day and when it's sold out, it's sold out. It's worth it. read more

See all

Honestly we never get Brisket anywhere but Ft Worth Texas when we visit family This was actually so good ! My friend and I had the Brisket sandwich that had cheddar cheese , carmelized onions in perfectly grilled sourdough or Texas toast ..Wow wow wow yum Husband had the brisket plate with potato salad and coleslaw and also really liked it . As good as what we've had in Texas Highly recommend! read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Brisket sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

Had to do it again. This time they had ribs! They were good. 3 ribs for $15 though - so that was meh on the price. Well smoked and pull away - easy to leave just a shiny bone when you're done. Two burnt ends banh mi and for three of us a large fry was more than enough to share. They have self serve water cups. And we ordered the root beer on draft. East parking. Inside and outside seating. Two gender neutral bathrooms with baby changing tables inside. read more

See all

First their food is amazing. This is the best BBQ place I've been to in the Bay Area so far. I have had so many bad and dry brisket in the past in other restaurants, their brisket is so moist and tasty and not overly fatty. The house link and rib are also done well. I've also ordered a smoked chicken leg to go. Very well seasoned with nice smokey flavor and very moist and tender. Their prices are surprisingly reasonable, I said that because as you know a lot of Bay Area restaurants really cut corners now by serving you less food for same price or even higher price. The Texas Trinity family platter we've ordered will feed 2-3 people at $65 pre tax and tip. We (me and another female) shared and still have plenty of leftovers. Lastly I was very surprised when the manager, George made an effort to our table and say hi and introduce himself . This place is mostly you order at the counter and they will bring you the food and plate , you grab your own utensils , but George was so kind to offer me the refill before I finished my soda. That's what great service is about, to go beyond and check with customers when you don't have to . Kudos to George for being such a welcoming manager ! read more

See all

Top 5 dining experiences of 2025 for me. Kelly and George were absolutely delightful and gave some great recommendations. We found this place on a whim (by "whim" I mean a suggested article of the best bbq because of my households obsession with brisket.) We came in on a Sunday to watch a 49ers game and ended up singing the praises of Breakwater. Everyone working here was so fun and kind, food was PHENOMENAL. Highly recommend the brisket, ribs, chili, and slaw. Corn chowder and fish taco were great too. I can't wait until our next free weekend to come back! read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Breakwater platter + corn chowder - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

See all

The brisket melt was fantastic. The brisket smoked to perfection and then added to a sandwich with toasted bread, melted cheddar, caramelized onions, and pickles. The Beans and Greens are a great side. Friendly staff and the Coastal Trail is only a short way away. @76steve_eats_and_cooks read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Coastal Trail. - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

See all

Ate here 6/13/26. Food: 5 stars for flavor: Pulled pork, mac 'n cheese, coleslaw, BBQ sauce. 4 stars for chili. Ditch the sour cream, and it's a 5. Sour cream does not add to the already great flavor. 1 star: Potato salad. It's a red potato salad w/ what tastes like dill and sour cream. Overall, it tastes like soap. Ribs were more fat than meat. 1 star: Food is served at room temperature. Hot food is not hot. Hotter food would help great flavors become even better. 1 star: Cleanliness: Tables were dirty and I had to clean the table myself. Floors were dirty w/ food spills and napkins. 1 star: Service: I had to order, pay, get a table. Pick up food from counter. I had to choose and clean a table myself. Get my own silverware, napkins, condiments, get up and ask for a soda refill. I had to do server's and busboy's jobs and you still want a tip?1?! No way! I did not visit this "restaurant", pay top dollar for BBQ, only to do the work of 2 employees. Not relaxing or pleasant. Will not be coming back. read more

Not for us. This is a ballyhooed place, a ton of hype and I was at the minimum, expecting it to be edible, which it was not--we left 99.9% of all the food on the table and went to eat elsewhere on the coast. Everything was lackluster: the ribs very dry and fatty, the two sauces not flavorful, the 'beans and greens' not smoky, the Mac n cheese was decent as was their apple slaw, with some tang. The potato salad was good with big chunks of potato but I was craving more complexity, e.g. celery and/or red onion or dill or pepper ... maybe a vinegar base, just more. The inside is noisy and clang, lots of big screen tv's at the bar, cold gusts of wind galling from outside, biting frigid air on the patio. Their special sausage on a bun with sauerkraut was okay, but I barely bit into it when decided that the taste wasn't worth the meat consumption. The cornbread dry and dense, not the moist airy consistency I'd imagined. I don't understand why and how this place has a Michelin star?! How? Who's giving g out these stars? The customer service is fantastic, attentive and in the ball friendly. They have a lot for free parking. This is their new location, having moved from their other rinky dink place. If you end up liking the food, the prices are good. read more

See all

The cashier told me that they are best know for this burger, so I tried that - probably the tastiest and also at $17, the most expensive burger I've ever had. Next time I'll try the BBQ! read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

See all

One of the best barbecue burgers I've had! Well deserving of the hype and accolades around it so do not skip getting it!! The ribs were great, the fatty pieces of the brisket were delicious and the apple coleslaw was an amazing and refreshing pairing to cut the heaviness of the meats. They also have lots of pickles veggies with the meats as well. Theres 2 barbecue sauce options - one more vinegar/mustardy and the other a sweet more classic flavor. Both are good so it's not to have the variety! And to drink, they have lots of local draft beers on offer as well! There was no wait when I went on a Sunday afternoon and service was fast. There are only a few tables and counter seating inside but people clear out pretty fast so you can usually snag a seat once you get your food. read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Breakwater burger, brisket, ribs and apple coleslaw - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

Why did we not get to visit this place sooner? It's a delightful place to get barbecue and the sides were quite delicious. We heard they can be so packed with long lines but on a Sunday afternoon on a three day weekend, we were lucky to get in and even get a table indoors. The brisket and ribs were tender, tasty, and perfectly smoked. On their menu, they describe their brisket as Creekstone Farms Certified Black Angus, dry rubbed and slow smoked for 12-14hrs. We had to have seconds of their delicious juicy brisket. It's served with Breakwater Pickles, and pickled sliced onion. The sides were generous portions good to share. Beans & Greens has Simms Swiss chard, black eyed peas, sliced garlic, and house smoked sausage. Merle's Potato Salad was classic. Apple Cilantro Slaw Crisp has a hint of natural sweetness. Mac'n Cheese was creamy, and well seasoned. Cozy space, great food, accommodating staff, and good parking. Worth the drive when craving barbecue. read more

See all

Been wanting to try Breakwater after hearing lots of positive reviews from friends and finally made the trip down to try. It was very good. Everyone working there is friendly. Got to try the chicken wings and Trinity Platter. Everything we tried surpassed all expectations! My only critique would be the pieces of brisket were on the leaner side but it was still very good. Would definitely come back! read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Smoked Chicken Wings - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

See all

Finally. A great place for bbq outside of half moon bay. Chill vibe. Live music. Great ribs. read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Ribs & slaw - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

Long lines but worth it. Glad they moved to this location. Happy Anniversary Lamb was a special, but should be incorporated into the menu. read more

A new (to me) location - the first time I went was during the pandemic and it was a lot smaller, and a lot less crowded. But clearly people have discovered this is among the best barbecue spots in the Bay, with great ocean views to match. The brisket is done just right, with no sauce needed (still got a bit of sauce). The sausage is also amazing. Just expect a crowd, and leftovers. read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

Been Rv traveling thru northern CA eat out occasionally. Food is so so. Over priced. But we smelled this place from across the street if the park we are staying at. And my God finally probably the best BBQ I've had the most tender brisket fall of the bone ribs and the greens and beans were freaking awesome. Service was great and the owner George was the best. Fort Worth Texas BBQ. Thank you read more

This is probably one of the better bbq spots in the Bay but that doesn't say much. Waited about an hour in line which made us think it was going to be worth the wait. We went on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. However, when we got our food and started eating we noticed right away the temperature was lukewarm. The sauces were extremely watery and they didn't have enough sauce for each table so we had to wait until other tables wrapped up to finally try some sauce. Potato salad was alright, nothing amazing. The Mac and cheese was also more on the watery side. My wife can prepare a much more creamier Mac and cheese. I think the preparation of the bbq was decent. Slow and low brisket, along with tender ribs. However, you have to finish all the away versus that lukewarm temperature bbq we got. It's a "million dollar move, ten cent execution" Friendly service, cashier girl and bartender girl were very accommodating and nice. Server guys also were polite and working hard. All the awards on the wall really hyped this place up. Native Texan so maybe it's the high expectations, but it's California so we still pay alot more for bbq. If I go back, I'm going to take it to-go heat it up in my oven and buy 0 sides. read more

Ribs weee ok but cold. Sauce is so so. Nothing great. Cornbread is good. I like beans with my ribs. Instead of "beans" I got a lot of other things in the beans and that leaves little beans. And all this stuff they put in them does nothing to help them. Just serve beans please. Id give the place a 5. Could be so Much better. . read more

BBQ is good & tender but too much rub makes it a lil bit salty, got (2) 1/2 lb trays came w/3 ribs, there was a side called beans n greens taste excellent perfect seasoning, a nice combo w/the meat in it..the portion size of my 2 orders was enough for lunch/dinner. There was a line @ 12noon, so it's best to get there early. Staff is very nice/friendly, our take out was correct. I will come back next time I'm in HMB. I also noticed online it shows a weekend menu w/chicken legs, etc. but did not see it when I was there. read more

See all

The wings are fantastic, and they're in in-house ranch to go it is really good. I would recommend getting the brisket tray over the brisket Sando. The mac & cheese always slaps. The ribs are not for me, but I'm not a big pork person. They are always really busy and sell out of a lot of their smoked meats pretty fast, so I would recommend if you're getting there on a weekend to get there before 5:30 PM. It definitely has a nice southern feel inside. This is my go to barbecue spot for sure! read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Brisket Sando, mac & cheese, chili, pork, ribs, coleslaw - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

See all

Are you looking for a place in half Moon Bay that has mouthwatering brisket? This is the spot some of the best barbecue I've ever had when it comes to brisket. Along with one of the best potato salads I've ever had. This was a fun little spot for a date right off the highway. I will definitely be back to enjoy the atmosphere and try other recommendations by the amazing people who run this establishment. read more

We stopped by our favorite place in HMB and boy were we 200% amazed at the Birria Tacos today! This was a recommendation made by George, Manager. The service, price and most of all the quality of the food is Superb. I highly recommend them! Laura and Marcus - read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

See all

UPDATE (8/10/25): Tried to give these folks another try today, but decided not to when I went to their website to order...only to find that they don't offer their meats for mobile orders. What I mean here is that I was going to order some brisket and some ribs, not as part of another dish. Last time we had their tacos and cheesesteak and didn't like it. I thought if we just tried the BBQ meat, we might enjoy it. But you can't order their meats as part of an online order, as apparently you can only order it there. Keep that in mind. You can see the original review below. ORIGINAL POST: If you order take out, and you do it online, keep this in mind...They do NOT have curbside pickup. Next, they do NOT provide anything to carry orders out in. When I picked up my order, I was handed three (3) loose boxes with my order. I get that they may be trying to be green, but there are green options that don't have food boxes sliding across the back of my car. Ok...for the food. It was OK. Not great, but OK. We had their Brisket Cheesesteak. I had their fries and we shared an order of their appetizer Brisket Street Tacos. First, the tacos weren't an appetizer, it was a full meal. You can see the pictures attached. It was a huge order. The cheesesteaks were dry and the meat looked like it went through a blender. What I mean there is that it was all very finely chopped which didn't make sense for a sandwich as EVERYTHING fell out as soon as you picked it up. Lastly, everything was quite salty. With BBQ, you should expect a little salt especially if they are using dry rubs. But...it tasted like someone took a big shaker to the fries and meat because it was too much salt. This was our first try with them as they just recently opened and I truly hope someone can be successful in that location. I just don't know that we will eat there again. read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Brisket Cheesesteak with fries - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

See all

Great bbq, great location, good beer! Love the new location. Lots of love go into this place!

Food was tasty and will return to try the tacos. The day I went they had a band and a fundraiser so the ambiance was great.

We went around 2 PM on a sunday and there was practically no line, although they still had a few people seated eating lunch. Owner(?) was super friendly and let us try some sides before we ordered. We went for the texas trinity with a 1/2 pound of brisket, 1/2 pound of ribs, 1 link, and 2 large sides (we chose mac and cheese and the beans and greens). Brisket: 4.5/5. Really solid brisket with great smokey flavor and great seasoning. Not dry at all (although i do wish it was a teeny bit juicier/melt in your mouth) Ribs: 6/5 Absolutely delicious, loved how tender the ribs were but still providing a chew. Link: 4/5 Solid sausage. Mac and cheese: 5/5 High quality mac and cheese Beans and greens: 5/5 Way better than it sounds like, they are made with chunks of pork and sausage and the whole thing has a ton of flavor. We ordered this for two and we were both pretty stuffed afterwards, pretty fair prices for texas BBQ. Would definitely come again read more

Breakwater Barbecue - texas trinity - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

I used to go to the old spot a lot. This was my first time going to the new location and was disappointed. Not because of the food, but lack of it. How do you run out of ribs and brisket 3 hours before close? The only options we had were pulled pork and sausage. I get it that supplies are expensive but if that's the case put a sign at the door if you run out so people don't stand in line only to be told your don't have this or that. read more

Had the brisket, Mac and cheese, and the Cornbread; all were outstanding. The service was great and the food came out really quickly. The brisket was really tender and flavorful, the Mac and cheese was top tier, and the cornbread had a bit of crunch on the outside but was warm and soft on the inside. One thing I noticed was how clean it was, the restroom was spotless. I've been here twice and both times were great. Overall: Food 10/10 Service 10/10 Cleanliness 10/10 read more

This place gets soooo busy during lunch rush! The ribs are very tender and seasoned so well (but they aren't fall off the bone ribs). The Mac & cheese is really good but this time it was kind of the ends so a little dry... Corn bread is yummy but kind of small for $4. Inside is loud as there's a lot going on and the seating is a bit small! On nicer days it would be good to sit outside. $70 for the meal below! read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Brisket sandwich Mac and cheese Cornbread 1/2 rack ribs (6) - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California

A tad disappointed with the hype. The best part about my experience was the other customers. I felt more welcomed by people in line who also didn't know anything about how it works at this establishment. We were trying to help each other out because staff didn't have any interest. Snobbish BBQ. read more

Came on a Friday right when they opened & the restaurant got filled hella quick ! Their "bahn mi" was surprisingly pretty good and the other stuff we got was great too . The best part tho was that the bathrooms were big and clean ! read more

Breakwater Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - El Granada, California