Joplin's

This was my first visit to Ojai, and I was fortunate to eat at Joplin’s! The Giant Beef Rib was in fact giant, and very delicious. I’m a big eater but I couldn’t finish the plate in one sitting haha. I tried three different bbq sauces, and three different hot sauces. I loved the mustard bbq sauce, and the jalapeño hot sauce. The corn bread was phenomenal, unlike any corn bread I’ve had. The air conditioning inside the restaurant was cold, the restaurant is super clean, plenty of off-street parking in the back, the music was great. Perfect bbq restaurant in Ojai

Great BBQ! Highly recommend the brisket and burger. Very authentic and efficient hospitality…we’ve been twice and will be returning soon!

I don't usually write reviews, but I have to for Joplin's. We've eaten here three times now, and somehow it just keeps getting better! We've tried the Joplins burger (crazy good) , mushroom burger (super tasty if you're a vegan), and the brisket burger (outta this world good)--and the ribs are packed with so much flavor and fall off the bone. The cornbread is "Slap-yo-mama good," as we say in the South. And the baked beans could seriously be a meal by themselves. The vibe is super fun, and the music makes it even better. Brittney, one of the owners, is so welcoming and kind--it really feels like they care. (Which is so refreshing nowadays.) I'm an Ojai local, and honestly, the prices feel right for the quality of food you're getting. These dishes aren't simply thrown together- they're REAL recipes and have clearly been perfected by well trained chefs. A++++

The food was delicious but you have to try the dog biscuits

Not sure what everyone is talking about. This place sucks! The salad was all wilting, the burger was tiny and sloppy, the walls look like they have 100 coats of paint (and an ugly color). The kitchen is right there, noisy and nasty. You go into a tiny entrance room and order there, then go find a seat...if you're luck. They had quite an opportunity here, but missed the mark by a mile.

The food is delicious! The collard greens and corn ribs are so fantastic. Such a great laid back vibe and owners are so nice. Great service.

This place cracks me up. The food is as forced as the walls are painted on 20x trying to look decent. So many layers of paint you might as well just strip it all down and start over. That’s sort of how I feel about the food. There are so many ingredients it’s like it’s just trying so hard. Tri tip was good, and there was enough of it; i ordered the half pound. Brisket bland and not enough of it at all for one serving imo. And the burger was small and wasn’t enjoyed well per husband. All 3 other guests I was with didn’t like the beans (only I did). There was a weird spice in them I guess. If you like classic bbq this is NOT the place to try. This is like some guys dream trying to make gourmet bbq with his own recipes not found in any book. BBQ roulette if you will. Cool bathrooms especially if you’re into punk or rock or both. You order first and then you sit down to eat, which is the opposite vibes of the gourmet-ish-wanna-be(?) vibes of the food itself. Which is probably fine for youngens who don’t know the difference but a little confusing for a little bit older people like myself! You could tell the owner thought long and hard about the best way to do things. He didn’t want gourmet food with real waitresses because what if real waitresses were too hard to find in a small tiny town as Ojai? So he figured gourmet style (pricey small portions with zest) with fast food style ordering would be the safest route. Either way I hope it works out! Any BBQ in ANY town seems always needed no body how many places there are. The drinking water tasted fine or “alright” per husband but wasn’t even cold just like-warm. There were no salt/pepper shakers on the tables which could have been used for the briquette. Everyone’s pallet is different, no need to get offended if someone needs salt or pepper…lol. Especially you punkers shouldn’t give a damn. Lol! I recommend the tri-tip. Xo

Love this place. pork chop and corn ribs are fantastic. Super easy. cool atmosphere. definitely check it out.

good burgers but the worst milkshakes of my life. why they feel obligated to stuff them with M&Ms, candy and whipped cream is a mystery. did the chef train and Chuck E Cheese?

I don't usually write reviews, but I have to for Joplin's. We've eaten here three times now, and somehow it just keeps getting better! We've tried the Joplins burger (crazy good) , mushroom burger (super tasty if you're a vegan), and the brisket burger (outta this world good)--and the ribs are packed with so much flavor and fall off the bone. The cornbread is "Slap-yo-mama good," as we say in the South. And the baked beans could seriously be a meal by themselves. The vibe is super fun, and the music makes it even better. Brittney, one of the owners, is so welcoming and kind--it really feels like they care. (Which is so refreshing nowadays.) I'm an Ojai local, and honestly, the prices feel right for the quality of food you're getting. These dishes aren't simply thrown together- they're real recipes and have clearly been perfected by well trained chefs.

Came in for opening night- it was FANTASTIC. We will be going back again soon to try the rest of the menu! Reservations (RESY) Recommended! We sat in a booth in the smallish inside dining room, which was nice, but look forward to trying the patio as well! Tonight we did the Korn Ribs, Joplin's Burger, The Salmon, Cardamom Glazed Carrots, Collards, and Baked Mac n Cheese. The flavors are unexpected and off the charts. It's not just a good burger. It's a burger that you bite into and start asking yourself, "What is that wonderful flavor going on there..." (think I would've appreciated the bun toasted, but that's me); the Carrots were a flavor-bomb revelation; the Salmon was House-cured and then broiled to perfection, the corn was spicy salty savory and delicious. The standout hit was the baked mac & cheese, sprinkled with perfect crispy breadcrumbs, it was the creamiest, tastiest, most comforting homemade Mac I've had in forever. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive, the whole staff seemed really nice and were having a great time. Music overhead was classic hard rock which was a really fun vibe (Bowie, AC/DC, Janis, Korn, Ace Frehley, Zep). Bathrooms are decorated to the teeth with classic band bills, flyers and posters. Welcome to Ojai, Joplin's!

Best. Burger. Ever. Joplin's brisket burger is pure flavor perfection--no condiments, just house-made pickles and expertly smoked brisket turned into a smoked burger. I've eaten burgers from NYC to Texas to all over the USA, and nothing comes close. Worth $30, but somehow not priced that way. 5 stars, no hesitation!

We went opening week and the food, service and vibe were outstanding! Extremely high quality product: the pork chop and burger were exceptional. We met some of the team: Brittany and Cargo couldn't have been nicer. The place has a classic Hollywood Rock & Roll theme while cranking great rock and punk music. They're still waiting for their smoker BBQ to get permitted, so there's no BBQ items available yet. Highly recommend!

Not so good. Service staff were indiffent. $14 for a $ .39 baby burger. Won't be repeating this experience.

No exaggeration the wagyu tri tip was the best tri tip I've ever had . Anyone who loves tri tip needs to try it. The brisket was great too as well as the sides that were ordered with it . Customer service was really good , everyone was polite and friendly . Will for sure be going back , and will be my one go to place when I want tri tip.

Chef and his wife are truly nice people, and the food they serve is tasty and unique to the Ojai food scene. The restaurant has a positive vibe and a really awesome patio. The issue is pricing. Once you have the spare ribs (28), cornbread (9), and collard greens (8), you've spent $45.00 (add in tax, please), and you haven't had a drink or a milkshake yet. At $60.00 or more per person, Joplin's is not somewhere locals can go on a regular basis...cost is prohibitive. So, the food is really good, the service is pretty good, the ambiance is pleasant, and the owners truly care...lots of positives! But, be aware that you will be spending a pretty fair amount of money for your experience here.