We've been driving through California and Nevada and this is one of the top places we've come across. Great brisket and ribs. Good choice of beer. And live music when we visited (T-Bone Mojo).

Great barbecue. High quality meat, lean ribs and terrific flavor. Craft beers for those so inclined. Strongly recommend Mission St to anyone looking for great barbecue in Santa Cruz

This was a great overall experience Every time! great customer service, Really friendly staff, Excellent excellent BBQ!!! Dunwell Prepared right there for you Hot and ready Even picked up curbside Never had a bad meal Yet!!!

I left this place happy and full!! Absolutely worth the money, finished every scrap of food they served us, I'm definitely coming back because even that scrimshaw hit the spot, wonderful service and chill lunch atmosphere! I can't wait to take my brother to eat here in the future! Thank you!!!

Ordered take away: the brisket was AMAZING, and ribs and ribs sandwich equally good. We order baked potatoes as side, those were ok but not as good as the meat is. Definitively worth it for the meat! Service was efficient, ambiance looked great inside and outside but we didn’t stay.

My must visit when in Santa Cruz! Everything on the menu was good, esp the pork ribs and tri tip. Sometimes there are live band performances which are great and entertaining!

I really enjoyed the Bbq here at mission street. I ordered the pork ribs, tri -tip and my wife had the tri tip sandwich. They let the meat be the star and didn’t try to make up for lack of flavor like most places do by dousing the bbq in sauce. As a matter of fact, I almost forgot to add bbq sauce because the seasoning/ smoke profile was pretty good on their meat already .This place will definitely be a stop for us again on our next visit to Santa Cruz.

I have to say, I have tried bbq spots all over the place in Northern Ca and this is by far the best BBQ spot IF you want true Texas style BBQ, THIS IS THE SPOT. As someone who geeks out on BBQ, this spot is amazing. Meat is cooked to perfection, fat is rendered properly on the brisket, and burnt ends are killer, bark on pulled pork is delicious yet the pork is not dry (and the hog wash they give for the pulled pork is also killer)! If you want true BBQ and not some chain restaurant BBQ, this is the spot. The Corn bread is bomb, the other sides are soso, but I don't really care, the meats are too good.

Always a great time coming here, best bbq in Santa Cruz! Haven't been here in 2 years and they still got it! The brisket and tri tip always tender had their cobbler this time and was just right. Cant wait to come back!

I have been going to Mission Street BBQ since it opened. I love that they have different ways to enjoy your bbq. They also have really good dessert and beer options. I highly recommend their bread pudding and berry cobbler. I will always come here when I am craving some good bbq.

great place with amazing food! there is a good variety of different meats and sides. there are plenty of beers in the menu - tap and bottles. the vibe in the location is great, and there are live gigs happening as well.

Fantastic Brisket Sandwich! I can't wait to try more of their food. This place is the real deal, they have 2 huge offset smokers in the back. I LOVE that the BBQ sauce is "help your self", I hate when places only give you 1 little cup. I want to try them all and this place lets you do that.

I’m from the Carolinas and I know good bbq. This place did not disappoint. I was convinced to try the rib sandwich and it was amazing. Loved both of the sauces that came with it. The vinegar base was by far my favorite.

We celebrated 3 Co workers birthdays together at Mission Street. Each member of our 9 party got their food order quickly and very well done. I had the pulled pork and the meat was high quality with amazing juicy flavor. I chose my two side, Mac n Cheese, cause why not! 2nd was Cole slaw. Both were very nice, good flavor, but a little skimpy on size. We loved the blues trio, and they kindly played Happy Birthday for us! The staff was amazingly accommodating, we needed forks and plates for cake and they provided them with a smile. Can't go wrong here, come on and get your barbecue on!

The. BOMB. Best BBQ spot I've been to along the California coast!! Everything about this place was peak satisfaction. The meat was positively delectable. We got the brisket and tri tip plate. Perfectly cooked and deliciously rubbed and smoked. The sides were most satisfactory and complementary. Even the garlic bread was delicious. They also offer a choice of beers on tap and live music on certain nights to make your night outing especially spectacular! Will definitely come back for more!

Great service. Great food. Plenty of parking. Had the two meat combo with ribs and tri tip. Both have a nice smoky flavor which is enhanced by their sweet and savory bbq sauce. There’s also a spicy bbq sauce if you like some kick. The husband had El Gaucho sandwich which had a generous portion of sliced brisket, provolone and chimichurri sauce. We both had mac & cheese. I also had the fresh crisp coleslaw which I enjoyed because it’s flavorful but not over the top with ingredients. The berry cobbler dessert with vanilla ice cream on top was a nice surprise. A little sweet, a little tart a lot of yummy. Would definitely do Mission Street BBQ again!

The breakfast tacos are fresh and fantastic. I ordered one of each, the pork, brisket and tri tip. Each taco has a fried egg and it's loaded up with plenty of meat.They use a small flour tortillas for their soft tacos, but the tortillas are really good. I also order salsa on the side which is has a little kick to it. And they always include an Andes mint! These tacos are worth the $5/each. I hope they offer BBQ chicken breakfast tacos in the future.

Good enough for me, and my family. First off, I am not a BBQ snob so if you are, maybe you will find something to complain about but our group thought the quality was very good. The place is a solid option. We all enjoyed what we ordered including the sides. Happy to have fountain drink refills. Outdoor seating was available. Busy for lunch but not crazy crowded. Plenty of parking. Would not hesitate to recommend or go again.

I’ve never eating inside. Always done pickup but it has a nice open floor plan and good outdoor seating. Food is always good

Had a nice dinner here and we ordered some BBQ ribs. The meat is a bit tough but the flavor is good. Their sides are not too bad. We had some BBQ chips, mac & cheese and potato salad. The cashier and staff are kind. And there is a band that played some songs during dinner. They are pretty engaging. So overall a fun experience.

This is a relaxed and comfortable BBQ joint. The staff is knowledgeable and answered whatever questions I had. I got the Gaucho Sandwich with a side of Mac n Cheese. The brisket was tender and flavorful.

Hands down. The best BBQ in Santa Cruz! Try to get the baked potato but they do sell out by 6/7pm usually

The barbecue was excellent! Extremely tender and flavorful meat, both the brisket and the tri-tip. I would recommend either. For the sides, the mac and cheese, garlic bread, and potato salad were all delicious. The cornbread was disappointing, I would recommend getting the garlic bread instead. I don't like beans in general, and these beans did not change my opinion.

If you like good ol fashion barbecue this place is for you! Offering single meat and combo plates so you don't have to choose - I recommend the combo tri-tip and brisket. Good selection of sides and beer on tap. Service is quick, and plenty of seating indoors and outside.

Omg that bbq was sooo good! I initially thought… what does cali know about bbq?!? As soon as you get out of the car you get smacked in the face with the bbq smoke. I ordered the gaucho sandwich with Mac and cheese. I had nothing to say because I was devouring that sandwich. I liked it so much I came twice for lunch. A must for the bbq foodies. The meat was so tender and flavorful that was heightened by the spicy bbq sauce. A must if you’re in town and love bbq!

This place is always packed. And now I know why. Incredible ribs, tri-tip, and brisket. They even let you try out the brew before ordering. 10/10 would BBQ again.

We love making this place our early dinner after a Wilder Ranch mountain bike excursion. Delicious food, great beer options, easy atmosphere, and great music.

Had lunch with friends en route to the beach. This is excellent barbecue and was a wonderful surprise to enjoy. I had a two meat and two side option, the pulled pork and tri tip, with mac & cheese and baked beans. All superb. This is a casual place with indoor and outdoor seating available. This is recommended highly if you enjoy bbq at all.

This is in my top 5 BBQ places I have been to! Their ribs are flavorful, moist, and fall off the bone! Their BBQ sauces are also delicious (my favorite being the spicy one). The mac n cheese was okay, but their side salad was fantastic! I got their bleu cheese dressing and it was really good. They also have a good beer selection.

Excellent barbecue. Had baby back ribs - some of best I've ever had, anywhere. Including famous Texas places and other Southern locals, and all over California. Great beer selection. Good live music, also.

The BBQ was first rate. I had the bridget and it was flavorful and fell apart.

Yummy 🤤 Ribs is so tender and juicy and tasty 😋full rack of ribs and 2 sides $57+ Uncle Sam. More than enough for the 3 of us and we still have 4 ribs to go lol

We loved the taste of their barbecue. We recommend the combo tri-tip and brisket. Service is fast and people we’re nice. Overall good place!

One of the best barbecue experiences I’ve ever had in California. The meat was tender but not fatty, the sauce was delicious, and the sides were well executed with some creative twists. Highly recommend!

Jessica Seto

Definitely stop by for the brisket and tri-tip. They were so tender and juicy. The chocolate pie was used with dark chocolate. This is an order at the counter restaurant where they bring you you're food and you need to bus your own tables.

T P

Was super hungry after a hike, I forgot to take a photo. However you can tell I loved it. I had the brisket, max n cheese, & potato salad. You can’t go wrong!

Chris Buron

Their breakfast Tacos are one of Santa Cruz’s greatest gems. I always get them to go and I highly recommend them. The staff is always super friendly, and the order comes through quick. I love this place.

renee

Stopped in on a Sunday evening after the VW Xmas lights parade downtown, and enjoyed the 2 meat combo w/brisket & ribs with Mac n cheese, coleslaw & cornbread….the brisket melted in my mouth and the ribs were oh so juicy. I washed it down with a WC IPA the young man recommended to me. My first time here and I will definitely come back! Sorry no pics, I like to enjoy my food in the moment😋 The live blues band was great too 🤎

BHF

Casual counter service restaurant. The large sandwiches have 9 oz. meat and are $20.50 but enough for 2 to share, with sides. The special smoke turkey sandwich was delicious, served on a soft focaccia like bread.

Joseph Geiger-Gaither

So fortunate to find this BBQ spot on a short stop in Santa Cruz. The brisket was tender and flavorful (with or without the sauce), and the ribs were smoked to perfection. The hogwash was interesting, more of a malt vinegar sub, probably better on fries than meat. Overall we'll definitely return next time we're in town.

Anne G

The food is super yummy. My kids loved it. It has lot of options on the menu. I loved all the food we tried. We ate twice there during the same weekend. The burnt ends and brisket are the best.

Veronica Zaleha

Great BBQ . Delicious salads. Cold beverages. They have a terrific blues band on Friday evenings! We appreciate their fundraising support of local schools!

Malka Nagel

I ordered via delivery service. BBQ makes for great in-home food. We ordered tri-tip, brisket, chicken and ribs. Very tasty.

John “Juanito Hayburg” Eyberg

My much better half & I had just spent the morning with our son/husband wife/two grandchildren at the Natural Bridge State Beach, and were in need of nutrition. After a wee amount of motoring, we were heading North on Mission Street (California route 1) when this fine eatery seemingly popped up. ¡Perfect timing! We parked in back in a crowded lot (which made me fearful that we’d have to queue for a long time), and entered through a side door. Surprisingly, it was sparsely attended; we were at the order desk buying a BBQ brisket, a BBQ chicken sandwich, clean/ freshwater to drink. The sandwiches were huge (the brisket was a bit fatty), and became another meal once back in our apartment. We both ordered the same side: coke slaw. I was a bit curious about how we’d be tracked down after placing our order; no names or identifying info was requested, but shortly after sitting down, the meals were delivered. Separate sauce was available, along with plastic ware & condiments. The bathrooms were very clean, as was everything else in this immaculately maintained eatery, and all are welcomed, including 4-legged household members. ¡Very impressive, indeed! Mission Street BBQ definitely has my coveted “IWheel of Approval!”

Martin Semlen

Okay! If you are visiting the Santa Cruz area, make sure you you stop and dine at Mission BBQ. Just happened on this humble looking establishment while looking for a place to have dinner after a long afternoon of hiking, and wow, really glad we decided to stop here. Really didn't expect much, as Santa Cruz isn't really known for its barbeque, but if you want a tender, flavorful brisket, this is the spot. We also had the link sandwich was a little bit spicy, but with very good flavor. I highly recommend this family friendly restaurant, with the subtle blues music playing in the background (wish we had come on a Thursday or Friday to hear live music), and the friendly staff, including Michael, the manager on shift this afternoon.

Ian

Really good, BBQ! I had a pulled pork sandwich, and I really enjoyed it. You can tell this place is all about the meat. I like that they don't put BBQ on the sandwich and allow you to control that. Bad BBQ usually tries to overcomponsate by drowning the meat in BBQ sauce. The bread they use for the sandwiches is also very good, holds up well, and has a great taste. They ribs were also very good, and my wife really enjoyed the tri tip sandwich. Would love to go back and try more.

Kevin Leverenz

Absolutely love this place. You can already tell the food was gonna be good as soon as you walked in! Tri tip is a most and the pork ribs are absolutely delicious. I really appreciate a good BBQ place.

corplawman

We were greeted in a friendly manner and they were happy to answer my questions about the menu. We ordered a sampler with ribs, brisket, and pulled pork along with an order of tri tip. The pulled pork was as expected, the ribs and brisket were both above average but the tri tip may be some of the best I’ve had. All of the meats were moist and full flavor. For sides we had beans, coleslaw and Mac n cheese. All were pretty good but nothing stood out. The bbq sauces were both very good. But the spicy really hit home for me. Cherry pie with Ice cream was also a solid way to close it out.

Had the brisket sandwich this time. I'm usually a ribs guy, but I wanted something a little quicker. When I get ribs, it's an event not just lunch. The brisket was delicious although way too fatty. I…

Looked up bbq and this popped up busy street so kind of hard to get in. Very busy place the ambiance is family friendly. Live music in the floor they play The Blues. The mac n cheese was delicious an…

Looked up bbq and this popped up busy street so kind of hard to get in. Very busy place the ambiance is family friendly. Live music in the floor they play The Blues. The mac n cheese was deliciou…

Looked up bbq and this popped up busy street so kind of hard to get in. Very busy place the ambiance is family friendly. Live music in the floor they play The Blues. The mac n cheese was delicious …

Looked up bbq and this popped up busy street so kind of hard to get in. Very busy place the ambiance is family friendly. live music in the floor they play The Blues. The mac n cheese was delici…

Looked up bbq and this popped up busy street so kind of hard to get in. Very busy place the ambiance is family friendly. live music in the floor they play The Blues. The mac n cheese was delicious …

We had a wonderful experience using this catering service during our stay in Capitola. Working with Stormy Wethern was a pleasure -- she was friendly, professional, and very easy to communicate wit…

Their breakfast Tacos are one of Santa Cruz's greatest gems. I always get them to go and I highly recommend them. \nThe staff is always super friendly, the smoker smells great, and the order comes …

One of the best bbq and dining restaurants when in Santa Cruz!! It's a lot of good food for the price and generally they have live music on-going. this last time went in the Dec weekend with the …

One of the best bbq and dining restaurants when in Santa Cruz!! It's a lot of good food for the price and generally they have live music on-going. this last time went in the Dec weekend with the ki…

One of the best bbq and dining restaurants when in Santa Cruz!! It's a lot of good food for the price and generally they have live music on-going. this last time went in the Dec weekend with the ki…

Arrived around 1pm. Food, service, ambience, parking, friendly, fast service, - - - all terrific! Can I say more?

Arrived around 1pm. Food, service, ambience, parking, friendly, fast service, - - - all terrific! Can I say more?

Arrived around 1pm. Food, service, ambience, parking, friendly, fast service, - - - all terrific! Can I say more?

This place has good parking in a good location.\nThey serve breakfast tacos beginning at 7:30am.\nThe service is always friendly and quick.\nYou smell the smokers the minute you get out of the car.…

It took us an hour drive to get to this place from San Jose, but I hotga say it was worth the drive. The food was good! And the live music was even better. The place was very mellow vibe and chill.…

First time here and it did not disappoint. Ordered the rib meal and the brisket meal. We both had potato salad, beans and garlic bread. You order at the counter and give your phone number. They c…

My wife and I stopped inhere the other day for lunch. We had tri-tip and brisket. For side we had potato salad, beans, and Mac n cheese. And the meals came with bread as well. The brisket was a 7 out of 10, the Tri-tip was 8 out of 10. The potato salade was way to pickle heavy for me, but might suit other folks very well. The beans were good but needed just a little something more. I would say the Mac was 6 out of 10. The bread was good. The staff were friendly and helpful. Service was quick. I would eat here again, but I wouldn't make a special trip for it

Come here often because the MEAT is so good! Tri-Tip is my favorite, pulled pork and ribs also highlights. Wish I could say the same for the sides; Mac n cheese & beans are just alright. Corn bread is great as well.

We got the burnt ends, hot link and pulled pork with mac n cheese, cornbread, beans and fries for sides. Nothing was bad but everything was drowning in sauce and the sides needed more seasoning. It took a long time to order at the counter but the food came out fairly quickly. Plenty of parking. Just remember to enter at the front as it's a one way parking lot

Convenient location on the way to the coast. Order at the counter and fast delivery to your table, either indoors or outdoors. Nonstop blues music from speakers. Advertise nightly live blues music, but was there at lunch.

Friendly cashier, and bartender. Good location. Accesible parking lot. The meat is delicious. Casual ambience. Clean bathrooms, although wasn't clear which one was for females and which one was for males "cause both of them just have a bathrooms sign.

Very good bbq. Slow-cooked, with just the right amount of smoke. I would expect this kind of place outside Atlanta, not in Santa Cruz! The live jazz is not bad. And the craft beer is extensive and delicious. Nailed it.

Orders combo 4 meats, got plenty of foods n sauce is delicous - the ribs meat not smoked long enough still have a meat attach to the bone.

+1

The food was excellent and we got plenty of it. We brought home a to-go box with the leftovers. We got a salad with tri-tip to share and a dinner plate of brisket and sides. Everything was tasty. The only slight negative was that the volume of the live music was way too loud, stifling our conversation. The music was good, but we would have enjoyed it better if we could have talked with each other while listening. Overall, we were very happy and would recommend this.

Came in from Texas today and had an opportunity to visit this establishment. I was very pleased. I had the loaded potato, my nephew and brother (locals) had a sandwhich and the burnt ends. Your burnt ends were fricken amazing! I could have polished off the entire platter. Everything was great. Maybe add a double meat option to the loaded potato for us bigger folks. Great place place.

Very good brisket sandwich lots of meat. Put the pickled veggies on it makes it even better. It was a good stop for a hangry people.

Good BBQ spot, the flavor was lacking a little something, but overall a great experience, great customer service, food was just good.

+4

Staff were very friendly and they had a very large beer selection. The ribs were very flavorful but you didn't get too much meat on them. The brisket had a great texture but not as much flavor as I would have liked and they did not have a sweet barbecue sauce available.

Really good pulled pork. The burnt ends were a little sweet, and the beans were a little under flavored. Portion size was reasonable for the price, would come again.

Had bbq from here twice and what I like the most are the garlic bread and sides. Garlic bread is amazing. Mac and cheese taste like real cheese. Baked beans are spicy and not too sweet. Potato salad have a nice flavor. The bbq is a little too smokey for my preference. Had tri tip, ribs, and chicken. All meats are cooked nicely but sides and bread were the most memorable for me.

The brisket and tri tip were very tasty, as were the chicken and ribs. The sides were just okay, the beans were cold but the potato salad was very good. The entertainment really made the experience, hearing live blues made everything that much better. A good selection on tap though I wish they had more cider! A small and intimate seating area inside, it became a popular spot very quickly in the evening.

I had high hopes for the ribs but they were just okay. The beans are delicious the Cole slaw is very dry and the mac and cheese has no flavor. Great gal at the counter

Food was just okay. A great spot for a casual quick bite. The potato salad is smokey, tastes like there's BBQ sauce in it, which I thought was interesting and good. The pork ribs were a little on the small side, pretty standard flavor along with the corn bread. We also got the gaucho sandwich with the in house chimichurri sauce which is extremely oregano heavy, perhaps a tad too much oregano but that's just me 😬. Other than that everything was great, customer service was awesome.

Decent barbeque place, nothing impressive in terms of interior decorations/vibe. The rib sandwich was very delicious but the brisket was a little dry, hence the 4-star rating.

This place is amazing if you are craving some great smoky barbecue. The meat is tender and juicy. The Mac and cheese was really good too. They had this blues band playing and they sounded incredible. Such a cool vibe.

U2uben

I ordered the 2 meat meal of ribs and brisket. I got there 30 minutes before closing so my fault the ribs had dried up. The brisket was also on the drier side. The reg bbq sauce made it good. Serving size was good and I loved the mac and cheese. I mixed up all the coleslaw dish and it was fine. How about serve one slice of garlic bread and one corn bread for both? The band was fun and just playing their last song. The sweeping and chair slapping cleaning up process was loud and annoying. It could’ve waited till after closing or done more quietly. The soda machine was turned off for refills. Your late dinner time customers deserve no less of a dine in experience than a lunch or early dinner customer. Not sure about trying again…

Melonie Noel

Whats there to complain about? Being from a family of bakers, cooks & a spouse that bbq’s and smokes. Flavor and tenderness was tasty. 😁 $50 for meat tray of 3 and a drink plus tip. Fed me & my husband to the gills.

Mission St. BBQ is a good BBQ place.\nThey have lots of combinations to choose from, with good meats smoked in their own smoker that's right outside the restaurant! \nEnjoy Brisket, Pulled Pork, Chic…

Mission St. bbq is a good bbq place.\nThey have lots of combinations to choose from, with good meats smoked in their own smoker that's right outside the restaurant! \nEnjoy Brisket, Pulled Pork, …

I'm a resident of Santa Cruz. I quit going to Mission Street barbecue somewhere while ago due to small portions and prices. Last night I decided to give them a try again. I had a friend with me. An…

Because I've been never so disappointed, I had to reinstall yelp to leave this review. TLDR, unless you like cold BBQ, save your money and don't come here.\n\nThe ambiance was great, the staff were…

Outdoor seating , good parking , cordial staff. Fast service and great delicious portions.\n\nWill come back

No doubt the meats are tasty. You cannot beat smoked food. The ambience was fair. Our group ate outside. One of the tables had crumbs. I had the BBQ Brisket meal. The meat slices were rather thin …

No doubt the meats are tasty. You cannot beat smoked food. The ambience was fair. Our group ate outside. One of the tables had crumbs. I had the BBQ Brisket meal. The meat slices were rather thi…

No doubt the meats are tasty. You cannot beat smoked food. The ambience was fair. Our group ate outside. One of the tables had crumbs. I had the bbq Brisket meal. The meat slices were rather…

No doubt the meats are tasty. You cannot beat smoked food. The ambience was fair. Our group ate outside. One of the tables had crumbs. I had the bbq Brisket meal. The meat slices were rather thi…

This was our first time here for dinner. The place has many tables inside and outside for dine in and clean also they provide take out orders. We ordered the Brisket meal with 2 sides and the Half ra…

This was our first time here for dinner. The place has many tables inside and outside for dine in and clean also they provide take out orders. We ordered the Brisket meal with 2 sides and the Half …

First things first. This BBQ is awesome, maybe even better (Ribs). Having said that, there is room for improvement. I do think this establishment could be something special but the sides need impr…

First things first. This bbq is awesome, maybe even better (ribs). Having said that, there is room for improvement. I do think this establishment could be something special but the sides need …

First things first. This bbq is awesome, maybe even better (Ribs). Having said that, there is room for improvement. I do think this establishment could be something special but the sides need im…

Great food and atmosphere, felt like a local hang out. There was a band playing and it was all very chilled out. The food was smashing, but a little overpriced on the portion size.

Great food and atmosphere, felt like a local hang out. There was a band playing and it was all very chilled out. The food was smashing, but a little overpriced on the portion size.

Good: 1. The place looks great and the BBQ area so clean. 2. Live music everyday is great 3. Plenty of Beer on tap! 4. The staff were kind, helpful, and provided a great service Bad: 1. Food was disappointing small portions and high price 2. Music was too loud for us and makes it hard to have a conversation We got BBQ chicken sandwiches and a beef brisket. Beef brisket was 13$. I got coleslaw and beans as my side. Beans were good but the coleslaw was watery and flavorless. I make better coleslaw at home.... As for the brisket taste was good but the plate was unappetizing. See for yourself. Overall: I can't see myself returning here. But maybe you will have a better experience.

Fine. Easy and fast.. pulled pork was good. Mac & cheese was not particularly flavorful.

A decent barbeque place. They offer the same food as most of these other dine in barbeque places nowadays. A bit pricey, but not awful by any means. They just don't do much to distinguish themselves from other places. Also, really wish they had sugar free barbeque sauce.

It was fine, but disappointing. Though we arrived before 6pm, they were already out of tri tip, brisket, and burnt ends, plus two of the three sides we wanted - baked potatoes and corn bread. Frustratingly, there was no indication on the menu above the register that things had run out, so after waiting in a long line having decided what we wanted, it came to our turn and we suddenly had to re-decide our whole order. The pulled pork was good and the pork ribs were excellent, but the macaroni & cheese was cold and congealed. The bread was yummy - we cut it up and used it as croutons on our salad.

Stopped here for a sandwich after a hike. Got myself a chicken sandwich and soda. Food was okey. We also took barbq ribs and it didn't feel fresh and great either. We preferred sitting outside as it was sunny and comfortable.

+1

I usually don't like giving unfavorable reviews but this was one of the most disappointing BBQ places I've been, especially one so highly reviewed. We ordered the three meat combo with pork ribs, tri-tip and chicken. The pork ribs were quite chewy, chicken was dry and tri-tip was okay. Their sauce was great but there was barely any on the meat and if you want more they count it as one of your "sides". Overall a bit pricey for the amount of food given, $35 for the tray. The sides were just decent as well, nothing spectacular. Don't think I would come back...

Very good looking restaurant it is very clean along with having employees with amazing attitude and very welcoming. I came in around 5:00 p.m. and there wasn't anyone customer-wise there but the smell of the smoker had me interested in what I wanted to order, after speaking with the gentleman at the counter who was very helpful and provided different options I ended up settling for the burnt ends meal with potato salad and macaroni and cheese. The good The employees and customer service The not so bad The burnt ends were well...burnt but tasty, the portion size was ok but could have been better. The UGLY The side items are horrible with an capital H, bland flavorless mac and cheese that by far is the worst i hae ever tasted. You can get better mac and cheese from a grocery store deli. I can't tell you what queso Blanco or mystery cheese that was used but a big miss and at best is a 1/5 Potato salad is what they call it, as for me it's the progresso soup of potato salad, flavor void and an disappointment for your pallet. Pro tip Just serve meat and bread, and 86 the thin lifeless cornbread that failed the skillet cornbread academy for cooks that can't cook. If these side items are a family recipe, please tell me the family name so I can never be invited to the cookout. 3/5 and a waste of money

+6

We love BBQ and our standard is Armadillo W's in the Bay Area. All other BBQ will be measured against them. This place doesn't quite stack up. The cornbread is too dry and bland. The burnt ends have a nice texture but are a bit dry and swimming in sugar. Brisket is OK but could be juicier . Overall an OK experience, not amazing. Maybe I caught it on a down day. Was really hoping it would be amazing. Perhaps next time? My son definitely loved the mac n cheese, so that's a go to if we're there again. This little blues trio was fire (named in the pic), so that made waiting for my food very enjoyable.

Nice bbq restaurant. This one is famous at Santa Cruz. It has indoor and outdoor seats. It also has stage for music. Looks like sometimes there is live music. We order haf rack of rib and lil meals with trip tip. Both are yummy. The rib is tender and very well cooked. The flavor is very good. For me, the rib is a bit sweet, but add the bbq sauce will compliment it. The tritip is tender, and mass potatoes are yummy. Overall, it was a good dinner on the beach while watching sunset at Santa Cruz. It was a nice evening experience. Next time, we will do dine in and try the beer.

+3

Clint Chapel

The person that took my order was very nice and polite. I sat down and another person brought out my food. I ordered brisket, they brought me tri tip. They quickly corrected it. The brisket was very dry. The beans and coleslaw were good, and the spicy sauce is actually very spicy. The pickleg onions were very good.

Corn bread was great , the Mac and cheese was good but small portion, the beans weren't the type of sweet bbq beans they're more of a chili type with very very little meat in them. The burn…

Corn bread was great , the Mac and cheese was good but small portion, the beans weren't the type of sweet bbq beans they're more of a chili type with very very little meat in them. The burnt ends I…

Stopped in here on a weeknight for takeout. Good amount of seating inside and outside if staying. Order up at the counter, short wait for food. I got the brisket sandwich which comes with a side.…

Stopped in here on a weeknight for takeout. Good amount of seating inside and outside if staying. Order up at the counter, short wait for food. I got the brisket sandwich which comes with a side.…

Listen, I don’t like to give negative reviews but honestly, this should be illegal. I’ll start by saying I’m from the south and if you sold this in the south you would get shut down in a week. The brisket was good & tender. But that was the only good thing about this meal. Not pictured are the beans because I threw them away. The beans had the most flavor on all the plate. Which is unfortunate because it was 2/10. The mac & cheese did not taste like mac & cheese, and I don’t know why there’s white cheese in it. And the ribs, baby, the ribs made me cry. How do you smoke rib ribs in it taste like nothing? I’m honestly not trying to be rude at all. However, I will say that if you need help learning how to make cornbread, I will help you. The ancestors were rolling around in the graves when I pulled that cornbread out. The staff was super friendly and it looked like a nice place to sit down and eat, but the food itself was maybe a 3/10. For a plate that cost me $29 it should taste like barbecue. If this is what the west considers barbecue, I will never try it again. Offer still stands I can teach you how have flavor in your food.

I was very excited to try this place after looking at the reviews. Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed with the food. I got the brisket and my husband got the pulled pork and although the meat was softly cooked it lacked flavor. The Mac and cheese was more of noddles with canned alfredo sauce and had no cheese whatsoever. The potato salad did not taste to be freshly made and the corn bread was far from traditional corn bread. Though the food was not the best, we were served quickly and it was not too pricy.

Been wanting to come here for a while, big fan of their Aptos location. Came for breakfast tacos. NO brisket, NO BBQ sauce, NO pickled onions. The guy who took our order was clueless and rude. NO thanks to this place! I suggest the Aptos location, they have everything this place is lacking.

I thought people that said the food was flavorless were being overly harsh, but I kind of have to agree...compared to like plain bread does it have flavor? Yes, but compared to GOOD bbq 😬 We tried the brisket, hot link, pulled, pork ribs and tri tip. The brisket was too lean and dry for me the pork ribs were small, just not a lot of meat on the bone. Pulled pork and hot link were meh. The tri tip was the only thing I’d consider ordering again. All the meats were tender and Smokey, but lacked seasoning and had to be doused with bbq sauce to taste ok. I liked the Mac n cheese and baked beans, but my bf didn’t even eat half of them.

Umbrella when you pay for a 18-20 sandwiches I would think I would get more than meat on a bun. Some coleslaw or BBQ sause would be nice but no that is extra. Plus maybe not on the restaurant but the working but how am I to eat your bean with no fork or spoon?

Food here was very disappointing!! The food came out quick wasn’t hot more on the Luke warm side. As for the items I got was the 3 meat Ribs,Tri-Tip,Brisket with 2 sides I got Mac and cheese and Beans. Ribs were ok not really much flavor, Tri-Tip was on the colder side and was very salty no other flavors, Brisket was extremely dry same lacked flavor. Now the side were the worst thing there Mac and cheese had no flavor doesn’t taste like Mac and cheese has more of a Alfredo taste to me and the beans could have used more flavor. Ordered a cherry pie like the advertised all over it was horrible the pie is a cold refrigerated pie crust was extremely hard like it’s been frozen and the ice cream tastes like freezer burn I have always loved good warm cherry pie with vanilla ice cream very disappointing! The restrooms were also extremely filthy!

Veronica Dominguez

First time visiting here. There was a long line didn’t mind waiting, young girl I found out her name was Elena F. from the receipt hope it’s her right name as she was the only girl serving/cashier. As me and my husband were next to order she looked up at us decided to walk to the back to try to find something else to do. She ended up taking our order. After 20 minutes of waiting we saw people who ordered after us had received their food, she knew our food was on the counter as she walked past by us multiple times but decided to ignore us not saying anything . We had to ask another cashier if our food was ready and he gave it to us. Unprofessional customer service feels like it was intentional.

Pablo Mccord

Way too expensive for such small portions. Lunch for two was close to 70$ and we both left hungry (and we are not big men). Prices like that and they only have counter service.... no condiments on the tables, thats self serve also. The meat was pretty good, but definitely not worth that money. The sides were really mediocre, a poorly baked potato with drizzling of sour cream... almost flavorless coleslaw... soggy cornbread. I definitely will not be back this establishment . The only saving Grace was the friendly servers. I hope the owners paying them well.

Jazz Peart

Well, I finally took the dive and gave into the hype. Was not impressed much with the cuisine of Mission St BBQ. The BBQ chicken was pretty good, and by far the best thing on the meal. Next up to bat was the "cornbread" which I can only describe as a weird attempt at corn cake. It was flat and very dense with very little flavor. The sides we ordered were the potato salad which my familiar did not like. I thought it was ok. The Mac cheese was more like an American Alfredo, lots of cream, not much cheese though unfortunately. Disappointed to say the least. Almost forgot about the complimentary mints they slid under the chicken, which upon arrival was melted, squished, and covered in grease 😮‍💨 Thanks anyway for trying. Probably will not order from MSB again

This is just a sample of how fatty the brisket was. $34 for a pound? Seriously disappointing.

I rarely do food reviews, so when I do there is always something that sticks out about the restaurant. For this one in particular my complaint is that they don’t have good service . I ordered online sometime around 7:41 and then drove to the restaurant, but at 7:48 they texted saying it was ready when it was not. I stood in the online pickup area and didn’t get help until i moved into the order line, where i was told that my food would be a little while longer. I didn’t get my food until 8:07, almost 20 minutes later. Then as I was eating, I found a hair in my food. The overall customer service as well as my experience with the food has made this restaurant one of the worst in santa cruz for me.