Coop's West Texas BBQ has been on my list for years, but I never found the time to come. This time we decided to come and finally check it out. It's located in the Lemon Grove area. A small plaza, but you can see and smell the smoke from far away. That's how you know if you have an authentic Texas BBQ. Parking was pretty easy in the front of the store. When we arrived, the owner was working the smoker, which really gives that Texas small town BBQ vibe. I love it! The store is for to-go only, but it has a covered seating area across from the store. They offer a range of BBQ products along with sides. I love their Big Boy Beef Brisket Sandwich! The bread was nicely buttered and toasted. Perfect with lays of beef briskets. Adding some onion, pickles, and BBQ sauce made it a perfect sandwich. The Pork Rib Combo was great too. The pork ribs were so delicious! The sides of coleslaw and collard greens were good too. However, they were okay. The BBQ was definitely the highlight. Oh, their Texas Sweet Tea! So lovely! It's perfect! Overall, a great authentic Texas BBQ place that you must come to check it out and support local businesses! read more

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best bbq i've had in a while! atmosphere is so welcoming and clean, the staff are amazing, and the food is UNBELIEVABLE!! Those pork ribs and collard greens are insane 1000/10 read more

Ribs and Brisket was piping hot and well smoked with the tenderness to match. The greens and Mac n Cheese were absolutely delicious, along with the tasty barbecue sauce. The Coop family are some of the nicest folks you will ever meet. They remind me of my family down in Houston, Texas, and it's so wonderful to have them here in San Diego. It's a pleasure to pull into the parking lot and see the wood smoke coming off of the big pits. Very easy to order from their menu, and I will be back tomorrow for another round. A must try family owned barbecue spot that is doing it the right way. Thank you kindly, Mr. Coop and family. I can't wait to try your smoked oxtails next weekend. read more

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I really wanted to like this restaurant, but the food just wasn't up to snuff. The ox tail tasted of liquid smoke, very chemically. The ribs were a little better, but were just adequate, not good. read more

Great food, BBQ sauce and excellent service. They are know for the BBQ ribs. So lip smacking good. This is the best BBQ place in San Diego.

Huffmans. Fargos . If nostalgic butterflies don't flare up in your soul when I say those names, you ain't qualified. Coops is the torch bearer on this BBQ journey through time and space up Imperial Ave--and if you don't know imperial turns into lemon grove avenue, then you really ain't qualified. For BBQ in San Diego, you check in at Coops, nowhere else. You can read other reviews for the food descriptions. Let me tell you about the man. Coops was my first ribs after my braces were removed 26 years ago when it was just a smoker on wheels on Broadway and H in Chula Vista. When he opened Lemon Grove (his location--honorary south east), he remained solid in the community. Hires folks on probation, from local programs and stayed true to himself. Humble. Kind. And damn good person. I have never had better bbq. read more

Excellent barbecue we were in line for 45 minutes at the end of the day so our Mac n cheese was not so good but I bet it's better earlier the brisket great and chicken good we didn't get corn bread sold out Next time we will go early read more

EXCEPTIONAL FOOD!!! $17 + $3 extra for beef brisket for a large plate. The meat is SO TENDER and flavorful with yummy fat attached to it. Feel full with sharing it with two people. Puts you in a food coma due to how delicious and tasty it is. Would come back here 10,000 times more! COVID-19 update: order online or you can order in person but expect a wait. Not much waiting room inside. read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Large Plate-Beef Brisket and Pulled Pork with Candied Yams (only on Sunday) and Mac & Cheese and Corn Bread. - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

If you're looking for some BOMB ass bbq look no further!! The whole experience despite COVID was amazing. If you do go on the weekend I suggest you call ahead to place your order because the line does get a bit long! We ordered to go but they a patio area that is covered that you can sit down to eat at! They also had a heater there which helped since it was a bit on the colder side! We ordered the large plate with the brisket and texas sausage & for our sides, we ordered the collard greens and coleslaw. The sausage was SUPER juicy and the brisket just melted in our mouths. The best part was the side dishes! I normally don't like collard greens but it went perfectly with the meats! Their bbq sauce was also amazing and just went so well with the meats! Honestly, when we got the large plate we didn't think it would feed about 3 people but by the end of the meal, we were pretty full! The cherry on top was the Arnold Palmer, but this you have to order from the Da Chicken Coop which is right across from their store. I definitely giving this place a try if you're a huge bbq fan! I usually always go to Phils but Coops as a whole with their side dishes might just have nudged Phils out of the way! read more

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

BBQ is legit (I'm from Houston) and really missed the collard greens and okra. You can get it all here :). Not a lot of seats so probably best to get it to go. Well worth it though. read more

While in quarantine me and the family were in the mood for some good Bar-B-Q. I'm originally from south Texas so when I saw that this was Texas BBQ spot I was intrigued. Once I called to make my order the employee was so sweet and kind and very helpful with all the questions I had asked. Once I made my phone order I headed down to go pick up my order. Once I arrived I was a little confused because there was another business with the Coops name on the sign. Before I walked in I realized that across from the Coops Chicken & Waffles was Coops B.B.Q so be aware of that. Parking was good since it was shared by other businesses. Once inside you smell the BBQ in the air. I ordered a lb of Pulled Pork, 1lb of Brisket, and 1lb of Texas Sausage. Once I was about to pay the employee asked "Is that a military ID I see?" I stated "Yes". She then said 10% off! I was so happy! Once I got home me and the family were excited to try it out! IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! It was delicious and brought back Texas to me and the family! Definitely coming back. read more

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COOP's BBQ is a lemon grove staple! Hands down some of the best bbq in all of San Diego! I live a couple blocks down and can smell the bbq when he starts smoking the meats! Absolutely amazing! A must try and once you do you will for sure be coming back! read more

I haven't been there recently, but it's the best BBQ we've ever found! My only problem is that they close at 3pm, just about the time I think about them. PLAN AHEAD, PEOPLE! read more

Coops west Texas bbq was present at the San Diego soul food festival this year. I was able to get a taster of the spare ribs and they were phenomenal. Full of flavor and perfectly cooked. Can't wait to go for a full bbq meal in the future. read more

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

Brisket sandwich outstanding,meat is soft and juicy, soft bun. Collard greens just perfect . Outstanding expexperience. Thank you all read more

Drove 100 + miles to try this place. The BBQ is good, especially the brisket and spicy chicken. From my perspective I would like to have a little more flavor for the coleslaw. The Mac n Cheese is delicious with a nice flavor but was temperature was tepid. I like my Mac n cheese hot. The red beans and rice is delicious! The atmosphere is very Bbq traditional, meaning communal tables, and little to no decorations, but a very friendly place. The food is the star. The employees are helpful in making recommendations on how to order. The owner is friendly and very appreciative of his customers. read more

Its a shame the price of Meat has gone up so much. It really reflects on the menu. We really pay out the ass for good BBQ in california considering high taxes,wages, inflation and meat shortages. Despite all this Coops BBQ doesnt seem to be compromising on quality. I finally gave this place a try and no wonder its always busy. Holy cow the food is good. I will have to try the whole menu little by little. If you're in lemon grove this place is King. No one beats it. read more

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

Coops was a trip home for the price of a short drive to lemon grove. I was born in Midland and grew up in the hill country outside of SA Town (My credentials) and I don't get home often. When I heard coops was in east county I needed to go try it out. That said I invested lots of time and pickiness in this review not to be mean but because I loved it. In fact I teared up a couple times writing this review lol. We had brisket, collards, Mac n cheese and the cobbler. Let's talk meat! Ok, very tender. Mr Coop could save money on knives, cause let's face it, Texas BBQ is all about the brisket and you could cut it with a cheap plastic fork. I liked the smoke level. It could have been a little more Smokey but you don't want to over do it. Nice rub, good flavor. The sauce was a shining beacon of Texas BBQ sauce. Tangy pickle juice flavor and just the right sweetness. Nailed it. I was missing the bark tho. I know I'm not besties with the pit master but I really didn't get anything close to bark, and that probably would put your flavor over the top. I was hesitant ordering greens in a place where I didn't see hot sauce on standby, but I went out on a limb. Hot damn! Best greens I've had outside of a loved one's home. Nice and porky without going too far. Not too overdone. Hot sauce who? Yall might think about doing a black eyed peas and ham thing once in a while. Mac n cheese reminded me of going to family's house for a holiday. Creamy cheesy goodness, not super saucy. The black pepper may be strong for others taste but it reminded me of my momma. Sweets: the cobbler was ok. It needs a little more acid to bring out the peaches, and I wished they weren't all dished up because my cobbler top turned gooey. I'll disclaimer that I did not try the buttermilk pie, but I will say this. Buttermilk pie is very specific on how you mix your ingredients. On inspection there were one too many layers, and you may want to review grandmas recipe. (Sorry not sorry. Hope we can still be friends.) Ambiance was chill. Smokers in the parking lot to set the mood. Choice of music was legit. I missed the sound of electric knives going but my mind filled it in. Very special experience here and I will be back. read more

Our second time ordering and I think we finally find the spot for our brisket/ribs craving. Mouthwatering, tender and delicious brisket and ribs. Their sauce is the way I like it, the taste of vinegar and and just a slight sweetness. I am okay with the main dishes prices but I think the sides is just a little in a high end with the amount of the item. I ordered the small sides. And if you decide to ask for extra sauce be prepared to pay extra $2.00. Overall, this is highly recommended! read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Brisket/ribs/beans/coleslaw and sauces. I can eat this every week! - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

My mom went in kind of early, to pick up some BBQ for her, + some friend's going to a special visit. She ended up getting 4-5 plates or pork + beef with sides. The employees were FANTASTIC ! Very nice helpful and Excellent Customer Service. I got my mom's left overs. Lol. Beef, a bun, BBQ sauce and macaroni and cheese. Every bit of the food tasted absolutely Delicious. Fantastic Food, and Fantastic Customer Service. I Highly Recommend Them. Thank You for taking care of my mom, and for the Great Food. read more

I was feeling like BBQ and Coop's was recommended to me by a friend. Let's just say I was not disappointed. Their meet is so tender and juicy! I would definitely not skip out on the amazing pulled pork. The cornbread was airy and delicious. Not like most places that have a super dense cornbread. Oh and those RIBS, just look at how smooth that bone looks after the meat fell off. If you know, you know. **Theres no seating at this time. Doesn't bother me, but a heads up for those who are looking for a sit down.** Super friendly staff as well. I would recommend Coop's to anyone looking for BBQ in San Diego. It's worth the drive. read more

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

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I recently ordered here for an outdoor corporate catering event for 60 people - everything was amazing. The communication during the ordering process with Tara was great. The delivery by Mr. Coop himself was flawless. Everyone loved the food and given the opportunity, we will be ordering from them again. If you're thinking about doing a large party catering order, this place will take care of you! Thank you so much. read more

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Never a let down!! Perfect each time! We got the brisket and sausage, Mac n cheese, red beans and rice, collard green and corn bread! Delicious! read more

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We drove 20 minutes to Coop's in Lemon Grove at the recommendation on a foodies' group on FB. It was wonderful! We tried pork ribs, pulled pork, beans, coleslaw and cornbread. I can honestly say it's the best ribs and pulled pork I've ever had. The portions are large, staff were efficient and friendly. The owner was on site, Brad greeted us and then checked in again while we were eating. There's no dine in eating but they have an outside area with picnic tables. Definitely coming back here again. They have limited hours, Tuesday-Sunday, 10-3. Check website for updates. www.coopsbbq.com read more

Google, "BBQ," in California, and you'll receive mostly Korean or Hawaiian BBQ results - understandably so, given geographics and demographics. When I google BBQ I'm looking for smoked brisket, ribs, sweet and tangy BBQ sauce - you know, Texas stuff. So, I switched up my google search. "Texas BBQ near me." Praise the LURD for Coop's. I'm a Texas gal and get that nostalgic instinct to feast on as much smoked meat as possible so I can fall into the most blissful meat coma/sweats possible. This happens maybe once every couple months. Cant fight instinct Coop's did not disappoint. Brisket and pulled pork were moist and seasoned well. The mac and cheese was AMAZING. Cornbread was a pleasant surprise on the Large plate. Service was impeccable, as was wait time. The one loss of star was due to the collard greens - they were cooked perfectly but sadly kind of inedible to me. The salt content was just too tooooo much. I'd def feast here again, but perhaps chose a dif side than the collard greens. Overall, thank god for Texas people sharing their gift of BBQ with people in California! read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Large plate: brisket, pulled pork, mac and cheese, collard greens, and cornbread - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

I was a long time resident of Lemon Grove and Coops was the place to go, I know they we're going to close but the overwhelming support from the community they decided to stay open, I was in town today and decided to stop by and do my part. what a disappointment. I ordered the brisket and collard green, the brisket was so tough you couldn't put it apart. full of fat, terrible, the collard greens was not tasty at all no flavor. to be honest I had better bbq from Dickey's bbq. and that is saying a lot. sorry Coops, I will not be returning. enjoy your retirement. whoever is running the place needs to shut it down. not worth it. read more

LOVE me some Coop's! I used to be lucky enough to live right around the corner from them and could smell the smokers from blocks away. I was delighted to see them set up at the San Diego Soul Food festival. As always the staff was super friendly and even offered samples of their signature jerk chicken and their pork spare ribs. They had their huge smoker out in front so you can see the pit master at work. I'm such a fan of Coops and their amazing BBQ and sauces, they really know what they are doing and were stars of the whole festival. read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Pork spare ribs sample! - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

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There's Coop's and there's everything else. Just hands down the best smoked meat in San Diego. Been a long time but still just crushing it on the daily! read more

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Okay I have to be fair and modify my rating; initially I rated this spot a 2 mainly because the Rib Tips were not tender however after letting the ribs sit overnight I poured the bbq sauce over and microwaved for 3 minutes they were pretty good therefore my rating is now a 3.5.... read more

A must try! Great bbq and amazing staff. Their portion sizes are generous and food tasted great. If you're looking for delicious bbq, look no further! Shout out to the gentlemen taking the orders and bagging all the food- it was really busy and he worked so efficiently, all while keeping a smile on his face. The cooks were also so fast at preparing all the orders. Great customer service! read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - Baked potato with brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

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This place is amazing & we're lucky to have it! Really legit. Just discovered Coop's recently and noticed the flier for Bring Your Own Turkey. Basically, they'll smoke your turkey for you for Thanksgiving. We did this and it was incredible! If you've never had a smoked turkey, it really is a huge improvement over regular turkey. We had Coop's smoke 2 12lb Butterball brand turkeys and they came out perfectly. Everybody loved it and I don't want to wait until Thanksgiving to try this again. Edit: I called and learned that Coop's will smoke a turkey or any meat for you pretty much any time of year! Also, yelp reduces the image quality a bit. They looked even better IRL read more

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Great BBQ here, real smoked for long hours flavor. They were going to shut down due to lack of business, but they decided to stay open on weekends only, as long as they keep getting customers and they will be able to stay open. They will do catering. read more

Good stuff, glad they were able to stay in bidness. San Diego needs more authentic BBQ joints like Coop's

Real deal Texas BBQ. collard greens. Best brisket in the county, maybe even west coast....falls apart and perfect bbq sauce. Coop himself makes sure everyone is happy and succeeds their expectations when he is available. Girls behind the county are super sweet. Tippers go to heaven! read more

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Coops is a really good BBQ spot. I drive from Chula Vista to eat their BBQ. The Greens, Brisket and jerk chicken are on point. Great staff and service, always a treat going to Coops!! read more

Best BBQ around. Hearty portions of melt in your mouth meals. I have yet to find any place that can beat it. Customer service is spot on... As one would expect. read more

This is the best bbq in SD. I ordered their 1 lb platter of brisket and pulled pork. Their brisket had a little bit of fat attached keeping the meat moist. Pulled pork was perfection. No sauce was needed but it did add sweetness. Their collard greens was the veggie side needed to balance out this protein heavy meal. I saw sweet potato pie and buttermilk pie on display. Something to get for next time. cashier was fast. When paying with credit card show id. Across the parking lot was in da coop which sold fried chicken and fried fish. Lots of costumers walk across the way to go from one restaurant to another. :) read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - 1 lb plate - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

Absolutely amazing BBQ. The best pulled pork I have ever had. We ordered the posse plater and got all 5 of their meats and 4 large sides. OMG everything was so delicious. The meat melts in your mouth. The mac and cheese to die for. It was so good we ordered another lb of pulled pork, 2 more large macs to go. If you have not been you really need to go. Great atmosphere and even better staff. Mr. Coop very nice. We got there right after they opened and it filled up fast. Don't wait, run to Coops, you will not regret it. read more

Mac was decent , brisket was middle of the road but definitely not bad , the jerk chicken was a problem, never been served anything like that before read more

Coop's West Texas BBQ - 1 lb. Southwestern Jerk Chicken and 2 oz. Sauce - Barbeque Near Me - Lemon Grove, California

Mouth watering food and so good ! . This is the best BBQ I've tasted. The staff is so welcoming and friendly. All around awesome experience!