BBQ In San Diego is hard to find let alone good West Texas BBQ. Me being a Second generation San Diegan from the area had known only Fargos And the BBQ pit growing up. Since then we had some attempts by others to compete and some gentrification of neighborhoods took place. About 15 years ago Brad Cooper "Coop" was shown by his dad who was raised in Midland Texas and was taught his pit master skills. My cousin who swore by Coops for years and used to promise we'd have to check it out. After my lack of finding a bonafide Texas BBQ I had saw an article on NBC about the possible closure of Coops a month ago. Yesterday I finally was able to head out from Chula Vista to Lemon grove. Easy to find with plenty of parking . The first thing I noticed was the Smoker set ups in the parking lots, Oak and Pecan woods used to create the magic. These setups match up to the Texas based BBQs such as Hard 8 in Dallas , Hutchins in Frisco , I knew I was at the right place. Once inside there's a clean and modern kitchen and smokers that were grandfathered in for smoke producing heat( rare) for indoors anymore. The line for ordering was about 12 deep with a half dozen waiting and other families devouring their orders. The Menu pretty straight forward, Brisquit , Short ribs , Sausage , sides numerous, cornbread, peach cobbler, greens, MacNCheese, potato salad, coleslaw. Numerous combos, meat weights and solo variations. Everyone inside seemed to know the staff, older folks greeted by first name and thanks you'd abound. The Tip jar was full and Brad Coop was checking on everything and everybody. We waited about 25 mins for our order but with much anticipation our food was on our table lids open and my mouth watering. My brisquit , chicken, my wife's pulled port moist. I first sampled the coleslaw then potato salad figuring if this ain't right then forget it. Both sides were authentic and delicious, a bite of cornbread was moist and fresh. Onto the Brisquit first, I lathered it up with the sauce then sliced the meat effortlessly with the blunt plastic knife like warm butter. Taking the first bite I could smell the smoke as the mouth combination of sauce and meat hit my taste buds. The Magic was Done ! West Texas was now in Lemon grove transported by pit master Brad Cooper and team. The chicken and pulled pork equal in flavor and it was actually so filling we couldn't eat everything in one sitting. We didn't get to try the short ribs , MacNCheese or baked potatoes , all the more for coming back regularly and bringing friends and family. read more

I am excited to have found Coop's West Texas BBQ. My teenage sons and I ordered various things to try, including brisket, mac-n-cheese, potato salad, rice beans, cornbread, and peach cobbler. All of it was delicious, but the surprising winner was the spicy chicken. Coop's West Texas BBQ is worth the trip read more

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My first time here and loved just about everything Arnold Palmer made with fresh squeezed lemonade and Texas sweet tea Beef Brisket...WOW! Tender, flavorful, cooked to perfection Great red, beans & rice Good Potato salad Peach Cobbler Service and Staff...AWESOME! Loved the vibe of the people who came in today, felt like a family gathering. I will definitely be back. read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Coop's Legendary BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

The ssssalivation is REAL! Coop knows how to do it right! His Q is legit. Tasty, tender, juicy ribs n brisket that don't need any sauce. Every bite that slides off the bone has loads of smokiness. They go down like buttahh... But, le'me tell you, that spicy sauce is so dope. It's bursting with so much flavor and adds some heat to the bites. It's just a cherry on top of the sundae. So ask for the spicy sauce. It's so good. Their sides are all great. Starting with that cornbread. The pieces are huge and perfect. They have the right amount of moisture that they don't get all crumbly n crummy. So yummy! I could stop there, but I love their bbq beans that have chunks of pineapple. Didn't expect that my first time there when they first opened. But I've been a sucker for it ever since. If you don't want something sweet, the red beans n rice are also great. They even have chunks of the brisket in it. I must say, I never really had collard greens till I discovered Coops. I've had it since at other places, but I really like the way they make the greens here. I always gotta have it on my plate to complete my scrumptious meal. I usually order for pick up and bring my stash home for the fam. There is limited seating inside and outside if you can't wait to get home. The tortuous drive is the hardest part for me! Thanks for keeping the legend goin, Coop! (The only drawback: the hours! Please stay open past 3pm. People don't grab dinner before then. The business will at least triple if it stayed open to at least 6-7pm! And summer is coming! read more

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Vibes in there are always great here and the foods always good. Brisket and pulled pork are my favorites from here but the jerk chicken is a sleeper. Service has been amazing every time I've been the people there do a great job Yams are the best I've had since I moved to San Diego, almost went back for more read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - 1 lb. Pulled Pork and 2 oz. Sauce Potato Salad Candied Yams Spicy sauce - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

As a fellow West Texan, I'm so incredibly sad I didn't find this place sooner. Everything is so incredibly delicious. We ordered a Spud & Que with pulled pork, a pork rib combo plate with mac n cheese, and baked beans. We also got a slice of the sweet potato pie and a large container of their peach cobbler. Topped it off with two Texas Sweet Teas. When I tell you this meal soothed a piece of my homesick soul, I mean it. I felt like I was back in my granny's kitchen. I am also impressed with the amount of pulled pork on the spud. We WILL be back the food and service are worth it. Thank y'all for bringing a piece of Texas here. read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Spud n Que with pulled pork. - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

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The service is great here, the people working are super friendly. I ordered the brisket and that was super tender, the rib tips were good too. I like how they serve the sauce on the side so you have control over how much you want. The mac and cheese was okay, I thought it was kind of dry and not saucy enough, the small size was $7 and it was very small so I thought it was overpriced. The corn bread was very dry and tasted straight out of a box. I don't think I would order either of these sides again, but I would come back for the meat. read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Brisket Rib tips Mac and cheese Corn bread - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

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5 stars for Coops! A family owned bbq joint serving up delicious bbq. I'm a sucker for a place with not only delicious meats but tasty sides. I've come here a few times- sometimes ordering my own plate of ribs. Other times- ordering a variety of meats and sides to share at the office. It's a great spot to pick up food for groups and everyone gets to try a little bit of everything. Highly recommend supporting Coops and their amazing bbq! read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Ribs plate - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

Some of the best Texas bbq that San Diego has to offer. You can't get better brisket anywhere else out here! I also tried the collard greens which are some of the best I've had at a restaurant. For me, it's worth coming out to Lemon Grove to get some brisket at coop's. The family is all incredibly nice and they make amazing food. It's not hard to love a business with family values and great food. read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

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I've been coming to Coop's for years, back when you could get a pound of rib tips on Wednesdays for $12. Over the years I've continued to patronize them, but once they started only being open a few hours a few days a week, not so much. I came today and I was very disappointed. Service is super slow, and to only get one small ramekin of BBQ sauce for an entire pound of meat is ridiculous. The potato salad tastes like it came from the deli in Albertsons and the red beans & rice had no meat in them and no seasoning. The only thing that was still magnificent were the rib tips. I used to love this place and I hope that they can get back to their glory days. read more

Excellent bbq meats. Juicy brisket, excellent spareribs and wonderful beef short ribs. Very much comparable to Texas bbq. Beef rib as good as Louie Mueller's in Austin. Lucky to have this gem in San Diego. read more

Wow- yall don't know much about Southern Food out here do you? Well Coop's does. I'm a Georgia girl now living in California. I came here with a few of my friends. One asked what sweet tea was and another asked what collard greens were. If you find yourself asking the same questions please order both when you come to Coop's. They do both very well here. Truly everything was great here. Minus the wait to get our food- but it's worth the wait for sure. There just wasn't any place to wait that long and they don't have a speaker for outside so we had to keep sending someone in to listen for our order. Other than that everything was truly excellent and what I love about BBQ. It doesn't need to be drenched in the sauce because the flavor is already packed in the meat. You can even come and have a great meal only eating their sides. read more

When I think of Southern California, good BBQ would not be one of the things that came to mind, but a few coworkers decided they had a need for some meat, and ordered a little of everything. I can't speak on cost, everyone sort of chipped in, but the food itself was pretty good. I tried all the meats and the potato salad. No place for anything green for me. Out of all I tried I think the pulled pork was one of my favorites and the brisket, followed by the hot sausage and lastly the ribs...but I'm not a big rib person. The sauces that accompanied them were really good also. I am not sure I would go out of my way to visit on my own, but if ever the work group or some friends were into it, I would for sure go, or recommend to anyone looking for BBQ. read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

My visit to Coop's was absolutely amazing!!! The staff and owner exhibited the true definition of customer service . Mr. Coop was delicious and well seasoned. And the atmosphere was warm and friendly!! I will definitely be back read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

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When sauce served on the side, good barbecue, like Coops. A real pork slab instead of baby back. Collard greens are perfect. Meat good to great, instead of boiled and smothered in sauce at loser Phil's. Whether you are from Encanto, wear gold chains, and drive an Impala bouncing on hidráulics or come from La Jolla in your Tesla and drink red wine, all are welcome and lunching here. It ain't cheap, but neither is quality and real grit from Midland Texas. There has not been barbecue this good or as authentic, arguably, since Fargo's in the 90s in South Encanto. Huffman's was a greasy spoon and sucked bong water in comparison Get over to Coop's, better than Rudi's or Country Line in Texas. read more

The line was long BUT it was truly worth it. I ordered the combo plate for $20 with a side of potato salad. Let me tell you my taste buds truly enjoyed my meal. When I'm in town again I will stop through, and so should you read more

Best bbq in San Diego. I'm from Texas. I've tried lots and lots and lots of bbq. Trust me.

Great ribs and the sides are good also. I am usually picking up to go and I always order extra for a follow on meal with the leftovers.

Better than Phil's BBQ any day. Can't go wrong with brisket, ribs, or corn bread. Service is always on point and there's not really an ambience since people typically take their orders to go. read more

Coops is a barbecue eatery that also has soul food sides as well as traditional sides for barbecue meals. San Diego has a lot of cue places but to be honest, Coop's outranks them all when considering taste, smoke, and sauce flavoring. There is no other place that makes Sweet Potato Pies this moist and perfectly balanced with smooth texture and sweetness. There are only a couple of soul food restaurants in San Diego. One is located in downtown San Diego way overpriced another one is located in Paradise Valley but the food is hit and miss. Coop's is not friendly with portions or substitutions or doubling meats. Boxed potato salad (blah), collard greens (fresh), yams (Sundays only) canned but good upgrade, brisket- 5 stars.. What I can say about Coops is that it is consistently reliable for the flavor you may be seeking. Once in awhile I had some ribs that did not meet the expectation but that's less noticeable than most noticeable. I would consider the portions to be meh fair related to the price when comparing to other cities or competitors that sell barbecue. While at the same time Coops charge extra for everythaaang. Given the shortage in employees they are no longer taking phone orders. But this may change by the time you read this. The line could be long you may wait 30 seconds up to 30 minutes. Waiting for your food may take 10 to 60 minutes. You probably shouldn't come here if you're really really hungry because you're going to have to wait but you will eat every bit of food that comes on your dish. Next door they have a fried fish and fried chicken establishment as well so that might be another great option. You could bring your own turkey or ham and they'll smoke it for you for $4 a pound not a bad deal. I believe we should patron local businesses that deliver quality food. Also, there must have been a change in employees because customer service is quite warm, with a smile and no 'tude. read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Current menu and prices - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

The love was abundant at Coop's last day today! We pulled cash out at the 7-11 nearby and there was a line because everyone was getting cash out to go to Coop's today haha. We got the knockout sampler with sausage, brisket and ribs, with potato salad and mac and cheese. We had wanted the yams and greens but they were already all out haha. Coop's smoked meats are really legendary and I hope he's able to turn it around and keep the doors open at least on the weekends. I usually get the brisket or ribs but getting a big order today, I was able to try the sausage and HOLY COW, try the smoked sausage! So good!! I think I might be a brisket and sausage girl now! read more

The portions at Coops West BBQ are generous, so be sure to come hungry. And if you have any room left for dessert, their homemade peach cobbler is a must-try. It's the perfect ending to a delicious meal. In addition to the amazing food, the service at Coops West BBQ is top-notch. The staff is always friendly, attentive, and happy to make recommendations. They truly go above and beyond to ensure that every customer has a great experience! PS. Make sure you try their brisket!!!! read more

I had super high hopes for this place. I've seen a few interviews from the owner and he seems like a genuinely good man who knows his meat. What I experienced today was the most disappointing bbq I've ever had. I drove 30 mins and arrived at 12:30 on a Sunday. Service was fine and order was delivered promptly. The brisket was over cooked, dry and void of all seasoning. The jerk chicken (had high hopes for this) tasted nothing like jerk and didn't have that much flavor. All of the meat had an overwhelming butane/propane after taste and that shouldn't be anywhere near Texas bbq. We also ordered potato salad, Mac & cheese, and a slice of cornbread. Potato salad was okay. Nothing special Mac cheese was soggy and tasted like it had been submerged in black pepper. I'd love to review the corn bread but I never received it lol so I have no idea what it taste like. Idk if I just went on a bad day or something, or what, but what I ate is NOT bbq. read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

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Came in for lunch and was a little confused when I pulled in. Seems like one location is closed but the storefront in the same area is open but for take out/catering only. This place has a nice family feel with supportive customers and nice perfume of smoke. If you want your food fast, but sure to call in your order in advance, it takes a good 10 minutes for them to gather your order. Ordered: Cornbread: a little dry, good potion Potato salad: really tangy, well cooked potatoes Mac and cheese: very standard, more mac'y than cheese 1/2 rack ribs: could have been a touch saltier but paired well with the bbq sauce 1/2 lb brisket: very juicy and fall apart, better salt content than the ribs This lunch for 2 with enough for 1 person's leftovers cost $56 dollars. read more

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These were not the big sized oxtails that were advertised on Instagram that's the only reason I went , def not worth the price being charged about 48 after tax. I will stick with iQue when they do their oxtail bowls, better price, actually big baseball size meat and way more flavorful. Just stick with the original bbq menu if you come here. But I won't be back. read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - "Smothered" Oxtail - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

Not cheap and CASH ONLY, but the food was delicious. We ordered brisket, chicken, and sausage for the meats. Sides were baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw and cornbread. Service was good, and stood around for the expected wait with the amount of people ordering at the time. The ambiance there is poor, really small dining area. Maybe four picnic benches? Better to order to-go and take your food to eat elsewhere. Texas sausage was okay, reminds me why I never really liked BBQ sausages. Nothing wrong with Coop's BBQ sausages, but living 25+ years in Texas I just never liked any BBQ sausages. However, they taste similar to how it is cooked in Texas. The smokey bbq flavor is amazing. The briskets are pretty delicious too, I don't have any problem eating them. Juicy and tender. Great BBQ Smokey flavor. I'll order these again next time. The Southwest Jerk Chicken was really the surprising hero. I didn't have much expectation with these, but OMG they are tender and juicy. Not sure if this was the reason why they seemed to have limited amount of chicken left. People order these a lot or they just don't make a bunch of these. Definitely ordering this again. Cornbread is yummy too, not too sweet (just how we prefer it). Most likely ordering this again. Baked beans are a tad too sweet for me, but okay for wife. However, it was great mixed with the meat and potato salad. Or, dipping it with the sausage to dilute the sweetness a bit. Still, the baked BBQ flavor is fantastic. Potato salad is yummy, just the right flavor. Wife loved the coleslaw but commented that it could be slightly less sweet (come on America, everyone could use a little less sugar!). Still worth getting as a side though. Only complaint is not something they can control, the price. Woof, expensive enough to where we might try it once in a blue moon. Especially, since we also live 20 minutes driving distance away. Good stuff though! read more

Best BBQ in San diego. I tried the majority of bbq spots in SD nothing compares Mr. Coops bbq. I tried every meat, including home made susasage . The sides are mid but you are Here for bbq. All the meat had a beautiful aroma of fine smokiness and just the right amount of seasoning where you don't even want to dip it in bbq sauce but then again you do because home made bbq sauce is fire . Actually more than fire... it was lava read more

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I haven't written a yelp review in yearsssss but had to break that drought for this business. Hands down the best BBQ/Southern food in all of San Diego. Meats are the perfect blend of smoky and tender, sides are actually tasty and flavorful and not an afterthought they way they are at other joints, including the big overrated SD chain that crazy tourists stand in long lines for. Coop's is the place to check out if you visit, and the place to frequent if you're a local. My faves so far are the brisket and pulled pork, along with the mac n cheese and red beans and rice. Cornbread is perfect and moist. The sweet tea was not overly sweet for someone like me who always goes for the unsweetened iced tea. Service is friendly and fairly quick considering the generous portion size. Also loved seeing the diversity of the patrons, you can tell people who know real bbq and are part of the neighborhood are who come here. I was shocked to see a Gofund me up, since it's so damn good. It would be a travesty and shame of epic proportions if this business ever closed, so please, go and support them! read more

To start, please support local Black owned businesses. This one is a great place to start if you haven't yet. I've had Coop's a few times over the years. I discovered it through an old job I had where we occasionally catered lunch. Coop's was an office favorite. Not friendly at all for our vegetarian pals, but it's literally West Texas BBQ so... sorry? I've gone to Coop's myself a handful of times before Covid, and recently started getting it delivered on Doordash. I gotta caveat this with there's not a lot of Texas BBQ places in San Diego... but I have had good Texas BBQ in Texas. So no, this can't quite replace the real thing, but knowing we got something close is great! I typically get brisket & rib plates. My fave side is the mac and cheese. Oh and make sure you get the collard greens. Just do it. While I love this place overall, this is definitely not *the best* Texas BBQ place in the area (sorry). I mostly knocked off a star because of their funky hours and occasional inconsistency. Still love ya tho coop! read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Take out Small Plate - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

It was the best food I ever had the peoples were very nice. The pulled pork was really good. The service was the best the people that were working was very helpful and nice, the owner was also very friendly. I recommend you trying the pulled pork. read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

First visit! Called in my order as soon as they opened on a weekday. A nice lady took my order for a Large Plate with brisket, pulled pork, a double order of red beans & rice. It came with bread and their signature bbq sauce on the side. I drove up about 20 minutes after placing my order and it was waiting me to take home. The restaurant is in a small plaza and shares a parking lot with several other shops. I opted to park along the street. When I returned home, I devoured the brisket and pulled pork! The red beans and rice nicely complimented these slow cooked meats very well. The bread was a bit dry for my tastes. It was ok, but I'm just not a big fan of cornbread or anything like it. I honestly could have used more of their awesome barbecue sauce than was given. I tend to be very liberal when dipping meat so almost any amount is never enough when the food and the sauce are this good. I definitely want to come back again and try a few more items on the menu. Maybe some pie. Check this local joint out if you're in the area for some good barbecue! read more

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Had an appointment not too far from here and we're usually not in this area too often, so when I realized how close this place was, we had to try it. Always up for trying new bbq places cuz if you know me, I'm a meat and potatoes kinda gal! We ended up getting the rib tips, a plate of brisket and sausage with a side of mac & cheese and collard greens. We even got the red beans & rice (which I totally LOVED)! Oh yeah and also got the cornbread. Flavor of everything was pretty good. Just a couple things...it looks like they pre-slice the brisket and hubby thinks they should slice it after it's ordered. The cornbread was a little too crumbly, so I had to eat it with the fork instead of just using my hand. Overall, everything was good! read more

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I have a 2 star cuz the staff was friendly. I noticed every time someone posts a bad review that there would be a bombardment of positive reviews to drown out the bad. Anyway here we go...we should all know that Texas BBQ has an amazing dry rub and dry texture on the outside of the meat while the inside is moist and tender. Sorry to disappoint BUT, THIS AIN'T IT!!! no dry rub on the outside, no Smokey flavor, bbbuutt, I'll give them that the inside was tender. I mistaken my brisket for pot roast as you can see in the pics. Jerk chicken? If you love Jamaican food and know jerk chicken, this wasn't it at all. You can just look at the pic, boggy size it and see for yourself. Definitely not worth paying $49...I can't wait to go back to Texas to get this taste out of my mouth read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Far left is brisket(I call it pot roast), the pork ribs, rib tips, jerk chicken. I really needed that bbq sauce - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California