Bubba’s Smokehouse BBQ

Baby back ribs hit the spot and the service was great. Nice menu so you can pick and choose. Definitely recommend this place.

Really great bbq — plus great service. If you are looking for a fun place to gave lunch while visiting the la jolla shopping this place is it!

I remember the first time I came to have barbecue here… What a great experience! And the consistency they have been able to deliver with since that first time deserves a great review. I tell all of my friends about Bubba’s BBQ. Whenever I bring someone for the first time, they look at me halfway through the meal and say I will be back here again! They have beer, they have barbecue, and they have beautiful women that help you and make you feel like you are at home eating a meal cooked by mom. Thanks guys!

Came here from a friend’s referral. After entering this place, the servers friendly greeted us and provided recommendations.
They offer a mix-​and-​match type of dining options. So you may try a single serving portion, or a all-​inclusive type of combo.
I like their family combo, you may have some veggie on the side, some beans, and lots of meat, which satisfies meat-​lovers and the vegans.

Found my new favorite in La Jolla! As you would expect, this place is very clean and very friendly. Me and a friend went there for lunch, on a Friday, and didn’t end up getting any barbecue because of their fish tacos special.
The fish tacos were very impressive. It came with coleslaw and fish and pico. They also have a sauce that looks like an avocado ranch but actually has a little kick on it. We also ordered sweeper tater fries which were very good with ranch.
Their beer selection is pretty broad (Racer 5 was my choice) and I also saw wine was available to. The menu is pretty long and has all the barbecue options you could possibly want!
Lastly, the owner, Jeff is the coolest guy ever. I talked with him after and he was very friendly and appreciative of my compliments.
This is an all-​around winner and a must if you were in the La Jolla area. Enjoy.

I was fortunate to discover this smokehouse in the last two years while I was still attending college in SD because it became my guilty pleasure for sure!
The bbq meat (ribs especially) are amazing — smoked to perfection, and they come with a wide variety of sides and sauces. I’ve had the pleasure of having my order taken by the owner who is such a chill and friendly guy. You can tell he and his wife, and all of their employees care greatly about the customers and the quality of their food! What more can you ask for?
Out of the 20+ times I’ve probably eaten here, the one time they got my to-​go order wrong and I realized when I got home, I called in and they apologized and offered to me a discount on my next order. Now that’s great customer service!

Food was DELICIOUS! The owner was extremely friendly and personable. We had pulled pork, sweet potato fries and a beef rib. All A+++++++
Please eat here if you’re in town!

Honestly, I’m wasn’t looking for trouble by trying to eat BBQ in San Diego. However Bubba’s seemed the most appealing at the time and it had a high rating. Also I’m no BBQ snob, so I’m not trying to judge this place harshly. I had no issues with the staff or service, they were friendly and helpful.
First issue, I came at noon on a weekend and was told they were already out of sliced brisket and only chopped was available. Nope, I don’t want the leftover scraps. So I opted for the beef ribs. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by TX, but I expected it to be a dino beef rib. Where there’s a meaty steak size cut of beef on top of the rib. Rather than an oversize pork rib. I also took issue with the «cornbread.» Guys, it’s a corn-​flavored muffin, not cornbread. Sorry, not sorry.

The best BBQ place in La Jolla and one of the better causal places in the cove. I have been here a few times and besides the food the service is always phenomenal. The BBQ meat is always tender, seasoned well, and comes with an ample amount of food and sides.
Today I came in for Wings Wednesday and was greeted by a server with holiday spirit sporting reindeer antlers behind the cash register. I had 10 mild wings at .75 $ a piece with a drink, will only set you back around $ 10. The sauce on the wings was spicier then I had expected for mild, but I LOVED IT. It was tangy and wasn’t overpowering, just the right amount spice. I also liked when I dined in they had an extra plate for me to put my bones on, instead of directly in the basket with the other hot wings. The wings themselves were fried well and not overly greasy, but had a crispy skin with a juicy interior.
The atmosphere is causal and most importantly they have two TV’S always showing sports which as a HUGE sports fan is a big plus for me. It was also nice to see the chairs with holiday spirit hosting Santa hats on the back of chairs. Lastly, the place always seems extremely clean, which I love.
The service is always with a smile and it’s nice with a causal atmosphere for the register workers to stop by and check up on if you are liking you meal and asking if you need refills of beverage. They serve their food by supplying you with a number and bringing it to your table, I also noticed the food never waits to long in the pass so it is always hot when you receive it. Thanks Bubba’s for the wonderful BBQ, can’t wait to come back.

I attended a wedding rehearsal dinner here the other night for some dear friends and Bubba’s put on quite the feast. Not good if you are a vegetarian — ha! Lots of meat! Pulled pork, ribs, chicken, brisket, baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad, corn bread. The food was exceptional and plentiful. Service was fast and friendly. A very popular place in La Jolla. Because most of the 30+ guests were from out of town and staying in local hotels, I was able to take the left overs home where I feasted on them for the rest of the weekend. Highly recommended!

***Happy hour 3−7pm everyday***
$ 4 House wines /​/​12 oz Beer /​/​all appetizers
YEAO move over Phils bbq, theres a new sheriff in town. The location is a bit arbitrary [ literally looks like they just turned an office building into a restaurant ] but it becomes a nonissue once you get wisked away into flavortown!
I was able to try the Pork Ribs as well as the Beef Ribs and both were suuper tender and juicy and pairs well with your choice of their Kickin’ BBQ or Sweet Smokey BBQ sauce. I prefer the sauces here because it is more on the sweet mesquite side vs the tanginess of Phil’s BBQ sauce. Each entrée comes with cornbread, which was fluffy and delicious.
I definitely recommend this place if you are craving for bbq a little closer to home and don’t feel like waiting in line for over an hour for your food.

Great Brisket sandwiches and yam with cinnamon butter.
Love the BBQ sauces. Friendly service and great sweet tea.
This place is a gem!
Next visit amazing Beef ribs 5 ribs each Wow

This is what heaven is ! BBQ heaven !!
The service and cleanliness of this BBQ restaurant is outstanding ! The girls working the counter and floor are great assets to the company .
Now for the food… The pork ribs & slider trio are life changing ! I can not believe how great the food is here ! And the sweet tea is the best I have ever had !
I hope to see this restaurant EVERYWHERE! Please !!!

Bubba’s has a nice happy hour. You don’t have to wait in line. They have all appetizers for $ 4 including Buffalo Wings, that are usually $ 8 for 7 pieces. We tried them all. The Frickles (fried pickles) are a bit on the salty side. The Hush Puppies have a strong corn flavor. The Fried Okra has a lot of little pieces, so it’s good to share. The Onion Rings are a bit harder to share, because they are big, and only come with several rings, but you can cut them up.
You can also get beer or wine during their happy hour.
We were too full to eat anything other than apps, but we will try them next time.

My sisters and I decided to try this place out because it was close and we were very hungry after an afternoon at the beach. There is seating available both inside and outside which allows for a different type of atmosphere. The staff was very friendly and welcoming and greeted us immediately. This restaurant has a walk-​up counter to place orders, but they gave us menus and insisted that we sit down to comfortably look over them until we had decided. Once we placed our order at the counter, it took about 10 minutes for our food to come out (which was great!).
I ordered Bubba’s Cobb salad, which was very filling and decently priced (9.99). It came with pulled pork and chicken with sauces on the side to add to your liking. I’m not one to order a salad at a BBQ place, but I was very satisfied in my decision and not disappointed with the portion size. To add to this, they make their own BBQ sauces which were absolutely delicious! I highly recommend trying the «kickin» BBQ sauce. My sisters enjoyed the sliders trio and Bubba’s bacon cheeseburger. Both were very good (as they were nice enough to share a bite!) and carried generous amounts of meat.
My biggest issue with BBQ places is meat being overcooked and dry, which was not a problem here at all. The staff did not neglect to check on us, even though this seemed more like a self-​serve establishment.
Overall, the staff was very friendly, the restaurant felt clean, the food came out quickly, and the quality was delicious. Prices were fair and I would return again when visiting La Jolla in the future.

3.5 STARS
I love bbq and it’s always exciting to try a different joint other than Phil’s BBQ, although Phil’s is STILL my personal favorite.
We came here on a busy friday night.
They have indoor and out door seating available.
The restaurant itself is really not that big at all, and it was actually nicer to sit outside rather than inside because it was hot and stuffy.
The cashier at the register was super cool and funny, I didn’t get his name but he was very efficient as well.
Unfortunately they ran out of garlic mashed potatoes (big disappointment because I’ve been hearing that it was amazing) AND mac n cheese. The two best sides… out of stock.
+ The Bubba Combo (Choose three meats) $ 16.99
I decided to go with the beef rib, pork rib, and sliced brisket which is my three favorite. The beef rib was definitely my favorite. It was soft and fell off the bone easily. The pork ribs were mixed, some pieces were dry and some pieces were soft. The sliced brisket was a pretty generous portion but the meat was drier than I was expecting but it had the perfect portion of fat. The cornbread though was super weak. Probably the worst cornbread i’ve ever had because it was flavorless and dry as well. But my baked yam with cinnamon butter was really good. It was nice and soft and the cinnamon butter complimented the side very well.
So as you can see… lots of mixed emotions going on here with the food.
Some good, some not so good. Here’s the list version for those of you who don’t like to read paragraphs:
PROS:
1. Beef Ribs — soft, falls off the bone, juicy
2. Baked Yam with Cinnamon Butter — Large portion, delicious
3. Pork Ribs — some soft, some not so soft
4. Sweet Tea — BOMB, although a bit too sweet but still good.
5. Prices here are very reasonable and fair
CONS
1. Beef Brisket — DRY
2. Cornbread– DRY & flavorless
3. BBQ Sauce — texture is very watery, but I do like the sweet flavor

I have been here many times since my bank is nearby. I can’t resist that smokehouse smell coming down the street to lure me in.
The staff is super friendly and goes out of their way to be helpful. I would highly recommend the sliced brisket. Is tender and flavorful and when you dip it in the sweet Bubba’s smokehouse barbecue sauce it is a little bit like tasting heaven.
They have an extensive Southern style menu and everything I’ve ever had here has been amazing. I’ve also had the spicy jerk chicken sandwich which is not for the faint taste-​budded diner. My all-​time favorite menu items are the frickles (fried pickles) & homemade creamy garlic mashed potatoes. If you want to go all out and make sure you getting corn biscuit and drizzle honey all over it!

***3.5 star***
I was so excited to find this place. I love phils but it’s always nice to have other bbq options. I enjoy food exploring you could say.
Came here on a Friday evening. No wait and it wasn’t busy at all. Order and then sit down type of deal. Service was friendly with family oriented environment.
3 beefy ribs with 1 side for $ 14.99
I choose the beefy ribs over the baby back because of my personal preference for beef. The beefy ribs were a lot smaller compared to phils in my opinion. Good but could use more fat. Meat was tender overall with nice caramelization yet wasn’t amazed with it.
I choose the sweet potato fries for my side. Crispy and thick with perfect seasoning as well. Great side option.
½ beef brisket $ 8.99
Tender and delicious. I loved how it wasn’t dry but it too didn’t blow me away. I tried it will all the bbq sauces which I found to be basic and simple — your tangy, spicy and sweet sauces.
For the meats I requested the sauce on the side as I usually do with my bbq. This may have affected the bbq but I still wasn’t as impressed with the quantity or quality.
Maybe I will give it a second try next time and choose something else besides the beef ribs but it still isn’t comparable to phils — both price and taste wise.

Came here on a Sunday afternoon! I’ve heard about Bubba’s from a friend who claims that it is better than Phil’s BBQ.
Ordered:
1. Mixed rib combo: ¼ baby back pork ribs, 2 beef ribs, 1 side of your choice, 1 cornbread
2. The Bubba sandwich: pulled pork, chopped beef Brisket, hot link sausage with a sweet BBQ sauce (and a side of choice)
Pros:
–clean area! Definitely bright lit and feels like home!
–good service! Once we walked in, we were greeted by the nice cashier.
–for all the meats, SUPER SOFT! Like what other reviewers have said, meat falls right off the bone!
–not too much sauce! I like to eat my meals without to many sauces and herbs distracting the original flavor of the food. Compared to other Phil’s, this is definitely what I like!
–Beans were solid, since it was still edible. Didn’t taste like it was drowned in a bunch of BBQ sauce and then crushed like mashed potatoes.
Cons:
–the ordering process seems a little unorganized, since the location is small. There is just one random line down the middle of the room, out the door. Took a little long to order since there was only one cashier (and she also became the server?) and the person in front of us did not know what they want.
Overall, would definitely come here again! I am excited to try their sandwiches and their salads look delicious!
Tips/​observations:
–sanitary wipes are by the soda fountain. If you want to bounce without washing your hands at the restroom… grab some up front!
–they have pickles/​lemons/​jalepeños/​honey packets/​mayonnaise packets and mustard packets up front too, if you need more condiments for anything.
–complimentary unsweetened and sweetened iced tea! Both go well with the BBQ!
–no good parking around. We bussed here so it was different, but if you plan to drive, plan to pay for parking elsewhere or circle around for spots and then walk over!

Phil’s vs Bubba’s — the ultimate BBQ comparison of SD.
Come early because they run out of sides fast! When I ordered, they were already out of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, and I got the last order of coleslaw.
Baby Back Pork Rib ($ 14.99)
½ rack 5 – 6 bones
Fall off the bone perfection. That’s when you know these people know what they’re doing.
Chicken and Rib Combo (13.99)
¼ BBQ Chicken and ¼ rack baby back pork ribs
Friend loved both. She said none of them were dry which is rare.
Pulled Chicken Sandwich (8.99)
Pulled Chicken with Bubba’s sweet BBQ sauce
The sweet BBQ sauce is heavenly! Sweet, and tangy! The chicken wasn’t dry at all either. The bread was soft and everything was sloppy, which defines a good sandwich in my book.
The Bubba Combo (16.99)
Choose three of the following meats (no duplicate choices): pulled
pork, beef brisket (sliced or chopped), pulled chicken, ¼ BBQ chicken,
hot link sausage, ¼ rack baby back pork ribs, or 1 beef rib
Pulled Chicken (13.99)
Pulled Chicken with Bubba’s sweet BBQ sauce
Mac and Cheese
Not your usual cheddar in this. but still really delicious! I have no idea what type of cheese they use, but it’s not your average mac and cheese taste. Super creamy.
Coleslaw
A little lighter than most coleslaw. I wish the sauce was heavier.
Service is warming and welcoming! They hold conversations with you like you’re family. Love the service.
All in all, the sides are better at Phil’s, but the entrees are better here!