Santa Maria bbq and Catering

Underwhelming at best. We got the 3 item combo and it was barely enough for 1 person. The meats were re-heated in foil and placed on the tray still in the foil. I could tell because it was stuck to the foil. The meats also just kinda looked grey and sad. It was as if they were sous vide and reheated. The sausage just tasted like it was from Costco. The bbq sauce tasted like bullseye brand and the vinegar bbq sauce tasted WAY too strongly of vinegar. The collard greens just taste like they were in bath water and weren’t very seasoned. The cornbread was sweet, which was fine, but it was pretty dry like it has been sitting out for while. Honestly, I didn’t know BBQ could be THAT lackluster. Don’t waste your money. It’s gonna be a no from me dawg. Just wanted to update after the owners response: we specifically asked about the portion size for the 3 meat plate and the cashier said it was enough for 2 people. Due to the snark I dropped my review from 2 stars to 1 star. Do with that information what you will, but we wouldn’t have returned to this restaurant regardless.

The fact that the employees like Micah was able to answer my questions as well as being very transparent about the food and cooking process. It really made the store feel homely for a first visit here. I'll be sure to make more reviews as I visit this place in the future. Also being willing to show the portion size of the pretzel was very considerate. Thank you again

I’ve been ordering from Santa Maria’s for our corporate events for the past five years, and they consistently exceed expectations. Today, they truly went above and beyond to ensure everything came together seamlessly. The food is outstanding—always fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared—and the service is impeccable. Their reliability and dedication make them my go-to choice every time. Highly recommend!

The brisket is the best I’ve had in years. It was moist and perfectly seasoned no sauce needed. The BBQ sauces were good. My mom liked the potato salad and brisket. The corn was similar to my great-grandmother’s. Oh and shout out to Paul he provided excellent service and good recommendations.

Delicious food and welcoming service! Cozy booths with beer on tap. Great sides (rice, coleslaw and collard greens). Tri-tip is awesome but the chicken absolutely won me over!!! Seasoned and cooked to perfection.

It’s alright, I like their tri-tip, the brisket is alright. It’s a little expensive, and they sell out of a lot of items at night, so be careful if you order through DoorDash your order might get canceled after you’ve waited for a while.

Holy smokes! This place is awesome! I decided to finally check this place out for my boyfriend’s birthday dinner. We love bbq and almost never get it because it’s typically pricey. This place felt really reasonable, especially when we saw how much food we got. And when we tasted it… man, that’s good stuff. Brisket and tri tip are phenomenal, sausages were excellent. The sides were pretty good. Cobbler was outstanding. Can’t believe it’s taken us this long to try it, we live just up the street. We will be back!

Amazing BBQ Place! Great service all the way around - from taking our order to making sure we were well cared for throughout our meal. Will definitely be coming back. Highly recommend the BRISKET! (First Time Guest)

Went into the restaurant wanting some pork ribs because I hadn't had any in many month. I wasn't disappointed. The best pork ribs ever.

It's a casual spot, but perfect for a family dinner when you want something hearty and don't feel like cooking. There are TVs on the wall and it's loud enough that I didn't feel stressed about my kids talking or moving around. You place your order at the counter, grab your drinks, and they bring the food out when it's ready. We'll definitely be back. It's nice to have a place that feels laid back but still delivers solid, well-cooked food. If you're looking for a no-fuss dinner with legit BBQ, this is a great option. Great food, great experience, will definitely be back!

Well clearly this team is NOT the same team that served me my first & 2nd visit. I ordered dinner through app. Why would they sell me a dinner that requires plastic ware and NOT give me any? Nor did they give me napkins or bbq sauce I ordered. Do they think bc you're ordering delivery that you automatically have access to to silverware and napkins? Unfortunate but this my last time. And if the food is not "fooding" as I expect? I'll be back! ****update**** the "owner" decides to message me telling me that law allows them to withhold plasticware unless you request it...... ???? That was the best he could come up with? Wow!! I see your message while I'm typing telling me to eat where I feel comfortable. You got that right and apparently you're very unhappy bc you choose to go back n forth. I don't want a credit from you. Give it to the next person unhappy about not having sauce, cutlery and napkins. What a joke! Let me guess the state says if we ask for sauce you don't have to provide that either?

I can truly imagine it's not easy to keep a BBQ restaurant prosperous because there's quite a lot of food to make. As you know, it's not me who's a fan, but my husband likes brisket & tri-tip, so I make my rounds once in awhile for his dinner. Went back to Yelp to see what to order and the brisket caught my eye, unfortunately, they changed the shape of the bun to round hamburger-like bun (without lettuce like in the photo), not like the long French in the photo from years back. Doesn't bother me, but when I opened up the box, it WAS a bit surprising to see a rather tiny sandwich wrapped in foil and a side for $17. I ordered a second side for $7 ...and an order of fries for $8. So, $32 later, I walked out with dinner for one, mostly sides. The potato salad was heavily seasoned with mustard, the cole slaw was vinegar based and the fries were... just ok. I get it, everything is pricey these days... but a side of potato salad or Cole slaw (cabbage) shouldn't be $7 for an individual serving, should it?

Super quick service with takeout, amazing flavor and quality of meat. Fresh and sauce on side is customizable (I used all). Make sure to order two sides, I only ordered the beans and I ended up with coleslaw too. Enough for two meals with the 2 meat, smaller portion.

I recently went to Santa Maria BBQ and tried their brisket and tri-tip -- both were absolutely delicious. The brisket was tender and flavorful, and the tri-tip had that perfect smoky taste. The French fries were a great surprise too: nice, crunchy, and perfectly seasoned. Overall, a great experience and definitely worth a visit!

This BBQ was phenomenal and the staff were so so kind. It was catered for an event I attended. Great flavor, very moist, with 4 delicious sauces to top with (mango habanero, brown sugar garlic, bourbon, and a white sauce). The baked beans were smokey and sweet. Additionally, I loved the collard greens and was bummed there wasn't more. You gotta try it, I'm looking forward to stopping in at their main location!!

The food and service is amazing! Love the tri-tip and chicken! The beans and collard greens is flavorful and hits the spot. Highly recommend!

My first time stopping by To Santa Maria BBQ and it's so mid I thought it was going to make me feel like I'm back at home but NOPE! over all Cups and forks comes out dirty Food is a 2/5 Workers very nice Bbq under cooked

Sooooooo delicious!! I love their tri tip, collard greens and baked beans. Their meat is so tender and sauces are delicious

Best beef ribs I've ever had. It's a small BBQ spot with about 10 tables inside. There was no one at the register when we got there as there was only one person working in the back. After calling for someone, he came out, took our order and went to the back to cook the food. There was some issues with their credit card machine that caused a delay. They had to reboot their system and it finally worked. I thought their menu was pretty pricy and somewhat limited. The meats come as a combo or by the 1/2 pound. There wasn't an option to get a side of sausage. One sausage as a combo plate was $17. The beef ribs were a little steep at $50. We waited awhile for our meal. I don't know if it's because there was a large order ahead of us but the restaurant was very empty. Tried the beef ribs, brisket, tri-tip, sausage, mac and cheese with bacon, and corn. The beef ribs were the star of the show. I cannot believe how incredibly juicy and tender it was, and how it fell off the bone. I've never had beef ribs that tasted this delicious. The brisket was good but not as juicy as the beef ribs. Tri-tip was just ok. Sausage was below average. I wouldn't get it again. Sides were just ok. The Mac and cheese with bacon sounded promising but looked and tasted just ok. I think with the prices they charged, it would be better but kind of disappointed with what you get. It was a casual order at the counter type place, and I think didn't warrant the higher prices. I would come back to this place again just for the beef ribs alone, and we have tried but they always sell out so we were unable to order it a 2nd time.

WOWWW!!! I'm speaking for the majority of those in my office when I say..."Best BBQ Ever"! Prompt response from requesting a quote for catering, to delivery, set-up and service. Paul was amazing from beginning to end. Thank you for catering our office lunch. High demand to bring you guys back! I'll be sure to visit your location soon!

Archie's love for people and community shines through the incredible BBQ, coleslaw, pulled pork, brisket, chicken, and mac n cheese. Not only is the food juicy, flavorful, unctuous, and satisfying, but Archie assures quality through his incredible leadership of his staff.

Truly a great find. Greeted by Michael who gave us a sample of the meets since we couldn't make up our minds. We ordered brisket and pulled pork and a variety of sides. The meats were tender and the beer battered fries were amazing. Best fries I ever had. Also had the Santa Maria slaw and potato salads. All the foods were outstanding. To top it off we had we had the peach and berry cobbler. DELICIOUS Thank you Michael. We will he coming back.

Catering eaten for a small corporate event. I looooved it! The food immediately satiated colleagues and I to be well nourished with a chicken leg, brisket, tri-tip and some pulled pork. I wanted to sample it all, and it was all delicious! the habanero sauce was my favorite to add on. Sides of beans, slaw, and potato salad to top it off! Will return to eat on site :)

Ordered from this place for the first time and it was disappointing. We ordered delivery and it was over $80 for two people. We did not receive the drinks we ordered, we received two orders of Tri-tip and no brisket and one order had barely any meat. The one pictured had more meat but for $35 not enough. Such a bummer.

I had the cheesy porker excellent sandwich. I highly recommend this restaurant. The staff is friendly the restaurant is clean.

Great Service! They were friendly and welcoming! The food was great s well! Will definitely be going back with the rest of my family!

I loved the brisket, very flavorful. The fries are also perfectly seasoned and crispy.

This is a pleasant, hole-in-the-wall, barbecue spot. There are a few booths, some stools at the bar, and you order at the counter. They serve beer and wine and some of the very best pulled pork, tri tip and homemade sides I have ever eaten! The sandwiches were sooo good I forgot take any pictures. The potato salad was excellent, the collard greens were excellent! The service provided by the wonderful woman at the counter was down-home awesome! She treated my elderly friend and me like we were a couple of favorite uncles. I only discovered this place because it is in the local Hobby Lobby parking lot. I was picking up some art supplies to make my little granddaughter a 6th birthday present. It seems like the present is mine. I give this humble restaurant my highest recommendation. The meat is: Real Deal Delicious !!

Came here because I was passing by looking for another store in the same shopping center, and noticed they were open for Easter. Later on that day I was going to order food from my usual place but they closed early so I called this place up to double check their hours, and sure enough, they were open until 8PM for Easter. Score. We decided to eat they and got 2 plates to share with 2 sides each: brisket and trị-tip with sides of potato salad, corn bread, beer battered fries and onion rings. The last 2 came out piping hot and freshly made. The potato salad and corn bread were just okay. Tri-tip and brisket were decent. I thought the food was good, but bf wasn't as enthused because there was a place in Long Beach that we used to frequent that was better, although I'm not into driving that far just for food. If I wanted bbq in a pinch I'd come back here so until I can find a better bbq place I'd say this one fits the bill just fine. My only qualm were their dull butter knives we had to use to cut our trị-tip and brisket, which was terribly frustrating. I quipped it just be a safety issue being as how they also serve beer there. Ha

Good food great service and TRI Tip done right Great small place with the amazing smell of smoking meats

This place feels has good Tri‑tip, though the standout is their brisket, tender and deeply flavored. My wife and I loooove their brisket. My wife and I both started in the restaurant business and appreciate warm and friendly staff which is why we love their team. They are warm, friendly, and generous and always let us try things they are cooking up in the kitchen, probably because we can relate to them in a way that says, we see you. Running a restaurant in the 21st century is so much different than two decades ago, so we appreciate the intimate setting they create there. We feel as if we are visiting our local family restaurant, because they are always so welcoming. Their sauces are unique and flavorful. Now, lets get something straight... they are a SoCal BBQ restaurant, not Texas or Tennessee. It says it in their name (Santa Maria). So we do not understand why people compare to TX BBQ. They are both GREAT and UNIQUE to their demographic. So Cal BBQ is for the SoCal demographic. Thank you for being here Santa Maria! Their sides deserve applause too: Our favorite is the tangy potato salad and crisp slaw with kale. To summarize: Santa Maria BBQ turns every plate into a mini‑celebration of CALIFORNIA-STYLE barbecue. The meats are top-tier, the sides thoughtfully made, and the sauces--brown sugar, tangy BBQ, and lime‑butter‑garlic--offer layers of flavor to explore. If you're craving hearty, smoky, feel‑good BBQ, this place hits all the right notes. Five stars without a doubt.

Absolutely fantastic service. Paul is always so efficient and helps out whenever he can. The brisket is to die for. You have to try !! If you go in you have to ask for Paul he has the best customer service hands down.

I can not get enough of the brisket! Highly recommend the Armageddon fries with brisket or tri tip. I make at least one trip a week here!

We had the BBQ ribs, which were very meaty and full of smokey flavor. They were seasoned perfectly so sauce was optional. My husband liked their variety of sauces, especially the bourbon. There are also a variety of sides. We always get great service when we go!

One of the best brisket sandwiches ever. Brisket was tender and well seasoned and the brioche bread was toasted. Had it with the coleslaw and it was delicious! Place was very nice and clean. Definitely recommend!

I had the brisket. It was really good. The sides were disappointing. If I ever go back, I'll try other sides. The food was pricey but I still tipped 18% and then later noticed that there was a 4% administration fee added to the bill. There are other BBQ places just as good or better for less.

Food was good but I just can't get past how expensive it was. $48 for (1) 3 meat combo. $8 upgrade to swap 1 meat for pork ribs?! Well aware that bbq is expensive but this place is OUT OF CONTROL expensive.

Have to go back and try the rest of their meats but the brisket sando and fries was a good beginning. Nice hole in the wall bbq restaurant with great ambience. Service was good, helpful, and friendly.

Went in on a Sunday at 3pm and it looked closed from the outside since it was empty. The woman at the counter was nice and friendly but notified us that they were sold out of tri-tip. We had originally ordered the 3 meat combo with brisket, sausage, and pork ribs. For sides: mac & cheese and onion rings. In addition, we ordered a brisket sandwich with bbq beans and corn bread. While we were waiting for our food, we were then told sausage was also sold out so we chose chicken as a substitute. -Brisket and chicken: both very dry. -Pork ribs and corn bread: ok. -BBQ Beans: well cooked and flavorful -Mac & Cheese: cold on top and the cheese sauce was more on the milky side and not too flavorful. -Onion rings: beer-battered so they had a nice crunch but weren't really seasoned Overall, the food was not worth the price. Total: $82 before tip.

Evrything about this place was fantastic ! The service, the food. Normally I'm not much of a brisket girl, but this place had the best Brisket I've ever had. When one of the workers asked if we had been there before and our party said no, he came out with a GENEROUS sample plate for us to try. We will be going back there again. Highly recommend.

Oh my God this is the best barbecue experience I've ever had. Is somebody from Tennessee they really bring the meats just an unbelievable experience of Private plus one of the only places you can get properly. Made kind of green strongly. Recommend an easy parking make this perfect place for your family go see Marcus for smiles. He's the guy that looks like the Witcher 3

Santa Maria BBQ catered the food for Country Night at Temple Beth David. The chicken and beef were served hot. Cole slaw and potato salad were the sides, along with rolls. The barbecue sauce was had just the right amount of spices. Everyone enjoyed the dinner. Yum!!!

I enjoyed a pulled pork sandwich and their Mac n cheese delicious as usual hoping to try a tri-tip sandwich next time

This is my favorite BBQ place in Huntington Beach I highly recommend it!! Please try it . You won't be disappointed i promise!! Sharon is the best too!!! I had the pulled pork w/ one side ,potato salad.

Best bbq chicken I've ever had. And I just moved out here from Chicago. I've had some damn good bbq chicken. ordered it twice this week because I like it so much lol

Talk about authentic, mouth-watering Santa Maria-style BBQ in Huntington Beach -- Santa Maria BBQ and Catering! I recently had the pleasure of trying their catering service for a community event, and everything was absolutely incredible -- from the perfectly seasoned tri-tip to the juicy chicken and flavorful sides. You can taste the quality and tradition in every bite. Their homemade bourbon sauce and onion rings were huge hits with everyone, and the grilled vegetables were the perfect complement to the meats. Plus, the team was professional, friendly, and made the entire experience easy and stress-free.

I was in the area this morning and noticed that it has changed from BT's to Santa Maria. The brisket was tender and moist, and the beans and nuclear corn were good as well. Service was on point, they have a selection of beers on tap, and there's a decent amount of seating. Music is on, and it's a chill atmosphere. :) I'll be back.

02.24.2024 Dinner date with hubby after playing Uber to our kids, driving from Irvine to Long Beach and finally getting a chance to eat dinner. He was craving barbecue...but somewhere on the way home. Yelp lead us to this little place in a strip mall. You order at the counter and they bring out the food to you. The friendly female employee greeted us and took our order. Apparently they were short handed this evening because there was only one guy in the kitchen (owner?) who was also bringing out orders. It took about 30 minutes to get our order. They had quite a few DoorDash pick ups and take out orders ahead of us. But there were also a couple orders placed after us. There were 5 booths for seating and a small bar that could fit about 4-5 people. Eventually we got our food and hubby wanted to try the brisket as we drove home. It was deliciously tender and tasty. Seasoned and cooked perfectly...it melted in your mouth. It seemed more like fatty brisket. The chicken (leg and thigh) was disappointing. Definitely not grilled or barbecued because it did not have grill marks or look as if it was barbecued. It reminded me of Hawaiian shoyu chicken. The chicken was moist with a sweet taste to it. The last beef rib they had was small (it looked lonely in the take out box) and tasted okay. It was tender in some parts. The potato salad was okay. It had a mild taste with red potato chunks. I was expecting tartness from mustard because of the yellow color, but it wasn't. The cornbread was okay. It had pieces of corn in it, it had a plain taste, not really sweet. The exterior was crunchy and the inside was soft. I can't really say it was moist. When we arrived home with our food we were disappointed that we were only given two small containers of sauce - both half filled side. We were confused because the female employee who took our order let us order multiple ones. Then she came out as we were waiting for our food and asked us if we needed anything else or more sauce. So we asked for their original sauce. Not sure what was lost in translation or conversation there. I think we would definitely come back for the brisket and maybe another beef rib earlier in the day. We're willing to try the other meats.

They catered for 25 and everyone LOVED it! Paul delivered a ton of spare ribs, chicken and brisket, with coleslaw, corn and rolls. Also provided three different sauces...and chafing dishes and serving utensils. It's true Santa Maria style. Deep smokey flavor, dry rubbed meat. It was devoured. It was a very good value and Paul has a delight to work with. I recommend this place whole heartedly.

This place is EXPENSIVE, so take that into consideration on my expectations and review. I've been looking for a traditional Santa Maria tri-tip place and saw this place. Now, I'm not a professional, nor am I some sort of bbq expert. Yet, something tells me this place isn't it. We came in today, Sunday the 23rd, and it was pretty empty. The place is cute, and I like the decor. Place doesn't smell like a typical bbq place, and the booths are tiny. The shop is very small too. The good Service is friendly Place is clean Cute decor Nice beer selection Family friendly (tvs were playing animals and National Geographic) Cole slaw is really good The bad Food was cold to barely warm Tri-tip was ok but very chewy and stringy Served in aluminum foil wrappers The hot corn was meh Here is an example on price. The tri tip plate was 22, and we ordered 2 half pounds of tri trip making it as one pound but split to two people. With two sodas it was 70 bucks. That's pretty steep IMO. Now as I stated I am not expert, but the try tip had such a slight smoke flavor that I would guess they are using pellet grills. It's definitely not Santa Maria, as no where on any of the tri tip we had showed any sign of eve seeing a flame. Meat was tough, and chewy, as well as an odd grey color. We almost didn't eat it at all as it was served to us barely warm. The corn we got was a hotter temp. The nice server asked if we liked it, we explained our issues. They were nice enough to offer refund or discount. We politely declined as we ate most of it anyway. However that said, it's definitely a one and done for us.

The food and service is stellar. These people CARE about me and my food and it tastes that way. I can't ask for more from a restaurant. I love going here every chance I get!

This place is a hidden gem. It is sparkling, has a nice bar and booths and the food is all great. My new favorite is the brisket but you can't go wrong with the pulled pork or the tri-tip.

This was my first and last visit. I ordered both the brisket plate and the tri-tip plate, and I was disappointed to find that they were loaded with fat and lacked sufficient meat.

SHARON deserves a raise she is working the register the drink counter and running the orders to the tables at lunch rush hour and the POS gives her drama. She is one of the main reasons we return. While the food is great she is fan freak'in fantastic ! Please help make her job a little easier. The cheesy Porker is my go to. Delicious.

As a proud Austinite and BBQ aficionado, I couldn't resist the allure of sampling California BBQ. Huntington Beach has a hidden gem that BBQ lovers need to experience. Amanda and Paul aren't just exceptional pitmasters--they're warm, welcoming hosts who made my visit unforgettable. They even invited me into their kitchen to witness their magic firsthand--a rare and memorable treat! Here's a polished and enhanced version of your review: --- As a proud Austinite and BBQ aficionado, I couldn't resist the allure of sampling California BBQ. Huntington Beach has a hidden gem that BBQ lovers need to experience. Amanda and Paul aren't just exceptional pitmasters--they're warm, welcoming hosts who made my visit unforgettable. They even invited me into their kitchen to witness their magic firsthand--a rare and memorable treat! If you're anywhere near Huntington Beach and craving BBQ, this spot is absolutely unmissable. The Tri Tips paired with Pork Ribs is a match made in culinary heaven, bursting with flavor and tenderness. I also have to mention the coleslaw: it's vinegar-based, not mayo-based, and let me tell you--I usually steer clear of coleslaw, but this one completely won me over. Tangy, refreshing, and downright delightful!

A well-kept Yummie Barbque eatery located in the Hobby Lobby Shopping Center, across from GW College, in Central Huntington Beach. This local spot gets better each time we drop in for an early dinner or late afternoon fill-up. Very tasty and light, smokey BBQ flavors without setting your mouth on fire. Nice presentations coupled with generous portions of BBQ style Tri-Tip or Brisket Sandwiches full of tender/stacked meat are served on a lightly-toasted brioche bun, and your choice of classic sides. Larger portion dinner plates are also include additional sides. For the sides, we go for the beans, potato salad, and newly-improved collard greens, that are each served in small classic-looking bean pots to keep the contents warm...and then share them...these are super-tasty homemade sides! Summary Takeway: A clean shop, friendly crew, rapid service, well-organized, compact eatery with solid BBQ food choices and both soft drinks and adult beverages available. Lots of takeout and pick-up activity; and it's gaining notoriety. Hint: get there early if possible as the Brisket is a hot ticket, and you don't want to miss out! Almost forgot, ask for extra BBQ sauce to mix into the beans...Awesome! . For the sides, we go for the beans, potato salad, and newly-improved collard greens that are served in small ceramic bean pots to keep the contents warm...and then share them...these are super-tasty home-made sides! Summary take away: A clean shop, friendly crew, rapid service, well-kept, compact eatery with solid BBQ food choices and both soft drinks and adult brews available. Lots of take-out and pick-up activity, and it's gaining notoriety. Hint: get there early as the Brisket is a hot ticket and you don't want to miss out! Almost forgot: get extra BBQ Sauce to add into the beans...Awesome!

Superb BBQ joint! I've been a fan for a minute when they had a store in Buena Park. I have to admit, the food tastes much better here in HB! Service is always warm and friendly. Wifey helped me find this place! If you love good BBQ... you belong here!