Best BBQ

I have been ordering from Santa Barbara. Best barbecue for at least 2 to 3 years. Love them. Cooking your own ribs is good. But when you don’t want the mess and you want the great flavor this is the place to order from.

Best BBQ is excellent in food quality, staff and environment! They have been on State St in Santa Barbara for ~2 years and never fail in excellent, affordable, food quality and top-notch service! I HIGHLY recommend and would give >5 stars if an option!

This place is really good! I have tried the tri-tip and the beef ribs. Their bbq sauce is really good. I like mixing the mild and hot together. The sides are good and the plates are a good deal. It's also awesome that it's right on State Street and an even better deal considering that.

I ordered beef ribs — they were juicy and delicious, with an excellent price-to-quality ratio. I placed and paid for the order yesterday and was disappointed when I arrived to find the place closed. However, after trying their meat the next day, I can say that this is a wonderful establishment and I would definitely recommend it. The price-to-quality ratio is excellent.

Wendy Morgan U Feel Alive Now

I have been ordering from Santa Barbara. Best barbecue for at least 2 to 3 years. Love them. Cooking your own ribs is good. But when you don’t want the mess and you want the great flavor this is the place to order from.

Rost Podg

I ordered beef ribs — they were juicy and delicious, with an excellent price-to-quality ratio. I placed and paid for the order yesterday and was disappointed when I arrived to find the place closed. However, after trying their meat the next day, I can say that this is a wonderful establishment and I would definitely recommend it. The price-to-quality ratio is excellent.

Glen Lewis

Best BBQ is excellent in food quality, staff and environment! They have been on State St in Santa Barbara for ~2 years and never fail in excellent, affordable, food quality and top-notch service! I HIGHLY recommend and would give >5 stars if an option!

Melody Westergren

I am levitating right now. The tri-tip dipped in the half and half BBQ sauce has cured my soul. Ribs and baked beans also were amazing. I would skip the Mac Salad and do something else though.

Alex Castanedo

Really enjoyed the food! Not a lot of bbq in SB and I’m a new fan of this place. The guy at the counter gave me great advice and I really enjoyed my order and the side dishes.

Y Kim

The tri tip sandwiches are very good. Sometimes restaurants will decrease the portion size for happy hour items- not here! Only thing I would recommend is for them to add salsa.

Good portions, flavor, bbq sauce, but falls short on tenderness.

Hunter Morton

Good portions, flavor, bbq sauce, but falls short on tenderness.

D D

This place is solid for those looking for good taste BBQ at a reasonable price. Downtown to go spot for wholesome meal with no wait times . Pay first sit and eat type of spot. I ordered the Beef Rib dinner for me and my date bit of us liked the food. Slaw was great. Recommend the baked beans over the chili beans sides . Could have gone without the potato salad. The ribs were smaller than usual beef ribs but the plate has 3 and they are meaty filled me up. It’s a smoky style BBQ and the mild sauce is great ! The hot sauce is hot! . Overall would go back and try other plates. 45$ filled two people up and this is downtown Santa Barbara we talking about .

The flavor was pretty good but the meat is not as tender as i wanted. Its tough enough that i did not clean up the ribs.

The place is still new so I will need to try again once they get in their groove if they last. But the biggest thing everyone in my group agreed on was everything tasted like premade or canned beans. The bbq sauce taste like store bought. The only thing they do is the actual cooking part. I love the concept of the place and something different. Time will tell and I will update after next time.

Steven Anderson

The place is still new so I will need to try again once they get in their groove if they last. But the biggest thing everyone in my group agreed on was everything tasted like premade or canned beans. The bbq sauce taste like store bought. The only thing they do is the actual cooking part. I love the concept of the place and something different. Time will tell and I will update after next time.

Does Santa Barbara have its own style of bbq like Carolina, Memphis or Texas? If so, that will make more sense of the disaster of an experience I just had. Disclaimer: this review does not cover the whole menu. Just my experience. Starting with the service, typical order at the register style and flip the tablet for the tip up front. Left 20% and now regret it. Ambient music is nice, mix of western and country twang. Ordered the beef rib dinner. Now, my expectation was juicy, savory, fall off the bone bbq smoke flavor. Was I wrong to expect that? Yes. Santa Barbara has created their own style. I was served fast, a tray with three large ribs that were looking delicious along with two small sides of potato and macaroni salads. You’re only allowed to choose two out of three side options, even though the menu has about 10. Seemed a bit small, but what the hey. They’re playing second fiddle to their three smoky friends. When I grabbed my plastic cutlery (yes, plastic) to remove the meat from the bone I was met with resistance. Being a young, strong fella I decided to give it more force because I was seated with a lady and didn’t reckon on her mistaking me for a velociraptor. Sadly, the plastic fork and knife were bending like a Christmas tree with a two-ton star atop its boughs. Had to go caveman and attack it with my chompers. With my heart sinking along with my experience and expectations, my incisors were no match for the beefy ribs and intact membrane. The meat had no hope of being separated from its superglued membrane, let along the bone. It was holding on like a German shepherd grips its favorite toy. In the end I was left with three sad, half-eaten ribs. I really wanted that meat, but sans real steel in my hands or Wolverine’s adamantium claws I was just left with sore teeth and a bad attitude. Someone should’ve warned me.

Food was honestly pretty mid. Got the tri-tip sandwich with chili beans. The meat was pretty tough and had zero flavor. Covering it in sauce was the only thing that saved it. The beer was decent size but 10 bones. Would not come back.

Benjamin Madison

Does Santa Barbara have its own style of bbq like Carolina, Memphis or Texas? If so, that will make more sense of the disaster of an experience I just had. Disclaimer: this review does not cover the whole menu. Just my experience. Starting with the service, typical order at the register style and flip the tablet for the tip up front. Left 20% and now regret it. Ambient music is nice, mix of western and country twang. Ordered the beef rib dinner. Now, my expectation was juicy, savory, fall off the bone bbq smoke flavor. Was I wrong to expect that? Yes. Santa Barbara has created their own style. I was served fast, a tray with three large ribs that were looking delicious along with two small sides of potato and macaroni salads. You’re only allowed to choose two out of three side options, even though the menu has about 10. Seemed a bit small, but what the hey. They’re playing second fiddle to their three smoky friends. When I grabbed my plastic cutlery (yes, plastic) to remove the meat from the bone I was met with resistance. Being a young, strong fella I decided to give it more force because I was seated with a lady and didn’t reckon on her mistaking me for a velociraptor. Sadly, the plastic fork and knife were bending like a Christmas tree with a two-ton star atop its boughs. Had to go caveman and attack it with my chompers. With my heart sinking along with my experience and expectations, my incisors were no match for the beefy ribs and intact membrane. The meat had no hope of being separated from its superglued membrane, let along the bone. It was holding on like a German shepherd grips its favorite toy. In the end I was left with three sad, half-eaten ribs. I really wanted that meat, but sans real steel in my hands or Wolverine’s adamantium claws I was just left with sore teeth and a bad attitude. Someone should’ve warned me.

Dope Doggo

Food was honestly pretty mid. Got the tri-tip sandwich with chili beans. The meat was pretty tough and had zero flavor. Covering it in sauce was the only thing that saved it. The beer was decent size but 10 bones. Would not come back.

They actually have pretty good chicken but the chicken doesn't have bbq sauce on it - it's a small cup on the side and when you ask for more - they'll charge ya They may want to reconsider this

CAMPERJD CAMPERDREBORN

They actually have pretty good chicken but the chicken doesn't have bbq sauce on it - it's a small cup on the side and when you ask for more - they'll charge ya They may want to reconsider this

Nick J.

I order the pork ribs and the tri tip sandwich. The the ribs were rubbery, dry and had no flavor. When I sampled and asked the host, he said “that’s normal, and that’s just how they are”. The tri tip sandwich was very bland, the meat was extremely dry and flavorless. I tried adding extra bbq sauce to save this but it failed. The bread, was very flakey and needed condiments to keep it fresh. The baked beans were the only part of the meal that I would consider somewhat edible. I I’ll not be coming back.

With a name like “Best BBQ,” I expected something great but what I got was anything but. I ordered the $30 five-meat plate, and honestly, it was a letdown from start to finish. The beef ribs and tri-tip were so tough they might as well have been jerky. The links tasted more like hot dogs than proper sausage. The chicken? Dry and bland. Everything on the plate was seriously lacking in seasoning. But the worst part, the thing that really pushed me over the edge was the pork ribs. I actually paid for three of those sad, flavorless ribs. The only decent parts of the meal were the rice and the BBQ sauce. That’s it. To make matters worse, my wife was told to “order ahead just in case they run out of items.” So I did. I placed our order two hours in advance. And still, when I showed up, I had to wait... just to be handed this disappointing meal? Definitely not what I expected, and not something I’d order again.

Oh lord!!!! I had high hopes but woooow!!! For starters the meats are seasonless...no salt either. I ordered tri-tip sandwiches and half tri and chicken bowl. The tri tip was chewy beyond measure...the chicken was dryyyyyyyyy....bruh I mean dryyyyy . Even after drowning both meats with bbq sauce they were tasteless. This joint is in the heart of state street a tourist destination. As a local im disappointed.

EDDIE BERRY

With a name like “Best BBQ,” I expected something great but what I got was anything but. I ordered the $30 five-meat plate, and honestly, it was a letdown from start to finish. The beef ribs and tri-tip were so tough they might as well have been jerky. The links tasted more like hot dogs than proper sausage. The chicken? Dry and bland. Everything on the plate was seriously lacking in seasoning. But the worst part, the thing that really pushed me over the edge was the pork ribs. I actually paid for three of those sad, flavorless ribs. The only decent parts of the meal were the rice and the BBQ sauce. That’s it. To make matters worse, my wife was told to “order ahead just in case they run out of items.” So I did. I placed our order two hours in advance. And still, when I showed up, I had to wait... just to be handed this disappointing meal? Definitely not what I expected, and not something I’d order again.

Isaac Afreacar

Oh lord!!!! I had high hopes but woooow!!! For starters the meats are seasonless...no salt either. I ordered tri-tip sandwiches and half tri and chicken bowl. The tri tip was chewy beyond measure...the chicken was dryyyyyyyyy....bruh I mean dryyyyy . Even after drowning both meats with bbq sauce they were tasteless. This joint is in the heart of state street a tourist destination. As a local im disappointed.

I ordered ribs from this place via DoorDash. They tasted like they had been pulled out of the trash. I was aghast at the dryness. And there was hardly any meat on these ribs. This place offers an unforgettably shitty quality.

I just ordered a Tri-tip bowl on Uber Eats & paid an extra $5 dollars for more Tri-tip, I received the food & noticed that they gave me more rice so the bowl appeared more full. Extremely disappointed, I’ve been coming here since they opened here in Santa Barbara & now it just seems like they are being stingy with their food. Won’t recommend to my peers anymore.

Denise Campos

I just ordered a Tri-tip bowl on Uber Eats & paid an extra $5 dollars for more Tri-tip, I received the food & noticed that they gave me more rice so the bowl appeared more full. Extremely disappointed, I’ve been coming here since they opened here in Santa Barbara & now it just seems like they are being stingy with their food. Won’t recommend to my peers anymore.