Abbey's Real Texas BBQ Reviews

If you are looking for authentic Texas BBQ, then look no further. This hole-in-the-wall place has great food. The former Texan friend of mine vouched for the the 'cue as being "exactly like it is in Texas". The beef brisket is moist and flavorful, and Abbey's lightly dresses the brisket with sauce, but they provide squeeze bottles if you want to dress it up even more. Honestly, though, I thoroughly enjoyed the brisket exactly as it was served; no extra sauce required. The brisket had a nice Smokey aroma and flavor. And the air has a slight aroma of barbecue smoke. Not enough to be irritable, or bothersome, but when you leave, you may notice a smokiness lingering on your clothes. Not that it's a bad thing; I rather enjoy it, actually! The various sides are good, too. The coleslaw is crisp and crunchy, sauced with a light and flavorful dressing; not overly sweet or tangy. The onion rings are crisp, and had plenty of onion. The baked beans are on the sweet side, but not cloyingly sweet. The complimentary chips and salsa are a nice touch. I've been here twice, and will continue to come back.

This place was highly recommended. However, I was disappointed. The brisket was dry and there did not seem to be a "wet" option you usually see in true Texas BBQ. I did like the sides of potato salad and barbeque beans. Ribs were ok. It is a long drive from my home and not really worth it.

Best Texas style bbq in the nation ! Great food , great service and great shiner Bock Texas beer . They also have great happy hour (1/2 price appetizers and $1 off value priced beers ) . Their catering and delivery services , which we used previously were awesome ! I highly recommend this 37 year old mom and pops establishment!!

We've tried lots of other BBQ places, Abby is by far the best and most authentic. Great brisket, pulled pork, sides (try the onion rings) are all terrific, biggest surprise is the deliciously juicy chicken.

Small little joint in a strip mall type area, if you are not careful will pass by. Typically go there for lunch. All items I ever has got are very good. Typically get one of the meat plate specials. Pork is very good. Cole slaw is nice and refreshing as well. Very friend and polite, clean place. Enjoy eating there each time I stop in.

The chicken melts in your mouth! Delicious! Went there with a wedding party, and really enjoyed it. Would like to go back again.

I am from Texas, and I have to agree that the flavor of the meat is good, not Texas good, but good for California, I guess. The chicken is good, flavorful, but I tried to use a Restaurants.com Coupon, but I could not purchase A la carte meat.. sad... 4 small sandwiches 4 small sides, 1/2 chicken for 46.00. ouch.. at 5 pm, no one was there..maybe because it is hidden...

We went out to lunch here prior to catching our flight back home. First thing I noticed was the smell of BBQ getting out of the car. Daughter had a pulled pork sandwich, my wife had tips, and I had beef ribs. Sandwich was very good, tips were a little burnt, but my beef ribs were great. Serving size was excellent. Sides were a little hit and miss with coleslaw not available and I wasn't crazy about the beans. Self serve chips and spicy sauce were spicy...got the sweat rolling off my bald head just right.

The biggest problem is that this restaurant is way too expensive. 1/2 slab of too-tough-to-eat pork ribs, a hamburger bun that they repurpose as garlic bread, a fountain soda and a side of tasteless cole slaw was more than $20. The atmosphere was okay and what you'd expect of a BBQ place but the location is busted and there isn't enough parking. Skip it and go to Phil's.

Check out the reviews on YELP, THEN RUN. This place sucks. The food is extremely overpriced for what you get. The half slab of pork ribs for $13.99 was a smaller portion than a McRib and tasted even worse. I didn't think that was possible. The service was terrible. We had an entertainment coupon that says "Enjoy a free lunch with the purchase of any entree and 2 beverages". I ordered the chicken sandwich and the cashier asked, what sides do you want. I asked if the sides were included, he said I get 1 side. We received the bill for $24.60. I asked how did our bill come to that price when we had a $13.99 half slab, 2 drinks for $2.39 each and a free chicken sandwich. I was told I got the chicken platter for $10.95. I said no, I ordered a chicken sandwich. He said you got the beans. Then I said, I only wanted the sandwich and you told me it came with a side. He refused to change the order. I spoke to the owner, who was very defensive saying that the coupon was very clear that I must order a platter to use the coupon. You decide for yourself. The coupon reads exactly as I wrote it above. We ordered a half slab of ribs and a chicken sandwich. To sum up, the restaurant is dingy, the food is overpriced and mediocre at best, definitely not TEXAS BBQ and these NEW owners have most likely never stepped foot in Texas. They take credit for the restaurant being there for 31 years, but they were not the owners during that time. I believe this restaurant was good under the previous ownership, but these people are rude and don't know a thing about customer service. Obviously, I will never go back and I will advise every one I know not to go there.

Was looking for some TX BBQ and stumbled upon this place. Went in for lunch with my son and we got a combo plate with brisket, pulled pork, chicken and ribs. All were fantastic, but the brisket stood out. Sides were also very good and good variety. We will be back!

Had the 'small' sandwich...was plenty big enough for me, and with the battered fries..a great meal for a great price. And because I was there just before 6, $1 off the local beer (Shiner pint draft, only $3.99). Sports on the big screens, and with a super hot BBQ sauce option (in the red bottles above the condiments cart). We totally enjoyed this relaxed, casual place. The pulled pork was in big tender chunks (not shredded). Lots of daily specials as well. Highly recommend for casual, affordable, and delicious meal.

I've been there a number of times now, and the food is consistently good. Good ambience in the dining area, friendly and helpful staff. Portions are "Texas style", which means I usually can't finish, and take food home!

Great ribs, great pulled pork. If you want really good traditionally smoked non-chain restaurant BBQ then this is the place. Small mom and pop BBQ joints tend to have some variation in quality of food, but this place doesnt. Some places you get something a bit different every time, but not here. Their quality and flavors are very consistent and very good. The guys working the counter are always very friendly as well. This is my favorite BBQ in sand diego county.

When I last wrote a review for this restaurant, nearly two years ago, I wasn't very happy about the deterioration in the quality of the food at that time. Having returned twice during the past month, I can now say that all is well...The quality of the ribs, and of the beef in particular, has returned to its former state of excellence, tenderness, and generosity. Mark is now back at the helm, along with his sister, and it is a pleasure to patronize this place once again. You won't find better quality barbecue anywhere in San Diego...

Being a Texan... I had to find a real BBQ Joint when I moved to San Diego. Well I have found it! Brisket cooked the right way. Seasoned perfectly, slow cooked on a wood fired pit. I always choose the brisket, but the smoked chicken is the best I've found. The pork ribs have been perfected too. You will not regret your visit. I give it 5 stars!

Super fresh, delicious, fast service, incredible staff. Brisket had a good char, chicken was moist, cornbread was like cake!

If you're a fan of genuine Texas BBQ, Abbey’s Real Texas BBQ in San Diego is a must-visit. Located at 6904 Miramar Rd, this spot has been serving up delicious smoked meats since 1982, and it's easy to see why they've earned such a stellar reputation.

We had a family gathering as we had company over from England. They wanted "Real" American barbeque so I initially suggested Phil's as it is near my wife's uncles place. They were closed so he suggested Abbey's. Erm.. ok...never heard of it but let's give it a shot. We found it in the middle of a strip mall flanked by a massage parlour and a shisha bar. Alarm bells went off in my head. I walked in and the place was small but decent. A very friendly girl greeted us as we were sat. The same girl made suggestions and we ordered. The food was pretty good and there was plenty of it. The staff (twins I think) were really friendly and made the event much more enjoyable. The only two draw backs were 1) the price but barbeque is never inexpensive and the garlic bread although tasty was hamburger buns rather than Texas toast. All in all a good place to eat and an enjoyable experience.

This is the WORST bbq I’ve ever had. Honestly feel bad the people of Texas are associated with this place, they don’t deserve to be disrespected like that. This place is serving food that I’d have to think twice about serving to my dog. Read the yelp reviews and read Mattie’s response to the people who leave who don’t like the food. He can’t handle a negative review which is why I decided to leave a review on all the sites.

I've been coming to this restaurant for 15 years...When I first started, a friendly family owned and ran the restaurant. The food was served in generous portions and the quality was usually superb -- perfectly smoked and tender meats (beef, pork, chicken, turkey and two different kinds of links (one spicy the other not)). The prices, while never low, were at least reasonable for the quantity and quality of the food offered. In recent years, the prices climbed steadily higher, but the quality of the food did not. At times, the meat has been tender and tasty, at others, it's been nearly tasteless and not as generous as the prices would have required. When you are paying $20 or more for a plate of barbecued meat and two side dishes, you expect consistently high quality and generous quality, which no longer seems to be the case here. It's really a pity that the original owners don't seem to be managing or paying attention to what is happening at this location...I may go back again, but I'm not going to be in a hurry to do so...

The bread, beans, corn, brisket, and sauce all seemed low rent...just like the restaurant itself - which had zero atmosphere unless the owners were trying for strip-mall-BBQ-place. I liked the pork shoulder, though. I'm truly flummoxed at all the great reviews.

Found a new place to have a great meal! The location is in a strip mall but you don't want to miss this place. Their brisket is wonderful! Hearty servings of brisket with two sides. Corn on the cob,potato salad, beans were some the sides we chose. Plates came with garlic toast and a drink. Lunch specials are reasonable. While you wait they also offer chips and their salsa. We definitely will be driving back especially to try their chicken and their sausage. They offer military discounts as well.

We ordered three different BBQ dishes and they were all great. The portions were more than ample. They also suggested I try a side of beans and rice which was excellent. The major downfall of this restaurant is the location. The planes are constantly coming in at low altitude. After an hour or so, the noise of the jet engines can begin to grate on you. When we were all done eating, they came out and gave us some cookies for desert. If you just want some good BBQ and plenty of it, give this place a try.

When my friend and I arrived, we weren’t sure the best way to order, to sample everything, and Mari, the young lady working at the order counter made a very specific suggestion that turned out to be fantastic. We had a sampler platter with four different types of barbecue meat, with two of their homemade sides and Texas toast and it was superb! It was obvious that Mari really enjoys working there and pointing customers in the right direction.

Best Texas style bbq with great customer service ! Excellent BRISKET AND TANGY SMOKEY SAUCE!! Great craft beers and SHINER BOCK TO GO ALONG WITH THEIR MULTI large screen TVS

This is the real deal! I've had bbq in Georgia (where I lived for three years), Texas (where I traveled on business for 10 years), and all over the usa. This place deserves your attention! My brisket sandwich was tender and yet had just the right amount of char on the sliced meat. The sauce was not too sweet, and yet had a slight tang. My wife's chicken was so tender, she used her fork to cut through. Awesome flavor. This family business had been here for 34 years, so you know they are appreciated in the community. I'll be back!

Great BBQ of all types by family-run, order-at-counter fresh BBQ. I find myself craving theirs and make a drive for it. Usually a wait in line to order and to receive it - especially at prime lunch time.

This BBQ place has been here for several years but I had never tried it until recently. It is located in a strip mall on Miramar road near I-805. There are several tables and televisions and you have to order at the counter. They have lots of choices on the menu and beer and wine as well as soft drinks are available. I had the beef brisket with BBQ beans and my wife had a Caesar salad with chicken. The food was good and we will probably go back again if we are in the area around lunch time.

We decided to go to Abbey’s after the funeral we had just attended, for lunch. Our party of twelve people placed our orders and sat down for lunch. The food was very good as always. (I have been here before.) Then To our surprise the staff treated us to extra platters of Brisket bark, Hot Links and Cookies. They had the foresight to see that we had just got through a personal tragedy. The Staff was very kind and gave us the best of service. I have never tried their hot links before so I was in for a very pleasant surprise I tasted them for the first time. They were some of the best hot links I have ever tasted. Now I have two recommendations the beef brisket and the hot links they are both worth a try. So if you’re in the mood for some Texas style BBQ come by abbey’s it’s the best in town. Thank You for the great service and compassion.

We stopped here for dinner on a Saturday night. Great choice! We both had the brisket sandwich which was tender and flavorful. Good size portions (not skimpy, not enormous, but appropriately generous). Even the Caesar salad side was fresh and larger than a normal side salad. Fries were hot, fresh, crispy and seasoned. Corn on the cob was likely from a warmer, but we did have dinner less than an hour before closing time. But the reason to go to a BBQ place is the meats. The brisket was tender and not fatty. I enjoyed the BBQ sauce as well. A nice balance of spice and sweetness. And the staff were very nice. Patient, helpful, and engaging. We will definitely go back.

Big portions and definitely worth the price. The decor is rustic and the food is good. Relatively big portions so brace yourselves before coming here.

I had a three meat plate and I thought it was great.. I loved the brisket. I will recommend Abbeys to anyone in this area or anyone headed to the San Diego area. Mike McHugh recommended Abbeys to me and it was worth it..

This is a family run BBQ place in the Mira Mesa area that has both pros and cons. Pros: Friendly service, wide selection of meats, generous portions Cons: Bland and rather tasteless BBQ sauce, meats are less than tender, no ambiance

First time visitor... Enjoyed a rack of baby back pork ribs with onion-rings and the mac salad. The ribs were a stand out with great smoked BBQ taste, just the right juiciness and pull-off-the-bone tenderness. While the sides were good, the meat was the standout! When I go again I'll likely ask for the sauce on the side.... the meat was that good. Nice they have pickles, marinated onions and jalapenos as you like. The food came quickly and it's nice they have complimentary salsa and chips while you wait. Mark, the owner’s son, explained the care and time they put into the BBQ, was welcoming and made sure I was satisfied with my meal. I recommend Real Texas Abbeys BBQ!

First of all, I'd like to say that there's nothing horrible about this place. The food wasn't bad. The service wasn't bad. The venue wasn't bad. The prices...well...the prices were bad, but the problem is that overall, everything was slightly below par and there really weren't any redeeming qualities to offset the problems. We got there and walked in to a very simple resaurant, which is fine, this is BBQ, not fine dining. We go up to order and were a little confused about the menu because there's not much in the way of descriptions. The platters come with sides, but do the plates? It lists different meats, does it come with each one or do we pick? What is pork? Pork ribs? Pulled pork? So, naturally, we ask some questions. Unfortunately, English was not the first language of the gentleman working the register and his accent was so thick that we really couldn't understand his responses. (and I'm not sure he understood our questions. In fact, there was a sign that read "Sorrey, no coupans for the holiday. Thank. Abbey's") So, we ordered and awaited to see what we'd end up getting since we really didn't know. After about a 10 minute wait (which makes no sense, BBQ is made well ahead of time and I'm sure our sides of beans, potatoe salad and coleslaw were too) we get our food, which in addition to the sides ended up being pulled pork, pork ribs and hot links. The hot links were good, but they're not kidding when they say hot. Get ready for some serious spice. The pulled pork was somewhat flavorless and we found ourselves repeatedly adding BBQ sauce. The ribs were drowning in sauce, which is good because there wasn't a lot of flavor there and they weren't very tender. While we all left very full, at $50 for 3 people, we'd better. In short, not much atmosphere, the service wasn't bad, but when you can't understand them, it makes it tough, the food was expensive and flavor was just so so. With other places in San Diego to try, we will not be returning.

Best Texas style bbq restaurant I’ve had outside of Texas ! The brisket is the best and their pork and sides are awesome! Very nice clean rustic atmosphere that’s very reminiscent of a Texas bbq . Good draft beers ; nice chips and salsa bar !

From the moment I walked in the door, I could tell this place was not your run of the mill establishment. Even amongst barbecue places, Abbey's has a relaxed charm all its own. The seating is what you'd expect from a roadhouse cafe. Nothing too fancy or modern, and plenty comfortable to enjoy my meal in. The hardware looked used, but clean and well taken care of. But enough about furniture and decor, lets get to the eats! After placing our order, I was happy to find that there were chips and sauces available to snack on. The sauces were good and the horseradish is really something special. After the order arrived, I made note of the portion sizes. Not incriedibly generous given what we paid, but still a good amount of meat nonetheless. The meat was tender and juicy, the fibers readily stripping apart. The ribs were heavenly and my favorite out of the lot. My friends loved the hot links, which really do kick. The coleslaw is heavenly and made on-site. Service was attentive and hit all the marks. Overall, I look forward to coming back sometime soon. If you're ever passing through Miramar, hit this place up and see for yourself how Abbey's does barbecue. I only take one star off because there was a fair deal of fat present on a couple cuts.

I got the BBQ fries with brisket. The fries and brisket were delicious. I split it with my friend. With drinks and fries we spent $17. They have happy hour specials (3-6) and $5 off if you spend $30 coupons.

I tend to judge BBQ first by the aroma (or lack of), then by the taste. Abbey’s hit the spot with my delivery order of brisket, potato salad and rice. After a long, tiring flight from Virginia on a short bidness trip, knew I wanted something I would recognize…decided to give Abbey’s Texas BBQ the chance to excell….they sure did! Great taste, portion size and sauce to compliment the meat without overpowering….strongly recommend!!!

Super Nice friendly staff. Family own restaurant. Shows all kind of sports. Perfect smoked ribs. This place is meat heaven! And The Price was fantastic.

We found this BBQ heaven online from reviews. We ordered the #1 sampler, beef brisket, ribs, chicken, cornbread and our sides of bean and rice and orka. As you enter the aroma of bbq fills the room. All our food was delicious. Although it seemed a little high priced, the two of us couldn’t finish the platter that came out. We took the remainder with us for a snack later tonight. Regardless, the flavour and ambience is well worth the price. The owner’s son was super friendly and proud to carry on this family restaurant. We will absolutely return without hesitation next time we visit San Diego. Thank you, your newest fans from Canada, Mark & Rachel.

This is a OK place to get to get a barbeque meal. Don't pass by this place the next time you are in the San Diego area. The food is perfectly smoked and cooked to perfection. The portions are small for the price. The staff is very friendly and a pleasure to interact with.

I have been coming here off and on for over 20 years. The food is delicious...the portions are unreal...and the music background is the best. Today I visited with my daughter and husband. John says the brisket is the best he ever tasted. I had a brisket and hot link combo with macaroni salad and slaw. The hot links are spicy and the most delicate links I've eaten. The brisket, as always, is breathtakingly good...in fact the best. My daughter had a chicken/baby back rib combo and said it was smokin good! There is so much food...you will need to ask for a take home box. 5 stars and good country and R&B music in the background.