Wow, what a difference! Stopped in once after it opened for takeout and it had a nice atmosphere, but the food was just average. Went back for lunch today because I was downtown and was absolutely amazed. The pulled pork is among the best I've ever had juicy and plentiful for the price. The cocktails are fun, interesting and very good. They have a flight of boozy slushies!!! My favorites are the creamsicle, and frappuccino flavors. I'll be back with friends-they have a lounge type area upstairs! My lunch was pretty late, so it was very quiet inside and I ate at the bar. Service was fast, friendly, and very attentive read more

What a strange slaw... and not in a good way. The meat was dry and not very tasty. The NA Cider was $8 per can. The waitress was nice and the patio was clean with fans, hence the extra star. Sorry, I wanted to like this place as the location is so convenient but they need to send the chefs to Texas, Oklahoma or somewhere else for a couple weeks so they can eat nothing by BBQ and work on their craft. read more

Oh my goodness. Nice restaurant. Good vibe and music. Open spaces. Cute niches sitting areas. So much they kinda forgot about us. lol (Not really lol) Food. Overpriced & UNDERWHELMED . My twice baked potato shell was soooooo hard. Think, resin bowl with couple chunks of potatoes topped with overly sauced chicken with bbq sauce and drizzled sour cream. The total bill $$ was a contrasted representation of the food. Oh yeah, my tiny slice of cornbread was ice cold, so my soft butter refused to melt! Guess I'll check this establishment off of my 'places I want to go', list!! They had good water. Fancy bottle. Whoo hoo. read more

I never leave reviews but unfortunately was so dissatisfied with our experience I felt it was necessary this time around. It was Father's Day, and just to start no staff wished the fathers I was with a happy Father's Day. It took over 5 minutes for us to be greeted and given water, then another 30 minutes for our apps to come out and we weren't checked in on by our server at all. We actually barely saw her. The manager was very curt and a bit rude. All food (other than the pizzas) came out cold but still took forever, keep in mind we had two infants with us. Overall, the food flavor was fine, nothing to write home about. Most everything came out cold / room temperature. The service felt nonexistent. And everything took so long to be served to us. Yes, I understand they were busy with the holiday. But I've worked in food service at an even more popular restaurant and would never give a customer an experience like we had today. read more

I went to Downtown Barbecue for a late meal. I had a seat at the bar which featured three big screen televisions. The bartender was friendly and helpful. I decided on a meal with one choice, the pork ribs. This dish normally comes with four bones. The ribs were tasty and I liked adding the zestier California sauce to them. It was late and they were a little dry. I imagine they were more tender a couple hours earlier. I also had the chili which was very good. Next time I'll go earlier to see how tender the ribs are. read more

I felt bad for the bartender as they were the Only staff when I came in. This is a very large, though bright, venue. Lots of huge windows and skylights. I sat at the bar, which is rather comfortable. I ordered the Sonoma salad, the pork belly burnt ends, and the squash in brown butter as a side. The salad was huge. I don't know about the pork belly being "burnt ends" though boy was it tasty. The squash was a lovely accompaniment. I'll come back. read more

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Just had the brisket combo (a little fat, lots of meat). Soooo good, the fat was perfect! Really tender and juicy. Gotta love some Texas style brisket! read more

Wonderful brisket. The waitresses are as kind as they are beautiful. Parking is abundant. Sad the corn is gone, but great food. read more

Beautiful place is great bbq spot now my favorite. Had brisket and burnt ends. Service was great and will be coming Back! read more

Downtown Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Gave this place a wide birth after having some bad experiences there shortly after they opened, but sad to say the current iteration doesn't seem to be any better. My most recent visit we had pretty mixed service. The server was really pushy, yet they failed to deliver our first app orders (delivered to wrong table?). There weren't many people there, so it seemed like the load on the floor wasn't the issue. By the time we got our (underwhelming) apps, we all agreed we had seen enough and it would be best to just go someplace else. Additionally, we were getting the Arctic blast every time someone opened the door, so nothing here was clicking. Poor to mediocre ratings for service and food. They don't seem ready for prime time. read more

We ordered takeout from Downtown Barbecue and tried the brisket, pulled pork, ribs, mac and cheese, and cornbread. Unfortunately, the meal was pretty disappointing overall. The BBQ sauces were honestly inedible, way too much vinegar and so overpowering that it took away from everything else. The mac and cheese was completely bland with almost no flavor. The pulled pork was very fatty and had an extremely strong vinegar taste that made it hard to enjoy. The ribs were just ok, nothing terrible but nothing memorable either. The brisket and cornbread were probably the best parts of the meal, but even those weren't really anything to write home about. For the price and the hype, we expected much better. read more

Just stopped by here for the first time. The inside of the restaurant was pretty relaxing as it was the middle of the day. Service was GREAT, very friendly and helpful bartender. Food was okay but it didn't blow my mind. The brisket nachos were decent. Just wish they had a little more kick. Tallow fries, okay, nothing to write home about. I ordered a beer as well, IPA, which was pretty nice. I'd go back if in the area, but I wouldn't drive out of my way to go here. read more

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I ordered pork ribs and they were very dry, not juicy. The quantity was generous though. Barely anybody in there despite it being lunch time and being downtown. read more

Went here for the first time before catching a movie at the Roxy. The restaurant was big with a nice patio area, that is where we sat. You could tell our server was new but he was nice and you could tell he was trying his best. With that being said, service was slow, and had a couple hiccups with our order but over all had a good experience. I got an expresso martini since it was barely noon and those are the new it drinks. It was delicious! So good, I literally text my expresso martini fan friends. Food wise we just got appetizers. The salmon & lox deviled eggs were amazing had to share those with a few people as well through photos. My husband got fries.. they were not great not the worst but not the best either. I plan to be back. The food was good, drink was great, the workers were nice even if service wasn't 5-stars, it's in a good location by the 3rd St. parking garage. Definitely check them out if you are in the area. read more

Downtown Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

What a lovely experience my family and I had. Came down for Mother's Day and left full and satisfied. There was three of us and we all ordered the two meat combo. Between us we got the half chicken, hot links and ribs. I got the potato salad. My son got the collard greens and my aunt got the mac & cheese. I absolutely love the cornbread and the sweet cream butter they offer with it. Between the ribs and the Cajun chicken, I'm going to highly recommend the ribs . The chicken was flavorful and juicy. I think I'm just not really a big fan of Cajun... I did not like the barbecue sauce, but they also offer hot sauce, which I enjoyed. The potato salad was good with mac & cheese was better than last time I had it, the collard greens or my least favorite side. The ambience inside is giving high class vibes! I mean it is sophisticated definitely a vibe. My aunt and I decided to walk through to check out the place because it's definitely something to see great place for any occasion like a dinner or a birthday or at work meeting or a first date, I absolutely love the inside of this place! You can eat upstairs or downstairs or even outside. I mentioned in my first review how they have a full bar and I love that!! The service was friendly and welcoming. Our food came out swiftly, nice and hot. My family really enjoyed the experience and would love to come back to check out other stuff on the menu and also looking forward to checking them out for happy hour from 3 to 6 PM.... Personally I wish they offered more desserts options, like something take home like a peach cobbler or 7 up cake, bread pudding something! They do offer soft serve and a soft serve cobbler..... I was so full I did not have room to try it. I think the price of the food is reasonable and definitely affordable for a good plate of food. We all have leftovers... I probably could write more, but do yourself a favor and check out downtown barbecue, Hell book a birthday dinner there you won't regret it !! read more

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This was my first time ever at this particular barbecue place and we went for a friend's birthday dinner. There was a table of 10 and our server was incredibly patient with us since four of us showed up a little late! They had a number of different beers on tap as well as bottles and my Hubby couldn't figure out which one he liked, so our server was incredibly sweet and got him a mini 4 sample sips for him to try. He ended up loving my POG cider and got one of those! Hahaha The ambience was really relaxing and nice bar environment. Very clean and organized and they had an upstairs area as well! I would definitely like to go and check out the upstairs or even a night if they have a live music! We will definitely have to go back! read more

Downtown Barbecue - 4 Person Pitmaster Platter- $100 - Barbeque Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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As a couple who has traveled across the U.S. with the goal of trying barbecue in every town we visit, we can honestly say this was the one of if not the worst barbecue experience we've had. The first red flag was pulling up at 5:30 p.m. to find the restaurant nearly empty. At a barbecue restaurant during dinner hours, that's usually not a great sign. Even more surprising, there wasn't the familiar aroma of smoked meat that you expect the moment you walk through the door. The welcome matched the atmosphere. We were casually pointed toward a table with a simple "sit anywhere," with no real greeting or enthusiasm. After sitting for several minutes, the bartender brought over a bottle of water, set it on the table without saying much, and walked away. After another wait, she returned, asked what we wanted, took the order, and left. There was no explanation of the menu, no recommendations, and no effort to provide even basic hospitality. We ordered: * A cup of burnt ends chili with cornbread. * A one-meat dinner with brisket, fries, and cornbread. The first thing delivered was a tray of French fries, which turned out to be the side that belonged with my entrée. They weren't an appetizer or something to share, just the side for the meal. A few minutes later, another plate arrived containing everything else: two thin slices of brisket, the cup of chili, three tiny cubes that were supposedly burnt ends in the chili, and one slice of cornbread. We were immediately confused because we had ordered two separate menu items, yet everything was piled together into what looked more like a small lunch portion. The food itself was even more disappointing. The brisket was so dry it reminded me of beef jerky. The chili was so watery it resembled beef soup with a few beans floating in it. The "burnt ends" consisted of three small cubes of beef, and the cornbread was so dry it was difficult to eat. When we questioned whether our order was correct, the waitress spoke with the bartender, who came over and asked, "Oh, so you need another piece of cornbread?" She walked away and returned with another slice that was just as dry as the first. The actual concern about the missing meal or confusing order was never addressed. After forcing down a few bites, leaving most of the fries and cornbread behind, and giving up on the brisket, we waited for someone to check on us. No one ever asked how the food was or whether everything was okay. The only time we were acknowledged again was when I finally pulled out my credit card to pay. Great barbecue isn't just about smoked meat. It's about pride in the food, attention to detail, and genuine hospitality. Unfortunately, this place missed the mark on all three. After countless barbecue stops across America, Downtown BBQ in Santa Rosa stands as the most disappointing barbecue restaurant we've visited. We genuinely hope they make improvements, but based on this experience, we won't be returning and hope others don't have this experience as well. $50 waisted read more

Amazing server, knew the history of the building, knew the beers on tap, offered to let you taste, the food was amazing, my wife had the sampler platter, I had the Nashville spicy chicken sandwich - best one I've ever had, and that's saying something. read more

Downtown BBQ: I rarely post negative reviews, but yesterday's experience at Downtown BBQ really requires sharing the information. I belong to a group of about a dozen men who visits a different restaurant every month. This is a chance to try something different with guys we know, and often leads to multiple return visits to our new "finds" with family or friends. Our group (actually a "bakers dozen" this evening) arrived at Downtown BBQ about 5:30 on Wednesday, the first day they are open each week. There were a couple of people at the bar, and maybe 25% of the tables occupied. Things started to go downhill when we ordered drinks from the drink menu on the table. The drink menu featured all the Happy Hour drinks and snacks. Asking for the well-priced Happy Hour martini ($5), we were told that Happy Hour pricing was not available at the tables. So that $5 martini actually cost $13. Why put a Happy Hour menu (which did not say "unavailable at tables") at the table? Food ordering contained more unhappy surprises. Their limited menu features four meats: ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and chicken. As we began to order our meals, we were informed that they were out of ribs. Out of ribs! A BBQ restaurant out of ribs! Early in the evening on the first night of the week they are open! The server claimed that one of the tables (the biggest table had no more than 6 people) had completely cleaned them out of ribs. Then she rudely informed us that, if we had wanted ribs, we should have ordered them in advance! We considered leaving, but felt it would be unfair for a dozen (+1) guys to drop into another restaurant without warning. There was a lot of conversations as to why a BBQ restaurant would run out of ribs after only being open for a few hours. We know that they had really struggled under the previous owner. One person questioned whether, perhaps, they could not pay their bills. But that was only speculation. Whatever the reason, running out of their primary menu item so early in the day and week certainly raised red flags. We had hoped that, with the change in ownership, the Downtown BBQ would shake off the cloud around it, and we were sadly disappointed. But if you decide to give them a try, you'll need to order your ribs in advance. I can't leave out one good point: The tallow fries were the best I have tasted recently, actually slightly exceeding my other favorite fries, at The Fern Bar in Sebastopol. So that earned them at least one star. read more

First times, love to eat BBQ.... Got chicken and ribs this time around, had a couple beers, hazy from henhouse and one of the house beers. Came with cornbread and we got fries as a side. The ribs were fall off the bone delicious, the chicken was Cajun flavored, was good, but the ribs were so good, the bbq sauces were also very good. It was very empty on a Tuesday, which was a bummer to see. We would go back, hope they survive. read more

Downtown Barbecue - Menu - Barbeque Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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The meat was perfectly prepared, the squash well cooked. Service quick and professional. The plums cocktail not so great. I like the atmosphere of this old ash style. read more

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This bbq gem is located downtown Santa Rosa across from parking garage. We had a late lunch sound 2om. It was $1 as 1st hour free. My mom, her BFF and myself share the large meat platter-ribd, brisket, pulled pork, chicken n 4 sides (corn bread , Cole slaw, greens with ham, ma n cheese ,and finally potato salad ). They offered a seat and then a bit spicy BBQ sauce. I had a bottled root beer, mom had water a Peggy had a specialty beer in a glass . I also got the wedge salad no onions but didn't need it it eat it all. We all got dinner that night from same meal. Still chicken and some meat leftover for toays dinner. It was a little pricey but BBQ always is .. pit smoked for hours. Megan was a great server and got our order perfect!!! read more

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The food and ambience are great. It has a high ceiling with great decor. Open and airy. They were playing a lot of classic rock, especially Southern rock and it fit so well. Loved the brisket. She asked if I wanted lean or fatty and I said lean and got it. They have 2 sauces and both are great especially if mixed together. The potato salad is really complex with dill and vegetables in it. Not your basic boring potato salad. I also had a hot link. It was pretty chewy so she brought me another one. That was a bit better but I think they could improve that recipe. It did have great flavor. I had a wine I never heard of: Fallanghina. Very tasty and unique. It could use a wee bit more air conditioning. read more

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RUN don't walk to get good bbq in Petaluma!!! Insipid food was augmented by AWFUL service. No coffee (?) warmed over dried up flavorless baked beans next to a flavorless crunchy bun filled with tolerable brisket dressed with an uninspired horseradish sauce... bleah. NO SERVICE...but the offer of a box for picked over buns by a vapid empty headed waitress. 3% extra if you use a credit card(?) read more

The ribs and cornbread were ok. Did not like the chicken , (over seasoned and over cooked), potato salad (potatoes under cooked), collard greens (very salty couldn't eat them) or the beans. ( didn't care for the flavor) Sorry but I don't think the quality of the food has improved that much under new management. We will not order from this restaurant again. This is the 2nd time we have experienced disappointment with this restaurant. read more

This place is delicious. I really do not understand the poor reviews. Good BBQ is hard to find in Northern California, so having solid BBQ in Santa Rosa feels like a blessing. Everything I have tried has been really good. My favorites are the brisket, mac and cheese, and cornbread. So yummy. I hope this place stays around, I am rooting for you all! read more

Great biscuit pizza and service. I'd recommend eating here to anyone. I am now trying get 85 characters read more

Downtown Barbecue in Santa Rosa was our go to choice after a hike. Grrrr! Get your bbq grub on! What is it about a nice cold beer after being out in the sun? I had the 3rd St. Aleworks IPA and it did wet the whistle. My friend and I both ordered the Pitmaster Sandwich and we shared the Tallow Fries. Bottles of bbq are on the table for you to sample on your MEAT. My favorite was the California one that had a bit of spice. Service was friendly, atmosphere was fun, and the grub was good. We parked at a meter but across the street in the parking garage there was a sign about free parking. We were at Downtown Barbecue when it was quiet but it looks like the joint could be hopping on certain nights, especially when they have live music. They have a happy hour too. Worth visiting. read more

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Hubby and I have been a couple of times right at opening. We enjoy sitting at the bar and trying out unique cocktails and appetizers. Their craft cocktails are delicious. The slushies are a fun novelty, too, but nothing I'd make a regular go-to for myself. We've had the Wilber and Roadrunner tacos. Both were worth the try. We also have had the smoked salmon dip with house made chips. They make the smoked salmon in house and it's delicious! Chips were a bit overdone, but not bad. I appreciate the effort of a homemade chips, for sure! Haven't quite gotten around to the chicken sandwich which is on our to-list. I heard rumor they were closing. Hopefully that's not true. read more

I ordered the half pound brisket, and the portion size was very small. I doubt it was ever 1/2 lb, even before smoking. It came with a few pickled jalapeño slices, some pickled onions, and pickles. I also ordered the cornbread. I appreciate that you cam indicate if you want fatty meat, lean meat, or a combination of both. The flavor of the meat was ok. The texture was excellent. The cornbread was a little sweet for me, and it was missing a decent crust. Overall, everything was just ok. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. Probably won't order again. read more

Went there yesterday for lunch with 2 friends. Service was great, very attentive. I had the pulled pork sandwich special, lots of pulled pork on a bun with a side of coleslaw. The pulled pork was delicious and the slaw was fresh and tasty. One friend has the baby ribs which he liked and the other friend has the Asian pork tacos which he loved. They have full bar and a nice selection of beer on tap. read more

I went there and the stuff wasn't too friendly, I waited too long I noticed that one waitress I felt really girl was also doing bartending. I don't know what kind of is that but when I went there, it was the pea hour in the afternoon and no wonder why my food came late . Big disappointment the food wasn't even that good and expensive and wasn't even worth i ,the brisket was kind of plain and I ordered a chicken barbecue pizza which it was too thin and it didn't have almost enough barbecue sauce, I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone that sucks. read more

Service here is actually great. The waiters are attentive and your water cup is never empty. I ordered the brisket and the pickled jalapeños and cornbread. I thought it was pretty good. Brisket could have been softer but cooking brisket is hard in general but it had good flavor. My favorite item was their corn bread, sooooooo good. Next time I go I'll take pictures and update the review. This spots definitely a chill spot, gives backyard barbecue vibes. read more

A+ restaurant! We reserved four tables upstairs for a barbecue extravaganza to celebrate graduation from Sonoma State University. what a fun restaurant! The music was great and the food was even better! Every guest that attended had an amazing time the service was impeccable. The manager was friendly and all the service was made with a smile. The owner responded quickly to text questions and provide provided an amazing menu for us to choose everything from yummy sides and dessert! BBQ A+++! read more

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Party of 6 on a weeknight. The place was pretty empty with a few seats filling up by the time we left. Appetizers of Smoked Salmon Dip and Chicken Wings were fine. Sides of mac and cheese, greens and cornbread (surprised it wasn't dried out as others have stated) were fine. Pickles and pickled onions on the side were fine. Our meats on our entrees are where the experience ended and we were so disappointed. 2 small slices of brisket overly salted on the bark rub on our entrees. Ribs, same - so much salt. Meats came lukewarm. I understand that you are most likely grilling the meats earlier in the day/week, but these did not taste fresh. They tasted and appeared as though they were refrigerated for a few days and then sliced and reheated and served. We noticed a card on the table that offered a discount for Blue Collar workers. We discussed this with our server and all agreed that one of our party was entitled to the discount. I didn't even notice until I got home that no discount was applied. Also note, it does state on the menu that groups of 6 or more will be subject to a 20% gratuity and if you pay by credit card add 3%. read more

Brisket was so tender and juicy. The waiters were friendly and attentive. I enjoyed my time there. The cocktails were aesthetically pleasing and loved the fresh rosemary. The owner/ chef I believe made around as interacted with guys which was nice to see! If you ever need BBQ and you're in downtown Santa Rosa come check it out. read more

Downtown Barbecue - Brisket w/ corn bread & MAC N CHEESE - Barbeque Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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Went here today with my uncle and had one of the best brisket sandwiches I've had in a while. Also had the chili which was awesome and got a few other appetizers that were all amazing. Service was great too read more

This place is an absolute hit! Food was phenomenal, service was great! And the ambiance was too tier!! read more

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We were looking for a cool place to hang out and have a beer after being out in the sun, we happened upon " Downtown Barbeque" . They were pretty busy and seemed short staffed but we got seated within a few minutes. I ordered a beer with banana pudding, child ordered mac & cheese w/ banana pudding. Husband ordered the chili with a slice of cornbread. The puddings were ok , the chili was more like a soup and heavy on the brown sugar. The cornbread slice must've been the last piece available as it was really small. It was a bummer to be served all the food in paper and plastic. Service was fine. read more

1st time visit. Potato salad I loved a lot; lots of purple onion, yay! Gouda Mac & Cheese, yummy! Ribs could've used seasoning but amazingly tender. Didn't care for bbq sauce but nice and spicy; just needed something else. I couldn't eat the too-salty brisket but they replaced with other meats. Cable car cocktail tiny glass but yummy. Best part was the service with Madison. She was amazing! And a young guy stopped by and asked if we needed a bag for to-go containers and he was fab also! We needed a great barbecue restaurant here and, with a couple tweaks, they can do it. This place should be packed. Cute restaurant and I want it to be successful! I didn't think I'd go back but I want to give another try. Maybe include a couple store-bought bbq sauces? Good luck guys! And be sure to have hot links. That's what I really wanted to try but not available. And, grill the buns so pulled pork sandwich doesn't get soggy so fast. read more