Emil Villa's Original Hick'ry Pit
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
127 reviews
San Jose, CA
"ABSOLUTELY love this place. I'm a sucker for spicy food and their Nuclear sauce on the chicken wing (I'm not a big fan of white meat on…" read more »
34 Reviews for Emil Villa's Original Hick'ry Pit
Can someone please tell me how the hell this place has managed to stay in business all these years? You would think with a name like Hick'ry pit that they would have decent BBQ. Well forget it! This place is terrible. I cannot think of any redeeming qualities, not a one. Avoid this place at all costs, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
I have good memories of going to the Hickory Pit when I was a little kid with my Dad. However it's been many years since I've ventured back. Fast forwarding to today, I've been back for breakfast twice in the last month meeting a group of friends there before we had out for a day at the gun range. Both times they botched my order. For example the last time I ordered a bacon and onion omelette, extra burned hash brown, and an english muffin. Pretty simple order one would think. What I got was a bacon and onion scramble, hash browns that were barely brown, and white toast. Every single item on my plate was wrong! I'd have them redo it, but as I'm with a group I don't want to keep everyone else waiting while I finish my food. Twice in a row that botched my order!
Last Sunday we went out shooting again. We did not go back to Hickory Pit.
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5 star service, MINUS 5 on the food.
So I have lived near here for MOST of my life, drive by it daily and never go here. Don't ask me why, I don't know....it's always been an instinct. So tonight after driving around aimlessly looking for something NEW around us, I (yes me) suggest here. "It's been here forever and it's still open, it must be good right?" WRONG I should have trusted my instincts and drove past as usual! WHEN? When will I learn my instincts are right WHEN DEAR LORD? (punching self in face)
When we opened the menu to see BBQ items at 18-24$ each, well we thought maybe it's REALLY good"..... Scan down to the menu where it says WE PROUDLY SERVE: Heinz, Smuckers, Sara Lee, Ore-Ida, Tyson, Hormel, General Mills, OREO, Good Humor, Kelloggs, Pepsi, Morrell, Farm Land, General Mills, Birite, McCain (?? as in John?), Lamb, Huntz Superior Coffee, Krusteaz" Well once again I wanted to RUN out of there because my initial reaction is, "Is anything fresh?" Well then the hubby orders a beer, and TRAPPED we are! No chance of running out now...
Here's a hint:
If there is all kinds of leftover food and I DON' T take it togo, well Houston we have a problem. Let me try to sum up just HOW BAD the food is.
First of all $24 dollars a plate (yes PER person) and I have to pay at the register and be served on plastic plates?
Other issues include (but not limited to):
Canned Corn
Stale dinner buns from Sara Lee
Garden Salad=Lettuce and croutons and a gallon of dressing (all of which I don't grow in my garden)
Hormell Chili (hey it's "complimentary")
Smoked Chicked, tasted BAKED
St. Louis Ribs: Cold, greasy fatty, plain disgusting.
Flooded bathrooms with no TP
Cooks who stare at you while you eat then laugh as you take a bite...
Someone please shoot me before I make another dining decision, the only thing that would make me feel better about this meal is if I could throw it up, which may be happening soon *stomach gurgling*
Oh Well! Live and learn
(to yelp EVERYTHING that is before I try it)
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All I can say is vegetarians beware. As soon as you walk into this place you're hit will the smell of meat. Don't get me wrong I love the smell of BBQ, but I was really nervous that I would walk out smelling like cow.
The restaurant itself is spacious and kind of has that retro 50s all-American look to it. It's the kind of place you would expect to find Paul Bunyan and his Blue Ox Babe eating at the counter. Very red white and blue.
Now on to the food...
It's really hard to rate good BBQ since it's so subjective. Personally I love BBQ that has the "extra kick" to it. "Extra Kick" = lots of vinegar. If BBQ sauce tastes plain, I won't like it. However, my husband has different set of criteria to judge BBQ. Personally, I really liked Hickr'y Pits sauce because they use a lot of vinegar.
Their French Dip (I've had both the Pork and Beef) is pretty good and they give you a ton of meat in the sandwich.
TIP: If you are deciding between the Beef or Pork French Dip, get the pork... it's WAY better.
I've also had the pork ribs here as well. DO NOT get these if you are on a date because you really have to gnaw on the bone to get the meat off, which isn't very attractive. Personally that's fine with me because I'm married and love to eat meat off the bone (yeah I know, I'm gross). If you like your meat to fall off the bone then you probably won't like the ribs here.
3.5 stars
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This is the first bad rating I've given to a restaurant.
Went here a few weeks ago with family members for breakfast because my mother-in-law said she likes it (need I say more)! Here's what we experienced:
1) When we got there, papers we taped to all of the windows saying that they don't accept discount coupons that day (not that we had any) - tacky!
2) The table we were seated at had formica chunks missing from it, and the chairs were worn and torn - dumpy!
3) The hash browns were like uncooked raw potato shreds - yum!
4) After ordering, the waitress came back and told us they were out of several things and we should choose something else - nice planning!
5) Everyone but my young daughter was served about the same time; she sat there looking hungry for more than a while while everyone else was eating - nice planning, again!
6) A normal not-so-special sandwich with fries was pushing $10 and soda was something like $4 - where am I, a movie theater?
7) Everyone was done and left to wait in the car while I waited more than a while to get the bill - hello, does anyone want my money? Something like $100 for 6 breakfasts (see movie theater reference above).
Do yourself a favor and upgrade to Denny's (how often can you say that?!). Or even better, go to Flames, which I would highly recommend.
Hope you enjoyed this review and it helps you out!
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It's funny that people like me (the 30 somethings) go to places like the Hick'ry Pit to get a scoop of "old-school" food and restaurant ambiance. People in the 65+ age category go to the "Pit" for good, simple, American-style diner food. They remember going here when the place was new.
I've only been here for lunch...on those "let's eat old-school" outings with co-workers. The food is good and what the menu has what you'd expect out of a counter diner that has an open kitchen and freezer counter where fresh pies are on display. They are know for their ribs...but I got their french dip sandwich and it lived up to expectations. Come before 2:00pm and you can get that omelet you've been craving!
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Here is a recipe for cole slaw that I lifted from allrecipes.com for the sake of illustration as to how its made:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1 1/2 cups torn salad greens
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 small carrot, sliced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine cabbage, salad greens, green pepper, celery and carrot. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over cabbage mixture and stir to coat. Serve immediately.
Here's the recipe as served by the Hick'ry Pit:
Ingredients:
Bagged cole slaw mix
Honey Mustard
Directions:
Apply strip of honey mustard to dry cole slaw mix on a plate. Do not mix.
Freaking gross. The rest of the meal was equally disappointing.
My girlfriend's family actually refuses to go there based on something they witnessed and here's why. Actually, I want to start off by saying that I hate it when people take up causes for which they have no affiliation but I offer this story (and the one in my Greystone review) as admonition to the people who are running these establishments. Anyway here's the story: In a reasonably empty restaurant a family of black patrons came in and were sat as far back in the restaurant as you could go and were given terrible service. For shame, Hick'ry Pit.
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Truly, mind-blowingly, astonishingly bad food. I made a special trip to eat at this place, naively thinking that they specialize in barbecue. Au contraire, what Hick'ry Pit specializes in is a diner-like eating experience, complete with octogenarians. I ordered the full slab of ribs ($22.95). What I got was some over-cooked (dry and tougher-than-wang leather) pork with barbecue sauce on the side. Though the baked beans were pretty tasty (the best part of the whole meal, actually), the rest of the sides (old fries, nasty potato salad, hard rolls) were genuinely unpleasant to say the least.
If you treasure, as I do, the couple of hours per day during which you can indulge your palate, I beg of you: Dine elsewhere. Even if you wind up a Tony Roma's, it will have been a step up.
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I have lived in Campbell for over two years and have never set a foot in here--until this morning. You see, today is Super Tuesday, and as such I am a good American and I voted. I've voted in several random places in my life, but this one takes the cake. I voted in the banquet room of the Hick'ry Pit. Yes. As I colored in the line to indicate my choice for the nomination, I could smell the smoke from the day's BBQ starting up.
So, three stars for allowing your banquet room as the voting precinct for my neighborhood, I appreciate it. Will I eat there? Who knows, the spirit may bring me in there some time!
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Interior looks like a bad truck stop diner from a bad 1980's movie.
Staff were pretty friendly and prompt with service.
Food was ok, but nothing spectacular. Nothing to really squawk about for 23 bucks. I got the tri tip with mashed potatoes (ok the potatoes were delicious) which also came with corn, baked beans and a roll on the side. The corn was dry and flavorless. Didn't even touch the baked beans. The roll was ok.
Nothing really memorable about this place other than the service being very good. THe food was so-so, and for the price I was expecting a lot more. Probably won't come back here in the future.
We stumbled on The Hick'ry Pit while driving around aimlessly looking for a place to eat tonight. This inside of this place reminds me of a truck stop.
We ordered ribs (feature portion) and a half crab sandwich with fries. The big greasy beef ribs come with corn, beans, and a side. They give you bbq sauce on the side and you pretty much have to put it on the rib yourself. My bland sandwich came with a mountain of fries. Similar to a tuna melt, but nowhere near as flavorful. I had to put Tabasco on it. Interestingly, the sandwich also came with a side of bbq sauce.
The portions are huge and the food is mediocre. 2 dishes and an iced tea came out to over $30. My friend told me he gets coupons for this place in the mail every week, but I don't think I'll be coming back.
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We love the breakfast and the sandwiches are great. The side dishes are pretty good. Depending on the time of day sometimes they need extra help. Other than that great food!!
Pies...needed pies for volunteers and they were good and absolutely tasty...definately worth it...must go for pies.
Love love love The Hick'ry Pit! My family has been coming here for ages and it's become our stand by for those many occasions when we don't want to cook but cant think of where to go.
Staff is always friendly and service is usually pretty quick. We love coming here for Sunday brunch, the breakfasts are supper yummy. Great place to go with the kids because it's so kicked back.
The menu is the usual diner kinda stuff (burger, samiches, breakfast, etc.) as well as a good selection of BBQ and an assortment of amazing pies! The Viennese apple pie is crazy good, even though it's actually a cheese cake. and try the wood smoked meat soup, it's my ultimate comfort food.
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Though I did not officially eat anything from here, I picked up a tri-tip sandwich with potato salad and baked beans for my bf to drop off at his work.
* I did sneak a bite of the potato salad, which I really liked. It may be a little mayonaise-y /watery though I like that if it is done right. However, it was only one bite and my bf had the rest.
All in all, the price was a little steap at 12 bucks for everything, but the girl at the counter was pretty generous with the sides, and helpful. Plus, the sandwich was loaded with meat.
I will leave it 4 stars until I try the chicken for myself and everything else is as consistent as this time.
**UPDATE 2/20/08
I tried the chicken sandwich... and it was your average grilled/fried chicken breast on a bun. Nothing special, but definitely hit the spot and it wasn't faux chicken breast!! Still liked the potato salad (though could have used a bit more seasoning), and the baked beans were yummy.
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Well it says pit in the name...and what a pit it is!!!!
Went there for breakfast on Sun.yuck!!!! I had a waffle, which came out looking like an Eggo, but didn't taste as good. My guy had an egg dish, and hash browns, and his was equally as nasty!
I guess when i saw on the menu that they use several well-known frozen food brands, i shouldn't have been surprised by what showed up on my plate.
Several yelpers gave this place great reviews for breakfast. What were they thinking?
This place is white trash hell.(And not in a cool, dive-y way either!)
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To quote Ned in South Park: 'Oh man, that's nasty'.
Any place that still uses processed cheese food needs to step back and take a look at themselves.
Our waitress was nice so they get an extra star.
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I would give this place a FOUR star rating if the service was better. There is only one server that I like there! She is usually there in the evenings. Skinny, with big hair. And the eye liner! She is very courteous and pleasant to deal with. If I do not get her as a server the service goes downhill. The others do try but it can't be helped.
I love their ribs!! St Louis style! Yummy. I usually order that or their feature portion of chops! Their slaw is a bit scary and the corn flavor has gone down hill over the past few years.
Atmosphere is a bit odd. Very old fashion. It feels like a mom and pop, old school diner!
I would never do a "to go" order. It is a bit pricey. You do not get all the "extras" you get when you order in.
Breakfast is awesome though!!!
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This is a down home cooking BBQ place! They have a great BBQ sauce but their meats themselves are not as tender as they could be.
While their BBQ is average, I MUST say though that their breakfast's are delicious! Definitely go to the Hick'ry Pit for a weekend breakfast and don't forget to order their sideof bisquits and gravy as a "breakfast appetizer" and if you get hashbrowns, ask about their special "cheese covering". You can get pepperjack or cheddar cheese melted on top of your hashbrowns as well as your scrambled eggs... YUMMY!
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The food here is alright. I ordered the bacon and eggs and the hash browns were cold, and the bacon over cooked. I don't know if it was because the waitress was training someone, but the order took forever. I requested for some ketchup and tobasco, which she brought out but to another table, then I had to ask again. I got kinda annoyed at this point. I also wanted some honey because the little jam container did not have any. I waited yet forever again. After this kind of service I might not come here again. I may give them another chance, but not anytime soon.
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The food isn't very good. Don't go here if you like BBQ. However, if you like JC's BBQ on Saratoga, you'll probably think this place is the Chez Panisse of BBQ.
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"Where Pigs Come To Play". At least that's what some kid wrote on the front of my menu along with a drawing of a precious piglet. A little macabre?
Anyways, this review is for breakfast. I'm not much of a meat girl so I won't be going back for the BBQ... however their breakfast was great! My sister and I had a veggie scramble and a sourdough french toast and they were both very tasty. No skimping on the veggies in the scramble and a golden brown french toast. Exactly what we were looking for. AND... the most important factor for me.. they had pretty good coffee. I would definitely return for breakfast, even though most of the dishes they serve are meat oriented (not a shocker!)
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As another reviewer stated, this is the worst restaurant of any type that I've ever been to. There were so many warning signs that I feel embarrassed that I didn't walk out before ordering. I'm not sure how they pass their health dept. inspections.
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I'm a BBQ fanatic. I don't take my ribs lightly. I want to give Hick'ry Pit 4 stars. Really, I do. But I can't.
The place is nicely located so it was easy for me to get to. It's not all that clearly marked and the hours aren't posted, except that they open at 6am. I have absolutely no idea when closing is.
It's your typical truckstop-style diner. I don't know who said 1960s feel, but I'd attribute that more to Original Mel's than I would to this place. It's older and the ceiling looks like its failed health inspection several times because it's so disgusting to look at.
I can't stand the Pepto Bismol pink color. Or the cheesy porcelain statues. Or my broken stool at the counter.
My waitress told me she's been there something like 27 years. I could tell that was the truth because she definitely looks like it. You know the type. Big hair, worn up. Takes a can of hairspray. Wears her work apron around the double-wide on her days off...
About the food. I got the slaw instead of the fries. Big mistake. I could have played it safe with fries. Two year olds can make fries. But this slaw, it was something awful. It wasn't your typical KFC slaw. It was cut lettuce and cabbage with what looked to be a big pile of snot on top. Yea, it tasted about like snot, too. (Note: I burned my tongue badly on hot coffee this morning, so take this with a grain of salt).
I ordered a "feature size", which is 8 ribs. They were alright. Very tender, I must admit, but very dry also. They were apparently boiled and peeled before being smoked, so I have to give them credit for that. However, they don't hold a flame to Sam's just down the street on Bascom. I had to pour my own BBQ sauce on it.
I also got a biscuit, a small cup of corn and a small cup of BBQ beans. Counting my soda and 12% tip, I made it out of there just under $23. I can go to Outback next door for only a couple bucks more.
All in all, I wasn't very impressed. I do really want to give 4 stars, but I just can't. Maybe if the cooks and waitresses weren't joking around and bantering back in forth across the restaurant in Spanish the whole time. What, they think a gringo like me doesn't understand a lick? Pfft.
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I went to the Hickory Pit with my family last week expecting bbq that was outta this world according to a recomendation. Of course the food came out wrong and the service was slow, but we had a large group. It had been a few days since I went there and I am still upset about how I was treated by the manager.
When we went to pay our bill there was a $7.00 charge for avocado. Obviously I was confused because I know the two slices of avocado that were on my boyfriends sandwich did not cost $7.00. When I asked the manager why I was being changed so much she told me the prices were in the menu. I proceeded to look in the menu to see for myself. After looking for several minutes I asked the manager where the price was. She told me without even lookin up she did not have time. By this point I was really upset. I just wanted them to explain a charge. Most resturants would just take off a charge they could not explain or did not have time to explain. I sill don't understand how she did not have time for a paying customer or why she would say to my face she did not have time. After arguing for several minutes she agreed to take off half of the charge. I think that would have been the best way to go from the beginning because now I will never go there again and instead of writing a happy review I'm writing this one. So all in all the food is ok the service is less than ok and the manager should not be the manager anywhere there are people.
Great food! Breakfast, lunch or whatever...and free WiFi. Located near the Pruneyard for a nice stroll after you big meal.
decent bbq here. however i just feel like it is TOO much sometimes. as in portion size. and too filling. and kind of messy...
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The meat is definitely unspectacular, but my husband goes here often for breakfast- he likes the omelets. We also go here for pies! There is a huge display case of pies as you walk in the door. They make a heavenly San Francisco silk chocolate pie and a close second is the custard. I believe the pies are $8.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
If you like an old fashioned coffee shop type diner atmosphere along with some pretty tasty food, the Hickory Pit is a nice stop. Nothing fancy or descript, but just good basic comfort food. Nice for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, as I have eaten at all three times. Prices are a little on the high side for their overall quality.
The atmosphere could use a remake as the painting, decorations, and bathrooms could use a remodel.
I go for the BBQ platters. The meat is smoked over a long period of time and really tasty. The brisket and turkey is especially memorable, and if you can't decide, get the sliced meat combo and try them all. Love the pit smoked beans also. Salads are fresh and crisp. Pies are homemade and delicious.
The service staff is made up of long timers, and it's fun to hear, "Honey, how ya doing today?" from the exhuberant staff, some of who appear to be original employees from the 60s. Service is prompt, not pushy, and attentive. Refills on drinks are automatic before you even have to ask.
While not a great find for superlative food, the Hickory Pit is constant and you pretty well know what to expect when you go there. Again, basic comfort food. Middle of the range for me, so the 3 stars.
The food is alright.
The service is absolutely horrible. I've been there twice, and I will never return.
The first time, I was interrogated about my age when I ordered a beer. I'm fine with being carded, but this was rediculous. My friend who was with me at the time was told that he was wrong when they screwed up his order.
The second time I went, they thought they would over charged me about $10 and called it a special "discount." When I complained to the management they seemed completely unconcerned.
So all I can recommend is that you NEVER EAT HERE. There's an Outback Steak House across the street. I recommend you go there.
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A little bbq place across from the pruneyard that is also open for breakfast. Had my standard biscuits with gravy.
The biscuits were actually fresh baked and right out of an oven. Thats rather rare nowdays. The gravy was thick and extremely creamy, very rich, buttery, and peppery. Rich enough that it was actually hard to finish.
but while reading a book at the same time as eating, the gravy started to separate into water and a thicker gravy.
biscuits, potatoes, and orange juice came out to $11
no corn beef and hash on the menu
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Emil Villa's is one of those places my mom talks about when she was growing up in Oakland (where it all started) in the 1920s. Originally known for their pies, Emil expanded to BBQ with a patented device that evenly sprays BBQ sauce over the meat. The results are delicious! Their motto used to be "Pork from pigs that made hogs of themselves"....good times. I swear some of the waitresses were there when the place first opened. I highly recommend the sliced meat combo, full dinner (with pie), and be sure to ask for the pit-smoked beans and roasted corn! When Emil Vila died, his family had a spat over who would control the chain hence some locations are operated by one side of the family and the rest by the other. The Campbell location is of the ones that tend to be a little more pricey and less friendly than the side that runs some of the other locations (hence one less star).
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the breakfast and lunch are decent here, compared to that crap hole known as stacks aka "Stuck Up Snob wannabes that think their rich" restuarant, the service here may be slow, but the staff is always friendly and it is a nice alternative to dennys.
the worst restaurant i've ever been to
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