Everything is fabulous & the owners Craig & Robin are wonderful owners! If you are looking for just a great sandwich or tacos or smoked meat, everything on the menu is homemade authentic real smoked barbecue !! read more

Ephen Tacos SmokeHouse Junction - Miss Emma approves - Barbeque Near Me - Ridgecrest, California

We love sneaking over to Ephen Tacos when we're in town. They had a special on cod and shrimp that day and I got one of each. Hubby got the tri tip. We both got cole slaw (eat your veggies!). They make it easy for people who just want water. They provide a cup of ice and you can go up to the counter and get more water at any time. A large party had ordered before us, so it took awhile. It's a small venue. But we didn't mind waiting. We had lots to talk about. The two restrooms at the other end are larger than they seem from the doors and were clean and well stocked. If there's no parking right in front, there is a dirt lot in the back with lots of parking available. read more

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Closed down? Got excited about this place from its reviews and sought it out for dinner on a Friday night stay-over in Ridgecrest. Was there at 6:30pm and it looked like a ghost town. The name painted on the side of the building was bright red and inviting, but the street sign was barely noticeable, very faded and looked perhaps painted over. Is this place permanently closed? We ended up going to a taco truck a few doors down and got carne asada and pollo tacos that were delish! Note: the owner responded. Sadly, they have retired. Bummer. Was really looking to trying the place. Hope they update their status on Yelp soon to say they are permanently closed, as it still shows they are open 11am to 8pm. read more

Great low key place, chill and casual atmosphere Very friendly service , food is fresh made to order As you walk in the aroma of brisket will set your taste buds on fire!!! read more

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Years ago (2018?) I was at a Tacotopia in San Diego. One of the standout businesses was Ephen Tacos. Not just b/c of their name or because they gave me a super cool tee...but there tacos were so unique and DELISH! Fast forward to January 2023 we were headed to Mammoth and the hotel called to let us know that the roads were closed...so we decided to find a hotel in the next town which was Ridgecrest. Evening came around and we used the Yelp to find somewhere to get takeout. We finally decides on Ephen Tacos (I hadn't quite made the connection yet). We initially ordered for delivery with an estimated delivery of 30-40 min. i guess their delivery guy was MIA b/c after an hour our food hadn't arrived. We called and they explained that their delivery person hadn't come back from break. That's fine =) we asked if we could just come and pickup . hubby and I headed out...and it was super close by. We walked in and they profusely apologized (and it really wasn't a big deal..we were just being lazy). they gave us cash to refund their delivery fee. took the food back to the room and we very much enjoyed it. between us all.. mac n cheese with brisket tri tip burrito 3 meat plate with pork/tri tip/brisket. all were quite yummy. i'm glad i got to come visit! now i know what i'm supporting when i sport the tee shirt! read more

This place came recommended from a friend who has spent more time in Ridgecrest than I have and I finally got a chance to try it last week. The pictured Pork belly, Tri-tip and Beef Brisket Taco Trio really hit the spot and were absolutely delicious! There's lots on the menu besides tacos like Ribeye and Prime Rib dinners and sandwiches. Plenty to chose from. Ephen Tacos is not a fancy place, but it doesn't need to be. It fits the Mohave, high mountain desert town vibe perfectly. Service was great and we left with full satisfied bellies. I'm sure I'll be back. Probably next week!! read more

Ephen Tacos SmokeHouse Junction - Pork belly, Tri-tip and Beef Brisket Taco Trio. Amazing! Pork belly was my Fav! - Barbeque Near Me - Ridgecrest, California

5/5 Prime rib dinner: the prime rib is smoky and needs to be paired with the au jus and horse radish. Without these pairings the prime rib is a bit flavorless. The mushroom soup is excellent. My salad was fresh with a chunky blue cheese dressing. Corn and cream was ok. Baked potato was good with melted butter and scallions. Roll was buttery. Definitely a full and satisfying dinner! 5/5 cod taco: hot, generous portion of cod, and pairs great with the mango salsa 4/5 smoked chicken dinner: I only took a bite from my friend's plate and thought 'they weren't kidding when they state this is smoked.' Other than the smoke, the chicken was quite tender and I'm told it was an enjoyable meal. 4/5 seating: outside seating is offered with heat lamps but it can get a bit noisy being next to Norma Road. There are quieter exterior tables by the entrance but they seem to get occupied by those who order take out 4/5 parking: there's plenty of parking, although it can get a bit cramped space wise if there are a lot of people like when I got there read more

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Great everything!!!!!' Brisket tacos are delish, macaroni and potato salad delish!!!! Tri tip tacos delish!!!! read more

My coworkers keep ordering from here and I wanted to know what the big deal was so we decided to go and try it out! We got there and we didn't know what to order so Maddie was really helpful and friendly so she explained how things worked. We ordered the loaded baked potatoe with tri tip. The tri tip was good but to me it could of use more flavor plus I think it was a little cold. We also order the pacific cod tacos. Omg these were our fave hands down. My hubby and I couldn't stop talking about how good they were. The sauce has an inexplicable flavor, it tastes like corn, sour cream, cilantro? Idk but it's DELICIOUS! The mango on the tacos gives it an extra kick of flavor too. I heard their ice cream is to die for. We will definitely return to taste it :0) read more

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Great Food! Everything has a wonderful smoky flavor and the Prime Rib is spot on! Don't miss them while in Ridgecrest!

Delicious food The brisket melts in your mouth!! Friendly service Ambiance is alright. read more

Popped by after a hike to grab some tacos before continuing on to Mammoth. Ordered the brisket taco without the onions and a tri tip taco street style. The brisket was bomb. 10/10 would eat again. The Tri tip was sadly underwhelming and the pico added zero flavor. 1/10 would not eat again. Dude at the register was super nice and informative. Zero COVID protocols being observed so enter at your discretion. Definitely stop by for that brisket taco though. read more

Ephen Tacos SmokeHouse Junction - Brisket taco no onions and tri tip taco street style. - Barbeque Near Me - Ridgecrest, California

Best food in Ridgecrest! Quality ingredients made with the freshest ingredients! Beef pork chicken and fish all so good!!

One review already said it best--a taco place in an old car wash. Amazing bbq/tacos. Easy and quick too. We pulled off on our road trip and it was worth it. I'm not a creamed corn connoisseur, but oh my gosh--it was so good!!! read more

This place by far has the most amazing tacos,smoked meat, and sides. I've been wanting to try this place for a while now and I finally did. My husband and I both got the special cod fish tacos, and damn were they delicious. The corn tortilla were homemade. They also have a good variety of sauces to add on your tacos. We also got some chips and salsa. The salsa was wonderful and homemade as well. On Fridays they offer smoked prime rib with soup, salad,and 2 sides. Gonna try that next time. read more

Ephen Tacos SmokeHouse Junction - Chips and salsa - Barbeque Near Me - Ridgecrest, California

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During my trip to Death Valley, my husband and I we stayed for three nights at the Best Western in Ridgercrest. The town is really small and there aren't many restaurants. Thanks to yelp we discovered this one and so we decided to pick up some foods. We ordered the "smoked trip-tip dinner plate". I never tasted this part of meat before and I liked it...it was really tender. I also appreciated the possibility to choose two sides from a multiple choises. The menu is full of the other dishes. I wanted to taste another one but unfortunately on Sunday the restaurant is closed and on Monday we left the town. Next time:) read more

Ephen Tacos SmokeHouse Junction - Smoked trip-tip with potatoes and salad - Barbeque Near Me - Ridgecrest, California

Ordered the 2 meat dinner that came with two sides and on piece of bread cut in half. The barbecue beans were whatever, nothing to write home about. The potatoes wedges were above average but it honestly almost stole the show because of how mid the rest of the meal was. The tri tip wasn't smoked and if it was there wasn't a smoke ring on the meat so that was a let down. I was really hoping for a flavorful smoked piece of meat but got something below that. Portion sizes were also pretty small given the whole meal was over $20 with tax. Overall I've had a lot better for the same price but I guess it is Ridgecrest ‍. I was left very unsatisfied and I won't be back. read more

Great places to stop on our way back from Mammoth 10 miles off the path but we'll worth it. Brisket, Mac and cheese and wedges were great read more

Really good!!! First and foremost, the staff is super friendly. Let us bring our well behaved dogs on the patio and offered water for them. Now let's get to the food!!! My son devoured the smoked chicken sandwich. It came with a pasta salad - very tasty. I had the smoked chicken tacos - perfect smoke and tortilla grilled just right. Husband had brisket- he loved it. Not as good as Martins in Nashville - but come on man... We will definitely be back! With like 20 of our closets friends read more

This is a fun, little hole in the wall with darn good BBQ brisket! Try the BBQ a brisket tacos. You order at the counter and they bring your food out. read more

I am only in town a few times out of the year but when I am, this is the first food I get. I haven't ever made it past the tacos. Someday, maybe I will manage to try a sandwich or a plate. Lol But honestly, I dream about the tacos when I'm not here, so I don't feel like I'm missing out. First up, the portobello taco. Those tender delicious strips of mushroom are seasoned to perfection and every bite is happy. This taco is a must. Then we have the shrimp taco. When I say I have my doubts there is a better taco anywhere, I'm 100% serious. Fair warning, you will not want to stop at just one. They are that good. Last, I always have a brisket taco to make sure I earned my carnivore badge. A tortilla filled with the tenderest, most delicious smoked brisket you've ever tasted topped with just enough pickled onions to make your mouth dance. I know there are other things that help out the food over the top. But these people know how to smoke and season. Your mouth is watering from that beautiful smoke aroma before you ever step in the door. If you're in Ridgecrest, stop by. All the staff are fantastic. (They remember me even though I only see them a couple times a year.) And the food is freaking amazing. read more

Ephen Tacos SmokeHouse Junction - Tacos - Barbeque Near Me - Ridgecrest, California

Beef tri-tips were tough but tasty, but not worth going back again. I placed my order and the dude said he would bring it to me, but after waiting for 10 minutes or more, apparently he forgot and my order was just sitting there getting cold. Kind of wondered why it would take so long to make a simple sandwich. Anyways, I wouldn't stop here again. Oh, yea, don't go by the prices on th Yelp menus. Like everything, they've gone way up after the pandemic. read more

Best BBQ of my life... I cried when they were closed for the 4th of July, but I'm not mad They have delivery & pickup which are both super quick. It's a small business so they haven't lost their souls to a corporate facade - funny and welcoming. 10/10 read more

Ephen Tacos was at the top of reviews we checked for Ridgecrest restaurants that had gluten-free food. Their menu is clearly marked with gluten-free and vegan choices. We ordered take-out, which included a green salad with smoked pork and pico de gallo salsa. We also ordered two Ephen's Tacos with smoked chicken. The food was ready in about five minutes. We ate in our hotel room, and it was very tasty. The chicken and pork were both flavorful and moist. The salsa in the tacos was was mild. We both loved the dinner. This was a great find for us who just stopped in Ridgecrest overnight. read more

Good food but portion size has diminished greatly since they first opened. Service is usually good.

We stopped here on the way home from a trip to the desert... I don't remember exactly when but possibly June or July 2020. The quirky exterior intrigued me so my BF and I parked to take a look at the place. We admired the old school license plates and industrial remnants of an old car wash as we approached the door. We took a quick glance at the menu and agreed that it looked promising so we decided to give it a shot. We were the first customers of the day and, given that they were still setting up when we arrived, our food came out pretty fast. It looked and smelled phenomenal and my mouth started watering. The loaded baked potato was ridiculously GOOD & memorable... it comes with a choice of meat - I chose braised tri-tip; choice of style - even though I was a bit skeptical coz I usually dislike creamed corn, I figured that the BBQ with creamed corn couldn't be too bad so I overcame my general dislike of creamed corn and gave it a try - it was GOOD; it also comes with ranch style beans, butter, cheese, sour cream, and chives. Holy moley this thang was HUGE. I was thinking, "All this for $9.99?! No way!!" If we got this in LA, I assume it would probably cost $18-22. It was way too much for me to eat in one sitting and the leftovers were shockingly good. I nibbled on them the rest of the way home. My BF ordered 3 braised tri-tip tacos with some kind of super hot sauce. He's into the heat but I'm a sissy when it comes to hot sauce. The braised tri-tip was tender, lean, well-seasoned, and very high quality. So reasonably priced too! "Usually I have something bad to say about meat, like too much fat or gristle or too tough & chewy, but this is such GOOD meat," my BF said. "In fact, I'd like to make it a point to eat here any time we're in the desert." I heartily agreed. Ephen Tacos exceeded our expectations and we are SO glad we stopped by! I've honestly been thinking about the loaded baked potato off & on for like a year. We LOVE the desert and now this is just one more excuse to get out of LA for a bit! Thank you for the friendly hospitality and great food!! read more

This restaurant that started as a taco cart is the best. Their tri tip tacos are the best I have ever eaten. They get super busy at lunch so I recommend calling in your order...my husband loves their tea...my bad!!!! I gave the wrong history....they're still beast...I only ever saw their taco trailer that's what was told when I moved here...Apologies!!!! read more

This is the first few places we ate when we first came to ridgecrest and a few places we still visit. Here are some of the things we tried here: Tri-tip: better than many bbq places because it's very juicy. Prime rib meal: best in ridgecrest because of the herbs they use and good amount. I love their cream of corn and cream of mushroom Ribeye: so good, this is the place to go to when I want ribeyes Pork belly taco: it's so bad for you but it taste so good. Will definitely come back for this. I have tried other tacos but they were ok. Burritos: not that good. It was dried even though I got the one with sauce on it. It's because they don't have guacamole and salsa in the burrito. For burrito, tequeria Bernardino better than other restaurants here or even in the Bay Area where I used to live. read more

I came here for the Friday night prime rib dinner and the food was amazing. The dinner came with salad, soup, cream corn, garlic bread and the best smoked prime rib I've had in awhile. Would definitely come back for their specials I have yet top be disappointed. Caution it does look like that they occasionally run out of their special. So call ahead or get there early. read more

Ephen Tacos SmokeHouse Junction - Prime Rib Friday special - Barbeque Near Me - Ridgecrest, California

What's not to say about this place? Everything on the menu is as delicious as it looks! The folks running the place are awesome too! Great food, great service! read more

Ephen great burrito!! First time here and went out on a limb and tried the smoked Mac n cheese and brisket burrito. Tons of flavor and the brisket was really tender. I'll definitely be back! read more

Really good BBQ. I live 3 hours away, visited my brother who has lived there for years. 2 things, he didn't know there was indoor and he thought it was a stand and order window or something lol. Anyhow I went in and they have a very cute little interior, clean and was run by 2 dudes in a very lovely smelling bbq kitchen. I ordered some pulled pork and it was absolutely fantastic. Great little place and super friendly staff. read more

Not sure why they have the highest rating in this small town. Maybe because they do not have much to compete with. I ordered chicken quesadilla. It had an extreme amount of cheese with questionable chicken. The chicken was unlike any color of chicken I have ever seen. Maybe it was off the bone. It reminded me of a chicken leg meat. It was completely tasteless and lacked any seasoning. The worse was how greasy it was. It cost me $30 for 2 quesadillas and 2 cans of soda. We couldn't even finish it due to how greasy it was. Regret following Yelp on this one. Usually it is spot on. read more

Ephen Tacos SmokeHouse Junction - Barbeque Near Me - Ridgecrest, California

Amazing establishment! The food is incredible honestly one of the best bbq tacos I've had so far! The flavor is spot on and the meat is top shelf . The employees were super friendly and it was an overall great experience. Gonna stop by rn one more time for a brisket taco ! Thank you for your existence lol read more

I was looking for a quick bite and saw this place recommended to me. I wanted to give it a try with my family and was amazed how delicious it was. We ordered the brisket tacos, ephen taco, and chicken tacos. It tasted very homey, tender and filling. Will definitely come back again on our way back. Service was amazing, friendly staff, nice seating, and a variety of options on their menu. read more

Always empty, but food is a little pricey for the amount provided. Every bite is flavorful and yummy.

I had the tri tip cheese steak sandwich. Amazing smoked tri tip on a super soft roll.

Nice to have a newer option in Ridgecrest when I'm visiting. It's all about the meat here and they do a great job. With the exception of one person ordering the smoked pork everyone got a variation of the tri-tip. One on Mac & Cheese, one taco and one combo plate. Doesn't matter how it was served or what accompanied it the beef was delicious. The prices are fair and the portions will stuff most people. Once you is walk in the smell of smoky goodness hits you like a train. I could have napped there if they'd let me as the aromas took me to a happy place. I hear they have good desserts too. Would have tried the bread pudding but I think the the 12 pounds of meat would fill up the four of us. Maybe next time read more

We ordered a variety of tacos and they were hit or miss. Good stuff: Pork, southern BBQ style, mac and cheese. So-so: potato wedge taco, cod taco. Skip: smoked tri-tip and mayan fiesta style. Came on a Thursday. Ordered online about 20 min in advance, when we arrived we still had to wait about 30 minutes, many other impatient customers were also waiting for food, but it wasn't crazy busy for the size of their seating, so it seems they can't keep up with demand right now, maybe they need to reduce the size of their menu, the options are a bit overwhemling and maybe contribute to the long wait time. read more

The owner doesn't take accountability and excuses everything as everyone else's issue. They lack integrity and empathy. DO NOT GIVE THEM 1 CENT. I posted this to google and response was ignorant to say the least. They don't try to take a legit caring offer nor do they try to back up what me and others say about their bland food. Potential is here however SmokeHouse in the name but flavorless in the food. As an avid BBQ smoking person myself, the pork, tri-tip and braised beef all need salt. I understand you don't want to over salt but use some more for crying out loud. The beans are undercooked and taste like chili beans from a can. You could totally pull pork and have ribs, using the 3-2-1 method, on your menu and they carry you for a few days too in other menu items. Costs are higher with ribs but I'll bring you ones I make as a sample and give you the recipes too. You have a ton of potential, really you do. The food in Ridgecrest is bland across the board, you can totally stand out way above the rest, should you want to. Maybe I should open my own place but dang, was hoping there would be a good one here. read more