Bandits' Grill & Bar has long been one of my go‑to spots for solid BBQ comfort. Over the years,…read moreI've happily worked my way through their Buffalo Burgers, Salmon Salad, sliders, potato skins, Tri‑Tip sandwiches, and more. If it once mooed, clucked, swam, or sprouted, chances are I've tried Bandits' version of it. But this visit came with a twist, a Tri‑Tip Chili adventure. I ordered their weekend‑only Tri‑Tip Chili (served Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays), and the first bowl came out a bit watery. Not tragic, but definitely not the hearty chili Bandits is known for. Our server, Kirsten, checked in and asked how it tasted. I told her honestly. She didn't blink -- she marched straight to the kitchen, looped in the manager, and together they taste tested the giant vat of chili like two culinary detectives on a case. They agreed with me and then fixed the problem. And they fixed it for everyone, not just my bowl. A few minutes later, Kirsten returned with a fresh bowl -- thicker, richer, and absolutely delicious. She even mentioned it probably needed a touch more cornmeal. That kind of honesty and teamwork is rare, and I appreciated it more than she knows. I also ordered an original margarita, which was smooth, refreshing, and exactly what a margarita should be. Bandits has a full bar, so if you're in the mood for something stronger, fruitier, or fancier, they likely have you covered. The bar area has several TVs for game watching, which means it can get loud. If you prefer actual conversation, the kind where you can hear the person sitting across from you, they offer quieter seating away from the bar. There's also a patio area where I've held group meetings in the past, and it works beautifully. Kirsten was a standout: caring, attentive, upbeat, and clearly someone who enjoys her job. Service like that elevates a meal from "good" to "memorable." Bandits' Grill & Bar is handicap accessible, family‑friendly, and equally comfortable for singles, couples, and groups. Do I recommend it? You bet. Especially when the staff listens, cares, and brings a little magic to the table.

The food: Ribs were too dry and over smoked, no Meat on the…read morebones to carve off let alone pull with your own teeth. Saw other patrons say the meal with the ribs were also a "I didn't like it, please take this away" attitude. They did try to replace another rib but it too was awful. The Prime Rib was really good and the sides were meh at best. The fries were tiny little miniature sticks. The Cole Slaw was just generic like it was from every regular galley or cafeteria you get at college eateries. Onion Rings were fun and crunchy and great for bar food. We got there during happy hour and had their drinks and were good. Service was great and the staff were super friendly which makes me feel bad because the food wasn't good overall. The ambience was nice because they put us out in the patio during a nice cool afternoon. And the music was regular country bar music... No Military or 1st Responder Discounts

If you're anywhere near Newbury Park and even remotely serious about good food, do yourself a favor…read moreand check out West of Orleans. From the moment you walk in, that amazing smell hits you like no other! Marcus, the owner, treated us like you're a regular, even on our first visit. Marcus was attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely excited about the menu. And the food? Absolutely next level. Marcus gave us samples of the chicken gumbo and from the moment it touched my tongue, I was sold. I got a 32 ounce Gumbo and let me tell you, it was plenty. Everything was perfectly seasoned and packed full with some much pride and flavor. You could tell Marcus and his wife are passionate about their business and the product they're putting out. In addition to the chicken gumbo, I got the cornbread with the honey butter. Let me tell you something, I must've died and went to heaven. One of my friends' grandmothers made corn bread back in the day and this made me think of those times. The cornbread wasn't dry and the honey butter just amplified it to the next level. My friends got the brisket po'boys and they were blown away by the flavor. The sandwich was packed full of brisket and was seasoned to perfection. We will definitely be back for another round as this was the best meal we've had in a while. Thank you Marcus!

I wanted to try something different so I found this place when asking AI for a non-chain fried…read morechicken place. It's a bit of a detour off the 101 and is inside a a very unassuming plaza. I actually thought they were closed when I first got there but another customer went to the door and it opened. This place is setup to be for takeout.. I it's very small upfront, no frills, and that's ok by me. The menu was clear and had so many things that looked good the pictures sold me on the wings, unfortunately they didn't have them that day. Fried Chicken - 4 Star - I got two pieces. I am pretty sure they were deboned thighs. Seasoned and fried well with juicy meat and flavor in every bite. The fried batter texture is unique, very light and airy almost tempura-ish, but still crunchy, seasoned, and it highlighted the chicken rather then overpowering it. Shrimp Poboy - 4.5 Star - Absolutely nailed the shrimp on this one. Large, plump, seasoned and sauced exactly right letting that sweet shrimp meat really shine. The Cajun/Jerk Seasoning was great and the cabbage slaw took nothing away from it. The roll was thick so it held up very well, but it needed a bit more moisture to be perfect.

First time here, completely pleased with everything! So good, it appears the wait staff and…read morecashiers are all young people and they are the most polite and respectful! The food is fresh, and tasty, and the prices are very reasonable. I'm not a huge pizza fan but this BBQ Chicken pizza was delicious. Crust for me is always the deal breaker and this one was good. Not wanting to forget to Yelp-doing it while still here. Give them a try.

Tri tip burrito. Do i need to say more? Get it ASAP. It is the best local resteraunt in Thousand…read moreOaks

I've always passed by and never gone it but I was just in time one Saturday and rushed in!…read moreThe food is good and not bad for its price, especially considering it's for a good cause. But maybe mine was an off batch because everything was entering dry and chewy. But it does come out fast! There's a nice shaded patio to sit if you want to stay and some more tables where you can watch them grilling by the road. If you want tons of sauce, they also sell noh's hawaiin bbq bottles. Out of the tri tip sandwich, beef ribs, and baby back ribs--the beef rib was my favorite, but the sandwich is probably what I'll keep going back for because they are so generous with how much meat they pile! Definitely worth a visit, but I didn't feel the hype I kept on hearing.

A tougher rib cannot be found. They're like,,,,BBQ sauce on a shoe. The side order cups are half…read moreempty. The pretending is amusing.

AI... The…read moretemperature and atmosphere were on point -- quiet enough that my partner and I could actually hear each other instead of doing the usual "WHAT?" across the table. Food came out fast, which was great. The hamburgers showed up a little lukewarm... like they had just finished a light jog instead of a full workout. Bathroom was clean, which already puts this place ahead of a surprising number of establishments. We sat at the bar, and the redheaded bartender was awesome -- super nice, accommodating, and honestly carrying the VIP energy of the evening

Came for a birthday lunch Sunday around 1PM and got seated immediately. The restaurant was pretty…read moreempty but it seemed they had 2 servers for the entire floor, but they did their best! Food came out pretty slow but there's plenty of garlic rolls to supplement the wait. It seems that the wait for food is always the same regardless of capacity so don't come if you're starving. Got brisket sliders which were pretty good, our 2 classic burgers were both medium rare, despite one being ordered medium well. Like a large pink center, but it's fine. The bbq salad is so good though, the perfect mix of bbq meat and fresh lettuce that complements perfectly. The sliders are good but a bit boring, they have a lunch special where it's 2 sliders and a side/soup but I feel they wouldn't be as fulfilling as the other items on the menu for a similar price. Garlic rolls are so soft and buttery. I think our server's name was Jaqueline? So sorry if I'm getting this wrong, but she was managing at least 5 tables from my POV, but she checked on us regularly! Our waters were never empty and everything was great!

Well, passing through town again staying for a few days to visit friends and family from my old…read morestomping ground here in Ventura, California. I crave some barbecue tri-tip.. I read somewhere across the street where this Location used to be in that food court is another barbecue place that I didn't get to try unfortunately because I'm pretty loyal to Buster's . it was about 730 on a Monday night and they close at eight so I figured you know what I'll give them a shot. Upon entering the business I could smell some of the meats we're still cooking on the grill so that's a good sign. I need a quick take on the pricing and wow unbelievable that this place at one time sold a tri-tip sandwich for 7.99 and a tri-tip dinner for about 13.99. now the sandwich is 14.99 and the dinner is 19.99.. there's a picture included. You can zoom in and see the prices for yourself but not sure how much I would get. I was starving. I got the dinner and I also got the sandwich. I can also eat the next day or simple some of my was not full. I opted for the potato salad, the coleslaw and the beans on the dinner and the sandwich just comes with tri-tip French bread and a barbecue sauce of your choice or you can get hot version which I avoid. So about 35.00 and I'm headed back to my hotel. I dug into the dinner first and yes, the tri-tip was kind of dry, but would you dip it into the barbecue sauce? It was OK. The beans were OK. I needed some seasoning potato salad. It was great and the coleslaw was just average coleslaw. nothing to write home about the butter. Bread was pretty good portions was it fresh it was warm. Could've been better.. I was given about 4 to 5 slices of tri-tip, which isn't really a lot so I attacked the language and took a few slices off of there and then put the rest away for tomorrow. Overall, it's decent maybe I should've went when it was fresher in the afternoon, but I probably wouldn't recommend going late in the evening as things are being put away and food tends to sit around for a while. can't really blame the price too much because we all know. Beef prices are insane these days but I think you should at least get more portions for the $$$$ you're paying for. on my next visit I head across the street and try the new place if it's still an existence cause we know that food court turns new places over left and right and it could be vacated on my next return..

Buster's BBQ is hidden away but definitely worth finding. We ordered the Tri Tip meal and Sandwich…read moreand both had a generous portion of sliced tender meat with a lovely smoke ring. The house-made chili beans were also flavorful and perfectly seasoned. The potato salad was solid and the coleslaw was delicious if you grew up enjoying KFC coleslaw. The meats live up to the high expectations we have for BBQ and it draws large crowds at lunchtime. The cashier at the counter was very friendly and helpful and the meal was brought to the table fairly quickly. The interior 2 dining rooms are spacious and the standout decor is comprised of large TV screens playing an eclectic selection of cartoons, sports and home improvement shows. The focus here is definitely serving up the best BBQ and fixings. We'll absolutely be back to try the ribs, and chicken.

I had to quickly order same-day catering for lunch for my team in Thousand Oaks. Most restaurants…read moredid not offer same-day catering, but I contacted Stonefire Grill, and spoke with Daniel on the phone who made the process very easy. Daniel was very kind and respectful, and I was able to get my order out and have it delivered on time. The food is top-notch as well, specifically the ribs. Highly recommend!

I'm sorry to say that I have no photos of our catered meal from Stonefire, but I can assure you,…read morethe food, delivery and quality were all OUTSTANDING !!! We ordered the MEGAFEAST, which feeds 12, but since we were having 15 guests, we added a bit more to the order. It truly was a feast, and everything was delicious !! We had Caesar salad, and BTW, they have THE BEST Caesar dressing on this EARTH !! Always have... always will... and I've had a LOT of Caesar dressing in my life to make this proclamation. The order also included their breadsticks, lemon garlic chicken, BBQ tri-trip, tri-tip with pepper gorgonzola sauce, baby back ribs, rigatoni with pesto sauce, mashed potatoes with garlic pieces and cheese, as well as mac 'n cheese. We also added 2 cheese pizzas, and for dessert, we added Stonefire's carrot cake and cheesecake. (Neither the pizza nor desserts were part of the initial order.) All the guests loved the food, and there was enough left over to send "doggie bags" home with everyone. We paid enough to qualify for Stonefire to deliver AND set up the food, which was fabulous. They showed up exactly when we asked. They brought plates, utensils, and LOADS of serving pieces. We wanted for nothing !! I'm not going to lie... it was costly, BUT it was worth it. I had out-of-town family visiting, but thanks to Stonefire, I didn't have to lift a finger or be removed from any festivities because they did it all for us. It was worth EVERY dollar we paid. I'd surely do it again !

Very cute location, love the mood and the music. The food…read morewas good, our waitress was super nice. Overall a nice experience, a nice Friday night mood

We visited this BBQ spot to celebrate my cousin's birthday, and it ended up being such a great…read moreexperience! The restaurant is tucked away in a neighborhood and feels like it was once a family home that has been transformed into a cozy restaurant. From the moment we walked in, it had a welcoming, homey atmosphere that made us feel comfortable right away. They start every meal with complimentary cornbread, and it was absolutely delicious warm, flavorful, and the perfect way to kick off our meal. The food was satisfying, the portions were generous, and the prices were very reasonable for the quality and amount of food you receive. One of the things we loved most was the ambiance. On Saturdays, they have a live band, which adds so much charm and energy to the experience. They also offer al fresco dining, making it a wonderful place to enjoy a meal outdoors with family and friends. To make the celebration even sweeter, the staff surprised my cousin with ice cream for her birthday, which was such a thoughtful touch and made her feel special. If you're looking for delicious BBQ, a relaxed atmosphere, live music, and friendly service, this hidden gem is definitely worth a visit. We'll absolutely be back!