Food was delicious. Highly recommend. We stopped by on a whim on Father's Day around 4:30. They were sold out of a few things but still had plenty to choose from. My boys had bacon burgers, and I ordered the chicken, pulled pork, and cheddar jalapeño sausages. It was all really good. The Mac N Cheese and Coleslaw were very tasty too. We were all very happy with our food. Picnic bench, patio seating only. My only complaint would be finding it was a little tricky. No signs out front on the building. But park at the ELKS Lodge and walk around back. Very friendly cashier. You won't regret it. read more

We were in town for my best friend's bday camping trip. After a hike, we were starving & didn't feel like eating the same food we ate the previous few days. I was able to find the Impossible burger (vegan!) here, & my friend had a bacon burger. They had vegeneise (typo? It's vegan mayonnaise) which was really good. Fries were great. Only outdoor seating was available unless you were part of the club. There is plenty of seating & we sat at a table by the roses. Thank you for saving us from eating the literal one thing we individually packed. read more

The Cookshak - Impossible burger with vegenaise - Barbeque Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Don't sleep on the Cookshak. Probably the best brisket I have ever had in my life. First off don't let google maps take you down the little side street to the side driveway, what you want to do is pull into this old Elks lodge building with the huge vacant looking lot that says for Elks only. You're fine, its also for patrons of the Cookshak. Next follow along around the side of the lodge into the backyard area and you'll come across a concrete patio w benches and tables. Order from the window and take your food to eat out on the back patio. The menu is different from what you can find on these Yelp menu photos so expect the prices to be a lot higher than two years ago, but prices are way higher everywhere from two years ago. I ordered a one item plate w two sides thinking I might not have ordered enough food but boy was I wrong. The sides portions are huge, the cornbread is huge, and the meat filled me up. The beans here are a spicy chili bean type that went great on top of the corn bread. The slaw was very good and the mac n cheese was reminiscent of kraft mac n cheese only w/ the addition of pepper and a sharper cheese flavor giving it a memorable taste. The potato salad was decent, potatoes prolly coulda been cooked a tiny bit longer but the rest of the salad tasted good. The star of the show was the brisket. You will get a slice or two near the end that might be cooked thru a little too much for my liking but the majority of what you get is melt in your mouth deliciousness. The honey mustard sauce they offer is perfect to dip the well done slices in but the juicy slices go great unassisted. I originally picked this spot because the other popular bbq spot nearby didn't open until 3 but I am glad I picked this spot because the food left me satisfied for the rest of the day and left me w a smile on my face afterwards. read more

Today was my second visit so I feel like my review should hold some weight, and I must say this place is AMAZING. I live in Hesperia and the hour drive is absolutely worth it. The ribs are fall off the bone with a good amount of meat to them, and the brisket is SO tender & flavorful. This visit I also tried the pulled pork tater tots, and they come with a more than generous serving of tots, meat & coleslaw for a really good price (unfortunately devoured these before I thought to get a photo) For sides we've tried baked beans, mac & cheese, Cole slaw, and potato salad. Oh, and their cornbread, which comes in pretty large pieces along with butter & honey. I have 0 complaints with any of the above. Service was quick, but I've heard the sell out (rightfully so), so I recommend getting there closer to when they open. Meats are served by the pound, or they offer a family combo as well. The two men working were both super chill & friendly as well, I genuinely have no complaints. My mom & I have tried quite a few BBQ spots, and I must say none really even compare to Cook Shak. Absolutely recommend!! read more

The Cookshak - Brisket & Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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Back for my bacon and cheese burger with these Mac and cheese and turkey po boy this stuff is addictive my new favorite spot when we are in big bear lake city right behind the elks club you won't regret the stop read more

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The Cookshak is by far the best BBQ! Garret (the owner) is a phenomenal person! We almost didn't go because we couldn't find it.. it is hidden behind Elks Lodge. PLEASE walk behind the building, otherwise you will miss the most flavorful, moist, tender BBQ ever!! I can't recommend this place enough! Garret, if you ever make it to Las Vegas.. LET ME KNOW! We need a place like yours! read more

The food here is amazing. Got the 2 meat plate brisket and ribs and they loaded me up. The brisket and ribs are 10/10 Definitely going here again. Very quick serve time as well. Friendly staff. read more

If you seen an empty non descriptive parking lot, you're in the right place. We only came here after the pie shop was sold out and Mr Pickles said to stop here before we left town. It was in the opposite direction but worth it. There's a big flag that says open, follow the path around back and you will see a little pick up window to the left and lots of tables with a little shade to the right. We ordered the 2 meat plate with ribs and smoked turkey. Best juiciest turkey I've ever had!!! Highlight was something we didn't even intend on ordering but they were pulling fresh smoked cheezits out of the smoker and omg hands down new favorite thing. We got one bag and now I wish we got two. Can't wait to come back for more read more

Great deal if you get the combo and split with a friend. Portions are generous and the meat is tender and tasty. After a day of snowboarding this was a good place to fill up. Parking was easy but no access to bathroom. read more

The Cookshak - Barbeque Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

We recently used this BBQ restaurant to cater our mother's 80th birthday celebration, and everything was absolutely amazing! We ordered ribs, pulled pork, smoked turkey, brisket, mac and cheese, potato salad, cornbread, baked beans, and coleslaw, and every single item was delicious. All our guests were so impressed. The meats were tender, flavorful, and perfectly smoked. The brisket practically melted in your mouth, the ribs were outstanding, and the smoked turkey was incredibly moist. The sides were just as impressive. The mac and cheese was creamy and comforting, the baked beans were packed with flavor, and the cornbread was a huge favorite. In addition to the fantastic food, Garrett was wonderful to work with. He was extremely responsive to all of our questions and communications, whether by email or text, which made the planning process easy and stress-free. We were feeding a large group, and everyone raved about the food. The catering helped make our mother's milestone birthday celebration truly special, and we couldn't have been happier. We highly recommend them for any catering event and will definitely be ordering from them again! read more

This location is located to the rear of a country club style business. The location only had outdoor seating and we did not know it was heavy on DoorDash only orders. I give them the benefit of the doubt because they are in the process of opening up their main location. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich. The flavor was good, not compared to some high end Texas bbq but it was good. The flavor was on point and consistent with what pulled pork sandwich should be. The customer service of the location was amazing. The worker checked on us to make sure everything was good and the food came out pretty quick. read more

Great BBQ! I got the smoked chicken with potato salad, baked beans, and cornbread. The chicken was smoky and moist, the potato salad had great flavor, and the beans were sweet but not too much. The cornbread was good, just a little drier than I prefer. I do wish they offered some veggie sides or a salad. The place isn't a sit-down restaurant--it's tucked behind one of the Big Bear Village entrances, and you order from a window. There are a few benches outside but no heaters, so takeout is probably best when it's cold. They're on DoorDash too. I heard their actual restaurant space isn't ready yet, so hopefully that's coming soon. Loved the food, even if the setup wasn't ideal. I'd definitely go back! read more

The food was amazing! The spot is tucked away in the back of the building, and when we first arrived it looked closed since it was empty. But once we walked up, we noticed a window where you place your order. We got the 2-combo meal with chicken and baby back ribs, and both were incredible. The meat was so tender it literally fell off the bone, and everything was packed with flavor. The sides, mac and cheese, potato salad, and coleslaw were all solid, with the mac and cheese and potato salad being my favorites. If you're visiting Big Bear, I definitely recommend stopping by for some BBQ. 4.5/5 read more

The Cookshak - 2-Combo Meal baby back ribs and chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

We stopped by for a few drinks at the Elks Lodge and saw the menu for the Cookshack BBQ. We got the 2 item combo - pork ribs and brisket with beens and coleslaw. All four were the best we have ever had. The meat was so tender and perfectly cooked and the home made baked beans and coleslaw were excellent. We will do this again! read more

The Cookshak - 2 item Combo - Barbeque Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

We came at 5:30 and sadly, the brisket and the pulled pork and the ribs were sold out. They did say that there were burgers available for those different meats, but I think we really want to try the different ones. Overall, the juiciness of the meat was pretty amazing with the kielbasa sausage and I would say the chicken and all the other meats were pretty tender. The place where it loses a star is because I would say very salty and the cornbread was a little bit too dry. One thing to know is that the area has no bathroom and it is all food to go. Service was five stars and they were friendly and apologetic about not having all the food available read more

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This place used to be good but the menu is much smaller as are the portions. Very expensive even for a tourist town. Younger guy gets snotty when you ask him what happened to certain items. The smoked food is great but very expensive. Used to have discounts but no longer. I hate this when a restaurant starts out great just to establish customers then changes. read more

Food was delicious! Had the brisket and chicken Brisket was better, of course. But chicken was good as well I don't typically like Mac and cheese. But this was pretty perfect. It was so soft, a tad bit sweet. I got a side of potato salad. Unfortunately I realized a little late that the mustard provided was to mix into the potato salad. Once I did that, it was literally the perfect meal read more

I got the brisket sandwich and it was pretty good. I wish there was a little bit more flavor, but it was still a good sandwich and I would probably order again. I didn't love the Mac and cheese, a little too watery. This is a great place though and more people should support it. It's tucked away and kind of hard to find unfortunately but is well worth the visit if you are in Big Bear!! read more

I wish I would have thought of taking pictures before we devoured it. This is the most delicious BBQ our family has had in a long time. Fish and chips with tater tots so yummy, crispy and flavorful! Everything was so well seasoned and flavorful. Shrimp PoBoy, soft bread, sauce so yummy, seasoned perfectly. The ribs fell off the bone, brisket was soft, sausage delicious. The baked beans, yup definitely delicious and I don't like bake beans but I would definitely eat those. The Mac n cheese, best Mac n cheese I've had in a while. The pulled pork load fries also delicious. The kids chicken strips and fries were also delicious my kiddo loved it. It was crispy, she's actually a little sad there isn't more to eat tonight. Service was fast and staff were super friendly. Online ordering easy and fast. If you are in Big Bear this is a must! We will definitely be ordering again! read more

The best brisket I've had in California, this place is outstanding. You would never expect a hole in the wall restaurant behind a hotel would put this quality of barbecue! Returning here every time I'm in big bear. read more

Our first time here, food is amazing. The ribs (falls off the bone), brisket (melts in your mouth), jalapeño cheese sausage (juicy af). Service was amazing, it is an outdoor patio dining only but that gives it that nice home bbq feel. read more

The Cookshak - Brisket, bbq ribs, jalapeño cheese sausage - Barbeque Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

We did pick-up catering through Cookshak this past weekend for our combined bachelor/bachelorette party for 18 people in Big Bear. We got the ribs, brisket, mac and cheese, potato salad, cornbread, refried beans, coleslaw, fried cod, and cesar salad. First off, the ordering process with Garrett was seamless and so wonderful. He was so nice and accommodating to our group and made sure the process was as easy as possible. Second, the food was incredible. It's truly an A+ BBQ spot in Big Bear. Everyone was complimenting the food all night and everyone got second and third portions. The portions were HUGE and we are still eating leftovers days later! It was also a very affordable meal for a large group. If you're in Big Bear, please support this business that has some very hardworking people who also make delicious food with great service! read more

Best BBQ we ever had! The staff were very nice and helpful. Nice quiet hidden gem away from the crowd.

It's okay! Cornbread is dry. Potato salad doesn't have much flavor. Ribs were good a bit salty but very very tender Service is nice!!! and there seems to be a ton of outdoor seating. read more

Wow, what a gem. Incredible food and hospitality. I got the pulled pork sandwich and it did NOT disappoint, the bbq sauce was also delicious. Can't wait to come back. read more

Overall incredible bbq and huge portions. The hospitality was also great and very welcoming. Will definitely be coming back any time I'm in big bear lake area. Highly recommended! read more

Delicious Barbecue! California Brisket Sandwich was amazing:) Look on the side with the string of lights for the entrance.

It was amazing BBQ. Must go if you are in Big Bear. Best Baked beans I have EVER had. You must order them. The only way you should not be ordering these beans is if you are allergic. read more

Mannn this was some of the best bbq I've ever had I'm up here for a spartan race this place was highly recommended. I know why now the vibes is great I forgot the bros name who helped me out today had some great recommendations. The Mac and cheeese was the best, the turkey was so good let's not forget about the brisket fire the best . If you live in the area or are in town and want some bomb bbq stop by. read more

The brisket was great, but whatever is sold as gumbo is not true gumbo. it's a lot of dry rice with chicken and sausage. There is no roux. In my lifetime, every bowl of gumbo I've had involved a roux. It was very disappointing considering this place calls itself Cajun. This shouldn't be sold as gumbo in Big Bear. At least it should be communicated that it is a rouxless recipe. For $18 an order, it was a big surprise. I ordered 3! read more

We ordered to go since we had a big party. The food was delicious, especially the brisket and bean. read more

The Cookshak - Barbeque Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

Normally, people say quality over quantity; the Cookshak does BOTH. I was quite amazed at the portion size of the meats; they were not stingy at all. Not only were the portions generous, but the quality was top-notch. The brisket was soft, seasoned generously, and TENDER. The chicken fell off the bone and had a slight charred flavor. The brisket sang a lullaby to my tongue. The mac and cheese was the best I've ever had, and the cornbread deserves its own rating. Impeccable. Outstanding. Flawless. Thank you guys for not only serving the best Texas BBQ but also making the holidays unforgettable for my family and I. read more

The Cookshak - Barbeque Near Me - Big Bear Lake, California

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Food was amazing! Kind of difficult to find but it's definitely a hidden gem. Loved how sauce was put on the side. Mac and cheese was chefs kiss!! Meats were tender and not too rich in flavor. Well balanced!! Not sure if the cold weather had anything to do with it but bbq in big bear just git different. Not much of a view but you're there to eat and enjoy the company. Will be back!! read more

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I really want to be nice about this review so let's start by saying they were friendly and even asked me to let them know how the food is. Let's just say I just ordered McDonald's as we could not eat the food here. Mac and cheese looked like they just poured velvet and mixed it with noodles. Baked beans were tangy and I could taste a lot of chili powder. Potatoe salad- did not seem to go with this meal; it wasn't the traditional kind it was made with red potatoes which still had skin on and onions. The meat; brisket is too salty but was moist, ribs bland with a brush of sauce on top and the smoked turkey was bland no flavor but a smokey flavor. Overall it was not good and we threw it away. Also the location is horrible and looks like an abandoned building as there were NO CARS in parking lot except for five cars. When we finally found the location with entrance on one side of the building there were no patrons. If ibsid not pay in line first I would have left. read more

Wow, some of the best food on the mountain! I ordered the smoked brisket po' boy, and it was SO good. Got the mac side as well. We also got the california brisket sandwitch which was also really good. Would highly recommend! read more

Food is amazing. Great slowcooked bbq brisket chicken ribs and fish and chips. Ambiance is very very casual (think outdoor cafeteria) but the food and friendly service would keep us coming back for sure! A little hard to find - back of the elk club patio w very little signage. read more

This was the best, most authentic bbq place I've ever been to! My party of 6 enjoyed every piece of food we were served and couldn't afford to leave anything left on our plates! It was that good! The brisket and pulled pork were especially remarkable and fell apart in your mouth! Seriously top notch bbq. We will be back!! read more

If you love restaurant quality bbq that also tastes like comforting homestyle cooking, this is the place to be. Though this place is take out only with no restrooms and a couple outdoor seating spots, the food speaks for itself. Highly recommend! read more

This is literally a shack nestled in the back of the Elks Lodge building. We lunched here on our way into Big Bear and shared the following: -pulled pork sandwich ($14.25): smoked pulled pork on a roll with BBQ sauce on the side + fries -3 piece fish & chips ($15.00): hand battered cod in tempura batter + fries The fish and chips were a 10 out of 10. The tempura batter was light and perfectly crisped around the meaty cod. The tartar sauce was nice and thick just like the one they use on the Fish Filet at McDonald's. This was unexpectedly good. While the sandwich was good, I found the pulled pork to be a little too dry. It needed a good dunk in BBQ sauce to help it along. It's all outdoor seating at Cookshak which I'm sure is really nice when the weather permits. It was rather cold when I dined here, however the guy at the window graciously offered us the option to dine indoors. I liked that the Cookshak is a little off the beaten path to avoid the throngs of tourists. Highly recommend checking out this cute little shack. read more

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Great smoked bbq meats at very reasonable price! Everyone there was very accommodating and friendly. The pulled pork sandwich was delicious, made how I like it, meat almost like burnt ends on the edge. BBQ beef even better. Little mishap with our order... stuff happens but they gave everyone in our party a free dessert! We Would definitely come again but unfortunately it was there last day for dining service. We didn't mind waiting as we had the only large table on small deck with a great view. read more

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