Revenge is often preferred to be served cold but I on the other-hand decided to serve it hot, piping hot. A few weeks ago I was in Austin, catching up with some friends and they decided to take me to lunch at Franklin's on a hot Texas July day. As someone who despises the heat and would rather not have something than stand in line for it, I was in for a long day. It indeed was a long day, a long day of standing in line surrounded by absolutely lovely friends, new and old with the end of this faster-than-expected line being a perfect plate of barbeque and fixings. No good deed goes unpunished, so when these Texan comrades flew into John Wayne Airport on a hot Sunday afternoon, I decided to enact my ironic revenge. I pulled up to the curb of their arrival at the exact perfect time, I jumped out of the car, hugged all of them and launched their luggage into my trunk as if I only cared about my belongings in life. We drove straight to Heritage Barbeque in San Juan Capistrano, which is an uncomfortably long ride for people who just got off an airplane. I didn't ask them what they felt like eating, or if they even wanted to eat, I just drove. When we arrived, parking was a real 'female dog.' "Yes! Perfect! My revenge is taking shape," I thought. After parking, we went and stood in what would turn out to be a two hour line. I did them one better than in Texas, not only would we have to stand in line for two hours, surrounded again by absolutely lovely friends new and old, here at Heritage you can drink while you stand in line. By the time we got to the front, we were all three sheets to the wind and loving every second of it but we had to gather our senses because this alcohol in our stomachs needed delicious food to soak up. I decided to order for the group and we ordered enough to sober up hours worth of drinking. It started with the meats, pounds of brisket, tri-tip, pulled pork, pork baby back ribs, pork belly, sausages and chicken Pollo A las Brasas style and the other style too. When I say pounds of meat, I mean pounds of meat, enough to make you want to make an appointment with your proctologist. In addition we ordered every side, which I think is the underrated part of their menu. Their beans, mac & cheese, chili, potato salad and the rest are the best of any barbeque institution and I should know, I've been to a minimal amount of barbeque establishments. Anyway, by the end of the meal, my friends were full, happy and still a little buzzed. My revenge was complete.... Stay thirsty for revenge my friends.... read more

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Honestly it was a letdown for me I came here with the expectation of it being the best bbq spot in OC. -Brisket can be a bit more tender and smokier, lack of wood tasting for me -pulled pork was slightly salty -pork ribs was dry and flavor wasn't anything special -tri tip was chewy -chili was like wet dog food consistency, I was thinking it would have chunks of meat but no it was ground meat -Mac and cheese was the best item here, creamy and perfect texture -banana pudding was basic nothing special about it. With the huge ass line that's moving slow it's best to order for pick up ahead of time. Definitely not worth the long wait, I waited almost two hours. read more

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Overall:4.5/5 The tri tip was really good 4.7/5; I liked it more than the brisket 4/5 Mac and cheese was solid Chili and corn bread were also good; I wish the potato salad had larger chunks of potato I enjoyed the delivery of drinks while we were in line Would take off 1/2 a star because we waited over an hour starting at 2:30pm read more

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I'll caveat this review by saying that I usually go for ribs, chicken, pulled pork. I figured if anybody could make me fall in love with Brisket and TriTip, it would be this place. But unfortunately that was not the case. The TriTip was very chewy. The Brisket was a bit dry. The sausage was pretty good. The Mac n Cheese was good but tacky consistency. The beans were decent. The potato salad was not bad and interestingly blended smooth consistency. They open at 11am and there's already a small line of people waiting, even though this was a midweek not a weekend. No problem, the line moved quickly. You're greeted by a very helpful employee who guides you through placing your order every step of the way. Even though the menu advertises meats sold by the half pound, you can ask for a smaller quantity. If you want a variety of items then it's a good idea to get a quarter pound of each meat you want to try. You watch as the chef places the meat on the scale. You can request a bit more to be added or removed. Then the employee enters the weight into the ordering kiosk as part of your bill. Side dishes can come in 8oz or 16oz containers. But I also saw a 4oz container that I wonder if is an option. They have a full bar and indoor or outdoor seating. There's no air conditioning but there are fans that provide good airflow. read more

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We had a great meal at Heritage BBQ! We came on a Sunday during Labor Day weekend, our group of 6 arrived around 11:05 to a lengthy line and we got to the front to order around 12:45. They did have water for those waiting in line! You can also purchase refreshments from their bar to the left of the ordering area while waiting. I do like that they help you find seating instead of having to fend for yourself after ordering. As you order, they do show you the cuts of meat to make sure you're okay with the amount. Our food came out within 10 mins of ordering. My partner and I ordered 1/2lb brisket, 1/2lb char siu pork belly, mac and cheese, beans, dinner rolls, and the jalapeño cheddar cornbread. We loved how tender and flavorful the brisket was along with the pork belly - it was perfectly fatty without it being chewy. Their dinner rolls are small so most definitely order more. I wouldn't get the cornbread again it was good, but it was a pretty standard jalapeño cheddar cornbread. Don't skip the Mac and cheese - perfectly cooked pasta, incredibly creamy sauce! Our whole plate came out to be around $80, with tip $91. We also got to try their banana pudding which was delicious! Lots of vanilla, creamy goodness to top off a hearty meal. Overall, not sure if I would wait 1.5 hours again but would love to come back when the line / wait is shorter. The staff and crew are very hospitable as well! read more

Heritage Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

I turned to Yelp for BBQ when in the neighborhood and it did not steer me wrong. If you're a first-timer, it's easier to pay mind to the menu that is across three boards on the ground vs what's posted above where you order. It makes things significantly easier, and explains what's what. I went for the jalapeño sausage and spicy cucumbers. He got three hefty pieces of brisket (for $20). The sausage doesn't mess around. It's got a little kick to it in a good way. The spicy cucumbers were reminiscent of the classic vinegar cukes I grew up on, with a little extra umph (they aren't as spicy as the sausage). His brisket was so soft you didn't even need a knife. It was incredible. The table has mustard and BBQ sauce. The mustard doesn't have the typical bite to it which may be welcoming to those wary. The BBQ sauce felt more tomato heavy but was still good in it's own way. *Drinks are separate and purchased/served around the corner at the bar regardless if they're alcoholic or not. I had to get the house michelada. Their own blend of spices gave it an almost Enchilada flavoring that made sipping the drink lovely. While in line, people kept ordering the Banh Mi so that may be my next try when I return. The only qualm I guess I'd have is that ordering everything Ala carte can really add up so keep that in mind and plan wisely. Oh! It gets busy here on weekends too. I guess we got lucky on a Wednesday afternoon with a slow pace. read more

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This is actually some of the best bbq sauce I've had at a bbq restaurant! It actually wasn't overly sweet like most bbq sauces are. We got a few things to try: - tri tip: insanely good! It was packed full of flavor and cooked perfectly - brisket: overcooked and average. Usually brisket is my favorite cut of meat, but this was underwhelming - garlic rice: literally white rice with dry garlic clothes. Not what we were expecting and it was disappointing - spicy cucumbers: these were yummy and very flavorful! Would come here again. Hopefully the brisket this time around was just a fluke. read more

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Heritage has been on my list for quite some time, but between the notorious lines and drive down, I just haven't had a chance to try this place. That finally changed today, and I'm already thinking about how I can come back again. To put it bluntly, Heritage is the best BBQ spot in OC. Heritage is located in downtown SJC, with plenty of street parking around the area. They have a bunch of outdoor seating next to the ordering station, and it looks like they're also expanding to have some more seating soon. The staff are all super friendly, and take the time to thank everyone for their patience while waiting. On the topic of waiting, they tend to get very busy around lunch time and on the weekends, so plan your visit accordingly (you can order stuff online in advance, so I'd recommend trying that too). I came about 15 minutes after opening and waited for about 30 minutes (the heat today sucked, but it wouldn't be a terrible wait on a normal day). On the food front, I tried the Tri-Tip, Brisket, Pulled Pork Sandwich, Baby Back Ribs, Sausage of the Day, Mac & Cheese, and Potato Salad. The Tri-Tip was the best I've ever had (it was insanely tender and flavorful), and the Brisket was the best I've had in California (super flavorful and tender). The Ribs and Pulled Pork Sandwich were excellent as well, along with the sides. The Sausage was a slight miss - the flavors were great but the meat was on the grainy side. Regardless, this was the best BBQ I've had in recent memory and it was absolutely worth the wait. I will say that this place is very expensive for BBQ, so come with some friends so you can try a few things. I'd recommend getting the Brisket, Tri-Tip, Ribs, Potato Salad, Mac & Cheese, and a piece of cornbread. I can't recommend this place enough, and hope everyone can have a chance to try it. If you're in the OC and craving BBQ, then this is the spot to try. read more

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Did we wait three full hours? Yes. Did we get crazy sunburns? Yes. Did we contemplate bailing after 45 minutes? Also yes. But was it worth it? Absolutely. (We will be ordering ahead next time) Took Dad for Father's day and ended up having a nice long chat in line before the main event. I highly recommend getting around 1/2 lb of pretty much all of their main items. Every single item had a very cool and very interesting flavor! Everything was high quality but some items stood out among the rest. Mac and cheese--fantastic, loved it! Banana pudding was probably one of the best if not THE best I have had. The pulled pork was decent, but nothing too special, the rolls... I really should have grabbed about 46 of them to be commensurate with the meat consumption: note to self to smuggle a baguette and some mixed greens in to balance the meal next time! The chicken had an incredible flavor with the perfect amount of spice and sauce to complement the juicy interior. Brisket was excellent as expected, and the sausage had all kinds of unique and interesting notes in there--almost too much to identify but I was loving every bite. Finally the dark horse was the char siu marinated brisket--the clear winner, even for my father who is a die hard barbecue fan of the "classics". Truly mouth watering and marinated to perfection. I MUST know how they do it because wow I have been dreaming of it ever since we left. read more

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Everything was delicious, but the corn bread. The corn bread was slightly dry, but everything else was really good. I'm very picky when it comes to bbq because normally it's too salty, but this was perfect. One of the best mac and cheese I had as well, creamy had a depth of cheesiness, idk how to explain it haha There was a line but it went by quick. The worker's were also really kind. 10/10 would come back!! read more

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Heritage BBQ is such a gem in San Juan Capistrano! The barbecue was absolutely incredible -- smoky, tender, and packed with flavor. Everything tasted like it had been cooked with so much care, and the sides were just as delicious. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming, making it a great place to enjoy a meal with friends or family. The service was friendly and attentive, too. Definitely one of those spots you'll want to come back to, especially if you're a BBQ lover! read more

Heritage Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Drove all the way from Chula Vista and it was a nice first experience. I'll be back but next time I'll be ordering differently. Arrived at 10:15 am the day before 4th of July and didn't get to the front to order until about noon. Tip: Arrive about 1 hour before it opens. We arrived at that time and there was already a decent sized line that just got longer as the minutes passed. The spicy cucumbers and potato salad were good but nothing special. The corn was cold. The chili looked strange and had the consistency of wet dog food. It was not appetizing. I took it home only to give it away. The jalapeño cheese sausage was okay, it reminded me of chorizo. It tasted better at home in the air fryer though. The garlic rice wasn't garlic rice and was literally just white rice with garlic on top. The winners were the brisket taco, Mac & cheese, and char siu. The tri-tip nachos were good too and a big portion. The Mac had a great flavor and texture, and it didn't harden and congeal like other Macs. The char siu had an amazing flavor and melted in your mouth. There's a water refill station, an outdoor seating area, and a to-go station to grab bags and boxes to take your leftovers home. I can't wait to be back so I can order the foods I enjoyed as well as try other menu items. read more

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Perfect food for half day metrolink family ride on a weekend... (better to use the metro deal on weekend than drive and park. Adults $10, kids 17 n under free) Short walk off the train station. Went for briskets, charsiu pork belly, texas chili, sausage (jalapeno cheddar this day) Brisket was our favorite. No teeth needed. Excellent bbq sauce on table Charsiu pork belly they said only burnt ends were left for the day. No problem I like burnt ends. But this wasn't as good as I was expecting. Texture showed potential but most of the bites needed more teeth than tender. Unless the regular cuts are more tender, I would skip the pork belly and go all briskets. Texas chili was awesime. So much bold flavoring and packed with meaty bites. Jalapeno cheddar sausage was of course delicious, but too spicy for us. Unless you like spicy I would wait for a day when its not the jalapeno:) Drinks are available at the Separate bar. Great selection of beers on draft and was perfect with the bbq of course! read more

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I'll start by saying that getting in line early, and for a long time, and waiting for good @ss BBQ is all a part of the experience!! For the other poor reviews rating, based on the line/wait, "ya'll" don't get it & didn't get it. And here's a tip for you, save yourself the time if going to Texas for bbq ever crosses your mind. The lines are even longer and you'd wish for a 1.5 hr wait out there. And again, it's worth it for the bbq experience. Here's the thing, come prepared (we brought coffee & donuts) and get ready to get acquainted with your neighboring BBQ enthusiasts! It's a communal, fun time & well worth the wait. That being said, on a Saturday, I arrived at 9:45AM and it was good timing. The line got progressively bigger within the next 20 minutes. They shade the first 30 people with umbrellas, pop up tents, etc. Everyone else, unfortunately, sat in the sun. Bring a parasol. Again, preparation, be open & have a good time at this bbq experience. There is cold water available, the bar opens early, they make announcements every so often and they have two clean bathrooms. All that availability makes the waiting doable. They opened on time, but given they do fresh cuts per order, it takes time! It's also a part of the experience and if they did it any other way, just to save you time, it wouldn't be the same & a shame. Though they start on time, the line starts actually moving (slowly) at about 30 mins after opening. The menu slightly varies from time to time. Some standouts were the roasted corn (elote), potato salad (best I've ever had), and the pulled pork taco (where are they getting these amazing tortillas from?!). If you're lucky to get a beef rib - the best! The spare rib is also really good, followed by the jalapeño & cheddar kielbasa. The Cole slaw was great, as were the spicy cucumbers & you really need these types of dishes to cut the fat as you're making your way through the rich meats, even though they do serve all platters with pickled onions, jalapeños & pickles, you still need a side dish to help balance. The brisket burnt ends, brisket, pork belly & pollo a las brasas are also pretty good, as was the chili. I REALLY enjoyed my lavender seltzer as well! Not overly sweet by far, light, refreshing & just what I needed. Is Heritage BBQ "worth the wait"...yes, but be prepared for the long wait time & have fun in line, that's it. Also, try finding anything like this between here & Los Angeles. It's unique and we're lucky to have them. read more

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Got off the train hungry!! And you could smell this place immediately!! We decided to brave the line... ( well worth it!!) staff was super friendly, saw we had a larger group so pulled a few out of line to sit with the kids. We tried the brisket sandwich, the corn, and the tri tip and brisket nachos. Had to pay for both meats, but wanted Torrey them both.... Those nachos. soooo good!!! I might have to take the train back up just to get those Don't let the line scare you and give it a try!!! Also a local ipa on tap from San Juan was amazing also!! read more

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I wanted to try the ribs but came too late and they were out for the day. I tried the pull pork instead. The BBQ sauce is really good and is a star. Price per pound. Please come and create your own adventure. read more

Heritage Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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What is the HYPE about this place? God knows! Because the bbq was not even good. Luckily I didn't have to wait on that 3 hour long line. I ordered online and did a "curbside" pickup option where I still had to go park and go pick up the food. Now let's talk about the food. I ordered pulled pork/ribs, potato salad and beans. Most everything else was already sold out online. The pulled pork was gross. It was dry and salty. Anybody can make food tasty by adding tons of salt. The trick is to make the bbq flavorful with adding spices and sauce and not so much salt. The ribs were dry..... Do these people not use sauce or sth? The potato salad was good but different. The beans was the worst part of the whole meal. It didn't even have BBQ sauce in it! I am sorry but it didn't even look appetiting! It looked gross. The only reason I am giving this place 2 stars review is because I didn't have to wait 3 hours. If I had waited for 3 hours and got this quality of food, I would have been so upset!!!! read more

We really wanted to like Heritage.... We got in the line about 10 mins after they opened at 11am on Friday, June 19th (Juneteenth holiday). Figured we would get started early on Father's Day. The line was already pretty long, about 50 people ahead of us. The sun came out so it was starting to get warm. By the time we got to the head of the line to order, it was 1:34pm, so about 2.5 hours long. A nice guy in a cowboy hat came down the line with a megaphone to let people know how long the line is taking, etc. Let me preface by saying, my husband knows Texas style smoked barbecue. He started competing in bbq competitions for a couple of years in Arizona and was employee #1 at the best bbq restaurant in Phoenix. He also worked at the best bbq restaurant in San Francisco and smoked for Anthony Bourdain, so our standards are high. Overall the bbq was overcooked and dry. Not sure if it was because of the holiday weekend and they were having an off day or they smoked meat in advance, but the smokiness also didn't stand out as much as it should. Here's what we ordered: fatty brisket (2 lbs), pork ribs (1 lb), char siu pork belly (1/2 lb) and burnt ends (1/2 lb), 2 jalapeño cheddar sausage links, large potato salad, 2 cornbread muffins and 1 elote. The fatty brisket was the best in our opinion but it wasn't juicy like my husband's brisket. It was slightly overcooked and a tiny bit dry. No juice. (I almost want to upload of photos of my husband's bbq to see how juicy it is supposed to be) Pork ribs were the most disappointing...they were waaaay thinner than the pork ribs my husband smokes and it doesn't help at all when it's overcooked, leading it to be dry, almost like a jerky. (again, I almost want to post a photo of my husband's pork ribs as a comparison!) Burnt ends do tend to be overcooked anyway but these were pretty dry and stringy and just drenched in sauce, kinda like they were hoping the sauce would save it. The pork belly was not overcooked and tender but lacked flavor. I'm Taiwanese Chinese so I know char siu and I didn't taste any char siu flavor. The jalapeño cheddar sausage was also overcooked and dry and the cheese was solid, which is weird, when it should be melted. This doesn't indicate freshly smoked to me. The potato salad and corn muffins were my favorite! haha... The elote was also tasty with a nice char but I wanted more of the cream sauce all over the corn, not just a zigzag. I ended up cutting the corn off the cob and adding some mayo, elote seasoning and the mustard sauce and eating it out of a bowl. The regular bbq sauce was standard, a little sweet, but I really liked the brown/deli mustard bbq sauce! I dipped everything in that mustard sauce. The dining area was cool, with a mix of longer communal wood tables with benches and smaller metal 4 person tables. We ordered a bunch of food to take back to family so we asked to have everything packaged to-go but we wanted eat lunch there. They brought out some paper plates and utensils for us to sit down and eat a little first. The bar is also great and is where you get alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks such as lemonade, ice tea or Arnold palmer. Not sure how this spot got a Michelin Bib Gourmand, but the other bbq spot in LA is much better. We were super disappointed to wait 2.5 hrs for overcooked and dry smoked meats and our bill was $280 with tip. I would only come here again if there was no line and I would get a burger, salad and nachos instead. It almost tasted like they smoked the meat a day ahead of time and kept it for the holiday/Father's Day weekend. read more

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My wife brought me out to celebrate Father's Day I didn't know there was going to be a crazy A$$ wait!! We waited "3 LONG HOURS !!! Standing in the blistering hot sun felt like my face was melting off !! It was definitely by far the longest we ever had waited to eat in our entire LIFE !! So when we finally got to order I made sure to get a lot of food !!! I ordered brisket, spare ribs, pulled pork, tri tip and sausage links for protein. For the sides. I ordered spicy cucumbers, green salad. Charro beans, classic Mac and cheese and some dinner rolls they had ran out of jalapeño cornbread which I was hoping to try out. I also got a large order of their homemade banana pudding for dessert. Hands down my favorite was the brisket and the tri tip. And the banana pudding !! Would I ever come back and wait 3 hours again ? Hell no !! Definitely not !! But I won't hold it against them the food is definitely delicious from one smoker to another it's definitely worth trying out at least once in your lifetime for for sure !! So for anyone that has never been here I highly recommend 1) expect to wait a very long time in line ! 2) bring a umbrella there's no shade! 3) wear plenty of sunscreen you will need it ! 4) wear comfortable shoes, there's no where to sit down but one small bench half ways to getting to the restaurant. 5 ) if you get thirsty try to avoid alcoholic drinks, they do allow you to drink while being in line. 6) stay hydrated they have complementary water in front of the restaurant. That no one mentions till you get to the front of the line. read more

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Arrived to a very long line on Sunday. I think we waited almost 90 minutes. C'est la vie, but the food was awesome. There's plenty of water to grab if you're in the line and you can also have an adult beverage while you wait. Once you get your order in you are given seating so don't worry - you don't have to eat in your lap sitting on the curb! Food was delivered quickly. Great service all around. I'd come back just not on a weekend or at lunch time! Otherwise, excellent food and very grateful we had seating once we ordered! read more

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Heritage Barbecue is a Texas-style BBQ restaurant located in San Juan Capistrano. It's right across the street from Mission San Juan Capistrano. It was recognized by the Michelin Bib Gourmand which results in long lines even before open. We went an hour before open and there was already a line forming. As we stood in line we saw Daniel (the chef and owner) cooking chicken on the grills outside and the smell permeated all over. Once you order you get a number, grab a table, and they will bring your food to you. There's a separate area for drinks where they sell beer, wine, and seltzer. What I thought was really good were the char siu pork belly and mac and cheese. What I thought was good were the brisket, pork spare ribs, Texas chili, and potato salad. What I thought was okay were the brisket burnt ends, jalapeño cheddar sausage, and garlic rice. Note that you can get meats from as little as 1/4 pound if you want to try a variety. I was really hoping to try the beef rib but unfortunately they didn't have it. I want to come back to try it along with some of the other things I liked from here. The staff were friendly and the food was solid. I would come here early though to avoid the long lines. read more

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Good barbecue is hard to find but look no further than Heritage! This place exceeded my expectations, and they were high. We came on a Friday afternoon and there was a line but we got through within 20-30 minutes which was great. They're super quick with taking your order which helps the line move. They also had someone grabbing people from the parties in line and sat them. I was able to grab a seat and wait for my friend to order for us which was nice and alleviated us worrying about finding a spot. Now for the most important part... the food. We went big (go hard or go home, right?) Here's what we ordered: - Tri Tip: excellent flavor, nice and smokey flavor, tender and not too fatty like tri tip can be at times. Possibly my favorite meat we ordered. - Brisket: also bursting with flavor and paired really nicely with their BBQ sauce - Pulled pork: tender, flavorful, delicious -- enough said. - Jalapeño cheddar link: likely tied for first place since I love a good sausage. Great combination of spicy and cheesy and smokey. - Mac and cheese: absolutely incredible 10/10 you have to get this. The fresh scallions are a nice addition - Potato salad: honestly some of the best potato salad I've had out at a restaurant. It was fresh and they use homemade buttermilk ranch in it and it is to die for! - Banana pudding: I'm not a big banana pudding person but for this one... I am. The nilla wafers were a fantastic complement to the banana and it wasn't overpowering. All in all, if you're even thinking about coming here, I can guarantee you will not go wrong! read more

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TLDR: It's another shot at breaking the glass ceiling of Texas BBQ within California. Although the line may suggest that this place hits (or even cracks) the clear barrier, I feel that it fails to hit that mark. Brisket: Smokey, salty, meaty, and occasionally fatty. It's everything you want in a brisket. Is it the best? No. Is it the softest? No. Does it taste unique? No. It's another brisket in the mountain of restaurants that claim that they've successfully brought Texas BBQ to California. You get it because brisket has found itself as a pillar within the wave of artisan Texas BBQ, but I'd had at least 3 that are better. Tri-tip: Maybe we got an older batch, but it was on the dryer end. I had a hard time differentiating the taste of this, compared to the other meats that we got, something that I didn't have a problem with when ordering tri-tip elsewhere. Pork Ribs: I've been lucky to have never had a bad rib from establishments that give a damn and that streak continues here. The decision of making a spare rib that isn't fall off the bone is respected, as the meat is soft once you bite it off the bone. Pulled Pork Sando: Knee jerk reaction.... It tasted like Pork Adobo. Upon further mulling and consideration...... It's good Pork Adobo. Mac n' Cheese: It's the best Mac n' Cheese in a Texas BBQ spot that I've had. I love how the noodle, sauce, and panko breadcrumbs complemented each other. I thought the watery cheese sauce was gonna give me an ick, but the taste was good and shook off the negative thoughts. Ambiance: It's good outdoor dining. The area is a quiet and "posh" neighborhood, so you don't really get the drawbacks of eating outside. The non-city nature of the region also provides this sense of calmness within the location. Service: The line will be long, but the employees have a good process. Order taker rings you up, "pitmaster" (who really just cuts the meat for you) proves you got what you ordered, and you're seated after you pay. read more

Heritage Barbecue - Pulled Pork Sandwich, Mac n Cheese Pint, 1.5 pounds Brisket, 0.75 pounds Pork Ribs, 1 pound Tri tip - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

We came early on a Saturday; Lined up at 10:10am and were about 15th in line. It opens at 11am and didn't order until around 11:40am. It seems the ordering process takes a while because they weigh the meat right in front of you as you order. For two people, we ordered: * 1/2 lb brisket * About 1/2 lb baby back ribs * 1 sausage * 8 oz potato salad * 8 oz mac & cheese * 1 piece of cornbread (ended up taking this to go) Total came out to about $97. The food was very good, and I'd say it's worth experiencing at least once. Because of the long wait, we probably wouldn't go through it a second time. Happy we tried it, though. read more

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I first saw this place on my favorite YouTuber's channel, and after watching them try the barbecue, I knew I had to check it out for myself. After waiting about an hour and 45 minutes, I can honestly say--it was completely worth it. Yes, the line is long, but there's a reason for that. I tried a little bit of everything, and every single item was packed with flavor. The barbecue was outstanding--tender, juicy, and cooked perfectly. Don't let the wait scare you off. This spot absolutely lives up to the hype. If you're thinking about going, do it--you won't regret it. read more

Heritage Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

I have had Heritage BBQ at various events over the past few years but never dared to stand in the line and eat at their outdoor tables. But, as I was driving by around 1 PM, there was no line. Yes, I said no line. So I immediately found a parking spot and walked right over. I think I waited for less than two minutes, so don't hate me. It was just pure luck because by the time I was done eating, there was a giant line. When I ordered, they showed me the half a pound of tri-tip that they were going to serve and asked me if it looked OK. It looked delicious. I ended up ordering a half pound of tri-tip, one of their cheddar jalapeño sausages, side of mac & cheese, and a FKN cornbread biscuit. This was not cheap as it was over $50 for just these items, but that did include tip. I also went to the bar and ordered a beer. They had a nice selection on tap, and I ordered one of the local Mexican lagers to go along with the meal. The tri-tip was tender and delicious (5/5). On the table came their barbecue sauce, which I used liberally, and it elevated the flavor up even more. The sausage was OK (3/5). It was a little tough, and I didn't think the mustard paired particularly well with it. The mac & cheese was creamy and so good (6/5). The FKN cornbread biscuit was soft and tasty (5/5). The beer paired perfectly with the meal. It also came with a side of pickles, onions, and jalapeños, which were a nice pairing with the meats. Overall, terrific experience. Will definitely come back, but will probably never have such a short wait again. read more

Heritage Barbecue - Half pound of tri-tip, cheddar, jalapeño sausage, side of mac & cheese, FKN cornbread biscuit - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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This review is not about the food. This review is about Jose. Jose is the manager here. Today was the first time we were traveling with our disabled daughter, Zelda, with a van and lots of trepidation. I have been wanting to stop here for years. I knew about the line. I was ready to wait. We got to the line with the wheelchair and Jose saw my wife and daughter trying to put themselves out of the way. Jose welcome them, gave them a table, came and pick me up in line, pulled me to the front and had me put my order in as if I was an online customer. This is not just hospitality. This is humanity. Jose made our day. He made me cry. Yes, the food was incredible and the rest of the staff was amazing. But Jose...you took a piece of our heart today! God bless you. read more

Heritage Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Food- brisket was decent, not great because it is a restaurant. The flat was a bit dried, but had that great beefy flavor that I look forward to. It was not overly smokey. The garlic rice was perfectly cooked with a hint of gain? Cleanliness- well kept and organized. Bathroom - didnt use. Ambiance- rustic and welcoming Price - south county prices. I may stop by if im driving through the area, but wouldn't go out of my way for it. Service - attentive and super friendly. Parking - street only. Not easy to find unless you walk a bit. read more

Heritage Barbecue - Brisket and garlic rice - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

As the #1 rated bbq spot in CA, this place lives up to the hype. We arrived an hour before opening, street parking was a bit of a challenge, but it did take a while to order being about 10th in line (will address that toward the end). Knowing this isn't an everyday day meal I wanted to try a variety of items so I ordered: brisket, tri tip, summer salad, beans & collards. Overall the brisket was hands down our favorites. I heard someone in front of me request fatty meat, so I did the same. Tri tip texture was on point, but it lacked some savoriness. Summer salad was mostly fruit and was pretty acidic. Collards were nicely tart, but the beans were fire. All menu items come ala carte and the meats get pricey per pound. The line here speaks volumes how much love this place gets. My only gripe is the operational efficiency of the ordering process needs to improve. I waited an hour to order after being there an hour before it opened. My suggestions: turn all 4 windows into order ones. Give customers a time limit to order their food. Consider putting in tablet ordering systems to speed up the ordering. Maybe have a fast line (already know what to order) & a slower line (can ask multiple questions). For example this guy two ahead of me was asking a million questions and sharing stories. I can appreciate the friendliness, but the pace needs to speed up. Do that and the fan fare goes higher than it already is. read more

Glad I made it here around 6:30 PM on a Friday. Upon rolling up, there was almost no line and I was able to order some meats that they still had. I tried the brisket, tri-tip, and baby back ribs. The best of the three was the tri-tip and it was very tender and flavorful. The brisket was nice and moist and the baby back ribs had the right pole with a slightly sweet taste. For the sides, I tried the garlic rice, mac & cheese, beans, and rolls. Everything here tasted pretty good and I would say is one of the better barbecue places in California. I would say their Michelin stars deserved and if I have a chance to stop by again, I will try more of their offerings. Prices were fair. read more

Be sure to get here early! The lineup is long. We came at 4pm and still ended up waiting 30mins. The BBQ is good. This tastes just like the kind you'd find in Austin, Texas. We decided to go all out, since we were here with family and tried everything. The tri-tip, was juicy, the brisket was flavorful (albeit a little drier than what I personally like), and the ribs were by far my favorite. The sausage was also good, but was clearly everyone's last choice. The Mac n Cheese was a big hit, but I loved the mashed potatoes. They also have spicy cucumbers (this must be the Asian/Mexican California influence, because this ain't an Austin thing!), and the taste was not quite what I expected but I'd recommend you give it a try. The house salad is exactly that. No surprises there. I like that everything is à la carte, bc you can mix and match to your heart's desire. There is also a bar on the side that serves a variety of beers, as well as limeade and iced tea. Note: this place will easily run you $50 per person with taxes and a drink. read more

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We came here today for my husband's birthday and the bbq was top notch. We had been here once before, and it was fantastic then too (they had the beef rib the first time we went, which was our favorite, but it isn't currently available). Today we shared the pastrami, tri-tip, brisket and pork ribs, along with some garlic rolls. Everything was flavorful and we liked the tri-tip and brisket best of all on this visit. A line started to form about 30 minutes prior to opening on a weekday, and on weekends I'd recommend getting there an hour before opening. There is covered and uncovered outdoor seating, and they are soon opening their barn area, which will be indoors. You currently order your food at the window and then you order drinks separately from their bar area. The employees will seat you also. We found free 5-hour street parking across the street, but there are also paid parking lots down the road. We feel this is the best bbq in Southern California, and the staff are great too. read more

Heritage Barbecue - Outside of restaurant - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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The elote was bomb. I love corn, but that elote was amazing. The potato salad was solid. That combined with the elote helped offset all the meat. The tri tip was surprisingly very good. Not too chewy and per my partner "probably the best one I've ever had." Just the right amount of pink. The brisket was a bit dry, so not my favorite. The fattier parts of the brisket were better but not the top grilled parts. Everything comes with pickled onions, pickles, and jalapeños. A great addition to the meat and adds to the flavor along with the bbq sauce. Service was good. Mostly self serve. They have a water station which was nice. It is popular and the line is long. We waited about an hr. They've now added umbrellas by the waiting line and the dining area. Thankfully so esp on the hot days. read more

Heritage Barbecue - From left to right: elote, tri tip, brisket, potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Every BBQ fanatic has either heard of Heritage, been to Heritage, or are actively planning their trip to Heritage. My brother is completely obsessed with searching for quality BBQ in the SoCal area and has been talking about Heritage for what feels like forever! We finally made our way to SJC just to try it and got an assortment of brisket, tri trip, sausage, and burnt ends. For sides, we got baked beans, cornbread, and Korean cucumbers (was super surprised to see this on the menu!). Overall, everything was pretty good! I will say things erred on the saltier or drier side, but, nonetheless, it was pretty dang good. They nailed the flavors and the cuts of meat were super generous! read more

Heritage Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

We came here around 11:30am (30 minutes after opening time) and the line was already very long. It ended up being a 2 hour wait , so by the time we ordered and got our food, we demolished it. Very efficient system with the ordering. Staff was already in place to identify an open table and seat us. Now for the food review. Brisket and ribs were the winners. Tender and flavorful and it blends well with garlic rice. I wasn't too crazy about the sausage as it was really salty. The chicken was disappointing and very salty. Mac and cheese was good. Portion size of the garlic rice was insanely small for $6 (literally a tiny cup). Is it worth a 2 hour wait? Maybe if this is the only chance you can visit. Otherwise, try to get there super early before opening to have a better chance of a shorter wait time read more

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We were traveling by and had heard of this place so we decided to stop for lunch. The service was great and the hostess took the time to explain all the options. Everything was really good except the Brisket was extremely dry and we couldn't finish it. I want to come back earlier in the day to see if maybe the brisket fresh and better. I still definitely recommend this place. There are plenty of outdoor tables. The banana pudding was really good too! read more

Heritage Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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heritage barbecue has been on my list for FOREVER!! finally made it out on a saturday morning we made it to the end of the line around 1130am , which prolly had maybe 50 ppl in front of us we waited in line for about 2 hrs . i was there for the sides lol i wanted to try the chicken, but it was sold out literally when it was our turn to order. thanks person in front of me.. the potato salad, spicy cucumbers and classic mac were my favorite. the chili was okay, could have passed on it the food comes out quickly and seating is plentiful and outdoors i believe they are expanding, which is great, bc they need it. service was cool and organized once you ordered parking: street parking (5hrs) and parking lots , i believe its $2/hr read more

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The food is so good. Service is walk up n order food. Then go to the next counter and order your drink. They have beer, wine, and Coca-Cola. Then you take your number to your bench outside of choice. They have some drinking water in a white yeti if you want It's definite picnic style fun read more

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This place always has a ridiculous line and I've been wondering what the value was if I were to wait for a long time... today was the day for a visit, a Wednesday at 11:30, still busy but not uncomfortably so. We opted for pork ribs, garlic rice, and a smash burger (no bun). They give you a number then they'll go find you. Mustard and bbq sauces and tons of heavy duty napkins on the benches/tables. Food doesn't take long to arrive. The pork ribs are very tender, fall off the bone, comes with pickled veggies (technically fruit)... I really enjoyed the garlic rice, cooked well and a nice hint of garlic went really well with the meat. It's a busy place and definitely only gets busier, as I've seen so my suggestion is a weekday earlier in the day when the meat is fresh and less people are on their lunch break. Cute atmosphere, rustic and bbq style restaurant! read more

Heritage Barbecue - Smash burger no bun, pork ribs and garlic rice. $65 (with tip) - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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I'll start off by saying that this is probably one of the best BBQ spots you can find in SoCal! The meats here are amazing, especially the brisket and char siu. All of the meats here are really high quality and those two in particular had amazing flavor and texture. I also got the tri tip and brisket burnt ends which were good but not as spectacular. They had some Irish sausage on the day that I went, which was okay but I think I prefer a traditional American/Italian sausage. The line though...is a bit brutal. We got here about 40 minutes before opening and still ended up being seated around 30 minutes after they started taking orders. The line wasn't that long either, maybe about 15 people yet it moved pretty slowly. Just a heads up, but props to the staff which were really nice and tried their best to accommodate everyone. There's a good amount of seating in their patio and it looks like they are expanding their space as well. Hopefully as they continue to grow the lines won't be as much of an issue. read more

Heritage Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California