Salinas City BBQ

I gotta say, I expected better barbecue based on the reviews. We stopped here on our way home from San Francisco, the restaurant looks like a house on a corner with some picnic tables on the front yard which was nice. The customer service could be better in my opinion, when I asked questions regarding their menu, the gentleman taking the order seems to be not interested in my questions, but still answered them. Now the food, I'm reviewing it and comparing it to other barbecue places I've visited with the same items on the menu and my personal experience making and smoking bbq. I ordered their gaucho sandwich, a tri tip salad, a kids brisket plate and a kids chicken plate. The gaucho sandwich looked great, price reasonably, but, the brisket in the sandwich was definitely from the day before. It was really dry, and the slices had a sear/crust on both sides. Now, I'm no bbq expert by any means, but a brisket sandwich with meat that was smoked that day, is juicy and pull apart tender. It does not need to be put on a griddle for a sear or crust, to be dried out. The tri tip salad was good and huge, but again the tri tip was a bit too dry. The kids brisket was also dry, but the chicken was good according to my son. Their coleslaw was nothing special, just minced cabbage with light dressing. Their beans tasted like a mole, you could taste the guajillo or california peppers they use. Honestly I was disappointed with their beef options. Parking is street parking from what I saw.

Nice little BBQ joint. I ordered the brisket, burnt ends, and the tri tip. The tri tip was a little dry for my taste, but I loved the brisket and the burnt ends. The brisket had a good smoke ring and was really tender. The burnt ends tasted like I was eating meat candy. The meal came with 2 sides, so I picked the Mac and cheese and the potato salad. Both were tasty, but I've definitely had better. Finished the meal with the bread pudding with vanilla ice cream. Much like the sides, it was tasty but I've had better. With all that being said, I would go back just for the brisket and burnt ends.

5 out of 5, my new favorite bbq place food is fire. Not only do the meats come raging or regular. Everything i tried was amazing. They have a good selection of beer on tap and canned go place to stop along the way can wait to go back. And the service was excellent

Its ok not as good as 152 bbq in Gilroy same company but just not the same everything was cold meat pretty dry the beans were so spicy couldn't taste them to hot and the coleslaw was like just some cut up cabbage just not for me ill continue driving over to Gilroy when I want good bbq

Had a 3 meat combo, brisket, chicken and tri tip. All were excellent. Spicy BBQ sauce is yummy. Cole slaw is good but could be better.

This food was so good I forgot to take a picture to share! Honestly, I'm not a big fan of BBQ because a lot of the time the sauce is too sweet and the meat isn't seasoned enough. My boyfriend is the carnivore. But we both loved this place! I had the tri-tip salad and the beef was fantastic, the sauce I got to dip it in was smokey and flavorful. He got the half rack of ribs that literally fell off the bone. If we lived closer this place would absolutely be in our restaurant rotation.

Best bbq I've had in a long time. Clean and really good food.

Meh. I honestly didn't taste any smoke in the meats. And the brisket was dry. Tri tip was not too bad. BBQ sauce was nothing to write home about. I stood at the counter for about 5 minutes before anyone came and there was no one even eating in there. Maybe it's good BBQ for Salinas, CA but stacked up against real BBQ, it's very sub par. Beans and Mac and cheese were also meh. Plus I ordered key lime pie (actually did enjoy the flavor) which apparently came with ice cream and by the time I got to it ( it was served all at once), it turned to soup. Not impressed

If your vegan/vegetarian this is not the place for you It's the best bbq I've had in the area

Great barbeque! We've stopped here on our trip from Santa Barbara to Monterey. All the different meats are delicious - above all the Tri Tip.

Amazing BBQ. The tri-tip portions and baked potatoes are as excellent as the service.

Legit Brisket! Ask for the "Money Cut" aka "'mas grasa." SCBBQ is nailing melt in your mouth smoked brisket.

This spot was well recommended in the area so I decided to give it a try. First impressions: it looked like there should be a window outside the restaurant taking orders as there is dining outside. But in fact inside is where you order and can find more seating. Upon walking in service was nice. I ordered brisket, tri tip, Mac and cheese, coleslaw and cornbread. Besides the brisket with their spicy bbq sauce nothing else stood out. It was bleh/dry. I am confused as to whether it was an off day given all their awards....

We found our new favorite Stop in Salinas! After walking out of another restaurant claiming to be pet-friendly- we found an outdoor patio that was truly Dog-friendly. Salinas City BBQ is a family owned business taking pride in serving up legitimate BBQ! Alfredo and his daughter are so kind and go out of their way to provide their patrons the best service and experience. There's indoor seating as well as an outside seating area. Ambiance is Patriotic Americana and pays homage to the PIG. Reminds me of all the iconic BBQ joints I've hit in the Southeast. 5/5 Stars! Food is Fantastic! Hubby is a Texas boy and we both loved the pork ribs and the pulled pork sandwich served on ciabatta. The meats had the perfect amount of smoke and were so tender and delish!! The 2 house BBQ sauces were good and Smokey with one being more sweet and tame and the other offering just the right amount of heat. When we had eaten our fill, Alfredo offered us some Tri- Tip and Brisket to try. Both were tender and moist and the Tri-tip was the best I've ever had!!! The flavor profile of the dry rub complements the meat without being overwhelming. For the sides we had the beans, coleslaw and cornbread. Everything was wonderful and fresh and the pickled onions served on the side were a great addition to the beans giving them an acid hit. The coleslaw was crisp and fresh without being too sweet and the cornbread was moist and everything I want in my cornbread. Salinas City BBQ hits my top BBQ List and I highly recommend!

A great local spot to come to if you're driving through town or want a delicious place to grab a warm and comforting meal. We got the 2 protein plate to share with the ribs and brisket which came with 2 sides - we choose mac n cheese and coleslaw. The kids split a hot dog plate which also comes with 1 side and we chose mac n cheese. All the food was delicious and well cooked - the brisket especially was fall apart, fatty, and juicy. I only wish there was more food that came on the plate!

During a weekend trip to Monterey, I wanted to try something... not fish haha. With all of the great reviews at Salinas City BBQ, we headed over there for our last meal of the weekend! Salinas City BBQ is a house-looking restaurant on the corner of the main road across from the gas station. There isn't really a parking lot, though they do have a couple of marked spaces reserved for pick up orders. They do have some street parking around them though so we easily parked there. There's a lot of seating outside of the restaurant on the lawn/patio area which I'm sure is really great on the warm months. Inside, I was surprised to see a decent amount of tables as well. I'm sure this spot gets pretty busy during summertime. When we arrived within the last hour before closing, there was only 1 other party there. We placed our order at the register and waited maybe 10 minutes for our food to be prepared (takeout) - fast! Our mistake, though, was not checking the food before we left. By the time we got back to our hotel, we realized that they forgot to add one of the meats we ordered for the 2 meat combo :( Unfortunately, it was closed already so we couldn't go back to get it fixed. What we ordered: - Regular tri-tip BBQ meal ($18): comes with 2 sides - I chose mac & cheese and potato salad - and bread (I chose corn bread) | the tri-tip was so good! I added the spicy BBQ sauce and while it didn't add much heat, it did add some delicious sweet, tangy flavor. The mac & cheese was pretty cheesy and had larger noodles. The potato salad was really good and fresh too. The cornbread, though, was pretty bland. I wasn't really getting corn or any sweetness. It was also pretty thin, which I'm not used to with cornbread. - 2 meat combo, brisket & pork ribs ($26): the brisket was really good too. Love that they had thicker cuts and the meat was well-seasoned. Unfortunately didn't get the pork ribs :( Overall, a solid stop if you're looking for BBQ in the area!

We got brisket platters and have fonder memories of the brisket sandwiches. The place is clean and there's enough indoor and outdoor table space. The puny parking lot has two spaces open and the street parking is full even on Saturday.

It's a cute little house out of the way from the freeway, but the food is consistently great. You can't go wrong with any of the selections. The employees were great and I appreciate that they paid attention to their customers and made sure their experience went above and beyond. We will certainly make it a plan to visit again as we travel along the 101.

1st time visit! Amazing atmosphere, amazing staff, and amazing food! Best BBQ around!

Don't let it's size fool you, this place packs a punch. The brisket has a smoke ring that will linger in your dreams. It's incredibly moist & tender. It was the star of the show, in my opinion. This is a place & pay for your order establishment. It's perfect for groups that don't want to deal with the hassle of how to split a check. Eight of us were able to order and get settled at a "table" we put together easily. Everyone's food came out lighting quick. They have a selection of craft brews in cans & wines. They have combo plates, sandwiches, sides, etc. You will not have any issue finding something that suits you. I really do love this place. We all left happy!

Had a birthday BBQ dinner as we were heading south, best place ever and service. Eliza was a gracious host.

Second visit and this time I dined inside. The food was good though I was disappointed it wasn't the same as the first time I came. The brisket was dried out and the fat on the side wasn't tasty. The garlic bread for sandwich was great as before. The side of macaroni had too much black pepper. I will be back and hopefully my experience will be like the first time.

The food was so juicy and tender. The sides were outstanding. I also love that the restaurant is in a converted house. Nice touch. I don't get to Salinas often but when I do, I will make sure to stop by here.

Really good portions and really good food! My favorite items were the ribs and potato salad.

I ordered a two meat combo-Ribs and Tri-Tip. Ribs were meh and seemed a little undercooked and no flavor. The Tri-Tip was so undercooked it was extremely chewy and not edible. Horrible Ive been here several times and it's usually really good. But the last few times I've been here it's been very inconsistent. The BBQ Pork sandwich is always good no complaints there. But the ribs and tri tip are hit and miss. The side dishes could use a little help as well. BBQ beans have great flavor but the beans are a little too firm, meaning they're not done. Coleslaw is dry and the Mac and cheese needs more cheese and needs to be creamier. I'm not sure if they have a different cook or something but I'm beginning to think it's not worth the drive.

I'm not normally a "bbq person" but I thought Salinas City BBQ was great! I got the Brisket BBQ plate with a side of coleslaw, potato salad, and cornbread. I like that the food was seasoned but not overly heavy or greasy. And the portions were just right for me. Service was friendly and we got our food pretty quickly. There's both indoor and outdoor seating. Comfortable and casual atmosphere.

Parking is limited at the restaurant, but there is free street parking available. Most customers seemed to get their food to-go, but there was a handful of groups dining in as well. There are also 3 picnic tables outside if you prefer outdoor seating. Order and grab your food from the counter. Water is self-serve. The food was delicious! I got the regular size Tri-tip BBQ with a side of coleslaw, potato salad, and cornbread. I don't usually like BBQ because of how greasy everything tastes and how messy the meals are usually presented, but Salinas City BBQ did a great job with the quality and presentation of the food. The tri-tip was tender and flavorful. The sides were neat and not overly sauced or dressed. Overall, I enjoyed my meal and experience here and wouldn't mind coming back.

Was in Salinas for a work trip and wanted to have something a little different so looked on my yelp and found this place. Four stars right off the bat. Really good food, nice woman working in there, helped me pick out my meal and local craft beer. They were out pulled pork so I had the tri-tip which was fantastic. Great service, great meat, the coleslaw was fantastic on the garlic bread topped it all off. It looks like they make their own barbecue sauce, which I had the regular and it was great. I tried the spicy. It was a little too much for me but very flavorful. Solid place. It was a Tuesday night so there wasn't a lot of people in there, but I'm sure on Friday and Saturday The place is rockin. They do have Pepsi products which if you read my reviews is not what I drink but just FYI.

The service, the food, everything our friends hyped us up about! Tons of beer to choose from and the tri-tip meal was so good for 2 to eat and a great price! Place is clean and staff is very friendly even let us sample their beer on draft!

Nice to see a salad on the menu! The tri tip was crispy on the outside and delicious. Mac salad was cheesy and rich! Potato salad was refreshing and Smokey at the same time. Brisket was delicious! Staff were very friendly!

We tried the Brisket, Tri Tip, and Ribs. All were delicious. The Garlic Bread was so tasty! My favorite item this visit was their seasonal Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. Best Strawberry Rhubarb I've had anywhere. Our sides were beans and potato salad. The beans were fine. Nothing special, lightly seasoned beans, no spice or heat. Unfortunately, the potato salad looked gross. Grainy, not creamy. Tasted as good as it looked. Be warned, try a different side. When I return, I will try two different sides.

Food is great. Music is great service great! Just try it yourself. You won't be disappointed. I have been here for years and have never been disappointed not once.

After our hike at Fort Ord, had a craving for BBQ and this was the closest that Yelp suggested, and we are happy that it did! The food was amazing. The meat was tender for the bbq sandwich and the brisket that my wife ordered. And the potato salad was so good too. One of the regulars said to me, you can't go wrong with any order, I tried them all and it's all been good! This small place is located in an industrial area and there are no parking at the place. Have to do street parking.

What a great surprise to be here. we stop on the way to LA and got something very juicy and greasy to eat .nice surprise and the lady in the front was super nice ,very patient and answer all our questions. Thank you guys

The food was portioned very well to accommodate the price point. The restaurant itself had a simple country/bbq style feel. The employees were very polite. Eliza and Alex I believe were their names did such a great job answering questions, friendly approachable demeanor. Kudos to them.

My boyfriend and I are here and it was so delicious! I had the tri tip meal with Mac and cheese and beans w cornbread. Soooo yummy and the meat was tender! My boyfriend had the two meat meal with brisket and tri tip and potato salad and beans w cornbread. Highly recommend eating the cornbread with honey *chefs kiss* Will definitely return when we are in the area.

No matter where we have traveled for bbq this place is always the best. The food always fresh and tasty. The service is fast and with a smile. Indoor and outdoor seating and always a clean atmosphere. This place is always. Winner. Top it off they have great beer on tap. No picture since we swallowed up the excellence way too fast

Ordered a BBQ package for a dozen people. Ordering online was easy. Pick up was easy. Guests LOVED the food. I would use this restaurant again for entertaining and I want to come back and eat in restaurant sometime soon. Wow!

Food was amazing! My favorite was the brisket, you have to try it! And the cornbread.. Sadly, I didn't have enough room for dessert but I 100% regret not getting it. Service was friendly and quick. Place was quiet and unique in its own way. Loved it!

I love bbq, and this place is lame. The ribs were plain. The sides were cafeteria quality. The cornbread was blah. The girl behind the counter was rude and unwelcoming. I won't be back!

I am from Texas and this BBQ, made me feel close to home. I felt like I was back in Texas. The Chicken BBq, the as smoked just right with the cook and smoke consistency. The brisket was moist not dry and great tasting I will be back!!

A one year update! So we dined in and it was pretty great. Brisket is melting in my mouth, their chicken is delicious the beer is cold and the service well...hospitable for sure. Some cool blues playing in the background. Just a nice meal all around. Last words...smoky.

We came here after the recent Spartan race so that our athletes could pack in some protein. This barbecue was sooooooo good. The brisket and ribs were so flavorful. The sides also were excellent. The Mac was cheesy and seasoned well, the coleslaw was fresh, crispy and not too mayonnaise-y and the beans tasted fresh (these did not taste like canned beans!). Oh and the cornbread was really good as well - comes out in nice big, toasted slices. Nothing we ate tasted overly salted or seasoned which I really appreciated. We will be back. Well worth a stop.

delicious bbq, def would come here again in a heartbeat!! corn bread is very very different from regular cornbread, the ribs and brisket delicious, had no pulled-pork or burnt ends when going to this location.

Took my uncle here for his birthday, he wanted to try a new place and we left with no regrets and our bellies full! Great service and the food was amazing!

Wow! This place is amazing. Very hospitable and I love all the signs on the walls that had me laughing out loud. Menu is pretty straightforward with lots of options to choose from. Since we had a late lunch, I wasn't feeling super hungry, so opted for the lil' meal, which comes with one choice of meat, garlic bread, and one side of your choice. The significant other opted for the regular meal, which comes with one choice of meat, bread, pickles, and two sides. The beef brisket was so tender! I don't even think we needed the knife to cut it and the pork ribs were so flavorful and falling off the bone. The sides tasted homemade and not overly salted. If you are on the-go, they also have sandwiches with their BBQ meats that you can opt for instead with less of the mess. Definitely need to stop by if you are in Salinas.

We stopped here on our way to Monterrey. I'm not usually a fan or BBQ but my wife is. The food was really good! I had the brisket sandwich. Best one ever. The service was great. Everyone was really friendly and attentive. Environment was really laid back and chill. Would definitely recommend.

Great place for BBQ, staff is friendly and helpful. The restaurant definitely says BBQ, the smell from the outside smokers is wonderful. Warning only street parking is available and be prepared to walk. Limited seating inside, but if the weather is good outside seating is available. The pork ribs are excellent, smoked with a dry rub. The flavor doesn't need sauce. We buy the full rack for leftovers. Pulled pork was juicy and flavorful. Tri-Tip was just OK, I should have ordered the brisket, the surprise was the vinegar based sauce served with the tri-tip, excellent flavor. Wish they had it as a BBQ sauce. The only disappointment was the Cole slaw, the green cabbage is chopped not sliced and had no other ingredients like colored cabbage or carrots. The dressing was almost non existent and no celery seeds. The chili beans were good, the flavor was boosted with the addition of meat pieces. Only two BBQ sauces, tomato based, mild or spicy. Warning from the staff, The spicy is made with ghost peppers. A side of pickled onions and pickles and garlic bread was a nice addition. Watch out for the sliced Jalapeños, they are not pickled and were very spicy. This is a very good BBQ place, I recommend skipping the Tri-Tip and coleslaw. Go for the ribs, pulled pork and beans. Will need to try the brisket and the Mac and cheese.

Very delicious, reminded me of our family recipes. Tender fall of the bone meats and perfect portions. Definitely a place to stop for great BBQ. OH, and nice beer selection The staff was friendly and knowledgeable.

We can't wait to go back for more tasty bbq at Salinas City BBQ!!! The Mrs. and I shared the 3 meat plate (tritip, brisket, and ribs), garlic bread, corn bread, beans, and potato salad. The service was good and we were greeted as we entered. This is a classic BBQ joint where you order at the counter and then they deliver your food to the table. My wife got a can of cold rosé wine and I got a fountain drink (to my Dr. Pepper peeps...they have Dr. Pepper, as well as some other cool soda offerings like a black cherry soda). Pluses on the food: tritip was tender, smoky (not overly smoky) and perfectly seasoned, but kind of cold); the pork ribs were perfectly cooked and had just the right amount of bite; the regular bbq sauce and the spicy were excellent sauces that are sold by the bottle; the BRISKET WAS THE STAR !! Smoke ring, super-super tender meat, the fatty pieces were bomb and the flavor was amazing. Minuses on the food: coldish tritip, ice cold beans that had no flavor. We will most definitely be coming back here ASAP to try some of the other food offerings. See you soon Salinas City BBQ!

We came to visit and took my dad to Salinas city barbecue for Father's Day. I had the tri tip, which was very tender and delicious. we also had the barbecue ribs, which my dad absolutely loved. The meat. Came right off the bone. Will definitely come back when I'm in town again.

Everything was delicious as usual. They are super friendly here and were patient while we figured out what to order. Best thing in my opinion is the pork ribs and potato salad, but I honestly don't think you can have a bad meal here.

Really good brisket and ribs, nice smokey flavor. Sides were good too! Very good service.

Best bbq in the 831 , Had a Tri tip sandwich with a side of Patato salad and a side of baked beans . Will definitely try again .

Out of brisket and tri tip by 7pm on a Friday night when they close at 9. Walked out.

Best bbq in town Meat is tender, and so many options to choose from! Service is great! Would definitely recommend!

We had the pleasure of working with Salinas City BBQ for our Grand Opening event in Salinas, and they absolutely delivered! The food was excellent--our guests couldn't get enough. We had over 200 attendees, and everything was such a hit that we actually ran out of food! Their team handled it like pros and quickly brought more so everyone was taken care of. From start to finish, their service was friendly, efficient, and professional. We're so grateful to have partnered with a local business that takes pride in what they do. Highly recommend Salinas City BBQ for any event--you won't be disappointed!