Phil's BBQ

When it comes to barbecue, Phil’s BBQ is always the first place that comes to mind for our family. It has long been our favorite BBQ restaurant, and over the years we’ve visited nearly all of its locations. Still, if we had to choose just one, the San Diego flagship location stands out as the most consistently satisfying in both flavor and experience. On this visit, we arrived absolutely starving—and once the food hit the table, all thoughts of taking photos disappeared. By the time we remembered, most of the dishes were already halfway gone, so the photos hardly do the meal justice. That said, the taste more than speaks for itself. The barbecue here is exactly what you hope for: bold, smoky, deeply satisfying, and executed with confidence. Every bite reminds you why Phil’s has earned its loyal following over the years. If you ever find yourself craving barbecue, there’s truly no need to look elsewhere. Phil’s BBQ is one of those rare places you can walk into with high expectations and leave without a hint of regret.

Respectful & honest review: Outstanding service. Very nice & very helpful purple. Place is nice, clean & organized. I had bbq ribs & chicken combo. BBQ ribs = flavor is good but the ribs I got were dry & lukewarm temperature. Chicken was moist & juicy but could use a little longer cooking as the skin did not have golden bbq brown color. Bbq sauce was too sweet & too much vinegar for my taste. Price is very reasonable for what you get. They give way too much fries & too big portion of coleslaw. I hate wasting food…. They should cut the portion in half & offer people refills to minimize waste. Excellent value. You get a lot for what you pay.

I recently visited Phil’s BBQ after five years, and I had an incredible experience! Since there isn’t a Phil’s BBQ near my neighborhood, it’s been a while, but it was definitely worth the wait. I ordered the Baby Back Ribs, Onion Rings, and the Beef Ribs, and honestly, everything was delicious. The Baby Back Ribs were perfectly cooked — super tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. The smoky aroma combined with the sweet and tangy BBQ sauce made every bite amazing. The Beef Ribs were just as impressive, with a rich, bold flavor and meat that practically fell off the bone. I also ordered the Onion Rings, and they were a perfect side dish. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and not greasy at all — exactly how onion rings should be. On top of the great food, the service was friendly and fast, and the overall atmosphere was lively and welcoming. Whether you’re a BBQ lover or just looking for a great place to eat with friends and family, I highly recommend Phil’s BBQ. After five years, it definitely lived up to the hype, and I’ll definitely be coming back again!

Their pork ribs were amazing! It’s the dry rub kind and it was so tender and falls right off the bone. Beef ribs were good too but a couple of ones we got were a little dry. Onions rings are definitely worth ordering. Staff are friendly and would come by to check on you. Prefer this outlet to the others.

It's a fun environment, great for groups. Service was very good. The food, I had high expectations but was a little bit underwhelmed. We showed up first time tonight to try the food and order some family dinners to go if we liked it. Our regular BBQ place is closed on Tuesdays. The food was not bad, it was good. Just not great. Pulled pork was a bit chewy. Deli sliced tri tip was also a bit tough. Bbq sauce was a bit vinegary. Cole slaw was good, beans were good, the veggies were good. Nothing was a WOW. I guess with all the marketing I had expected a wow. Not bad, just not great. Cool building and place to happy hour, and prices were not crazy.

Restaurant offering delicious and tender BBQ with friendly service. Casual atmosphere with large bar and dining areas and a number of TVs. Terrific happy hour from 3-6 pm (Mon-Fri) in their bar area! The tri-tip was thin sliced and covered in Phil’s BBQ sauce - the slight charring offered an excellent flavor. Accompanied by a crisp and fresh cole slaw and onion rings. The Broham sandwich was a pretty large size with generous amounts of grilled pulled pork and cole slaw. Great sandwich. Phil’s also offered a variety of ice cold beers, wine, and liquor/cocktails. 9/29/2025: Special thanks to Dillon for taking care of our group and helping us with food and drinks! Excellent service!

Tried Phil’s BBQ and really enjoyed it! The baby back ribs were excellent — well-cooked, tender, perfectly seasoned, and flavorful without being greasy. The BBQ sauce wasn’t my personal favorite (a bit too sour for my taste), but the meat itself stood on its own. The baked beans were outstanding — rich, hearty, and with that true Deep South flavor. Overall, a great BBQ spot worth visiting for quality ribs and sides

Great food, large portions and easy place to order your food. The restaurant looks great from the inside and it’s very clean. The napkins, to go boxes, bags, and utensils are located by the soda stations. They even have hand washing stations in various areas. The quality of the food is always good. The meat is tender and soft. The only funky thing is the parking entrance and exit.

Some of the best BBQ ever! This is a place that has family dining and a sports bar with screens and games on which is a cool combo! You stand in line to order and then wait to retrieve your food. There's self serving stations for plates, utensils etc. Even when busy, the food comes out quite quickly! A party of 8, we got a lot of Beef Bones! It was so flavorful, tender and delicious. Their BBQ sauce is really good! What I really enjoyed was their cornbread. I probably could have eaten cornbread for my whole meal - it was that good! Nice moist, cake-like fluffiness with sweet flavors. Our group devoured the first one and had to go order another one! All in all - great vibes, great food!

Parking lot fills up bc it's shared with a hotel. Pretty quick ordering process! + Beefy Ribs & Chick-less Dinner ($31.99; with steamed veggies): bbq sauce on the side, runnier, lighter sweetness side. Beef ribs are massive and tender, but not too fall off the bone which I enjoy (8.3/10). Chicken is the white cut, so a leaner bite, as expected (7/10). + Cornbread w Maple Butter ($6.99): massive!! Perfect to share with people. Sweet corn taste, nice and buttery. The maple butter adds a nice saltiness. (8/10)

Service was good unfortunately the food was not. I usually go to the Sports Arena location and always love it. Met family at this location for the first time and probably won't be back. 1. Sweet tea, not sweet and didn't even taste like tea. Didn't fix it the whole time we were there for our meal. I love iced tea and only get it when I'm eating out, so disappointing. 2. Pulled pork loaded fries. Pulled pork must have been sitting In a heating tray for hour, because it was so dry. Almost like crispy pork. 3 El Toro Brisket Sandwich came out cold. What?!?! So disappointing for the price.

Best BBQ ever! The baby back ribs, chicken, beef ribs were all sooooo good. I recommend washing down all that BBQ goodness with their tap beers! Nothing like some good old BBQ with a beer. There was a line when we went but the line was fast and the service was good. They will even let you sample the beer before you decide. There are 4 locations of Phil's in the SD area so take your pick!

Still my favorite location of this chain to this day! Got the loaded fries, baby back rib dinner, and the Philibuster. All come as such huge portions that you can definitely save for leftovers for the next day! Service is fast and there's plenty of seating for large parties.

Here's another updated review for Phil's BBQ! In short, I still love the BBQ from here. I love to get the beef ribs and baby back pork ribs from here. This is the only BBQ place that I will get baby back pork ribs because it is meaty and not dry. Their beef ribs are meaty and juicy! During my most recent visit on 5/4/2024, I found that they no longer sell their beef ribs meal by the "full rack" of five plus two sides for around $30.... They changed it to three ribs for that same price and you can buy each rib a la carte for $9.99. So, prices of the beef ribs have really gone up! Despite this change, I still got the beef ribs and am happy to report that the quality is still there! Colossal Onion Rings ($9.49) is something that occasionally order. I recommend it if you like onion rings! Service is friendly! I typically order at the counter and seat myself in the annex area where it's mostly self-serve. I love that they designed the restaurant where it can be very casual or you can be seated formally with tableside service.

Huge place, roomy set up, booths and tables plenty of seats, quick service, super clean. Come in, stand in line (left line for dine-in, right for to-go), walk to counter, order food and drink, pay, and get cups for water or drink, and pager, then go find a table and get your drink, hand sanitizer, plates and utensils. Once pager vibrates, go to counter end and get your food. Recommended full rib dinner with sauce on the side. Might not be the best BBQ but the whole package is. Server did check for any need To-go box and bag are readily available.

There's so much hype around Phils BBQ! They have a couple locations all across the San Diego area. I was a bit disappointed that they did not sell brisket or mac and cheese on their side menu as that is my usual for a BBQ spot! They have tons of Rib and Chicken options on their menu. Personally, I enjoy my BBQ more soft and falling off the bone. The BBQ here is a bit more chewy on the sides but soft in the center. However, the service is quick, and the staff is really friendly and patient Highly recommend the full size ribs (enough to feed 2!) with the onion rings (fried crispy to perfection!)

Phil's BBQ is always the first place San Diegans think of for fabulous mesquite grilled baby back ribs and beef ribs. It is great to see additional locations like this one in Rancho Bernardo open up in the last couple of years. For those coming from up north, the distance is not really any closer than driving towards its original location in Point Loma. What I like about this location, however, is that it can seat as many people but you do not have to deal with the extremely long lines and wait times here. For anyone needing suggestions on what to order, you want to always start with the baby back ribs, which are excellent: they have the most flavor and tenderness. Then, it would be the huge beef ribs. I would recommend any of their award-winning sides, especially the potato salad, macaroni salad, and the onion rings. And be sure to load up on the refreshing sweet tea at the soda fountain. The food and experience are consistently great and always seem to live up to its motto to provide "an energetic, friendly atmosphere, fantastic food, and huge portions."

Greatly enjoyed lunch here between soccer games. Ordered the Beef Rib Tickler which is my favorite. Didn't disappoint and a generous portion which really filled me up. This restaurant has lots of seating. Service was extremely friendly and efficient.

Had a nice dinner here sitting at the bar. The bartender was very nice and helpful! The drinks are good and cheap! Definitely recommend the Deep Eddy Spiked Arnold Palmer for $8. We shared the half rack of baby back ribs. They were pretty good, I just think it is slightly overpriced. For $26 you only get 6-7 ribs and 2 sides. The plate is mostly ribs. Also, the fries were not good. They tasted like they had been sitting under a heat lamp for hours. Some of the sandwiches are more appropriately priced, and I look forward to trying something else.

It was my son's suggestion to go here. He happens to LOVE barbecue. Since he suggested this place, I knew that I would enjoy eating here. He suggested for us to have an early dinner, because this place gets very crowded. Despite us having an early dinner, we ended up having to fall in line to place our orders. I'm totally disappointed for not taking any pictures of the food, because the ribs tasted even better than they looked. They looked finger licking good! I prefer eating my ribs with a fork and knife, but my husband could not resist the temptation of using his fingers. He said that I was missing out by not using my fingers. My son and I had a good laugh, because we enjoyed seeing how much he loved the ribs. The Baby Back Tickler comes with 3 bones, 2 onion rings, fries, and cole slaw. The ribs and onion rings is a must try. My husband enjoyed everything! I gave my cole slaw to him, since he happens to love cole slaw.

meal was delicious, but gave me instantaneous food poisoning. I was vomiting before I even left the restaurant.

Best BBQ in California? Possibly! But make sure you order the right thing. My family and I arrived on a Saturday evening at 5 PM and there was NO LINE! About 10 minutes later, a line formed going out the door. Lucky me! My favorite things here are the Baby Back Ribs and the El Toro Sandwich! The Rib-Less Dinner was just okay... Not as succulent as the Baby Back Ribs. The El Toro Sandwich lacks vegetables, so it's on the salty side. However, the tri tip is so yummy, it's still worth ordering! For sides, go for the potato salad and fries - skip the cornbread. Their fresh cut fries taste almost identical to In-N-Out! Tons of seating inside! Lots of handwashing stations, which is appreciated. The staff here are super sweet and constantly checked on us - even though it appears to be self-service everything! They brought us sauces, waters, and even bussed our table. This is definitely a great place to bring big groups too!

First timer at Phill's and we loved it! Food was amazing and the service was excellent! Server came to our table a couple of times to make sure we were ok or if we needed anything else. I had the Tri Tip Toro Fries. 10:10! The hubby had the ribs with fries. 10/10. He left nothing but bone because they were so delicious!

I don't like ribs but the sandwiches are great! The Broham is huge and could easily be two meals. Good place to sit at the bar and chill while eating. Would get 5-Stars if they had more traditional BBQ mix plates instead of only ribs or chicken.

THIS FOOD WAS AWFUL. The food tastes like how a fire smells, making it taste dry and somewhat gritty. The pickle isn't very pickle due to the fact that theres no dill taste and no vinegar like normal pickles. I cant even think of a place worse than this i've had better food at burger king, even chuys which is a first because chuys is also ass ong. But don't go here it sucks if i could give it a 0 i would my tummy is not full and i had high expectations due to the parking lot being full and trying to find parking for a good 10min.

We had such a fun experience here! Ever since the San Marcos location closed, we haven't had Phil's BBQ as much as we should! My two mini-me's, my partner in crime, and myself decided to drive up the 15 to this location after a fun day at Cabrillo National Monument and discovering a 45 minute wait at the Point Loma Phil's. This location is a hidden gem. It's huge (I think it took over Elephant Bar a gazillion years ago) and there's plenty of parking. We walked in, placed our order, and received them in less time than if we waited at Point Loma! All 4 of us enjoyed our dinner. (Broham sandwich, El Toro fries, BBQ burger, kid menu hot dog, and onion rings). Note to all the parents- the kids meals aren't incredibly overpriced like a lot of places. My youngest enjoyed his hot dog, fries, and drink and I wasn't too salty about paying kid prices. Service was on point as we were checked on many times. We must've caught them right before the dinner rush because when we left, the place was PACKED! 5 stars! Love this location!

Listen up, wise guys. Trust me when I tell ya, this joint is the real deal for your dinner or lunch. From the desk of Captain 619, let me tell ya, this place serves up some of the meanest BBQ in the Golden State. You won't be disappointed.

It's been a while we haven't eaten Phil's, and today we brought our friends here who came to visit from NYC. I think this is one of the best local places in San Diego. I think our friends enjoy the experience. The Beef Ribs are the best, probably one is enough for ladies. I finally tried their corn bread. I love it, the whipped butter is great add on.

This is a good BBQ spot, but not amazing in our opinion. Things were either great or just mediocre. For example, the simple wings were great; juicy, char flavored, with a bit of spice. The cheese burger was great, but the ribs and chicken were just okay and a bit dry. They put the sauce on everything and while it's good sauce, it can overpower it all. We would come back if we were in the area, but probably not going to drive 30 minutes again for it.

Went to visit a friend in Tri-City for a birthday, had to make a pit stop at the famous Phil's BBQ. Have been legit thinking about the ribs. It is a premium BBQ joint that has a lot of San Diego fans. More nostalgic since I went to University in the area. Thankfully no crazy lines on a Sunday. We ordered: 1. Full Pork Ribs with a side of Fries: $30.99 2. Broham Phil's Way: $12:49 3. 2 Soda Drinks: $5.90 You can ask for Ranch and BBQ sauce. Also, the table side sauces have hot sauces. Wish I tipped afterward but they do prompt at the cashier. The ambiance was in line with what you expect from a BBQ joint, you can self service the napkins, plates, ketchup, utensils, and the to go boxes. They do have a server too. Shout out to the free cookies! Those were too tasty. Phil's BBQ Ribs are so good, lip smacking good. The pulled pork sandwich was a little dry but with the BBQ sauce it moistens the meat. I prefer the Pork Ribs hands down. The fries are enough to share for two. Oink! Oink!

This place has good customer service down pat, or Phil ;) and the food is absolutely delicious. And the restaurant is absolutely clean, which should always be expected, but there are a lot of restaurants that are not, and get this wrong. This place is not that. This place is extremely clean. If you're looking for a great restaurant to visit with your friends, family, and/or coworkers, with delicious food, go here.

One of my friends LOVE phils and after hearing him talk about it for years, I finally got the chance to try it for myself. I am not a huge bbq person myself, but overall enjoyed the food here! When we arrived, the line looked pretty long (it was a little out the door) but it moved fairly fast. Also, the staff will help set up a table for you so theres a table ready by the time you ordered. The cashiers were super helpful and patient since we had a large group and it was many of our first. We got the beefy rib, link&drink, and homemade cornbread. The beefy rib was so soft and delicious! Some parts of it were a little too saucey/salty for my taste but the sauce was delicious! The links were also super tasty and were a good add-on to add some flavor diversity to your plate. I loved the cornbread as well and liked how it was packaged in the tins so it's easy to take home.

This place is a solid 5-Star, from the amazingly delicious bbq, to the ultra friendly hospitality, and sparkling cleanliness of the entire restaurant... We were in the area on an errand and decided to give Phil's BBQ a try..... We were immediately greeted by the manager Brandon, who graciously explained the menu, and asked if we were first timers to Phil's...when we said we were, we were given small little pig stickers, so the staff would know to be extra nice to us new comers... I had the BBQ Broham, a pulled porked sammie over Cole slaw, my better half had the El Toro Loaded Fries...Both dishes were friggin TASTY!! And very fair priced to boot... ;) The staff, Chloe, and Brandon checked on us no less than half a dozen times to see if we needed anything.... I had to wash my hands, and the bathroom was immaculate......a big plus... I'm so glad we discovered this place, it's AWESOME! Big "Thanks" to Brandon & Chloe for making our first visit extra special.... We ate at 11:30am, and I'm still full as I write this at 6pm.... HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

What a great BBQ place! I have been here a few time and my favorite item has to be the El Toro. The El Toro is full of flavor and the sauce definitely elevates the dish. The macaroni salad is one of my favorites it is sweet and savory! I had a few onions rings and they were okay, they had a lot of batter which I'm sure other people enjoy but I didn't. At this location there is a bar inside which has some of the best sangria! I definitely got seconds because of the sweet and tangy flavor. Inside is loud, and they play sports on the TV so it's a great place to go and watch your favorite team play When I go somewhere and I see a long line I think that their food must be good but I also dread having to wait in that line. At Phil's there is a long line but it goes by quick!

This location does a good job but the temecula location is not recommended. Food here was excellent, ribs tender. Our experience in Temecula will be reviewed under yelp's listing for that location.

Love coming here for our bbq fix! I particularly enjoy the rib-less and chick-less items as I find the rib-less to be a unique experience! Ordered the sausage + drink add on and the sausage was pretty good. Service was friendly and helpful, there was someone coming by consistently to bring us any sauces or to go boxes. Inside is very spacious and clean. My only complaint is the chicken was fairly dry this time around and was difficult to chew, despite being drenched in sauce.

Phil's bbq was highly recommended by many friends. This is our first time at Phil's bbq. We ordered the baby back ribs and chicken with fries and Mac salad dinner set. Also added beef ribs (1) to try. Location/Parking: the restaurant is located near a freeway on a busy street. Restaurant is big with a lot of seating options available. Expect a wait but line move pretty quickly. Plenty of parking all around the restaurant. Service: Staff on the floor were very attentive and very friendly. Always helpful and asking if we needed anything else. Food: bbq chicken was moist and flavorful. I enjoyed it very much but I'm not a fan of the baby back ribs. I tried it without the bbq sauce and then with the sauce. The sauce is too sweet for my taste. I expected a good dry rub but it was dry and salty. Beef rib was good with a crispy crust. Overall, our experience with food was okay but the service was excellent. For the service, giving 4 stars

I quickly wanted to provide review of an excellent employee, Kristen. I believe she's a manager, but I spoke to her over the phone on two occasions regarding an order and she was incredibly helpful, patient, professional, and thorough. I also went in to pick up the order and, while I didn't interact with her, she was working hard and very on top of what customers and fellow employees needed. I hope the leaders at this location see this review and are able to recognize Kristen for the excellent service she provides.

I always love coming here when visiting San Diego. One of the best BBQ places in SoCal. Parking: Will get a little tight when you're coming here on the weekend dinner rush. There's a parking lot but it can get filled up pretty fast during dinner time. Food: If you want to try a little of everything but don't want that much of a big portion, I would get one of the options in the "best of both" section. Baby back rib and quarter chicken dinner have a good portion to consume by yourself compared to the other meaty dishes. I ordered the potato salad and macaroni salad. The potato salad was nice and cold with bite-sized portions of potato. The macaroni salad was okay. Baby back rib (quarter rib dinner): Holy moly even though it's just 4 pieces of ribs, they are HUGE. Quality and value are worth your money if you're a big meat eater. Ribs were thoroughly BBQ'd to perfection and was marinated nicely. If you're not a big eater, you will have leftovers for the quarter rib dinner. It comes with 2 small sides or 1 big side. We ordered the coleslaw and french fries. The coleslaw was nice and crunchy, with the right amount of sauce. The french fries were fried to perfection, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Love Phil's and always try to stop by on a trip to SD. We came on Friday, July 7th for lunch and it wasn't too busy. Phil's is fast-casual where you order & pay first, then grab a table & the buzzer, and wait for your food. Service is fairly quick. We got a few things for my family to share: -Phil's Sausage Sandwich, with everything (coleslaw & I forget what else). This was good. Sausage skin was snappy and the portion was huge. Got a small side of Macaroni Salad. -Full Baby Back Rib Dinner w/ Potato Salad and added 2 Beef Ribs on the side. The beef ribs were by-golly so tender, fall off the bone good. Baby back ribs were standard. Their bbq sauce is tangier/more acidic than other places, but very good. They've got sinks outside just to wash your hands from all the bbq yummies, and their restrooms also have sinks and are clean. Parking is their own private lot. Another plus, even if you dine in you can request a to-go cup for your beverage (for free)!

Amazing service!!! Super kind and polite staff. They walk around to constantly clean and are so friendly and always ask tables if they need anything at all. Hot, fresh, and delicious food!!! What more can I say? This place is amazing. I got a full rack with two small sides for $30.99. The portion sizes are huge. The fries are a must! They're so crispy and deliciously soft inside. The mac salad is really good with hard boiled eggs and celery. It's super cold, the macaroni noodles are cooked perfectly al dente... the sauce is seasoned and really tasty, it is indeed a must try. You can get the bbq sauce on top or on the side. The baby back ribs are sooo tender and flavorfully seasoned. It's absolutely delicious with or without bbq sauce. Their bbq sauce is tangy and the best I've ever tasted. I'm not a huge fan of bbq food, but this place is amazing. If you get the sauce on the side, it comes in a container that is warm so that your meat doesn't get cold. Honestly, this place is a solid 10/10. I love it!

Phil should be ASHAMED of this location. I'm a big fan of the Point Loma location, so I tried this one. I ordered the Tips. They were half burned. It was on offense to Texas style BBQ. I should have returned the garbage they served me. Otherwise, the restaurant is the same as Point Loma only better parking and less of a crowd (I wonder why?).

Phil's is a solid bbq stop. I wouldn't say best bbq in town, but safe bet. RB location was big, plenty of seats. I went for lunch on a Tuesday and they were understaffed. There was only 1 busser and cashier so 15 min wait to orderbwhen there was only 2 groups in front of us and lots of dirty tables. I got the beef rib tickler (1 beef bone) and my sister the pork rib tickler (3 pork bones). Perfect size for lunch since both ticklers came with fries, cole slaw and 2 onion rings. Everything was good except the onion rings, hard, burnt and oily. Parking is odd since there are plenty of spots, but weird shaped lot with tight turns and small spaces.

I actually went to this Phil's location right after going to the original one and I have to say there are a couple upsides to this. There are a couple upsides to this location in that parking is far easier, lines are far shorter, and tables are more empty. They still have the same system of ordering at the register first and you find your own seating, but the ambiance is much nicer because this location is far more spacious. The food quality was rather inconsistent between the two locations in that what was good between the two locations was surprisingly different. Overall, I'd go to this location over the one further South, but still it's okay. Fries (4/5): These were surprisingly a great texture. Battered fries are usually a win and this was no different. Half Chicken (4/5): Again, this was the best protein on the table. Super tender and flavorful. Cornbread (3.75/5): This was slightly better than the one downtown in that it felt fresher, but the maple butter was kinda chunky and not smooth unfortunately. Onion Rings (0.5/5): The other Phil's had amazing onion rings, but this one was sooooooo bad. The batter was so thick and cakey; instead of feeling crunchy and fried, it felt like it soaked up an extra four oz of oil. Ribs (3/5): They were rather sparse in terms of meat and weren't very tender. About the same at both locations. Wings (3.25/5): These wings were the most average wings ever. They weren't super overcooked or super tender. Flavor wise, they weren't too bland, but it definitely felt like they only used salt and pepper.

I remember my first time eating at Phil's Bbq in Mission Hills.  Phil was working the grill with 2 other guys.  I loved the ribs and onion rings but not the tangy sauce.  Now Phil has locations all over town.  For our monthly lunch my co-workers picked Phil's Bbq in Rancho Bernardo. Place is huge with a dining room and a 2nd dining room around the bar.  Menu is much larger than the old days.  I tried ribs and wings. Beef rib was tender and meaty.  Loved the smoky beef flavor and the caramelized sauce which add a touch of sweetness.  Got the sauce on the side and like the old days I didn't like the tangy flavor. Smoked chicken wings were tender and not dry.  I liked the smoky flavor. I've been visiting Phil's since he opened his Mission Hills location.  I have always loved the mesquite grilled meats but not the too tangy sauce.  Staff was very nice and kept the area clean and checked to see if we needed anything.

Food is reasonable and good. Service and staff are great. Ambiance is casual and clean. Overall a wonderful experience and will definitely return. BBQ ribs are fantastic.

A quick summary: food 5, service 5, ambiance 4. This is a solid bbq joint and a tip for shorter wait is to sit by the bar which is a much quicker service. Definitely recommend hitting this spot if you're in San Diego. The portions are decedent, we were starving and by the end of the meal were stuffed sharing 2 orders and an appetizer.

You can never go wrong with a nice beefy rib dinner! Sadly they got rid of the 5 pieces dinner that my boyfriend and I always share. So we decided to get some loaded fries and corn bread to fill us up. First time trying the corn bread and omg I am hooked. It comes with maple butter on the side and I just slather that butter on! Also got a michelada this time and it was the best michelada I have ever had. It tasted like they had their own mix and I would defiantly buy it if they sold it. We sat at a table in the bar area this time around and was served by older gentlemen and he was the best! We asked him for a bag for our bones so that we can bring them home to the dogs and came back with a bag full of bones that they were gonna discard! He went above and beyond with his service and overall genially loved his job. Unfortunately we forgot his name but that guy needs a raise!

First time trying this restaurant and was not disappointed. We ordered 2 sandwiches and 2 chicken dishes, and they were very good. My wife really liked her sausage on a roll (Phil's Sausage) and I had the El Toro, Tri-Tip on a bun. Our host had The chick-less ticklers, with the side being vegetables. All of it was great, especially the Tri-Tip with the meat very Smokey. The sauce was tasty and had a good amount of kick, it paired well with the meat. I would recommend and in glad I tried it.

Definitely can't go wrong with Phil's BBQ. Everytime we're in the area, we always end up going here. The good thing is that there there's never a long wait now whether we go for lunch or dinner. Our go-to is their beef rib plate, chicken, tri-tips, bean, potato salad and french fries. Cornbread is a must also. Portion was I feel like it has gone down a bit? Though the portion may be a bit smaller, the taste is still good. All except the tri-tip. Didn't really have a good experience with the last time I went. The rest I can't complain though. Still tasted great. They also got tv screen here, bar area to grab cocktails and others. The place was nicely lit not too dark so it was perfect. Definitely will come again.

First off the customer service was exceptional. This is the reason for the 4 stars. I honestly wasn't a fan of any of the items I ordered. (Macaroni salad, sweet barbecue beans, boneless ribs ) The restaurant didn't do anything wrong. It was just mediocre food in my opinion. For $18 meal, I was hoping for more. Very cool ordering environment. Clean restaurant. Organized.

Great food. Good service. Nice Ambience. Try the Baby Back Ribs they are are some of the best around.

I ordered some chicken wings to go for the first time and they were delicious. It had smoky flavor and the bbq sauce on the side tasted great. It wasn't too sweet and had a little bit of spicy flavor. Now I know where to get the best chicken wings.

Phil's bbq has been a staple of San Diego for a while now. Used to go to the one on Washington street when I was a local close to the arena and another music venue I attended. Line would literally be around the block back in the day. Thankfully they've expanded this location being one of the others. The el toro is my go to I usually do the link and drink as well. Pulled pork isn't bad either but the el Toro (tri tip) is flame Also recommend the corn bread but it's a good serving with sides so plan accordingly Fries aren't bad

First time at Phil's BBQ was fantastic! The restaurant was a good place to hang out with two of my buddies and we had a great time laughing, and enjoying the food! The food was great and I would return to eat again. Staff was also amazing, quick and hard working and provided you with wipes for your sticky hands. The server Ariadne was also a very good worker! Best thing of all... THEY HAD SOAP! (Unlike Starbucks)

The best Phil's location - food is consistently delicious, lines are never too long, spacious seating, and good service. Broham sandwich, tickler plates, and mac salad are our go-to orders. The portion sizes are huge. Love that the tickler plates includes a little of everything. Service was extra great our last visit. Even though we didn't sit on the full service side by the bar, staff members still came by often to check on us. They were also helpful with carrying our plates from the service counter to our table.

Let me first say that the service received from the staff was amazing. They were very polite and so attentive. Multiple people came to our table to check on us, make sure we didn't need anything, even helped me switch out an item I paid for but never received. They cleared out whatever took up space and didn't need to be there. I loved that about them. They're well trained with customer service and hospitality, that's for sure! The restaurant has an ample amount of seats for dining. I've never seen so many tables and chairs at a casual restaurant before. You stand in line to order and wait for the pager to go off and pick up your food. Soda fountains and fresh brewed teas are available for drinks. In front of that were plates, utensils, to-go boxes and bags. Off to the side was a hand washing station which I really liked. I hate going to the bathroom just to wash my hands in the middle of eating. You never know what smell you're going to get, ha ha! The restrooms were clean which was much appreciated. What we ordered: *Kids hotdogs with fries - very very good hotdogs and didn't require any condiments. *Kids cheese burger with fries - per my super picky child, good but wishes there was a little more cheese. *beef ribs with baked beans and cole slaw - I am a huge fan of beef but I was a bit disappointed with this one. The ribs were dry, they just weren't as juicy as some beef ribs I've had at other establishments. I was expecting so much more being that this is, PHIL's BBQ. The baked beans were as expected, sweet but I liked it. *pulled pork - this was tasty and moist. *loaded baked potato - we thought was just ok. *corn bread - holy moly...this was delicious! This one is a must have. I understand that there are multiple locations, so I might be willing to try another branch. This city is beautiful though, so it was a bummer that it was just 3/5 for us. At least we finally got to try their BBQ.

QUICK TAKE// Phil's BBQ puts SD on the food map for sure. I just recommend going to other Phil's BBQ locations aside from the Sports Arena one - that one tends to be busiest! Consistently great saucy ribs and is one of my favorites. FOOD// I been going to Phil's BBQ for over 13 years since moving down to San Diego. It is a foodie fan favorite of the city - and I've always loved their food. My personal favorite is the BEEFY RIB DINNER - a lot of meat per bone that's so rich. Sometimes for ease I'll get the BABY BACK RIBS, but for sure the beefy ribs are far more tender. I'm personal fan of their ONION RINGS and for sides their FRIES and MAC SALAD are my default go to's. Get yourself some extra sauces on the side - you're going to need it. SERVICE// it's all more or less a self service kind of spot after you go and order at the front - pretty self explanatory and they leave most things you need out in the open to easily obtain (utensils, to go boxes, lots of napkins, etc.) VIBES// Big open space with tons of seating. The nice thing about coming to this location (or really any location except the Sports Arena one) is that you can most likely find a seat immediately after you order. I personally like their bar area - kind of has an energetic bar dive feel. But for sure family friendly anywhere else in the restaurant.