Phil's BBQ

We got one of the sandwiches, the small rack, and onion rings. All were really good! Super busy, but a nice, homey atmosphere and a lot of workers there to help out. The food was really good, and super filling! I liked that there was an entire roll of paper towels on the table and a hand washing station, and a little arm hook on the bathroom doors so you don’t have to touch the handle! Fun little hygiene things I’ve never seen anywhere else.

Always have loved this place. From the service to the food it is top notch. There is a good reason for the line. Our meal for the 3 of us was about 50$ and well worth every penny. All the food is high quality, with great portion sizes and delicious. The sauce on the link+drink has a very mild kick. Pulled pork sandwich is extremely filling. Somehow I finished it. I recommend the ribs over anything else here. Do not come here and not order ribs. Just add some ribs to whatever else you want to order. The service here is incredible and hats off to their whole staff. Really incredible helpful and professional people

Highly recommend trying their signature baby back ribs and fresh steamed veggies. The sauce is boss and you can taste the charred/grilled meat, very flavorful and satisfying to eat whether you dine in or take out. Only downside is that it is expensive.

I ordered a half rack of baby back ribs, 1 beef rib, the potato salad and coleslaw. The beef rib was the best item I ordered. Although I have had better, the baby back ribs were tender and juicy and worth the try. I ordered all the ribs sauce on the side, and dipped a little but ended up eating a majority of the ribs without the sauce. The potato salad is one of the better ones I’ve had with large chunks of red potatoes in it. The coleslaw was nice and creamy with large chunks of cabbage and carrots, and I believe I could taste a little bit of sugar in the mix. Being my first time there, the person who took my order was patient and very helpful. The staff handling the dining room were very attentive and friendly as well. The only down side I saw while there was that as a large crowd came in, there was a scramble for seats as it is first come first seated. Oh and also if I wanted to have an additional beer, I would have had to get back in line to get to the counter since all orders are taken there, and food is picked up from there. I will be back if I have the opportunity.

Phil does a good cookie, but nothing else was good. Fatty ribs were returned, fries were undercooked, beans had no flavor and nobody cleaned the BBQ sauce from under our table where I slipped. This is more of a bbq factory than a good restaurant.

Phil's barbecue is hands down THE BEST barbecue in San Siego AND the west coast! They have racks of ribs, whole chicken sandwiches and more! their cornbread is really great, I Usually get a few pork ribs, tri-tip Sandwich (HUGE) WITH a baked potato loaded and full corn on the cob, Smother it with butter shower cream, creole chili & spice powder :)

This review is from a first timer to Phil’s BBQ. As a first time visitor, it could be challenging to know what to order before getting up to the cashier to order. Multiple menus are posted here and there. But the line moves, and when it does, I end up holding the people behind us back. And they don’t like that. My apologies, but they don’t care. The Mesquite wings are meh. I will pass next time. They were burnt too black. Not that I have anything against black, okay? So don’t think negatively at that remark. See my attached photos and you shall see. Also the wings had no taste, smokiness, but no taste. I needed to add the Creole season they provide on the table side. I will pass on the wings next time. What I did miss this time were the beef ribs. And I do intend to return. The pork ribs here are quite tasty they have the right amount of seasoning and cook to a good texture and consistency. Other bbq places could be too sweet, tangy or over cooked. When it’s overcooked they say it’s fall off the bone good. Not for me. See ya next time.

The service here is exceptional and the workers are all very friendly! Got the full rack of ribs and one beef rib; the baby backs were delicious, but the beef rib was a little dry. It's still delicious, nonetheless, and definitely a spot to try!

Phil's BBQ is always a treat, but this visit truly stood out thanks to their amazing manager, Noel. A small hiccup occurred with our order, placed by one of their newer staff members, but Noel handled it with incredible professionalism, kindness, and respect. Within minutes, he resolved the issue with such care and efficiency that it felt seamless. I was deeply impressed by his diligence and genuine commitment to ensuring a great customer experience. It's not every day you encounter such top-notch service, and Noel's efforts made our visit unforgettable. The food, as always, was fantastic, and the exceptional service elevated the experience even further. Thank you, Phil's BBQ and Noel, for setting the bar so high. We'll definitely be back!

Good food I would recommend it has some delicious bbq ribs crispy onion rings, If you craving some ribs I would suggest you come here to eat there really good

I love Phil's BBQ and I always have to dine here whenever I'm visiting SD. We came for lunch and I was very surprised to see no line even though I arrived around noon. We were at the front of the line when we were asked if we wanted to go sit in their full service bar area. They were really fast taking our orders and food also came out really quickly. We ordered: * Baby back rib & chicken dinner * A single beef rib The beef rib was definitely worth it. The meat literally just falls off the bone. Their portion is pretty big as well. We were so full splitting between 2 people and we even had leftovers.

Okay, So this was honestly just mid. Nothing to write home about. I guess maybe this is the best SD has to offer for bbq? ‍ But I had gotten the ribs and it was just okay, average ribs at best. What was good was the onion rings, those were sold!!! Large and crunchy and tasty! But that's just onion rings. The set up is like a cafeteria style, you order up front and grab your table on your own and self serve for drinks and cutlery. I had asked the manager for their best meat...and was disappointed in the ribs and wouldn't go back.

I am honestly writing this as a reminder note to myself to never order the ribless or chickless items ever again. But before I get to that, I will say that this location has the take out service perfected. There is a separate line for take out and they correctly estimated our wait time which was 10-15 minutes. This location has a lot of seating and I know they can get quite crowded. Very casual atmosphere. I thought we ordered two ribless and chickless entrees and a bone-in rib tickler but when we got home, we saw that we received a ribless tickler instead. While you do receive more meat with the no bone options, the meat is not as tender. All the meat - ribs and chicken- were dry and not good. Even the sauce couldn't save it. The fries were soggy. The coleslaw was too sweet. I only liked the steamed vegetables which were average at best. So, the food deserves a zero. But the service slightly pulled up my rating.

If you are visiting San Diego, this is probably on your radar. I was curious to see why this place had so many good reviews. Sadly, it didn't live up to the hype. The wait line is of course very long but the 3 star is purely for the food taste. - the rib: bbq sauce is good but not amazing. Meat is way too dry. The meat doesn't have the smoky taste that you get from bbq, it was probably pressure cooked. - onion ring: nothing amazing like people said. Crunchy but very standard - wings: surprisingly good. Good seasoning. Would recommend this. - corn bread: recommend. Love the texture, a little bit of chewiness in it. The maple butter compliments well. Overall, if the wait line is short, it's an okay place to eat. But it really is nothing worth lining up 30+ min for

Phil's is pretty good BBQ. For the price it's nothing amazing but it is good. Their Cole slaw sucked and the portion was tiny compared to the fries. I love their BBQ sauce and their ribs are pretty good. They don't do any online or phone orders for to-go. When you go in person they don't have any actual physical menus and you have to look on your phone and the layout of the menu on their website isn't very easy to navigate you have to scroll down this long page basically. I've been here twice in the past month and overall it's pretty good but it isn't anything to rave about. The dining area is very loud. They're a bit overpriced for what they're offering in my opinion but it's just okay!

I've been dining here since 2015, and if I were to write a review every single time I decided to dine here, the page would be at least three pages long. Always a superb dining experience. I've had the entire menu thrice. By the way, that's the best cornbread I've ever had in my life! Absolutely worth it!

4.9/5 stars! After 10 years of not visiting San Diego, I knew I had to try this super popular spot during my short trip. The service was quick as I walked in, where you can either order for take out or dine in. We happened to arrive during happy hour (3-6 pm), which can only be applied if you are sitting in the bar area. The restaurant itself was quite spacious and could fit plenty of customers. Our waiter was very friendly and attentive! I got the half chicken dinner and decided on two small sides (I chose macaroni salad and coleslaw), rather than one large side. Half Chicken Dinner with Macaroni Salad and Coleslaw 4.8/5: Half a chicken with two decently sized sides for $15.99 was an awesome deal in my opinion! The chicken with the BBQ sauce glazed on top was delicious, and the meat was tender. It wasn't overly sweet like some bbq sauces I've tried, instead, it was tangy with a smoky flavor. The coleslaw was refreshing, light, and crunchy, but I would want to try another side next time. Although these were so good, I'd say the star of the show for me was the macaroni salad! It had a nice mixture of veggies with small macaroni (which I found out is called ditalini pasta), and it was perfectly creamy! I thought that using this kind of pasta made it even better because each bite popped with flavor. Definitely would recommend as a side dish option. I'd say it's worth visiting this highly-reviewed and rated BBQ spot!

Hands down the best ribs ever! I legit would drive two hours just for their food. This place is always super busy, but the servers are on it--they make sure everything is good and check up on you regularly. Another huge plus is that they allow your little fur babies on the patio, which I thought was amazing. I'm really hoping they open a location in LA County because I'd be there all the time!

Mouth watering BBQ! We tried Phil's for the very first time. Now we know why it is such a popular place! Their food is on point! The portions are generous and they provide great service! We went with the family feast. It easily feeds four people. Everything tastes like it's homemade. All of the food we had deserved 5 stars. Their BBQ sauce is one of the best that I have had. Our sides: The French fries were crispy on the outside and full of flavor. I definitely recommend these. The macaroni salad was also tasty. It had the perfect balance of flavor. I'm picky about my macaroni salad and this passed the test with flying colors. I couldn't stop eating it. The cornbread is another hit! It was soft and moist. I couldn't stop eating it. Oh so good! Main dish: The sausage was good. It was juicy and flavorful. Loved this one!! The BBQ chicken was also a hit. Cooked to perfection. The meat was moist and well seasoned. I had a few pieces of the chicken loved this one to! The ribs were the star of the show! We went with the baby back ribs. Wow!! They were delicious! The meat fell off the bone. The ribs were tender and cooked to perfection!! Normally there is a line and I can see why. It is worth the wait! We came when they first opened and didn't have to wait in a line but it was getting busy when we were packing up our leftovers to go. The leftovers were just as good when we got home. My family and I will be back soon to try their beef ribs. We can't wait!!!

This is the second Phil's location I've tried, and it was equally as great. Super consistent in taste and quality! I grew up in the south and it's truly like I never left. Just really great bbq all around!

I ordered the wings to go from this place and they were amazing. The smoky spicy flavor was perfectly balanced and each wing was juicy and the perfect size. Even though this was a to go order the cashier was welcoming and provided phenomenal service.

Good food , great atmosphere, quick service . If u r in short of time sit in bar area . Happy hour is great , cocktails for $5 and they are good. Plenty of parking available. I enjoyed chick less dinner , ribs , onion rings .

hashtag first timer hashtag i knowww very distinct barbecue sauce! more tangy and ketchup-like imo ordered the baby back ribs and chicken dinner with a potato salad (got a bigger sauce for free shoutout the employee) and cole slaw (standard). it's been a while since i've had grilled meats because i really did miss that charred and burnt taste loool but yeah not out of this world but sooo good on a day you're in sd and crave some goood messy bbq :3

The to go place for BBQ if you're in San Diego. This is my second time at this location. Portions are huge and you should expect to get your hands dirty. There is almost always a line so be prepared to wait at least 10 minutes. You order at the counter and bring your food to the table yourself. Usually it's self seating but when they get busy, staff will assign and direct you to your table. Price is fair for what you get and flavors are very American BBQ, which means, rich, flavorful, tangy sweet, and excessive. Not a place to go if you're trying to diet or being mindful. Meats are amidst exactly how you would imagine it, though the tri tip was a bit more disappointing compared to the ribs. I recommend getting the beef ribs. Onion rings are great and I also like their corn bread. It comes with a fluffy sweet butter? spread which is quite nice. They also have a draft beer of the day which are priced at $5. Standard pint and cold. Staff is mainly there to clean up your table and clear dishes, most of what you do is self served. I have no issue with that and I can minimize waste You can get more BBQ sauce at the front, there's a paper towel roll and other condiments at your table, a shared sink outside of the restrooms for washing your hands, and a counter for utensils and to go boxes. Interior isn't anything special or nice but the layout is good and the primary focus is the food. Overall, great BBQ place. If the interior or wait bothers you, the to-go line is much shorter

Amazing BBQ! Had been meaning to try Phil's BBQ for a while now but finally stars aligned and was able to drive south and oh was it worth it! This is a Kansas City BBQ spot and meats are cooked to perfection, so much so you can really eat a bunch and not feel heavy at all. We tried the baby back ribs, super tender, beef ribs, hot link, pulled pork and tri-tip (both as extra and were ok, probably better on sandwich options), as well as the colossal onion rings which were really good, potato salad and pasta salads sides. The place gets packed pretty fast on the weekend but the line moves fairly quickly since they have plenty of seating options. Service was good and there's plenty of parking. Great BBQ experience, if I lived in SD I'd definitely be here very often!

Amazing take out option! I have not been to Phil's in over a decade and was truly skeptical if it's still as delicious as I remembered. It is!! Meat fell off the bone, chicken was juicy and tender, fries were so fresh!!! I love their French fries so much, it was so good. Macaroni salad and a side of baked beans really tied everything together. The side of corn came with 3 cobs which was a great deal! No complaints and we were lucky the take out line was short that evening. The entire family loved the food. Until next time!

Everything. The bbq sauce and the chicken was bomb. A must stop when in town. Love it!

When my cousin mentioned coming here for dinner the Best Bbq while in San Diego, he wasn't joking. We were attending annual Lao Boat Racing festival since a.m. We arrived to Phil's Bbq around 6:15 pm and omg the line was ridiculous long. It was moving at a good speed but it was also well worth that hour wait til we made our order. With lots of seatings indoor & a covered patio w numerous of tables and chairs to accommodate a huge party. Luckily there were more than a handful of benches to sit while waiting in line for the kids, elders and those that wanted to sit and didn't want to stand. We were not the only crazy ones to wait an hour for these finger licking bbq ribs. Once we enter the restaurant and waited in line to place the order. Afterwards We went and found a table to sit while waiting for our buzzers to go off and we can go grab our Feasting dinner at the counter. What we ordered ~ Cornbread is so delicious and served warm. It's not sweet and used actual corn which makes it much yummier along w brown butter, It comes in a round foil pan, ordered an extra one to take home to enjoy, also. ~ Ribs were so tender and juicy, literally fell off the bones. Marinated and smoked to perfection. ~ tbe oinon rings was battered perfectly, fried to crispy brown perfection. ~ Sweet Tea from the fountain drink station was perfectly sweeten. Quench your thirst and was the perfect parring for your meals. ~ Double Chocolate Chip cookies for dessert was good. $ 3.49 for a pack of 3. Can't beat the price. They were soft and good. Not too sweet. The bbq sauce was good and can be better. Some items you can enjoy without the bbq sauce. The bbq was mesquite and cooked to pure perfection. Customer service was great and the wait for your food wasn't too long of a wait at all. They offer bibs for you, so you don't get the juiciness goodness on your clothes. It's a huge and known bbq restaurant. They have other locations but only in San Diego county. Lots of Parking available in the lot. I want to return w my hubby and kids so they can enjoy the bbq fresh at the restaurant. Definitely a must place to visit to DINE AT when visiting San Diego. Don't let the crazy minds scare you. It's worth the Wait!

Meh, it's a famous spot so gotta try it once. There are so many reviews I bet nobody will read this one. Food was okay, not life-changing. Super long line outside and always packed inside. Service seemed slow and overwhelmed. Portions are relatively small except for the fries. Why did we order fries? There were tons of fries left over... Checked it off the San Diego list so at least I can say we've been there, done that.

Went on NYE and there was not only no wait but we were able to sit down and get table service (instead of ordering at the cashier). The food was delicious like always. Everything came out quickly. Perfect meal to end the year with

I haven't been here in years. I'm so glad I went back when I visited San Diego. We got the family combo which came with a lot! It fed a family of 5 and we even had extra left overs. The star for me was: THE CORN BREAD! Literally the BEST cornbread I've had! It is super moist and pairs great with their apple butter. Definitely worth getting the family combo if you have a decent size party and want to have a bang for your buck. The service is very kind and professional! Definitely need to visit this restaurant if you are visiting San Diego

This used to be our go to spot when our son was attending UCSD. It's been about 5 years since we've been here and peeps say it ain't the same...but we had to come for old times sake. Whelp, they be right. The onion rings weren't as large or as sweet, but the beef ribs were just as good as they were back in the day. The Sports Arena location is always a fun place for the vibe and the energy. You stand in line to order and find your own table and when your pager goes off, go get your grub. We had the 3 beef rib dinner (they used to offer 5!) added a link and drink and an order of onion rings. We were happily messy eating! Not as great as before but still a good time. We'll be back. Oh and wow! So upscale! Now you get real paper towels instead of the brown craft paper!

Trying to make this a regular stop on our San Diego trips now. Waiting in line on a Sunday night, Andrea asked if we would like to try the bar area. It's full service and, while louder, we had a great experience due to Roxy being an amazing server. She did such a great job giving us suggestions and bringing us drinks and even warm sauces as we were further along in our meal. She is such a positive personality and we will definitely look for her next time. I'm sorry we weren't able to make it back to see her a second time before heading home. Food was amazing as usual. Baby back and beef ribs absolutely satisfying. Already craving the next time as I'm typing this. The new item we tried this time was the cornbread which was on sale and I don't think I've ever had such moist cornbread. The butter that came with was also very soft and whipped. Definitely recommend trying this.

After driving from LA to San Diego, our first thought was where to grab dinner. With our hotel just 10 minutes from Phil's we were eager for BBQ! At 6:30P on a Friday, the line of customers poured out the door as people waited to be seated. At over 16,000 reviews and counting, this isn't named the second most Yelped restaurant in the US for nothing! To bypass the wait, we decided to just order takeout. The restaurant was pretty chaotic with every table in the main dining room and bar area full. Waiters were constantly bringing out orders, and even the managers were helping out. Even with the never-ending line, the staff was very kind and remained in good spirits. I selected one of their most popular plates, the BABY BACK RIBS & CHICKEN DINNER ($23.99), which included four ribs, quarter chicken and either two small sides or one large side. Keep in mind that the parts of the chicken vary with each order; I got a breast and wing in mine, whereas my dad received a drumstick and thigh. Unfortunately, my chicken breast was on the dry side, but it was lightly seasoned and had a good grill flavor. The ribs were pretty tender with just a couple dry spots, but nothing that the extra BBQ sauce couldn't fix. The sauce was sweet with a mild underlying heat, complementing the boldly spiced rub that coated the meat. For my sides, I selected the potato salad and coleslaw. For the most part, I enjoyed both of them, but just found them overly saucy. The potato salad was quite flavorful with strong notes of what tasted like celery salt. Phil's offers both "rib-less" and "chick-less" options for those who prefer their ribs and chicken, respectively, without the bones. My mom ordered the RIB-LESS & CHICK-LESS DINNER ($16.99). She enjoyed the ribs, but the chunks of chicken were super dry, even after pouring on the sauce. For a BBQ spot that cooks so much chicken, you would think they'd have a method of ensuring even the white meat remains somewhat tender. This said, I would completely stick with ordering the ribs. 3.25 stars.

We love Phil's. There is always a long line but the BBQ Is really good. My boyfriend doesn't eat pork and there is beef options which is nice. The staff is extremely nice, seating is self seating but you have a person who makes sure tables are clean as well as someone to get you if needed. There is a sink to wash your hands by the soda fountain so you don't have to go to the restroom which is really convenient !

Phil's BBQ is a San Diego tradition. I have to admit there are better options, but Phil's always feels like home. I try to avoid red meat, so am reporting on their chicken and fixins. Phil's BBQ chicken is always tender and nicely seasoned. The beans are OK, and the other accompanyments are solid. Services always friendly. And the ambiance is what you would expect for a barbecue joint. The most challenging aspect of any barbecue is the sauce. Phil's tends to be a little bit on the sweet side. I personally prefer my barbecue sauce to be a little less sweet, but I still enjoy all of my visits to Phil's BBQ.

Coming back to update my review, since today it was really good! The ribs were just gliding right off the bones and their chicken wings are perfect. We killed our entire meal (2 rack of ribs, sausage, chicken wings, baked beans, and Mac salad) probably didn't even talk while we ate, that's how you know your food is good. The restaurant has such an appealing welcoming vibe to it, everyone's there to enjoy some BBQ. There was a wait, but it goes by pretty quickly.

Extra large, exuberant bbq place! Many options on the menu. Bbq ribs, chicken, sausage. Fried, onion rings, macaroni salad, coleslaw, salad, etc. all the favorites are here. They also offer burgers and sandwiches. Good selection of draft beer, wine and full bar. Service is outstanding! We opted to avoid waiting in line and dined at the (sports) bar. Special thanks to Evan and Kyleigh and Nicole! And a shout out to the Guinness guy = Michael! We thoroughly enjoyed the Guinness foam art. (See photo). If you're in San Diego, you'll probably want to visit Phil's.

I love Phil's. It smacks so hard every time. The meat literally falls off the bone of the ribs. It is so easy to eat! The sides are absolutely quality. I have almost no criticisms at all. One of the only downsides of this restaurant is that sometimes it is super packed and the wait times could be very long as well as the time it takes to find a seat inside.

Just a little update. Place remains awesome! Glad Andrea is still here but the highlight this trip was the amazing service from Roxy. I never though full table service in the bar was going to be this amazing. My wife and I not only crave coming back already but we crave the sweetness and welcoming warmness Roxy made us feel. It's so hard to find great service (although Phil's has been great all around) where we had the pleasure of meeting Roxy where she sets a benchmark in service excellency where many strive for but few exceed expectations and are extremely critical for a successful business, where not only is the food amazing but the service exceeds to make a dominating business package in such a highly contested sector. Our latest visit the food was amazing, the service was great. They recognized the portion of the smaller ribs they added an extra bone to make up for it. The sauce here is so good and this time we tried the corn bread and the full order of onion wings both amazing with the corn bread being moist with super smooth and sweetened butter. Highly recommend them both. Will be back again soon! And thank you Andrea and Roxy!

It's been a number of years since I have been to Phil's BBQ. I do not live in San Diego County is one reason and the other is that there is usually a long waiting line, especially at this restaurant, which is the original location. Well, the wait is over! Last week, I met up with friend, Emmett, and we had lunch at Phil's. What a great idea, during the week, the line was very short. He ordered a Rib meal with cole slaw, fries and onion rings. I had the popular El Toro sandwich (Tri Tip) and dill red-potato salad. My husband ordered the Broham sandwich (Pulled Pork topped with cole slaw) and dill red-potato salad. Oink Oink is what I can say because our portions were so huge, we each took home leftovers that was enough for a second meal. Phil's is rather famous and has been featured in many news articles and on TV "Foodie" Shows. All have given marvelous reviews, which originally peaked my interest. The menu offers family meals that serve 4 to 6 people: mesquite grilled chicken, sausage, beef or pork ribs (proteins); and sides (cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans, fries, onion rings, macaroni salad, garden salad, or cornbread) - $105 to $120. At the entrance will be the menu and service counter, place your order, pay and they will bring the food to your table. It's a casual environment with a western themed decor and interesting photos and news articles posted on the walls. It was delicious, worth every calorie, and reasonably priced. Bookmark this location and plan your visit, bring your appetite and a bib!! Don't forget to tell'em that Rosemary sent ya!!

My husband and our friends used to be obsessed with this place. We'd drive from OC to come to Phil's. We just recently went with my sister and our daughter and we were so excited. However we left so disappointed. I don't think the food changed that much, but I think our tastebuds have changed from when this used to be amazing. My husband has also gotten into bbqing over the years and have really found his niche with it, so I do think his bbq is better than alot of those American bbq restaurants out there that's producing more quantity over quality. Granted the serving size and price for what Phil's gives you is unbeatable. It really is still affordable for the amount of food you get. We spent $82 for a whole rack of ribs with two sides, half a chicken with two sides, a sausage link, colossal onion rings, 5 wings, and a drink. I was really excited for the colossal onion rings but it was so disappointing. You can taste it wasn't fresh and the batter was way too thick and not crunchy at all. I actually ended up preferring the chicken over the ribs, but even then it wasn't anything spectacular. We went on a Monday early afternoon and there was no wait at all and we were seated right away. So bizarre to us because we really used to wait over an hour to get into Phil's! Great memories but I don't think we'd be back again.

When we arrived at 5, we were pleasantly surprised by the $5 happy hour cocktails. The spiced apple margarita tasted mostly of juice but that's okay; it was $5. We ordered the ribs, wings, cole slaw, macaroni salad, and onion rings. I will say that the sauces / marinades are great here. While the wings were dry and nothing special, the sauce it came with was tangy and spicy and so addicting. I've had better ribs in Austin (Terry Blacks) that were more tender and had more meat to the bone. The sides were very good.

This is always a Safe Bet.... The Meat is ALWAYS Juicy & Delicious and their sides are also very tasty! Some of our ALLTIME favorites are the Beefy Ribs & Toro Fries... We ALWAYS have to get their Onion Rings as a starter. They are Fabulously crispy & delicious perfect with some Ranch. The toro fries are also a really yummy go too. As for sides you really can't go wrong with any but the Fries are nice & crispy, the pasta salad & potato salad are both tasty and Do Not pass on that corn bread, but ask them to warm it up for you & Jesus take the wheel it's spectacular with the BBQ! Their Customer Service is something you NEVER have to doubt, from the greeters, cashiers, servers or bartenders they are always SUPER nice & friendly. One of or bartenders at the Santee location always greets us and knows or favorite drinks already! Sangria or Paloma (seasonal flavors are always GREAT) and the hubby his IPA. And their recommendations are always on point as well. One of of the reasons we LOVE Phil's is the casual, cozy almost homey feeling. It's one of those places you just feel welcome & know you are not only going to have an amazing meal but also a nice time.

The long lines but goes by really fast! If you're a big party obviously you're waiting longer. It was just a date night for me so we decided to sit at the bar area which was full service. I got the beef ribs soooooo good and huge portion!! The corn bread fire!!! We also got the Tri tip sammich - I personally could do without the BBQ sauce. But decent. The bbq sauce is on the ketchupy side not really sure how to describe it. Overall would come again!!!

I brought my out of state friend here because the BBQ here is famous! We got a full rack ribs - which came with two sides. It was around $30. For the sides, we got fries and macaroni salad. It surprised me how large the fries were!!! The ribs were literally so good and it was definitely worth my thirty minute drive. The sauce here is really good and if you like cornbread, their cornbread is also really amazing!! We couldn't finish it and ended up taking it home and eating it the next day. It was so worth it and would recommend if you like BBQ :)

This was the first spot we stopped at during our staycation. Overall it was ok, but the star of the show (the ribs) were fairly mediocre and expensive. Let me explain: The overall service was very good. The woman at the register was very friendly and informative. A number of workers are constantly walking around asking if you need anything and to see how things are going. My wife said this place was a lot better years ago and she seemed slightly disappointed that perhaps the quality has gone down since she was last there. The restaurant styling is pretty traditional for a bbq/smokehouse. It didn't feel dirty or outdated by any means. I appreciate that they had big trough like sinks to wash hands because eating bbq can get messy. The sides were the best part of the meal. The fries and mac salad were really solid. I would give those 5/5 for sure. The onion rings were pretty burnt up and you could tell the oil was old OR they had it cooking at the wrong temp. Oil was seeping out of them at each bite. Again the ribs were pretty disappointing. I was expecting some really quality smoked baby back ribs. What we got instead looked to be some boiled ribs with a bit of char on them from being on the grill. They had very little flavor and no smoke flavor at all. The BBQ sauce was ok, but nothing to write home about. If not for the customer service and the sides, this would have been a 1-2 star experience. We will not return.

Great place! Get here early if you can or expect a long wait. We got here at 10:30 on a Saturday - the open at 11 - and we were not first in line. I usually get the tri tip sandwich. Keep in mind that a large side is huge so either share it with someone or plan on taking it home.

Craving mesquite grilled BBQ? Since 1997, owner Phil Pace has been serving mesquite grilled baby back ribs, beef ribs, chicken and sandwiches in a casual and fun restaurant. There are a number of Phil's restaurants throughout San Diego, but I've only been to the located in Point Loma/Mid City area. Phil's is among the highest reviewed on Yelp and after a numbers visits, I'm a fan. The restaurant is hugh and is on a lot with free parking, but beware that parking can be a challenge during peak dining times. Lines of people waiting to dine inside wrap around the restaurant is a usual sight, as diners will stand in line and wait. To avoid long lines, either preorder online or by phone and pick up togo. Going to the restaurant before or after peak hours is what I do, because I want to dine in the restaurant, and experience the fun atmosphere of multiple TV screens and classic rock music playing, so Fun. Note worthy is Phil's Happy Hour specials served M-F starting at 3pm!! Seating indoor and outdoor covered patio is available for solo diners and as well as for large groups, for the later, call and make reservations to accommodate your large party. Full bar and specialty drinks served. When at Phil's get the Full experience and order what you want even if it's too much, you can always pack the rest for later. The mesquite grilled bbq beef ribs and the chicken wings are my favs. Sides are a must: onion rings, Cole slaw, baked beans, and french fries are perfect pairings. The garden salad is simply romaine lettuce and tomatoes with your choice of dressing, I suggest the blue cheese, which will transform that simple boring salad to wow. On every visit the restaurant has always been clean, with tabletops sanitized. My pup Fendi is always with Me, and the staff at Phil's has always welcomed my pup with no problem. Most of the times I've dined here is with my dining pal, who prefers restaurants with access for people with disabilities. This restaurant's layout does NOT have steps at entry and can be accessible for the disabled but due to the crowd, it is tight and a challenge maneuver inside. Service by staff has always been great, nice, accommodating and friendly. Whether it is 4th of July weekend or any occasion, for mesquite grilled BBQ, go to Phil's!! Recommend

I feel weird giving a Californian bbq place five stars--they don't do brisket or the normal bbq staples in the south. Ribs are for sure the specialty here, and the sauce is sort of a cross between Carolina, Texas and some other miscellaneous take on bbq. Definitely expect a wait, we came at 3:30 and still waited around half an hour to order. We got a full rack of ribs to share, potato salad, coleslaw, fries, baked beans and a Caesar salad. While waiting for our food, the waiters were so kind in checking in on everyone, asking how many were in your party and then grabbing plates and utensils for you to save you a trip! All the sides were great, especially the potato salad. I'm weird and like my potatoes "al dente", as in still slightly firm and this salad nailed it. The baked beans were good, fries portion was HUGE, and the ribs were good too (although the ends were pretty burnt, so we couldn't eat those which was the only down side). Highly recommend anyone in SD to check out!

The food was delicious and the portion was huge. Service was fast. Overall we had a great meal and time there

When we visit San Diego, we crave Phil's all the way from Los Angeles county. The service is always busy. The food was tasty, yummy, and delicious. The beef ribs are amazing and mouth watering. The chicken is moist and just perfect. The restaurant is busy busy busy. The ambiance is alive. I like that they have sinks just to wash your hands rather than going to the restroom. Great idea! See you soon. .

Packed as usual! Wait was about 2hrs on a Saturday evening for dinner around 5pm, but I was doing to go which had no wait (2 separate lines: 1 dine in and 1 to go). Parking was also much easier with the to go dedicated spot. Food took about 15min to make. 8/10 Ribless Dinner $17 - Corn was average. Rib meat was tender and sauce was good. Sweet and tangy. Could use some spice. Not worth the wait, but decent for take out.

Phil's is always a solid and tasty place! My go to is the beef rib. We came at 12 pm on a Saturday and surprisingly just walked straight in with barely a line! Plenty of parking and seating. For our party of 4, we ordered the beef rib dinner with fries and mac salad and the beef rib tickler. The beef rib is so tender and flavorful and pairs well with the mac salad and coleslaw. And I love their onion rings! The portions are huge for a good price. Staff is always friendly and nice.

Always a classic in SD! There was a lot of parking available and very short line to order on a Saturday at noon. Service is always great and plentiful seating. The beef rib is always my go-to. We got the beef rib dinner with fries and macaroni salad and the beef rib tickler, and it was a good portion for lunch for the 4 of us. Came to a reasonable price of $50 as well

Solid bbq spot that was bustling when we got here. There was an hr wait to eat inside so we took it to go! Would definitely recommend take-out. The ribs were fall-off the bone tender (order these!) but the bbq sauce was slightly overpowering. The sides (mac salad and potato salad were also decent).

We have been eating at Phil's since they opened in Mission Hills! The bbq is outstanding as is all of their side dishes! The staff is well trained and friendly too! Customer service seems first priority. . The cafes are clean and cozy!