Kansas City Barbeque Reviews

The food was just ok, my husband wanted to go for the experience. We had lunch & it wasn't busy. They gave us some suggestions for where to get the best seafood.

"Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls of Fire!" Boy was I excited to see this iconic restaurant in real life. Kansas City Barbeque is the most "real deal" experience to feel close to the movie Top Gun. From the iconic red awning and blue umbrellas, to "THE" piano where Goose sang his infamous song to the bar and jukebox that rang out "You've Lost That Loving Feeling". Memorabilia from the movie, autographed pictures, as well as hats, dollar bills and more decorate the walls, ceiling and pretty much any surface imaginable. A lot of the "stuff" is from real life military legends who have visited this hot spot. Oh, and bras. Yes, what's a bar without a hundred bras hanging from the ceiling? Ahm-bee-ance!

Our family (including two teen boys) stopped here shortly after arriving in San Diego. What a good way to start our vacation. Our party tried a variety of items (ribs, brisket sandwich, pulled pork sandwich, chicken sandwich, fried pickles). All were hot and delicious. If you like slaw that’s not your average slaw, ask your server about how they prepare theirs—you might find a new favorite. On top of all of that, our service was fantastic and friendly, even though he was holding down the fort alone, tending to takeout AND dine-in customers. We would definitely return.

If you are looking for an iconic restaurant that has history and is original you will not be disappointed. I was sad to see some negative reviews and glad it did not keep me away. Staff are genuine and friendly. The bartender pointed out the exact place where Tom Cruise sat during the filming of the last scene of Top Gun. I would have sat there but someone else was. I had the brisket with BB sauce and coleslaw. It was terrific! Service was quick. Tables and chairs are 60’s style and give the establishment character. Not over priced. Thank you for the experience!

Yes, some of you may call me a heathen. And I will explain why. I have never ever seen the film "Top Gun" so had no idea of the cultural significance of this establishment. However, being married to a massive Tom Cruise fan, and massive Top Gun fan I soon got the message. This bar was made famous for being involved in the movie Top Gun, and we were placed right next to a very very famous piano. My wife's head nearly exploded, but what a night to remember for her. It is great every so often that the bar man rings a bell and tell's you different stories about the filming of Top Gun. I very much enjoyed sampling a few local beers, and sitting in the surroundings looking at all the military memorabilia on the walls. The food was very hearty, and very reasonable, and we enjoyed our meal. Certainly another night to remember in one of our favourite ever cities

Amazing city,amazing location,amazing food. I been here for enjoy a beautiful lunch after a beautiful and busy day walking around in San Diego. The restaurant is the one where the movie Top Gun has been recorded and is beautiful for location and food. The waiters are so kindly and gently. There is also a small shop inside. Good opportunity for take many pictures. The meat was amazing,also the Mac and cheese was super tasty. I wish to come back soon 🔜 💪🏻♥️

Nice atmosphere but weird in design a sitting area outside and then an inside sitting area then a another room of to the side and then a huge bar in another room. I have eatin a lot of BBQ (TEXAS, KC, N.C. NEW MEXICO) The points and tips were excellent the sliced beef was a little dry for me, I really enjoyed the Cole Slaw. They have an excellent house brew a blonde you should try.

KC BBQ has some history, as scenes from the movie Top Gun were filmed there. In fact, the iconic piano where Anthony Hopkins (Goose) was playing Great Balls of Fire with Meg Ryan and Tom Cruise (Maverick) is still there. The food was average though. The Beef Brisket was dry. The ribs and chicken were good, and the sides were ok (Mac and cheese). Their cooler was broken that day, so the sodas and beer were not as cold as they typically would be. The prices were reasonable. It was fun the see the bar and the piano, and maybe we caught them on a bad day.

I had the brisket plate with slaw and rings it was good little fat tinder meat and sweet Barbecue sauce. Cold beer and great atmosphere for a place that was a location for the movie Top Gun.

The food and atmosphere was great!! The waitress was horrible, too busy doing shots with regular customers. We waited 20 - 30 minutes for water or a beer. There were several of us from all over the United states that went there to watch the Chiefs-Broncos game on Thursday. A friend of mine ordered a drink and never received it. It took 45 minutes to get a check and then we ended up having to go up to the bar to pay. There was a lady at the table behind me that asked for her check and the waitress asked why she was already leaving and the lady told her that it took 20 minutes to get her water and beer so she just wanted to go ahead and get her check in case in took forever. The waitress got mad and confronted the lady and called her a B**** several times. The lady behind me never raised her voice or got mad but the waitress was belligerent. I am all about people having a good time at work but doing shots all night ( I was there for 4 hours) with regulars is ridiculous. I have never in my life seen a waitress act like that!!!!! If I lived there, I would never be back!!!!! If I go to San Diego on business again, I will NOT go there.

Came here based on its Top Gun connection. Contrary to other reviews we found the service to be good! Only had fries and coke and both were fine. Nice memorabilia and photos inside of all things Top Gun plus the ‘alleged’ original piano in the corner. Unisex toilet facilities were mediocre. All in all worth the visit

Just arrived from Los Angeles , quick lunch. I am from South Africa and the was my most terrible spare ribs ever in my life.. Service terrible and the spare ribs I will not even give to my dog. I love my dog.

Visited this place because of its movie status. Nothing special if you are going for food. We had chili bq pork sandwich fries and slaw. All were very average and overpriced. But hey you are in san diego and top gun was filmed here.

I give it a 4 star for the atmosphere. We only had fries and beer so I can’t comment on the food, except to say the fries were great. I heard the ribs and burgs were very good. If you’re a movie buff, you have to go here to check it out. This is where they filmed the Top Gun bar scenes. The original piano is still there but the juke box is gone, due to fire damage. There’s a lot of Top Gun paraphernalia all around, and you can buy a hat or T-shirt to commemorate the visit. Waitresses are friendly and prices were reasonable.

I watched TOP GUN 1 in 1986 more than 11 times in the cinema. It was a promise to visit this place and it was amazing. For those who are fans of the legendary movie can not fail to have these experiences in San Diego and record the photos both in this bar and in the aircraft carrier. Not for the place, but for the movie.

Great Kansas City flavor and location in downtown San Diego. Felt like home! Great to see the Welcome Chief’s Fans banner at the entrance. But the Top Gun atmosphere, warfighter memorbilia, and reasonably priced food selection was worth the visit.

How can you not go into a bar in San Diego that announces it’s “the scene of the sleazy bar scene in Top Gun”?! From the outside it did look pretty grotty, but inside was a completely different vibe-welcoming & loads of fun, great food, military memorabilia taking up every last inch of wall space & of course, loads of references to that magnificent movie. And if you want to know about the bras, ask the bar maid. It’s a great story.

Found the perfect place in San Diego to watch the KC Chiefs play some football! They have a whole back room designated for Chiefs, Royals, KU and KSU sports teams. Throughout the place they also have tons of Top Gun memorabilia, as it was part of the movie. The food was OK, I have high BBQ standards being from KC. So it wasn't amazing, but it was edible :) Definitely a fun place to watch a game with other fans!

Top Gun... You simply cannot pass up the opportunity to eat where one of my generation’s top films was filmed. The Wizard of Oz references are also great, another favorite of mine. The photo ops are great and the service very friendly and attentive. Good prices. The food, however, was a bit disappointing. Many items were sold out, and both of the things I ordered were just ok. I would still go back with people who haven’t been there because of the ambience and service.

We were wandering past and decided to drop in for a look. The inside bar was busy. Staff were lovely. Beer was cold. It has character but I wouldn’t race back. Toilets were filthy and over all it wasn’t anything special.

We came back to surprise our son, a Top Gun fan. This place lives only for this memory. The pulled pork was dry, not bad tasting. The baby ribs however were dry. Slow very cold and with vinegar while the corn was not on the cob but mixed with some strange tasting sauce. I would possibly recommend it for a beer at the bar!

My family and I stopped there after visiting the USS Midway. We knew nothing of the place until we got there. The food and servers were great. I liked the slaw that they serve. This place still delivers good food. It isn't just living on the scenes from top gun. The memorabilia from the movie just adds more ambiance to the place.

This is where they shot the bar scenes from Top Gun. They have the piano and a lot of memorabilia. The food was decent but not outstanding. Best part was definitely seeing where the movie was shot.

The main reason for the visit was because we wanted to see the original location of Top Gun and when we arrived we found a very pleasant atmosphere and an unmissable house beer. On this occasion we did not eat but what I saw on other tables looked quite delicious and a good portion; It is certainly important to go on an empty stomach. Great place for TG fans!

We had high hopes since this place was recommended by a food tour guide that I met back in May. Loved the Top Gun history and pictures and cool atmosphere, but the food was just okay and the server was not friendly at all...she was just kind of 'there' and barely spoke. Just not as great as we had expected. Fried pickles were the bomb though!

Stopped in for dinner tonight since we were staying in the area. Neat place where they filmed a scene from Top Gun and they have a lot of neat memorobilia.but that's about it. Ordered the smoked brisket which was fair at best. No smoked flavor, spics, fat and was dry. The potato salad and cheesey corn were the best part of the meal. Our server was friendly, but super unattentive. Prices are par for the course for this kind of place. Go for drinks and the memorobilia, not the food.

We went there because friends told us it was where the original Top Gun bar scene was filmed . Great place to see, picture of the stars and film all over the walls. What made it special was the people we met! I had the chicken my husband had the pulled pork sandwich, they were a little dry and the sauce was very sweet, the fries were good. Be prepared to find street parking which cost you, I would be advised to have some quarters, our card wouldn't work for the meters. I would recommend you going to see it.

The beans were excellent. The ribs,sauce and cole slaw were edible at best.Was it worth it? I guess since I tried the food from the Top Gun location. The ribs are $20 a plate.

If you saw Top Gun, you’ve seen this place. It doesn’t look like anything changed since they filmed scenes from the movie there. There is indoor seating so you can look at all the photos and memorabilia. The outdoor seating is right on the street in a fenced off area. The pulled pork was fantastic with two sides. The Mac and cheese and onion rings were great. The barbecue sauce was tangy and sweet and on the side so you could have as much as you wanted. The crispy edges of the pork were wonderful. We also got the brisket plate which was good too with coke slaw and fries. In all the years we have been coming to San Diego, this was the first time we went there and we’re glad we did.

We stopped in as typical tourists. Great atmosphere, and memorabilia. Lots of pictures of Top Gun and famous guests who have visited. The bbq was not bad, but not my favorite. Just ok. But if you're a Top Gun fan or a movie buff in general, you should visit!

I went with high expectations, but I took great disappointment. The place is Horrible, the service was the worst I have received in San Diego, the waitresses despots and rude, the food is the most rescueable of the place, however nothing spectacular, my suggestion if you can skip it.

As a TOP GUN fan was yes a must visit this restaurant in San Diego and I must confess that it was no mistake. The BBQ tasted very delicious and tender, the side dishes were fresh and tasty, the service very friendly , prices were ok,

Terrible service. We only wanted a drink and it was like it was a huge inconvenience. Our server was Jen M according to the receipt and she couldn’t have been more unfriendly if she tried. She actually threw our bill at us! Stood laughing at us because we asked if it was possible to split the bill. 100% do not recommend

We stopped by this restaurant because it was across the street from our hotel. As others have mentioned, it was worth the risk, because you think it is hard to mess up BBQ. We ordered burnt ends and fried pickles. The burnt ends were some of the worst BBQ we have had. The serving was over 70% fatty pieces and not even burnt and crunchy. I would love to believe that we just received the last of the pan, but even then, it should have been thrown in the trash and not been sent out to a customer. I might have given this restaurant zero stars, but instead have given this restaurant 1 star because the waitress was kind and the pickles were tasty. I really love to write 5 star reviews and I am sad to leave this 1 star but it was really a waste of money at a time when it is extremely expensive to eat in a restaurant. If you end up going to this restaurant, do not order the burnt ends.

We took out a family meal which consisted of a rack of ribs, chicken, mac & cheese, cole slaw and corn. It was tasty and more than we could eat.

Really enjoyed sitting out on the porch under umbrella for lunch! Great mom and pop place and the most reasonable price food we have eaten so far in San Diego! Two scenes from movie Top Gun were filled here! Will return if we are back in area!

Place is very cool! It’s very small but the food was very good. Had the brisket with chili. The bartender was awesome. The movie Top Gun filmed in the bar and he rings the bell and tells you the store of the filming all in a minute and 6 seconds. If your a fan of Top Gun and/or bbq check this place out!

Service was bad. Staff are not welcoming and didnt work together as a team on the day we were there. Burgers dont come with anything but the meat unless you pay etc. our experience there was the worse we had over a 3 week holiday in the USA.

This place was very nostalgic the moment I walked in! It’s a dive bar type place! Great atmosphere other than the occasional drunk. The staff was Awesome, and the food was DELICIOUS! Usually when you goto popular places like this from the movies, the food isn’t great but this wasn’t that. The pulled pork and short ribs and walnut pie were great! Definite must visit! After buying my hat and eating there when I got back to the room TOP Gun was on TV! Life is complete!!

Stopped here for some drinks and appetizer, basically came here for the nostalgic trip. I got the Top Gun Blonde, which I would highly recommend. Ordered the great balls of fire (Mac and cheese balls with franks red hot sauce), they were pretty tasty. Didn't order anything else but the food I observed looked pretty good. The bar has a great atmosphere, it definitely gives the impression of a dive bar in an upscale area. Lots of "Top Gun" memorabilia throughout the bar, including the famous piano. The bartender said that everyday somebody comes in and tries playing "Great Balls of Fire" but luckily for me that didn't occur in my visit. Overall would highly recommend coming here if you are a fan of "Top Gun" and enjoy BBQ.

Went to Kansas City Barbeque San Diego with another couple recently. We were staying at a hotel right across the street. After a long flight we were looking for someplace nearby so we could eat and get back to our room and rest. Didn’t want to go to the Cheesecake Factory next door to the hotel. No reason other than there’s one of those at home that we go to regularly. I don’t quite understand the mediocre reviews of Kansas City Barbeque. I am a bbq fanatic (even had bbq for our wedding reception) and my experience there was great. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meal immensely! I had the three meat combo of ribs, chicken, and burnt ends. Delicious! The ribs fell off the bone, chicken was moist, and the burnt ends were tender and tasty. BBQ sauce was good, too. The others in my group had pulled pork and chicken meals. No complaints. They cleaned their plates. Service was friendly and efficient. And then, of course is the Top Gun memorabilia! Well done. Highly recommend and it’s definitely on my re-visit list next time I’m in the San Diego area.

In the mood for BBQ and it was close to the Seaport Village. Decided to give it a shot. Sat down about 7:00 pm to eat, not too many people present in the restaurant. Service was average, presented water without straws. had to request, then mixed up the beer orders, then forgot some sides. Not very good. the food was average, pulled pork was edible, but not a bit hard, should be more tender. Warning: the baked beans are not molasses sweet, but have a mustard/vinegar base. Not to our taste. The hot dog was good. Didn't have the ribs, but was told they were a bit dry also. Will do in a pinch, but better choices in San Diego.

Around 1:30 on a nice Sat afternoon, waited in a huge line- even though we could see about 6 tables open outside. Waitress was surly. Ribs were lukewarm and not very good. Onion rings were way over done. Cole slaw was weird. A lot of money for not a lot of yummy. The only good things were the fried pickles, and seeing the Top Gun piano. But it's not like Goose was playing, lol. Save your money and eat somewhere else!

We enjoyed our visit here. Our waitress was so attentive. Just loved all the Top Gun memorabilia!! The food was good too.

Went with friends on a suggestion from a local. Clearly they are resting on their Top Gun laurels as the food was very average. Dry brisket and no burnt ends. If I was the pilot, Goose would have lived!

Scary cause the Outdoors is closed and inside is all but empty…chilly Saturday evening around 7:30. Staff seem to think it’s their private party are with way loud laughter, music and voices in the back room area…really lack professionalism and a turn-off for this diner. I won’t return for that combined with barely average bbq. Half rack of a baby backs, Mac and cheese,slaw. Mac-n-cheese was dry. Slaw was a mild vinegar base and kinda bland Ribs were served dry (without sauce) as they should be. Sauce tasted like it was commercial not homemade and bland. Tiny little container of it. Server never checked on my meal, but brought the check quickly when she finally came outa the kitchen. If you like bbq…skip this place.

Surprised at how small this was. We had lunch and then saw the famous piano that Goose played. Read the interesting story in the menu about how this all came about. Both inside and outside seating and top gun merch at the bar(look up)

The service was good once we got past the two silly girls working the hostess station. Those two could not care less about customer service or displaying any sort of profession manner in the workplace. Very poor first impression. Our server was very nice and attentive to her whole section. We all got spareribs which were dry and rather flavorless. The sauce helped but it didn’t fix it. The sides were all good and fresh and delicious. Overall a below average meal considering its primary menu is BBQ. I’d skip this place and try some of the other BBQ joints in the area. On the plus side seating was easy even on a Friday Padres night. Maybe there is a reason for that though.

If you into Top Gun movie then definitely go and see all the memorable but I did not think the food was very good for a bbq establishment

This small bar and cafe has all the classic American dishes and a fun atmosphere. The walls are covered with paraphernalia from the file including photos and what appears to be the original piano on which goose played "Great Balls of Fire". Goodness gracious! The jukebox has been replaced with a more modern version of the one shown in the film. Wait staff are friendly and the prices are reasonable. There is a full bar if you just want a drink. But you can sit in the exact corner where Meg Ryan hollered at Goose while he was tickling the ivories and go mad taking selfies. Outside there is a cardboard cutout where Maverick's and Charlie's (Tom's and Kelly's) faces have been removed so you can take a photo of yourselves as stars of the film for free. Definitely worth a visit and food/atmosphere good enough even for people who have never watched the movie.

For a BBQ place the portions were very small, our combo plate had only 4 oz of meat, chicken leg was very small and not much meat, steak fries were incompletely cooked...only on sauce choice and not spicy, service was OK and outdoor dining the was Covid spaced...there are certainly better choices for Kansas City styled BBQ

As a HUGE Top Gun fan we could not miss this! From the piano in "great balls of fire" to the kissings scenes and food! gREAT ribs and macaroni balls and good service

Being from Kansas City, we wanted to stop by and see the Top Gun movie set. We sat at the bar for a beer and met the owner, who is from Kansas City. One of the waitresses is also from the KC area, so that was nice. It was interesting to hear how the restaurant actally came to be used for Top Gun (the restaurant the director wanted to use wasn't willing to shut down for the day!), how the fire destroyed part of the restaurant in the early 2000s, how the piano that Anthony 'Goose' Edwards played in the movie was the childhood piano of the KC owner, and seeing autographs and photos from the movie were great to see. The helmet Tom Cruise wore is on display behind the bar and was partially melted in the fire. Glad we stopped!

I did not get a chance to eat here, but I wish I had. The tour guide highly recommended it and when I passed by several times, the place smelled delicious. They also had happy hour signs posted. Tom Cruise was recently spotted here b/c of all the Top Gun memorabilia. I would like to go!

I really wanted to like this place. We had the most fun watching our hometown team with the locals. But the food was inedible aside from the French fries. The fries were delicious. The ribs were awful and the brisket was tough. So sorry for the bad review, but you are giving KC a bad name. Sorry guys.

Pulled pork and beer, ribs, burgers....the right ´place, right by seaport village... this is a good place with fast service.

Worst BBQ possible, grab some Arby’s, go home and watch Top Gun instead. Brisket was dry enough to be classified as jerky, vinegar appears to be the main ingredient in their slaw and potato salad. Service was minimal and distracted, too busy chatting with each other to keep up with the few customers present. Very disappointing.

Have to say that I was really looking forward to visiting here. Left a bit disappointed. Food was ok: I had the combo of chicken (good) & pulled pork (warm at best), fries and beans were very good. Only a small pot of bbq sauce was not enough for the amount of meat. But, what on earth is going on with their cutlery. Plastic knives & forks, plastic basket, greaseproof paper. Awful. Sorry but restaurants should not do this. Finally, special word for the extremely disinterested waitresses: no customer focus or empathy at all. Had to wait a long while to order & if seemed when food did arrive it had maybe been out of a while. No checks to see if all was ok or if wanted to order further drinks. Very poor. Food 3/5, service 1/5, Top Gun memorabilia 4/5. Overall 2.5/5, must try harder. We ate at far better restaurants on our stay.

This restaurant is tucked away across from Seaport Village.The servers are friendly & helpful.The menu has lots of BBQ selections..The food is served hot with just the right seasonings..Bonus it is the Bar/Restaurant featured in Top Gun lots of memorabilia from the movie.

Very disappointed in our visit, looked forward to it as it looked great on trip advisor and looked great from the outside after walking past on the way to the Gaslamp quarter. Food bland, service wasn’t great, no check back to see how our meals were, waitress Just going through the motions. Won’t return.

Feel ambience and “Top Gun” ( where the sleezy bar Scene and the “Great Balls of Fire” Scene was filmed) Significance outweighs the caliber of the food. Not the best BBQ. Was here during the Super Bowl with Kansas City Chiefs which gave the atmosphere a boost and was probably the reason for the extremely slow service. There was also a Tom Cruise Look-alike...such a look alike! Have frequented numerous years.

They boast that Top Gun scenes were filmed there and have memorabilia showing it as such. The sandwich was dry and was not as flavorful as I would had liked. My side was mac and cheese which was even worse and looked and tasted as thought it was frozen and was not that warm. The server never came back to check on me and took a long time just to get the check. Not a go out of your way restaurant.

My husband and I visited Kansas City BBQ because of it being the “Top Gun Bar”. We sat at the bar for a beer and ordered the “great balls of fire” (Mac and cheese balls tossed in hot sauce). Bartender and staff were all super friendly and it was a fun atmosphere with a ton of memorabilia. Note: the original building that was used to film the bar scenes from Top Gun actually burned to the ground in 2008 so I’m not sure if any of the memorabilia is original.

Neat place for Top Gun fan to see but they are not even attempting to be a real restaurant- much less Kansas City Bbq. Bbq was all microwaved. Disappointing.

Nothing special about the food here. No flavor in meat, all the flavor came on the side. Expensive!!!

Great food, great service! Bartenders Chris and Chris were on point and fun. Had the brisket, ribs, and pork. No need for sauce - excellent flavor. Beat fried pickles I have ever had. Overall great time!!!

Tucked away in Down town San Diego you could miss it, the iconic 1985 film location for the Top Gun scene woth Mav, Goose and the girls sat aroind the piano singing great balls of fire! This is a must visit place, full of movie and military memorabilia. Although the bar was rebuilt after a devestating fire some years ago, iy has been replicated perfectly, with the piano, juke box and bar.. what a place to sit and have some of the best rack of ribs I have ever tasted with a beer! The staff are just so friendly, patient and cant do enough for you.. go on you have to visit you inner goose+!

I am a Kansas City native, I was excited to visit for a slice of home. Building is very dated, which is fine but it’s not very clean. The bathrooms were disgusting. Comparing to actual KC Barbeque it was pretty good, I would eat there again if I got the food to go. The worst part of it all was the SERVICE. The service is THE WORST I’ve ever experienced. Tough decision, but don’t waste your time here.

We stumbled upon this gem by accident from a recommendation from an Uber driver. This is the bar where Top Gun's bar scene was filmed! It is full of Top Gun memorabilia and patches from first responders and military all over the country. Really cool atmosphere! And on top of that, it's great barbecue! Highly recommend the burnt ends sandwich! You can sit outside or inside by the full bar if the weather is nice. Highly recommend a quick stop here for lunch!

What below average food and service. The brisket was dry. The fries seemed to have soaked in oil for ages they were not yellow at all. The Mac and cheese balls dry as well and their batter was terrible. Service was basically non existent by the wait staff and we had to call them every time we wanted something. Do yourself a favour and don’t go there. If we want to see the Top Gun Piano just take a photo but don’t eat there.

Go for the experience and NOT the BBQ. I didn't think you could possibly mess up BBQ, but I was wrong. The posters and Top Gun memorabilia are the only reasons this place is still open

Original site of the Bar in the first Top Gun Film, Photos are in place to show how it was staged. The service was quick and pleasant and the food is plentiful and reasonable priced.

The most expensive, and worst, food I have ever eaten on cardboard plate, plastic cutlery and plastic cup. Which restaurant with dignity serves food on disposables? The fries were not deep fried, grey and chewy, the cole slawn was at least a week old, slushy and chewy. The ribs were approved but no more. This can only live because of Top Gun, otherwise a huge disappointment on everything. Not a cent in tips.

We came first to see the bar since it was a location for Top Gun filming and ended up coming back a second time. The food is not amazing but tasty as beer snacks - the chicken wings, fried pickles and mac & cheese balls were all nice. We worked our way through the beer list - the red trolley is a San Diego beer and is very nice as a change to the IPA/ lager on tap. The service is good and the waitresses were always friendly.

My wife and I returned for a visit during a trip to San Diego. It is an iconic restaurant which was used in famous scenes of Top Gun. The Babyback Ribs are great. It is not a fine dining restaurant so you know what you are getting. If you want pretty good service and great unpretentious food this is your place. If you want silver service this is not your restaurant. We will be back!

We had a cruise stop in San Diego and we are big fans of the movie Top Gun so decided to go to Kansas BBQ for dinner. The place is comprised of about 4 Rooms. Not sure how they were able to film the scenes in the movie there. We were thrilled to go there but the food is not great. Also you eat with plastic cutlery!

Loved it! Great to see the top gun bar. The bartender was amazing, told us funny stories about the film and chatted with us. Great atmosphere and a lot of fun.

I had preconceived notions about this place. I thought being the dive bar from Top Gun, it would be super touristy and expensive. It was touristy, but not expensive and very good. The Brisket was very flavorful and not dry. The burnt ends were full of flavor. The chicken was smoky and delicious. Good potato salad and mac and cheese. We were very pleased and all 4 of us ate for under $40.

Maybe we were lucky, but we can't really understand all the complaints here. Our food was good, and even one of the better BBQ-meals we've had in the US. It should be said we're not big BBQ-fans, so that might explain it, but after this we got our hopes up again. Service was also very pleasant and of course the Top Gun-stuff helps if you're a fan of the movie. Don't expect a gourmet experience, but for what is it it delivers.

The best thing about this restaurant is that it was in Top Gun. The food was fine but the service was very slow and one waitress was quite rude to another customer whose first language was not English. The restaurant was also dirty and disorganized.

The ribs were dried out. The mac n’cheese was runny and noodles were over cooked. Food was lukewarm. We were really disappointed the food was so bad.

Go to take pictures but eat elsewhere. No burnt ends (there not done yet) no Mac and cheese ( they messed up the recipe) these are the the 2 things they are known for and these are the excuses the gal came us. And service ....should say lack of service there was only 4 other tables with people when we arrived but it took forever to get our food.

This place was PERFECT! Walked right up to bar on a Friday night and had CHRIS all to our self for 3 hours and drank and ate! BBQ is PERFECT! Please walk by and don't wait 2 hours at cheesecake factory for that corporate junk! We can't wait to get back!

I was looking very forward to visiting this establishment, so disappointed. What an amazing opportunity wasted. As for the food less said the better

We visited San Diego for the day and this was one of our top places to visit. I regret that we chose this place to eat and drink.. we should have just had a drink! The food was some of the worst food I have ever eaten out! It came within 5 minutes (never a good sign). The pulled pork was dry, and my friend’s ribs were pink. The chips looked like they had been recooked several times over (and not in a triple cooked sense). For a place that specialises in BBQ food, I am struggling to work out what exactly they do well. The food was also served in a plastic tray with plastic cutlery, oh and my drink.. yeah, you got it, served in a plastic cup too! When our server collected our food, she just asked if we were done? Bearing in mind, we’d left over half our meals each, and seeing the precious reviews on here (after we visited unfortunately), it made sense why she never asked how we enjoyed our food today.. probably through fear of what she already knew.. the food is absolutely shocking! Okay, let’s have a positive now. Inside, it’s quite a cool bar. I’d honestly suggest grabbing a drink at the bar, taking your Top Gun photos and then getting out of there to a nicer, cleaner, friendlier establishment!

Came here for dinner with my brothers after a long day at a conference across the street. Good food and quick, friendly service. Smoked wings & smoked hot dog were both delicious. Bros had pulled pork sandwich & hot links with corn on the cob & onion rings. All were very tasty. They were out of burnt ends and Mac & cheese balls and only have ranch, don’t serve blue cheese. How do you have wings & no blue cheese?

a great place where you can sit inside or outside and watch as people go by , and where you can be part of where Top Gun was shot. Food is good and if you like pork will not be disappointed

It's not quite like the film but that's show business! Having said that Chris was a great host and we (well I) relived the film and managed the iconic photo's. The food is good American bar food. It's more of a must go Top Gun place if you are a fan. Thanks again Chris for entertaining us.

March 7th visit during neighbor ladies trip! To do list! We went around 4 during “happy hour”. The bar area is very small. After waiting 8 minutes to have bar tender acknowledge us( she was busy talking to “regulars”) she came to take our order. The bar surprisingly only serves beer and wine. We got our drinks, and after 30 minutes requested our check. We thought she went to get it but instead opened dishwasher and began putting beer glasses away. We asked again and once received it had food items on it we didn’t order. Grrrrrrr we finally got revised bill, no “happy hour” prices. We paid and left. Save your time and money. Very disappointing

We visited because we love the Top Gun film. Have to say doesn’t look great from the outside. Pleased we didn’t let this first impression put us off. Had chilli/ cheese hotdogs and fries, delicious. Enjoyed the memorabilia.

The BBQ here is not the best. I had the sliced beef brisket which was very fatty and not much taste till you poured the BBQ sauce on it. I suspect they pressure cook and then smoke the meats. My friend said her chicken was slimy. My potato salad was frozen in the middle and the coleslaw was inedible. At least the BBQ sauce was good.

We ate at Kansas City BBQ because our driver on the trolley told us about it. My husband ordered a brisket sandwich with mac & cheese. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich with onion rings. We ordered potato salad to share. Neither one of us cared for the BBQ sauce but being from Texas we are pretty picky. The brisket was good, the pork on the dry side, needed a little fat in it. The sides were great, I could have just eaten them and been fine.

OK experience if you’re a fan of Top Gun but average food and very unnecessary use of disposable plates and cutlery. What is the need to create so much waste which is is unlikely to be recycled? We’ve been shocked at the level of throw away waste in the US so this is certainly not exclusive to this establishment.

Tyler was amazing and the food was soooooo good. I was afraid to try it but the smell called my name. I will surely come again.❤️❤️✔️

Bartender stole $83 from my account by forging a extra ticket when I only had two tickets one for 19 and one for 11. And the food was nasty

Good selection of bbq food including pulled pork,brisket and obviously ribs. Buzzing atmosphere and great value. Staff were great without being over attentive

We attended this place on vacation, having previously visited in 2018. It is clearly an iconic place and whilst last time, the food was at best average, the theming was good. Today we returned and were shown to a table straight away.. and waited.. and waited. After 20 minutes of waiting, my wife asked the Dias girl when we could expect to place an order. Incredibly, the reply was “Someone will be over when they are ready”. After a further 5 minutes, we simply walked out. Despite the fact that this place is clearly a film location, it surely cannot get by indefinitely on the basis of a 1988 film? We will never return.

In the area so had to stop by and see the place because of the Top Gun association! It’s covered in Top Gun memorabilia and photos from the movie - definitely making the most of the opportunity to profit from the film, and why wouldn’t you? Food service was quick & it was simple BBQ food. Soft drinks are free refills. Staff were pleasant. If you’re visiting the USS Midway & are a Top Gun fan - go & drop in for a drink at least as it’s only about a 10min stroll from the dock.

I was absolutely overwhelmed by this place such an Iconic bar from one of my favourite films of all time "Top Gun". They have managed to keep the authenticity of the place from the film with the piano that Goose played with Maverick and the Juke box, also plenty of signed pictures and photos along with some movie memorabilia. And to top it all off the staff were all so very friendly. The beer and food also good. You can also purchase some Top Gun merchandise which is reasonably priced. We didn't really want to leave the place.

Couldn’t come to San Diego without visiting the ‘Top Gun’ bar! Full of Top Gun memorabilia, pictures, autographs and of course the famous piano! Food was fantastic, can recommend the chilli bowl, and the pulled pork dinner plate. Great value for money. Only downside is their use of plastic cutlery, and having food served in plastic bowls and on paper plates. Only criticism I can make. If they at least changed to bamboo cutlery it would be an improvement. Overall though a must visit place for any Top Gun fan!

We’re a family of 5. We were greeted by a friendly server and she seated us inside. Before we sat we asked to sit outside and she seemed put out. We were then greeted by another server who was very friendly. The meal servings were good for what we after at the time however the food was terrible. It had no taste. This place would be good if you’ve sat and drank all day and were so intoxicated that you just needed to eat something.

Top Gun is the theme/thing. The piano from the movie is still there. The food is only fair and priced above value. Draft beer was not cold enough. On a Saturday afternoon the bar was obnoxiously loud with the cheers and boos of football game watchers. Lots of profanity was allowed despite young children being there. I found the place to be more gimmick than good experience.

Awesome and affordable place to eat. Quaint little place with great BBQ. The staff was very friendly and allowed us to look around before the restaurant opened and view the Top Gun memorabilia.

As an absolute Top Gun fan, this was a must for me... the location is really authentic, including the piano that Goose played on in 1985. Unfortunately, the same applies to the rest of the restaurant. I would avoid washing your hands in the toilet before eating from disposable dishes, plastic cups and cutlery. That would definitely spoil your appetite. The service is very bad, inattentive and uninterested. The man behind the bar has at least twice as many kills as Maverick, or at least he acts as arrogantly. We have been to the USA many times and were shocked by the incredibly bad service. Or to put it like Maverick - 'I feel the need for speed' on the way out of this restaurant.

Food was absolutely fantastic, good size portions and vey tasty. The only thing to let it down was the server, just how miserable and glum can one person be? If you’re that unhappy at work……leave, get another job, customers don’t need to see you surly face when visiting!

This was near our hotel so we gave it a try. We enjoyed our meals and drinks. The Top Gun history was interesting. It’s not very big but the outdoor seating was nice.

Fast, efficient service, ice cold beer and terrific pork BBQ. Fun outdoor seating. Busy spot. Highly recommend.

Went to this restaurant as it was one of the locations for the filming of Top Gun. The sleazy bar scene. Great to see where this was filmed. Had their pulled pork lunch sandwich. Food was good and location is right along the waterfront. If you are a Top Gun fan it’s worth the visit to see the location of the filming of the scene

Popped into for the BBQ experience and was underwhelmed - waitress unenthusiastic, if not downright surly and baby back ribs luke warm. To cap it off though, was the food was presented in a plastic basket, in greaseproof paper with plastic cutlery! If you're a top gun fan then then wall to wall tat may keep you happy, however, as far as I was concerned they're trading rather too heavily on this connection and apart from this it's not worth visiting. My beer was nice though!

It reeks of blue-collar, rude, wait staff who have zero clue with regards to how to deal with paying customers. Case in point: I ordered food which I never received. I couldn’t care less if this dump was busy or not. One orders food, you expect to get it, right? I waited and waited ever so patiently, and when I mentioned this to my wait person, more indifference couldn’t have been expressed. So, I left, never to return. Fellow travelers, avoid this so-called restaurant at all costs, even if you enjoyed “Top Gun.”

The food was good but the service was TERRIBLE! Our waitress took forever to even ask for a drink order then took forever to bring drinks. We noticed why at the end of the meal— she was sitting in the side room on her phone.

If you are looking for some good BBQ and definitely not in the south this place fits the bill. They do a very good at it, sauce has a nice taste along with good tasting meat. It definitely has the run down charm so don't expect a fancy upscale place. Prices are pretty good as well.

If your a fan of the movie Top Gun you MUST stop here. This was the sleazy bar scene and piano playing. The owner has kept it the same as in 1986 and has collected over the years many military items. Very good food and decent wine. They sell T-Shirts. BIG negative is the parking. I had to park 3 1/2 blocks away but then it is San Diego so no surprise. Both in and out seating.

The Hostest was fantastic around 1:10pm on August 17th. ALL OF THE GREAT ENGAGEMENT arriving. So looking forward to a simple lunch of a pulled pork sandwich with slaw. Table service was abysmal!!! No greeting, No Hello, No Nothing , other than “do you want more than iced water “ . Sandwich arrived, but minutes passed before the sause showed up. I chose to leave fully ready to pay my check without eating. I was SO looking forward to revisiting a place I once so enjoyed and entertained extensively some years ago. I actually flew Tony Scott around in previous years. I won’t be back!!!

We love the set lunch. They come with many choices but we were really happy with our choice of pulled pork bun and a side with additional coleslaw for a minimal. Really good, would recommend anyone in the area. This is where the movie Top Gun was filmed.

Fan of top gun it was therefore a must. Average service, large plate but overcooked meal. The cleanliness leaves much to be desired, it looks like he hasn't had any interviews since the film tour. There are a lot of photos and such which are good for photos but what you see of the walls is shabby and dirty. Too bad to just rely on the film's reputation to attract people. They should invest a little.

We actually went twice. The 1st time was for the Chiefs/Ravens game. The atmosphere was crazy. Great time. don't remember the bartenders name but he did a great job. Lots of memorobilia. Of course the Top Gun bar scene was filmed here. The second time was for dinner. We had the chili and the chicken breast sandwich. The chili was ok and the chicken breast was dry and tasteless. I know they are known for their bbq.

Barbeque chicken was under cooked and tasteless. Barbeque sauce was toxic and chemical tasting. Gakkk!!! Waitress was nice enough.

This is the second time here and we had the same issue with the same Older Blonde Waitress, Started since we were sit and until we pay the Waitress has a bad attitude like she was angry all the time . The other girls were more gentle. On the other hand the inside of the restaurant looks that need maintenance and the music from the kitchen sounds louder than the restaurant itself. The food : ribs and brisket were ok, but the sides no, we order Mac&cheese and brisket and they both were cold. They do not have all the beers offer in the menu . We are not going back again.

Terrible experience. This bar is only surviving on it'd name and the Top Gun Movie. We've in San Diego. Most locals avoid as not as good as Phil's BBQ. We were going to a show at the Rady Shell We called in advanced and the owner said "no reservations needed for parties under 10 people- no wait , just come on down. We live 10 mins away, by the time we were in line, a 30 min wait for party of 2. The food is terrible. Avoid and go to better restaurants, like Dick's Last Resort in the Gas Lamp.

Our waitress basically ignored us all evening. Another server kept getting our drinks. Then when the food came, we told our waitress that one of the meals was perfect but the other was.dry and hard. She insinuated that we were trying to het money off, which we definitely weren't. So disappointing as we'd enjoyed our time up until that point. Thanks to the other server for her attention while ours was shockingly rude

Food and service was both excellent. We shared a 2 meat combo dish , free refills on soda drinks. We bought 2 t-shirts (just had to!) - great memorabilia for Top Gun fans 👍

I really wanted to like this place. We had the most fun watching our hometown team with the locals. But the food was inedible aside from the French fries. The fries were delicious. The ribs were awful and the brisket was tough. So sorry for the bad review, but you are giving KC a bad name. Sorry guys.

BBQ take out during quarantine. Sis of us all ordered different items. Consensus of the group - all except the one who orders the baby back ribs air "just okay". The ribs were outstanding. Beans were great. Mac and cheese bland and very disappointing. Bit of a quirky place with lots of memorabilia about navy and top gun. The bartender was our server.

We enjoyed the food with beer. Had two "The Works" for the 4 of us (included baby back ribs, ribs and brisket with 2 side orders, in our case with corn on the cob and fries). Everything was delicious!! Decoration wise It is a simple place, with a nice terrace (famous for having been its Bar the location for the Top Gun movie). Service was friendly. Reasonable prices, a good option if you are in San Diego.

Myself and my wife visited the location due to the links with the movie. Sadly the guy behind the bar, Chris (manager/ owner?) was so rude and obnoxious that it completely ruined our experience! If you’re contemplating a visit here, I really wouldn’t bother…such a shame for such an iconic bar!

Flew into town late evening and everything in my hotel was closing. They directed me to KC. It was a couple of minute walk and a great place to get a late night bite to eat and drink. I had the Mac and Cheese with sausage. It was tasty and hit the spot. I saw somebody having the wings and wished I had tried them - they looked delicious and the person was ogling about them. The bar tender was very friendly and the other patrons were friendly. It was an enjoyable place to have dinner and unwind. I’ll be back next time I am in the San Diego area.

My husband and I just stopped in to see it because of the movie Top Gun. We just had desert and a beer. Great Food. Very Clean. And the staff was excellent.

We were in San Diego for business and had to stop at Kansas City BBQ to see where some great scenes from the original Top Gun were filmed. We sat a table where the original piano used to be where Goose played Great Balls of Fire!! The original piano is still in the restaurant too. The staff were great. Having lived in the Kansas City area my whole life I will attest that the BBQ is authentic. I prefer a bit more spice, but it was good KC BBQ. Their fried pickles were excellent. As a kid from the 80's you have to stop by for a good meal!

Great bbq diner from Top Gun piano scene. BBQ and southern faire with friendly and hospitable staff. Plenty of Top Gun memorabilia for any aficionado.

Great nostalgic bar for Top Gun fans as the place is plastered in memorabilia from top to toe and they don’t mind you coming to look at it all. There was also an amazing Maverick lookalike. However, the guy behind the bar is so rude! He was busy fair enough but there are better ways of managing it…. Muttering under his breath and getting orders wrong without apologising. The place is for tourists so of course it’s going to get busy. We didn’t eat but the BBQ smelt amazing, however the place is filthy. Managed correctly this place could be amazing!!!

Ate here on Thursday 12th July on the all back to our hotel at Hard Rock Cafe. You can smell the food from a block away and it smells amazing. Walked up and was offered a table outside that have heaters if it’s cold so we took the offer and sat by the window. Food is a mix of pulled pork, ribs, fries, chicken etc but this doesn’t do it justice. The food is well cooked, tastes amazing and is good value. What the food doesn’t tell you is that this is the restaurant that was used to film the bar scheme in Top Gun where Tom Cruise and the cast song at the piano - which is still here for you see and recreate the scene! Great place to drop in and have food and enjoy the atmosphere.

I am conflicted about this dining establishment. The bbq was delicious but everything else about my experience there leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Pros: yummy bbq, we had the burnt ends beef brisket. Lovely outdoor dining, we were there on a beautiful night. We were seated quickly. Cons: VERY spotty service. Potato salad was actually icy, yes you read that correctly, icy, as in sitting in the back of the refrigerator and iced. All disposable cutlery and plates and cups used; does not make me feel good knowing this is going into a landfill, not to mention everyone they serve 7 days a week 52 weeks a year. Summary: I will not go back.

We went here as a party of two and it was close to our hotel. The sliced brisket was really good. Everything else (chicken, onion rings, and potato salad) was just ok. Our waitress Erica was really nice, however another waitress named Victoria totally ruined this experience for us! She was actually bullying our waitress on several occasions during our dining experience. Our waitress was waiting on 3 tables and Victoria continued to follow and harass her. She even told our waitress to clock out and go home. Bless our waitress as she remained professional during these volatile interactions. I will NEVER come here again because I WILL NOT support an establishment that is ok with their employees being bullied.

What a fun place to visit if you are a Top Gun fan. Note: parking is a little tricky. We found a parking lot behind the place across the tracks and walked about a block. The BBQ is okay but it’s the nostalgic decor that makes this a special place.

I was very excited to visit this landmark place from Top Gun as it's on my top 5 movie list. Great service. Our waitress was awesome and recommended some things for us to do before we went back to LA since we were there visiting just for the day. I had the combo burnt ends and brisket but I honestly couldn't tell which was which, with mac and cheese, and slaw. For me, the food was just ok. I'm pretty pick when it comes to my bbq sauce and theirs is a bit too tangy and tomato-ey for me. I like a darker, smokier sauce. My husband said he was disappointed in their sauce too. Still, we were really hungry. Decent prices. I bought a souvenir shirt for myself. I did notice that the table next to us sent their mac and cheese back to the kitchen. It was a bit over-peppered but I still liked it.

Famous for it's Top Gun role, but also for good sized, reasonably priced food. Hot sausage was a bit over cooked, but good. Service was fast. Only complaint is the Mac and cheese side was old, not really appealing.

As fans of Top Gun this was a definite stop on our list, although not noticble from the outside, it is unmistakable inside, the memorabilia, piano, juke box all an experience. The actual bar and restaurant is grubby and pretty unhygenic though but i dont think the owner really cared about this, still had a laugh with him about it all. He has a good sense of humour and the staff was fun. We brought merchandise and got very drunk!!

We popped in for a quick drink at the famous " Top Gun" bar. Having visited previously, I knew what to expect. It's a buzzing bar with what appeared to be ( at the time of our visit) lots of men having late afternoon, business drinks in the sunshine 🌞. Some seats are available indoors, together with bar stools & some outside chairs & tables too. We only had drinks and service was relatively quick considering it was busy. I wouldn't say it was the 'friendliest' of US welcomes but nevertheless I would return as it's got a relaxing atmosphere.

This is the bar where they filmed top gun. you can even see the original piano. They should change the name

We went because we wanted to know the place, for Top Gun and we were lucky enough to sit at the movie table. It is not the place where you will eat your best menu, but what you ask for is rich and well done, the beer is very good and the price is very accessible. We ordered for 4 the pork basket spare ribs, pulled pork sandwich and sliced beef brisket. Very rich in a very pleasant atmosphere

A very cool place where some of the “sleazy bar scenes” from Top Gun were filmed. Lots of movie pictures on the walls. Piano and jukebox from the movie are there too. Really good barbecue and tasty side dishes. This is a must see if you like BBQ and Top Gun!

Being a big Top Gun fan, a visit to this place was a must. Some of the bar scenes from the first movie were filmed here and it is full of memorabilia including Goose's piano.... The restaurant/bar itself is quite small but cosy,. The staff are friendly and the food is excellent and very good value for money, it was one of the cheapest places we ate on our 2 week holiday which is surprising as given its history and lure to tourists, more unscrupulous places would bump their prices to take advantage however their were plenty of locals within as well so they have stayed loyal to their customers. Well worth a visit.

Ate there simply due to the connection to the movie, “Top Gun”. Friendly staff and cold beer. My husband had the brisket and deemed it very good. I had the chili, which i thought was also good, but our friend said was so-so. Fun place to eat, near everything, and food is decidedly decent! Prices were fair too

Super visit. Great food in an historic film location. Sun shining and friendly staff made it more special.

The Restaurant with over 1700 reviews will attract any foodie, but when i went there i felt it turns into museum for Top Gun Movie, even the waiters will ask you to tour inside to see Tom Cruise pictures which frankly has no values related to food they are serving, the Brisket was cold and dry and i asked to change the Hot Dog was okay, the coleslaw was sourced and old the whole experience was bad 👎

The front of house was incredibly kind and welcoming. The guy running the place from behind the bar, not so much. He was doing stretches repeatedly behind the bar, to the point that I just don’t think he should be working there. It’s a special spot that I’m glad we found. The wings were ok.

Super disappointing. The driest ribs I’ve ever had, the brisket was also dry and chewy. The pulled pork was ok but only with the sauce smothered over it. Mac and cheese was mushy and over cooked. We were so looking forward to trying this but it was a complete let down, not authentic barbecue at all. We should of gone elsewhere as this place is terrible.

This is restaurant us where the Top Gun bar/jukebox scene was filmed. There's LOTS of scene pictures on the walls! The BBQ ribs were thick, lean and meaty, and the brisket was moist and flavorful. Great place to eat!

Great BBQ in San Diego. Famous partly because of the bar scene in Top Gun but worth the visit for the ribs. The two best things are the sleezy bar ambience and the wonderful ribs. They have numerous sides available but these are hit and miss, we tried four different sides. The beans were good but somewhat pasty, the cole slaw OK, the onion rings were a greasy mess and the mac & cheese had some type of tasteless orange goo that was supposed to be cheese (I think?). But the ribs were great or just stop by for a drink or two at the bar. Our server was very nice.

We're not the biggest fans of bbq, but I was a huge Top Gun fan (Had the poster on my wall back in the day!) and finally visited Kansas City Barbeque after living in San Diego almost 35 years. We shared a pulled pork sandwich and fries which was ok. We sat at the (Covid friendly) outdoor seating with umbrellas for shade, but we also had a good look inside at all the memorabilia and photos from the film, the piano from 'Great Balls of Fire' and news clippings. The waitress was friendly enough, but I'm not sure where they found the hostess -- she was just about the worst hostess I've ever encountered. Perhaps it's due to the current labor shortage, but she was plain rude, not dressed well, hard to understand due to her accent and was clearly not in the right career. We got chatting to another patron who visits the restaurant every time he's in town from a nearby state and had been there many times. I'm glad I went once, but probably wouldn't go again. If you found this review useful, please click the thank button.

After reading about this place, we knew we had to at least try it. We do love the movie, so it seemed like we owed it to ourselves to see this place. We came in for lunch after touring the USS Midway nearby, it's about a 15 minute walk. We had some of the chicken with coleslaw and mac 'n cheese as well a pulled pork sandwich. The chicken was pretty good, as well as the pulled pork. The mac 'n cheese was OK. Overall, it was a decent lunch, but nothing special to come back for. Service was good! Of course, the main reason we came was to see the filming location. They have a couple of photos around the place to show you which scene was filmed and where. We happened to get a table right next to the jukebox. Again, it was fun to see, but nothing we'd need to come back to.

The only person that ate what came out was someone in the group that was overly tipsy. We tried to stop her. At one point just a few moments before serving us, and I really wish I was joking, the server did a very obvious crotch grab.... gross.

Delicious little place !!!! Casual and cozy restaurant with nice service and great food. We had a good time !!!! Filled with memorabilia. This is a popular place to have ribs and beer. Great location !!!!

This restaurant is well know as the location for filming some of the movie "Top Gun" scenes. The bbq was good but not anything exceptional Friendly staff, great atmosphere.

We stopped by KC BBQ during a recent overnight stay near the bay with the kiddos. Our visit was during lunch - the place was consistently busy but nothing crazy. Our waitress was super sweet and helpful with menu questions. Food came out fast and was tasty. We enjoyed the burnt ends and cheesy corn. Lots of outdoor seating. I would recommend coming by to see where some of the famous Too Gun bar scenes were filmed.

Headed inside to have a few beers . Barmaid didn’t even acknowledge us . Stood for 5 minutes while the old barmaid talked to her friends and regulars . Went to the restroom and when I got back she still hadn’t even looked at our party . Then she just walked out from behind the bar and disappeared . We just left . She was so ignorant it was a disgrace . The bar wasn’t even that busy . She was clearly more interested in talking to her buddies than serving drinks

Location and history make this a must visit. Enjoyed the memorabilia and atmosphere,best to sit inside. Service was fine. Food was ok. Chilli cheese hot dogs were good,real fries too but the bbq items were pretty average. Good craft ipa. It really is worth a visit but drinks and snacks rather than a major blow out

Well i went for the Top Gun experience. Ordered beers and drank. Did not order food, but staff was not that friendly so went somewhere else to eat. Great for the history and beer was cold

I love this place! The movie top gun was partly filmed in this restaurant, there are several photos showing the cast. This is a great place to go and watch the Kansas City Chiefs play on TV while in San Diego. Kansas City Chiefs fans tend to migrate here for games!! Awesome experience

I had an odd and very upsetting lunch on 10/31. This is the "Top Gun" BBQ restaurant. Decent food and fun if you're a fan of the movies. I ate my BBQ sandwich and my iced tea inside, in the restaurant, not the bar. However, I was only a couple of tables away from the entrance to the bar and so could, unfortunately, hear the bartender way too clearly. Some "highlights": - "Get out of the f*cking country if you voted for Biden." - Multiple (at least 3) references to a 2020 story with NO basis about him and his daughter. Repeatedly arguing with someone who didn't, of course, believe it. - More swearing, which I'm not against, but I don't find appropriate for an employee in a restaurant. Even if I HAD been in the bar. - Talk about how cool their owner was since "I had never been so drunk". I didn't hear the details. Drunk at work? Or too hung over to work? Very unpleasant experience overall.

Known as the "Top Gun" bar. I was pleasantly surprised that the food was pretty good, especially for "Kansas City BBQ" in California. I had the rib platter with pork ribs. The ribs were good. I was not a huge fan of their BBQ sauce as it was a bit sweet. The coleslaw was good, though it is vinegar based and good Mac and cheese. This is not a good place for a vegan or vegetarian there are no options for non-meat eaters. There's lots of Top Gun memorabilia on the walls and what is supposed to be the piano from the movie is there. The most surprised thing for me was how small the place is. I tiny hat to the wonders of movie making. The restaurant and bar are extremely small. It looked like you would have a hard time getting more than 50 people in the place. It was an overall good experience.

This slightly rundown-looking place is an anomaly amongst all the polished, glamorized new & newish construction along the waterfront, and should be treasured for being a throwback to a simpler time. If you want a Zagat rated experience or are looking for Michelin stars, Kansas City BBQ in San Diego is not for you. For a funky vintage vibe, this is a joint worth a look and a good meal that doesn't break the bank. We were out on a pre-dinner walk, and saw the magic letters "BBQ" just a couple blocks from our hotel, so we wandered over. Didn't realize it was the "Top Gun" bar set until we came in, saw all the cool navy hats hanging from the rafters and the memorabilia on the walls. The two guys behind the bar (one I think was the owner) were characters, enjoyably gruff and good natured at the same time. We ordered food to go -- a chicken plate and a two-meat combo plate. The beans, mac & cheese, and coleslaw were tasty -- I'm not a mayonnaise fan, so the German-style vinegar based coleslaw was a real hit for us. My son's chicken was crackly skinned without being fried; brisket and pulled pork was good. BBQ sauce was middle of the road, it was fine, mind you, just not Red's in Dallas, Texas good if you get my drift. Each plate averaged out to a little over $20 apiece, a veritable bargain in the expensive Downtown San Diego restaurant scene. Even better, the quantity was such that the chicken plate fed our son the next day, and the combo plate was enough for both my husband and I, with enough pulled pork leftover for a sandwich (it's possible that we are light eaters). So, if you are a BBQ aficionado, maybe from looking at the other reviews, this is not the place for you. But for better than decent grub, if you are in the right mindset that this place is an experience and a good meal, this is a good option, and the stuff on the walls and ceiling are fun to see.

Highly recommend for any Top Gun fans. Fantastic memorabilia displayed around the bar / restaurant, including the original piano. Fun atmosphere, we found it family friendly with our 2 children (age 8 & 15). Victoria, our server was very friendly, food was very good and reasonably priced. We had a great evening! Don’t forget to buy a t shirt, they are a great souvenir!

Kansas City BBQ is a small, cozy, fun, and easygoing joint in the downtown area of San Diego. The bar scene in "Top Gun" was filmed here, and the original piano from the scene in the movie is still there. They have reasonable prices on a variety of drinks and hearty plates of BBQ. Bar hands are very friendly. They sell tshirts and postcards, too.