Big Sur Smokehouse

A good place for BBQ, especially as part of the resort atmosphere. BBQ I would say though, if there is a Californian version, tends toward the healthier side and lacks that "eat BBQ, sweat, and fall asleep" aspect. Salad with chicken was flavorful, but the brisket left me wanting a bit more given the larger cuts. I also don't know what I'm talking about so... There's that.

Came on a Weds around noon for lunch. Amicable staff and quick delivery of food. The sausage was decent but felt it was missing grilled onions or some additional condiment. Baked beans were okay as well. Burger served its purpose and filled us up. The beer was the best part of the meal, decent selection. Overall, the area was nice with good amount of parking and easy access in the heart of big sur.

Driving along, and we see everyone sitting outside, looks good, let's stop! It was not. Service was terrible, rude. We asked for the brisket, they reply 'don't got it.’ We ask for a recommendation they said 'ugh I don't know what you want' ?? Ok.... so we get the pulled pork platter w/ some extra sides because I don't eat meat. I JUST saw someone served their sides, and they were heaping but when I was served it wasn't filled at all..I just felt weird w/ the staff. They were so blatantly unwelcoming towards us. Pulled pork was fine, (needs sauce) collard greens pretty good, coke slaw fine, the “baked” macaroni and cheese was awful. We didn’t finish it, it tasted worse than Kraft and is certainly not baked. Tastes like starch water. The interior is very cute, nice outdoor seating (but full of flies) some fans would help a lot. The service, prices and food together bring it down to 2 stars

Took a shuttle as a resort guest from the valet stand (They used the luxurious XC90 both to/from the smokehouse). While our entire meal is complimentary as we were staying at the resort, they do offer the menu items for paying guests not staying at the resort. Ordered a barista made mocha with oat milk which was quite delicious and well made. Ordered the organic green salad with brisket, half rack of ribs, collard greens as a side and bread pudding. Salad was good with fresh ingredients although nothing special. The shaved Manchego cheese was tasty though. The brisket however was quite delicious. Fatty portion was very tender although portions weren't that large. Lean portion was not dry or tough. Half rack of ribs were tasty as well especially as a departure from the usual lunch options available on-site for resort guests. Sauces were delicious. Collard green was nice as a side with authentic vinegar heavy undertones while being tender with some ham hock pieces. Bread pudding took some time to reheat and bring out but it was tasty as well. While taste was relatively good, it wasn't necessarily a great value although you don't have many food options in this part of town. This meal for paying customers would have been $70 which seemed a little high for the portions you'd be receiving. As a complimentary meal for resort guests, this is a no brainer and the food is a nice departure from the usual on-site dining options which don't change over the course of the stay.

I've had the best BBQ beef briskets over here. The meat was so tender and juicy. The sides were good too. Also enjoyed the margaritta. Fast, friendly services. Super clean restrooms. Strongly recommend!

Solid barbeque! I'm from NC and my wife is from TX so needless to say that we are tough critics, but we were both pleasantly surprised with the meats, especially the link and brisket. The ribs were quite good, but could have been more tender with a more robust bark. The cole slaw and corn/black beans were VERY good, but the potato salad and mac and cheese were just okay. We really wish they had baked beans; it's my favorite side to go with barbeque. If you are in Big Sur you should definitely stop. Not the world's best, but definitely worth the time, money and experience!

I expected some amazing food because it costs $30 a plate. With 4 people it was a couple cents shy of $129.00. My complaint isn’t about the flavor of the food, it tasted really good. I just wasn’t happy with portion sizes. I had 4 people in my group. For that price, I got 4 slices of brisket and a lot of each slice was solid fat. My son got 3 slices of tri tip, and my wife got 2 sausages. On top of that our food wasn’t hot, just kinda warm. Pretty sure my order would have been different if it wasn’t a “to go” order. If the prices were lower I would go back and try again.

I’m not a bbq connoisseur but the brisket is amazing - tender with the right amount of smoke. The mustard vinaigrette sauce is spot on delicious. The staff is super friendly - Ken in particular went out of his way to brighten our day! Thank you!

**3.5 Stars** California Que Located at the entrance of Alila Ventana, Big Sur Smokehouse is a convenient and resort guest and public accessible stop in beautiful Big Sur Serving an array of classic barbecue choices like smoked brisket, ribs, pulled pork, smoked chicken and more The smoke from the smoker can be seen along Highway 1 and the aroma of BBQ greets you once you enter We sampled an assortment of smoked meats and sides and while it ain't Texas 'Q (is anything in Cali?), the modest portions hit the spot, especially the ribs Meat Plate $30 ~ St. Louis Ribs, Five Cheese Mac N' Cheese, Cider Coleslaw / Smoked Brisket, Five Cheese Mac N' Cheese, Collard Greens with Hamhock / Tri Tip $22 / Seasonal Cobbler $8 / Bread Pudding $8 Big Sur Smokehouse (Big Sur, CA) Big Sur Smokehouse accepts all credit cards and has mainly indoor seating with a few seats outdoors

1 star for being able to get cell reception here, and 1 star for ok portion sizes if you order meat a la carte, and I'm being generous here. I did not have high expectations for this place given that they are one of the few food options available in the area, but it was a disaster from the start. Upon walking in, I asked what the pricing on meat a la carte was and I got an eye roll from one of the employees. Bizarre, given that this is a standard practice at most BBQ places... Once we actually got our food, I will say that the portion sizes were decent. That said, they screwed up our order by giving us pulled pork instead of tri-tip, the pulled pork and brisket were all super dry, and the collard greens were sour to the point of being inedible. The ribs were the only serviceable item on the plate. Would not recommend.

After the uphill slog up to Pfeiffer Falls, I was craving some protein. The Smokehouse totally fit the bill and I was happy with the half rack of smoked ribs that I ordered. My wife and I also shared a salad, which was big enough for two and came with some real smoky flavored chicken. The place is the red building at the entrance to the Ventana Resort. The signage is a little confusing, but the place is easy to find and has lots of parking.

What a nice little surprise. We were driving and decided that we needed some substance. It is expensive but you have to realize the area you are in. It's a little smokehouse that had tons of seating. We ordered two meals between two adults and one child and it was plenty of food . The atmosphere was very pleasant and the staff friendly. There was ample seating outside with tables inside also. The food was surprisingly delicious! My daughter got the chicken with salad and we also ordered the brisket with side of greens and Mac and cheese. I honestly didn't have high hopes for the Mac and cheese and was so pleasantly surprised!!!!

Stopped by here for some BBQ that I seen on another review. Well it WOULD be nice to have FLY ZAPPERS! There was TONS of them! Yes, I get it..there's food and it's in the "wilderness" but come on, buy a few fly zappers and attempt to limit them! And then there's the $5 charge for any and everything! Only plus side was the pulled pork was good but for $30 for 1 meat and 2 side wasn't worth it.

It's amazing that Ventana Big Sur now includes the Smokehouse as part of their all inclusive package. Everything except alcohol is free! As a result we tried every single meat as well as every side and dessert. And every sauce. They make everything in house. My preferences were; 1. Brisket (fatty and smoky, lots of flavor) 2. Spicy sausage (thick, juicy) 3. Beer can chicken (very juicy and flavorful) 4. St. Louis Ribs (a bit dry, not fall off the bone like in Texas) 5. Pulled pork 6. Tri-tip (dry and lean) 7. Jalapeño cheese sausage (I don't eat cheese hence last on my list) My friend's preferences were (if I remember correctly): 1. Pulled pork 2. Brisket 3. Jalapeño cheese sausage 4. Spicy sausage 5. Chicken 6. Ribs 7. Tri-tip In my group of 8 people it was clear that brisket and sausages were the winner since there was the least of these left. Nobody really liked the tri-tip. We also all LOVED the gem salad, which came with tri-tip but you can swap with another meat. As for the sides, people didn't talk about it much since they were all focused on the meat, but based on the leftovers I took home, I only had beans and soup left. And nobody touched the Hawaiian rolls. People liked all the sauces with bbq and mustard being the top favorites. The seasonal cobbler was a hit, didn't get to take any home. The bread pudding was well-liked but I did have to take some home. La Colombe coffee cans are highly recommended. Giving 5 stars due to value but if I had to pay out of pocket, it's a bit expensive for the quality so probably 4 stars. The salads would be the best value I think since they also include meat.

Stopped for food while driving through big sur. We were very confused by where this was located because our gps kept taking us down to the campground and then up the hill to a parking lot. I was disappointed by how fatty the brisket was, personally I don't like that. Overall the Mac and cheese and their meats (ordered brisket and pulled pork) were very peppery and well seasoned. I could see how some would say it was overly seasoned - mainly based on peoples preferences.

The meat is okay, nothing really special. I came here on Friday night for late dinner around 7PM and it is empty. I order 2 meat plate with extra spicy sausage and brisket. The spicy sausage was spicy and okay. The brisket was tender and fatty but too much fat on it. I felt like half of it was meat and the other is beef fat which if you don't want to increase your cholesterol then you shouldn't eat the fat. The tri-tip was a little dry. Each meat plate is $30 with a meat choice and 2 side. We choose the squash soup, the potatoes salad, coleslaw and pickle something. I believed all the side dishes was okay. There are 3 sauces choice and we choose all three. Overall, I would stop by if I am in a Big Sur for BBQ. But don't expect anything extraordinary as services was okay.

It was our first trip to Big Sur and of course we were on the hunt for a killer dinner spot. With the CA regulations due to COVID-19, there are a limited number of restaurants open as each spot must have a specific area for outdoor dining. We did not have to look far - We were staying at Ventana Big Sur Resort and the Big Sur Smokehouse is located at the top of the hill at the resorts entrance - Score! Both the website and the Yelp page state the restaurant closes at 8pm each evening - We came in around 7:25 and asked the staff if it was too late {I am always very aware of not wanting to keep people late} - and they were so beyond welcoming. We received a very warm welcome from the "smoke master extraordinaire" {as we called him} and he told us a few of his favorites on the menu - After this, our mouth was watering and we could not wait to try everything the menu. And props for individual hand sanitizers at each table! So many menu options: Platters {with your choice of Tri-Tip, Hot Links, Pork Ribs, Quarter Chicken or Cauliflower}, Salads, Sammies {Trip-Tip, Smoked Chicken or Hot Links} and a bunch of sides {Chili Coleslaw, Smoked Corn Relish, Potato Salad or Baked Mac & Cheese} - Endless options! We opted to share a platter {your choice of one meat, two sides and two rolls}: Tri-Tip, Potato Salad, Chili Coleslaw and of course a couple of IPA's! The rub on the Tri-Tip was spot on and the meat was perfectly cooked! Coleslaw for the Hubs and Potato Salad for me - Both were the perfect compliment to the Tri-Tip - Pair that with those perfectly sweet potato rolls.. Delish! We were only in Big Sur for two nights and I would have eaten here for every meal each of the days {we didn't.. but we could have}! This is a must if you are craving some amazing BBQ!

I hate to post negative reviews, but I had a terrible experience when I visited this establishment. I ordered two meat plates which were $30 each and come with 1 meat, 2 sides and 2 rolls. I also ordered some bread pudding which was $8 and a few cokes which I have no idea what they charge for but the total for a meal for 2 was over $80. The person I was with liked their ribs and literally nothing else on their plate. That was a far better experience than me however because they served me chicken was super undercooked. There was so much pink inside Barbie could have decorated her Malibu dream house with it. In all honesty, I ordered the chicken to feed to my dog but I am glad I checked it first because raw chicken can be really dangerous. Can you imagine if I fed that to a child that was dining with me? Absolutely unacceptable. Also, the portion size of the meat was ridiculous. I am 300lbs and no one could eat that much meat in a sitting... however the sides were small and yet super bland. My potato salad was hard; it was clear the potatoes were undercooked and the dressing was terrible. The macaroni for mac & cheese were these strange spirals that mushed into dough clumps in your mouth when you ate it and it was served cold. With the exception of the ribs, we literally took a small bite of everything (except the chicken) and left it all on the tray. The whole experience was very unappetizing and we had already left by the time we realized they never even gave us our bread pudding so I can't speak to that but I would not recommend dining here under any circumstances.

While staying at Ventana, we found out that dining at Big Sur Smokehouse was included including the day of checkout, which was a pleasant surprise! Ordered two meat plates that comes with 1 meat, 2 sides, Hawaiian roll and pickle. We ordered the brisket and pork ribs and got sides of collard green, baked beans, and Mac & cheese. The brisket was a bit on the drier side, but the ribs were fantastic. You have a choice of sauces and I recommend the mustard sauce. Collard greens were tasty and appreciated the bacon bits. Overall, bbq was solid but on the pricey side ($30 for a plate).

My wife and I have been coming to Ventana since 2015, usually making it a trip once or twice per year. We've been looking forward to the Smokehouse opening for a while, but I assume it was delayed due to Covid. We finally got to try it tonight, and it unfortunately disappointed. The second I opened the door I was taken aback a little when an employee pushed his way out of the door as I was already walking in, forcing me to step back out and hold the door open for him. I don't feel like I deserve special treatment as a customer, but I think it's a little rude to push someone back through a door so you can get through when they're already walking through it. When I got to the counter the girl at the register just stared at me; I've never been here before so I didn't exactly know the process, so I asked "Do I sit down, or order here?" and she just slid a piece of paper in front of here with a pen and kept staring, so I started ordering. When I got to the sauce I asked for "Carolina Gold", and she said "Mustard?", and I said, "No, the Carolina Gold sauce", to which she replied "It's mustard", and I should have known then - that I should have ordered a different sauce. Now for the food; I ordered the plate: - Pulled Pork with Carolina Gold Sauce - Macaroni and Cheese - Tri-Tip Chili The meat was dry, I am no expert at smoking meats - but I have smoked some meat at home, and have eaten a lot of smoked meats, and this was unfortunately dry. It did have some seasoning, but usually the sauce pulls it all together, which brings us to the Carolina Gold, or as the employee correctly called it, mustard. This sauce literally tasted like thinned out deli mustard. It did not have the sweet profile of a Carolina Gold with honey, or brown sugar, it literally just tasted like mustard. The Macaroni and Cheese was rubbery, tasted as if it had been reheated from yesterday, and tasted like bland macaroni noodles. These legitimately tasted like they used absolutely zero seasoning at all. The Tri-Tip Chili was more of a bacon, and bean soup. I've never had a chili that was 50% if not great broth (to be honest, I've never had a chili that had any broth), but that's what I got here. It was beans, and bacon, in an unseasoned broth. There was a very slight chili flavor that popped through on a bite or two, but for the most part, it was also bland. I honestly expected significantly more from Ventana, and truly hope it improves. From what I've seen posted on Instagram it looks like they started off great, and I'm not sure if it's tapered off, or I just came on a bad day (Sunday after Thanksgiving), but I hope it's better next time.

"Dad was in the back at the barbecue. A gas grill now, thank goodness, so Dad could stop loading on the lighter fluid with a hose. He wore a chef's hat somewhat taller than a control tower and an apron that read REFORMED VEGETARIAN."―Harlan Coben, One False Move A virtual oasis in the dessert that is Big Sur. The Big Sur Smokehouse is located right-off Highway 1 and housed in a restored property that dates back to 1867. It can be real easy to miss but keep an eye-out for the little red building. Here's a G,M&U: The Good: -All the meat we sampled fucking LEGIT BBQ and was all-around fantastic. I might even say some of the best Q I've had in Cali! The Brisket and chicken were both expertly smoked, juicy and delicious. The links were also quite tasty but didn't appear to be housemade? However, I could be wrong. -Collard greens were also friggin' delicious and super-legit. -Great selection of local craft brews on-tap and even housemade sodas. The Meh: -House pickles, while a nice touch, were kinda funky and sour. Which is sad because I love pickles but these were just odd. -House BBQ sauces all had good concepts but the execution kinda lacked. None of the flavors stood-out to us but honestly with Q'd meat this good you don't really need sauce. -Service was a bit gruff and could've been friendlier overall. The Ugly: -The BBQ beans were crunchy. Seriously. WTF is up with crunchy, under-cooked beans at BBQ places? How does that even happen?! It's really a shame too because the flavor of the sauce they were in was outstanding. So much wasted potential... -Mac and cheese was awful, as well. The mac was cooked to death that you could've sucked it thru a straw. -The prices are borderline ridiculous but that's to be expected when you're in the middle of nowhere. But $10 for a tiny cup of beer is literal highway robbery... -For the price they could up the portion sizes a touch, so at least one doesn't feel completely ripped-off. Despite the highway robbery the food was legit fantastic and I will most likely be back when we're hiking in the area. Highly recommended but get ready to take it in the wallet.

Pre-Covid Review: A hidden gem in Big Sur! I was honestly only looking for a decent quick bite as I was doing some hiking and sightseeing in the area, so I had low expectations, but this turned out to be a great spot. First off, a good amount of easy parking behind the place, which they also have a good, clean outhouse restroom at the lot. We came here for lunch and it wasn't overly packed. The nice thing is that you can pick and choose your meats to go with a variety of sides, so there's something for everyone. I did not regret my pulled pork choice, and it was also cool that they have some unique sauce options that you can try. The sauces are up to you to add, like I enjoyed the coffee-stout BBQ sauce I had with my pork.

Friendly counter help. Clean facility. You order at the counter and pick it up yourself. No table service. I had a meat plate. For $30 it came with two slices of brisket, about 1/2 cup of Mac and cheese and coleslaw. There were two small biscuits and about 1/4 cup of pickled cabbage. The meat was tasty. The Mac and cheese was dry. It seemed overpriced.

This place was much better than expected. It reminded me of some bbq places in SF, which I know isn't saying much to a connoisseur, but we liked it all the same. The brisket was our favorite along with the collard greens that were mostly bacon. Very friendly staff, though the food did take awhile.

Came here because 1. We were staying at Ventana and it is at the base of the resort and 2. it has a dog friendly patio. Husband got the brisket platter with mac and cheese, beans. I had the pulled pork with potato salad and cole slaw. The food was hit or miss since the cole slaw/beans were tasty but the mac and cheese was lackluster and the potato salad was bland (how can mac and cheese be so boring?). The highlight of the lunch, brisket and pulled pork were both dry and just ok. Really disappointed with the meat since we expected really juicy, flavorful brisket from the reviews. What saved our lunch were the pickled onion/pickles and Hawaiian rolls. We made our own little sandwiches with lots of bbq sauce slathered on, and that made it pretty good. Portions are generous, lunch platter is plenty for one person. Restaurant is very clean and the staff was friendly. Overall, I'd come back for the convenience if I was staying at Ventana, but for us, it isn't a must stop destination otherwise.

Driving along, and we see everyone sitting outside, looks good, let's stop! It was not. Service was terrible, rude. We asked for the brisket, they reply 'don't got it.' We ask for a recommendation they said 'ugh I don't know what you want' ?? Ok.... so we get the pulled pork platter w/ some extra sides because I don't eat meat. I JUST saw someone served their sides, and they were heaping but when I was served it wasn't filled at all..I just felt weird w/ the staff. They were so blatantly unwelcoming towards us. Pulled pork was fine, (needs sauce) collard greens pretty good, coke slaw fine, the "baked" macaroni and cheese was awful. We didn't finish it, it tasted worse than Kraft and is certainly not baked. Tastes like starch water. The interior is very cute, nice outdoor seating (but full of flies) some fans would help a lot. The service, prices and food together bring it down to 2 stars

Stayed at Ventana and this was one of the meal options. Its located at the bottom of Ventana which can be reached by a short golf cart ride or a steady inclined walk. We arrived right when it opened and there was already a line out the door. We opted for the brisket and the pulled pork with coleslaw, potato salad, mac & cheese, and blueberry crumble. Since we were guests of Ventana we were able to order off the menu but if we were not staying here I'm not sure if I would stop by. The meal itself would have been close to $100 if we had to pay which was not worth it based on the portion size. The brisket was probably the best dish as it had a ton of flavor.

As this is my 100th review, I'm so glad I can dedicate it to Big Sur Smokehouse!!! From start to finish, I would like to assert this has been one of the best dining experiences I have ever had in the history of my Yelping! After a long day of hiking and laying by the beach, a friend and I stopped into this smokehouse. A nice man behind the counter offered us samples of the meat and sides to help us figure out what we wanted. How accommodating and thoughtful! He sold me on the collard greens which I would have otherwise not ordered, as well as the Mac and cheese and pulled pork. We got a couple beers and our platters and sat on the outside patio and proceeded to dig in. All I can say is--wow. It's simply some of the best BBQ I've ever had. I especially loved the pickles and Hawaiian sweet bread along with it. It was all so full of flavor and perfect proportions. Turns out the man who offered us samples in the beginning is the manager/co-owner of the entire smokehouse! He sat down with us as we finished our meals and comped us a couple beers and told us how he started out. It was so wonderful hearing his story. He was a kind man and I'm so happy we met him personally and could support his budding business. I wish the very best to Big Sur smokehouse. They deserve it.

Looking for BBQ south of Carmel and Monterey, come check out BIg Sur Smokehouse. The Big Sur Smokehouse great BBQ. The Brisket and chicken combo I got was delicious and hot and he sides that came with it was great and I really couldn't finish it all. I had to package it up for noshing on it later. They have specialty BBQ sauce that is on the community table. I recommend getting a roll of paper towels, you'll need it. They have a few beers on draft (just ask for the daily selection) and bottled beer and wine in the refrigerated units, as well as soda and waters.. The outside patio is nice and views of Highway 1. Picnic style benches and small tables create a nice ambiance. As of March 19, 2020, they are closed pending the current CoronaVirus outbreak. So, hopefully, they will return to their full glory in the coming months and it is worth checking out.

Incredible smokehouse and the staff is so friendly! It was so hard to choose from the menu because everything smelled and looked amazing. I had the chicken salad and it was a big serving. It had a beautifully smoky flavor that wasn't overpowering. I would definitely recommend this to people visiting Big Sur. It's right near Ventana and the Ventana campground. So if you don't want to cook for a meal, this is a great option!

Big Sur Smokehouse was our lunch stop on a recent day trip to Big Sur. The restaurant still looks "sparkling brand new" ... it has only been open a few weeks. I picked Big Sur Smokehouse because the menu was appealing and the prices surprisingly reasonable for BBQ. I also figured that since it was relatively new that it would not be as busy as a "must stop" like the restaurant at Nepenthe. And finally, I checked the Yelp reviews and liked what I read. We stood in line to order our meal longer than I would have liked. A party of six or seven (including children) was right ahead of us. It took them a very long time to decide what to order ... and then they kept adding on to their order. But perhaps with good reason: the sides all sounded good. DH and I both opted for the pulled pork which was a reasonable $16 for the meat and two sides. (In contrast the pulled pork sandwich with one side was $14.) I found the meat was tasty, but DH felt his order was on the dry side. We both ordered the chili cole slaw which had a little "kick" to it. I found it decent, but not what I would call outstanding. My burnt end baked beans were some of the best ever. A pleasant surprise. They looked quite ordinary, but the flavor was on the sweet side and all around flavorful. The strangest side, which both DH and I ordered, was the potato salad. Small round potatoes which had been cut in half and then covered with an aioli dressing (?). (Other options for sides are braised collard greens and baked mac & cheese. Something for everyone!) Rounding out our trays were two Hawaiian rolls and housemade pickles. We both had beers. I first ordered the Bonny Doon Picpoul, but the guy behind the counter was kind enough to point out it was a sparkling red! That was not noted on the menu. Easy decision to switch to a Stella Artois. (Other draft choices included Alvarado St. Brewery Pilsner, Offshoot Hazy IPA, and English Ales Black Prince Porter.) The four drafts were all $10. Seemed a bit pricey to me. The three draft wines were also $10 -- and beers are typically less than wine. Patio dining was perfect for our table of three. Even with many other options in the area, I would not hesitate to stop at Big Sur Smokehouse again.

This was straight up a very disappointing experience. The food is way too overpriced and does not match the quality or the product they are selling. I will certainly not be a repeat customer. We ordered pork ribs x 3, pulled pork x 1, beer chicken x 1. The portions were way too small for a BBQ place and there was barely any meat on the ribs. The BBQ sauce that accompanied the ribs were the equivalent of 2-3 packets of heinz ketchup, not sure who made the call on this but that was sacrilege and in my opinion is the most un-American thing a BBQ place could do. The staff was really great thought, super friendly and accommodating. They even brought out a bowl of water and some meat for our pup.

Great everything. Some of the sides were not our favorite (I'm looking at you corn bean whatever that was). But the bbq itself was great, and customer service was top tier. Very friendly, helpful, and accommodating staff. Overpriced, but most bbq is anyway, and what can you expect in this type of location. Great meal overall.

Briskets are unacceptable. Sausage tastes like fillers. The briskets are too thick and not tender at all. My fork broke while I was trying to eat it. Tastes like a block or thick fat. Jalapeño sausage does not taste like 100% meat, but the texture is similar to some kind of filler. Costco hotdog is wayyyyyyy better. There is a bee and fly situation in the outdoor dining area and we had to leave. And the cashier wasn't happy when I asked for a togo box. Not sure why. Very very disgusting and waste of money.

This is an interesting place. I am not sure how to describe it but this is not traditional bbq. This is bbq in a look laboratory setting. The food is really good and the establishment is a lot of fun to visit. It offers something no other place can in Big Sur. However after living in Georgia and getting to know barbecue I am convinced that once you leave the south east you can't easily find barbecue. It's just my opinion. As a California native I didn't know what barbecue was until I lived in Georgia for 9 years. Barbecue is not done in a laboratory it is pretty messy and grungy but delicious. However this place is quite good and it's perfect for its location with rooms ranging over $1000 a night of a grunge barbecue wouldn't really fit in here.

Best BBQ I've had in California. This place has modest signage that is way too humble. Once you find the entrance, ordering is easy. Pick a meat, pick some sides. The ribs were super juicy and perfectly seasoned, with a very nice rub. The chicken was extremely tender, with crispy skin, and moist meat. Even though the meat was great on its own, both of their vinegar and thick BBQ sauces were great pairings that added some occasional kick without distracting from the great underlying flavors of the BBQ. The sides similarly impressed, with some of the best collard greens I've tried. Not overcooked, great vinegar flavor with some infused bacon goodness. The baked beans with chunks of beef were also top notch. Coleslaw was nailed. The potato salad was on the simple side, but it provided some mild relief. A must visit if you are near the area.

I've eaten a lot of Texas BBQ, but I've also eaten a lot of good California BBQ, so I both don't expect everything to be a Texas baseline but know there's plenty of good BBQ to be had in CA. This ain't one of them. The price was pretty high (with a modest tip, somewhere on the order of 70 bucks for two), which didn't bother me until I tasted the food. First, the "baked beans" - this literally was just under-done pinto beans with no sauce. I'm concerned the chef has never had "baked beans." They were beans that had been baked, yes, but that's not what "baked beans" is, especially in a barbecue context. They also had virtually no seasoning. This was the first bite I took and my immediate thought was "this really does not bode well for anything else I'm about to eat." Unfortunately I was right. Brisket was a bit overdone, very lean, and had very good beef flavor but no other flavor. I get that you have sauces, but many people consider saucing a good brisket to be a sin in and of itself. This needed it desperately. If you like fatty brisket, you'll be very disappointed. This was basically "sliced grilled steak." Pulled pork was very underwhelming, far too dry, not "pulled" very consistently (huge, baby-fist sized chunks throughout and then lots of little shreds that barely stayed on a fork), and like the brisket had good amounts of "meat" flavor but no real seasoning. Clearly, high quality meat was used for both, but justice was not done to it. Collard greens had been reduced to a paste but despite being cooked with hamhock, seemed to have no real flavor. Also very little seasoning. The small rolls were the most satisfying part of this meal. Which is depressing. This tasted like barbecue made by a good chef who had never really had good barbecue before. Everything was cooked, the sauces were fine, but nothing was in spitting distance of being done well. There was some fatal major flaw with everything on the plate except the pickled red cabbage and the rolls. I didn't come here expecting Valentine's or Pecan Lodge, but especially in light of the fact that this was not under $15 a person, I would not come back unless I was experiencing a literal emergency and was desperate for food.

We were on our way to Big Sur when we decided to stop for a late lunch. The restaurant was completely empty when we went up to order. The barbecue platters come with a lot of food. They consist of your choice of meat, choice of two sides, house made pickles, and Hawaiian sweet rolls. Unlike other places, adding an additional meat starts at $6+ so you have less choice in that department. I was already getting the brisket which was $26 so it seemed a little pricey for lunch. I don't recall being asked if I wanted fatty or lean brisket but I got one of each. The fattier pieces of brisket were pretty tender and flavorful even without sauce. The leaner parts called for a little help in that department. I wasn't that impressed with their house made hot sauces. The only one that was really interesting was the Pineapple Mustard sauce because it really had potent pineapple flavor. I just don't really like mustard on all of my BBQ meats. For my sides I got the baked beans and mac and cheese. The baked beans were mixed in with burnt ends and I could see the pieces of meat in them. I did like that the beans weren't so soft that they were disintegrating but in terms of flavor it was just okay. The mac and cheese was also kind of one note. I did see that they ran out of mac and cheese just before I ordered and had to go get a fresh tray. The server had to mix in a ton of milk to make it separate (?) so maybe some of the sauce got washed away. One thing that was surprisingly really good were the pickled red onions. I generally leave them on the plate but I finished all of these. They were crunchy, had lost that sharp onion sting, and were a great palate cleanser.

Eating in Big Sur is, well, disappointing. There are not many choices, and everything is pretty expensive. I understand that there are some serious logistical issues getting food and supplies to Big Sur, and I get that this is a tourist area. Even considering those factors, I was disappointed in our food experience on a recent trip. We came to the Big Sur Smokehouse for dinner the day after Thanksgiving. They seem to only be open for dinner. The building has a lot of unrealized potential. It looks clean and spacious, but there were few tables inside. We ate on the patio at a picnic table. I ordered a brisket plate. The brisket I received was pretty fatty, even for brisket. The sides were ok but not memorable. I overpaid for a tiny glass of draft beer. One of my sons had pulled pork that was just a bit better than the brisket. Service was enthusiastic and polite but not great. I probably would not come back if this place was close to home. However, your choices in the area are very limited, and we came here because it was the more appealing looking of the slim choices.

I recently went up to Big Sur last Sunday (09/18). We were there once they opened. This by far is the worst bbq I have ever had. I couldn't tell the difference between the tri tip and the brisket. Either way they were both dry and served to us cold. Our sides weren't great either. The potato salad was decent. The mac and cheese and greens were cold, honestly the greens tasted like it was doused in apple cider vinegar. Honestly I was in complete shock at how dry this meat was. I should've known, there were no signs of anyone smoking meat. It was so bad I HAD to review.

Was excited to try this since we were in the area and it's recommended by EaterSF. We ordered two meat plates - one brisket and one ribs. The brisket was dry and tough, and the ribs were tender but overly seasoned/salted. Mac and cheese was rubbery, beans were a strange texture, and the sauces were not to our personal liking. Nothing good or bad to say about the cole slaw or collared greens. Bathrooms are in a separate building but well kept and clean, but our entire meal was disturbed by small flies/fruit flies throughout. Overall would not recommend -- certainly not at their prices -- and you could probably make better bbq at home.

On our not planned trip to Big Sur wasn't sure where to eat. We decided to stop here because it did not look crowded and they had outdoor sitting. the aesthetics is what caught our attention. -i know- We had the BBQ ribs half rack and mac n cheese sides. Which we thought was good enough for 2 people to eat. I would have liked the ribs a little more well done. just my preference. it did have the smoked flavor to them which was good and the dipping Bbq sauce on the side which was great to my liking instead of having it on the ribs already. mac n cheese could have been a little more warm. Also this was the only place that gave us cell phone service in the area which was great!!

Big Sur Smokehouse is the restaurant located at the entrance to the Alila Ventana Big Sur Resort, but to the best of my understanding they are not part of the resort. Unlike the Sur House Restaurant, the Big Sur Smokehouse is open to the public and we made a stop there recently for dinner. It's a quaint building and space, but also modern at the same time. As the name suggests, this is a BBQ smokehouse with smoked meats being the star of the show. The menu isn't very extensive, but it's written in a convoluted way that it does take time to decipher. Bottom line, you'll wind up ordering more and it'll cost more than you're expecting. Now that's not a bad thing, but just be aware that the price structure of the menu is set up so if you decide to share a plate and get multiple meats it'll cost you more than if you just each got individual orders. Our order of 3 meats came out to be over $70 which I feel is a little excessive for a BBQ establishment, but taking location into account I guess I can understand. The brisket was delicious and Smokey in flavor, but if you're not a fan of fatty meat you might be turned off by the fatty portions. The chicken is half a chicken so there is no choice between white or dark meat, but again the Smokey flavor was there. The real let down was the jalapeño cheese sausage which was so dry and chewy that it was inedible. In fact, one might mistake it for a vegan product if this place so those items, but overall that was the worst sausage I've ever tasted. I will give them credit that it looked like they smoke their meats on site, but there is no excuse for overcooked BBQ. Overall, Big Sur Smokehouse is a cool space located in a beautiful part of the California coastline. The picnic tables and outdoor seating is Covid era friendly and there's a decent amount of parking for the area. I would say it's a good change up if you're camping at Ventana put if you're staying at the resort I would not make the walk down that hill for the BBQ.

We ate there for lunch the day we checked out Ventana. This place is legit, considered us just tried Horn the Oakland. Spicy sausage has one of the greatest kick in all the sausages I ever tried. I burned my tongue, in a good way. They served me half and half, with tri tips. Man oh man, where should I start? It's tender, juicy, perfectly flavored and still Maintained the great meaty flavor. The St. Louis Racks? Lots of meat, as it should be, with perfect dry rubs. Great portions. You can't beat it. Will be there again next time.

We stopped by here looking at all the reviews. The food definitely didn't live up to those standards. 1) The brisket, ribs and the tri-tip were all very dry. The brisket was chewy. I could barely see a smoke ring on any of the meats and the fat wasn't rendered down at all. The bottom membrane on the ribs was still on the underside of the half rack we ordered. 2) The Mac and cheese tasted funny and the collared greens were super sour. The baked beans also tasted slightly burnt. 3) The only thing that was decent was the bread pudding and the rolls. They even charge extra for a tiny cup of sauce!

Worth it! The brisket is fork tender and flavorful. The burnt end baked beans were also amazing. Not mushy, soft, had structure and a little bite. The spicy chili cole slaw is on point - crisp, fresh cabbage, light mayo with chili sauce and seasoned well. The pickled onions have a bite to them (lots of vinegar?) and the bread and butter pickles are delightful and cut through the richness of the brisket and sauces. Go visit! Also extremely friendly and helpful service

Upscale bbq joint that had the best barbecue brisket I've had in California (sorry Texas is still better). Everything is clean and well designed. Brisket (4.5/5) - it was very tasty though dried in a few spots (I came mid afternoon so I'm sure that had something to do with it). Good edges and overall very flavorful Baked beans (5/5) - super flavorful with burnt end meat. Among the best baked beans I've had Potato salad (3.5/5) - better than average and not overdressed Hawaiian bread and pickles and jalapeño were a nice touch for the platter. The beer is a bit pricey at $9-10 but it was on tap and a nice accompaniment. I would come back here for bbq anytime I'm in the area. Bathrooms are clean and whole place is family friendly

Amazing bbq! Chefs/grill masters Juwan & Mike, you guys are bbq masters! The creativity and passion for your food shines through! The best beef rib and burger I have EVER HAD! The beans, the smokiness and meaty flavor was amazing. The tender beef brisket had such insane flavor, I'm amazed that the only seasoning was salt and pepper, which goes to show the love and tenderness you guys took to prepare this The flavor of this amazing meal is still lingering like a party in my palate thank you, thank you, thank you! We will be back!

Love the location and they have great sandwiches! Specialty sauces and beer! Definitely stop by if you can. Also conveniently close to a Tesla supercharger

No. First off this is not a smoke house. This was more like a school cafeteria on bbq day.... If that. This was gross. The brisket had an iridescent sheen to it..... like lunch meat. I'm pretty sure it was lunch meat with sauce. The sides all were all lousy and it wasn't worth $10....let alone the $70 it cost for two meals. Such a disappointment! Really great space-wasted.

Came on a Weds around noon for lunch. Amicable staff and quick delivery of food. The sausage was decent but felt it was missing grilled onions or some additional condiment. Baked beans were okay as well. Burger served its purpose and filled us up. The beer was the best part of the meal, decent selection. Overall, the area was nice with good amount of parking and easy access in the heart of big sur.

We were hopeful we would love it with it being a Ventana resort restaurant. Nothing had flavor or even salt/pepper/seasoning like bbq should. We tried the brisket, mac n cheese, potato salad, beans, and coleslaw. It was a pricey meal with a let down.

Simply the juiciest best brisket I've ever had! The food was included in the Ventana stay so we headed down here daily to sample their menu. A hidden gem if you're traveling, stop here this is gourmet level bbq.

EXCELLENT !! Nice change from all the Seafood along HWY 1 Brisket was flavorful and so tender I cut it with a fork, melts in your mouth. BBQ chicken fell off the bone. Sides include: baked beans, braised greens, Mac & cheese , potato salad or slaw. They make a pretty good Margarita too !! Indoor/outdoor seating A+ and let Jajuan know what you liked or didn't, he takes pride in every inch of this GREAT place to eat !!

I went to Big Sur for the first time last week and stopped at this place with a friend just to ask a question because we had lost service. When we walked in the cook was being filmed talking about their brisket which I later found out was for a new show about California's beauty and food. So we ended up trying it and I got a platter with pulled pork, brisket, potato salad, and baked beans and everything was so delicious. The meat just fell apart at the touch and they had 4 different sauces that were all great and I'm assuming homemade. Everything was amazing. It was the best bbq I've had in quite a while. Their staff was also very friendly and informative. Overall a great experience

After a long drive down the 101. This place definitely hit the spot. The brisket and pulled pork was delicious. Baked beans, potato salad and slaw definitely was the cherry on top. Located at the entrance of Ventana campground, a nice place to grab a quick bite before braving glamping.

So I am an award winning bbq chef and trained at the cia in napa. This was by far the worst pulled pork sandwich on earth! Tasted like an old smelly shoe. Gross. I spit it out plus it was 26 bucks. Also the potatoes in the potato salad were undercooked and cut in super big pieces. Beware if you know what good bbq is.