I love this place. Alpine doesn't necessarily appreciate what a little gem it has on its hands, because honestly there should be a long line here. Great authentic barbecue and sides. The ribs and the brisket are killer. Don't sleep on the potato salad. It's family owned and run and the staff are always friendly and welcoming. Alpine, yes, taco shops are tasty, but mix it up a little bit my friends! You'll love Jays. read more

Jay's never disappoints!! I have loved everything I've tried, but the fish and the brisket are definitely my faves! Their grits, spicy beans and Mac n cheese are the best!! I always appreciate the friendly greeting and service when dining in as well. If you haven't tried it yet, make Jay's your next meal!! read more

Stopped at Jay's cafe on the way back to San Diego from viejas casino. The great ratings do reflect the food. By the time I had arrive around 5-530, they had already run out of ribs and chicken which they do have posted that they are open until they sell out. So I went with pork and beef links with the potato salad and fries for sides. The pork was tender and had awesome flavor by itself. The beef links were also delicious by themselves. The bbq sauce was great and had a unique flavor to it that really gave a great bite of food with the pork and the beef links. The fries were crispy and the potato salad was a great combo with the meat. The customer service is a little bit rough and could use some work but overall the great experience. Go early in the day so you can have your choice of meats! read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - Pulled pork, fries, potato salad - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

Good food, good service, great ambiance. Love getting food hear. Always super tasty and the best dang barbecue in San Diego. By far hands down now arguments. read more

One of the best fish fry's I have ever had! Fish was fresh with a nice crispy batter. Service was great too. We will definitely be back. read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - Fish fry with fried okra and coleslaw - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

Everything is top notch. We asked if there were any suggestions and we were told to try everything. I'll be coming back to try everything...and then have more. San Diegans. It's official. We don't have to go to Texas to get good brisket. read more

I'd heard a lot of good things about Jay's so my husband and I decided to give it a try. WOW! Hands down the absolute best brisket I've ever had. We each ordered a brisket sandwich, one with spicy bbq sauce and the other with regular bbq sauce and coleslaw and potato salad as sides. Very generous portions of everything, and everything - even the made fresh daily lemonade was delicious. If I could give this place a hundred stars, I would. We will definitely be back. read more

I've never had BBQ until I came here. All other BBQ places I've been to were just good. Yes, their meats were tender, and their sides were forgettable, but not Jay's. After the first bite of their Pamela's ribs, I knew I was coming back. The perfect combination of melt-in-your-mouth while still having a little bite. And it came with an unforgettable BBQ sauce that's more than just ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar like most places. Their Mac and cheese is only available on Saturdays and it's worth making a whole meal out of. And their fried okra was so light and crispy that it makes tempura jealous. And I've never had good lemonade until I came here. It's super sweet with a depth of flavor that forces a glutton like me to sip instead of glug. I can't wait to come back for their endless fish Fridays. If you're in San Diego, go out of your way to visit this cafe in Alpine! read more

We had the Shrimp and Grits, Pulled Pork Sandwich w/ fries and baked beans, Fish Sandwich, Beef Brisket sandwich, sweet potato cornbread. Everything was really really good! The bbq sauce was really good. Service was excellent and I totally recommend checking this family owned business! read more

Best tasting BBQ in Southern California! Jay is very friendly and maintains a great atmosphere and overall vibe for the place. Best Yams I've ever eaten and everything is utterly phenomenal! Parking is a little tricky, but that's the area for you. read more

Still just as good, with a huge plus. FRIED OKRA. It is fresh and fried to perfect! I'll just leave this here... read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

So this is my second time there! I tried the ribs and the smoked chicken. It was just as amazing as the first time. The ribs are out of this world tender and the chicken was still juicy which can be hard to do when smoking it. I will be back again, too bad they aren't closer to me! read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - Pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw. Greens and potato salad with a warm side of BBQ sauce. Deliciousness!!!! - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

The food is absolutely delicious! I had the pulled pork fries and was in heaven. The Smokey flavor ... can't say enough good things. My husband had ribs, baked beans, Cole slaw and the spicy beef link. He loved everything! The service is great and the restaurant is clean and well maintained. Music playing is very pleasant. Love this place! I wish they would open one of these in San Pedro! We don't have anything like this there! read more

We've been wanting to try Jay's even before they moved to Alpine but we never seemed to make it here when they were open. Well today was the day since we had to drive in to town anyway for a vet visit. And are we glad we did! My husband had the pork ribs with coleslaw and potato salad while I chose the fish salad. The fish was lightly breaded in cornmeal and fried just right. The salad itself was nothing special but had lettuce, tomatoes, and onions and a Chipotle ranch dressing that was really good. The real star was the fish so the salad didn't need to be too fancy. I tried a bite of the ribs, they were so tender and flavorful and the sauce was amazing. My husband commented that his ribs never turn out that good! And also said the potato salad was the real deal. The family run restaurant is one of Alpine's best, a welcome addition to the community. I can't wait to come back and try the pulled pork and the beans. Jay was there himself and checked to make sure we were happy with our meal. He also mentioned the all you can eat fish fry on Fridays from 11:00-5:00. Hmmmm, we may have to make a special trip to town soon! read more

As always it was a great meal. Been coming here for over a year. Love the family feel from Jay and his family every time we come. Food is great. Fresh and a good value!!!! We will definitely be back. Can't get enough. This is still our favorite place to go out to eat!!!!! Keep it up Jay!!! read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - Chicken Strips, Fries, Catfish, baked beans. - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

Got the fish and chicken plate with French fries, Cole slaw. Coke slaw was old, fermented, chicken was like rubber, fish was just gross.. Unedible, was for pick up so too much hassle to return it. My second bad experience, thought I'd give them another try but no more. Wouldn't recommend this to anyone.. read more

Great pulled pork sandwich and the beans were out of this world!! Friendly folks fast service and many options and good values!!

OMG! The flavors! Outstanding!! Every bite I can't decide which to eat again next. Probably the BEST BBQ I've ever had. I so wish I lived closer. Mmmm Oh...the BQQ sauce served was delicious and I ate plenty. But I finally took a bite of the ribs sans sauce and they were amazing alone. Almost forgot to mention the all you can eat fish on Friday...today. My husband ate his fill! Would have had a fourth platter if allowed. He loved the Cole slaw & baked beans. read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - BBQ ribs, green beans & yams! - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

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We ate here today for the first time (we live in alpine), amazing! It has a small town feel with food full of flavor and freshness. My fish sandwich needed a minute to cool down, it was fresh out of the fryer. The ribs were fall off the bone, juicy, sauce on the side and the fries were fresh cut and delicious. Cole slaw is sweet (just how I like it) and the potato salad has a hint of dill. We loved it so much we bought extra ribs and beans to bring home. The banana pudding is perfect to finish off the meal Friday night all you can eat fish fry! Make your way to alpine and check it out, southern cooking from a family making all the flavors of the south. read more

Best BBQ in San Diego. I have eaten almost at every BBQ spot in San Diego Jays takes the cake in my book for best all around flavor. read more

Never in my life have I received response from a chef/owner I am soo thankful because it was truly a total misunderstanding... I wont hesitate to return, encourage and take others... Chef, please accept my apologies and know that my neighbors, my family cant wait to feast on your amazing food!!! Viewers... sometimes. We over react.. I just saying... I did!! 5 stars read more

Great food, reasonable prices, solid service. My partner is Cajun and hard to please, particularly concerning southern cuisine. This is a curse as well as a blessing however (haha) as it leads to him sniffing out excellent gems like Jay's Southern Cafe. Thank you for the excellent experience! read more

This place can give any popular ribs restaurant a run for their money. Ribs, chips, special sauce, burger, you ribs lover need to try it and for the serving, its priced right. read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

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One of my favorite all time BBQ restaurants. Great traditional assortments. I am enjoying the brisquit as I write this. They have a siouthern twist - one of the sides you can choose from includes collard greens. Not fancy but oh, is the food good. read more

Everything was delicious and southern made. Enjoyed the customer service and the servers. Fried sea bass Corn bread Sweet potato cinnamon roll read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - Fried sea bass - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

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We recently catered Jay's for our baby shower and wow, what a hit! Everyone was raving about it. We had the pulled pork, chicken, ribs, Mac n cheese, beans, and collard greens (my personal favorite). Everything was amazing, portion sizes were great, and they had it ready on time. Jay and the whole staff are super friendly you can tell they take pride in what they do. Happy to support this awesome local restaurant! read more

Wow! Greeted like family with genuine kindness. Walked in to the heavenly smell of smoked food. Ordered the grits and fish. Portion was big enough to take half home. Everything perfectly seasoned and piping hot. Table mate ordered fried chicken salad which she incredibly ate every finger licking bite. I live about an hour away and am planning my return trip back next week. Food and Service are memorable! read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - Cheesy grits and fried fish - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

I loved the brisket! Vi had great customer service and the Chef Ms. Carmen's cheesy grits were incredible.

Over the top to die for brisket. Melts in your mouth. Yummy ribs and chicken. Homemade everything! Yams, potato salad, collards, beans, cornbread, fries, coleslaw...Het it all! Family feel, nice jazz music. Clean. Plus no traffic getting there. Go up early and take in the town. read more

Wow! What an incredible gem in Alpine. I was starving after a hike and wanted something substantial. I got the brisket sandwich with cole slaw and couldn't be happier! The meat was tender and flavorful, the brioche buns were toasty, and the cole slaw was the perfect complement. Very quick and friendly service too! Definitely making this stop anytime I'm in the area. read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

Wonderful! Stopped by this afternoon for a late/lunch/early dinner on the way back to San Diego from Viejas--thanks to Yelp! Vivian (I think she said her name was) greeted us and took our order. She was friendly, warm, and welcoming and provided great service. Right after we ordered our food, I noticed some cinnamon rolls behind the counter so I asked about them. She said they were made with sweet potato and still warm from the oven! We had to get some. The dough was just right, and the frosting and sweet potato filling were delicious! I wanted to get a couple more to take home, but we refrained because we didn't want to overdo it and besides they're a small business so we wanted to leave some for others to enjoy! It was hard to resist! Of course, we had to "taste" them while waiting for our meals! I was barely able to leave half of mine for later tonight. We ordered the fried fish plate and the brisket plate with spicy bbq sauce. Everything was delicious! The sides of green beans and Mac and cheese were also really, really tasty! We will definitely be back, and with friends! read more

Have you ever tasted perfection? I mean something that even in its simplicity, felt like it was absolutely next level? That was my experience today at Jay's Southern Cafe. While I missed doing a review on #ThankfulThursday, I wanted to do something for #SmallBusinessSaturday. Small restaurants often lose business this weekend because many of us are still feasting on leftovers. I've been wanting to visit Jay's ever since I heard about it, but my timing or days, always have seemed to be off. Well today I made the trek out to Alpine and OMG was it worth it! We started with the Pulled Pork fries and I will say, they are a MUST! But what I really want to talk about today is the fried fish. I know, I know, who goes to a BBQ joint to get fish? Well it's not Jay's BBQ, it's the Southern Cafe, and while it was not fried catfish, it was ABSOLUTELY THE BEST FRIED FISH I HAVE EVER HAD. The breading was perfect. A perfect crunch and a nice soft and fleshy inside. There were a lot of pieces which also added to the value. What I really appreciated about the fried fish was that it was served at the perfect temperature and not greasy at all. I would also say this, the Spicy Beef Sandwich is JUST that... SPICY!... CALIENTE level of heat, but tons of flavor... and don't ask for extra napkins...just go ahead and ask for a whole roll. You know if it's messy, it's good. Housekeeping: Ambiance was A-One. Friendly staff, clean dining room and bathrooms, and I loved the smell of the oak wood when you walk in. Parking can get kinda tight but we had a few spots when we got there. Jay's is definitly worth the 30-40 minute drive to Alpine. I would definitely visit again! LD read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - Quite possibly THE BEST FRIED FISH I'VE HAD IN SAN DIEGO. - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

This is the place. Since I moved to El Cajon from New York I've been looking for some real authenticate bbq and Yooooooo this spot didn't even come close to having me second guessing. From the time I drove up to the parking lot the smell hit me first. Walked in and was greeted by the man himself . Greeted by the fam cheffing up in the back and Jay provided his undivided to me and my family. Even let me know about the All you can eat fish on Fridays which we will be heading back for not only that but to try everything. Appreciate the warm hospitality and the love which made the food extraordinarily delicious Can't wait for tomorrow to pull up read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - Ribs, hot links, bbq chicken and macaroni - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

Well Alpine you certainly have kept this place a secret. All I hear about is Grand Ole BBQ and I personally think it is very over priced for mediocre food at best and is the most overrated BBQ place they are 0 from 3 visits for me, not a fan at all. My family and I moved back to alpine and decided to give Jays a try and we were in no way disappointed in fact blown away. Firstly over the phone I got Jay he was fantastic and helped with the menu, we ordered some ribs, grits, yams, kids cheeseburger and a brisket sandwich with potato salad. RIBS- were fantastic great smoke flavor tender and juicy. POTATO SALAD- I have never really ever tasted a potato salad quiet like this it was deliciously creamy and tangy back bite. YAMS- these are from another planet it was like a Christmas flavor explosion in my mouth those who love the old pumpkin spice will smash a plate of theses yams. GRITS- these awoke my ancestors creamy and so delicious. BRISKET SANDWICH-oh my days this was just what you want it is served dry but the BBQ sauce added and you can thank me later for this flavor journey. KIDS BURGER- great value for kids meal $7-99 good juicy grilled burger kid was smiling. Truly we spent $51 that night and we polished off everything, the food was superb and deserves to get recognition and some support as this is a family owned business, the son gave me my order and his smile and enthusiasm were enough to return for. I spoke with the owner again when I was there he remembered my name from the call and we had a nice chat really nice guy. read more

I got the 4 way combination platter for $28 so I could try it all. (Note: this is a minority owned business and some east county residents have actually told them they are not welcome here. I believe this is who is writing some reviews and it disgusts me.) 1. The ribs are Smokey and tender, not a ton of fat either. Absolutely fabulous. 2. The spicy brats were slightly less Smokey with a real kick of spice. And again, not greasy or heavy. 3. The chicken is so moist and juicy. Wonderful crisps of Smokey goodness skin. Just perfect - a mazing! 4. Pulled pork is to die for, savory Smokey and mouth watering. 5. Coleslaw was perfect. Fresh CRISP cabbage with a little sweetness. 6. Potatoe salad was a bit plain for me, I like mustard, onions and celery in mine, but maybe most people do not. Finally, the service was cheerful and welcoming. I ordered to go as this will take a week to eat. So much MEAT! Such reasonable prices across the board. Other local BBQ is easily double the price and service takes hours. Next time I will get the fish platter for $13 and update, but will be a week finishing this! read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - 4 meat combination plate spread out. - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

Good food and great service. Came closer to closing time and despite almost selling out, we were still able to try the pulled pork fries and fried fish basket. Both were tasty and great portion sizes. Dining in was a nice ambiance as well. read more

Wow , I was recommended this place by a friend who loves bbq as much as i do, but boy, when I say this place has my heart , i mean it! This place blows Phil, Petes & and any other bbq spot out of the water ! I am more than excited to be able to digest this food just to come back & eat some more ! & The service was spectacular! I love Family owned business. I am going to become a regular! btw i had the 5 chicken strips & my fiancée had the rib. Ps. The food was so flavorful I took the picture after the fact ... lol read more

Jay's Southern Cafe - Ribs with beans & coleslaw - Southern Near Me - Alpine, California

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My wife trek 15 miles to go here.This place is great place, family run. The BBQ is great and if you leave without trying the sweet potatoes or greens you are missing out. My son in law said "No need to go to Phill's again" after his first time here... read more

I don't have a problem with the food, service, or prices; they were all adequate.. But to run out of brisket on a Saturday at 1:30pm is not cool. To charge extra for more than a single side of bbq sauce is not cool, especially when you offer both regular and spicy. And the BBQ sauces? Neither were all that good. A little too sweet and runny. San Diego doesn't have much real BBQ IMO, but there are certainly better choices. read more

Excellent, authentic Southern Food. The grits is flavorful and the ribs are super tender and yummy . Good and fast service. Nice ambiance. read more