Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ (inside Society)

Would come back solely for the beef rib. Fork tender and perfectly seasoned. The brisket was a bit lean for my liking. Kids liked the corn, Mac and cheese and coleslaw (but sweet for me).

Seems like a good place to get together with friends! They had pool, pingpong, and shuffle board from what I could see. Decent amount of TVs to catch the game or fight too. I had the brisket sandwich and onion rings to eat. That sandwich was decent. Very tender, but nothing too amazing. Overall it seems like a pretty nice spot. I would definitely come back.

Don’t waste your time with Bubba’s Smokehouse BBQ (inside Society). Google says they’re open until 11pm on Sundays, and their own website confirms the same—but nowhere does it mention that their kitchen closes earlier. I showed up at 9:50pm, clearly well before the posted closing time, only to be told at the door that they were already closed. I came for the restaurant, not the bar, so that excuse doesn’t hold up. If your kitchen shuts down earlier, post it clearly everywhere. Super frustrating and misleading. Maybe I dodged a bullet when it comes to the food and service—guess I’ll never know, because I’m not giving this place a second chance. Late-night eaters, don’t bother.

We were in the area on a weekday so finding parking was fine. We found this restaurant on Google Maps and wanted to try it. It turned out to be a pretty good BBQ restaurant. There's plenty of seats and tables. We felt welcome in this restaurant. Everything we ordered was good: French fries, salad, ribs, beef shank. We will definitely come back.

We love this BBQ place near La Jolla Cove Beach area. The food is 🔥 and the server was exceptional. We got the Bubba combo that comes with 3 meats (pulled pork, chopped brisket and baby back ribs) a side and cornbread. The meats were so moist and flavorful. Their BBq sauce was sweet and tangy. We'll definitely come back again.

Amazing ribs! Tender, fall off the bone good. The sauce is excellent. We had the ribs and brisket. I can't wait to go back and try the chicken and pork. We'll definitely be ordering the ribs again. The service was very friendly and nice. Even though it's order at the counter and seat yourself we felt like we were waited on. They had a wing Wednesday special. It's buffalo only, I wish they would do the wings with their BBQ sauce or fry rub.

We ordered delivery for my husbands birthday. We’re a 6 minute drive, figured it would survive. Two kids meals; they were pulled meat mini sandwiches and were so dry the kids wouldn’t eat them. The fries in all 3 meals were so stale and completely inedible. The garden burger was a nice option for a vegetarian except I had to pull chunks of meat off of it (defeats the purpose, ya know). The birthday boys meal was missing completely and we had to call. Luckily the Uber driver was so kind and drive back to get the last meal. Unfortunately when it arrived the sausage was burnt, the brisket was half fat, and the meat had no sauce and was again, you guessed it, dry. We had really high hopes and we’re supremely disappointed in the result. Not the celebratory meal we were hoping for.

TLDR: Fantastic food, but the new location is so-so and the restaurant needs more staff! Visited Bubba’s (inside Society) last weekend for lunch with a party of 6. This was my first visit to Bubba’s since they switched locations from Downtown La Jolla, and Bubba’s is now serving as the kitchen/in-house restaurant for Society Pool Bar in Pacific Beach. The Society bar is large and has plenty of tables and room to move around which is ideal for busy late night partiers at Pacific Beach. It is effective as a bar but has very little charm or character for a restaurant. I understand that it is a bar kitchen now so this might be a picky criticism but compared to the feel of the previous location it feels lacking in identity. We entered the bar for lunch at about 2pm on a Saturday and while the bar had a medium sized crowd, we did not need to wait for a table which was nice. Biggest downside to our experience was the lack of staff. There was only one waitress on staff for a room with about 50 people and only one person working the kitchen from what I could see. As expected this meant a long wait until we could order and an even longer wait time until our food was delivered. There were probably about 50 people at the bar during our visit and our poor waitress was extremely busy taking orders, delivering food, delivering drinks, checking pool equipment out to people etc and it was clearly too much for one person. Based on the long wait time for the food and a forgotten order it seems like the kitchen was understaffed also. All that being said, our waitress was great and deserves a raise! When the food arrived it was great as always. I’m very happy to see that the quality hasn’t changed! I ordered the signature sandwich The Bubba and it was out of this world. The sides of mac & cheese, beans and fries were also great. Would love if they brought back the self serve ketchup and bbq sauce stations because I felt bad asking the busy waitress for extra sauces. All in all 5 stars for the food, 3 stars for service and ambience, but I will definitely be returning again and I will happily revise my rating if the bar gets more staff/improves the restaurant side of the experience.

great bbq i was impressed w all the bbq very nice thanks brisket ribs babybak ribs all great

Had high hopes for this place while visiting. Was looking forward to the food but everything tasted like it was old and reheated the only thing I liked were the ribs. Idk if it's just bc I'm from Arizona everything is so expensive out here but it just wasn't worth it to pay $30 for a plate and only get one side. Which made us want to order more sides that weren't good. The Mac and cheese was mushy and not heated all the way. The coke slaw was terrible had like a thyme or rosemary seasoning that was way too potent. Also ordered baked beans didn't care to have those. The brisket I was so excited for and it was like room temp and dry on whatever spots didn't have bbq sauce just such a waste of $130 plus the $23! The drinks were flat we all ordered cokes and 1 sprite. When walking in there was an overwhelming smell of cleaning products and it just didn't sit well with me wanted to leave as soon as we finished bc how overwhelming the smell was. Service was great our waitress was very nice and explained menu well just unfortunate nothing was good other then the ribs.

Loved this place in la jolla so i drove to the new location for the first time excited to try it just to have a rude interaction from the "security" because apparently you need an ID to eat food? This is the worst decision made to have this place moved into a bar where i need an ID just to enjoy some food. Terrible. Rude security. Lost a customer 100%. There was clearly a child in the bar lol

Don't waste your time with Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ (inside Society). Google says they're open until 11pm on Sundays, and their own website confirms the same--but nowhere does it mention that their kitchen closes earlier. I showed up at 9:50pm, clearly well before the posted closing time, only to be told at the door that they were already closed. I came for the restaurant, not the bar, so that excuse doesn't hold up. If your kitchen shuts down earlier, post it clearly everywhere. Super frustrating and misleading. Maybe I dodged a bullet when it comes to the food and service--guess I'll never know, because I'm not giving this place a second chance. Late-night eaters, don't bother.

went about an hour after opening and got brisket, Mac and mashed potatoes. I wanted a larger side of each and the waitress did suggest getting it as a side but didnt mention it wouldn't come with bread but that's fine. my problem was how dry the meat was and the Mac and cheese looked and tasted like it was leftover from the previous night and thrown in a microwave. the sauce was completely separated and oily. for what ended up being $50 I was seriously disappointed. also this location is apparently a pool and bar and the "restaurant" is just something in the back which it didn't show anywhere on google maps.

I had a gift card from Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ for $50. They wouldn't honor it because the said "Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ" is no longer is business.... what?!? So... if they are no longer in business, how can they be called that at this Inside Society PB location, and more importantly, how can they not honor a gift card? Lame...

Trashy customer service, i had to find my own napkins, salt, pepper, and I had to walk around and find what we needed from other tables. Definitely not a good service place, blah food, and "DO YOU WANT A SIDE?" Not would you like typa place.

Got a really weird ambiance being situated in the plaza of an office building and offering fast casual counter service. For an early dinner, they sure seemed to be out of a lot of items. I ordered The Bubba Combo so I could taste a few things (of what was left) but the portions were kinda small and nothing was really standout. Pulled Pork: Pretty standard. Strings of pork that were tender and moist. Went well with the sauce. Chopped Brisket: Was disappointed that they were out of the sliced brisket and only had the chopped brisket. Chopped up so small it kinda tasted like the pulled pork and at times was hard to tell apart. Hot Links: A tasty smoked link that had good smoky grill marks. But kinda small. They added some onions and peppers on top, which felt more like food at Italian fair than BBQ. Baked Beans: Decent taste and had bacon, but served in a small portion like a side sauce container. Cornbread: Muffin-like, just alright.

I work across the street and been wanting to try for a while now. Well finally I did and WOW very very good. I tried the baby backs and they were so tender and juicy with lots of flavor. The guy is super nice and you can tell he takes pride in what he does. You can see the passion for cooking when you speak to the guy. Great over all will definitely return to try other menu items.

New location but still great tasting good ol bbq meat! Very glad it's much closer so I have no more excuses to eating delicious bbq meats! Owner is very nice and friendly and takes pride in his food which is great!

Ordered the brisket sandwich sliced. Got a version where it was not even chopped but like grounded. Meat was dried out and grease all over to the point we could not eat. Had to be a bottom of the barrel situation since we ordered delivery at 7:30pm. Tried to take a bite before putting sauce on and there was no seasoning just grease like it was soaked in it to try and make it juicy/moist again. Mac and cheese tasted good- some of the crunchy cheese was too hard and burnt had to discard those parts, they forgot our baked beans, forgot our vanilla ice cream, the side of sausage link with grilled veggies was the only good part. After fees and etc we wasted $100. Fell for the buy one get one promo.

They moved from mega nice big space in LJ to tiny back corner in PB's Society sports bar. Menu reduced & they say their still online menu Corn Bread GONE. Food fine, BUT: 1) my white meat Breast NOT there once home & open bags, only NOT ordered or wanted DARK thigh & leg, 2) Beef rib $11. & ANOREXIC, the LEAST meat beef rib I EVER have seen, barely ANY meat (unlike all their competitors). Phone rep & greeter once there Mary Ann needs training & older man helping her pack unaware of order. They need help...

You can tell a lot about a restaurant by its starters ;) And wow, did these starters SPEAK! The onion rings and hush puppies tasted so good that I must come back to try more of the menu. What started off as a place to use the potty- these starters intrigued us to come back and try more of the menu! Great and quick service btw!

Pork ribs were just cooked ribs with unappealing sauce on them. If there was a rub, I didn't taste it. Pulled chicken was served cold with the disappointing sauce. The chicken wasn't anything unique, just white cold white chicken. Brisket was also very disappointing. Served room temp. No spicy rub or smoked flavor. Hot/spicy sauce was just disappointing red water. Overall, I think they know the meat is flavorless so they attempt to make it barbecue by putting unappealing sauce on it before you have a chance to notice. Yes, I ate it all. I wasn't about to waste $45. Yes, I also got a taco drown out the disappointment.

Our van group did a social meetup at Bubba's on a Saturday afternoon. The place is take out only so there's no actual restaurant, in an industrial complex which worked great for all our vans to park without being in the way of other customers picking up orders. The owner was very friendly and accommodating. The bbq was some of the best I've had in a long time. I had ordered a 1/2 lb of the brisket & two 1/4 chicken portions (all dark meat) and a medium size container of the potato salad to share with my son. The brisket were thick juicy & tender slices. The chicken was just as juicy and tender. The sauce was provided on the side and was very good & didn't over power the flavor of the meats. Potato salad was also very good. Everything was delicious!

As a born and bred southerner who's been in California for 10 years- I can assure you Bubba's is as good as it gets in California. I've never found another joint like it. The pulled chicken sandwich was so tender you barely had to chew it. The fried okra was award winning quality and fried to perfection. Don't skip that. Some of the best I've ever had. The Mac n cheese was baked with little crisp edges/not dry, and the coleslaw was creamy and fresh! We live in Encinitas and drive down just for Bubba's. Highly recommend. Jeff the manager is super friendly and awesome! The ambiance is relaxing and they play country music which is an added bonus. Absolute only thing I would change is more bbq sauce options alongside a homemade ranch! A bbq sauce bar would be a hit! Kind of like a salsa bar.

The BBQ was pretty good - pulled pork and brisket were properly cooked and paired well with the sauces. The Mac n cheese was just ok - good but nothing spectacular. The location is a little strange - as others have noted it's in the back unit of an office complex. Counter service though no real counter that we could see - just met the owner out front and ordered. As others have noted, they were out of a few things which was interesting given how few people were there but it's a small restaurant and it worked out well. Owner was nice, and the value was at least as good as some of the other local BBQ places. Would order from here again.

So happy this spot is so close and that it's on the outskirts of crazy parking situations. Came in 25 minutes before they closed and a lot of meat was sold out - great sign! Thankfully, the tri tip, baby back ribs and chicken were still available. Every bite was spot on and the sides were yummy too. Macaroni and cheese was the perfect texture as was the corn bread.

Bubbas is the only bbq joint in La Jolla and anywhere close. The process seemed a little intense up front with one person running all over the place just before a lunch rush. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich. It was a normal sized sandwich for $14 but not overflowing with meat. The pork could have used some more flavor but the bbq sauce was very good. The Mac n cheese was also under seasoned.

We have been looking for a great BBQ place and Bubba's has been the best place. Meat falls off the bone and it's tender. Kids also love Bubba's best. The sauce is great and the owners were very friendly.

Best beef ribs in San Diego - yes - better than Phil's. By far. Heartbreaking that this establishment closed, and can't wait for the grand re-opening. The beef ribs were fatty and the sauce was delicious. The service was outstanding.

New Bbq place in my neighborhood I decided to try out from a coupon left on my doorstep and it did not disappoint. My wife and I got the smoked brisket sandwiches with sides of coleslaw and Mac and cheese. The Mac and cheese is some of the best we have had. The brisket was moist and tender and smoked to perfection. We tried two bbq sauces. One was sweet and tangy and the other was a vinegar based with good spice. Highly recommend. This place is situated in an industrial business park. It is takeout out only. Recommend calling ahead to order and picking it up as delivery services add a hefty surcharge. When you get to the place you need to ring a bell and your food is delivered to you. A little unusual and unique but didn't bother me. Support local and small business!

The sliced brisket is delicious and juicy. Love the baby back ribs. They fall off the bone. The bubbas burger with the hot link is to die for. Don't forget about the bread pudding.

I had the pulled pork sandwich and it was delicious-- tender, juicy, buttery, and paired well with the BBQ sauce that comes with. I got sweet potato fries as well and they were OK. Not seasoned enough or something. You order at the counter and service is very friendly. They came to our table to see if we needed extra sauces or anything. Good spot that I would return to when craving BBQ.

Was hoping to try Bubba's because of the reviews.. however the location was take out only.. which is NOT clearly noted..I called and double checked as I sat in the parking lot as well. *note to owner reply.. while the 1 star is not based on food.. and I appreciate you doing what is needed to stay in service by only offering takeout.. I drove 20 minutes to visit your location.. please update your site and yelp to note .. take out location.. so it is not mis leading.. wish you continued success.

stopped by here for a little snack haha The service was good, they were quick and considerate. I only got this since I wasn't that hungry but wanted to try something in the area. The ambiance is nice and I saw families eating which is a good sign. It's not really a cute date night spot but I'd definitely return with some buddies. Honestly, the mac and cheese was super solid. Not too mushy or bland at all - I'd definitely recommend!!

WOW! had no expectations whatsoever, just a quick stop after work-- this by far is the best bbq i have ever had! I had the pork ribs and that thing just fell off the bone. It was so juicy!! The sauce is the perfect blend of savory, sweet, and spicy! The red potato salad was the perfect side for it. It didn't over power the ribs at all. It wasn't too citrus-y or salty. I meant to only have a few bites (as i wanted to share this with my mom), but i ended up eating the whole thing and got her something else on the way home. I wish I bought more Jeff was working the front and was super friendly and kind! Appreciate the hospitality will be back soon and i'll be bringing friends!

I saw a new place in town on Google maps so I had to try it. The food was great but it is "take out only." I'm going to put a positive spin on this and say that if you're an introvert looking for BBQ, this is the place for you. If you want your food handed through the door then send you on your way, this is just perfect. I understand that they're working out of a corporate park and it's not really a dine-in storefront so that's fine, I just hope that they do well and grow. The BBQ sandwich was actually pretty impressive. The coupon was odd since it said to call ahead but had no phone number. You can order online but there's no way to reference the coupon. I'll cut them some slack, things get missed when starting up but if you have that flyer/coupon, be sure to bring it in person. I'm glad to hear they cater because this is definitely a business I'd call in for an employee party at some point.

Please note this review is based off of the misleading information in Yelp. This is not a dine in location. Drove all the way here and seen it was "to go" orders only. Yelp needs to update this detail.

Fun busy place .. Food is great. Lots of TVs you can't miss a game. Street parking available. Ribs, chicken, beans all the best BBQ food

Bubba's has been my BBQ place to go. Service is fast and perfect. It was a great outing for friends and family

The pictures are misleading. It's just a kitchen with a minimal menu. No seating . Pictures are from their la jolla location per the person working

Great food, good service. It has moved to a Rancho Bernardo office kitchen location and don't have dine-in option anymore. But for a takeout place it is really good. The buffalo chicken wings, the ribs and especially the coleslaw was heavenly.

My husband and I took another vacation in La Jolla, this time with our littles. My husband and I had been to this place before and loved it! We wanted our kiddos to try it out too. Our kids ordered the chicken tenders, which they loved! They both ate all of their meals and bragged about how it was! My husband had the burger and I had the salmon! Both meals were just as delicious as the first time we visited and ate at this place! The owner was the cashier at the time, in which he has a great personality! He is very friendly and seems to love what he does! He was often cleaning tables and adding new paper towels to tables that needed them. It was very nice to see the owner taking care of business and ensuring not only his business, but his customers were taken care of. Great job! Totally worth giving this place a try!

Barbecued meats are not what you expect to find in terms of restaurants near La Jolla Cove, but that is what Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ has delivered over the years. The last time I visited here was during my pre-Yelp days so I made a pit stop after a late day appointment. Curbside parking on this end of Prospect St is plentiful as it's away from the main cluster of shops and stores. Several items had already been sold out like the beef ribs, sliced brisket, pulled chicken, pulled pork, and cornbread. I ended up choosing one of Bubba's Platters which was one meat (Grilled Tri-Tip was my pick), one side, and a piece of cornbread. The garlic mashed potatoes were my side item, and a large bun replaced the unavailable cornbread. The tri-tip cut was thicker and chewier than other BBQ places I have tried. Seven pieces were provided in the take-out container. Two types of barbecue sauce were included, but each one was quite watery. Pricewise, it's comparable to some local competitors, however a second side dish is usually offered which this place did not match. The overall experience at Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ was middle of the road for me.

Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ is located in La Jolla and offers a good selection of meats. I heard rave reviews about their BBQ beef ribs but they were all out of them when I visited. I ordered the Bubba combo. My group also ordered a side of okra to share. Bubba Combo ($19) - This comes with 3 meat options, a side and a piece of corn bread. For my meat options I went with a quarter BBQ chicken, brisket, and pulled chicken and sweet potato fries as my side. The pulled chicken was a bit of a let down and dry. I would definitely pass on it. On the other hand the brisket was flavorful and juicy and had a nice bit of smoky flavor to it. The 1/4 BBQ chicken was also juicy and not bad taste wise. As for the sweet potato fries, they were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, which is exactly how I like them. I really enjoyed the taste of them. The corn bread was most and pretty good too. Okra ($6) - This came with a fair amount of fried okra. They were crunchy and went well with the spicy mayo dipping sauce. I really enjoyed this and it was definitely a great side to get. Overall I though the food was pretty good here, except for the pulled chicken. I was kind of bummed they didn't have BBQ beef ribs available when I visited. I'll definitely be back if I'm in the area to get my BBQ fix.

The customer service was amazing! They went above and beyond when I told them I'm doing carnivore and they made me cheese tacos with chicken! Food was amazing!!

I wanted to try something new and went on Yelp and came across this bbq place. Located in an industrial park you will find this ghost kitchen which is NOT a restaurant! Which means you can get delivery or to go orders. Perfectly convenient! The owner greeted us and personally brought out our to go order to the car. You want to order online or call it in so it's ready when you get there. We ordered the pork ribs, beef ribs, French fries, Mac and cheese and potato salad. All were very good and fall off the bone. The sides were perfectly made and fresh! I love that the bbq sauce is sweet and tangy! Will definitely be back when we are having a bbq craving!

We are staying across the street for the weekend and the front desk recommended Bubba's. WHAT A FIND!!! My hubby ordered their Pulled Pork Sandwich and I ordered their Tri Tip Salad. The sandwich had so much flavor. The BBQ sauce was on point and much to my dismay it was running down his arm...apparently that's a good thing. My salad was was just right. The tri tip was tender the greens were crunchy. Jeff and his wife are so personable and friendly, they gave us recommendations for dinner...which restaurants were for locals and which restaurants just wanted our money. If you want legit BBQ, this is the place for you! We will definitely make the trek here just for a meal!!!

Sunday, late afternoon. We were looking for a quick bite. We found this place by yelp and walked right in. They have outside and inside seating. We walked right up to the counter and the very kind gentlemen took our order. My husband put in the order for a burger and fries. I was able to order the Little piggy chicken sliders. It came with fries and a drink. Food came out hot. The fries were skinny fries and there was a bunch of them. My chicken sliders had a bit bbq sauce on them yet the chicken was nice and moist. The flavor over all was really good. My husband loved his Angus burger. I got to sneak a bit and agreed it was also really good.

I was in town for a visit and went out for a nice long ride to check out the area. Ended up for lunch at Bubba's. The main building has some construction going on outside currently but they have big blue signs saying they're open. Three of us ordered a Bubba's for 2 (brisket and pulled pork) which we had w/ beans, coleslaw, and two cornbread muffins that came w/ the order. We added a 1/3 rack of babyback ribs and some sweet potato fries. The bbq was pretty good. Moist and def not dry. Not sure if there's a lot of bbq places in the area but if yin the mood for some bbq then it's def a good place to go. Also met Ali and Jeff (owners) who were there and was helping serve us. Very nice and friendly couple. Attentive and they had a good amount of customers coming and going. Def the type of people you want to support.

These were possibly the best ribs I've ever had- worth every penny. I had coleslaw and Mac'n cheese as my sides. I'd give 6 stars if I could.

Food was great. This is a pick up location and a little difficult to find but it is worth it. Very good BBQ.

All the food I have tasted has been fantastic. I'm from Texas and this place brought me back home! Thank you

We ordered the baby back rib racks One of them was good and yummy but the other looked like it was white meat, we weren't sure what we were actually eating and stoped eating it. Would need more info about the product.

It wasn't the best bbq but it was good, service was great. My favorite off the play was the pulled pork.

Bubba's has moved to Rancho Bernardo but it's as great as ever!! So nice to enjoy our favorite bbq again! The menu is currently a little smaller but still all the hits are available. We had a chopped brisket sandwich with a side of coleslaw and a half rack of baby back ribs with a side of french fries. Delicious as always!! Currently take-out only until they get some outdoor seating.

La Jolla is a long time favorite spot to take photos.  La Jolla Cove is especially lovely at sunset. I just upgraded to the Iphone 11 and thought I'd try out the camera.  I don't visit downtown La Jolla often as the parking is limited.  Luckily a co-worker drove.  Bubba's wasn't too crowded for lunch so service was speedy.  Wings were the special of the day for 75 cents each so I tried 3 of them with sweet bbq sauce.  Waitress said they were baked and then fried.  They were good sized, moist, and the sauce gave it a nice sweet flavor.  Good tasting wings which are like wings I've had at Wingstop.  I also ordered a half rack of baby back ribs with dry rub.  Ribs were smoked with mesquite.  I tasted a light smoky flavor.  Dry rub looked like it was sprinkled on after smoking and added a light sweet and spicy flavor.  Overall the flavors were on the mild side.  I would have liked more dry rub and smokiness. It was a nice lunch but I prefer the bolder flavors at Coop's West Texas BBQ

We ordered ribs, onion rings, burgers, pulled pork and corn. The onion rings were almost burned. The fries were all tough and not very good. The ribs, corn and pulled pork were good.