One of my favorite places for BBQ! I would stop by here for a meal every time I come down from LA. The baby back ribs are always tender and the sides on point. If you go early around the time they open or off peak hours between lunch/dinner, the line is relatively short. Side note - tried the loaded fries with pulled pork recently and it we just ok. read more

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

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Ok.. what can I say.. a consistent favorite in my 12 years here in San Diego.. with the best service and a top beast in the not so competitive bbq department A solid number one overall after visiting states like Texas, Alabama, Florida even on my recent reviews at Angry Pepper served a solid second place as my favorite spot In Florida but remains number 2. Mister Dr Phils BBQ puts it together everytime, but I'm not here to Deliver the delicious taste information that's available and clearly obvious. If you are visiting San Diego and are not a local please read below. Time- Schedule a hungry time for you or the fam.. try to make that time around noon.. this isn't a bbq joint, this is a beautiful blissful BBQ system. Order what you belive you feel but order more than you need (left overs are a dream and heat up like a dream.) The best thing on the menu is the beef ribs. I can complain about the old prices and orices rising but Still do what i have to do to order 5 beef ribs on the plate. Thats 3 for the night and 2 for tomorrow. Phils bbq truly is the best there is in my competitive opinion. The . I traveled, the data has been gathered its over. Ill be back again and again and again.. The one thing that is important is the time you go. They have a perfect system with perfect food every time. Ask for extra sauce and get lost in your choices. Im just here to echo this perfect bbq food system Phils bbq from San Diego has Created. Were coming for you Texas. read more

Phil's BBQ - BBQ Broham (Pulled Pork) - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

amazing bbq!!! We came on a Wednesday evening around 6, and there were no wait, i guess it's party because it's a raining day and people are not coming out. The restaurant is packed and super loud the food is amazing. Love the baby back rib dinner, the ribs are so juicy and tasty, I would recommend get the sauce on the side, as the rib itself is already tasty, no need to get the full sauce on there the beef bone is huge! i only ordered one, and the picture does not do its justice, it's a huge piece, about the size of your hand. The beef does not taste as good as the baby back rib and you definitely need the sauce. I guess normally pork is tastier than beef, so not surprised here read more

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

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So this place has over 15K reviews, but that doesn't mean as much as you would think. I guess normally there's like a line out the door around the corner, but we came around 8 PM and so there was really no line at all. We didn't wait in line too long and ordered relatively quickly. It was basically full in the restaurant but we grabbed a table. The cornbread we ordered was very underdone (but before we got our meals, our server checked on how we were doing) and we mentioned about the cornbread so he swapped it for one that was cooked all the way through. Food took a bit longer than usual? A couple groups after us got their food before us and we didn't have too much. So the BBQ itself was okay, not bad, but not great either. My only other frames of reference are Tennessee and Texas BBQ and CA Bay Area. Maybe it was just not my preference but it was still delicious. The coleslaw was perfect- haven't experienced that too much with BBQ...always too much liquid or not fresh and is too soggy. I liked Phil's version! Cornbread also tasty but not my style - I prefer drier and less-to-no sugar in my cornbread. I had to get the famous cookies if they are declared such. For a place that is a restaurant and not a bakery, they were yummy. Chocolate chip and something? I think small pieces of white chocolate but not sure. A bit crumbly but perfect in the morning with coffee. There is also so much food that we came home with plenty of leftovers! Lastly, I will say that the service was great! If you are the manager and reading this then you must know that Daniel was exceptional, very polite, and checked in on us multiple times. read more

Came here with my family it. What an amazing time! The proportions were big enough to share. we all enjoy the food.

The staff is super friendly. We were lucky the wait was short. The pork bbq ribs were so good and the meat came off the bone easily. The beef ribs was also delicious but it was tougher to chew. I would also recommend doing 2 small sides instead of 1 large one because even a small is a lot. You can't go wrong with getting fries, potato salad and macaroni salad. I love stopping by here whenever I'm in San Diego. read more

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

Best bbq ever. Great friendly service with a smile. We got our food to go to avoid the line.

I went to this place years ago when the lines were long. I decided to give it another try and I was excited because there was no line. Soon I'd discover why the line was non existent. The food quality is garbage and the prices are outrages. I got a chickless dinner which was a good sized portion but the chicken tasted like seasoned charred rubber, the fries like cardboard and the bbq sauce like plum sauce. My wife got the big ribs and they were overcooked (hard and chewey). I would advice you try something else. But this bbq place has def declined in quality and increased in price. Never going back. read more

Beef ribs are delicious here, as well as the pork ribs! I would get sauce on the side if I came again (I personally prefer less sauce on my food, and I felt like it overpowered the flavor of the meat). Fries are good- you can ask for creole seasoning too. Potato salad was so-so - if you prefer large chunks of potato, then you might like it more than I did. I came here several years ago on a weekend for lunch and the wait was super long (like 1.5hr-2hrs). We visited during the pandemic on a weekday for dinner; while there was still a line, it moved quickly and we got our food within 30 mins of arriving at Phil's. Worth checking out if you're visiting San Diego! read more

The only place you can't skip is Phil's. The main reason why I won't be vegetarian. Always queued at this branch and always busy. Servers have been polite, attentive and friendly. (Imagine non stop crowds and serving all kinds of people) Their interior has a bold statement that they are seriously into bbq. As for food, we love Pork Ribs!!! (I can't find anywhere that can beat the taste! It's perfect! Meat texture and flavor!) Of course you need fries and onion rings, then you add vegetables for less guilt (coleslaw and steam vegetables) I love beef but I don't recommend their beef rib. Pork ribs are the best!!!! read more

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The food was excellent. If you love bbq and you're in the area, you need to hit this spot. Ribs are on fire, had the pulled pork sandwich, and was impressed. Side of potatoe salad and beans. Pulled pork came with coleslaw, which was really good. But you need to come early to avoid the line. And waiting for a table. Famous phils sweet tea was fire! And the $5 iPad flavor of the month beer on tap was great. If you love bbq, definitely stop by and check out. This place has a bar, and the music vibe was on point. This place is finger licking good! read more

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Food was wonderful. Service was amazing! Israel was very attentive, kind and made sure we were taken care of. He went above and beyond when he saw our food was taking longer than usual. read more

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Love the Rib Dinner (Quarter) and Beef Rib Dinner. The portion is really generous. The corn bread and chicken wings are also great! read more

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Excellent food! Excellent service !! Our Waiter Dani went over and above to make our experience a good one. We will be back !

Saw here that this place is dog friendly. But when we arrived, we saw that there was no outdoor dining. My partner still asked anyway, and we were allowed to stay with our dogs at the porch. We have 3 dogs with us, and all 3 were quiet while we eat. Service was really good and fast. Plus factor that food was delish too. Would recommend to anyone visiting San Diego. read more

Lines were super long for dining in, but not much in the takeout line. I decided to do take out and promptly ordered. It took around 15 mins for the order to be prepared. There was so many people in the restaurant, I can hardly remember what it was like pre-pandemic. I ordered: - Full rib dinner that comes with 2 small side or 1 large side, I got the fries - The rib was a hit or a miss, half the ribs were juicy and tender, half the ribs were hella dry. The sauce was tasty. The fries were alright, needed some salt. - Half chicken dinner that comes with 2 small side or 1 large side, I got the steamed veggies - chicken was also kinda dry. Steam veggies had a good variet. - side order of sausage - this one was pretty good read more

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Was in San Diego and had to see what all the hype was about with Phil's BBQ. We were not disappointed, great BBQ, Baked Beans, Corn Bread, good portions and tasty sauce. We enjoyed the food so much that we placed an order to go to take back home. Wish there was a Phil's in the Bay Area! read more

Great customer service. Very attentive and helpful for making selections. El Toro Sandwich read more

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

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Phil's is consistent! It's been about 2 years since I have been to Phil's and when I went in May/June, it still tasted so good! I was amazed! We get the baby back pork bbq ribs as those are our favorite to get as they tend to stay juicier and moist. I LOVE the amount of fries that we get. We just got 2 sides of fries which was plenty! We still ate them all. That's probably my favorite part since I love fries and I would choose fries over ribs. Their sauce is always good though so those fries get dipped in that sauce! Atmosphere - Loud, fun kind of atmosphere. It's a great place to go with groups and to just hang out, be casual and chill. Service - The service is good, they're attentive and get you what you need. I have only gone during dinner time so just know that they tend to have a line because it's so good. You put in your order at the beginning and then you seat yourself wherever it's open. You wait til they call your order then you go up and get it. They do have a take out line as well so make sure you are in the right one. There's the dine in line and the take out line. They also have a bar area that's sectioned off and has TVs. There are also separate outside sinks if you just need to wash your hands cause you know, that sauce! Cost - worth it. Depends on what you get, you can get half or a full. They have other options besides ribs as well. In thinking about the cost for one person, $10 - $15. My group and I shared two full rib dinners along with the sides that it comes with. Parking - They have a parking lot area so parking has never been a problem every time I have gone. Every time we come home, we usually go to Phil's!! read more

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

Honestly, there is no much to say besides amazing place. The food is great the service is perfect. There is a line, but it's usually mean that this place is popping. Give it a try! read more

No San Diego trip is complete without a visit to Phil's! Called in an order over the phone on a Saturday afternoon - there was a slight wait before someone picked up but completely understandable, they're usually super busy. Once we arrived, there was SO MUCH more parking than I was used to. The line to the counter was also much shorter than usual - I think there was only one party ahead of me instead of the typical hour wait! Once we got to the counter, I let them know I was there to pick up, paid and was told to wait 5-10 minutes while they packed the food. We did wait a little longer than anticipated but it was only because our onion rings were being freshly fried (is that the correct way to put it? LOL). We received plenty of extra ranch, BBQ sauce & ketchup - don't forget to ask for utensils because they are not included unless you specify. The ribs were as expected - fall off the bone and delicious! The onion rings were perfectly crispy and the loaded fries also did not disappoint. We ate it all in the parking lot because we didn't want to wait a minute longer to enjoy the food. Already looking forward to our next trip back! read more

Phil's BBQ - Small Onion Rings, Large Loaded Fries (you can get half and half for the meat!) & Pork Ribs Tickler - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

So I wanted to order ahead to save some time (it was 7pm) and really just wanted to relax and then grab some food. But apparently they don't take phone orders anymore. You HAVE to go in person to order to go, so be ready to be there waiting for 25 minutes depending on what you ordered. It's loud and busy, but it's nice that they have two separate lines, one for eat in and another for order out. The staff is nice. And knowledgeable about best ways to order, but it takes time to get your food, and in the end, they left out a kids drink and a may potato salad :( and that was only the start. The chicken wings do have a kick, but not a good one. Too spicy to enjoy and it would have been nice to see "hot" instead of "has a kick" because my daughter and wife opted to not finish the order because it was too hot. The pulled pork sandwich was dry, and even with the sauce I found myself force feeding myself because it was $14. The sauce is also sweet, which I didn't know, and slightly highly acidic so putting it on things was a crap shoot to see if it matched. I orders the pork ribs also and they were nice, but nothing I didn't feel I could not make at home, and same with the children's hotdog, my daughter couldn't get around how big the bun was so she ended up just eating the hot dog... and I put some of the pulled pork in the bun... the only part I truly enjoyed was the beef rib, where my wife felt it was just blah, I liked the flavor, but not for 9.99 a rib. Overall I would be ok to skip on this stop be used after paying $80, i just got a bunch of leftovers. read more

Phil's is definitely worth the wait! The line moves pretty quickly for being wrapped around the corner outside, I think it was a half hour to 45 minutes until we were in our seats. All the staff were super nice and accommodating for how busy it was. The food was awesome too! We did the baby back ribs and the pulled pork sandwich which were both extremely good. The barbecue sauce that they slather on is so sweet and tangy. The pulled pork sandwich is such a nice combo of the toasty bun and juicy coleslaw and pork. Would definitely recommend Phil's for anyone hankering some BBQ. read more

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

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Food: El Toro, Rib Less, Sausage, Onion Rings, Pickle One of my favorite spots to come to when in town, but it seems like it is everyone else's as well. Lucky for us, there was a short line, and I knew that now was the time to get in there and have some delicious BBQ again. The line was 30 minutes long, but it moved pretty steadily. Once inside, I had to decide what delicious goodness I wanted, and that may be the hardest part about coming here. El Toro is my all time fave at Phil's, it is tri tip piled high on a bun lathered in BBQ sauce. It's a good starting point for someone who has never been here. The Rib Less are burnt ends, for those who know their BBQ. They are underrated in my opinion, and actually one of the best items I've ever had here. They are just rib pieces in bbq sauce, and have no bones to have to deal with. The sausage was okay, and something I would pass on next time. It is good, but cannot compete with the other meat items I ordered. Need a side? I suggest the onion rings. They are crispy and crunchy, with a slight sweetness to it. Also the whole pickle is delicious. Service / Restaurant: You hear about the long times, and they are not a exaggeration. But it's worth the wait. There is plenty of parking, and there is shade for most of the line. You order at the counter, and then pick a seat. When your food is ready your pager will buzz and you head up to the counter to get your food. There is minimal interaction with the staff, but they are all nice. Notes: Food is decently priced at Phil's, which is something I truly appreciate. My order of the sandwich, rib less, pickles, sausage and onion rings was about ~$40ish read more

I literally can't say enough good things about this spot, we drive down from Long Beach regularly just to eat here. Hands-down the best barbecue I've ever had! Everyone who works there is so incredibly nice, and don't worry if there's a line outside, it always moves fast! Pro tip, though, if you want table service, you can go to a shorter line to the left-hand side and eat in the sit down area of the restaurant. Phil's is so cozy and always clean - it's a staple!! Everything on the menu is amazing!! The ribs are incredible, the pulled pork is amazing. The Link and drink is a great deal, the sausage is amazing. The onion rings and cornbread are awesome... and ABSOLUTELY get a bottle of bbq sauce to go!! read more

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We always get Phil's BBQ while visiting San Diego! We like the bar seating with the friendly staff and ask for the beer of the month special! Our favorite is the beer rib, it's huge, flavorful, and meaty! Restaurant and restroom clean as usual! read more

Phill's BBQ is clean, fast, and efficient. I really like that they now have waiters who walk around to check in with you. It adds a nice touch. The food is always consistently good, and the Tickler is yummy! It does get back during regular meal hours. read more

I love BBQ , so I decided to try Phil's BBQ (Sports Arena). There was a short wait around 1:30 mid week which moved quickly. I ordered the half chicken dinner with 1 large side of sautéed vegetables. When the order came out, it was a generous sized portion but the chicken was slathered with tons of BBQ sauce. I brought back my order and had them remake it without the slathered sauce which turned out better and I asked for sauce on the side. I tasted the sauce and the overall sweetness was SO unbelievably sweet so I didn't eat any. The sautéed vegetables were hard, no seasoning and cold, so I would skip those. The chicken overall wasn't bad, but the white meat was rather dry. Overall, this place was just okay. I wouldn't make a special trip back to Phil's to have BBQ. read more

Delicious!! I highly recommend Phil's BBQ. We have been fans for years and years! Never had a bad experience ever. Food is always delicious and the staff is always friendly. What's not to love. Absolutely nothing. We love you Phil's...keep making your delicious BBQ and service. read more

Great food. The best BBQ in San Diego. I came from Los Angeles just to try it out. Cause I saw it on tiktok. Highly recommend.

First time here. Friend of mine in Luxembourg that used to live near by told me I should come to you guys because you are the best. My friend didn't lie. IT WAS AWESOME. Such good ribs, such nice staff. It's nice eating here, seeing all those families enjoy the food, nice music and good sports TV. Phil's BBQ I love you and I'll definitely come again once I'm back here Love from Luxembourg read more

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

It was like a 45min wait but it was well worth the wait (like all the signs said outside). We got the el toro fries, the baby back ribs and the macaroni salad which were amazing!!!! Corn bread was great, our server was phenomenal!! Everyone that works there is very responsive and friendly. Would definitely come back again when I go back to San Diego read more

Phil's BBQ, The customer service, that Mr. Jay the general manager & his staff really reflects on the food! All combined together A1! Highly recommend! Thank you Jay, for the great experience & your highly level customer service!!! Great job!! read more

Meats are good very tasty Just the sides need working on. I'm sorry to say that I'm not a fan of the sides. Everything else is great and yummy read more

I first discovered Phil's BBQ when I was in college and it's shocking that years later, it still hasn't changed. They have maintained the quality of their beef ribs, pulled pork, and brisket and still have lines of people waiting for their food. While I used to wait in line for hours or watch the online line camera back in college to get their bbq, thankfully they've opened a number of locations up so the demand isn't so high! These days, I manage to only wait for about 15-20 mins and the food arrives not too long after. It's a San Diego staple that I always bring someone who is visiting from out of town. Admittedly it's not a first date kind of place (unless you want to see how they really eat), but it is a great place to get your money's worth with a big party. in July, I had 12 friends staying with me and we got Phil's. 2 Full Beef dinners, 2 full beef rib only orders, 1 pork rib dinner and and 1 cornbread round for just shy of $250 for 13 people ain't bad! And honestly, we had leftovers so it was a bit more than just one meal's worth. Best thing on the menu: Beef ribs with the mild BBQ sauce and colossal onion rings Ambiance - more Texan and upscale Armadillo Willys with better food and drinks. No table service; you go up when your buzzer is triggered and get your drinks from the soda fountain. read more

Phil's BBQ - Beef Rib Dinner, BBQ Broham (Pulled Pork), and Colossal Onion Rings (Large) - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

The food is amazing and great prices, kid friendly.the ribs are to die for. Lots of tv's to watch sports! read more

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A must when in San Diego! This location starts to get busy between 4:30 and 5. Their food is bomb; my go to is the ribless dinner. Nice, juicy pieces of meat with little to no fat at all. Can be loud inside, as a majority of the seating is in one big room. However, there's outdoor seating all along the perimeter of the building that's enclosed and has heating, so that's really my go to. read more

The long line was worth the wait! The beef rib dinner and the cornbread were amazing! The staff were great and again the beef ribs were amazingly delicious. This place is huge and has enough tables to keep the line moving. I'm definitely coming back! read more

Phil's BBQ - Beef Rib Dinner with the potato salad and sweet baked beans sides. - Barbeque Near Me - San Diego, California

I'm so glad we were able to experience this place (even during the Covid pandemic). We placed an order for pickup and the way everything was packaged separately and kept warm made the entire experience feel as if we dined in. I highly recommended the beef ribs as well as the bbq chicken! We also ordered a hotlink on the side, and although it was tasty, the sauce on top of it was a bit too sweet for my liking. I prefer spicy links with no sweetness disturbing the spice. I'd definitely order it again except I'll ask for no sauce on it. The sides were all delicious, but what stood out the most were definitely the baked beans- deeeeeelicious. Although we couldn't dine in, I'd still say this place is a good 9.5/10. Highly recommend! read more

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

Had a chance to head back and try Phil's today and as usual it was awesome. Had come here back when I was in SoCal for undergrad and I remember that the lines used to wrap around the store. This time many years later, seems like the story hasn't changed! Some San Diego favorites just continue to be on top. Thankfully this time I placed a to go order ahead of time but still had to stand in a pick up line. At first it seemed super long but we were able to get through to the front pretty quickly like 15 mins. Once we paid we were handed our order. I ended up order the quarter rib dinner which came with either 2 small sides or 1 large side. Got the 4 ribs slathered in the bomb bbq sauce with some potato salad and baked beans. Everything was delicious, even while eating in the car! Definitely hit up this local and popular San Diego staple! read more

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