First time here. The empty parking lot at dinner time was my first clue to being underwhelmed. Ordered a combo of brisket and pulled pork along with coleslaw and chili beans. Portions were large but unlike most BBQ place, you don't get a bread (corn bread, toast, etc.). I had to go back and order overpriced Texas toast. And when guests orders are ready, the staff announces their name and says, "Come get it." It's condescending. How about saying, "__________, Your order is ready." Or, "_______, Come on up and get your delicious meal." ? Attention to little details would make guests feel less like they are in a cafeteria. As for the food, the brisket was tender but salty. Pork was good, slaw was ok, beans were good. It wasn't anything to write home about. Atmosphere was charming. Overall, it was a decent meal but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back. Looking at other reviews and the empty parking lot, I doubt this restaurant will be able to keep its doors open. read more

Wonderful service I love the food. The food was so great. It was not that affordable, but it's more of like an experience other than I might go there again, but it's not something I would do all the time. read more

What an interesting place! We stopped here while traveling through so had never even heard of it. First impressions walking in was the atmosphere was awesome. 5/5 stars. They have have an old-timey water fountain when you walk in, everything is decorated like an old country western saloon, complete with two "jail cells" that you can eat in. Super creative and fun. Next thing we noticed was how cold it was. We came here on a cold rainy day and really wanted a warm escape from the weather. We didn't get that-- we literally could see our breath inside with how cold it was. Also, the table we ate at wasn't clean, there was barbecue sauce stuck on the table still. Seemed like they could have been a little short staffed this day though. Food was great! Enjoyed the flavors of the brisket best, and the pulled pork and ribs were also great. The turkey leg was HUGE so portion size was great but it was a little dry, and so was the tri tip. Wish everything was a little warmer too. The salad was good to see as a fresh option but needed more toppings than just carrots (maybe some red onion at least). Staff were super nice and friendly and we felt very welcomed. The soundtrack was mostly sad or mad country songs, felt like it didn't quite match the atmosphere they were going for. I felt like they're close to greatness. Change a few things and they'd be at 5 stars. read more

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what a hidden gem!!! the woman taking our order was friendly and welcoming and the food was delicious!! best turkey melt sandwich i've ever had in my entire life! parking is easy and the vibes are fun inside! will be making a stop here anytime heading thru paso! read more

In Paso Robles for the Keith Urban concert last night.. Decided to eat at Big bubba's before the concert... My girlfriend and I decided to share an entree... We chose the brisket... It comes with one side but I added $2.50 for a " premium side" of onion rings.. The " premium side" of onion rings consisted of - no joke- SIX onion rings..that's it!!.. The entire brisket was six square pieces literally two and a half inches by 2 and 1/2 in, laid in a metal tin, playing, allowing you to choose your own barbecue sauce from the table ... This " MEAL" cost $25.54!!! By far one of the worst dinners I've ever had in a restaurant. I made the mistake of not reading the reviews before my girlfriend and I went there... Huge mistake... I'm writing this so others won't give this extremely overpriced restaurant their hard earned money! read more

Not sure why there all these bad reviews... Got food for 3 togo last night. Everything was very good. The giant beef rib is exactly that! Perfect cook and I could only eat half of it! Same with the tri tip. Perfect cook. Sides were good, but the smoker work was amazing. I am constantly disappointed with BBQ places and don't return. They never measure up to what I can do in my smoker. I will be back to Bubba's! read more

You have to wonder about a beef place that only gives you a plastic knife to cut your meat. That it cut easily is a testament to how tender the meat is! I had the brisket with a side salad; still KETO. The portion is generous, several thick slices of meat. It's really good, too. I'm picky about Ranch dressing, and theirs was clearly not from some bottle. It had a lot of body & good flavor. The patio is spacious and I loved the bonfire. Service was pleasant and quick. Will definitely be back. read more

Bubba's SmokeHouse & Spirits - Brisket with side salad - Barbeque Near Me - Paso Robles, California

The GM is a complete B*tch. Don't eat here they are rude and their food is horrible. Everything is overpriced. They really need to work on their food and staff. read more

So i use to come here when this place first opened and let me tell you, what a difference. The burgers use to be juicy and I believe it was a half pound patty. They were thick and very delicious. I just came with my daughter and got one side and one jalapeño popper. It was over 50 dollars. Wtf. The burgers were flat and dried out . I could get better at McDonald's for God's sake. I picked up the food and asked for a tray. Nope no tray. How does a burger joint not have a milkshake . This place has totally changed and not good change. I will never come back here. Spend your money some where else. read more

Fountain PEPSI and PEPSI ZERO! I haven't been here in YEARS. It's exactly the same minus the bull. I'm sure Covid took care of that. There is a full bar where is where I've spent most of my previous visits lol. You walk up to the counter to order. Choose from several BBQ options like combo plates, sandwiches, and salads. We had pulled pork sandwiches and a brisket sandwiches. The meat was SO tasty and tender. read more

$30 for Ala cart for 1 beef rib? holy smokes! an older lady at the counter needed a Pepsi and a break is all we could think of , we had asked if they had a beef rib lunch , she pointed and walked away. only Ala cart for beef ribs unless you want to add sides . 1 beef rib with nothing but air $30. we left quietly since she walked away . what happened to that restaurant? read more

Well, I tend to try to find something nice to say about every place we eat, however this place made it hard...the only thing nice I can find is that they took so much time to decorate it they ran out of money to hire good help... The woman that took our order could have taken some etiquette lessons as she was so rude to everyone we were afraid to ask too many questions. I ordered a drink, instead of asking the size I wanted (20oz) she pretty much slammed a 32 oz cup on the counter...when I asked for my sandwich to be cut in half she huffed and acted like I was asking for a million dollar discount... The pulled pork sandwich was bland and full of fat, and the coleslaw on top was, um yeah... then to top it off there is a sign on the tables {Bus your own table} and I put my arm on the table as I was reaching for something and it stuck to the table....so as I have nothing else good to say I will just end my little slice of negativity...I'm sorry about this!!!! read more

Driving north from San Diego, driving up the iconic 101 we left San Luis Obispo and decided to eat in Paso Robles since we had never been there. Typical BBQ menu but very expensive. $22 for a brisket sandwich. We got 2 double "smash" burgers on a "buttered" brioche bun $13 each. We decided to share a basket of fries for a whooping $9.99, figuring for that high dollar price there would be plenty for two people to share. Once we found a table, ironically right behind us they were doing studio shots of perfect dishes that looked amazing, delicious, and generous, so I was expecting the high dollar meal to be exceptional. What was plopped down, with no semblance of hospitality etiquette, was a small bun completely soaked with grease, as was the flimsy paper holding it. The bread was wet with grease, especially the bottom, and couldn't be picked up. A leaf of lettuce twice the size of the bun hung out all around. The entire greasy mess had been smashed down, bun and all to an unappetizing, unattractive, and greasy puck. I returned to the counter with my basket, asking if they would use my burger for their photo op. The woman who was the manager, possibly the owner, agreed to do it over, a bit petulantly. She proclaimed "It's a smash burger." I would encourage her to do a bit of research on what exactly defines a REAL smash burger in the culinary world - it's actually a very particularly defined and prepared burger - this wasn't it. Oh, and the $10 fries were about the size of a single basket anywhere else that would have cost $5. When she came to bring the redo burger back, there was no smile or, "Hope this is better for you; y'all come back now ya hear!" Maybe she already figured we wouldn't. I left it on the table I took no photo out of pity for the poor burger that already looked ashamed to exist, leaking grease and regret into the red plastic basket. If you find yourself hungry in Paso Robles - ease on down the road. Giving Bubba's one star was me being exceptionally generous. read more

I go here all the time with my toddler! It's a great place for lunch or dinner. I love everything on the menu but my favorite is the tritip sandwich with macaroni salad. My son can't get enough of the fresh chicken strips and Mac n cheese! The service is always friendly and fast. We also love the laidback family atmosphere. read more

Bubba's SmokeHouse & Spirits - Arcade games! - Barbeque Near Me - Paso Robles, California

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Food was half decent at the very least but still not that good needed to be more tender and seasoned better. The service is terrible with some snooty passive aggressive lady that kept being rude for the entire time we were there and I ordered the Tri-tip sandwich because she said they only had enough tri-tip for one sandwich since they were "really busy" (nobody was in there) on the menu it said that it came with dill pickles (I received none) when I went up to the counter to ask for the pickles a gentleman was helping me just for her to step in and say pickles are .75 cents when I pointed out that on the menu it says that it came with pickles she said that it was a typo but how do you add dill pickles to a menu item as a typo I just walked away after that until some gentleman came with a cup of pickles free of charge since he probably knew that you can't really have dill pickles be a typo. The ambiance inside was decent the flowing water was a nice touch but the drinks were right next to the women's bathrooms and it smelled like sewer my mother couldn't even use the bathroom due to the smell being so wretched. read more

I am very dissatisfied we are locals and they charged us 6.95 for a Texas Twinkie which is absurd to me I make them all the time was trying to order a nice dinner for my husband I'm not sure we will order again read more

We always make this a place to stop at when in the area. Great bbq and great ambiance. Food is ready quickly but quality is high! I've tried their hot chicken sandwhich in the past and trust everyone when they say it's HOT. I was not able to eat more than 2 bites at the time. Not sure what the spice level was but I didn't make the same mistake twice. Tri trip and brisket is the way to go. Sides are good although I haven't tried their Mac and cheese yet. Only reason I'm giving them 4 stars is because it's pricey compared to other bbq places I've tried. Anywhere from +3-5. Still recommend you try them out though. read more

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We stopped here for lunch on our way from Santa Cruz to SoCal. Other than being a little pricey, it was great. We got the Western Sausage sandwich and the Pulled Pork sandwich, both with Bubba's Beans on the side. The sandwiches were delicious. The beans were a little soupy for our taste. This seems like a cool place to go if you have little kids. The ambiance/atmosphere is engaging and they even have two tables that are in a "jail cell," which I know my kids would have loved when they were small. The service was fast and friendly. I'd consider stopping here again. read more

Bubba's SmokeHouse & Spirits - Jail cell tables! - Barbeque Near Me - Paso Robles, California

Food and service were not the best! It used to be great food and service. Got a turkey leg but it was actually sliced turkey breast. Food was not hot! Would definitely not recommend to anyone. Staff needs to get some customer service skills. read more

The food was OK. The service was not good. I do not recommend the sausage or the Mac n cheese. The chicken and ribs were ok.

Wow !this my top test ever by far. I wish we could have ability to give 6 stars for this place . We have orders tri tip / pulled pork / brisket sandwiches. Smoked meat melting too m Hun was toasty and soft same time "don't ask how it's possible " Interior was amazing . With 2 jail cells built in for those who don't finish their food haha. I was tempted to leave the kids there and continue with journey. JK I wish they removed those big boxes at the end (to go box thanks to Covid . Restrooms were clean but could use so western theme decorations as well. Outside patio was small but cozy . Staff were friendly, helpful and respectful. It's 200 miles from my home but I'll be back soon read more

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Super cool place and great atmosphere. You can smell the delicious BBQ from the street! Lots of TVs and the place was fool of character. We tried the pulled pork and brisket. Both were full of flavor and super moist; the sauces were on point and definitely added to the flavor without overwhelming it. The meats had the right amount of smoke, and overall a great BBQ! read more

The food was alright. The lady at the counter seemed a bit annoyed. Not very good customer service. Expensive for a place you order at a counter, pick up your order, and bus your own table. read more

We loved coming here for years. But now no waiters/waitresses food was disgusting had burnt ends that had the weirdest texture, garlic fries with no garlic and a fried Twinkie. The bacon was raw on the Twinkie. Got a drink from the bar subpar. You have to bus your own tables. Step it up bubbas you used to be so good. Not really any appetizers. read more

I think "Bad" is the operative word in this restaurants name. Despite having read previous reviews and seeing a less than favorable track record, we decided to give it a go. Should have know the second we walked in at 5:30 on a Friday night, to a nearly-empty restaurant, that it wasn't worth eating here. First, the prices are ridiculous, 21 for brisket and ONE side. I laughed out loud that the menu had "4 onion rings" listed for $5. What an absurd price gouge! My husband ordered the brisket, and was informed Mac n cheese would be a price increase of $2, it's comedic at this point. He said no and would do fries, but the cashier wasn't paying attention and kept it on the ticket. I ordered wings and the $12 garlic parmesan fries. The train wreck continues once our name is called to fetch our food. Heaven forbid a tray or something be provided to carry the food, my husband was juggling the plates on the way back. Set the food down, and the only thing that looked palatable (and thankfully was), we're the fries. His brisket was pretty colorless, and come to find out that it was not only dry but genuinely cold. His extra $2 mac and cheese could've been mistaken for mashed potatoes. Truly it was just a lump of mush. My wings were pretty obviously microwaved, the skin was soft, and the meat was gummy. The ranch that came with them was flavorless and hot. The reprieve and only reason I didn't give it a 1 star review is the fries, delicious. We came in hoping to have some drinks and hang out. No one was at the bar, and the vibe was way too odd to want to drink. Not to mention the wet washing rags on the tables... Weird Would absolutely not recommend. They obviously are relying on the captive market with the nearby hotels. Could see why they wouldn't get return customers. read more

Bubba's SmokeHouse & Spirits - $23 worth of food over there, huh? Also, no color on the brisket, so weird! - Barbeque Near Me - Paso Robles, California

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I won't return. Don't eat here if you want a bbq meal. IT TRULY LIVES TO THE NAME bad bbq!! Threw away $56 on steamed sausage and dry, flavorless brisket not cooked over a wood burning pit. Served room temp. The title bbq comes from the need to drench your meat in the cold bbq sauce to add flavor. Very disappointed The salad was lettuce carrots and a handful of croutons. The blue cheese dressing lacked blue cheese and tasted non-fat yogurt. Not creamy and nor blue cheese crumbles. The house taters were crispy but left the taste of being fried in old cooking oil. I ordered a beer and told the female at the counter it's my birthday. In my opinion she should have stated, on your birthday you eat free. I found out after we left that you eat free on your birthday through the Yelp app. I made the mistake of yelping after we got our food instead of before entering the door. Worst birthday meal ever!! The men working were attentive and courteous. They earned the star! As we were walking out the lady working told us, go clean your table.. The garbage is right there. Rude read more

Bubba's SmokeHouse & Spirits - Sausage steamed or microwaved NOT bbq Brisket flavorless, dry. BBQ sauce saved it. Both served room temp. Not worth $25 - Barbeque Near Me - Paso Robles, California

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Got brisket Mac and cheese and pork belly burnt ends was really good. Service was nice and fast. Burger was average.

Haven't been in awhile and definitely won't be back. For 2 burgers, the smallest basket of fries I've ever seen and brisket Mac n cheese, it was $77. The burgers tasted like poorly done McDonald's and the Mac was chalky with no flavor despite there being seasoning on top. The brisket was tender but it was not tasty. Absolutely awful. I grew up going here, and it has gone down hill FAST. Not worth the money and I wish we could get our money back. There isn't service, order at the counter, which is fine. But you'd think because of this they'd pay more attention to the food. read more

First experience was in 2007 over the years it has declined. Last visited in 2021 it was worth the visit. Today is the last time. My wife and I both agreed on that. Counter service only, serve yourself your own drinks, find your own take out boxes, flatware, condiments and bus your own table, per requested note on napkin dispenser makes me wonder if the tables get sanitzed, surprised we didn't have to do that, had to walk up to the counter to retrieve our food, which was mediocre. Brisket wasn't fresh, lacked in flavor, very little smoked flavor to it. Nobody cared about our food and service, but yet wanted a tip! Constant over the loud speaker mentioned a customer's name and said come and get it! $46 for basket of fries, side of pulled pork, and a Brisket sandwich during lunch time hours no drinks. Very unfriendly and uninviting environment! I live 5.5 hours away and when traveling 101 I would look forward to Bubbas, never again. read more

Always a go to anytime you stop in Paso Robles. The food is delicious. The drinks are cold. The staff is friendly and service is quick.

We came in from out of town and were staying near here so walked over to try California BBQ. The are low key, having to walk up to the cash register and order from the overhead menu board. Come to find out, there i\are missing items on the board. I had to show the cashier their website to order a item, a couple plate combo dish. It came with 1/2 chicken, grilled tip brisket, salad, beans and toast. It was almost enough for two, so I asked for a side of French fries. The cashier did not hear my extra side order and when we were called to pick up our order, lo nd behold, no fries. I had to place another order for just the fries.. well, they did not have old fries waiting to get ordered, so. We received freshly cooked and piping hot fries, about 4 minutes later. That was nice. The chicken and brisket were nicely done and smoked well and the brisket was very lean. The salad was in a paper container and nothing special. The beans were sorely lacking in barbecued flavor, with way too many chunks of tomato and kidney and pork and beans style second beans, and did nothing to achieve any barbecued beans distinction. A sign on the table asked us to bus our own table. As I stated, very low key with some hits and a few misses. read more

Bubba's SmokeHouse & Spirits - Central coast barbecue plate - Barbeque Near Me - Paso Robles, California

So we get there with high hopes. Nobody at the counter - found 3 or 4 employees clustered at the bar. I went to the bathroom and found nasty mold around 2 of the pipes leading to the urinal and brown logs in toilet that I had to flush 3 times. Go back to front and find my wife reporting the lazy employees took much time to take her drink order. We left while we had our health read more

We figured we'd try this local favorite BBQ place while we were in town. Very disappointed. I always say you need to smell bbq cooking when your outside the place before going inside. There was no smell of bbq even inside. We ordered the following: 2 meat combo ribs and brisket with corn and beans. You couldn't see the smoke ring on either meat. The brisket didn't have a lot of flavor to it, no smoke ring, and wouldn't pull apart like it should. The ribs were just okay. The bbq sauce was good. The beans were the star of the meal. The corn felt like canned corn. The beer was cold and good. Also, what respectable bbq place doesn't have Mac n cheese I would recommend another bbq place if they have one in town. read more

Bubba's SmokeHouse & Spirits - Brisket. Looks dry and no smoke ring. - Barbeque Near Me - Paso Robles, California

No, no, no, no. What a shame and disappointment. So much has changed over the years and none of it for the better. Came here once during fair and the brisket sandwich was pretty good, so good in fact that I decided to bring my entire family here to celebrate a dual-birthday. What a mistake, I felt so embarrassed to have even suggested this place. First of all, we tried to sit in the jail cell but had too many people (had same amount during fair sitting in the jail cell area- but suppose they were too busy then to realize) and rudely got told to go sit elsewhere... okay, no big deal. Going up to order, this lady was so incredibly unfriendly and rude. They do not offer kids' meals here, so having to pay a hefty price for some chicken strips and fries for young kids was just plain whack. Everything is an upcharge, even if it's not stated, it is. Onion rings listed as a side, but be prepared, you will pay the price. Half of the orders of food were cold (ribs icy, chicken strips cold). One of the members in our party went to order a drink at the bar and waited 15 minutes before someone showed up to take the order. There is a better BBQ joint downtown charging the same kind of prices. Go there. read more

BAD Bubbas BBQ Food made my family ill (3 out of the 6). Service Terrible. My family of 6 went in mid afternoon, after coming a long way and stopped at Bubba's for convenience of location (hotel). Dark hair, woman had a major attitude. No one but two other people in restaurant. This is not the original Bubbas and sprinkles of red chili so apparently to address bad food, is not the answer. read more

Passing thru Paso I had a hankering for a brisket sandwich. However the sandwich at Bubba's was $19.99!!! Unwilling to pay such a price I settle on a cheeseburger slider. The burger was decent, fries were good. But I am still smarting on how jacked up the BBQ prices were. Bummer. read more

Overall lackluster. Came for the experience - the decor looked fun for my kids and the food looked great. The building itself is very cool, it definitely did add an element of excitement for lunch. The water feature in front& the fortuneteller machine inside & the jail cells were cool. However, the food is over priced for four orders it was over $80. The beans didn't have enough flavor, the macaroni salad had too many onions- it was an onion salad with noodles and the green salad which was literally lettuce and way too many carrots with a handful of croutons and dressing on the side- i'll leave something to be desired. Don't make my mistake and skip ordering those three. The chicken and french fries meal, is super large one order could feed two kids and come topped with pickles which they did not like, they should ask if you want them when you order because I'm sure we are not the only people to throw them all in the trashcan. The pulled pork sandwich was definitely the highlight and the only thing worth coming back for. In the future I'll probably skip this place and find some thing with a better overall selection and lower pricing... read more

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OK, cute place. Nice decor and in these days of high prices at least the portions are reasonable. Brisket was good tender, 8 ounce portion with one side. The sides are mediocre but the brisket was good. The sausage platter was pretty basic sliced, smoked but not much flavor. Only one BBQ sauce on the table. I've eaten BBQ all over. Memphis, St Luis, Dallas etc. so I love good BBQ. I can see why only 3 stars it's just OK, not the worst but not even in contention for good BBQ. read more

Bought $50 of brisket and more than half of it was fat. Will not be going back. It use to be good.

If you have nastalgia of the mechanical bull, the lively local scene, and the fun waitresses coming to your table you'll be disappointed. Those days are long gone. The sodas are flat (I mean really bad), not the most friendly cashier, definitely more of a take out vibe, we used to stop by every few months to avoid fast food when we didn't have the time or energy for a nicer restaurant. But I've gotten to the point it isn't even on my list of stop by for any reason at all. read more

Bubba's SmokeHouse & Spirits - Barbeque Near Me - Paso Robles, California