50 Best Barbeque Restaurants in San Diego

“I recently visited Xinjiang BBQ, and it was a fantastic experience! The restaurant has a warm and welcoming atmosphere, perfect for a casual night out with friends or family. The staff was friendly and attentive, offering great recommendations and ensuring we had everything we needed.

Food: The menu offers a wide selection of skewers, from classic lamb and chicken to more unique options like grilled prawns and vegetables. The skewers were all grilled to perfection—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with flavor. The highlight for me was the lamb skewers, which were seasoned just right and had that authentic smoky taste that’s hard to beat.

The restaurant also serves some great side dishes, like refreshing cucumber salad and crispy flatbread, which complemented the BBQ perfectly. Their homemade dipping sauces were excellent and added an extra layer of flavor to the skewers. If you’re a fan of spicy food, definitely“

“Carbon is easily one of the best restaurants in San Diego! My boyfriend and I had an amazing Valentine’s Day dinner there—great service, delicious drinks, and incredible food. I ordered the pistachio campanelle, which was an easy 11/10, and my boyfriend had the picanha steak—also 11/10! We shared a sangria, and to top it off, they surprised us with cannolis on the house. Our waitress, Michelle, was attentive and so much fun. Plus, if you’re sitting outside and get chilly, they even have blankets. We’re still talking about it. We’ll definitely be back with friends!“

“great food and BBQ sauce 🙂“

“Our boy is raving about u guys!“

“I picked up some ribs and a sandwich for dinner last night and the food was awesome as always. Portions were big enough that I had leftovers. Corbin O'Reilly and Vince always make me feel special!“

“Good food great customer service fast my go to for Kbbq“

“We had a great time here and, yes, partly because of the easy parking and relative absence of Convoy foodie hipsters but mostly because of the good space at the table, good service, and good food. Sauces could be a bit more varied but overall a super option.“

“There is a wait if you go inside the restaurant but it’s worth the wait! I ordered the Sampler plate the #1 it had a big portions of each item everything tasted delicious the cornbread was moist and the garlic bread was toasty. The fountain drinks they sell there taste really good 😌 I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes bqq 😋“

“Second time here and it's still amazing. They have great service and are very friendly. I love how they keep asking you if you want more. I think the prices are good for the quality of the food . I love their steaming egg pot it has great flavor. My favorite bbq place.❤️👍😊“

“For the price, wait time, service and meat quality during our first visit; Kanpai is our new spot for Japanese AYCE BBQ!

We were there right before opening on a Saturday so there's still spots for parking.
We did the BBQ. You can also have the option for Shabu experience. The assorted meats are to order. Service was quick, got our additional meats in 3-5 mins. There's 4 dipping items/sauce available.

We ordered the following:
Prime Cut Steak- the most tender meat that we ordered so we requested it twice. Recommended!

US Wagyu Brisket - it was tender also and only took couple of minutes grilling. I like the amount of fat in the meat. It was delicious. Recommended!

M8 Wagyu Steak - another meat that we're satisfied for its tenderness. Recommended!

We weren't a fan of the Wagyu cubes..I had it medium rare hoping to be more tender but it was chewy same as when I cooked it well done.

Also ordered chicken karaage; it was crispy and well seasoned Sriracha Mayo.

Sides, "free" assorted drinks(soda), soup were available in a corner that you can keep going back. All the sides that we tried were all good; seaweed salad/cucumber salad/edamame.

Definitely will come back if we're craving for Japanese Boq.
Our server asked if we need anything multiple times which is great. Great customer service!!!“

“One of the very best pulled pork BBQ sandwich plates I've had in years. Their vinegar coleslaw and scratch potato salad was so delicious we ordered extra portions. The Pig's Gig is located in the Liberty Mall, just a small cubical that's hopping. Just one fellow who is pleasant and rockin' it! Dining in requires a little hunting for seating, but once you pop the 'to-go' box it's so worth the search! Weekday there's plenty of parking, weekends gets a little hectic.“

“Delicious food and great atenttion“

“Yum! This spot in Convoy is a must go-to especially for a casual and/or group meal! The price here is right, food is delicious and abundant, free parking, huge menu, and the sweetest lady to help us through our meal today!

I love the assortment of banchan with each meal! The japchae and kimchi were so fresh and yummy.

We wanted to try items outside their usual bbq menu and I am so glad we did. From the jjajangmyeon noodles (my dad was eating this up - so good), to the braised beef rib soup (meat was following off the bone), to the dolsot bibimbap (generous portions) to even the steamed egg and cheese corn - everything was so good.

The service was great. Even though it was only one lady serving and hosting, food still came out quickly and she was so sweet showing us which sauces were for what dish.

Parking was a little hectic today for some reason but there are plenty of spots in the area. It was nice to see this place packed even on a Monday afternoon!“

“Best ribs, best brisket I ever had!! Worth the $$$$ very good experience , good customer service!! 🙌🏻✌🏻🍻🍻🏖️👙🐚🩱“

“Had my birthday there, and you can absolutely taste the good quality of the food there. Recommend their premium family combo, I’ll say it’s a good amount for 1-2 people. The regular beef tongue is also a great option. Really nice service, the only problem is it’s a little pricey, but fair enough for what you get.“

“Great to share in good company!“

“To go buffet review only: I’ve been here several times and swap between the 99 Ranch buffet. Ultimately, Woo quality, portion size is better than 99 even though it’s $2-3 more. Had the beef with broccoli, chicken with mixed veggies. Both very good and tender meat. Rice was good also. So, today not bad as it’s been less satisfying other visits.“

“It was my first time there food was amazing!“

“One of our family's favorite places to eat and celebrate! Food is fantastic. I recommend it to all my friends.“

“We have been in San Diego and have eaten several places. We came back here for our last meal before flying home. Must say I will consider booking another flight from the PNW just to have this food.“

“Absolutely the best BBQ food! Generous portions. Take-out was ready quickly. Amazing onion rings. 😋 The staff were great.“

“Absolutely the best BBQ food! Generous portions. Take-out was ready quickly. Amazing onion rings. 😋 The staff were great.“

“Great Friday night Live Music!! ❤️🎶“

“We ordered:

1: Prime New York Steak x2
2: Prime Cut Steak
3: Beef Skirt Steak
4: Sliced Beef Tongue x2 🤤🤤🤤 my favorite
6: Mini Sweet Pork Sausages
11: Spicy Beef Noodles
16: Sliced Beef Brisket
17: Black Pepper Rib Finger Meat
20: Miso Pork Belly
29: Sweet Potatoes
34: Cucumber Salad
37: Rice Paper

Diet coke, Peach & Lemon Soju, Lemon Black Tea

I HIGHLY recommend showing up 1 hour before they open on a Sunday! So much parking to choose from at that time and you're first in line. First on the waiting list and first to get a table.

All of the meats are QUALITY. They cook to perfection and have an amazing taste. Staff is also top tier. Super friendly and tentative!
This place is quaint with about 12 tables inside and 1 bathroom. If you don't show up before they open you'll probably wait two hours to eat because that's how long my group stayed to go through all of this amazing food.
We didn't have to get a new grill like other kbbq do, the heat was perfect the entire time. The picture of the line I posted is 30 minutes before opening (which is when their wait list opens). Id definitely wait because it's worth it. Or skip all of that and be first in line like we did, less stress.

I'll definitely be back again!
Thanks for making my birthday special and DELICIOUS 🫶🏽🤤🥩“

“Great lunch today. Tried a large sampling of the menu and all was great! The German chocolate cake was amazing!“

“not korean but i have a picky vietnamese mother in law! she’s the one who wanted to give this place a five star which is ultra rare given the years that i’ve known her.

we ordered the mul naengmyeon (cold noodles #69), haemul kalguksu (seafood combo noodles #68), ddukbokki (rice cakes #3), and the gaejang (spicy raw marinated crab #46).

the ddukbokki was alright, not too sweet which is a common problem i have with other places. the marinade for the gaejang was delicious. now the dishes that really blew us away for the five stars is the haemul kalguksu and the mul naengmyeong!

the broth is rich in flavor in their own respective ways. the kalguksu broth is warming and rich with flavor, there was a slight sweetness from the seafood in the broth. while the naengmyeon has a refreshing aspect to the broth, with a natural sweetness from the pears added masterfully to the dish.

overall highly recommend! i wish i added photos before i started to pigged out and it was gone before i remembered to take a photo 😅“

“First time going best bbq nacho good drinks over all good service!! I highly recommend this place to go eat“

“Restaurant is clean and well lit. It’s located in a very busy location.

There’s a kiosk to order as well as a cashier. They have daily specials listed in front which is perfect if you don’t know what to pick.

Parking can be busy during rush hours so plan accordingly!

Check photos for menu prices as of 6/4/25 - can be pricey but the amount you get is usually
Enough for 2 portions (at least for
Me)“

“Great friendly service… really enjoy the brisket sandwich and onion rings😋“

“Just had the Smoked Brisket Sandwich...bbq sauce....was AWESOME!!!“

“Amazing tender meat!! Recommended 10 out of 10“

“Classic and fantastic food with great prices. Remains the benchmark for authentic cuisine. Still enjoyable after all these years.
04.04.24 - again, it always seems to amaze me how all the dishes here taste just like homemade cooking.“

“Delicious 😋 my preferred place“

“Love love this place! Catfish is fire!!!“

“Absolutely the best BBQ food! Generous portions. Take-out was ready quickly. Amazing onion rings. 😋 The staff were great.“

“Our boy is raving about u guys!“

“TOO GOOD ! It's been way too long since we have eaten here...close to 21 months. Even though there are heaps of Asian eateries around Irvine where we moved to in Nov, 2022 no one serves authentic Chinese food like this place. Forget about the cheesy ambience inside an old movie theater that is mostly an Asian supermarket...it's all about the incredible food. WEEKEND GETAWAY ! My wife and I hit the road at 10.30am on Friday to kick off our fun packed weekend down in San Diego. We hit heavy traffic as expected but better earlier than later. FIRST STOP ! We arrived here for lunch around 12.30pm. While my wife parked our car I headed inside to the restaurant....to my surprise Joe the long time manager recognized me straight off and showed me to a vacant table in the corner. TOO EASY ! When Joe popped over to say hi I gave him our lunch order. We knew exactly what we wanted...1 x Kung Pao Shrimp and 1 x Honey Walnut Shrimp. Joe came back with a pot of Jasmine tea and 2 tall iced waters. IT WAS PACKED ! Before too long Joe brought out my wife's huge serve of Honey Walnut Shrimp. Within 2 or 3 minutes my delectable looking Kung Pao Shrimp hit the table. MOUTHSATIONAL ! Trust me no one serves authentic Chinese food as good as here. My Kung Pao Shrimp tasted amazing...no tails on the shrimp and it was kicked up just enough. My wife was in gourmet food heaven enjoying her Honey Walnut Shrimp but I did have to pinch a few of her juicy shrimp with walnuts. THE BEST ANYWHERE !“

“I absolutely adore this destination for leisure and pre-game festivities. The staff members are incredibly attentive and dedicated to their work. The cuisine offered here is truly top-notch, with Ivan, the pitmaster, skillfully crafting the most mouthwatering brisket. Sports enthusiasts will be delighted by the abundance of TV screens, while adults can indulge in a wide selection of games. Overall, it's an immensely enjoyable establishment that never fails to deliver a fantastic experience.“

“The food is a 10. Fresh, cooked to order and fast service ...“

“This is a “Great Spot For A Brat” when at Petco Park watching a San Diego Padres Game. They offer Sauerkraut or cooked Onions also on a tasty bun. Condiments such as 2 types of Mustard is available and Ketchup. Napkin dispenser is available. Service is good. They could be friendlier. I recommend the Bratwurst Sandwich, too bad you can’t get the fries at one time. They told me to go somewhere else for the fries. I ended up changing my mind like some people and didn’t get any ($7)“

“Koms Barbeque is good ?? ribs taste so good leaves that good good grill flavor in your mouth I get sauce on the side cause I love that grill flavor and the Owners Mrs Kim and Mr Wilbert is very friendly and her peach cobbler is EVERYTHING I recommend you give them a visit if you want some Real Barbecue thank you Kims Barbeque See you soon“

“Didn’t know this place existed until I stumbled into Sieu Sieu BBQ restaurant while visiting another store in the same plaza.No frills restaurant but authentic Cantonese BBQ! When they were chopping the roast pig in pieces, I can hear the crispy sound of the skin. 3 hours at dinner time, the roast pig skin is still crispy and the meat was perfectly seasoned (not too salty)!!!Also got a salted chicken. It was cooked just right, no blood still in the bone. Meat was juicy and tender. They also gave a big container of ginger onion condiment for dipping sauce. Yummy!Price is still a little cheaper than other nearby BBQ stores. Plenty of parking spaces.This is the place for roasted pork and BBQ items. We will be back for more!“

“don't miss the May Ride Road Glide burger before the month is over! a portion of the proceeds from this burger goes to the Armed Forces YMCA.“

“Located near the sdsu campus, this location is accessible to students and community members alike. The food was fresh and the katsu had a delectable crutch that left a good taste in my mouth. The cashier was a kind soul that made our L & L experience one that we’ll never forget.“

“Good quality of meet, good customer service,“

“Well prepared delicious food.“

“Went for lunch on Friday 12:30pm and waited 30min on their digital reservation system to be seated and was finally given a table only when we asked the hostess because there were no other people ahead of us and we were showing 0 min for the last 10min on the digital reservation system until your table is ready.
The sushi chef made up for the delay as he acknowledged us and was very kind to recognize we had waited more than we needed to. The lunch specials are delicious, flavorful spicy tuna and California rolls with fresh ingredients that you can tell were just brought in and prepared that morning. Texture melted in your mouth and again the sushi chef was very kind to rush our lunch orders because of the unnecessary wait to get a table. Sushi was 10/10!“

“Amazing , Authentic and Smoked to perfection. Must try his Original BBQ sauce.“

“My favorite restaurant of this cuisine -- the food is carefully prepared, and the flavors are well crafted and delicious!!“

“Bombtastic as usual! Been going for ever! Total San Diego staple!“