Gram's BBQ Restaurant & Catering

I recently visited Gram’s BBQ in Riverside, California, and it was a fantastic experience! The brisket was tender and packed with flavor—absolutely great. The catfish, though, stole the show; it was phenomenal, perfectly cooked with a crispy exterior and juicy inside. The greens were a delicious sidekick, seasoned just right. The staff’s advice was spot-on, helping me navigate the menu with ease. The cozy vibe of the place, paired with some great tunes, made it feel like a home away from home. Well worth the visit, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone craving top-notch BBQ with soul!

Nice smily girl at the counter. Beef brisket is absolutely recommended. Grilled veggies were good too. Pork Ribs were dry. Got a chicken wing and thigh to try. Did not like really much: too dry and too much smoky flavor. Would love to see the area cleaner, especially tables. Or the special paper can be used each time both for cover and top. The location is great. Parking lot is right at the corner. Nice area to take a walk and exploare. Outdoor patio is available.

The food was 50/50. My burger was over cooked, but my girls had brisket sandwiches and mac and cheese it was ok. They were a little over priced for what they offer.

Our first time being at Gram's BBQ and the restaurant gave this nice and cozy vibe. And to top it off, Anita welcomed us with a friendly smile. She was so kind and very very helpful. My daughter loved her! We will definitely go back. I had their Cajun chicken sandwich and my husband a burger. It was delicious! I want to try their ribs and wings next :)

The service staff were very friendly and nice and a pleasure to deal with. We ordered the two meat platter where we had chicken and brisket. For me, the brisket was a touch too fatty and the chicken was just a little bit dry but overall still tasted well. Living in places like Memphis, the south and near Kansas City. I’m very particular about my barbecue. There wasn’t much bark on the brisket and the cornbread could’ve used butter or honey or something. I had to collard greens which were delicious and the mac & cheese wasn’t too bad either. We also have the okra which was OK, but I could’ve done without.

Excellent! I had chicken, yams, and beans. All were quite good. There was a line when I got there, and that gave me plenty of time to look at the menu -- and change my mind several times!

Came out to downtown for the festival of lights. It was a busy night and decided to wallk a bit further down and found this lil gem. The food came out in a reasonable time. It was hot fresh and very tasty. I got a pulled pork sandwich and let me tell you they serve hefty portions. My son ordered the two BBQ ribs and said they were some of the best ribs he's ever had! So juicy and tender! We both left very fulfilled and satisfied. We will definitely be coming back! We'll done Gram's BBQ!

Small little hole in the wall... the service was warm and welcoming food was delicious ....I got the pork rib dinner special with mac and cheese 🔥...even though I went later in the evening everything was still tasty... Go check them out.

This restaurant is small but cute, it gives family vibes. The staff is very helpful, kind and funny. I ordered the fried shrimp with extra fries. My shrimp was crispy the way I like them and seasoned really well. The food is cooked upon your order so it'll take some time for your food to come out but I'm sure you'd rather your food be fresh and delicious than quick and nasty. I'll absolutely be back to try the rest of the items on the menu!

This place is my go to place for bbq. The pork ribs run out fast so come early. Try anything on the menu...you will not be disappointed. Service is always friendly and fast.

We were visiting from San Jose while taking a tour of UC Riverside. Gram's is downtown and was very close to our hotel. We left it up to our son to pick a place for dinner, but in all honesty, my wife and I had already walked by and were dying to check it out. We were not disappointed. Between the 3 of us, we had pork ribs, pulled pork, and brisket. The ribs were dry rubbed, giving you the choice of "to sauce or not to sauce." They were delicious and tender as-us, no sauce required. The pulled pork cane in a boat with lots of juice. We had a good selection of meat, bark, and just enough fat to keep it juicy. The brisket was sliced thicker than one would expect, but it sliced nicely and tasted fantastic. The bark had a bit of sweetness to it, I'm guessing a little brown sugar. The sides were fantastic and the portions were large! Beans had a tangy BBQ flavor with some onion and meat in it. The potato salad was terrific as well. My son is a Mac n cheese expert, and he said it was one of the best. Gram's is a family run place, with the pit master being Gram's grandson. He came out to check on us to make sure we were happy. The manager or hostess maybe, I think she said her name was Anita, was also very happy to see us and took great care of us. She is a long time friend of the family there. Our son decided to go to UC Riverside, so we're very excited that we'll be back in town soon to go back to Gram's!

Food was well cooked and reasonably cost. Pleasant service as well. The outdoor dining was nice.

The restaraunt is quant, homely, and has great music playing. The service is quick and helpful, and the staff is pleasant. The food is terrific! Everything on the plate was delicious. The mac n cheese was the weakest dish we had but it was still flavorful. The sauces were really good, the tartar sauce was different than the usual white fan fair, this sauce was an orange color with a nice tang 8/10 would recommend and return

Tried 1/2 pound brisket and 1/2 pound pulled pork. The brisket was a disgusting black burnt end that was fatty nasty and mostly inedible waste. The pulled pork was a solid chunk that wasn't shredded and was extremely fatty. But at least the meat that I got from the pork was edible after I shredded it up. But I will never go back there again.

It's almost new year we came here to see Mission Inn hotel Christmas lights and decorations... This place not too big but they have enough space for big group! We are 7 people and they able accommodate us. We ordered as the young beautiful lady ( cashier) named Kimberly suggested their best seller in their combination menu fish ( red snapper , tilapia) Turkey burger, grand daddy dinner and all we ordered was delicious and we really love it! ... And of course 5 stars not only for food but most of all the staff are all friendly with good service!

Wish I could give a better review as The lady who waited on us was an absolute ray of true sunshine! She was kind and genuine and deserves all the love. 5 stars for her! My husband said his brisket was good. The friend green tomatoes - yummy! The Mac and cheese was better than decent. The corn muffins tasty. The pork ribs were dry. The pulled pork was so salty it was inedible for me. When I mentioned it to the staff, the suggested I "drown it in sauce to try to cut the salt." Seriously?!?!? Later when I had set it to the side and obviously not eating it, she offered to replace it with something else, but by then I was full and couldn't take anything with me.

THE BEST PORK RIBS EVER....ANYWHERE. Anita is an amazing human being and manager who waited on me. I ordered 2 ribs but got 5. I ate 5. I cannot breathe. The crust. The smoky flavor. The tender. Please patronize them! I accidentally happened upon this hole in the wall behind my hotel tonight. I will drive the 4 hours here just to eat these again. Sincerely amazing food.

I walked in. Looked at the price then walked out. Nothing more to be said. I Am Not Going To Spend $30 for three beef ribs. Sorry, but you are Not going to fool me with fake 5 star reviews. It's no joke when I spend my hard earned money on three measly beef ribs that if I'm lucky will have a reasonable amount on meat. If I'm going to gamble I'll go to Vegas.

I came at 6pm on a Thursday, and a number of items were sold out. They still had pulled pork, hot links, and wings for meat, and still had all the fish except for catfish. I ended up getting the red snapper with macaroni and cheese and candied yams as my sides. They also provided bbq sauce, hot sauce, and a fry sauce. The fish was a good texture and mild flavor, just a touch fishy. The mac n cheese and yams were both delicious, I'd definitely get the mac n cheese again. The cornbread was left out of the order, or perhaps they were out. Just a couple small things could be improved, but based on what I had I definitely want to go back, maybe for lunch next time to have a larger selection.

The food was an eight out of 10. The service on the other hand was absolutely terrible, lots of younger staff in the kitchen, looking lost and forgetful orders not just our table, but throughout everybody's table that was eating there that day.

Well here we go. The food was delicious. However when we got home with our food after spending over $70.00 we where very disappointed. We ordered the brisket, and all we got was two pieces of meat. The collard greens, yams,and meat was delicious However the portions were very, stingy. Please spend your money somewhere else other than Gram's in Riverside. I will never ever go back there again. My wife and I were very disappointed. We feel we were ripped off. Think twice before you spend your good hard earned money .

I had really high hopes for this place and I was very disappointed. I placed an order for an office event through their online service and all of our orders were wrong. Not to mention my chicken was a little too pink for my liking. They forgot our pie, our grilled vegetables were not grilled but pickled. The orders that were supposed have fries had the pickled vegetables. One order was supposed to be red snapper and we got catfish. Only good thing about our order was the corn bread and the Cajun chicken sandwich. Needless to say, I am not suggesting this place for another office event. The place does offer outside seating, the inside is very small.

This place is a hidden gem. One of the best barbecue places in Riverside. This place gets pretty crowded during lunchtime, so make sure you have time to wait. It's well worth it.

I use to like this place even though it's not as good as it used to be but I went to place an order for a dinner with 2 sides and now they want you to pay extra for macaroni and cheese this used to be a free side with your dinner that's the way it is at all bbq and soul food restaurants I've ever eaten at so that's it for me I will not be eating here again it's a shame

Ordered to go the 2 meats combo says it's lunch portion. Cajun Wings & tender pork ribs, candid yams and cornbread. It's a generous amount. Next I'll be sure to dine in and try the beef ribs and brisket

Got lunch pulled pork sandwich & brisket sandwich. Both were supposed to come with coleslaw on the sandwhich but both were missing it. On the sandwhich, it's only coleslaw and the meat so it lacked flavor. Good size portion of meat but the bread was so soggy and falling apart there was no point to it. Wont be coming back

Glad to be back in the area for work so I can return to Gram's BBQ. Finally got to try the pork ribs and they were decent. Very tender but lacking in the flavor I desire. I must admit that my brother-in-love's BBQ has my standards extremely high. The catfish as usual was good and so were the sides. I'm glad I went in shortly after 6pm because a lot of people started coming in to order food shortly afterwards. I love the mural on the wall and the photo of the owner. Classic soul food joint with a good vibe.

Service is excellent. Food is great. But, some of the ribs were dry and overcooked. I think because they were smoked. Another factor also might be the number of people coming in and out because the Missions always very busy of visitors. Staffs were excellent! Reasonable price. Convenient location. 12-9-2023

I'm surprised this place has a 3.5 rating. The Pulled Pork and Brisket are phenomenal. The staff is so friendly. I'm definitely coming back. 5 Stars all the way!

My husband and I stopped for dinner this past weekend. I found this place by googling BBQ restaurants in Riverside as I was craving some ribs. The place is small with some seating outside and we were lucky to get a table. It was difficult deciding what to order as everything sounded good so I went with the pork ribs accompanied by grilled vegetables and candied yams. The hubby had beef ribs with mac and cheese and baked beans. Everything was delicious but the best thing were the giant dinosaur beef ribs! The were smoked to perfection with a delicious dry rub. No bbq sauce added as it would of ruined them. Both of us could not believe how good they were. I'm glad we took a chance on this place. Finding good BBQ is almost impossible so Grams is on our list to go back for more!

Best Bbq !!! Food and sides Omg !! I had bbq pork ribs.. fall off the bone ! Bbq. Chicken was aaaamazing .. i had bbq beans and they were by far the most flavorful ive had ! potato salad was fire !! And lets not even talk about mac and Cheese !! Yummm Hot links were sliced and delicious! We also had pulled pork Sandwich on side ! The service was attentive and authentic!! Thank You !!!

Omg! The food was great, flavorful! Our server/cashier was very attentive and friendly. Even a kitchen staff personnel came out to check that we were enjoying our food. By far the best bbq I've purchased in the Inland Empire and I'll definitely be back. We had a good mixture to enjoy and of course our eyes were wayyy bigger than our stomachs as we needed a foil pan to pack up the meats. Lol. We will definitely be back. Want some good ol southern hospitality, stop by Gram's BBQ in downtown Riverside.

My husband, my son, and daughter went for Fish Friday, which we do every so often. We ordered 2 Shot Caller meals which is supposed to come with 8 pieces of fish, 8 shrimp, 4 fried oysters, 2 12 ounce sides, and 3 corn bread muffins per meal for $52. The fish was over cooked, and the oysters were almost burnt and too hard to eat. With my son's order he did get 2 12 ounce sides ( the Mac & Cheese was soupy and had a soured taste, he took one bite and tossed the rest). The sides that came with my husband and my meal were an 8 ounce Mac & Cheese, with a small spoon of potato salad on wax paper. So not only were the sides terrible, but they were not the correct size servings for what we ordered. Not to mention, that we did not receive any corn bread. When I asked for the corn bread, we were given 4 instead of 6 and told we were going to get additional bread, since we did not receive any in the first place. We never even received any additional nor what was supposed to be included with our orders. Very very disappointed in not just the quality, but the issue with what we ordered originally. We will never go to Gram's again. They just lost multiple customers.

The ROMEOs returned to the Original Mile Square (IYKYK) and Riverside's historic BBQ spot. It didn't disappoint. Moderately busy on a Friday afternoon, the line moved fairly quickly as the hostess worked the line and phone orders seamlessly. The food arrived at the table (patio seating on the mall) hot and correct. Funny thing is, only one order of bbq (it was to-go). All the rest of us had some combination of fish and shrimp. The "Hookup" was the majority choice. Great value ($16) with 4 shrimp, 3 fish fillets (cat, snapper, tilapia), 2 sides and 1 cornbread. I had the "catfish lunch plate" with a side of fried green tomatoes. With the large portions I anticipated leftovers but it went really quickly. Crisp, crunchy cornmeal exterior moist, steamy flesh inside just the right ratio. The house pickled carrots, cucs and jalapeños is a nice touch. I loved the side of green tomatoes even though they were an up charge. Still a value at just over $14. Sodas, Kool-aid, beer and wine all available. The pink lemonade and the free cucumber water adds to the value of the visit and was the majority choice. Food-5 Service-5 Value-5 Retired Old Men Eating Out

Location is very good!!! Food: Meh... as the only real bbq in town, we'll this is great! However, as a person who knows what bbq should taste like, it's ok I guess.

We placed a large order for our holiday party & the food was delicious. Ribs were tender & everything seasoned to perfection. Customer service from Benita was excellent, she was so kind & patient with our order - we even added some last minute items that they easily accommodated. Delivery was on time & professional.

Who TF serves DRY ribs? This MFing place. Half slab ribs, no sauce; none even offered or mentioned.

The slices brisket and pulled pork were delicious. I will be back to eat here again.

the food was so good and tasted authentic/home made (except the cornbread) but it comes with the plate anyways, the place had tvs and booths and tables and was homey as well, good vibes, good employees that were sweet with genuine service, definitely recommend to come with friends and feel comfortable

When you order from the menu that says 2 sides and cornbread make sure they have it before you order... or they will tell you it was complimentary in the first place (in my case, cornbread) and there isn't any substitute, when it clearly does not say that on their menu or order screen which is digital and could be updated at any time. It was me and my family 1st time back in about 6 years, we heard it was under new ownership and wanted to give their food and service a try... The place still looks the same... but the taste isn't there and in my case the cornbread either.... Okra was good tho!

First time visit and the food and service did not disappoint. I tried the brisket, potato salad, pickled veggies and fries. Brisket was tender/juicy, potato salad was good, pickled veggies were fresh/crisp, and fries were crispy. Cashier recommended me to try the sweet potato pie and it was a great way to end the meal.

Great food and great service! I'm visiting from Monterey County and walked by and an employee said hello and asked if I was interested in dining. She was really nice! I ordered brisket, collard greens, and coleslaw. Everything tastes delicious! There's seating inside and outdoors as well. Definitely a must stop :)

First time here the costumer service is wonderful, sweet lady. Food is delicious. The sweet lady cashier didn't get my order so she compensated with a dessert yummy But there is a new chef so I understand. I recommend here

The Grandaddy burger was amazing! Nice local, chill vibe, worth it! Patio was greatly appreciated.

It really hurts to leave one star for this restaurant. I was told this was the best barbecue place in riverside wrong the beef rib I spent $50.00 I got other food to This place sucked beef ribs or salty and dry and nasty.

This spot is delicious. I believe it deserves atleast a 4-5 star. My partner and I ordered the shrimp poboy and the dirty fries. We were honestly so hungry and didn't have enough time to take a picture because it was a crowded weekend.

Ribs and chicken are delicious. Service was very good. Prices are very good too. The cornbread is one of my favorites.

Great food and family owned restaurant! My goto dish is typically the cat fish and my kids love the burgers and fries. We've also utilized them for catering events and everyone is always pleased with the quality of the food.

Checked out the Lunar New Year in festival Saturday-highly recommended- and thought I'd grab some soul food while I'm out. After searching for too long and thinking about the extra driving, I settled on Grams. I've been to Gram's before, probably a handful of times, but forgot how the food was. That should've been my first clue. My general rule, if it's not memorable, it was just meh. I don't forget places with amazing food. Ordered the catfish dinner with Mac n cheese plus fries for sides. Simple. Gram's is in a great location for business, but the parking situation isn't always the easiest. Today was even more challenging with the festival going on but I think otherwise it would've been easier. I ordered take out, but when I went to pick-up, I thought, why not just dine in? There's not a huge amount of space but there's a decent amount of tables inside, plus a dining area outside. Nice casual, chill ambience. When I dug into my food, it was sorta like I remembered: strips of filets, with good fries, tho I didn't recall much of the mac. My eyes lit up when I saw the cornmeal crust filets. Took my first bite, "wow, why have I been missing out on this food all this time?" Few more bites and it settled in-while it's fried the way I like, there's not much seasoning and it's not the texture of filet that I like. Really doesn't taste much like catfish. I think that first bite was the fat boy in me excited to have anything to eat. As you can see in the pics, the Mac looks like Mac, there is visible cheese, but it just doesn't taste like much. I'm thinking this place doesn't use salt and I'm not trying to go out to any restaurant and add anything but ketchup or hot sauce. Adding salt feels too much like cooking to me and even if I'm cooking at home, I add the salt during the process, not after. Would I come back? If I'm in the area I wouldn't mind trying a waffle and having more of their fries (you can't mess those up, right?) but I'm good on the mac and fish here.

This was our first time eating here. The service was great! The food was amazing. My other half is from Texas & is very picky when it comes to ribs....he said they are the best that he has had in a long time! We will come back, even if it takes us an hour to get here.

The food was absolutely delicious, the staff was courteous and professional.. can't wait for my next visit!

The food isn't good everything so dry waste of money if you ask me the manager was sweet tho good service

I noticed this restaurant last night. I stopped in to order some food. The place is clean, and small, basically a Bistro but there is enough space between tables to not be rubbing elbows with other patrons. There is an outside sidewalk cafe type seating area, at the entrance area to the restaurant. The staff is friendly and down to earth. I ordered a double cheeseburger with their BBQ sauce and house dressing, baked beans, bread pudding and a large, sweet tea. One side is included with your selection. The business closes at 8 pm. I got there close to closing. A lot of items were not available, they were out of a few choices. I think they make enough to get through each day, without wasting a lot of food on the back end of the shift. I would recommend calling in your order, if you don't plan on staying there to eat. It took about 20 minutes for my order to be made. Everything was pretty good! I will try this place again; I want to try their baby back ribs along with the mac-n-cheese. Oh yes, this place also caters.

Food was absolutely disgusting. Macaroni was dry, potato salad had way too much mayonnaise in it and we're not even good. Not to mention the watery baked beans shouldn't even be edible. brisket, Ribs, and chicken seasoned horribly and was dry as hell. Do not come here you will waste your money and be highly disappointed.

Food was DELICIOUS!!! Cute little spot across from the Mission Inn, patio and indoor seating. Bottle beer, clean restroom, and great service.

This little gem served up the best brisket I've ever had. It was moist and beautifully smoked. We had burger and fries and Cajun chicken sandwich which were also very good. Everyone enjoyed their sides as well, and the peach cobbler was a great way to finish. Anita the server was delightful. She was so sweet and very attentive. One of our group said her company uses them for catering too!

Some of the best BBQ in the IE! Great service, quick and very friendly. All of the sauces were great. If the only complaint I have is that it was SO busy I think they are doing something right!!! Very clean and uses its restaurant space well. Please go here for your BBQ needs!! :)