Firestone Grill

San Luis Obispo is a bit of a zoo in traffic (college town with Cal Poly) but don't worry- locals already know there's street parking and parking garages everywhere. I say locals because if you're visiting, then the streets can often look packed, and it can almost send you wanting to go somewhere more quiet and easily accessible. I will take my kids to (SLO) but it's a little easier to take an adult day trip there or just park in the garages with little ones, otherwise your kiddos may be jumping around on every street corner you can find a parking box to spend 2-4 minutes punching in your plates and giving it your credit card.

Anyway, San Luis is busy but really beautiful and great shopping; H&M, Sephora, coffee shops, restaurants, 2nd hand shops, boutiques, Abercrombie, Victoria's Secret... you catch my drift.

But speaking of restaurants- Firestone is THE STOP!!! I'm not the biggest tri-tip or red meat fan, but they have it all!! Chicken, burgers, salads....and my personal favorite is the tri- tip salad, despite the meat of choice. I choose tri-tip here because it's SO lean and flavorful that even a vegetarian might consider the sin in eating meat for this...it's glorious.

And it's consistent, this establishment has been my go to since I was 20 years old! For 15 years I've been visiting this establishment and it's epically accountable in service, quickly prepared and right in the corner of town amongst the big shopping spots where you get to listen to great jams indoor or outdoor while enjoying delicious and affordable meals for anyone and everyone. Obviously the biggest success here is anything Tri Tip. Especially the sandwich. But I like to go a little healthier so I'll go with a salad. It's REALLY good.

Thanks for staying in great business all these years!! We love you and continue to support you! Everyone should.

Hands down best tri tip Sammy and everything actually. This place is a local institution. Every time I go to SLO it is a must stop by. Basket of fries or onion rings feeds about 4 people. Portions are def good size! It has a casual bar/sports /college vibe. It can get pretty loud if a game is on, but that's expected. Service is order up front and pick up at the counter. Seating inside can be limited on a Fri/sat night. But they do have an outdoor patio.

Love this place! It's a must try when visiting SLO!

Coolest sport bar in the city!

I am a big fan of Tri-Tip sandwich and I can call myself a pro!

Meat cooked enough and tasted very fresh!

Service was great, we didn't wait at all! The happy hour prices are crazy! I want to move there for this one and only reason!

So many sits available both inside and outside!

Overall perfect experience and will go there next time Im in town!

A must stop if you are anywhere near SLO!!

It never fails. Every single time we come down to the Central Valley, our friends come here for a meal. It really is that GOOD!!

I'm not gonna be saying anything original that others have not said about this place. Everybody loves it. Period.

Tri-tip sandwich is the best I've ever tasted!
Basket of Fries can be shared among 3-4 peeps.
Roast Chicken is juicy and tender, (trust me if you like chicken)
And the RIBs are a winner, with and without sauce
Most of the meals come with a side salad with croutons and lots of garlic bread

Now, with that said, the down side of such a popular place is that lines will be long, BUT they actually do a fairly good job moving it along and calling out numbers over the speakers is efficient and super helpful for those waiting outside.

Tip: if you are more than 1 person in your party, here is the action plan: one lines up for orders and the others scout out a table, inside or outside. Divide and conquer!! Also, be nice and courteous as you wait for people to finish eating...it's respectful.

We came here with a group of 15 and we were all able to find tables and chairs outside in the patio area, once the food was ready.

Happy feasting!!

I recently tried the tri-tip sandwich at Firestone Grill, and it left a positive impression but not anything super extraordinary or special. The meat was relatively tender but on the dry side, and the BBQ sauce had a balanced tanginess without being overpowering. While the sandwich leaned more towards being lean than fatty, it wasn't hard to chew at all. The perfectly toasted bread added to the overall experience. Reasonably priced for what it is.

One standout aspect of my visit to Firestone Grill was the remarkably fast service. From placing my order to receiving the food, the entire process took less than 5 minutes. The ambiance falls into the category of simplicity. The setting is neither fancy nor extraordinary, offering a straightforward dining environment. However, the outdoor seating with heaters adds a nice touch, making it comfortable for patrons even in cooler weather.

Overall, I would go to Firestone Grill again if I want a quick bite of BBQ meats. However, I would not go out of my way to go here just for the BBQ because I'm sure there are better places that have juicier meats.

Big portions, reasonable prices. I can see why this place has been around for a long time in this college town.

We came here for the ribs, tri tip sandwich and onion rings.

The tri tip was tender, but on the dry side. Bread was mediocre. They're light on the BBQ sauce, which I appreciated at first so I could really see what the meat was all about, but ended up dunking it in the side of BBQ to get some much needed moist-ness in there.

The pork ribs were a mixed bag. The ends were tough and dry, but the middle pieces had a decent amount of meat on them with good flavor. These are not "fall off the bone" ribs, and had a good chew to them. Overall, ok.

Onion rings were great! They were the best part of the meal!

The side salad was huge, and filled with fresh veggies. We wished, in retrospect, we had gotten the salad as our included side with the pork ribs instead of the beans, which were ok, but the cashier told us that it was "very small" (I'm guessing the same size container as the beans?).

The staff is no nonsense, straight to the point.

They also have a full bar and happy hour too (drinks only)!

Great restaurant in slo! I had the chicken sandwich and fries they were seasoned very well and hot. I LOVE FIRESTONE!!

My husband and I like this place, we've been here a few years ago and liked it, we came again on a Sunday after they opened and people were already there. We ordered the tri-tip sandwich and a basket of fries to share for the table, we enjoyed it all. I was only able to eat half of the sandwich, but saved the rest for later. Definitely a good size sandwich. Ambiance is family friendly, there is seating inside and outside, food came out quickly too.

Came for lunch with a friend. Good food. Nice ambiance. The fries are amazing, but huge.
We got the basket for us 2 and it was way too much we didn't finish it all. Ranch is very tasty for dipping! We got the garden burger and pig sandwich. Both really good.

My husband ordered the tri tip sandwich with fries and I ordered their onion rings and the tri tip was very good! The set up of this place is efficient and the staff work their butts off to make sure orders come out fast and hot. The fries were also really tasty with their seasoning mix and the perfect amount of crisp. Thankfully, the restaurant is very big and can accommodate how busy it can get. The prices are also great for what you get. There are a lot of screens playing different sports games which seemed to be a plus for many of the other patrons there. This is a really solid stop for anyone in the mood for tri tip!