Barbeque Restaurants in Big Pine

“I’ll be honest, my family and I were nearing the end of a 6+ hour road trip to Yosemite for camping, and we were pretty hungry after having nothing but snacks up until then. We just happened to drive by this place around 9am on a Monday and saw smoke from the wood-fired barrel BBQ grills. Even with the car windows up, the smell of barbecue cut through the air, and all six of us perked up. I kid you not. The food smelled so good that I literally turned our SUV, which had an attached U-Haul trailer, around to check them out. Unfortunately, 9am meant they weren’t open yet. But we vowed to stop by on our way back from our camping trip, and that’s exactly what we did!

After several days in Yosemite, we found our way back to Copper Top BBQ and pulled up around 2pm that Friday with the trailer still in tow. We were able to grab a spot to park on a short dead-end street that ran alongside the restaurant. By this time, the place was jumping with activity. We hopped in line, which moved relatively quickly, placed our order, and then waited inside to pick up. It was a hot day, so we were hoping to get an inside seat, but none were available when we got our food. So we initially sat outside at one of the long bench tables. Fortunately, before everyone was seated, space inside opened up and we moved. It was slightly better because we were more shaded, but the A/C either wasn’t on or wasn’t working very well, so we were still sweating.

Nevertheless, the food was absolutely delicious! I had the Tri-Tip Burger, medium-rare with cheese. The rest of my family had Tri-Tip, Pulled Pork, and LB Special Sandwiches. The portions were big, but they all devoured their food. I, on the other hand, cut my burger in half to save the second half for later. I finally finished it after a few hours on the road, and it still tasted fantastic.

Overall, it’s a great spot and well worth the time and effort to get there. The staff was friendly, and the tables and counters were clean. The smell of barbecue adds to the atmosphere, making it feel like you’re visiting relatives for a cookout. I would highly recommend.“

“Yummy, fast, friendly! If you are in Big Pine, Ca, you should put Hugo’s on your list!“