If I want barbecue anywhere in the greater Escondido area I go here, Wrangler. They serve the most delicious and at a good price. It's never crowded, which I like. You place your order at the counter and you are then served at your choice of tables. They also have a TV to watch. 5 out of 5 stars. read more

Underwhelming. That's how I would summarize my families experience here. We got take out at lunch on a weekday, they were out of pulled pork so we had to make some last minute changes. The prices were okay (hence the two stars) though it should be noted the online menu on their website reflected cheaper prices which was disappointing. The portions were average at best and would never be described as "generous" which is fine as the bbq itself was nothing to write home about so it wasn't like I was missing out. The renovations from the old time capsule wranglers add for a modern ambiance and the service was okay. I don't regret coming here; however, don't see a reason to come back after satiating our curiosity. read more

I haven't been to the wrangler in quite a while as I don't come to Escondido very often anymore. Stopped by today and got the lunch special with pulled pork sandwich and fries and a drink for 9.99! What a deal! They've also had a nice remodel since I was lay here and it's really nice. If you've never been here make the trip, it's worth it. The staff are also very friendly which is a nice plus to an already nice place to eat read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Remodeled interior looks really nice. Watched some World Cup while I enjoyed my lunch! - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

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We stopped in for an extremely late - so late it was almost dinner - lunch. There were two other parties when we walked in, one already seated and chowing down, the other finishing their order at the counter. The menu is fairly large, with lots of meat and side options. We were able to review the menu while the ladies in front of us finished placing their orders (and once the owner adjusted the TVs to be able to show the menus again.) We hadn't eaten anything that day, so we went in knowing we were going to be hungry. The sweet young lady working the counter that day welcomed us in and answered all my questions (what's the soup of the day? navy bean; what comes in the combo? ribs, ham, brisket, bread and two sides) before taking our order and our money. We ended up sharing the combo (with potato salad and onion rings for the sides) and my husband got an extra brisket sandwich because he thought the one plate wouldn't be enough to fill us up. The food came quickly, which was both good and bad. Good because we were, as mentioned, starving. Bad because - well, not "bad" per se, but not ideal - we got the feeling the food had been sitting for a while. And that's really the only knock I have on the meal: that the meat felt a bit tougher than I'm sure it was meant to be, just because we were eating so late in the afternoon. I'm sure it would have been much more tender had we arrived earlier. Still, we had no problems polishing off both the combo plate and my husband's sandwich (which I didn't get a chance to try...I was worried I'd lose a finger if I tried to go in for a nibble). I did enjoy the ribs and the brisket; the ham was my least favorite thing in the combo. It felt a little too bland compared to the other meat offerings, which were smoky and meaty. The onion rings were served with ranch dressing and the potato salad had a nice bite to it - from both the ingredients and the flavors. I think we'd go back, the next time we're in the area, but I don't think we'll go in at such an "off" hour. read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Combo platter with potato salad and onion rings - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

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When we lived in Escondido, this was a favorite. We moved to Arizona and made sure to stop by each visit. It's now under new ownership and we were a little worried, but the food is the same. They remodeled inside so it's nicer. It's not in a great area of town, but so worth it. My favorite is the lunch special ham sandwich which comes with a side and drink. I usually get one of their soups, split pea or navy bean. My hubby likes the beef sandwich and the ribs. I'm not a fan of the ribs because I like baby backs and these are beef ribs. Definitely recommend you try it. Either eat in or takeout, it's delish. Oh my hubby likes the onion rings and the fries were read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Ham sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

I've been coming here since the 80s--it was a family favorite throughout my childhood and a place I eventually brought my own kids. I was nervous about the new ownership, and unfortunately, my concerns were justified. This was my first time back, and it is definitely not the same food. When I asked if the recipes were the same, the staff gave a non-committal "I think so," but the meal told a different story: The Price: $20 for a single plate is a significant jump. The Meat: I ordered my regular ham and tri-tip combo. Both were disappointing--a mix of fat and overcooked, dried-out, bland meat. The Sauce: The original homemade sauce was delicious and consistent for decades. This new version tastes like generic, bottled sauce straight off a grocery store shelf. The sides: the potato salad used to be perfect and clearly made in-house. Now, it tastes like mass-produced deli salad from a supermarket. It's such a bummer. I don't understand why new owners take over a successful institution that has been a staple since the 70s only to change the recipes for the worse. I've seen this happen recently at other local spots like **Peterson's Donut Corner**, where the quality has dipped and they've stopped taking cash. If you want a taste of "old Escondido" that actually stays true to its roots, go to **Bamboo House**. I went there recently after years away, and it was like a flashback to being a kid--same friendly service, same great prices, and the same delicious food they've been serving for over 30 years. Sadly, The Wrangler aka El Flako's Wrangler Barbecue, has lost a lifelong customer. It's just not the same place anymore. read more

First time trying this place since the new owner took over and the name change. Nice to see brisket on their menu which wasn't available previously. Ordered the sandwich plate with potato salad and coleslaw($11.99). First impression, dang they load you up on the sides. Took off the bun, brisket looked juicy with some nice bbq bark on some of the slices. Taste A+. Buns were buttered and meat even though not the strongest smoke taste still was great. Bbq sauce on the side was very good and both sides were great as well. I highly recommend to try this place if you like good bbq and a good value. read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Bbq brisket sandwich plate. Thumbs up! - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

My family ordered takeout for family dinner over the weekend and this was the perfect choice! The food was ready quickly and the servers were polite and very helpful with recommendations. Pickup was clean and organized. On to the food! We ordered tri-tip and brisket with sides of potato salad, beans, and cole slaw. The smoked tri-tip had the perfect pink ring around it and was so good, but the brisket unanimously won my family's vote. Perfectly tender, so flavorful, and just cooked absolutely to perfection. The sides were good as well, with the potato salad disappearing almost immediately. Great takeout spot for a picnic or group! read more

Go this as takeout and ate it at home. The food was great! We tried two different cuts of their bbq meet, along sides of cole slaw, beans, and potato salad. And their signature BBQ sauce! The cole slaw was lacking some flavor&crispness, but the beans and potato salad were good. read more

I 100% agree with everything Shirley A said, we shared that meal with them. So sad that the only BBQ place we love (loved) has gone so far down hill. read more

Been eating here for 40 years, definitely not the same under the new ownership. The flavor is not the same on the beef sandwiches, you used to get sliced beef, not little pieces, that were perhaps left from earlier in the day. I will not be going back. read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - little pieces of dried out beef, with not flavor Rosa's barbeque in Escondido - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

Opened with new owners quite awhile ago. Very nice upgrades! Very comfortable seating, very clean restaurant! So happy they are still in business as this is probably the oldest restaurant in Escondido. We miss the restaurants of past days!! Although Wrangler has had a few (3-4??) ownership changes since the 1950's when my family started visiting, the food quality and menu has kept much the same, with a few changes. We enjoy the sandwich plates (Lunch special $9.99 daily!) and husband enjoyed the brisket plate. There was some fat, but not excessive, which is to be expected on brisket. They've also added tri-tip to the menu. New addition of beer too. We will continue to patronize because the food is very good to excellent and certainly reasonable, service is welcoming and friendly, and facility very clean!!!! read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Large brisket plate, husband already had eaten some of the food - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

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The customer service was excellent. The woman at cash register was very very friendly. The food was brought to our table super fast which was great. When you walk in you can smell the delicious bbq the restaurant is spacious and quiet but definitely family friendly. Last thing prices are awesome! I recommend 10/10 read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Menu - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

Great food still!!! Best bbq in North County without doubt! Brisket & tri-tip are especially yummy

Tried this BBQ restaurant one more time and it will be the last time. The new owners have changed the flavor of the meat, and this time the tri-tip was so dry and tough. Found a huge chunk of fat in the pulled pork, really disappointed. Maybe they should get some training from the old owners..... read more

We love this place. Even with the change in ownership, the food is amazing. The girl at the front, I think her name is Samantha, she is so nice and SOOOO friendly, I will say though, you will smell a bit like a bbq when you leave because I do think they smoke their meats in house. We will continue to support this local business! Thank you for having amazing food. Highly suggest the pulled pork sandwich. read more

I started eating and then decided to Yelp as it is SO good. I'm not from around here and was willing to gamble. What a treat! Being from North Carolina, I like good barbecue, and this certainly is. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, and it came with a generous helping of sides. I chose coleslaw that had a good flavor, and sauce that didn't overwhelm it. I would say the same with the baked beans. Then comes the tender pulled pork! The sauce didn't overwhelm the meat, and served on the side. You can order in or take out, various neat sandwiches, or by weight to take home. The pricing is very reasonable and I'm leaving with a happy tummy. read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Pulled pork sandwich (1/2 eaten) beans and coleslaw also almost totally eaten - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

Been coming to the wrangler since the 1970s always good solid food with the new remodel and adding some great items the lunch special 9.99 brisket sandwich a big side and drink it is by far the best brisket in north county WELL DONE read more

Been eating here for 25+ years. Our favorite place for for old fashioned BBQ. Food is consistently great and the prices are very reasonable. Lunch special includes a sandwich side and a drink for under $10. Portions are very generous and the quality of the beef is outstanding. The new owner has done a nice job remodeling the dining room. It looks very contemporary and is quite comfortable. Looks like they've also applied for a beer & wine liquor license. Highly recommend this place. read more

The bbq meats were ok, a little dry. The Cesar salad was not a Cesar salad. It was lettuce, big slices of tomato and croutons. I'm not sure what kind of dressing came with it. It was green. The lady at the counter was very nice. read more

I love this place. Good food, reasonable prices! It smells amazing as soon as you walk up and reminds me of all the little mom and pop bbq places I would go to growing up in NC. Honestly everyone was kind, good service, and quick! The potato bacon soup was phenomenal and the beans are really good! Lunch special is the best price I have seen in ages. 100% coming back read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

This place has been an Escondido staple for years. Big portions for a fair price! The interior is far from fancy (a fresh coat of paint in some areas would make a world of difference) but it's no fuss and the food makes up for it! We usually do takeout. The beef brisket sandwich is my go-to and their BBQ sauce is to die for! I always ask for extra. The sides are always great too - the potato salad, coleslaw, and baked beans are my favorites! read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Beef brisket sandwich, tons of meat! - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

Great BBQ pulled pork sandwich. Reasonable prices. Casual pleasant atmosphere and recently redecorated. It's a great place for lunch. read more

I've been going to wranglers for the past 40 years, and when I heard they were changing ownership, I was worried. Now that they're open again under new ownership, we had to try and find out. I'm glad to say That the food and service are just as great as they have always been, with the delightful upgrade of a new, fresh interior. The meat is perfectly smoked, the fries are still the crispest, the beans are still the tastiest, and the price (though higher, like everything these days) are still reasonable. Viva Wrangler! read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - I'm so glad they're back!!! - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

New Owners for a year now and we've been here many times and I've tried it all . Brisket and the Ribs are really good . Tasty and Staff is awesome . Definitely recommend this barbecue ! read more

We ordered over $65 of there food. We have been going to this restaurant for over 55 years. They have ruined the Cole slaw, the ribs are tough & full of gristle & the bbq beef is tough. My husband ordered the pulled pork sandwich & it was horrible & we threw it away it tasted spoiled. We have given them several chances but this was the last time. The sauce & beans were the only things that were still good. read more

Amazing food!!! Same as the old Wrangler BBQ, fries are different but even better. I just feed my family of 6 for $50 Don't listen to any haters saying this is different, it's nicer and tastes better! They also cater. read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Painting! - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

The food was amazing and the service was quick and great. Over the years we ate here when it was the Wrangler. The new owners have done very well at keeping the menu the same it's just as delicious read more

Tastes the same I think I'm guessing one of the cooks owns it now since it's el flacos wrangler bbq. The tri tip was a little dry probably was warmed up in the microwave or something or seems like it texture was a little hard but for what I paid I think it was good eating! Service was fast I have to say tho and the remodel looks good still has the western feel to it so I liked the ambiance. Will I go back I'm not too sure I was expecting a different taste and softer tri tip but I guess at least the beans where fine they used navy beans but I'll try it again eventually to update review. read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Tritrip sandwich for 11.99 got side of beans and macaroni salad - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

I couldn't recommend this place enough! Not only is the food very delicious but the customer service is amazing! They're very nice and very quick to get the food out to you. I highly recommend the pulled pork sandwich! Their macaroni salad is also really yummy! The meat was very tender and very very flavorful. New favorite bbq spot! read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and macaroni salad - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

Stop by for a quick sandwich have not been in here since change ownership portions were large good pricing and the food is very tasty! read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Remodel from old owners clean and up-to-date, - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California

It's very good food at great prices; just a few minor criticisms. The pulled pork is tender and tasty but lacks the deep smoky flavor and bits of bark found in the best places in the South. The beef is also tender and tasty, but they don't use brisket as they typically do in the great Texas BBQ places. Instead, they use the less costly chuck roast. Their BBQ sauce is the thin type, which is fine, but I prefer thick Sweet Baby Ray's sugar-free sauce. The beans are very sweet, and the potato salad is fine, if not house-made. read more

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Very impressive. I tried the combo of BBQ beef and ham. Both were very tender and excellent flavor. My onion rings side were also good. I didn't care much for the macaroni salad, but it was just a choice of a side and I will choose something else when I go back. The portion size was good. I'm glad because this meal was more expensive than other options. I think it was worth it. I think it would feed 2 people. read more

I had a rack of ribs. So delicious!!!!Melt off the bone and the sauce is really good too.

This is a literal hole in the wall, but it was delicious for the price. The interior is outdated but it is very clean. The portions are big and the food was tasty for the affordable price. We ordered a pulled pork sandwich with 2 sides and a large pulled pork plate with 2 sides and 2 drinks for around $30. Can't find that nowadays! read more

Amazing spot. For a great meal. The BBQ sauce is amazing. The beef sandwich is moist and the price is perfect. A great place I have been going to for 30 years. Took my buddy from Indiana there, who also thoroughly enjoyed his meal. You can't go wrong. The food is amazing and the price is fantastic. A locally known spot we need to put on the map as the place to go! read more

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Great food! I've been there several times and always enjoy it. I love brisket and theirs is delicious.

If you're looking for that old school home cooked meal feel, this may be your spot. The inside is decorated the way your grandma probably decorated her kitchen which is sort of endearing. You can tell this place has been around for a while. By vote, my family liked the pork the best, then the ribs and the beef the least. The sides were flavorful with a little added salt and pepper. The lady who took our orders and served us was so friendly and welcoming. We felt like we were eating at an auntie's house. Is it the greatest BBQ ever? No, BUT it's good food that was served quickly with care. Would go back if I'm in the area again. read more

Fantastic Lunch Special! From 12 - 3pm daily. Pulled Pork sandwich was delicious, with a side of BBQ Beans and a drink! Check it out - you will be pleased. read more

The staff, who seemed to be family, were amazing. It makes me want to give them a higher rating, but I have to be honest... When I walked in, the smoky BBQ smell was incredible and I was ready for a great meal. I always start by sampling the sides and must say the onion rings dipped in their home made BBQ sauce were excellent. The slaw was finely diced with a nice hint of sweetness. Now, the meat. Personally, I've never had sliced ham at a BBQ joint. It wasn't bad, but nothing to write home about. The meat was just beef - not brisket, and was just dark, no smoke ring, no real flavor, just.... meat. I put it on the dinner role with some of the BBQ sauce and it was okay. The pork ribs smelled amazingly smoky and had a nice smoke ring, but were just not very flavorful. Over all, everything was great (service, aromas, sides) until I got to the main show - then, just so, so. Would I go back? Yes, if I was in the neighborhood, but, I wouldn't go out of my way. read more

El Flako’s Wrangler Barbecue - Combo plate with cold slaw and onion rings. - Barbeque Near Me - Escondido, California