My friend and I stopped in around 2:00 p.m. today for a quick drink, and the bartender working this afternoon was wonderful. From the moment we sat down, she made us feel welcome. She seemed to instinctively know how to take care of her guests, and that really stood out. I was having a tough day, and her professionalism and kindness made a lasting impression. I'm grateful we happened to sit at her bar, and I hope management is able to recognize her because she represents the very best of what great hospitality looks like. Thank you for the memorable experience! read more

Brisket was so dry! Ordered 6 biscuits but no butter was given. No more take out!!! They just can't get the order correct!!! read more

Lucille's is so wildly inconsistent. I have been a fan of Lucille's for a long time, but it seems like the goal of reducing food costs continues to reduce the joy of eating the food. I do not know what happened to the Mac and cheese. It used to have a toasty top with a blend of cheeses. Now is it overly soft noodles with what tastes like a processed cheese out of a pump. The shredded pork was not so much shredded as it was hanging on to clumps of meat that you had to tear off. Come on Lucille's - we believe in you. Do better. Servers are always nice though. read more

Food, and the people where amazing. Great service and location spotless. Great atmosphere and mood lights make for a great place to take your family or close friend. Or Wife or Husband and girlfriend or boyfriend for a great time out. read more

Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que - Strawberry lemonade - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Lucille's is a safe corporate restaurant. Is the food amazing? Not really, however you'll leave full and without a complaint. The decor is charming and the service is good. read more

Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que - SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

First time back to Lucille's in over 15 years to use a gift card. Even though it was busy, the staff was friendly and we were seated immediately. The service was fantastic; everything came out fast, from the complimentary biscuits to our drinks and entrees. While the service was great, the food quality was just average compared to what I remembered. The tri-tip lacked that signature slow-smoked flavor. However, the baby back ribs, jalapeño cheddar sausage, and BBQ chicken were delicious. Definitely try the matcha lemonade mixed with pineapple juice it's very refreshing! The deviled eggs were a bit too mustardy, but the onion rings were perfect. read more

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Great Sunday football all day Happy Hour menu!! $7 wedge salad Moscow mule I believe was around $7. Nachos loaded with steak--delicious. Brisket sandwich-- a hit! Food and prices were great! Our waitress at the bar was great! Love that they had the game on at the bar. Chill atmosphere. read more

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As a person in his late 30s, I've grown up eating Lucille's my entire life. It can be hit or miss depending on the location but it's good more times than not. As far as the location in Lake Forest goes, this place did not miss the mark. The service was great, the food was fresh and delicious, and our server was very attentive throughout our meal. I ordered baby back ribs, spicy sausage, Mac n cheese, and BBQ beans. Everything tasted great but the Mac and cheese, which wasn't as good as I expected. But other than that, I was overall very satisfied. read more

Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que - Baby back ribs, spicy, Texas red hot sausage, Mac and cheese, baked beans - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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I'm not usually the biggest fan of barbecue, but I did enjoy my time here at Lucille's. We came here with a group of 6 people on a Friday afternoon and were able to be seated right away. Most of the dishes come with biscuits and sweet butter, so they just automatically gave a platter of those to our whole table. The biscuits are so good - almost like a dessert! I got the Brisket Fatija bowl, which I really liked. It was the perfect size for lunch - just enough to fill you up but not give you a food coma. It was tasty and not too spicy. It was also a nice adjacent to traditional barbecue food, which is not my favorite cuisine, since it still had the brisket but was more Mexican-inspired flavors. read more

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Staff: Wow! What great service here. We were seated by Jacquelyn who was amazing. She was very friendly, personal able and great. Our server was Parker and he was great. Super friendly, attentive, and took great care of us. Quality/Quantity: The food here was super delicious. I had the build you own bbq with two meats plus one side. I opted for tri tip, pulled pork, and Mac & cheese. The meats were delicious and very good quality. The pulled pork sandwiches were excellent too, especially the baked beans that were a side. They were smokey and oh so good. Value: Total meal was $70 without tip which for lunch at a bbq spot is a little high but worth it to me. Overall: Truly enjoyed my lunch. Great ambience here with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Incredible service from the two people mentioned. They both really made the experience great. read more

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My favorite bbq house where the burn belly ends are off the charts! We had rice and nachos plus the chinichurri sauce and it was heaven! Service was fantastic and staff was friendly and fast, I will always love the interiors and how the chair and tables are organized . Love the huge screen tv and the decors as always! Just check them out if it's not in your routine yet. I highly recommend this place. read more

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We hosted a lunch here after a baptism and the service was amazing! The staff was really accommodating and helpful. They frequently checked in and filled drinks. The food was plentiful and delicious. We did 4 entrees and it was more than enough food for our party. We took home leftovers and came back again a couple weeks later. They even were amazing with the bill and managing gift cards. read more

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This week was my second BBQ lunch with friends, and this time we chose Lucille's since most of us had $10 coupons from their recent special event at The District location. The food was great, as always -- we're familiar with Lucille's and often cater from them for our parties, so we knew what to expect in terms of flavor and quality. However, to our surprise, when the bills came, we weren't able to get the full $40 discount from our four coupons. It wasn't clearly explained why, and we only received a $22 deduction instead. We were a bit disappointed but didn't want to make a fuss about it. Next time, we'll be sure to ask for clarification ahead of time before using the coupons to avoid any surprises at checkout. read more

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We have been coming to Lucille's on Thanksgiving for years now. We love it. The staff are always so happy and helpful. This place gets packed. Make Reservations. Bar area was very empty so good choice to eat there. Food delicious as always. The restaurant is always clean bright and roomy. The outside patio area is my favorite. read more

Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que - Veggie burger and fries - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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I love the baby back ribs at Lucille's. It's sticky and moist and utterly delicious. I was craving it so badly, that I got a whole rack. It's meat candy. So satisfying. My friend loves the pick 2 item combo. One of our favorite Friday night dinner spots. Easy parking. Good service. Nice seating area. Please come and create your own adventure. read more

Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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We haven't been to Lucille's for a while since the last time we ate there with our family, food wasn't that great. Thought we would give them a try again tonight as I recently ate at the Lucille's Tustin Legacy and it was good. Hubby had the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and collard greens and he said it was good. I had the pulled pork, baby back ribs with sautéed vegetables and baked beans. The sautéed vegetables were amazing and the beans were good. Pulled pork was a bit fatty compared to what I recently had at the Tustin location. The ribs just okay and were not super tender. Service was okay. Attentive at first, then our waiter disappeared the whole time until we paid. He must have gone on break or something. Biscuits and honey butter were very fresh and good though. I'd say 3.5/5 for both, foods and service. read more

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I don't quite understand the low scores...I had a fabulous experience dining in at Lucille's. From the start you get a basket of delicious, warm biscuits with the best butter ever (maybe was brown sugar or cinnamon). They were so good! We were told happy hour is only served at the bar or patio (kinda strange), so our group moved to the patio and got to experience their amazing happy hour deals. Everything we ate was delicious, our server was kind, and even willing to split the check between 4 people, which is always appreciated. Looking forward to coming back soon! read more

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We've been loyal customers for over a decade and we've seen the menu changes over the years -- I can't believe I haven't reviewed Lucille's before Basically, this is our go-to chain for BBQ ribs. I don't know if we can say it's the best ribs we've ever had, but it's good and consistent and there's a lot of good other stuff on the menu. The baby back ribs are the thing to get, of course, (though my wife sometimes gets the beef ribs). The ribs are well meaty and well cooked. On occasion the little ribs on the end can be a little overcooked and dry, but most of the time they're great. I usually like to dip them with the Memphis sauce for a little tanginess. My wife sometimes likes the hotter version for a little kick. We get the full rack with 2 sides and it's usually enough food for both of us. We're also big fans of the sides. The Cole slaw is good and my son likes the Mac and cheese. I also like the braised greens. We're disappointed that the corn on the cob is no longer an option-- that was our favorite My wife has had the burger, which she says is great. The brisket sandwich is good and also the Nashville hot chicken. We love the hot towels they give you at the end -- why doesn't every rib place offer this?!? Remember to get the gift cards from Costco so you can effectively get 20% off - and sometimes there's a sale and you can get $100 for $69!!! Stock up then! read more

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Updated review " my second time coming " So after coming back here I am still not impressed by the way they cook their meat, the brisket was actually the only one that I like here as they cooked it alright... the 1/2 rack ribs that I got was definitely not falling off the bone as they have advertised on their menu and the tri tip was tough! The sauce on the other hand was good, the mac & cheese was ok. The biscuit was better unlike the first time I came here, and we have ordered the premium sides which is the new piggy back loaded fries with my friends to share but upon arrival of the food, it wasn't in our expectations (see picture) and I will let you be the judge of it, if it looks like a loaded fries, we were actually surprised when it arrived!y friends salads were great! The dressings were delicious. Our waitress is as wonderful as ever! She was very patient and sociable and very kind! We have ordered 3 wine by the glass and a cocktail which I forget to take a picture... they do have a great selection of cocktails!!! I did try again and I will probably not be coming back, unfortunately it has a big potential but it is just the meat that really need work, I honestly will prefer to just go to Chilli's and get a full rack of ribs that will be cook appropriately. read more

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It's been a really long time since my first review for, Lucille's. So update it is. I've always enjoyed the theme of the restaurant, the wrap around porch, ample outdoor waiting area, outdoor dining, and indoor seating. Decoration here is quite fun and you can even find that funny leg lamp from the movie A Christmas Story. The bar is situated on the way to the restroom. The menu offers quite a lot of food, but not so much where you can't figure out what you're going to eat. We have always received wonderful service from our waiters and waitresses. They usually keep us topped off on drinks all the time and the bread baskets are never empty. Beverages: freshly brewed iced tea is always one of my favorites, the lemonade and strawberry lemonade is good, their mixed alcoholic drinks are very tasty, and of course I enjoy a Modelo or 805 from the tap. Now to the food. I can tell you it is a hit and miss here. The most recent dining experience was the end of March 2025. My food was really good this time around but the previous time we dined here which was over a year ago, the food wasn't great. Sometimes the barbecue is nice and juicy and other times it's dry. So we don't come to Lucille's as often as I would like just because it's inconsistent. Keeping in mind again that it is a hit and miss, these are the dishes that we order. And when it's good, it's good: 1) Pick 2 or 3 meal - Alabama chicken, barbecue chicken, burnt pork belly ends, pulled pork, beef ribs 2) jambalaya 3) gumbo 4) hot honey glazed salmon - over white rice and served with seasonal vegetables 5) Lucille's original pulled pork sandwich 6) Lucille's BBQ tri-tip sandwich 7) Nashville, hot chicken sandwich 8) Hatch chili sandwich 9) swoon worthy sides " - potato salad, garlic, mashed potatoes, seasonal veggies, barbecue beans, coleslaw 10) premium sides - fried okra, loaded, mashed potatoes, roasted street corn As far as rating goes...I don't think they are a 3, I think they are more of a 3.5. Unfortunately you cannot do half points on Yelp, so I will just stick to a 4 for now. I'm sure we'll come back and hopefully the next time we dine here, it will be just as good astonight. Don't forget to purchase gift cards at Costco to get the most out of your money. read more

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Staff is friendly but the appetizers were super greasy and nasty. Fried pickles are just horrible as full length wedges.....a sizzling hot pickle with a greasy battered crust that crumbles and falls off and the scalding hot pickle burns your mouth, of falls on the table. read more

Let's start with, I will never be going back here again! I had only been in here years before once. I had just been to BJ's two nights earlier and had the most delicious barbecue ribs, and was craving them again, they were so good. Lucille's is supposedly famous for their ribs, yet they were lousy!!!! They were over cooked on the outside, like eating charcoal, probably too high a flame. My veggies, Hannah the server knew they were old and cold. Because when I told her about how bad they were, she had a look on her face that she knew they had been sitting and looked old. Like they were trying to serve them without throwing them away and got caught. She said she'd get me another plate of them. The cold slaw was loaded with big unchopped chunks of red cabbage, and had no taste. We told them when we made the verbal reservation over the phone, it was a birthday celebration dinner, they said they marked it down. The server Hannah never did or said anything about it, and we were just happy to get out of there at that point, and went someplace else for dessert. We all had a really bad expensive experience, and the Manager was just standing around, if he had seen how over cooked those ribs were coming out of the kitchen, he should have said something to the Chef! There are so many better place to go for ribs, don't waste your time here is my advice. read more

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Got the family meal with baby back ribs and brisket. Food tasted delicious but the ribs were a bit dried and brisket has more fat than meat. The collard green, Mac & cheese and cole slaw were fresh and tasty. Service could be more attentive. All the servers were busy chatting in front of the kitchen and didn't check in on our table. Ambiance is bright, airy and decorated well for a BBQ restaurant. read more

Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que - Biscuit - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Overall the server was AMAZING, she was super sweet and attentive. I also loved the beignets, as someone born and raised in the south. The inside was nice and very themed which was nice. The only thing I would say is the country fried chicken was just 3/5. Overall 4/5 would come again! read more

Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que - BUILD YOUR OWN BAR-B-QUE COMBO - PICK 2 - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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This was a fun surprise!! BBQ restaurants aren't my typical"go to" restaurant. My husband wanted it for dinner and Lucille's filled the bill. I was delighted to see a menu that worked everyone. The bar area was inviting and I immediately made a note to return soon! They had inviting specials for each day of the week that caught my attention. Most importantly we took home tri tip which was delicious. This review is for the nay sayer. Give Lucille's another try. You might out it on your weekly rotation FYI the only reason for 4 stats is I haven't been into Lucille's restaurant o my ordered tahr out hopefully I can update this to 5 stars soon read more

I placed an order today for a Build Your Own Bar-B-Que Combo - Pick 3 and when I received my food to say I was underwhelmed is a complete understatement. I ordered baby back ribs with BBQ sauce and 2 orders of the Beef Brisket (which I paid $6.00) extra for. The brisket I received however was dry, old, and appeared to have been prepared yesterday. Additionally, the brisket portion I received appeared to have been one portion cut in half to make 2. Very deceptive behavior, like if you're pressed for money, simply charge more it's that simple. This is completely unacceptable at nearly $50/person for BBQ. I hold Lucille's to significantly higher expectation then this. Just when I think I'm going to settle into the holiday and BBQ should be the great quality I would expect from Lucille's but I received this. This is ridiculous at your price point. Just completely inconsistent like the other reviews mention. read more

Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que - The brisket is old and dry - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

This is our 3rd time coming to Lucille's and Emily was our waitress. She was sooo amazing at checking up on us and making sure our waters were full. She was cheery and very quick with getting what we needed. It was not busy and the ambiance is very southern but comforting!! We loved it. Last of all, the food was SO amazing. Each time we go we are sooo impressed. We will go again. Shout out to Emily!!! Thank you read more

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Love this place!! Great food, friendly staff & amazing biscuits with butter to start. Love the beef ribs

First Lunch Visit To Lucille's Smokehouse BarBQue At The Lake Forest Location!! Great Restaurant Serving Slow Cooked Meats & Southern Style Eats!! Nice Relaxing Ambiance!! Friendly Welcoming Hostess!! Great Extensive Menu, Offers Appetizers, Burgers, Sandwiches, Baby Back Ribs, BBQ Specialties, Salads, Platters & More!! Great Happy Hour Menu, Drinks, Cocktails & Full Service Bar!! We Ordered & Shared The Biscuits Paired With Honey Butter, Jalapeño Burger & Half Brisket Chopped Salad!! Love The Strawberry Lemonade!! Very Good Lunch!! Amazing Service!! Our Waitress Was Kind & Courteous!! Looking Forward To Future Visits Again!! ThankU read more

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Went to pick up the catering order and it was 20 minutes late to come out. We ordered $400 worth of food. Got the Costco gift cards, with the discount it came out to $320. We got a bunch of food, everything was good. The rib tips were tender and soft. The brisket was juicy. The sides were all great. They were all gone first. The robs were good, but not falling off the bones good. The strawberry lemonade was really sweet. The Apple butter was amazing. The restaurant is really cool. It looks like you are in a house or a back porch dining. HAPPY BBQING!! read more

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The servers Jordan and Taylor were awesome! And the full rack of Ribs and the Crispy Cesar salad and Chocolate Midnite Crumble were delicious! I recommend this restaurant in Lake Forest! read more

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Love their fall off the bone ribs with sweet and spicy BBQ sauce and biscuits. will try mac and cheese next time. Not to forget tootsie pop servers are friendly service is good. Price is fare Wish they had sweet potato fries Restaurant is close Elaine read more

Enjoying Pork pulled sandwich with friends! Taste is amazing! The sauce is delicious French fries were amazing! read more

Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que - Pulled Pork BBQ sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que - " Just Okay" for the $$. Lucille's will satisfy a BBQ craving, but for the price, it's just... alright. AR & I came on a beautiful SoCal Saturday afternoon, hoping to enjoy the patio. However, we were told there was only one server covering that section and would need to wait 15 minutes for an available table. (Strike one.) The patio wasn't even full, but rather than risk slow service, we opted for an indoor table by the window. Turns out, other reviewers have had the same issue with the patio being understaffed. Pro tip: schedule more workers. SMH. Our waitress was friendly but clearly juggling too many tables. Then came the moment that sealed the "meh" experience - she accidentally dropped a stack of napkins on the floor, picked them up, straightened them, and put them right back into the drawer. (Strike two.) AR and I just exchanged looks. That's a hard NOPE. The Order: Three Course Feast for Two ($60) Appetizer: Loaded Fried Green Tomatoes (best part of the meal) Three meats: Pulled Pork, Texas Red Hot Sausage, & Rib Tips (just okay) Dessert: Apple Cobbler (enjoyed this more than the BBQ) Drinks: Iced Tea ($4.50) & Sassy Apple ($5.49) For something labeled a "Feast," portions were surprisingly small. While the appetizer and dessert stood out, the BBQ itself was just middle of the road. Nothing memorable. Service was fair, but the check arriving at the same time as dessert? (Strike three.) Rushed much? Would I come back? A definite maybe. Their Happy Hour may be the way to go. If I was really craving BBQ and needed a fix, I'd make a return trip knowing not to expect greatness. For the price, the experience and food just doesn't quite deliver. - Big Aloha! Overall rating: 3 Stars Food: 3 Ambiance: 3 Service: 3 Value: 3 read more

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Came here last night to celebrate my son's birthday! He loves this place! Our food was yummy, the service was great, and the ambiance was fun! My husband and I got items from the happy hour menu. My son got chicken nuggets from the kids menu. I would like to point out that the waitress asked my husband if he would like fries and we were not explained that the fries did not come with his happy hour meal, it would've been nice if we were told. They also brought my son a birthday brownie with ice cream! Thank you Lucilles! read more

We came in for the happy hours food. It was good, The wine choice was great for its price , 1/2 off . I love the nacho dish with tri tip ?? Or brisket?? , anyway...it was yummy. . We enjoyed our time there . Great choice with friends. The ambiance is great and the service was excellent. read more

Food was delicious and service was impeccable! Ryan greeted us with a smile and very professional and friendly while he showed us to our table. Our server Sharon was incredible. She greeted us with a huge smile and took our order with ease going above and beyond offerings suggestions that were spot on!! We will be back!! Thank you for having such a great team!! read more

This bbq place is the only place with reasonably priced beef ribs that are delicious! I love potato salad with beef ribs and I've been ordering this combo since I found them on Postmates. Highly recommend. read more

Horrible!!! service by far was the worst, asked for a booth and was advised that there would be a 5 to 10min wait just to be seated at indoor patio table than received the worst service possible and food was Very disappointing as well !!!! Management needs to fix their lazy employees read more

Exactly what you expect. Reasonable bbq with fun cocktails and friendly service. Enjoyable spot for a family dinner. Always discounts available if you sign up for their emails. It has been a while since we dined here, but had a lovely evening. read more

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