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Anyone in the South Bay will tell you that one of their favorite barbecue places in the area is probably going The Barbecue Pit. I have been coming here as far as I could remember being a little critter and trying barbecue sauce for the first time?
This unique place serves old fashioned cafeteria style. You enter walking in to the aroma of baked ham, roast beef and the fine scent of BBQ sauce being warmed off the stove.
I always order the ham sandwich which always go best with steak fries and barbecued beans. Sometimes I order the coleslaw but find myself taking a bite from someone's plate.
What makes this place unique is that the carver is in front waiting to slice you freshly pieces of delicious meats. He slaps that puppy right between some buns and "wa-la" stirs up a masterpiece!
Insistently you need to get extra BBQ sauces (remember they are served warm) and dabble one on your platter or sandwich. Some like the buns, some like to pick away from the juicy cravings.
Nothing like a fresh ham sandwich with the perfect zest of cloves, smoked and "juicified" like no other. It don't matter if you haven't come here in years; The Barbecue Pit has consistency that the next generation will be able to relate to excellence upon perfection of good ole' home styled meals.
Try the ham sandwich, baked BBQ beans and Cole slaw.
I have been coming here since I was a little,…
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A friend recommended this place as having good Que and, always on the lookout for good BBQ, I decided to check it out.
First thing I noticed was the whole cafeteria theme of the place that went out of fashion sometime around 1972, which is approximately when the place was last remodeled.
I went ahead and ordered my standard BBQ fare - 1/4 white meat chicken, salad, etc. The chicken was pretty dry, the sauce was spicy but lacked flavor, the roll was very industrial - almost like the cheap rolls you get with a chicken dinner at Vons, and the salad wasn't particularly fresh.
Was it horrible? No. Would I go back? Not unless I couldn't find anything else to eat....
BBQ pit is pretty sweet I guess. My mom/grandparents used to bring me here as a kid and I didn't come here for years until recently. I haven't had anything here that was bad, but definitely doesn't strike me as fantastic. The ham is hot and moist, and the steak sandwiches are pretty dank as well. The sauce is delicious. The side orders accompany the feast pretty nicely. THey have salad with a salad bar, macaroni salad, beans, coleslaw, all kinds of tasty stuff.
As stated previously in other reviews, there is a ton of seating, and I've never seen it more than a 1/4 full, but all the better. Doesn't take long to get food, and you can watch them slice everything up for you right there. Sometimes you can be accosted by an old militaryt veteran and his wife, but other than that this place is pretty chill, if you don't mind the retirement home's field trips here (sarcasm). But really the majority of everyone who goes here are at least 50. Prices are reasonable for a bbq joint, and this is definitely a prime choice for some relaxing after a round of frisbee golf. They also take large orders for catering and shit, and since its such a large restaurant it would probly work for having a party there or something. SHould ask them if we could rent a section of it and bring a keg!
We wanted to try someplace different (BBQ wise) so hopped on Yelp and checked out what people had been saying. Glad we did because I rarely end up in National City and enjoyed my meal.
Positives:
Great service, told them what we were interested in and they made recommendations.
Plenty of options for seating, it is very open so it seems empty even when it is half full.
Liked the BBQ Beans - don't be expecting bush's canned, they make their beans.
Don't expect brisket! They do slow roasted beef, tender and you don't even need a knife.
Sell pig and beef bones for the doggie - walked out with two bags of beef bones (20) for $2.50.
Negatives:
The sauce, while good, gets a bit overwhelming by the end - all that cinnamon & nutmeg (Z said it reminded him of mulling spice LOL).
You come up to the big order board, place your order and they cut your meat right their and put it on a tray for you, slide around to the cashier and then head to the table of your choice. They have a spot off to the side to self serve dressing, butter and other condiments. Spent $24 dollars, fed two people and came home with leftovers. The beef dinner (#1) is 1/3lb of beef, the big beef dinner (#8) is a 1/2lb of beef; each comes with two sides and rolls. They will give you extra BBQ sauce at not cost. Didn't try the chicken this time and I will be checking that out for sure.
Everyone has their favorite BBQ place and this is mine! Their sauce can't be beat. I love the way it wafts out into the parking lot and you can smell it before you get inside. Their beans are great. I like the macaroni salad also and their chocolate cream pie. This place has perfected split pea soup. It's all good, the chicken the ham the beef the sausages the ribs. Look for coupons in your local paper. I think the coupons come out Thursday.
My dad and I have recently decided that we like Barbecue Pit ham better than Honeybaked. Mind you, they are two completely different beasts. Barbecue Pit ham is more uniformly textured, smokier, and more succulent than Honeybaked. It also manages to cost more. The rest of our family doesn't share our preference, but since we usually pick up the holiday hams, their preference doesn't really matter.
I also love Barbecue Pit's sauce. For me, it's the perfect blend of tangy, spicy, and sweet. Even when my family loved Honeybaked unanimously, we'd still swing by Barbecue Pit for the sauce.
My five stars is just for the ham and the sauce. The only other thing I'd recommend at Barbecue Pit is that you avoid the fries and the beans.
Five Bar-b-que Beef Sandwiches, with two sides each, plentiful amount of bbq sauce = $37.00. Not bad.
Although this place is not the greatest in town, not by a southern mile, it is not that bad. The food is beautifully mediocre. The sauce is uninspired, but strangely does the trick.
We moved two loads of heavy equipment in a 17' U-Haul today, in this heat, and we wanted something fast and painless, something we could call in, and not pay too much for. Something that would hit the spot, but not overly fill us up and give us "itis"... and being close to National Shitty, where our U-Haul needed to be delivered, we decided on this place that would sate all of our needs and desires.
It did hit the spot just right...and I am still up (no itis yet)...
Ok, sorry...but this is my opinion. If you like it then cool.
I do not like Barbeque Pit and its not that I love Phils...I just didn't really like it. A girlfriend of mine wanted to do lunch after errands like 2 weeks ago and so me and my husband met her here since we never tried it and her and her family love it.
The barbeque sauce is good so don't get me wrong. Its actually really good. I was going to get a pork rib combo, but while waiting in line, I noticed one thing I cannot stand seeing...an animals head and horns on the wall! I don't want to see that when I am about to eat some meat! Oh man, I was so grossed out. When you enter its a cafeteria style place. You place your order, then they fix it and put it on a plate. (portions are small) Then you slide your tray on over to the cashier. I got the 1/4 chicken. It was extremely small. I have to say the chicken was really juicy and tasty though. The sides I got was coleslaw and potato salad. But tasted bad. I picked at it to be nice. My husband got the beef sandwich which was really small too, but the meat was ok. The bbq sauce is on the side. We got a total of 3 combos and 3 drinks for $28. Was it worth what I paid? Not really.
If I were 60 years old then maybe I'd like this place more because more than half the people there were senior citizens! This place has a lot of history in it and you can see it in the customers and the building. Nothing wrong with that...its cool actually...but just not for me.
This is my favorite bbq place. I get the beef sandwich plate with coleslaw and beans. Their coleslaw is amazing! The beef is always tender and delicious. The El Cajon location is just as great. My family has been going there for decades. It's a steal, too. I think it's only $6 for the beef sandwich plate. You can't get a meal that cheap anywhere.
They have one of the best barbecue sauces. It's sweet and spicy, and that's the kind of sauce I love. Wow, I've been coming here since I can remember. Every time I walk in, it brings back memories of my childhood. Besides their great sauce, they have Delicious ribs! And their roast beef sandwiches, mmmm. Love their fries, love their baked beans.
The only thing i don't like is their macaroni salad; but then again, I don't like any macaroni salad, unless it's homemade.
Oh yeah, for desert, their lemon meringue pie is delicious.
It's passable, but not my taste. i had lunch here last week, and found the hot link to be pretty much anything but. i think my biggest problem is the bbq sauce: chock full of cinnamon and maybe nutmeg? i was on the losing side of an argument that there was some allspice in there, but i still think there is a little. it's like christmas on a pig... and though that sounds just shy of heaven with a cherry on top, it was not jiving for me. no punch at the end! i ended up cover the plate in hot sauce, and it was pretty good then. but the preperation is excellent, and the prices are reasonable. so when your way down in south bay, i'm not complaining.
no wait, i am complaining. there's no pulled pork! AH!
A good way to think of this place would be "what would you expect if Denny's served barbecue"? The food is decent, but doesn't have a whole lot of taste to it. I think the sauce could be better- either sweeter or spicier.
I would recommend Phil's for some good Q or just prepare it homemade.
The place is inexpensive and the staff is friendly.. You place your order at the counter and it's out pretty quickly. There is plenty of parking.
Let me preface this review by saying I am comparing this place to bbq from across the nation (Memphis, St. Louis, Texas, and the Carolinas).
The other evening my wife had planned to grab some breakfast at Big Daddy's, only to be surprised that they were closed early (or for good?). Not having a back up plan, we drove around National City looking for a place to eat, and happened upon The Barbecue Pit. BBQ in a predominantly Filipino area? We weren't quite sure what to expect.
As we went in, we were greeted by the pleasant smell of bbq. As we looked over the menu, we saw your typical bbq fare. What was missing though was pulled pork (which I was told is served Saturdays at their other location). Ok, no pulled pork, I guess I can get by. I ended up getting their beef sandwich (one of their more popular items) and my wife got the chicken.
The person helping us was SUPER friendly. When she asked us about the side dishes, she let us try them before we chose. I went with Beans and fries, while my wife did potato salad and beans.
When we got our orders, we were underwhelmed. My beef sandwich, even doused with sauce, was rather bland and flavorless. My wife's chicken (also doused with sauce) was rather dry and flavorless. I imagine you can find better bbq in the area, I just don't know where that might be. I hear Brians American eatery and Phils have it going on.
BBQ lovers, feel free to pass on this place. True I didn't try the ribs, but if it's anything like they're beef or chicken I'll pass. The only reason this place is not a one star is because of the friendly and helpful cashier.
The parentals and I used to go to this place almost every week because we love the food! I always get the beef sandwich plate with two sides (cole slaw...best ever! & potato salad...creamy and perfect!). Most people think their bbq sauce is a little too much, but I love it, especially it's drenching the meat in my sandwich =)
The ribs are decent (especially for the price) and the other side dishes offered here are great!
The place itself is very open and there's plenty of seating.
Great bbq place...try it!
I gotta change the pace here.. This place will out do Huffmans anyday.
Their sloppy Joes is a must have here. They dont serve it everyday so its best if you call in first to see if they have it that day. If not, there Pork, beef, ham, or link sandwiches are very good. And if you cant make up your mind.. They have a combo plate that has all of the above. Its doesnt compare to Phils.. But its just as good as them.. depends on what type of BBQ flavor your going for.
One other thing.. for some reason, there Cherry Coke taste really great.. refill please
Oak pit barbecue from the olden days, just the way it San Diego loves it. The Barbecue Pit is an institution in the county. Since 1947 they've been slinging their smoky costillas, jamon, y bif. The beans are legendary. Their clovey sauce is a perfect accompaniment to thier ham and tastes great with the beef and fries. Slaw's okay, fries are golden and crispy and have I mentioned the beans are legendary.
The chicken is smoky and good, a bit greasier than what I'm used to out. The beef ribs are a battle. Full of good smoke flavor, but not falling off the bone. In fact there was an excessive amount of meat stuck to my wife's leavings. I was forced to help her extricate the meat. Unfortunately she didn't receive the benefits of my assistance and it ended up in my stomach. The sandwiches are the basic deliciousness that is the foundation of the Barbecue Pit. White bun and sliced meat, Ham, Beef, Hotlink or Chicken, drizzled with their sweet spice sauce.
I believe the founders were okies. Their style of 'que is consistent and filling through the years. It's a family tradition for many. It was basically my first encounter with barbecue as a commercial venue.
This is where my grandfather would take me when abuelita and my mom dumped me off. I was too squirrelly for La Maze, his usual luncheon place. And so he'd say, "There goes you grandmother and your mother to spen' my money. Le's go get some lonch." And boy-o-boy, did they ever and boy did we. Funny thing is I'd get it for dinner, also. After hearing that's what we had for lunch, my mom would have to have it for herself for dinner.
SURFER TOXICO says,"Mike's Hard Cranberry Lemonade"
I met my landlords (an older native San Diegan couple) for lunch here. They raved about the food, especially the sauce. At noon, there was about a 10 minute wait in line to order. I had the special for that day - a bbq chicken qtr with macaroni salad and baked beans. I had read a few of the reviews here before I went and was looking forward to some good ole' BBQ!
Daniel B. hit it right on with the sauce. "Christmas on a pig"....well, in this case, a Navidad Pollo. Way too much nutmeg (in my opinion, any nutmeg is too much) and cinnamon? I guess my southern palate is a bit too unrefined for such an unusual taste.
The other thing that was quite a strange sensation was the macaroni salad. There was some sorta very sweet fruity taste (like orange juice) that was mixed in with the mayo. I was kind of taken aback when I first tried it. It was a bit hard to get down after about 3 bites, but I tried, dammit.
Otherwise, the chicken was very well cooked. A good pink smoked color and very moist. Even with the "everything in the spice cabinet must go holiday sale" sauce, the chicken was actually tolerable. They do know how to smoke some meat here.
The beans were pretty good. There were as cold on my plate as the macaroni salad (which gave the whole meal a kinda picnic vibe), but they had a good flavor.
Overall, I would try it again. I would have to steer away from the mac salad and the sauce, but my landlords raved about the ham. Even though I didn't pay because the landlord picked up the check (which would get him an extra star when I decide to review him), it was pretty inexpensive. I will definitely go back now that I think about it, because I be diggin' some pig!
Just overall a solid place to eat. Served cafeteria-style and the dining area is filled with ranch-like decor. I personally like the atmosphere. Pork ribs are real good. The BBQ sauce might be very best I ever had. The beef is hit or miss...sometimes it's uncomparably juicy...sometimes it's just okay. The side options are okay but for some reason, I really dig the bbq beans...maybe cuz they drench it in the awesome BBQ sauce. The BBQ sauce is what makes this place a 4 star rather than a 3 star.
Barbecue is such a personal thing. Depending on what part of the country you are from determines what you like. I grew up in National City. To me, barbecue is the Pit. That's it. This place has been here 50 years. The current location is a few feet from the original site. The walls smell of smoke. They menu is as antiquated as you can find. The only things that have changed in this place are the prices and the Melmac was tossed out a couple of years ago. You can't beat their beans. Prices are still cheap. And if you are really hungry go for a combo plate with the beef ribs.
I really love this place. I used to work near here and would go once in awhile for a BBQ sandwich. Wish they had a place in Lemon Grove but you cant have everything. The sauce is the best in my opinion.
A family favorite! My dad suggested this place to me. He often has them cater his business meetings. When I first walked in I didn't know what to think, but it was packed so I figured the food must be good. It is and it is still packed everytime I go. The service is always prompt and efficient.
I've been going here for YEARS! It's one of those reliable, again comfort food kinda places. It's kinda served cafeteria style. You walk in and get in line at a front counter. There are guys behind the counter standing at grills with hams, ribs and the such. You tell them what you want and you watch them cut it up and put it on a plate. Baked beans, cole slaw, french fries. I have always liked it, but I have heard people say the sauce is a little sweet. The pork ribs are good as is the bbq ham sandwich. See pic of my sis chowing down on a sandwich. Very caj, laid back, drop in after movie or church.
David M. hit the review right on target! No way does it even come close to Phil's or Huffman's, but it isn't bad either. If it were up to me, I'd drive to Phil's in a heartbeat. However, the food here is more than decent and the prices aren't over the top. The hot links sandwich is awesome! I've tried almost all the sides and they're all pretty tasty. I think the pork ribs are a little better than the beef, but both are good. The inside isn't anything spectacular, but at least most of time there's a place to sit.
I wish San diego had more beef BBQ choices, because Barbecue Pit just doesn't cut it. I am used to Texas BBQ beef brisket and they just don't even come close. I know people that like Barbecue Pit a lot, and they are usually people from here, that really haven't gotten to enjoy real good beef BBQ. Now Phil's, that is a different story. They have great BBQ, but that is if you are hungry for something other than beef. I would go to Phil's any day over Barbecue Pit.
way better fries than phills
beef sandwich alacarte $ 4.01 -
i love phils too but this place is truly unique, very old school.
very homey and comfortable, unlike phils
very reasonable prices, unlike phills
i live closer to phills but i eat at the bbq pit more frequently
I happened to be spending the night in National City and was looking for a good lunch place near my crappy hotel. I read some of the reviews on yelp and decided to check this place out since it was only a 2 minute drive. I really love barbecue and was hoping this would satisfy my craving. It did! Definitely not the best bbq for sure but great prices and fast service---counter style. I really liked my beef sandwich which I soaked in some pretty tasty bbq (again not the best but not bad) sauce. The potato salad and baked beans were so-so (wished they had pulled pork or other fixn's mixed in with the beans) but much better than many other more expensive bbq restaurants; the total was only 6.50 for all three items. I've had better but for the price and convenience I would go back here....if I'm ever back in National City....which I probably won't be. Thanks for not letting me down BBQ PIT.
Free Aguas Frescas
Neighborhood: Chula Vista
5% Yelp Discount
Neighborhood: Hillcrest
Neighborhood: Chula Vista
Category: Barbeque
Neighborhood: Alta Vista
Category: Barbeque
Neighborhood: Lemon Grove
Category: Barbeque
Neighborhood: El Cajon
Category: Barbeque
National City, CA
Category: Filipino
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