Buster’s Original Southern Barbeque

4/4/2015

Definitely one of my fav BBQ spots in the Bay Area so far. The meat was certainly the highlight of the place and the sauce just made my mouth water uncontrollably.

I think the price is on the higher side which may be the only complaint I have. I got the 2-item plate which runs you $20 but comes with garlic bread and choice of 2 sides. I got the potato salad and chili beans which were both good.

If you're in the Calistoga area, I'd say this is definitely a must!!

3/7/2015

This little spot in Napa Valley was a sick find.

I have a friend who used to live in the area for a couple of years and reached out to her to find out where I should consider grabbing a bite after a long, arduous day touring wineries and sipping the finest nectars they had to offer.

It just so happened my friend and I had a hankering for some BBQ after heading out of Castello Di Amorosa so we decided to head to Buster's, which was one of my friend's suggestions.

It's located right on the corner of a small intersection, but can't really be missed because of the constant flow of people that seemed to be coming in and out of the place. The line moved relatively quick and they have some solid offerings for tri-tip, pulled pork, chicken, sausage and other meats. If you're not one for beans or some variation of slaw/macaroni salad then you MIGHT not find a side that suits you because thats mostly what they offer.

I wills say, though, that their french bread is DELICIOUS and you can either get a sandwich or order a full plate and get the bread on the side.

I opted for pulled pork, tri-tip, chili beans, cornbread and the french bread. I was not at all disappointed. The meat was extremely moist and flavorful. I kind of regretted having gotten BBQ sauce poured directly on my meat instead of just on the side so I could fully taste the meat and dip as I pleased if needed. I don't think the meat needed any dipping. Be careful because the sauce is quite spicy.

They also have some classic American beer options for those who so choose. Overall, if in the area I'd consider going again. But probably not because I'd want to try another new food place during a visit. If you feel like BBQ, though, then def do this!

2/23/2015

Decent place for a lunch stop.  I got a brisket sandwich, if I remember correctly.  The meat was cooked really well, and the sauce on it I found just to be ok.

Gotta love these little mom and pop BBQ/comfort food places.  That's what I live for.  Didn't see the big 4-star yelp hype, but it's a good place to try.

1/25/2015

The food was excellent, the ordering process went fast and it was very easy to find! 5 stars for this one!

The baked beans have some sort of flavor that I can't quite figure out but it's so great!

The mild sauce has a bold smokey twang to it that makes me want more and more. So apparently their sides are all unique in their own flavorful way. The coleslaw has a sweet fresh taste to it which is also fabulous.

I had the tri tip dinner which was $12 and came with a ton of meat and two sides along with two pieces of buttered garlic bread that you can make into a tri tip sandwich. The trip tip looked a little dry and I was worried it would taste that way but when I took a bite without sauce of course it was perfect! I could have eaten it without the sauce but once I dipped it I couldn't stop dipping it! The sauce is bomb!!

Oh I just had another bite of the coleslaw and I figured out the sweetness!! It's pineapple!! Pineapples in coleslaw, yum!!  
So you order at this little window and ten pay at the other one. They have a covered porch type area to sit and eat at.

For a little off the beaten path find, I'm a fan!!

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  I may have just found some of the best bbq I've had outside of Texas and still running a close tie with top!!

  I may have just found some of the best bbq I've had outside of Texas and still running a close tie with top!!

4/10/2015

Well, One star for showing up for the parade... Original southern BBQ? I think not. I had pork ribs and chicken, beans and slaw. The meat appeared to be grilled and not smoked, overcooked and dry. No amount of sauce can fix that. It appears to me they are just going thru the motions with no real commitment to quality. I guess it helps that there's no real competition. Fuck 'em!

12/22/2014

Get the pork ribs! The beef ribs are too fatty and tri tip is kind of dry. Coleslaw tasted fruity and Potatoes salad  was sour for me.

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  tri tip and ribs combo

  tri tip and ribs combo

11/4/2014

Me and a buddy stopped in for something to eat after tasting wine that day. we both had pulled pork sandwiches. The pulled pork was a little dry but was served separate of the bread in a Styrofoam container so you can put as much or little on as you wanted and the serving was hearty. I liked the sauce - kind of a sweet tomato vinegar sauce on a good crusty roll.

The Potato Salad - eh, not great, but everyone has there own that they like. I don't find a many that I like as much as my Mom's - it's always high expectations with a low appreciation in the end.

3/29/2015

havent been here in years, but me and lady were visiting good ol napa valley this weekend and I gotta say, Buster's still got it! Had my usual, tri-tip sandwich w hot bbq sauce and a side of baked beans. I mean whats not to love? this place gets busy fast, something to keep in mind during lunch time. Also the chicken sandwich is on point!

3/24/2015

Hands-down our favorite roadside barbecue in the Napa Valley. Cannot beat their fresh and delicious tri tip sandwiches with their homemade barbecue sauce and beans. It's a do not miss while in Calistoga. PS gets very busy on the weekends!

2/16/2015

This throw back setting in Sonoma is a just stop. Open pit barbecue of massive haunches of meat rent the air with oak-fired smoke. Fresh beef and pork, chicken, spicy sausage and hotdogs too!  Spicy on fire sauce and home made macaroni salad, cole slaw and all the fixings you want. As you slide down to pay low and behold Sonoma wines, local brews and water and soda!  Enjoy!

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  My personal selection. (I know... Boring)

  My personal selection. (I know... Boring)
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  Friendly smokers!

  Friendly smokers!

11/11/2014

Located at the intersection at the main road into town. This place is hustling busy and for a good delicious barbecue. The location isn't too large but gets plenty enough of patrons as the restaurant appears to have had several expanded sections.

The menu is quite extensive for barbecue fair including brisket, pork, chicken and the accompaniments of Mac, Cole slaw, potato salad, beans and the likes.

Staff was friendly and helpful. Order was taken and prepared without much delay to enjoy.

Flavors and heat were spot on for the several meat plate I ordered. Rubs on the smoke meat were complimentary respect the time and meats for the process. Barbecue sauce choices to add were on point for sweet to the spicier options for items ordered.

Good: small shop, great flavors, friendly efficient service.
Bad: nothing at this time.

Four stars. I'll be back someday.

11/10/2014

The trip tip sandwich is amazing!!!! I could eat two of those. The lady standing in front of me in line was a local, and said that was the local's favorite as well.

I also tried the beef ribs and pork loin. They were good, but not as good as the tri tip sandwich. If you get the plate, it comes with the same garlic toast they use as the sandwich so you can make a sandwich on your own.

I think next time, I would get a 2 item plate, with tri tip (to make my own sandwich) and pork ribs. The cole slaw and baked beans were good. But boy oh boy, I love that bbq sauce they use!

1/2/2015

If instant gratification in the form of salty pork ribs, non garlicky garlic bread and skippable sides is your thing, Buster's is your huckleberry.

3/29/2015

Love this place.  Love the trip tip sandwich with extra hot sauce and the macaroni salad!

9/27/2014

Really, really, REALLY f'ing good barbecue.

Need I say more?!?

Well, apparently yes, because Yelp insists on more words, so...

Great ribs. Great pork loin. Great chicken. Delicious. Fantastic. Wonderful.

A carnivore's wet dream (by wet, of course, I mean the mild and hot BBQ sauces...).

BTW, when they say "the hot sauce is HOT", they mean it.  Great, long tongue burn... :-)

7/21/2014

One of the best things about Buster's BBQ - other than the excellent tri tip and pork loin combo - is the fact that simply by being there it reminds you that Napa Valley is flesh-and-blood real rather than some wine-soaked fantasy land. In just thirty minutes of relaxing and refreshing outdoor dining here, you're likely to encounter more diversity in terms of class, culture, and age range than in a whole day's worth of wine and cheese tastings in Rutherford or Yountville.

Buster's is the kind of place that I'll bet President Obama would love for a drive-by lunch if he weren't already booked for a round of fund-raising dinners in Marin County instead (and his Secret Service detail would be happier, too). To accompany your tri-tip and pork loin combo, order a Sierra Nevada on tap and ask for the fresh-made cornbread for $1 extra (instead of the garlic bread), plus some coleslaw and potato salad as sides and - presto! - you've got a $30 meal for two made in open pit BBQ smoked heaven.

I'll bet that a lot of Napa wineries in the area rely on Buster's for filling up before or after a long shift in the fields or cellars. We overheard more than one conversation between wine workers and out-of-town visitors to this effect. It's simply hard to argue with a conveniently located, fairly priced, well executed BBQ set-up with ample outdoor seating, clean tables, and cold drinks.

A good wine country experience is about livening things up with non-wine related activities: hikes, beer and BBQ, morning coffee and fresh baked goods, evening meals by the campfire, morning walks in the park, maybe a dip in a public swimming pool or visit to a local library. Why not? It's Napa, not Never-Never Land. What the Oxbow Public Market is for the lower end of the valley, Buster's (along with Yo El Rey down the street and around the corner) is for the upper end: a place to hang out, get a good bite to eat that doesn't involve wine pairings or cave tours, and absorb a little local flavor - along with a healthy dose of old fashioned American wood smoke rather than a whiff of air-dried French oak. Thank goodness for that!

3/1/2015

Went on Friday night around closing, we asked if they were open, they said yes.  We ordered pork ribs cause they ran out of beef.  They served us ice cold ribs, ice cold beans (even though we ordered chili), the macaroni salad was salty and the potatoe salad was horrible. They charged us full price for ribs that have been sitting around in a bucket for hours.  At 7:30 they left, we were still eating so they asked us to turn lights out.  This just shows me that there is no focus on the quality of their food.  To serve this crap that has been sitting around without even bothering to warm it up.  No respect for customers, no return visit from me.  Horrible.

1/14/2015

You must stop here. Bbq.

If that sweet smell of deliciousness didn't get you to lift up your phone from your face, while driving I'm  sure, then Something is wrong with you. As you get to the end if the main drag in Calistoga this parking lot full of meat nirvana is there to tempt your senses and fill your belly.  

Long lines beware, but it goes fast. Tip. Beat the Lunch crowd and finish that 11am tasting faster to get in before 11:45. You should be fine either way, but if you're like me, noon means feeding time and fast. This big guy needs constant feeding. I swear I may be Asian internally.

Honestly there is nothing bad on the menu here and pricing is great when comparing to your other Calistoga alternatives. Price is really driven by how much you want to eat, or your pal says they can eat. We also get extras and midnight is another time the stomach calls. And meat leftovers fit that bill nicely.

Also, tons of tables to eat outdoors and people watch

3/16/2015

We had the trip tip sandwich which was very good. they have HOT and mild sauces. The HOT is EXTREMELY HOT. My husband ended up getting the 50/50 sauce, half hot and half mild. It was very good! The side dishes i could have done without. I had the chili which i didn't care for and my husband had the baked beans which were good. Staff was very nice and quick, however they always have a line! definitely a nice little lunch spot.

3/10/2015

I recommend the Tri tip. It is really good here. The ribs are full of fat and not enough meat. Chili beans lacked meat. It just taste like regular beans. But the pork beans were on point.

2/14/2015

We ate here for the first time today.  We so wanted to love it, but there just wasn't anything special about.  The meat was decent (a little fatty, a little chewy) quality but tasteless by itself.  The sauce was the only flavor and it tasted like canned chili dog seasoning.  

The two sides we tried were not any better.  The coleslaw wasn't bad but a little fruity for my taste.  Speaking of taste, the macaroni had one taste, Salty, with no other flavor, unless you count the cayenne after-burn.  

Perhaps our BBQ taste leans more towards Kansas City-style, than southern style.  But, for us, this was a miss.

11/30/2014

Amazingly delicious!  This place is 5 stars for a reason.   Stopped in on a saturday afternoon, and while they were busy, they were also really quick with the food.  we had the tri tip and the pulled pork; both were delicious; the "hot" barbeque sauce has a warning posted on the window about the heat, and while it didn't disappoint on that aspect, it also had great flavor as well.  the baked beans were very tasty as well.

my only regret is how far away from home buster's is, as it may be awhile before i make it back.  however, next time i'm in the area, i WILL be back, and might have to go out of my way if i'm anywhere close.

6/15/2014

Oh Buster's I really wanted to love you. A good BBQ place is so very hard to find in California. It seemed so promising to see the meat actually being made outside.

This was my first experience at Buster's. I live only a couple hours away and I am unlikely to give it another try because there are so many great places to eat in Calistoga.

It's Sunday afternoon - still a couple hours to closing time. We order at a window and we opted "to-go" to take back to the Cottages were were staying at just a few hundred feet down the road. The husband orders a Hot Link dinner with 2 sides ( baked beans and potato salad) and it comes with Garlic Bread. I order a 2 item combo - I want beef ribs and a half chicken with chili beans and potato salad - we also order 2 corn breads ( it does say BBQ & Bakery) they are out of Beef ribs so I opt for pork. Why not?

The service at the window was not great, the  lady helping me apparently had a "day that would never end" and they were training someone new which I am really patient with - because everyone needs a fair shot.

We get back to our cottages and set up a nice dinner pour a glass of wine and prepare to open up our boxes of goodness.

Disappointment #1 First I notice my ribs are completely missing.  Eh -  I am really hungry because we didn't have lunch. So I first open up the "garlic toast" which - Disappinemt#2 - is basically a packaged sandwich roll ( something I can buy at Costco) slapped with some ( a little?) melted butter and garlic? I mean didn't it say "Bakery" on the sign? And looking through other Yelp pictures was a completely different bread that is served at other times.

So I move on to the Potato salad - Disappointment#3 a which was mayonnaise with some grainy potatoes and crunchy celery thrown in. Nothin' but mayo flavor.

Chili beans (#4) - soupy canned beans with a little ground meat and pepper thrown in. Tried the husbands baked beans and they seem like the same beans with way too much brown sugar thrown in.

When I finally tried the chicken AT LEAST it was moist. The breast piece at least! But I'm not sure I could recognize the other quarter of the chicken. Maybe some skin, bones and tendon.

The HOT BBQ sauce was Spicy and I love hot - but I love hot with flavor and this was just all heat - no taste.

The hot link was completely unremarkable.

I crossed my fingers that the cornbread redeems this place (Bakery on the sign - remember?)

The cornbread was like biting into a sweet sponge-y hockey puck. I guess I just prefer a more grainy, less sweet, pillowy fall apart corn bread. The was just dense and sweet and not my style.

The 2 stars is strictly for the fact that the few bites of chicken breast were flavorful and moist and were the best part of the whole $40 ( 2 people) meal.

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  Hot links 2 sides. Questionable garlic toast

  Hot links 2 sides. Questionable garlic toast
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  Half chicken (missing pork ribs) 2 sides - sauce and garlic toast (?).

  Half chicken (missing pork ribs) 2 sides - sauce and garlic toast (?).

12/13/2014

Ate here for the first time yesterday. We both had pulled pork sandwiches with mild sauce and they were delicious! I wanted to try the hot sauce, but I wasn't sure how hot it was after I saw the warning signs! Meat is served on buttered garlic bread (not like small crunchy garlic bread served with spaghetti, more like a long roll cut open, slightly toasted, and spread with melted garlic butter). Sandwiches come with one side and we tried the baked beans (good) and 3-bean salad (decent) as our sides. You can get BBQ sauce as a side, which I didn't understand at first, but I saw other customers go with this option and they dipped their sandwiches in it. Saw lots of people get the tri-tip. Might have to try that next time.

The place runs smoothly and the setup works well, but it isn't fancy. You order at a window and then go into a separate building to eat or choose a a spot outside. Saw big hunks of meat being cooked outside. Smallest bathroom ever, but has an extra big sink outside to wash the BBQ goodness off.

3/4/2015

If you love BBQ, you must visit Buster's while in Napa.
The tri-trip with the spicy sauce and baked beans is a winning combination.
I can't wait to go back again.

2/22/2015

Incredible barbecue! I had the pork ribs(delicious!) and the pork loin(great flavor, better with the sauce) with hot sauce on the side, they are not kidding when they say the hot sauce is HOT! The boyfriend got the pork ribs and tri tip(amazing! I was jealous I didn't get it myself) with the medium sauce on the side(just the right amount of spice). The garlic bread was really tasty as we're the macaroni and potato salad sides. Coleslaw was a little sweet for my taste but still a solid 5 stars. A must try if you're in the area!

12/26/2014

This is a fast food place. You order on one place , take the good and sit nearby .
Food is reasonable. We try all types , the preferred was pulled pork sandwich and tri tip meal .
The cashier made few mistake on the bill , so pay attention !

12/14/2014

This place is amazing. I've tried the pull pork sandwich and the sweet potato pie is a must!

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  Pull pork and baked beans

  Pull pork and baked beans

10/15/2014

Driving into Calistoga I passed this place, saw the smoke, rolled down my car windows and it smelled amazing. So the next day, after a wine tasting, my group stopped in for a late lunch. It's good ol' casual California bbq. You order at the window and wait for your food, then eat in a semi-open picnic table setting. There is also outdoor seating in the back area, which we didn't see until we were leaving, so they may want to add more signage so customers know.

The food is reasonably priced and the sides are tasty. My mother and I split the tri-tip sandwich (she was visiting from the Midwest and tri-tip is rare there so it was a treat for her.)  My mother-in-law ordered a sandwich as well, but being gluten-free she asked for no bread. They still gave her the bread so she just set it aside. My 1-year-old niece even liked the meat.

Overall, worth it if you want to make a quick stop for lunch that isn't pretentious, super casual and not overpriced like some of the cafes in downtown Calistoga.

9/6/2014

I live in LA - where bbq is aplenty and Phil's BBQ is only a 2 hour drive away, 4 stars for bbq near Napa Valley is quite good! : )

You have to line up outside to order your food. A rack of pork baby back ribs can cost around $29. We tried the rack of pork rips, 1/2 rack of tri-tip, 2 pints of potato/macaroni salad, 2 corn breads, total about $70-$80 for 4 people. It was already enough : )

If you are on a budget you may just order their sandwich, the meat is still cut from the rack and placed into your "torta-looking" bread : ).

The meat is cooked outside on a grill, so it is legit BBQ. The meat was very tender and even without the BBQ sauce they give you on the sides, the meat was salted well! The bbq sauce was more tangy but quite good if you want to dip the meat in (or even pour onto your salad)!

The sides were ok, but the winners were the meat! Oh yes, they give you two cups of bbq sauce, one "regular" and one "super spicy" - and it is VERY spicy!

I wish the seating was open air but they seemed to built a little dining area where the air-conditioning was turned up high! If they had more open-outdoor seating I think this would make it feel more BBQ-ish! : )

5/4/2014

We ordered a combo with pork ribs and tri tip to share.  The food was decent and a perfect starter to help us absorb all the wine we were about to have.  The macaroni salad comes with cayenne pepper which is delicious!  Good place for lunch with some tables on the premises to eat with a large group.

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  2 item combo- pork ribs and tri tip

  2 item combo- pork ribs and tri tip
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11/15/2014

Great BBQ. Large portions. We shared a 3 combo plate and had leftovers. Cole slaw and baked beans were delicious.

Their hot sauce is really hot -- and I like spicy!  Get the mild sauce and ask for a small cup of the hot sauce on the side.  Only downside was the bread -- it's not as good as everything else.

We'll definitely return!

3/14/2014

Stopped off in here on the way to Napa from Calistoga. Winery trip made better by the BBQ.

There was a line, and it was long. The seating is limited to inside a tented area with some tables, and some benches outside. If its cold or raining, I might skip this place.

The bathroom was small, but clean so I appreciated that, especially after having a couple tastings of wine ;).

I would definitely recommend the tri-tips everyone is recommending. I also enjoyed the ribs. The hot sauce had a kick, but it wasn't as spicy as I expected. I was told by the others it was spicy for them, but my tolerance is pretty high, so maybe you should be careful.

Baked beans were GOOD. I'd skip the macaroni salad.

5/27/2014

I stopped here for lunch a couple of days ago because my wife and I were in the area for some wine tasting and wanted a good hearty lunch.  We saw that the place had good reviews on Yelp and 1 "$" for price, so we decided to give it a try.  We were not disappointed.  From the minute you pull into the parking lot of this place, the delicious barbeque smell just hits you in the face, inviting you in.

I got the hot links dinner plate, which came with two sides (I chose macaroni salad and cole slaw).  All three were delicious. The hot links came slathered in barbeque sauce, had a nice kick to them, and were a tasty meal.  The macaroni salad was a little heavy (lots of mayo), but it had a decent flavor, and was only a couple of bites anyway.  The cole slaw was run-of-the-mill and pretty tasty.  My wife went with the two-item combination plate, choosing beef ribs and pulled pork, which also came with two sides, and she chose baked beans and potato salad.  I tried everything except the potato salad.  The beef ribs were a little bit tough and chewy; they were decent but the worst part of the meal.  The pulled pork was tangy and delicious and the baked beans were pretty standard.

As far as price goes, I don't think I would call one dollar sign accurate.  It wasn't super pricey, but it definitely wasn't dirt cheap either.  All in all, it was a good dining experience, and is definitely a place I would go back to/recommend to someone to try.  The hot links were probably the highlight of the meal for me; they were superb.

8/9/2014

Saw this place on a travel show and wanted to try it out. We came here on a Sunday after it had opened for the day and were the only ones there.

We both ordered the bbq pulled pork sandwich. It was really messy (as should be expected) but I didn't care too much for it. The bbq was too steong for me and it kind of ruined the sandwich. The meat was very tasty!

Buster was there with his dogs and we watched the staff grill up the meat...smelled delicious!

Would come back to try the other items on the menu if we're in the area.

3/20/2015

Great spot for a casual meal. Perfectly good bread & sides but the meat is the star, juicy, plentiful and cooked right. They'll warn you about their hot sauce and they're right --it's actually hot, and also nearly addictive.

8/4/2014

This is our favorite place to go for lunch when we are up in the Calistoga area. I'm always too eager to start stuffing my face to pause and take a picture of the food, so I don't have any pictures to share. You'll have to take my word for it: the BBQ is delicious. We've had the baby back ribs, beef ribs, pulled pork sandwich, BBQ chicken sandwich, baked beans, and corn bread. It is all fantastic.

My favorite is the baby back ribs with both the spicy BBQ sauce and the mild BBQ sauce. The spicy sauce is really spicy, so I alternate dips between the two. I usually get everything to go, so they give you the sauces on the side.

I love that it's just a humble, honest BBQ joint with nice people behind the counter. You order at the window, pay at the next window, and be on your merry way. The place is really busy, so be prepared for a line because the food is that good.

2/6/2015

Tri-tip sandwich...Everything else is great, but I come for the Tri-Tip...mild sauce...if Ya get the hot, well...you'll find out...staff is friendly, usually run in to Buster himself...place is clean and more than likely playing some light jazz...easy motorcycle parking...a great stop before heading out or heading home!

9/9/2014

Hungry after a long hike, we wanted BBQ.

UPDATE! After posting this review, loud drilling began next to us where they were removing a seating area. Couldn't be done in the morning instead? According to Barbara, the owner, no.

Pluses-
Tender meats(if you can get over the sauce flavor - see below), friendly staff, nice outdoor ambience.

Minuses-
-No garlic on garlic bread, just plain butter on store-bought hoagie rolls.
-BBQ sauce looks scrumptious but is overwhelmingly cumin-y
-potato and macaroni salads had a creepy mystery flavor I can't compare to anything. Overall not palatable
-baked beans filled me up and were generally ok but I've had tastier from a quality brand can

11/4/2014

Discovered this as I was driving in Calistoga.  Smelled this from the road and immediately did a u turn to try them.  OMG insanely delicious!!!!! Everything was perfect! Not overly salty but with big flavors.  Their hot sauce was SPICY!!!! Just awesome!!!! MUST MUST try!!!!!