“always judge the merits of good bbq on: tenderness of meat, flavor of meat, bbq style, flavor of sauce (if needed) and that intangible wow factor that comes from a group of any one of a million different things from atmosphere to presentation to whateve”
“a 9 out of 10-not too greasy, not too dry”
“love Bar B Q and in San Diego there aren't a lot of choices.”
“this place is truly great.”
“this place has the best quality food with quality people.”
“Ribs are huge and tender.”
“service time was a bit slow.”View Less
Always hits the spot!. Phil's is the best place for ribs and they also have a very tasty Sangia. I went there last week and it just hit the spot! The staff is so friendly too - Love you Phil's BBQ.
Ribs that make me sooooo happy!. Being from Texas, I consider myself a big BBQ snob. So I am proud to admit that Phil's has the best ribs west of the Mississippi! Seriously, go to Phil's and get yer dibs on the ribs!
The Sauce Thrills at Phil's!.
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 03/26/09
As one who considers himself a BBQ connoisseur...I'm always excited to take recommendations from close friends on what they consider to be "excellent BBQ" Case in point, Phil's on Sports Arena Dr in San Diego. A great friend of mine talked the joint up to no end...Put simply, I couldn't wait to make it down to try the spot. I always judge the merits of good bbq on: tenderness of meat, flavor of meat, bbq style, flavor of sauce (if needed) and that intangible wow factor that comes from a group of any one of a million different things from atmosphere to presentation to whatever.
I ordered the Broham-a pulled pork sandwich, I also ordered a half-rack of baby backs. We also had a cheeseburger and a side of onion rings (two people..not just me!)
Pulled pork sandwich got a 6.5 out of 10-Definitely not a slow cooked flavor. Tasted almost of lighter fluid which scared me as a place touting itself in BBQ. Not sure if it was the charcoal they use. Nonetheless, it was a bit tough...it wasn't fork tender like pulled pork should be. The bun was excellent...and that smoky sweet spicy sauce did a bang-up job of making it more manageable
Ribs got a 9 out of 10-What can I say...moist, meaty and the sauce did the rest. Not the best I've ever had...but darn good. I suppose if I were to give criticism I'd say they were a little shorter than baby backs I've had before...and there seemed to be a bit of connective tissue that got chewy here and there...definitely AMAZING though. (You gotta like sauce though, they're SAUCY!)
Burger got a 3 out of 10-Ugh...dry, lifeless, hard like a rock...the onion ring tried to sit in there to help...but this was doomed from jumpstreet. Go buy a burger from Carl's Jr and save yourself the wait.
Onion Rings got a 9 out of 10-Not too greasy, not too dry....Large onions, fresh batter, just enough salt and oil to make it pop. Real winner here!
Sauce got a 9 out of 10-One of the top 10 sauces I've ever had. Very rich, tangy, spicy, sweet and complex. Did a great job covering up any inconsistencies in the meat...
Service time was a bit slow...but that's to be expected at the middle of lunch during the week. Put best, it's a great food joint that makes good food. If you're a Texas, Memphis, North Carolina or even Santa Maria BBQ junkie...this probably won't be the best...but it will sure beat most.
Enjoy!…
Editorial Review. Smokey ribs smothered in housemade barbeque sauce draw the crowds, while good prices and no-frills atmosphere keep locals coming back.
