Great food and exceptional service! Chelsey was super helpful and very attentive! Always has positive attitude with a nice smile.

I went to college in SD and this is my happy place when I visit. Best BBQ in the world. Jairo and Chase were amazing and made the experience even better than I'd hoped. I'm walking out after eating 2lb of meat with at least the same to go for tomorrow... Check this place out!! read more

My husband and I drove almost an hour to try Phil's Barbecue because we were genuinely excited about it. He had been there when he was younger, and I had been once before with my dad, so we were really looking forward to finally going together. Unfortunately, almost everything about the experience was frustrating. When we ordered, we specifically asked the employee whether two sides came with the entrees. We were told yes. Based on that information, we each selected two sides. My husband ultimately only wanted one side, so we clarified that he would just get an extra portion of the one he wanted instead. We also clearly explained our sauce preferences. I wanted mine on the side, while my husband specifically wanted his sauce cooked onto his burger. We repeated this because it was important to us. When we saw the receipt, we realized we had been charged separately for all of the sides. Our total was nearly $70 for two people who ordered burgers, a soda, and a beer. Had we been told from the beginning that the sides were not included, we absolutely would not have ordered them. My husband went back to ask about the charge and was told that the sides did not come with those particular entrees. That directly contradicted what we had been told when ordering. Unfortunately, things got even worse when our food came out. Both burgers were cold, my burger was a double when I had specifically ordered a single, and both sauces were put on the side despite us clearly explaining our preferences. My husband didn't receive his burger the way he had specifically requested either. At that point, we hadn't even taken a bite. We brought everything back to the manager and explained what had happened. I do want to make one thing VERY clear: Kristen, the manager, was absolutely wonderful. She was by far the best part of this entire experience. She was incredibly kind, understanding, professional, and genuinely tried to make the situation right. She offered to remake the food and worked with us on the refund. We ultimately decided we didn't want the food anymore after everything that had happened and just wanted to leave. Kristen handled that respectfully and did everything she could to help us. Unfortunately, the problems didn't end when we left. We were told the refund would take 3-5 business days. When the refund finally came through, it was approximately $15 short of what we were supposed to receive. We then had to call the restaurant again to get the issue resolved. We were also still charged the tip, despite the fact that we had received a full refund for the food. The restaurant then had to take the money again, process another refund, and essentially redo the transaction, which meant an even longer wait for our money. At this point, what should have been a fun dinner that we drove nearly an hour for turned into an incredibly frustrating experience involving multiple billing issues, incorrect food, cold food, and several phone calls just to get the refund corrected. The only reason I am giving any credit at all is because of Kristen. She was genuinely amazing and I don't think this review reflects her management at all. She was the one person who made an otherwise terrible experience slightly better. Unfortunately, because of everything that happened before and after dealing with her, we will not be returning. If you're going to charge these prices, the ordering process, food, and billing need to be significantly more accurate and consistent. read more

We absolutely love sitting at the bar because the bar staff is absolutely amazing. Super friendly, always checking to make sure to see if you need anything. Jairo specifically is the most professional, highly positive, welcoming, and friendly bar tender EVER. He makes coming here feel like coming home! read more

This place is one of my fave bbq spots. It's the perfect place for some finger-lickin ribs and chicken. The place is pretty big, and they also have a full bar with TVs, making it a fun place to watch a game at. I had their half chicken and half ribs plate with beans and coleslaw today... and it did not disappoint. Can't get enough of their bbq sauce, so of course I asked for another. We sat at the bar to avoid the long dine in line, and the bar tender was amazing and very attentive. There were 4 of us, and since the portions were pretty big, we had to have a to-go box by the end of our dinner. Overall this is a fun and lively place with good food and drinks. read more

Phil's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

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The North County Phil's BBQ is my preferred Phil's location due to its shorter lines compared to the original Midway location near Point Loma. Service is efficient and it's a lively busy atmosphere inside. We needed food to last us a few days and I was very pleased at the catering take out from Phil's. We got beefy ribs, baby back ribs, chicken, sausages and an assorted box of sides which included macaroni salad, coleslaw, cookies, cornbread, and salad. It was an absolute feast. Typically when I go to Phil's I get a baby back rib tickler, down it and call it a day. I think my new strategy moving forward might honestly be more catering orders like this because boy was it fun to try such a variety of meats. There's something about a bite of beefy ribs then moving on to some bbq chicken and sausages then finishing with some baby back ribs all slathered in that wonderful BBQ sauce. Is this real authentic BBQ? Definitely not. I've been to Texas- specifically Austin and Houston. But it's really good value and in my humble opinion tastes really solid and the variety which is the spice of life really has given new life to my Phils BBQ experience. I'll be getting a catering box again very soon I hope! read more

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Sometimes, you're craving ribs and Phil's BBQ is here to satisfy your cravings. This location's line generally moves pretty quickly. When I am ordering just for me, I always get the baby back rib tickler. I like how it comes with 3-4 ribs, fries, coleslaw, and onion rings. Just a note that it doesn't allow for substitution of the sides. When I visited this location with family, we decided to order a bunch of different entrees to share. We got the Beef Rib Dinner (Full) with potato salad and coleslaw, chicken wings, colossal onion rings, loaded fries, and a side of macaroni salad. All of them were solid, but my favorite is still the well balanced baby back rib tickler for its flavor and price. read more

Phil's BBQ - Chicken wings, Colossal Onion Rings, loaded fries, Beef Rib Dinner (Full) with potato salad and coleslaw, and a side of Macaroni Salad - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

The sausage link is so tasty on its own. It's $4.99 with a drink. The wings are so juicy and flavorful. It comes with a side of dip (choose ranch or blue cheese) but I think it tastes better with bbq sauce. My friend got the El Toro which I did not try, but it looks hefty. Onion rings are always a must! read more

Phil's BBQ - Link and drink, onion rings, El Toro sandwich and the wings - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

My sandwich was great! Fries...perfect as is the case most of the time. Great work Noah and Mohammad who were in the dining room. read more

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Food: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Visited Phil's for a work lunch with colleagues after having ordered their catering trays for meetings many times before. This was my first dine-in experience at this location. Had the beef ribs tickler with sausage, coleslaw, and fries. The ribs were straight-up bomb! they were super meaty, tender, flavorful, and nicely charred. The sauce has a nice sweet, tangy, and spicy balance. The link was a good portion with a good smoky flavor, and the coleslaw and fries rounded out the meal nicely. Service was efficient despite a busy lunch rush and the staff were really nice and welcoming. The catering trays we've ordered have always been solid, and that same consistency carries over to the dine-in experience. It's a little pricier than your average lunch spot, but the food actually tastes good and consistent every time, which is why Phil's gets 5 stars. read more

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What can I say about Phil's that hasn't already been said? Big prices, big portions, good service, and a party atmosphere. Pricewise, your best bet is to pick a platter of mixed meats that your party can share out. Trust me, you won't run short. A single sausage here is about triple the size of a hot dog, and this is the kind of place that will chop a head of lettuce in half and call it a side salad. While Phil's is its own cuisine, I'd call it closest to a St. Louis style of BBQ, with everything slathered in a sweet, tomato-based kind of sauce. I happen to like it, but if you're used to a drier, smoke and salt type of BBQ like in Texas, you'd better adjust your expectations. My personal favorites are on the plate below: the Beef Ribs, their sausage, all served on a bed of fries. Great flavors, good service, and decent parking (so long as you arrive before or after the rush hour). This place scores a 5 out of 5 on the 'CTJ Scale', as noted below. 5 out of 5 stars: Come-to-Jesus good. Would be OK passing away after finishing a plate here. 4 out of 5 stars: Come-to-Mary good. Would be OK having a nosh here with Mother Mary. 3 out of 5 stars: Come-to-Joseph good. Would be OK having a beer here with Jesus' Dad. 2 out of 5 stars: Come-to-the-Apostles good. Meh. Wouldn't have my last supper here. 1 out of 5 stars: Come-to-Nobody good. I wouldn't have my penultimate supper here, either. read more

Phil's BBQ - Beef rib platter with sausage, fries, and macaroni salad. - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

I really miss Phil's BBQ in San Marcos but the extra 10 min is worth it to get to RB, esp because it is right off the freeway and has plenty of parking. Arrived for a friend date with my toddler. Service was great! It had been a while since I've been there, but ordered for a shift lead who walked me through the menu based on how hungry i was, meat and side preference. I ended up going for the 2 combo dinner meal since i was sharing with my toddler but it was more than enough food. You can get the tickler if you're not feeling as hungry, and have one choice of meat i believe. They have coke products, their fries are crispy, and their beans are sweet and barbecuey. Love how their rib meat falls off the bone. Yum read more

Phil's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

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I ordered a full rack of baby back ribs for take home. It came in two slabs to fit in the container. One slab was so hard and chewy. It was not edible. It was as if they knew it was a bad slab and stuffed it in the togo so we couldn't do anything when we got home. Comon Phil! This is not acceptable. read more

Super yummy bbq! The ribs were perfectly seasoned and love that you can have the sauce on the side. The onion rings were also phenomenal and were so crispy and thick chunks of onions. read more

Phil's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

If you see a long line at Phil's BBQ, don't let it scare you--it moves surprisingly fast and is absolutely worth it. We ordered the ribless, tri-tip, and chicken, and honestly, the standout for me was the ribless and tri-tip. Both were beautifully charred with that perfect smoky edge, and the seasoning was spot on--bold, balanced, and deeply satisfying. The tri-tip in particular had that ideal texture: tender but still with a nice bite. And can we talk about the ribless option? Brilliant. Finally, someone thought about making ribs easier to enjoy without the mess. It's one of those small innovations that makes a big difference. The cornbread with maple butter deserves its own moment. Super nutty, rich, and that maple butter hits the perfect balance between sweet and savory--it ties everything together in the best way. read more

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I love Phil's! It's my favorite BBQ place. I don't get here too often. I wish the San Marcos location wasn't closed. The chicken is my favorite. I also like that you can order an onion ring or two on the side and you don't have to get a whole order which is quite large. Another surprise is that they have the best chocolate chip cookies! Great food. Phil's never disappoints! read more

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Awesome food with outstanding customer service. Best BBQ in San Diego. Highly recommend the beef ribs. One order is enough food for 3 days. Will be back soon. read more

Phil's BBQ - Beef ribs with fries and slaw. Delicious!!! - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

One of my favorite BBQ spots in North County! This place absolutely is delicious and never disappoints. Don't let the line out the door scare you off. It moves fairly quickly and there is plenty of open seating, great spot to accommodate large parties. Everything on the menu is legit, you can have the BBQ sauce on your entree or on the side, even take a bottle home to go. The best part is there are gluten free and even vegetarian options! Now you order at the counter and are given a buzzer once your food is ready to be picked up. Drinks are self serve (try the sweet tea) and free refills. If you are in need of a stronger drink, they do have a full service bar area with TVs to catch whatever game is on. Portions are large enough that the price point makes sense. Always enough leftovers to take home. I do recommend picking up their homemade corn bread with the maple butter. Trust me! Come on out and give them a try and you'll see why they win awards and have high ratings on Yelp. read more

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I love Phil's! BBQ was just as delicious as their other locations. The wait was a little bit long, but they were VERY accommodating for our large party. The restaurant is very spacious and feels like an indoor, industrial BBQ cookout. read more

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Phil's barbecue is always a dependable stop when we're in San Diego. The service is great, the staff is generally friendly, and the food is consistently tasty. The ribs are the standout, tender flavorful, and always satisfying. Their onion rings are also delicious. I really liked the corn on the cob as well as the cornbread. Their bbq chicken also was a hit, tender and lots of flavor. Love their large portions. Family style meal! The restaurant is large and they have tables big enough to accommodate large groups. It also happens to be my brother-in-law's favorite spot so it's become a must visit for us and it always add something special to the trip. read more

Phil's BBQ - Our order! - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food was good , reminded me of being in Texas. They were able to accommodate or boat to park right out front after a day of fishing. Food was affordable and fire. We will definitely be returning when coming back to Diego read more

We saw this in many suggestions for good eats in San Diego and so we tried it for lunch. We went after the lunch rush (2pm) and plenty of seating for us. My brother treated and ordered two family meals (pork bbq ribs and beef ribs), fries and coleslaw, fries and potato salad. Drinks had to be ordered separately. We got a buzzer to notify us when food is ready. We were a party of 11 and the food took some time but we were given the corn bread, sweet butter, and cookies to start. The cornbread was amazing, especially with the butter, if it was warm then it would've been even better!!! Cookies were soft and chewy, super delicious! The drink options were soft drinks and tea or if you just want to get plain water. The food came and the meal came with lettuce and tomato salad (we chose ranch), fries and coleslaw/potato salad, bbq chicken, sausage, and our meat (bbq ribs). We also ordered extra ranch. First, the fries were so good, we thought it was too much but it was great and glad we got plenty. We thought it was like a better version of wings stop fries. Salad was simple and good, great mixed with meat. The beef ribs were my favorite, the pork ribs were mostly bone, chicken was great but the breast meat was dry, sausage is good! Overall, very nice, we took home the rest with to go boxes available at a to go station, we had lots of cookies left but they didn't taste as good the day after but still sweet! Restrooms were available and additional sinks were also outside for hand washing. They have faucets that were water and a dryer all in one. read more

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Phil's BBQ is always busy for dinner so you might have to circle the parking lot a couple of times to find a stall. The service is great, the line moves quickly and you get your food within 15 minutes. The food is always delicious read more

Phil's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

- Beefy Rib Dinner (3 ribs, $33.99): I would definitely recommend this as it was a great deal and delicious. The ribs were meaty, and the BBQ sauce was tangy (although we had technically asked for it on the side). The pasta salad was flavorful. The fries were hot and crisp. Although the two included sides were supposed to be small, they were definitely quite generous in portion size! - El Toro ($12.79): Even though this is listed as one of their most popular items, I found the tri-tip meat to be rather dry. I had a much better experience with their pulled pork sandwich the last time I ate here, so if you are like me (debating between the Broham and el Toro), I would urge you toward the Broham. Ambiance: Casual, spacious. There is a large free parking lot. Ordering was very fast on a weekday evening. A handwashing station is available to make it convenient for you to wash your hands repeatedly as you consume your meats. Minus 1 star for the owner having stupid/senile political beliefs. And the dry tri-tip. read more

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This is always our go-to spot when we're in San Diego. The baby back ribs are absolutely delicious. This time we tried the tri-tip, hot links, pork, ribs, and cornbread, and everything was amazing. We've never had a bad meal here and will definitely keep coming back. Customer service is always great here and we had a great time watching the 49ers win the football game with the whole family. read more

Phil's BBQ - Full rack of baby back ribs - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

Feels like you're down home here! Good southern BBQ. Got flavorful dry rub and a slightly spicy bbq sauce Upgrade for $4.99 for a sausage and drink addition to dinner. Great deal It's the best sweet tea there. Not too sweet - so it's perfect Showed up for happy hour (3-6pm) and got $4 onion rings (large enough to wear as bangles on your wrist) and the El toro fries crispy (brisket topped fries) for $6. So worth it!!! Brody was great. Loved the service and description The menu is quite large You get the feel like you're in a barn for a real old fashioned southern bbq read more

Phil's BBQ - Colossal Onion Rings (Small) - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great food, large portions and easy place to order your food. The restaurant looks great from the inside and it's very clean. The napkins, to go boxes, bags, and utensils are located by the soda stations. They even have hand washing stations in various areas. The quality of the food is always good. The meat is tender and soft. The only funky thing is the parking entrance and exit. The service was fast. read more

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This was my first time coming to Phil's BBQ and it did not disappoint. The line went by super fast so if it is long don't worry it is well worth the wait. From the food to service and convenience in the restaurant you can tell they have thought of everything to make this a great meal and experience. The food is very reasonably priced and trust me you will have seconds to take home for later. They do the meat so so well everything is sauced up if you want it like that and the sides complement the main dish very well. Everything is made by scratch and it shows. It's THE best BBQ place I've been to by far. The sausage is amazing! And the beef ribs are incredible! read more

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Came in to get some bbq dinner and watch the Padres in the bar area. Their bar area is first class with many LCD TVs, a large sports ticker, draft beers and a full bar. Bar Staff here was very nice and attentive. Cassidy took great care of us! Awesome caring service! The lines were short at 6:30 pm and their service to turn out food is very fast! Our to go order for home was made perfectly and ready when we left our dine in experience. The ribs and chickpeas bbq dinner was fantastic as usual with great sides. The hazy ipa from st archer was cold and perfectly poured. It was thirst quenching! Great service, great bbq, great beer, fast fresh smoky bbq, and awesome atmosphere here! 5 star experience!!! Well done read more

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Tried a different location (closer to hotel) - Once again Phil's BBQ upheld the Standard of our Favorite BBQ spot ever. The meat was perfect !!! We tried the corn bread for 1st time, it instantly became our favorite. Ordering is a little different, but the customer service is great as always, I actually spilt my drink all over the table, the young lady that assisted in the clean-up was very gracious. Phil's BBQ is #1 !!! read more

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I'm a big fan of Phil's and am impressed they have been able to maintain their quality throughout their expansion. My go-to is the rib and chicken combo, add a beef rib and the fries and slaw for sides. I'm always a little disappointed they don't have mac and cheese, but the delicious cornbread makes up for it. The bar service is always the way to go. There's hardly ever a wait. Inquire about the $5 beer special. The staff is always pretty friendly and helpful with recommendations and the service is always prompt and consistent. There are several TVs if you're a sports fan. read more

Phil's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

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I don't think I've been to Phil's bbq since college but I honestly don't remember it being this awesome. First of all the staff was amazing and accommodating to our family's needs. Raegan and another colleague was very attentive and even gave goodies, stickers, cookies to the kids there as it was their first time! So thoughtful and caring! All the staff there was actually very accommodating to everyone from what I experienced. We ordered the chicken dinner and baby back rib dinner and both were falling off the bone! I definitely will be coming back and will definitely be craving this again! I also loved thr full bar available at this location! Great place to spend time with friends family and have a great time read more

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We went on a weekend for lunch so it wasn't crowded. There was plenty of parking outdoors. The restaurant was very spacious with both tables and booths. We ordered the full rib dinner to share and added a sausage link with drink. The ribs were amazingly flavorful and smoky with tender meat. Some pieces had quite a bit of burnt spots but I think that's hard to control. The link was very good and bursting with flavor- a bit on the salty side for me but my husband loved it. The sides- fries were a bit soft for me but some people who prefer more of a softer texture might like it. The coleslaw wasn't great- it was a bit coarse, so I think next time I would get the corn in the cob as a side. Service was great without being intrusive. read more

Phil's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

Phil's is a super popular bbq staple of San Diego. We came on a Saturdays round 1pm and there was no wait. You order when you arrive then find a table after. Ordered the baby back ribs pork. It was super delicious and flavorful and meat was very tender. Got it with a side of veggies. Service was really good as well! They checked on us several times to see how we were enjoying the food. read more

Phil's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

My son and I watched the England World Cup games at Phil's Barbecue in Rancho Bernardo and really enjoyed the games. The food was very good and the bar staff were very kind to us. Whilst we went to see the soccer games we stayed for the great atmosphere. Flockton D. read more

Only complaint, I wish it wasn't so dang expensive for everything here, I would come like everyday had it been cheaper but that's okay it still makes for a nice special occasion, I love the ribs and the chicken, the sauce is great, everything tastes really good and a really nice seating area too! read more

Cannot beat their happy hour. Might be the best deal in San Diego. $5 for wine, margaritas, certain appetizers and beers. They have a $5 beer that they rotate monthly that is usually very good and their margaritas have fresh lemon juice and are hand shaken, you can get them with salt or tajin. They use some pretty good tequila also. Usually will sit in their bar area and they have plenty of seats and TVs it's a great place to watch a sports game with friends. read more

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The staff at the bar is the BEST! Jairo and Chase are ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE with their customer service and friendliness. Never have I had bartenders that remember my name after 1 visit. Remembers what I want to drink and always knows when my drink is empty and offers to fill it right away. They are the reason I will keep coming back here!! read more

This place is so good and never disappoints!! The place is clean. The staff here is nice and friendly. We ordered a full rack of ribs and it was enough for two people. Reasonably priced as well! I will be coming back. You order your food first and they give you a buzzer. once you get the buzzer, you go find a table to seat yourselves. It's practically self serve from there. If you want the full waiter experience, you'd have to go to the bar section. read more

Phil's BBQ - Full rack of ribs with fries and potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

My go to place locally for LARGE juicy and tender BBQ Beef Ribs when you go early (like lunch time)!!! I always get a Beef Rib Dinner with an additional rib for me and my family. It's just perfect with the BBQ sauce on the ribs with an extra cup or two on the side. They have other items like sandwiches, salads and desserts. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is very loud like a western bar. Lots of large screen televisions showing sports. Lots of tables for eating in along with a patio covered area with fresh air coming through. Whenever I drive on the Interstate 15, you can smell the smoke inviting your senses to imagine that heavily BBQ sauced big juicy beef rib in your hands!!! I think I need to go back for more!!! read more

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