Great for watching games live. Staff is really friendly. Ambiance is really laid-back. BBQ is solid and they have specials on some nights like discounted sandwiches and hot dog + old fashioned combo. read more

Berkeley has been slowly losing its best barbecue spots lately, so it's great to see a new one come in. Heads and Tails has great hours, they're open every day until late. Going for a family friendly sports bar vibe, with bbq. I've been to Heads and Tails for lunch, and that's great, but I really want to tell you about how I ordered a whole brisket for a big family dinner. Historically we've made a brisket at home in the oven, but this year I really wanted smoked brisket, and I don't have a smoker. Reached Rick, the owner, on the phone and he was extremely helpful the whole way through. Talked about how much to order, timing of when it comes out of the smoker vs when we serve it, how to slice it.. Rick and I talked so long on the phone my wife actually commented about it. :p When it arrived it was perfect and it was amazing. Perfectly smoked, tender, just the right amount of juicy. Possessing a whole brisket is more power than one man should have. I wish I took pictures to make you all jealous. My family are converts. More smoked brisket in the future. It's the only way to go. read more

Love it the first time, disappointed the second. The second time I went, the ribs were covered with some kind of pepper that pretty much drowned out the flavor of the ribs. Thy were so good the first time, they didn't need to add the pepper, or whatever it was that was so generously sprinkled on them. I ven tried scraping it off, but to no avail. read more

Soooo good. Ambience pleasant, excellent customer service, and amazing food. Their dry rub is life! My daughter ate things here she "doesn't like" without hesitation. First of many times to come read more

Buckle up! This review is a doozy! I went in for my birthday and had a friend meet me there. I got there and ordered two modelos a shot and a Frito pie. It was taco Tuesday so the modelos were supposed to be $4 and the Frito pie is $12 bringing my total to just around 20-30 dollars. When my friend got there the bartender Marissa didn't even acknowledge him, give him water or a menu. And he sat at the bar. Her poor service and energy bummed my friend out so he didn't want to eat and wanted to leave. After I finished my food I asked a different bartender to close my tab because Marissa wouldn't even look at us let alone help. (My friend ordered his drink from the other bartender across the bar.) after asking the other bartender to close me out Marissa came and handed us 2 modelos we didn't order. We didn't drink them and let her know we had closed out and were leaving. Upon getting to the next bar I noticed I was charged twice for a grand total of over $50. I drove back and made it just before they closed the doors and brought the discrepancy to the nice bartenders attention. He then brought it to Marissa's attention, she rolled her eyes and gave me this dirty look and said something I won't repeat here and told me to come back the next day. Which is odd because I've worked in the service industry for over 2 decades. That's a pretty easy fix. Nevermind that though. I'll admit I felt disrespected by her snarky eye roll and statement and told her "idk if you've had a bad day or what but you should leave that at the door when you come into work. You've given us horrible service tonight" word were exchanged and I'll admit I matched energy and said some rude things I'll hold myself accountable for that but that doesn't mean my feelings aren't valid let alone how I was treated doesn't warrant my reaction. I don't let ANYONE disrespect me like that and think it's ok. I'm going to say something and stand up for myself. I called the next day and asked for the owner Rick because I've met him before. To paint you a picture of the guy there's a video online of him assaulting a staff member while the guy was bartending...in front of guests...MANY testimonials of predatory behavior against women both staff and guests. It's honestly why I and many people stopped going there. But that's a different story entirely. I called to get my credit card charge figured out because after what I experienced I never wish to set foot in that business again. Instead of doing the professional thing and hearing my side of the story and then speaking his piece and figuring out a resolution to me being charged twice I was literally told "I had a email I was going to send you corey but I'll just say this, don't ever come back to my business for how you spoke to my staff and if I was there I woulda kicked your a$$. GO F*CK YOURSELF and hung up on me" lmaooooo real stand up guy here. I only had one tab and one order and was charged twice and for two separate amounts. Went back and was disrespected because the staff was in a rush to leave and close. I told them off because I'm not going to let anyone treat me like that and that was his response and resolution lmaooooo he would NEVER say that to my face let alone lay a hand on me like he did in the video you can see on the internet where he assaults his bartender...I'd give this business negative stars if I could. 1000/10 would not recommend supporting a business ran by someone who conducts them in such a way. read more

This is one of my first yelp reviews but this was so bad I had to write. I don't think I'd feed this food to my dog--she would probably have a seizure from how bad the meat was. The Mac n cheese was cold, the portions were comical, and the meat was so chewy I think it came from a can. On top of all of this, the table was dirty despite us being the only ones in the restaurant and the waitress was so rude when the food we ordered was out of stock. I think this place should be shut down. The only redeeming quality is the ambiance and music. I wish I took photos but it was so bad I had to leave as soon as possible. read more

Went here for lunch on 7/12 and the place was pretty busy. I ordered my food, then waited 25 minutes for someone to then tell me they were out of what I ordered. Service appeared to be very chaotic. read more

Owner was super friendly as was the staff. We had fried chicken with Mac n cheese, coleslaw, banana pudding, brisket, and beans. The chicken was moist, cooked well, and had a light and crispy outside. It was very tasty. The Mac n cheese was also very good. The beans were a bit too vinegary for me and on the thinner side. I like mine with a thicker consistency and less pungency. My bf said he liked the brisket. He said it was moist and was happy with his selection. The banana pudding was good with fresh whipped cream and broken pieces of cookie. I'll be back for more chicken and maybe the ribs. read more

I ordered at Texas frito pie to-go and it was delicious. Everything was portioned/layered perfectly. It was so good that I decided to go back a couple of days later and order another one with a half pound of brisket on the side. My problem is when I got the Frito pie the second time around, it was 70% filled with chips and barely any toppings. It was dry and disappointing to say the least. The brisket was juicy so cool points for that. I do think they could work on the consistency of the food. read more

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I would like to start off this review by stating that BBQ is rapidly becoming one of the more expensive fares that can be had. It's not a shock to me anymore to spend over $40 and get, what feels like, a sparse amount of BBQ in return. Not here. This place has high value. You get a lot of meat in return for your money. The neighborhood around the establishment is nice and cozy. The staff was also very friendly. I went in for inspiration on an upcoming smoke I'm going to do with Brisket and the guy at the counter was very helpful with updating me exactly how they smoke their meats and the results. This was really important to me and appreciated. I found the brisket moist and enjoyable. Mainly, I found a lot of it. The pulled pork was a surprise. Perfectly seasoned and great smoke. Very well done. read more

Ordered over the phone, order was to be ready in 10 minutes. Arrived to location was never greeted by anyone even tho waiters walked passed more than once. Couple that came in after me was greeted. finally said something to the waitress with the bun (tattoo back of neck). She approached me after checking the order asking "if I'm going to pay" (obviously I have to If I ordered over the phone) she comes back and place the bag on the bench. No manner/hospitality what so ever maybe to others but not me. read more

First time visiting. Good spot, no frills. Order by your phone and they deliver it to your table. Drinks are pricey and the BBQ was good. The brisket was fatty and the pulled pork was perfect. The sauce is not too sweet and paired well with the meat. The Mac and cheese was creamy and delicious. read more

Overall: Good flavors but lacks in details Since this is a new joint (located in the old German spot) I'm hoping they can work through some of the pitfalls. Cons: - Mac n cheese was grainy - descriptions of food on app weren't helpful (we thought we ordered a plate of 2 meats and it somehow came on a sandwich?) - chips for the queso were thick, tough and flavorless (wasn't sure if stale or too thick) - had to find our own napkins and utensils Pros: - good flavor on all the items we ordered: Mac n cheese, queso dip, bbq sauce, pulled pork, sausages, Cole slaw - friendly staff - lots of TVs to watch sports - full bar offering - tons of seating (possibly dog friendly indoors?) We plan to come back to see if any improvements were made! Solid bbq spot flavor-wise! read more

My boyfriend and I have now been to this restaurant twice. The first visit we each had a sandwich and shared fries. I ordered the fried chicken (super bird) and he got the brisket melt. They were both fine, with the brisket melt being a bit more of a standout. In my opinion the fried chicken was a little small for $16. We left with the impression that we would come back and try a BBQ plate next time for variety & (hopefully) a bigger portion I'm writing this review after our second visit this past Saturday 08/31 when we did return and shared a $26 two way plate with pulled pork & brisket (+$2.50 for brisket) and added a side of vaquero beans (+$5). We also started with a queso dip ($10) which I liked a lot. I thought the pork was serviceable if not exactly fall apart tender. My boyfriend is happy with just about any brisket, and I thought the bark on it was really enjoyable. The pork needed the bbq sauce, the brisket did not. What I did not like, and will keep us from returning, is that I was charged for something that I was not informed I would be. When I ordered I told the server that I "liked" burnt ends. He nodded and said nothing. After I got home I looked at the receipt that was emailed to me and saw the line item "Add Burnt Ends $6" (I only saw the check total on their handheld device at the table as I tapped my card). This would disappoint me in any situation, but especially because I did not get burnt ends. When he delivered the plate he pointed out the "burnt ends", and while it was a strip of beef that was on an edge, there was nothing but fat. That chunk of un-rendered fat made me so sad, and I didn't even know I was paying extra for it (there was nothing on the menu that mentioned burnt ends at all). I hate leaving even mediocre reviews for small businesses, so I gave feedback through the Toast Tab receipt "How was your visit? thumbs up/thumbs down" feature first hoping that this would be seen and be responded to, but I have no idea if the feedback actually gets sent to the business owner. Hopefully this is helpful feedback for the business and future barbecue loving patrons. *Updated review. The owner responded on the same day I posted this review to state that the burnt ends weren't available yet and they shouldn't have been added to my order, and offered to refund the amt I paid for them. Based on his kind response I will return to try them when they are available :) read more

I was pretty skeptical about the idea of a barbecue + cocktail joint in Berkeley, but this place proved me wrong. After multiple visits, I can say that this place is LEGIT. ATMOSPHERE: Clean, minimalist and huge with with copious seating options, lots of big TVs that aren't blasting or in your face so it doesn't feel like a sports bar. They have high ceilings with good acoustics so you can hear the eclectic music and still have a normal conversation. SERVICE: The staff were super friendly and checked in, water glasses were kept filled. I personally need more napkins since this can get a bit messy (as it should). They just opened so I think they are still trying to figure out their flow, but overall incredibly solid given how new they are. FOOD: We've tried most of the well known bbq places in and around the Bay Area and this place is next level: - Brisket - Tender, perfect crust. - Pulled Pork - This killed it , so juicy and flavorful, it just works with the gold sauce. My favorite meat here. - Brisket Melt - BOMB. That sweet onion jam makes this something special. - Ribs - Super tender, just the right amount of smoke. - Smoked Chicken - A whole friggin half chicken, falling off the bone tender. - Pulled Pork Tacos - A different take on a taco that you won't find elsewhere, it has their beans - I generally hate beans but I've never had beans this complex before, it worked. - Super Bird - This is hands down my favorite chicken sandwich in the Bay Area, so crispy with kick ass crunchy slaw on soft smooshy buns. - Smoked burger - very well balanced, perfectly juicy medium cook on it. - Wings - Sweet and Saucy (the bbq sauce version) - Corn salad - Light, crunchy , sweet - a perfect complement to balance all that meat! - Fries - Super crisp, not at all greasy. - Bean Dip - Again, I don't like beans but I loved this. Subtly garlicky and creamy. Really good with their house made chips. - Salad - Solid option to take a break from all that meat, I'd eat this on its own. - Mac and Cheese - Super creamy. My little one shoveled this like nobody's business. - Rolls - Another one my little one can't stop scarfing - kind of like a less sweet and more structured Kings Hawaiian. - Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookie - I've been too stuffed to try their sweets but finally made some space for this and it was worth it. - Drinks - I don't drink but my friends LOVED their cocktails and frozen margaritas. There are copious nonalcoholic options too. DAMAGE: $30-60 after T&T depending on how ravenous you are and if you drink. For post-pandemic inflation, this is a complete steal when we're talking about bbq and booze. OVERALL: Quite possibly the best quality and value bbq in the Bay Area, with some unique offerings and an easygoing atmosphere that makes it a great hangout that I'll be frequenting. read more

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Amazing BBQ in east bay. Delicious meats and love the sides that come with (pickled veggies are a great pairing). Pork rib sandwich is really good. Staff is awesome and environment is laid back. read more

No. The meat is pre-cut and when they serve it, it's very dry the ribs appear like their oven baked. Not tru BBQ. With the name of the restaurant being "barbecue," they should really focus on the barbecue. They have way too many things going on. Best to take off the barbecue in the name. read more

Stopped in for a quick family meal. Didn't realize it would be as crowded as it was due to the Warriors game. So I'm cutting a little slack due to the size of the crowd in there. Ordered pulled pork tacos, brisket, and fried chicken thighs. Tacos and brisket came out first and they were stone cold. Mentioned it to the server and got another serving of brisket and one replacement taco. Brisket was slightly warmer, but not tender. Taco was still stone cold and full of bone chunks. Fried chicken thighs for the win. Server checked on us at the end. I thought she was concerned because our order had been so bad. But she was just concerned about the bill, which we had paid with Apple Pay. Then she realized she was actually looking at the bill for the folks sitting next to us, and moved on read more

Opened at 12:50, it was supposed to open at 11:30, I was the first customer to order, had to wait about 20mins to receive my order,spent around $100, it was togo order, hope the B.B.Q is good read more

Chicken salad sandwich was amazing!! Not your usual chicken salad-it had a smoky bbq flavor that really worked Drinks were awesome as well read more

Food- Menu says smoked wings: Wings are tiny and fried NOT smoked Flavor on dry rub was ok- Cheese dip- It is a bad idea to put pureed green chile in the bottom of a cheese dip- If you mix it together it makes a coagulated chunky mess- Skimpy on chips and when more were requested for the half bowl of cheese that remained an up charge was suggested- No thanks- Fried Chicken Sand-which- asked for no Aioli - It was covered- Got it to go and it was a soggy mess plus the fried thigh was chewy and a bit dry- The salad with the pulled chicken- not lovely- Overall I wish I could have gotten the $120 I spent back and never tried a new place- Restaurant business is tough and I realize its only been open a short while but just not a great experience- Hopefully they can make some improvements- I definitely lost the coin flip on this one! read more

Stopped by during a visit to Berkeley. What a treat! I had the smoked chicken plate with the amazing Mac and cheese and Vaquero beans!. The meat was soft and juicy. The Mac and cheese was perfect. The host made us feel welcome and all our menu questions were answered wish I could find something similar in LA! I will definitely be back read more

The problem was we came in on Sunday evening & they were out of most things. However the waiter suggested that I get the beef rib instead. I should have asked the price but the staff should know not to suggest something that is 2 x the price. When it was time to pay he did not present the bill either. It was all very frustrating read more

Ordered take-out on their website through Toast -- app was very convenient. Everything I ordered was EXCELLENT! 1. Fries (crunch and taste 10/10) 2. Beet&Farro Salad 3. Bourbon maple pork belly 4. Chicharones trio of salsa (guacamole was a dollop of heaven) 5. Shells and cheese (my new fave mac/cheese version) 6. Brisket 7. Fried chicken thigh 8. Smoked chicken thigh & leg 9. Garlicky potatoes and garlic rolls 10. Pork Ribs I picked up around lunch time, still I easily found parking on the street just in front of the restaurant, and restaurant has a good number of tables. Building is spacious with high ceiling. My order was already packed and ready. Got charged for packaging but that was fair. Their prices are reasonable, and for the quality of food they have -- definitely worth it! And after driving for 30mins to my destination, the french fries were still the crunchiest and tastiest I have ever had! No photos taken because food was all gone in a minute, so you know it's quite good. Will definitely come back, recommend to friends, and add to my favorites. read more

Brisket is bomb and practically melts in your mouth. Potato salad was great, and I'm not a big Brussels sprouts person but it was really good read more

Welcoming place and good atmosphere if you like sports. HH was a good mix and the menu is pretty big. Bbq was just ok; (brisket 4/5, chicken 3/5, link 4/5) also a reminder for some of the posts on here, we are in California ofc it won't be exactly like Texas!!! If you keep this in mind it's good not excellent and I wanna come back multiple times but good as in if I'm in the area I'll grab a beer some wings and watch a game while I wait for dinner good... read more

I've been now twice--- the first time I got the Brisket BBQ sandwich, which was very good and filling. The second time I got the Smoke Burger and side of fries. Although I asked for medium well, and told the bartender "no blood"-- but the inside was very pink. I really hope they do that better next time. Would be great if they had a few more cooked veggie side dishes...maybe some collard greens? :) The music both times was rock, which I don't like in a restaurant, no matter what kind of food. It's a large, open space, so the music really carries. Thanks read more

SO GOOD. We ordered through DoorDash, and we'll definitely be going back!! The ribs/brisket/pulled pork/and chicken were all amazing-cooked and seasoned to perfection. And their sides were DELICIOUS- the summer corn salad was life changing. We'll also absolutely be ordering the fries and vaquero beans again read more

First time here. Ordered a brisket sandwich. Brisket was tender and tasty. Got a side of baked beans which was more like a chili. They were OK. Not a fan of having to order from a QR code since I am paying to be waited on. The server did come over after a few minutes and took my order. read more

The fries were some of the best I've had in a long time. The brisket melt disappeared as quickly as it appeared. I only regret that I have but one stomach to fill with my order. read more

Heads And Tails Barbecue - Menu - August 11, 2024 - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This place is amazing. I tried a few times so far, both pick up and dine in. The ribs and everything on the plater is so juicy and delicious. I also tried sandwich and burger - they are one of the best I ever had. My favorite part is they have a full bar as well! The first time we went there after grand opening, my husband tried almost all the cocktails on the menu. Unfortunately I'm bad at names but I remember those cocktails also have cute names :) I'm so happy we have a good BBQ + bar in my area. Will definitely go back regularly. read more

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Finally! BBQ in Berkeley! This place is great. I tried a sampler platter with all the different types of meats. Its tough to choose a favorite but I actually think the chicken is the winner. The buns are ridiculously good too. I'm usually squarely in the cake camp but the pie was crazy good. It was a passion fruit cream pie. They said that they change up the pie depending on what's in season. I'm excited to go back and try a different slice. I highly recommend this place. I'll be back for sure. read more

Heads And Tails Barbecue - The combo platter. - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

Through word-of-mouth, I came here with trusted friends and family whose cultivated taste buds have sampled some of the world's top Michelin restaurants. What I discovered is a hidden gem. It is about SOUL. It is about simplicity. It is about kicking it old school style. For me, Head &Tails embodies the spirit of that neighborhood go-to restaurant bar. To get the full experience, we had their "Smoke Show" sampler. We found nothing but juiciness, flavor, and tenderness across the sausage, brisket, and ribs. For me, Heads &Tails BBQ embodied the spirit of Anthony Bourdain's: "Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it's a start." This is a neighborhood gem. And we're coming back. read more

Heads And Tails Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Out of brisket by 5pm. Other food we had was mediocre with slow service. Fell for the $150 influencer platter on instagram. Lesson learned. Not 1 star because they comped our drinks. read more

H&T barbecue is a slice of heaven for anyone who loves TexMex cuisine. We recently visited the place for brunch and loved the tasty food. Their house made sauces are filled with so much flavor that my mouth waters now just thinking of them. The pulled pork tacos were so delicious, the eggs in the huevos rancheros were cooked to perfection and the sauces really packed a punch. The cornbread fritters with the chipotle mayo sauce were so yummy and the fried chicken was juicy and well seasoned. Even their sides are amazing, we tried the poblano infused rice, awesome! The ambiance is great too, they have a full bar and a variety of cocktails. The staff is attentive and friendly. My kid loved the skee ball machine and had a few rounds of fun play while we enjoyed our food. This place is perfect as a regular haunt, for parties, game nights, you name it. Well worth the visit. read more

I ordered the one meat combo with ribs and coleslaw and garlic rolls. I was not impressed with the ribs. They were very fatty and not very tender. I'm used to smoked ribs without sauce that you could taste the meat. These ribs were covered with with sauce, and not a very smoky . I would've liked the option of meat with no sauce. Was not offered. I also ordered the smoked wings with the garlic flavor. I was not impressed with the skin on the wings were very fatty and lacked flavor . I visited this place due to influencers on Instagram and I'm starting to think that the review was paid for and not authentic. Very pricey for the quality which disappointed me even more. The ambience of the restaurant is very nice and I'm sure the drinks are very good but for the visit that I just had, I was not impressed with the food. I gave it a shot and it failed me. I would suggest you give it a try for yourself and you make your own decision. This was mine. read more

Randomly stopped here when passing through. They have incredible barbecue and the meat is very tender and the flavors are amazing! Staff were very friendly and we enjoyed the atmosphere as well. I starred this place on my google map as I definitely will be coming back next time I pass through. read more

Sweet spot with Otis Redding playing. Delicious food (cheesy pork sliders, brisket Benedict, fried chicken and waffles, cheesy fries) and awesome service from Angel! Thank you! Can't wait to return. read more

Extremely disappointing BBQ. The brisket and ribs were dry and tough. The meat was not fall-off-the-bone tender. The fat was not rendered. The collagen was not gelatinized. This would be fine in other contexts, but this is barbecue! You'd expect this kind of quality from Costco Wholesale, not a restaurant billing itself as a piece of Texas in California. The seasoning on all of the meat was the same. Everything tasted like everything else. Nothing had its own personality. Well, the hot links were seasoned differently, but they were remarkably bland, not in the literal sense, but more like the feeling you have when you get a flat tire. I've never had a hot link like this one. I don't even know how they managed to do this. The coleslaw was underseasoned. It tasted like someone took red cabbage from Sweetgreen and lightly drizzled aioli on it. The service was minimal, but the waiter was nice. The facilities were clean. Decent ambience, but be prepared to hear a lot of reggae. My rating reflects only my judgement of the food. read more

Fantastic food and very friendly hostess. So much food I could take it home and make a whole 2nd meal. Great atmosphere large screen TV. IM A REAL FOODIE a d I will be back here soon. Tender beef Large smoked link. Combo plate is worth the price A must go to BBQ PLACE. Service was so quick. I was glad I tried this place read more