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The Barbecue Pit

3.8 (315 reviews)
ModerateBarbeque
Closed • 10:30 am - 8:00 pm

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THE BARBECUE PIT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - The Barbecue Pit

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Half pound sliced brisket with potato salad and Mac salad.
Gail E.

This place is a trip! Old school La Mesa for the win. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's obvious that the building is been around a long while, however you would never know by how well they maintain the place. The old school furniture feels so nostalgic[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. The order at the counter and get your food was a little different but works well and food was served fast. But let's face it! I'm not there because of the building our counter service. I came for the brisket! How good could it be anyway? Melt in your mouth good! It's officially reached the top 3 in San Diego for me! I'd go back again and again even without table service and no margaritas! This place would probably be on regular rotation for me if they had a full bar.

Half Chicken Plate
Julia G.

By chance ran into some friends I hadn't seen in a while and we decided to have BBQ for lunch. It was the first time for all of us to try this place. I got the brisket sandwich and navy bean soup. I thought the soup had a nice homemade flavor. The brisket was tasty and plentiful but there were a couple of drier pieces. I decided not to eat the hamburger bun bread because I prefer toasted bread. My friends got the half chicken daily special. They really enjoyed their meal with BBQ sauce reminded them of when they lived in Texas. One minute it was empty and then a long line formed the next minute. It's like everyone got the memo! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place was really tidy with simple style cafeteria decor.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Menu
Chuck H.

I'll go with a four star for now, I've only had a couple things, but so far so good! I've had the burnt ends sandwich and enjoyed it, and I enjoy the split pea soup (and they give you a healthy portion!), though just a tiny bit salty, but that's probably just me as I don't tend to add a lot of salt to stuff. Super friendly service as well!

Lunch
Bob J.

Went back today this place is great food is fantastic service is great, best barbecue place in San Diego, had the beef plate yummy!!! Beens and coleslaw are fantastic also.

Shirley F.

Great the eat hear on a cold rainy day. The food is hot and delicious.. self serve you walk up to the kitchen. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambience is barbecue western.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] You serve your own meal

D A.

Stopped in here a no frills BBQ joint that delivers decent BBQ at reasonable prices and that's hard to find these days! Definitely a better experience that what I had at National City location yrs ago . Tried all the sauces and all very distinct and tasty .

Front counter and menu
Gwyn C.

Such a charming place with solid cooking! Simple home style menu with quality food. Apparently it's been here for at least 50 years! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Stepping inside you're transplanted to early western days.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service with a smile from everyone even when extra busy. When you first see the sandwich you think oh...is that all! Then you dig in and boy do you fill up quickly. All three of us had the beef sandwich. The beef was incredibly tender, to perfection. If it's flavor you're looking they provide a side of BBQ sauce. They smartly offer it as a side so the beef isn't missed or overshadowed. I was lucky enough to hear about ordering crispy fries and am thrilled I did as they were amazing. Dare I say it was the best part of the meal for me? And you get a huge pile on a small plate. Dad had the macaroni salad and surprisingly would give it a 5 out of 5! So that's a huge compliment. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Perfect place to bring the family and they will serve a special thanksgiving meal.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Value Ham Sandwich Plate.

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3 months ago

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20 days ago

The food here is consistently good. The staff is very friendly. This is always our go to place for BBQ.

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1 month ago

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1 year ago

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2 months ago

Get the brisket! Get the brisket! Get the brisket! Did I mention I had the brisket? Tender, juicy, yummy.

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2 years ago

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7 months ago

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3 months ago

Great food and awesome service! I have been coming here for years and plan to continue enjoying their wonderful ribs my favorite!

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6 months ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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8 months ago

Classic BBQ. Wish the baked beans had more flavor and wish they'd have Mac & cheese as a side option. Ham and pork ribs are my favorite!

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9 months ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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11 months ago

Over priced in my opinion. The ham was dry. The brisket was pretty good. Sauce was very yummy

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2 years ago

They have great bbq. And they are always very nice. We have bought a lot of meat there.

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3 years ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

The food is amazing with a Texas Style influence. The Beef and Ham Sandwich's are our favorite, not to mention the brisket!

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1 year ago

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Grand Ole BBQ Flinn Springs

Grand Ole BBQ Flinn Springs

4.3
(1.3k reviews)
9.9 mi
•$$

Always the best spot for BBQ, it never disappoints. Tucked away in Flint Springs. A little out of…read morethe way but worth the drive. Today I had the Double Wide BBQ Burger It came with chopped brisket. This burger also comes with fries. Everything is freshly BBQ'd. Also had the George Strait Fried Pickles. (I ordered these just for the name)!!! Also very good. The house pickles are great and they're complimentary. The best Go-To place to visit

This is an extremely family friendly restaurant. Inside seating for those who don't have kids, but…read moreoutside is prime. I would say the kids are a bit younger, maybe 18 months to 3. There must have been at least a dozen kids or more. I told my 7 year old son not to bring balls but of course other kids did. If you park in the back there is no doubt your car will get hit. But it's softballs, not baseballs. Service is legit. Fast, friendly. They're like get in, order, get out. But we stayed for probably an hour and a half. The live music was great, not too loud. I am sad to confess the food here is not as legit as I figured based on being a San Diego local and a big DDD watcher. It probably depends on which day you come, but on Thursday, the brisket was so average. Del's in Del Cerro is better. Smoky and the Brisket is better. I had my brisket served with that nacho cheese and relish, not nearly as great as I thought it would be based on DDD. I also don't drink anymore, but if I were to have had 2-3 beers + this dinner + the enviornment I would have loved it. My son gave a huge thumbs up to his burger, daughter liked her food. If you want an experience, have time you need to kill and have kids, it's a solid spot, but in no way is this a destination if you live west of the 15. Stick to classic spots.

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Grand Ole BBQ Flinn Springs
Chili verde
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Coop's West Texas BBQ

Coop's West Texas BBQ

4.5
(2.5k reviews)
5.2 mi
•$$

Small chill spot, friendly faces (especially Mr. Coop!), and the food is delicious! Took the day…read moreoff for a lil family day. Heard about this place from Gareth Eats and Marvelous Muncher, they did not lead me astray! My wife and kid can be pretty picky. For the amount of food we ordered, we would usually have leftover, but we finished the whole thing! * 2 lbs of chicken - so juicy, great taste, especially with that BBQ sauce. My wife usually complains that BBQ is so salty, or too vinegary, not this time. She loved it! * Mac and cheese - Creamy! Cheesy! Good! * Coleslaw - fresh, I think there's a light vinaigrette. I usually like mayo on mine, but I can see how this pairs better with the rest of the food. * Potato Salad - solid, not too salty as well. Just right! * Beans and Rice - I think I should've gone large on this one. So good! * Peach Cobbler - legit. Warm. Peachy. Cobblery. * Sweet Potato Pie - I was surprised, because I usually am not a fan of sweet potato. Tasty, not too sweet! Mr. Coop checked in with us once in a while to make sure we're all good, stopped by and gave me a sample of the bacon. Sweet, real tasty! I'm excited to come back and try the ribs and brisket! Smelled so good coming in!

I finally tried coops barbecue. The brisket rained supreme…read more It is so unbelievably tender, and good. It literally melts in your mouth. I bought a a pound to share. I tried the pork ribs, but I do prefer Phil's pork ribs to these ribs and tender, but Phils falls off the bone. Still very good. Collard greens were delicious as were the rice and beans. Service is efficient and prompt.' Ambience is that of a smoked meat joint.

Photos
Sacred temple of fire and meat!
Sacred temple of fire and meat!
Coop making Pig candy
Coop making Pig candy
Coop's West Texas BBQ

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Pioneer BBQ

Pioneer BBQ

3.9
(726 reviews)
0.9 mi
•$$

I remember back in 2018 Chef Hanis Calvin founded The Pioneer.  I saw him hard at work in the…read morekitchen and the bbq was very good.  Sadly he left for other ventures.  I'm visiting for the last time as The Pioneer closed on July 8, 2025. Pioneer Bbq smokes their meats with white oak which gives their meats a smoky flavor without the bitter aftertaste. Pork baby back ribs were tender and had a smoky aroma and flavor from the white oak.  Dry rub gave the ribs a bit of sweetness from the brown sugar and some spice from the black pepper.  Very tasty. Prime beef brisket was tender and juicy.  Peppercorn based dry rub and the smoky flavor combined with the high quality beef into some delicious brisket. Staff was nice and efficient.  I'll miss this place Chef Hanis created.  I was told I could get the same Texas style bbq at a sister restaurant Del's Hideout which employs the same Executive Chef Tim Eylens.  It was back in 2011 I first sampled Chef Hanis food at Carnitas Snack Shack.  Best carnitas I ever had.  It's been since 2023 when I last saw Chef Hanis at the now closed Carbon Bbq.  I hope he is doing well. https://www.hungryones.com/2023/08/carbon-bbq/ To absent friends, lost loves, old gods, and the season of mists; and may each and every one of us always give the devil his due. Neil Gaiman

Enjoyed a good bbq me at pioneer. The meat was pretty tender and the corn was a nice side…read more Unfortunately looks like they've closed. Dels hideout, their sister restaurant is an another good bbq option.

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Pioneer BBQ
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Grand Ole Bbq Y Asado

Grand Ole Bbq Y Asado

4.3
(1.2k reviews)
8.6 mi
•$$

I had the house smoked pastrami sandwiches Rueben style. It was really good. There was so much…read morepastrami on the sandwich o cold only eat half. The pastrami was lean, a little Smokey, tender and just really tasty. It is only available Tuesday and Wednesday. Definitely worth checking it out. They have info and out door seating. This is a great spot for families with kids and large group. Parking is street parking in the neighborhood. But I always find parking.

I was craving BBQ. And I've been wanting to try this place for a long time. But, I definitely feel…read morethis place was overly hyped up by food influencers. I liked some of the meats here, but others meats just weren't for me. We got a little bit of certain cuts of meat.. St. Louis cut ribs, tri-tip- brisket, and chorizo link, jalapeños cheddar link and their central Texas hot link. Mac and cheese and potato salad and coleslaw. My husband and I really enjoyed the brisket the sausage links, the potato salad and coleslaw. The tri-tip unfortunately was kinda dry and the ribs were a little tough. And the Mac and cheese were super garlicky. This bbq place is ok, it's nice and big and has a nice relaxing atmosphere. But I would stick to the brisket and hot links and the sides.

Photos
March 2024 menu/prices
March 2024 menu/prices
Pulled Pork Sandwich w/Coleslaw $15.00 (06/11/26). @GrandOleBBQYAsado @ExploreNorthPark #SanDiego #BBQ #Bar #PulledPork #Sandwiches
Pulled Pork Sandwich w/Coleslaw $15.00 (06/11/26). @GrandOleBBQYAsado @ExploreNorthPark #SanDiego #BBQ #Bar #PulledPork #Sandwiches
Dole whip mimosa

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Cali BBQ

Cali BBQ

4.3
(3.5k reviews)
4.6 mi
•$$

Outstanding customer service today from our server Victoria and manager Jason. From beginning to…read moreend we were greeted fast and friendly. Checked up on, food out very fast. Decor was chill and noise volume was low-medium. Overall 10/10. Food favs of today: brisket(one of the best I have had from a restaurant) it was tender, packed full of flavor and had the perfect balance of meat, fat, and rub. Cole slaw was great and I'm not a fan of Cole slaw usually! Rack of Ribs were good! Macaroni salad, potato salad were flavored well! Caesar salad was fresh and dressing tasty. My friend liked the jalapeño cornbread but it was too spicy for me. It had great flavor it's just personally my stomach would reject that spice. Next time I'll try the wedding beans and other food items. Bartender was friendly so I might come back just to hit up the bar area as well! It's a far drive of 20 mins for each of us but it's well worth it.

I have been a VIP member for over 10 years and have celebrated Father's Day, birthdays, and many…read morespecial occasions here throughout that time. Recently, I brought my father and my boyfriend for his first visit, expecting the same quality experience I had enjoyed for years. Unfortunately, this visit was extremely disappointing. The menu has been significantly reduced, offering only a limited selection of options, while prices have increased substantially. I ordered the half chicken with brisket as my additional side for $38. When my meal arrived, I received only two pieces of chicken and a single piece of brisket. Upon cutting into the chicken, I noticed blood on the plate and the meat appeared pink. As I am currently pregnant, I did not feel comfortable eating it and asked our server if the chicken could be cooked longer. Instead, the manager came to the table holding my plate and explained that the chicken had been checked with a thermometer and was safe to eat. When I expressed my concerns regarding my pregnancy, he rolled his eyes and told me to choose something else rather than offering to cook the chicken further. I then asked if I could receive additional brisket since I was no longer comfortable eating the chicken. The manager responded, "That will cost more," and walked away. When my replacement arrived, I was served only two very small pieces of brisket and was charged extra for them. I am genuinely shocked by the lack of professionalism and customer service from the management team. Combined with the increased prices and noticeably smaller portions, the overall value simply is not there anymore. For longtime loyal customers, this experience was especially disappointing. After sharing my experience with family and friends, several decided not to visit, and unfortunately, I will not be returning either. The quality, portion sizes, and customer service no longer justify the cost. If you are looking for both quality and value, I would recommend considering other options.

Photos
Cali BBQ Sports Bat and seating
Cali BBQ Sports Bat and seating
Brisket Sandwich
Brisket Sandwich
Bay room for a party of 40

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Izzy's Cafe

Izzy's Cafe

4.3
(518 reviews)
3.5 mi
•$$

The place was packed when we stepped in a little before 1 on a Tuesday. A good sign. Didn't wait…read morelong for a cozy booth, maybe 10 minutes. There were several quirky cute diners in the area so it was tough to choose. Ultimately, Izzy's menu excited me more than the others. I love the barbecue brunch thing going on, too. Very unique and we totally would've tried some ribs had we not gone to Phil's for the first time the night before and had a ton of leftovers. We split a Country Benny and the Jalapeño scramble, which had their homemade pulled pork in it. Julie was an outstanding server. Super patient, attentive, and helpful. You can choose muffins or coffee cake (only $1 extra!) instead of toast, which I love by the way, but I really appreciated that she asked if I had tried the coffee cake because it's not what I thought it was. She explained it as more of a vanilla cupcake with nuts and white icing? Which is kinda random that they call it coffee cake, but it made us opt for the zucchini muffin which was definitely the right choice. Moist, warm, and delicious to nibble on while we waited for the rest of our meal. She also asked if we needed anything else, like salsa, when our entrees came. Which, I usually alwayyys have to request but she was 2 steps ahead of us. The Bloody Mary was tasty and just strong enough to start our afternoon. I'm a huge sucka for biscuits & gravy and theirs really hit the spot. The sausage patty was so good and definitely homemade. Perfectly poached eggs harmoniously smothered in yummy gravy and fluffy biscuits. Crispy hashbrowns, great country potatoes. The scramble was good, too. Pulled pork had a nice smoky flavor and I've never seen nor had it with eggs before which is awesome. The portions were just right. Not huge, but we got full and everything tasted great so what more can you ask for? The deep fried pie! Duh. Super bummed we didn't take a peach one home...

This is a great place to have breakfast or lunch. It's a quaint little restaurant with a down home…read morevibe. Lots of items to choose from. The staff are all very friendly. We had a table of 6 and our waitress was awesome. She remembered all our requests and happily split all our tickets. Because we were a party of 6 they automatically added the tip which made it very simple. I had the pico burger with onion rings. It was a lot of food and the onion rings were good. We didn't feel rushed and were able to sit & visit without feeling pressured to leave after we ate. They have a menu board that shows the daily specials. I'll be back.

Photos
Counter seats
Counter seats
1/3 baby rib + 2 eggs + roasted potatoes w bell peppers
1/3 baby rib + 2 eggs + roasted potatoes w bell peppers
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Valley Farm Market

Valley Farm Market

4.4
(385 reviews)
3.5 mi
•$$

A few weeks back I was hanging out with an old friend and as we started discussing lunch, poke came…read moreto mind. It sounded good but we also weren't really feeling like going "out" and something that could be delivered or that we could pick up seemed like the better play. All the typical poke places showed up when we searched but none of them really sold us. Well, good thing I remembered that Valley Farm's poke game is strong... really strong. Believe me, I know that those of you who don't know Valley Farm will likely say "really?" when I detail that this sleepy little Spring Valley market kicks out poke as good as anywhere else in SD, but it's true. It's a sleeper of a choice but the quality and price will make you a fan, trust me.

Valley Farms Market is one of San Diego's hidden gems. From the moment you walk in, you can feel…read morethe difference. The store is clean, beautifully organized, and filled with high-quality products you don't always find at larger chain grocery stores. What I love most is their fresh selection, especially the produce, specialty items, and unique gourmet finds. Everything looks vibrant and carefully displayed. You can tell they take pride in what they offer. They also have a full butcher shop with everything you could desire. The selection is impressive, and it's wonderful knowing you can get high-quality cuts prepared fresh right there in the store. It adds such a personalized, old-fashioned market feel that you just don't see everywhere anymore. Another favorite of mine is their fresh-pressed cold juice blends, which I absolutely love. They taste incredibly fresh, and you can truly tell the difference in quality. It's such a treat to grab one while shopping. The staff has always been friendly, helpful, and welcoming. It truly feels like a neighborhood market where customer service still matters. Whether I am picking up everyday essentials or something special for a gathering, I know I will find something wonderful here. If you appreciate quality, variety, and a pleasant shopping experience, Valley Farms Market is definitely worth a visit. I always leave happy!

Photos
So many options in the drinks aisle!
So many options in the drinks aisle!
Valley Farm Market
Valley Farm Market

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The Barbecue Pit - bbq - Updated July 2026

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