I honestly love this place the spicy fried chicken is everything. I usually go here during my lunch because they are quick. The vibe of this place just reminds you that your not in San Rafael instead on the country side. Other than the chicken the cornbread is amazing and the beans. I simply have to give this place a 5 because of the fried chicken. I don't really eat red meat so won't be able to speak upon that but my co worker say that tube baby back rips are amazing. read more

Always my favorite stop when hungry at Northgate Mall after a concert or before a movie. Great Texas bbq ribs, chicken, pulled pork and my favorite the brisket, with plenty of sides to choose from to round out your dining experience and belly. My favorite is the Brisket Cheesesteak with aujus to dip, sweet potato fries and a cold brew. Just grab some comp pickles and try all the sauce condiments as well. Finish with some complimentary soft serve ice cream with chocolate and caramel sauces to complete your sweet dreams food coma. read more

Roadside BBQ - best Texas brisket cheesesteak in Marin - Barbeque Near Me - San Rafael, California

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I do like their food but there is no excuse for not including a side dish you ordered ....you are already home so there is nothing you can do. Get the order correctly and include everything I ordered ...It's not too much to ask Very disappointed read more

It isnt too bad. I have been here a couple times, and i will at least say that dining in is a better experience. You get some lovely mason jars to wash down your BBQ, and a plethora of BBQ sauces. I ordered the 2 way combo with Ribs and Brisket, mac and cheese and baked beans as sides. Problem is the delivery fee is 7 bucks on top of the pretty pricey dish so its about 35$ for a one person meal. And it didnt arrive hot, it was luke warm, no side BBQ sauces. Pretty disappointing because i dont have a toaster convection oven yet so it was in the microwave she goes. read more

Ribs were exceptional. Stuffed Baked Potato like youd make at home. This was a great place with very fast deluvery-like 20 minutes. Amazing here in Marin to find BbQ so good. read more

Had the beef ribs and brisket. My son had fried chicken. The meats are ok. Tried the coleslaw, just chopped veggies, no taste. Won't be back. read more

YUM! The food is tasty, and so far nothing I've had has disappointed me. The brisket is always well prepared, also I happen to be in love with the mustard sauce, and together they make loverly pair in my mouth. Most recently I got the hot link sammish with some fries and that was lovely as well. I especially was happy about the roll was on, it was crunchy, but not so much that ripped my mouth apart which make me extra happy. It was spicy and the onion and peppers were perfect as well. I like the hipster mason jars for the drinks, and the decor is fun to look at as well, which you might be looking at for a while (food takes a minute to come out). There is some lovely seating outside and prefer to sit out there when its warm. It can be a bit pricey, but again the food has been consistently tasty. read more

Roadside BBQ - Hot link sausage sammish - Barbeque Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Delicious, authentic BBQ! Had the ribs, slaw & beans. So good! My partner got the Meaty potato with brisket, hugh ! Could only eat half! Sweet tea & complimentary soft serve . Can't wait to come back for more! If you crave BBQ, this is the place !!!!! read more

This is our third time here and we think it is pretty good! You pick your main dish and you can choose 2 sides! I prefer the smoked hot link platter and I love their coleslaw and mashed potatoes! They guys here are very nice, it's clean usually, sometimes you find bbq fingerprints on your seat! Still like it here! read more

Excellent ribs, brisket was a little chewy but tasty. pleasant staff, quick service. Very clean Will be back read more

Those poor workers have to put on a face and serve subpar BBQ... Expensive but taste like it came out of a morgue. Water moist pale brisket . I have eaten here at least 3 times.. the food gets worse and worse. Marin County is infamous for expensive living and bad food. Take your family to "Sol Food" they deserve better. read more

This is a review of a solo lunch at Roadside BBQ in San Rafael (external to Northgate Mall). http://tinyurl.com/o94nrw3 The staff was super friendly. This was the case when my order was taken and when my food was brought out. The staff also checked in to insure my meal was going well. This is the basic system used by many BBQ places. You stand in a queue. You place your order. You get a number to put on your table. When it is prepared, they bring out your food. My food took exactly 15 minutes to be prepared and delivered to my table. The interior is pretty basic. The tables are quiet close together. The front tables are even closer. You have to squeeze between the neighbouring tables to get to the far seats. In an attempt to spruce the place up, there are some framed BBQ themed pieces on the wall. But this does little to really bring home the feel of a old sschool BBQ joint. http://tinyurl.com/qxvqbcg The restaurant was clean. One note though, the Men's room was out of toilet paper. Yes, the Never Out 3000 was out. Luckily, there were paper hand towels though. http://tinyurl.com/q6wh4jz Memphis Pulled Pork Sandwich with fries and extra side of Mac n Cheese - This was good BBQ sandwich. It wasn't a great one though. I really didn't pick up any true smoky flavours. The bun was nice and soft. The pork was tender. They have a variety of sauces you can add to your sandwich. I could have went for a little more pulled pork and a little less cole slaw though. The fries were pretty good natural cut fries. But they could have certainly been a tad hotter and a tad more crisp. The Mac n Cheese was about as bland as mac n cheese can be. Plus, as an extra paid for side, it was a very small portion. http://tinyurl.com/qcy67dp Receipt (Lunch for 1): $14.97 http://tinyurl.com/plo955y Overall - I enjoyed my meal at Roadside BBQ. But, if the review was based on the food alone, it would have been a slightly round up 3 star review. The service was exceptional and accounts for the entirety of the 4th star and then some. They serve a good pulled pork sandwich but there is certainly room for improvement. The fries were good but the macaroni and cheese was only passable. If I am in the mood for some BBQ and a friendly smile, I would return to Roadside BBQ. But it isn't a place I would make a point to rush back to and I don't think they are going to be taking home too many blue ribbons from the country fair. read more

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This is my favorite BBQ spot in the bay! I'm so happy they're able to stay open right now (when most everything else is closed) and we were able to get delicious takeout today. I had the smoked chicken sandwich with tomatoes, grilled onions, and cilantro on a grilled, buttery bun. We opted to stock up on the good stuff, so we ordered a few of our other favs: the shiners (burnt ends), the ribs (both beef and pork), wings with their exceptional buffalo sauce, sauteed vegetables, and a few of those hearty and heavily loaded baked potatoes. I so appreciate the steps restaurants are taking to be extra safe and sanitary right now, and Roadside BBQ is no exception. Props to Randy, the owner, for a warm and humorous experience, and to the kind and hard-working chefs back there cooking up these good eats! read more

I don't know what happened as I usually get a decent meal, but not yesterday. My son was at the mall and called and asked if I wanted BBQ brought home since they were at lunch ready to leave. I ordered the combo brisket and ribs. The good: the brisket baked beans were excellent. The ribs OK, but when I requested extra sauces,they just smothered meats in tons of sauce, I expected on the side like you would get in the restaurant. The bad (really bad): the brisket was so dry, even with the extra sauce that I had to spit it out. The cole-slaw was literally shredded cabbage, no dressing of anytype what so ever. How do you serve someone plain shredded cabbage? read more

Got the Q for 2. Not a world beater but does the trick if you're craving BBQ. Brisket and ribs were the best of the meats I tried.

I'm honestly confused by all the good reviews of this BBQ. I came here years ago when it first opened, but thought to give it another chance after reading a number of very positive reviews suggesting that the BBQ was much better than what I'd experienced. Maybe they figured it out. Not so. I love BBQ. I cook it regularly and know how straightforward it is to produce BBQ that is tender and delicious. I don't know how anyone who likes to eat BBQ could serve some of the food on offer here at Roadside BBQ. I ordered my two favorite BBQ meats: brisket at beef ribs. The brisket is some of the leanest, least flavorful I've had. There is no smoke flavor (and no smoke ring) and it's cut almost as thin as deli meat to disguise its toughness and lack of moisture. It is smothered in BBQ sauce. I imagine that if you boiled a brisket for a few hours, cut it up and doused it in sauce, this is what you'd have. The beef ribs were worse. Beef ribs are some of the most succulent and decadent BBQ you can eat when cooked properly. These were so tough and chewy that one literally had to gnaw the meat off the bone to eat it. It tasted as if the ribs were separated before being cooked, then cooked at high heat until they were cooked through, like a steak. Beef ribs need to be cooked for at LEAST six hours (I smoke mine for nine) at which point they are amazing - like a braised short rib that easily comes off the bone and is full of smoke flavor and the fatty goodness of rendered gelatin. None of this was present here. Maybe other things are better - it's pretty hard to screw up pork ribs. But this is some of the worst BBQ I've eaten anywhere in the US. Making decent BBQ isn't hard - but you need to buy decent quality product and cook it properly. Not sure what the game is here, but I will not be back for strike three. read more

Best barbeque in Marin!!! Everything was delicious and hot when we picked it up. We had sliders with sides of mashed potatoes (smooth and creamy), brisket baked beans(wonderful), cole slaw and yummy mini corn muffins! You get a lot of food for two people when you get the slider plate! Definitely recommend! read more

I love barbecue. Barbecue is versatile, regional, and competitive; being known as the best barbecue place around is an impressive distinction. Now, I haven't sampled too much of what Marin County has to offer, but this place won me over with my first visit. This restaurant has big ol' portions - just what you'd expect from a BBQ place. The brisket was to die for; tender, juicy, and bearing a standalone flavor that propels it to greatness all on its own, but when complemented with BBQ sauce, elevates to a level of deliciousness that is beyond compare. Additionally, the mac 'n cheese comes in its own little pie tin. I found that super charming. I think I've found a great new dinner spot. I'm so excited to come back and try these guys again. read more

This place is sad and terrible. BBQ is mediocre and bland. I ordered the brisket sando and fries. The brisket was over cooked and tasteless. The fries were limp, damp and seemed like they had been sitting for a very long time. I'm not sure how this place is still here. Just another reason not to go to north gate mall... read more

Delicious restaurant located outside of the Northgate mall. I have been a faithful and returning customer since early 2012. I have had the shredded pork burger (charred buns) time and time again and it always delivers! My go-to side is garlic fries... can't stress this enough but their fries are by far the best I've ever had. I love how they have multiple sauces available at your table and ice cream when the spices get to hot. In search of some protein + taste? Come here and leave with a full belly and a big smile. Oh and they have free ice cream (with a food purchase of course), so have yourself a good ol' pour or maybe a root-bear float? read more

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The vibe was super chill and a great place to eat. The staff were real friendly. The ribs were the highlight of the meal. 4 stars because the garlic fries has way too much garlic. read more

Ordered the three combo togo. When I opened it up, all I could smell was the hint of bbq smoke! Yum! Brisket? Yes. Pulled Pork. Yes. Ribs? Nope. Not enough edible meat and a lot of bone. Brisket was soft. Pulled pork wasn't drowning in bbq sauce and still had flavor. Would come back if I was in the area but I'm not dreaming of the next time I'll be back here. read more

Honestly, is their meat really smoked? I live in the neighborhood and have never seen smoke rising or have ever received a hint in the air, unlike Pig n' Pickle bbq. Every time I've ordered the back ribs, they've been decent but unremarkable. No smoke ring but just a oven baked flavor. For $2.50 more per rack, Pig n' Pickle is far superior! read more

Saturday evening at 8:00 I needed to quickly to decide where to go to get dinner for 10 hungry people. Called Roadside bbq and ordered Q for 10 to pickup and bring home to feed the crowd. I arrived as they were cleaning up (closed at 9). With 4 meats all perfectly smoked, coleslaw, potato salad and their tasty little corn muffins, we had a delicious feast with exactly the right amount of food. No left overs to deal with and guilt-free takeout containers (compostable containers for the hot food and recyclable aluminum foil containers for the cold) meant no plastic to throw out. Great food, excellent service, and guilt free takeout. My favorite BBQ in Marin. And they're locally owned! We fed a group of 10 hungry adults for $150 plus tip. Most impressive! read more

Portions were generous...pity the portions were not delicious. I take that back, my vegetables were fabulous and there was such a huge amount of veggies, I couldn't finish it. I ate a few fries, but didn't like the texture. They were made fresh, but were fried in a way that made me think they par-fried the first time, then would fry again at a higher temp at a later time for orders. They failed on that. They were soggy and tepid at best. Chicken was moist and tender, but I wasn't a fan of the dry rub they used. It just wasn't the combination of spices I liked. I could barely finish the breast/wing I had been given. I left the drumstick behind. Brisket was dry and flavorless, even with the bbq sauce. It's a pity because the plate was looking so good and SMELLING so good. I was looking forward to their corn muffin and if I had known what they'd be like, I would've told them to hang on to it for the next person who likes packing peanuts texture in their mouth. I'm hoping I went on an off night, but I will say...watching people pass by the window in favor of Panera, while I was the lone diner for 30 minutes, should've been a dead giveaway. read more

I have eaten her many times for 7 years. The fried chicken I ordered was good as usual. The reason for only 2 stars is because the sides were terrible. The potato salad was very bitter with maybe too much vinegar and the mashed potatoes were so salty I had to throw them out, so very disappointing. I realize different people make the sides & I was told it is done in the a.m. If a strict recipe is followed I think that whoever is too heavy handed with salt & vinegar could use less. A customer can always add salt, or other spices like vinegar or mayo. I feel like its better to use less and let people taste the food, not just the spices. read more

This restaurant engages in unethical business practices. They add a "living wage" charge after you buy your meal. If I recall it was around 10%. Obviously, lying about the cost of your food is unethical. Increase your menu prices rather than surreptitiously adding fees so customers can actually have an honest transaction and know the real price. If this unethical charge is removed I will change this review from 1 star to 5. Until then I will not be supporting unethical businesses. read more

ac doesn't work, and is super hot right now for people to eat inside, food is good, service is good, it'll be great if you guys get the ac working again read more

I have been to Roadside a bunch of times and I'm finally writing a review. I ordered the Brisket sandwich with a side of cole slaw. The brisket was delicious and my cole slaw was yummy. The cole slaw has a lot of vinegar which gives it more of a different taste than what you typically would expect. I love when restaurants put a spin on a classic dish! Also, one of my favorite things for after my meal is to make a root beer float with the ice cream machine!! read more

Iam so disappointed with this place and will never eat here again. I ordered through GrubHub a $70.00 order. I got a salad with brown lettuce, and water down dressing, I asked for extra dressing and BBQ sauce and did not receive neither, one of the containers was spilling all over the bag, and the response was " oh Its leaking'" wtf!!. To top it off I did not get napkins,forks,spoons, nothing. NEVER AGAIN!! NEXT TIME I WILL GO TO TACO BELL!!! read more

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I've eaten here a few times in the past but this time it was a different experience. The quality of the food was not on point for starters I ordered a combo plate with ribs and the were burnt and covered with sauce. Several pieces were eatable but the outside was definitely crisp and charred. Second the corn muffin was dry and smaller than before, my overall experience left me very disappointed. read more

On our stop to find the best BBQ in the Bay. We ordered the following. Sides Brisket Baked Beans-not bad, needed more flavor and pieces of brisket. It was almost like they opened up a can of baked beans. Potato Salad-not bad, red potatoes, perfect mayo amount, a little more seasoning and it would have been great. Mac n cheese-not bad, a breaded crumb too would've took it over the top Spicy Brisket Greens-were okay. Not much brisket or spice My boy said the fries were good. Lol Meats Beef Ribs-my boy said they were just ok and wouldn't order again. Baby Back Ribs-very good, good smoke flavor, tender Brisket-good, we didn't know you could order the fatty part/end, but it was good. Chicken smoked-my boy said it was ok. Links-very good and spicy. Don't think they make there own in house but good. They ran out of the fried chicken so we couldn't try that. They did give you soft serger free so that's a bonus. Service was good too. Overall, the place was good and gets 4 stars. read more

Noticed Roadside BBQ has fried chicken, so I had to stop on by to try some. Unfortunately overcooked today. I'll stick with the ribs. Sweet potato fries were delish! Mr B loved his entire lunch from the pickles, brisket sandwich, baked beans, to the two bite corn muffin. Love the free soft serve ice cream to make root beer floats! Coming back soon!! Wanted to give a shout out to the young man that was cashiering, and cleaning, serving, etc. He is a hard worker, and was doing a great job. Raise time! read more

Roadside BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - San Rafael, California

Did somebody say free ice cream? That's probably the last thing you'll need here. Even if you skip the free vanilla soft-serve you'll emerge looking like you're in your third trimester. This food is filling. But is it good? It's good enough. Somebody ordered sweet potato fries and since they were the first thing brought to the table it was mandated that they be for the table. They were really good; it's no great compliment, but these were far better than those I'd had at "Me So Hungry" food truck last week. Next up was my entree: a smoked chicken sandwich with the "works" (tomato, avocado, cilantro, onions) and a side of braised spicy greens. The sandwich was sloppy and inelegant and neither delicious or lousy. It was just a very big, messy sandwich and sometimes that's good enough. The braised spicy greens I chose for an accompaniment were my single nod towards healthy eating during this meal. They were good and I should've ordered those and those alone. I finished with that free soft-serve. Stick a fork in me, I'm done. I hoped to give birth to a giant smoked chicken but that's not the way things worked out. Instead I'll just be carrying around this inner-tube of muffin top for a long while. Know that Roadside is located on the outside of Northgate Mall, by all the other food joints. It's not the best of the offerings nor is it the worst but it is no doubt the most filling of all and that's even when you count Chipotle in the mix. That's saying something, no? Cute casual BBQ joint with filling food. If it sounds like your thing it probably is. read more

Went there, took a seat while I was waiting for my group, spend about ten minutes, nobody bother to greet me or even pay any atention, when my group finally arrive, the place we wanted to seat was dirty, it was been like that since i walk in since the place was empty, nobody care, so we just left read more

Love is in the air.. no wait that's BBQ. Never mind.. When my fiancé and I walked into this restaurant, I was expecting ehhh another bbq fast food chain with mediocre bbq.. but boy did they surprise me and with their pork ribs! The pork ribs was really delicious and fell off the bone. And the Bbq sauce was perfect, I can't have spicy foods anymore so the Bbq sauce was not hot at all and not too sweet. I also had the brisket, it wasn't that good. It was dry so I drowned it in bbq sauce. I would just stick with the bbq ribs and the sausage. My fiancé loved the sausage! They come with two sides each so we both opted for the Cole slaw, baked beans, Mac and Cheese and mash potatoes w/ gravy. The mac n cheese wasn't that great, I think the Mac was over cooked. But the Cole Slaw was very tasty, the baked beans is tangy & sweet and the mash potatoes were very good. I like the little corn muffin they also give you, I just need honey whipped butter with it. Hint..hint.. they SHOULD have honey whipped butter with the muffin. Every time we walked in it was busy and the young guy at the register was very upbeat and courteous. And he also cleaned the tables and set up all the tables with condiments & silverware all with smile!!! He is a great employee! We have been back twice and he remembered us.. ! Good because I think we will become locals.. read more

Roadside BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - San Rafael, California

I spent $18.48 here and thought it would fill my belly. My food came and I knew I got ripped off. Barely any food. BEWARE the combos come with 4 oz food portions. It was also lacking lots of needed flavor. However I was given the opportunity to complain and and they gave me an extra side of 4 oz's of baked beans. Suggestion: stay away, go elsewhere especially if your a hungry. read more

Roadside BBQ - Spent $18.48 and got barely any food. Disappointing. - Barbeque Near Me - San Rafael, California

My significant other (aka: "She who must not be named") is very, very, very (yes, three very's) picky. After eating here she said, "That was good, I'd eat here again." This is akin to Martha Freaking Stewart saying, "Where can I get that recipe, bitch?" And I agree--I will come again, and I don't say that about a lot of restaurants, either. Pulled pork was delicious--sweet but tangy, and the roll was perfect--almost like a ciabatta, so it held together, yet was soft. Cole slaw seemed a little dry at first, but had a good flavor. Also had the Meaty Potato, which is like a sandwich in a baked potato! Mmm, again. Prices are reasonable--$8 for a big sandwich is good! Service was basic and fast. Place's decor is "modern roadside dive" in a clean modern way. I'm looking forward to trying the brisket, sweet potato fries, mac 'n cheese, and other home-cooking favorites. Try it--you'll like it. read more

my favorite spot weezy's was closed on monday, so my buddy jeff suggested roadside. We got there before the lunch rush about 11:45am, I was not even sure if they were open. We got the spicy cheese steak sandwich which took a while, but no big deal. Not much flavor to the sandwich, just hot, I added bbq sauce to round it out. I liked my Kale/chard side, I could have eaten a big bowl. It was a nice day and we decided to sit outside... but no sun as the patio is facing north. Honestly the place seemed like a big chain, not very cozy. Kind of like Downtown Disney. I like some of the spots in Oakland that feel more authentic. My favorite place in Marin for BBQ has got to be the Best Lil' Porkhouse in San Rafael. Its tricky to find, a real hole in the wall, with a line out the door. Try them both, you be the judge. read more

Roadside BBQ - roadside mascot - Barbeque Near Me - San Rafael, California

If I could give zero stars I would. We called today (Mothers Day) around noon to place an order because we were craving good BBQ and have never been here. Our convo is as follows with a phone host by the name of Martin: Him: hello Us: hi can I place an order for pick up Him: whats the order Us: ok...what's on the brisket sandwich? Him: its a sandwich Us: ok...but whats on it (my bf hates mustard and coleslaw) Him: I mean its a sandwich. Meat, bread, coleslaw and one side Us: ok can I get that with no slaw and a side of mashed potatoes and Mac and cheese Him: you only get one side Us: you're telling me I can pay extra for another side Him: yea you can do that. Us: can we speak to a manager cuz I don't appreciate the attitude Him: he's not in right now Us: well I don't appreciate your attitude Him. Sorry about that *click* HANGS UP! So I called back. Me: hi is Randy in? Him: nope Me: when will he be back? Him: idk he's a manager he's busy and all over the place Me: can I leave a message? Him: I guess but idk when he'll get it Me: so take a message and put it on his desk to call me back at his earliest convenience. Needless to say, we never even got to order because this host was such an ass. I will keep calling until I get put through to a manager in these hard times you should not be so rude to people who are literally trying to order and keep your place open. Unbelievable. read more