Ann

The juiciest brisket in my life that melts like ice cream on the hot day and amazing live music with the local musicians! These 2 things made my day there! Fabulous! Oh yes and staff is adorable and charming!!!

Marcus Swinford

4 of us rode backroads from Oakland here for lunch. Place is awesome. Good food and staff. Nice outdoor seating too. Will definitely be back with more riders.

Tiffany Sun

We came late an hour before closing and they were sold out of a lot of things. If you want to get a good selection, come earlier! I got a brisket sandwich special - I think the last one that they could make for the day. I really appreciated knowing what’s left because it really felt limited! We also got a half rack of ribs, meat was really tender. We also got a potato salad and Mac and cheese. Personally I prefer the potato salad, the Mac and cheese was just ok for me. Looking forward to coming back and trying more meats!

Melissa Keller

This place is a cute gem. The food is so good they sell out of things(as advertised). They have a great beer selection and are located in a nice rustic place. The food was delicious, and I really enjoyed their BBQ sauce. If you're in Santa Cruz area I highly recommend it.

Ryder Spires

As a local real estate agent, I’m always on the lookout for great spots to recommend to clients and friends—and this place is one of them! The pulled pork is some of the best I’ve had, perfectly smoky and tender, and the desserts are absolutely worth saving room for. The atmosphere is just as good as the food, with live blues music every night that really sets the mood. On warm evenings, sitting outside is a fantastic experience. And don’t miss the breakfast tacos! Whether you’re a local or just passing through, this is a must-visit for great barbecue and even better vibes!

Sarah

If you are visiting Aptos, GO HERE!!! I ordered takeout but stayed an ate it there soon as I realized there was live blues music starting in 5 mins at 6pm. I LOVED IT!! brisket was delicious and baked potato too. Corn bread wasn’t my liking but I LOVED this spot. Felt like a private concert because there was just a few people there but the music and food was SO GOOD!

Brian Johnson

I will never forget this place after going to the beach. I can't wait to try another special. The Gaucho sandwich special was magnificent. My family really liked their food as well. The blues band topped the experience with on point covers.

Shira Abel

It’s A LOT of food. I got the berry salad, no cheese, with BBQ chicken. I didn’t need dressing and I was only able to finish 1/2. The cornbread was unexpected. It’s more like a bread than a cake, if that makes sense. The strawberry rhubarb pie was the perfect level of tartness. People were nice. My criticisms aren’t real criticisms as they have nothing to do with the food. Since the bathrooms are mixed, and they just cleaned them, I had to put the seat down. I don’t want to be touching a seat. At least it was because it was just cleaned. (We came after they just opened, before lunch started.)

Grigoriy Dubyago

The brisket sandwich was absolutely delicious, melt in your mouth brisket! Tried a couple of brews, they have over 24 on tap to choose from. First time here and I’m a fan, coming back to try the ribs. Clean, fancy and hip but also very comfortable atmosphere, plenty of seating inside and outside. I love this place.

+2

Carl O'Neil

5/13/22 Back for a third visit. Made it for lunch and ordered two Large sandwiches, one tri-tip and one briscut. OMG! Easily the best BBQ sandwiches we have ever had. Tons of smokey and tender juicy meat! Even the bread was awesome! Look at the bark and smoke ring on the briscut, holy smokes! (See what I did there?) 🥴 The mac was also great, I used a little extra briscut with spicy bbq sauce and mixed it all together, dangerously good. This place is legit! 5/2/22 Back again for breakfast tacos. Discovered that even though they advertise breakfast tacos until 11 they often run out or have to switch their efforts to big takeout orders so I would plan on getting here before 10 to get your tacos. Also I suggest the sweet spicy bbq sauce instead of the bland tomato sauce they usually put on them. Had an awesome brisket and egg breakfast taco with jalapeños. Great smoke flavor on the meat. So good I bought two more to go! Big on-tap beer selection, comfortable feeling place. I look forward to trying more of their offerings.

+15

Shelly

Wow! This place is so busy but for good reason. Their food is hands down AMAZING! I tried their Gaucho sandwich (brisket, provolone cheese, and chimichurri sauce). The brisket is so tender and very flavorful and juicy. They have a variety of craft beers as well as craft sodas. I will say that the diet soda was nasty (though it may have just been out of syrup) The regular soda, vanilla cream soda were both delicious though. The service is fairly quick for as busy as they are. We came during the lunch rush on Saturday and the wait was less than 10 minutes. Very impressed by this place and can’t wait to come back for more. They do offer indoor and outdoor seating. Parking may be slightly limited though.

+14

Came in here on a Saturday night, loved the atmosphere. There was an awesome duo playing some blues. I ordered a combo plate with:brisket, pulled pork, beans and coleslaw. The food came out so fast f…

Came in here on a Saturday night, loved the atmosphere. There was an awesome duo playing some blues. I ordered a combo plate with:brisket, pulled pork, beans and coleslaw. The food came o…

Came in here on a Saturday night, loved the atmosphere. There was an awesome duo playing some blues. I ordered a combo plate with:brisket, pulled pork, beans and coleslaw. The food came out so fast…

Awesome bbq along with great sides. Brisket was moist and had a lot of flavor. I'd put it up there with some of the best that I have had. Nice craft beer menu as well. Staff were nice and friendly.…

Awesome bbq along with great sides. Brisket was moist and had a lot of flavor. I'd put it up there with some of the best that I have had. Nice craft beer menu as well. staff were nice and friendly.…

Awesome bbq along with great sides. Brisket was moist and had a lot of flavor. I'd put it up there with some of the best that I have had. Nice craft beer menu as well. Staff were nice and friendl…

My friend and I recently visited this wonderful gem in Aptos while staying in Capitola. The service was exceptional, The food was amazing with the ambiance I'm definitely going back

My friend and I recently visited this wonderful gem in Aptos while staying in Capitola. The service was exceptional, The food was amazing with the ambiance I'm definitely going back

The food was so amazing here. I would highly recommend if you like barbecue. My favorite things would have to be the burnt ends and the garlic bread. So good! One of the best barbecue places I ha…

The catering staff did a beautiful job! Everything was carefully and deliciously prepared down to the last detail. My family enjoyed every bite! The best part was all the lovely leftovers to enjoy!…

First time coming here. Came with my hubby for a staycation! Food: so yum ! The taste of the bbq flavor was amazing ! The smokiness of the meat ! Service: cool ! ambiance: it felt like a small town…

Great place for BBQ after hiking Nisene Parks.\nIndoor and outdoor, limited parking. Plenty of great bbq options

They have the best smoked ribs in the world!! I would definitely recommend this restaurant. They have live music with blues. The smoked meats are amazing.

For California, great BBQ! \nBrisket, ribs, burnt ends, all on point! Good selection of beer

Food was great, came out fast, and was pretty reasonable for quality bbq. Beer selection was solid, and live music a plus. \n\nWe'll come back next time we're in town!

Been coming here since they first opened. BEST “Q” in town! Yep I remember when it was the fire station and bike shop prior….. Over the years the BBQ has seen many staff changes and have expanded…

Been coming here since they first opened. BEST “Q” in town! Yep I remember when it was the fire station and bike shop prior….. Over the years the bbq has seen many staff changes and have expanded…

Quality meat, fresh from the smoker. The food is not a bargain, but it is delicious. They start with premium meat, which tastes meatier than sub-grade meat. The meats are well-seasoned and smoked, bu…

Quality meat, fresh from the smoker. The food is not a bargain, but it is delicious. They start with premium meat, which tastes meatier than sub-grade meat. The meats are well-seasoned and sm…

I feel sorry for the next place that has to serve me bbq. Best bbq EVER ! Husband had tri tip and I had api y chicken garden salad . Will definitely come back .

I feel sorry for the next place that has to serve me bbq. Best bbq EVER ! Husband had tri tip and I had api y chicken garden salad . Will definitely come back .

I feel sorry for the next place that has to serve me bbq. Best bbq EVER ! Husband had tri tip and I had api y chicken garden salad . Will definitely come back .

The real deal. Brisket, pulled pork, ribs , etc. Really nice bread on sandwiches. Nice selection of interesting and tasty self serve fountain drinks. Prices seemed a bit high relative to all…

The real deal. Brisket, pulled pork, ribs , etc. Really nice bread on sandwiches. Nice selection of interesting and tasty self serve fountain drinks. prices seemed a bit high relative to all t…

This place has a nice outside area with sun and shade, a good selection of beer and bbq. There’s something for vegetarians but wish there was more because my spouse is a vegetarian I don’t get to…

This place has a nice outside area with sun and shade, a good selection of beer and bbq. There’s something for vegetarians but wish there was more because my spouse is a vegetarian I don’t get to…

Great assortment of meats to put on a sandwich or a plate. Way too many beers to choose from and some good sides to go with it all. The live entertainment is a bonus.

Great assortment of meats to put on a sandwich or a plate. Way too many beers to choose from and some good sides to go with it all. The live entertainment is a bonus.

Kailah O'Brien

Not a bad bbq place. The service was super quick. They have many beers and some ciders on tap. The cider was super good! I suggest getting a combo plate because you get your choice of three meats. They had live music but it was much too loud for the indoor seating. There is plenty of outdoor seating too!

LifeIsBeautiful InspireOthers

We love smoked BBQ and we had one in Texas that was yummy and really delicious, but we can't find that kind of food anywhere near our place. We drove more than 7 hours and were tired and hungry when we found this spot. We googled it! Obviously, it was our first time, so I had to know what they offered and had a hard time choosing what to order. I kept asking the staff, but had to order whatever I could, as I could tell that she wasn't helpful at all. I get it, but if they don't have time to explain the menu, I hope they have menu recommendations for first-timers. It would be nice though if she wasn’t rushing and very accommodating! Now, I realize we didn't get the chance to taste some of their recipes, and of course, we can't go back since we live far away. Food? 10/10 Service? update when we get the chance again in the future Place and ambience 10/10

Mike Kelly

Super friendly staff, wide variety of menu items, nice atmosphere including live music. The food was tasty and filling. Inside seating can get noisy. There’s a nice outside seating area as well. Offers carry out. Parking is limited on the property with added parking on the street. Good food, positive vibes and good times.

+16

Food was decent but not very warm like it sat around for a bit. Not a hot and fresh vibe.\nSalads were good. Cool interior. Order and pick up at the front .

food was decent but not very warm like it sat around for a bit. Not a hot and fresh vibe.\nSalads were good. Cool interior. Order and pick up at the front .

Came in around 6:30 on a weeknight and it was pretty crowded, but we were still able to snag a table. Great bbq. We really enjoyed the ribs and the mac and cheese. My nephew highly recommends addin…

Solid bbq, I came in around 2 pm and ordered the 4 meat tray, tray came out, sides were on the smaller side but meats made up for it! Customer service was cool, beer was aight! Tasted a lil flat. W…

The food was really great and the salads were really good coming from a BBQ place if you know what I mean. The place itself was great there was live music inside, the vibes were great. The food cam…

After camping we stopped by for some bbq. Easy street parking. Went inside and ordered and the. Grabbed a table. \n\nBrisket: 3.5/5 a bit fatty and could use more flavor. Fine if you dip in bbq sau…

Murillo Pontual

Nice ambiance with live country music, and parking is easy to find. The food was decent, though nothing special, and the service felt a bit chaotic at times. Overall, I’d say it’s a fair place to visit.

+15

Updated review: well unfortunately this place seems to be going down hill like everywhere else. \n\nThe meal tonight was tiny compared to what we used to get. Not much meat in the full brisket meal…

Atmosphere is great. Sodas are a fun local brand. The live music has been fantastic both times. The staff is friendly. The bathrooms are clean. parking is easy when it's not too busy. The prices ar…

Louis Kennedy

Aptos BBQ used to be an excellent place to go. I used to dream about this place. I came back 10 years later and maybe it became corporate, maybe the owners are now rich and don't care anymore, but the food is so disappointing now. $20 for a bread sandwich and a paper bowl filled with chopped cabbage.