So I've been a huge fan of Doghouse since it opened up. Didn't feel like making that drive today, and saw the reviews for Mike's Grill. Well, I had to try it. Amazing. The tri-tip was juicy, flavorful, and oh so tender. The bread was toasted and I think had some garlic buttery taste to it. The BBQ sauce was pretty good too. A little sweet, but with a nice kick. Although, I had half the sandwich without, so that I could truly savor the meat unadulterated :) There jumbo might seem a bit smaller compared to other BBQ sandwiches around, but the mild smoke flavor of the meat, and it's tenderness, makes me want to come back again for dinner! read more

Tried Mike's Grill today and was impressed. I like the concept very much. It is an old photo, or coffee, booth at the very south end of the shopping center on the SE corner of Cedar & Herndon. Mike has a big smoker trailer in the parking lot outside of the booth. He smokes his meat using a combination of apple and almond wood, then carries the meat into the booth where they take orders and prepare the food. Seating is alongside the booth on bar height counters and stools, or in a couple of parking places out back on plastic tables and fold-up chairs. I liked the ambiance very much. Mike's is known for their tri-tip sandwiches. I probably should have had one - it might have taken the review to 5 stars - but, being the contrarian I am, I went for the other items. My friend had the pulled pork sandwich combo and I had the pork baby-back ribs combo. The missing star, for now, is based on definitional differences, maybe. For instance, while the pulled pork sandwich was excellent, it seemed like it was more sliced, than pulled, I prefer pulled. The bread was excellent, and the potato salad was good - though I would like a bit more vinegar. I wanted to try the ribs. I prefer full pork ribs over baby-back ribs, but I didn't have that option. There sauce is sweet, I prefer mine a tad more tangy, and with a bit of a chili pepper burn, but that.s me. The meet was tender with a nice smoke ring. My faults, and these are purely based on my preferences, lean toward the rib meat. I like a rib that is done completely on a grill/smoker, and with a spicy dry rub applied first, followed by regular basting with a tangy mop sauce, and finished with a barbecue sauce. These seemed to be boiled first - not unusual, to save cooking time, then smoked with just a barbecue sauce applied. Very good, but not 5 star, IMHO. Your mileage may vary. My sides were chili beans - nice flavor to the chili, but nothing special, and the garlic toast, which is phenomenal. I would love to open a shop to compete with Mike - friendly competition mind you - but am poor and don't have a location. So, if I'm not doing my own grilling, I'll go to Mike's - it is a top notch second choice for me. Next time - maybe tomorrow - the tri-tip sandwich. read more

Tri tip sandwich really can't mess it up. The bread is great and it's nice to have the sauce on the side so you can't put as much as you want so it's not swimming in it read more

The BEST tri-tip and pulled pork sandwiches! We love this place! :) Their meat is so tender, and the tri-tip is thinly sliced and easy to bite through. The barbecue sauce is also super tasty. read more

The food here is usually good that's not the reason for this poor review. Today I had called ahead of time to have my order ready when I got there. The girl on the phone told me it would be ready in 15mins, mind you I only ordered one tritip sandwich. When I got there I was given a number to wait for my order to be ready. Not only did I come 15mins later but my order was still not ready for me when I got there. I didn't have the time to wait, which was the reason I initially placed my order ahead of time. I ended up having to cancel my order which I am very upset about. read more

LEGIT!! This is a gem in north east Fresno. It is right next to my favorite Chinese restaurant, Hunan. The tri tip sandwich is the real star here. Perfectly seasoned and moist served on a grilled garlic roll. Amazing! Had half a pork sandwich. Also very good. The pickled cabbage went well with the richness of the pork and BBQ sauce. The ribs were okay, not my favorite since I am a beef rib fan. The chili beans on the side were also excellent. Not too tomato-y, but lots of spice and meat. I will be coming here frequently. Met Big Mike, the owner. Super nice fellow, was surprised I drove from Visalia just to try his place. Great job Mike. Steve out. read more

Wow! We went to this place, based on the reviews and it DID NOT disappoint. At first, I was put off by the outdoor dining and considered turning around and going somewhere more comfortable. As we were leaving, my dining partner and I decided to stay and give it a chance. The BEST pulled pork sandwich I have ever, ever had. Very tender and juicy. I can't even tell you how delicious it was - and I'm not much of a pork lover. My dining partner had a 1/2 rack of ribs and they were not what he would call the very best, but they were pretty good. (He's comparing about some amazing ribs he had in Atlanta once. LOL) To top it off, both employees working there were super friendly. Yes. Just yes! read more

I don't know why everyone rants about this place. The tri tip is good IF you always seem to F#@! yours up every time cooking it yourself. The tri tip everyone seems to love SO much, is meh. I have cooked better in my back yard. Not to mention I feel like the prices are way to over priced for the portion size they give you (I only ordered the tri tip sandwich when I went). I would not go back here even if it was on some one else's dime. I gave this place two stars because the owner Mike was super nice. read more

I found this place through a friend (thanks sabby) and have been back a couple of times. The tri-tip is super yummy and the bread they serve it on is delicious. I also tried the pulled pork and it is also very good. They both come with the bbq sauce which is very good. Overall a great place to grab a quick bite to eat. read more

4.5 stars still... This is the Tri-tip that I'd compare all others against. Tender, but not over cooked to the point of loosing the meaty texture. Moist. Well seasoned. To the point of my not really using or needing the BBQ sauce. (which is pretty good) Consistant. 4 different visits and pretty much the same everytime. Besides the obvious in regards to the no dining room issue, my only beef so to speak (hee-hee), is the sides. I haven't found one that I can really glom on to yet. Beans were OK. Pilaf was OK. I want a side that matches the stellar Tri-tip! Hmmm, perhaps I'm just spoiled and living with a sense of entitlement. read more

Best tri-tip in town! The meat is smoked and they let the tri-tip stand for itself, (you can add BBQ sauce) so its not pre-smothered in BBQ sauce like Dog House. If you like tri-tip, eat here; you won't be disappointed. read more

We've driven by Mikes a couple times and finally got to try it out! It was delicious!!! Our family of three all had the trip tip sandwich, rice pilaf and macaroni salad. The tri tip was absolutely delicious and the bread was toasted perfectly. My 11 year old doesn't like sauce of any kind really so I like that the barbecue sauce comes on the side and you can add as you like it. Great little place and we look forward to having it again! read more

Very good food and surprisingly fast for the size of the place! They serve delicious sandwiches and I recommend this place to anyone looking for a good tri-tip sandwich in Fresno/Clovis read more

So I am not sure what I can say about this place that has not been said yet. What I love about this food. Its goes back to real BBQ. Eating outside with a table and chairs enjoying a nice breeze. Not sitting in a super loud sports bar filled with drunks. Here when you order your most likely talking to the owner not some snot of a kid. I had the small tri tip combo; they have a big one that adds more meat. Mike the owner told us he bakes the bread himself daily. And you can taste how good it is. The meat has so much flavor and is so tender. Then you add the bbq sauce and the flavor is way increased. There is no other place in town that makes their meat this tasty. While we were there we got lucky and mike the owner had us try out a plate of his ribs to see how we liked them. He was playing with the rubs and wanted our opinion. 5 stars across the board. Service, food, and local Support local places read more

Perfectly seasoned tri-tip but no sides please. Went there with the boyfriend today. Got a jumbo tri- tip, 2. Piece rib special, macaroni salad and chili beans. The chili was a sOupy meat consistency with sparce beans. The macaroni salad was bland with those hard shell shaped noodles. My boyfriend lovs macaroni salad so we got it but it was not great. The ribs were pretty good. I really enjoyed it but the man thought it was just ok. The sauce was super good though. Now the 4 starer! That wonderful tri-tip!! Perfectly seasoned on top of crispy wrapped round bread. It was the best balance. I bit into it and bam!!! Tenderness. It lived up to the yelp reviewsi read b4 going. It was about $8-9. but its nots overly huge like jumbo would make u think. This sandwhi h is built.to where when u bite nothing falls out. No messy disgusting business. Best sandwhich ever!! It does not need sauce!! Will be back for that sandwhich!! read more

Finally made it here. Yes its the old little key shack behind union bank on cedar and herndon. Had the Tri-Tip Combo, Pilaf, and a side of 2 bones. Tri-tip was juicy and good, meat-o-plenty! BBQ sauce is good. Need to try the Chili Beans next time from what id heard. The Ribs..... good but not the best that ive had. They do have a few tables and a counter you can eat at but not too much seating. Good stuff and FAST! Got in and out within 20 min. I guess the most of the time was trying to catch the flying napkins. Great little lunch spot. BTW they do take CARDS! read more

I was so happy that we decided to try Mike's Grill after seeing the review in Yelp. Yelpers never lie!!!! It was the best bbq & sandwich ever!!! I ordered 8 oz sliced Tri-tip, ribs, tri-tip sandwich, and chili. All are good! The fact that the joint was on a parking lot kinda has its ups and down side. One of the downside was the wind which giving distraction on enjoying your delicious bbq. Prepare to hold down your napkins or just order it and enjoy it in your car. read more

Been a costumer for 4 years now and they still amaze me! If you haven't tried them yet, what in the heck are you doing??!?! YOU HAVE TO!! They're supes delish, one of my all time fave places to eat! read more

After having the smokey, juicy tri-tip from Mikes I can never go back to Dog House Grill and be satisfied with that sandwich of mediocrity again. With the normal sandwich there may not be as much meat like Doghouse but the quality surpasses the quantity but they do offer an option with double the meat if that's what you want. This may be heresy as well but the BBQ sauce is a million times tastier as well. Definitely recommend Mike's over Doghouse anyday except for Sunday cause they're closed. read more

Best BBQ joint in town. Nuf said. Well OK I'll add a few more words. This is the first tri tip sandwich that I didn't have to add bbq sauce to. If you like to add sauce they have picked a good one. Very good balance of flavors. I like that they don't give you some huge bun that overwhelms the sandwich. We also had the pulled pork and that was just as good. They put coleslaw on it and that brings a nice brightness to the meat. Very tender with good smoke flavor. For a side we had the potato salad and thats house made. Fresh and good flavor without that sweet Miracle Whip taste that I don't care for. Will be back. read more

MMM.... You have GOT to give it up for this place, seriously. My first bite I literally thought to myself, "Holy shit!" It is, perhaps, the best tri-tip I've ever tasted. And not just for Fresno only, but in general. The meat is so moist and tender, and has that little smokey taste marinated into every tasty morsel that make up this sandwich (which is unique and rare). It doesn't hurt either that the perfectly toasted buns they use, is smeared with a light garlic spread. I've tried a few things from here and all are pretty solid, in terms of taste. Even their sides are pretty good. My only complaint is, I wish they had more soda options! A root-beer to me always goes well with BBQ....it's probably the molasses ;-) After you've tried this place, you'll be saying, "Dog House who?" read more

Wow... How have I never heard about this place! These guys are the real-god-damn-deal. Like everyone else, it's only natural to compare this place to the other tri-tip staples of Fresno. But the fact is, those places DON'T compare. I now have no reason to go to Dog House Grill unless it's beer with friends. Although both serve great tasty tri-tip sandwiches, Doghouse is about $2 more and they give you half a cow's body on the sandwich (not a horrible thing, it's just a bit much and I do care about the condition of my heart). Mike's, on the other hand, serves a more manageable sandwich, packing a lot more flavor and is less expensive to boot. The owner, I'm going to assume is Mike, is a great friendly guy who truly loves making us happy. It really is a shame we don't have more places like this in Fresno. This place is awesome and I can't wait to come back in town to have more!! Oh, and I've read another person's review about how this place belongs on Man vs Food.... That's got my vote. Let's make it happen Fresnans!! read more

I'm dropping a star here due to 4 things. 1 When they were first going, there was a Macaroni Salad side dish which they quit making but said was coming back soon. Over a year has gone by, and no mac salad. It was their best side IMHO. 2 The quantity of meat on the Regular may have been lightened, and the Jumbo could certainly use an increase for the price. Mike's Grill is constantly compared to Dog House Grill which will blow the doors off for total meat quantity... 3 The menu used to have a 3-rib option which was about perfect for little guys. Where'd that go? 4 Lastly, there has been a noticeable variance in saltiness of the meat on different trips. Too much salt is no bueno. Consistency is key. read more

Best tri-tip sandwich ive ever had! Ive come here multiple times and never once has it been been anything but amazing. The food has always been fresh and flavorful and has never tasted reheated like ive experienced at different bbq places. The bbq sauce is perfect, not too sweet and not too spicy. The amazing sandwich bread is a sesame garlic bread that is always soft inside and crispy on the outside. macaroni salad is perfect with a dill flavor, its not a mayonnaise base. I love everything about this place, even the customer service! You must try this place! read more

Mike's Grill - Most amazing tri-tip sandwhich on garlic sesame bread and the best macaroni salad I have ever had. - Barbeque Near Me - Fresno, California

Just have to reiterate how incredible this tri-tip sandwich is. Have gone here a few more times since my original review and it really is that good, and I think it's getting better somehow. If there's better tri tip I'd really like to taste it. read more

Finally got to try the tri tip sandwich here after reading all the reviews on here. The sandwich was good. I enjoyed the toasty bun and the tri tip was tender and sliced thin, just the way I like it. I don't know about this place being WAY better than Doghouse. It was good but I don't think it was better. Mike's has a yummy bun and thinly sliced tri tip, but Doghouse give you more meat and I like their bbq sauce more. I call it a tied. If you are in a hurry and want a tri tip sando to go I would say go to Mike's. If you want to enjoy your company, watch some tv, and escape the heat I would say go to Doghouse. Would I come back to Mike's? Definitely! PS Mike is a nice guy! read more

I actually passed this place up when I entered the plaza because I didn't know that this business took over the old key shop. It should have been a dead giveaway that there was a grill out in the parking lot, but I was looking more of a restaurant than sorta an outside booth. I ordered the normal size tri-tip and their special 2 rib bones for 3 bucks. The tri-tip was overall pretty good. The bun was a toasted italian buttered bread and it was perfectly made. My only problem with the tri-tip was that it wasn't really hot temperature wise. I came exactly at twelve noon with a couple of friends and I thought the meat would have been better if it was a lot hotter. The 2 rib bones for 3 buck special was very good. It was extremely hot and the meat just melted off the bone. I almost lost all the meat onto my lap when i took the first bite and it just came right off. I don't know if their BBQ sauce is home made, but it was really good. Not to sweet and had a good complex flavor. For this place to be this good and be a small booth I give it mad props. Definitely would come here if I don't want to drive to dog house grill which is up the ways a bit. Actually I would put this on the same level as Dog house grill and its cheaper. Everybody should come check this place out. I'm sure in no time this place will go from jewel in the rough to mainstream hangout spot. read more

Awesome tritip sandwiches, delicious ribs. Fast and friendly service. Best BBQ in NE Fresno. read more

The meat is clearly the star here. My husband and I each tried the tri-tip sandwiches (his was a jumbo), and they were great! Salty and smoky, and tasty even without the BBQ sauce. There was a good amount of meat for the price, and the jumbo had like TWICE the meat of the regular (which was already a good meat ratio). Gonna branch out to the pulled pork next time, but this place is a winner! read more

I've been here a few times, mostly because it's so convenient. It's also pretty good advertisement when they have the smoker going. The bbq sandwich is really good but isn't cheap, although fair considering the amount of meat. The macaroni salad and sides are excellent also. read more

First time I have eaten here was 5/19/11 and it was AMAZING. The bread is home made, the tri-tip has an amazing flavor. Each bite was was perfect. The meat was so tender, juicy and flavorful. The BBQ sauce had a little spice to it which complemented the sandwich. My mouth is actually watering right now just thinking about how good it was. I got the jumbo Tri-tip sandwich and my wife got the regular. I didn't try any sides last night but next time it looks like the chili is amazing from all of the other reviews. Dog house is good, but I seriously believe this beats it. I will be back for more believe me!! read more

The ribs, tri tip, garlic bread sandwiches, are delicious. Everything is cooked to perfection. Not too greasy, not burned, very juicy, just all around good food for the cost. The place is small, the sitting is alright kind of hot during the summer, but worth it in any case. read more

Solid, solid food. Not the best BBQ I have had, but definitely in the top 3 in Fresno. Inexpensive for the quality of food. Nice sized portions. Sauce has a nice little bite to it, not super spicy. Meat has a nice smoke flavor, not over smoked. The owner uses wood (appears to be oak) as I say him wheeling a wheelbarrow of the stuff over this his smoking rig. read more

Have to give this a 5, easily THE BEST tritip I've bought. I like mine a little better, but this is legit. Guaranteed if this was in a bigger foodie city, there'd be a hour wait for it. Juicy, smokey, no sauce needed. That's all you need to know. Take it from me, born and raised in the South eating BBQ. I smoke tritip, shoulders, butts at home. read more

Mike's Grill - Oh baby - Barbeque Near Me - Fresno, California

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Ok, people keep comparing this place to Dog House Grill. BOTH are GREAT to me. Mike's is an AWESOME CHANGE! My favorite part of my meal was the bread! Everyone talks about the meat but the bread made the sandwich for me. Great flavor, awesome comb meals. Highly recommend to EVERYONE! read more

The first time we went to search out Mikes Grill we pulled up just as he was closing up. Instead of just sending us away he came out shook our hands, asked our names, and talked to us for a few minutes. SO NICE! You dont see owners doing that everyday! The second time we went we were sure to get there with time to spare and Mike did not disappoint! I had the tri-tip sandwich which as stated in other reviews really does beat all of the other tri tip I've had in town thus far. It was Marvelous!!! The meat was super tender, and the flavor was man oh man so amazing! It doesn't need sauce, but I had to try the bbq and it was equally as good! No inside seating, as it's just an old key kiosk but the food is worth it! read more

Well, it was about time I found out what all the hype was about. I highly suggest that if you're interested in trying this place out, go during lunch time while the meat is fresh from the smoker. There's a small area for you to eat on the left side of the building; it's covered by a tarp with a few tables and chairs under it. I must say that their "Jumbo" Tri Tip Sandwich is not exactly the "jumbo" I had in mind. Their jumbo is the size of the French rolls used for the banh mi at Huong Lan. Of course, before I took a bite out of it, I had to see how thick the slices were. Eight thick reasonably thick slices (yes, I counted) between the grasp of a slightly soaked toasted garlic roll. You could get a combo that includes your choice of a side and drink for a little under $2 added to your order. Each tri tip sandwich comes with BBQ sauce, but the tri-tip is flavorful enough that you don't really need it. The smokey flavor was not as strong as I was hoping for, though. Mike's Grill offers ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, and hot link sandwiches. I noticed that someone posted a photo of rib tips; it would be nice to see rib tips offered separately on the menu. Overall, I don't mind coming here more often. *NOTE: I went here on Friday; I just posted this today. read more

Despite more BBQ places finding their way in Fresno, Mike's still delivers the best tri-tip in town. The garlic bread is the perfect addition to the fresh, tender steak inside. Mike's is my favorite place to grab a quality bite when I don't have a lot of time, and it never disappoints. read more

Best chili in town and tri-tip sandwiches are very good. Tender and well seasoned. Prefer this over bulldog grill any day.

So after years of reading about this place on Yelp, we finally made it. Has to be the best tri-tip sandwich we have had available for purchase (yes, I can make better at my house, and no, they aren't for sale). The toasted bun, I believe, really elevates this sandwich to the next level. The sauce isn't really anything special, but if your sandwich is that good, who needs sauce? Meat was excellent...tender and rich, with nice smoked flavor. I like that they keep the menu simple, real simple. Do what you do, and do it right. read more