St Francis BBQ

Great service and great food! Coming from the south, it was nice to get some good bbq while traveling! Everyone is very nice and the service is excellent. If you’re staying at the courtyard next door… walk over and enjoy a drink and some great bbq!

I liked the idea of this place and wanted to like it so badly. the sweet tea was wonderful and perfect. But the barbecue was sadly lacking. the pulled pork tasted like it came out of the crock pot. Very little smokiness and didn’t taste authentic in the least :(

Service was great food quality was good but the taste was not there their barbecue sauce was not so good biggest recommendation bring your own barbecue sauce

Wish I could give more but just can’t bring myself to do it. Food was decent, Server was nice, wish I could say the same about the owner. He must be independently wealthy or else why would he treat everyone like crap and close his doors to new customers for take out at straight up 8:00? How hard is it to take $ 25pp for another 15 minutes. I bet they will be back… not.
His young female server was as nice as she could be and the 1 kitchen helper was busting his ass. I am sure he has never told either of them «Thank you» or «Nice job, well done». Instead opting for «Don’t do that!», «Put that over there», «Gimme that and hurry up!». I felt like I was taking a beating.
As mentioned, food was decent but not many options and don’t even think of going off the menu. I wanted to try his BBQ, but no combo options. I asked if I could order a full meat dinner and get a single hot link. (2 links were $ 8.95). Answer from the owner…“Nope, can’t do that” (see independently wealthy above). If I were Anthony Bourdain and could order 1 of everything and have a bite of each, that would be great. But I am is a sales guy with a per diem, staying at the hotel next door who doesn’t need to eat meals for two people. BTW I got tri-​tip with 2 sides and corn bread — «we’re out of black eyed peas, it happens» instead of «I’m sorry, can I recommend …» (Like a single hot link?!)
He obviously pulls his business from 1 timers at the hotel like me. Too bad… I won’t be back needless to say.

I don’t get it? I’m from out of town, staying at the Marriott Courtyard, literally next door to the St Francis. I’m working in my room, I thought BBQ sounds good. So I go to the St Francis menu on line and I notice no prices. Is the food so great, «it’s priceless?»
I called to check if this was an oversight on my end. A nice gentleman explained to me keeping up a web site including prices is very laborious. I needed to come in, and the menus in house have prices.
So many choices around here, I’ll just move on, Whatever?
I’ll give the St Francis two starts, because the gentleman on the phone was VERY nice.

The BBQ pork was juicy and delicious, the beans and coleslaw really good!
The interior was clean and fun. The customer service was very good. The only downfall is I think the prices are a little too high for the amount of food. Other than that, I will be coming back!

Best BBQ around. Personal favorite is the Pulled Port with his spicy sauce. Hubby’s favorite is the Tri Tip. Everything is home made and delicious. If you want good BBQ this is the place to go. Owner is very nice, staff is great.

My wife and I decided to give this place a try after a friend of ours brought some sides to a party; they were pretty good (hence the second star). If you have enough time in your day to come here for potato salad and go somewhere else for everything else… sure, do it.
I read the positive review below mine and I must say up front, I absolutely support small/​local business to the maximum extent possible. But I do NOT make excuses because they are «small business» I expect to get my money’s worth. I don’t go to the farmers market to buy bad fruit. I’m certainly not going to give a thumbs up to the owner while I break my teeth scavenging for meat on the bones he dipped in ketchup sauce and served me at $ 20 a plate.
Let’s start with the «atmosphere», yes the girls are nice. But the owner is an uncomfortably over-​bearing micro manager. I don’t know how these girls deal with it. It became uncomfortable very quickly for my wife listening to him silence his staff. She attempted to ask one of the young ladies how much came in an order of coleslaw; she was physically swept aside by the owner, «let me answer that, I’ll answer that». He answers with «8 – 10 ounces, basically a pound», now I’m no genius, but I know how many ounces are in a pound…16 (for anyone who went to school with the owner).
The prices. A little deceiving, given that anyone who has had GOOD BBQ knows it isn’t cheap. So I wasn’t immediately put out by the menu. Of course, there in lies the problem, this isn’t GOOD BBQ! I’ll suffer through overpriced food if its great or bad food if it’s cheap. At least I can justify the cost. But this is expensive and sub-​part at best = No deal.
The food. I’d be kind if I said underwhelming! The pulled pork was dry (I could say more but honestly, when it comes to pulled pork, moisture level is what it really boils down to) and the baby back ribs…(sauce covered bones) were terrible. I’m not kidding when I tell you that IF you decide I don’t know what I’m talking about, or you just won the lottery and were desperate to blow some cash, arm yourself with a magnifying glass and the jaws of life for these ribs. I work less clearing a cob of corn than I did on one of these ribs. I love ribs, and yes, I’m picky, but again, I’m not going to lower my standards, not after blowing $ 53! I’ve had MUCH better ribs at the chain restaurants the previous reviews condemn and that should be taken VERY harshly by a «family-​owned establishment» who supposedly specializes in this.
Bottom line here, go elsewhere. BBQ isn’t rocket science, but you’d swear it must be after eating what this place is passing off as BBQ. Hey, this guy might have passion for what he does, but passion without talent… earns you 2-​stars.
If anyone out there says this place is the «best around» I cant argue that because I haven’t tried many other LOCAL BBQ places. But I will say this; if this truly is the «best around», drive until you reach the the end of «around» and find a place to eat!!!

Ribs were tough and tasted of lighter fluid. Took a long time even for ribs (25 min). Mac and cheese was good, coleslaw was decent.

Had dinner here while staying at Marriott Court Yard across parking lot. The food was gross and my credit card went missing. I walked back over to the establishment and they denied any knowledge. One year later CC company called and informed me someone was attempting to use the defunct card. I call back CC company and they informed me two tickets to Europe were attempted to be booked from same area.
Bad Food Bad Business!!!

We wanted to go somewhere new for dinner last night. Decided on this place. Now the meats were ok. We got the the 3 meat dinner. It comes with 2 very small sides. Pulled pork was a little dry but much better with added sauce. The tri tip was thinly sliced and ok. And the ribs were a little tough but tasted ok. We got the macaroni salad and bbq beans as our sides. Very very small portion sizes for the sides for a 29 $ price tag. For 2 adults and a kid to eat was 47 $
The waitress was friendly but had little knowledge of the menu or how to be a waitress. She removed a couple plates that we were still working on. She didnt know what some of the food was and said they don’t have any kid friendly drinks but have a kids menu. We felt rushed after waiting close to 45 minutes for our food. Was very slow and we were wondering how this place stays in business. i doubt we will be back anytime soon.

There is no better pork rib in central Ca. I ordered the full rack of pork ribs with fries and coleslaw. It is simply the best. The ribs are moist with a banging sauce.

Well, I am sad to hear all these negative reviews. If you want a chain BBQ spot, go somewhere else. However, personally i enjoy the mom-​pop spots where the energy is laid back and the food is good.
I was working out that way one day and popped in for some lunch. Not only did the lure of the BBQ smoking outside get me interested in walking in, but the patio and cute set up inside sealed the deal.
It was quiet when we came in, which doesn’t ever scare me. Thankfully i didn’t read any reviews prior other wise i would have had a bias opinion walking in.
The girls, one new and one veteran, were sweet, kind and mellow tempered. We ordered some beers, sat up at the counter for a bit then ventured outside to enjoy the day.
husband got pulled pork plate, i got the baby back ribs. It was all delicious. The mac salad was great, not too runny, not too creamy, had some green peas in it, yum! And the Garlic bread was delicious, so i finished my husbands too.
Fine prices for the amount and type of food. I’ve had BBQ in TN, GA, TX. keep it going, and this is pretty darn good BBQ!
don’t know what all the mean reviews are about, Esp. the guy bringing race into it. .
First, let me say, this seems to be the «African American» — black guys– humble little pride and joy, so to hate on someone and be so condescending is cruel. NO MATTER YOUR AILMENT. The cook is the owner, and the owner is a man whom enjoys cooking and having people enjoy his establishment.
THE REASON WHY HE SAID CAN YOU GO OUTSIDE= is because it was busy that day, and considering you had a dog, maybe you wouldn’t mind… so don’t be a jackass.
There are pictures of dogs sitting at their very own table (outside) posted on the walls in the restaurant.
So i will end this by saying, SUPPORT SMALL business, support your local restaurants… if you think the food could be better, im sure if you introduced yourself to the VERY NICE owner, and he would be happy to have CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, vs bashing his efforts.

Bad food, bad service, bad attitude, what else is there to write. Wasted my money on this place.

DO NOT GIVE THIS RESTAURANT YOUR BUSINESS.
I am very unhappy with this establishment. I have a service animal everywhere I go and an African American man who appeared to be the cook refused to let me and my service animal dine in the restaurant. Telling me that we had to eat outside. He was very confrontational and discriminatory against me and my service animal because of my medical condition.

Pulled pork sandwich was really good. Big portions! A great option if you looking for some good BBQ

We saw the mixed reviews and decided to give it a shot. We regret that. We ordered pulled pork, tri tip, beef ribs, fries, mac n cheese and pecan pie. We never received the pulled pork. They gave us pork ribs instead. Both ribs and tri tip were tough and flavorless. The edges were completely burned. The BBQ sauce tastes like ketchup mixed with vinegar. The corn bread, fries and mac n cheese were ok but nothing to write home about. The bottom of the corn bread was burned. The mac n cheese was awfully small (see pics) and bland for $ 2 extra. One slice of pie was $ 5 and it was not worth it. Save yourself the disappointment and eat somewhere else.

This restaurant was amazingly bad; the worst, quite possibly. I should qualify this by saying that the service was pretty good — we were well attended to by friendly folks. It’s just that the food was more awful than anything I’ve had in recent memory. And, it was fairly pricey to boot.
We spent over $ 40 plus tip for a sandwich, a dinner special, and two soft drinks. The special — beef ribs — came with a «hot links appetizer» which seemed as though it were merely boiled hot dog slices drenched in a ketchup/​mustard sauce. It came with a toothpick and thinly sliced pepperoncini rings.
The ribs themselves were the roughest, toughest hunks of charred meat you ever did see. So tough that 75% of them remained on the bones before I gave up. They also tasted vaguely of lighter fluid. The accompanying coleslaw was unremarkable and the macaroni and cheese — while pretty tasty — had a hair swimming in it. The cornbread was dry, tepid, and came with margarine, not butter.
The tri tip sandwich my wife ordered was decent, though drenched again in the ketchup/​mustard sauce that I suppose is the house barbecue? The accompanying beans were suspiciously similar to those I’ve dredged out of a can.
Again, the service was decent but the food was… well, abhorrent. It was the sort of thing you’d get at someone’s house when that someone has absolutely no idea how to cook. I cannot comprehend any of the reviews here lauding the food — reviews which convinced me to give the place a shot. If you’re on the fence, trust me, walk away.

So I’m from the south and have high expectations when it comes to bbq ! I had the pulled pork sandwich, potato salad and cole slaw. Everything was good ! The pulled pork was juicy and the potato salad tastes like its homemade. The prices are reasonable and the staff is friendly. The owner came by numerous times to make sure everything was ok. I can happily say I’ll be eating here again !

They service was mediocre yet still far better than the food. We wanted Beef Ribs but they brought Pork. We asked why and they said it was too expensive to carry Beef. We suggested they take Beef ribs off the menu. The Pork ribs were tough and rubbery and the «spicy» chicken wings were sweet not spicy. Because we did not want Pork ribs we ordered Beef Tenderloin (simply tough meat on a plate) and waited for it to arrive.
The Beef arrived and was tough, nearly as rubbery as the Pork ribs. They told us the manager/​owner wanted to talk with us but didn’t have time. They charged is full price for everything even that which we did not eat and we paid the bill and left. It was not only the worst BBQ we’d ever had, the comments from staff like, «Well, in CA people don’t get a lot of BBQ to choose from so they think it’s good» made it worse.
Yes, we tipped well because we are that kind of people but we should have been afforded an opportunity to speak with the manager/​owner, possibly preventing the need for this awful review. When you share your experience with management, they can create change. When denied that chance you share with Unilocal and then it decreases the chance for change while increasing the chance for loss of business. In this, the digital age, poor service and horrid food are inexcusable. The only reason for the two stars is that Sam Adams makes a really good lager which my husband enjoyed. #wasteoftimeandmoney