Bryan’s Pit Barbeque

Reviews

• Cyl J.

  star star star star_border star_border 20 July 2026

  I was craving bbq anything, especially since the 4th of July came and went without my craving of bbq being filled just yet.
  
  I was fairly indecisive and stuck between the bbq chicken plate or a sandwich of sorts, so definitely surprised when I had ended up ordering the bbq brisket. I was able to pick two sides, which I ended up getting Cole slaw and baked beans. The meal was put together in a few minutes and I was able to get my ticket for parking validated as I waited.
  
  Once I sat down for my meal I dug in. The Cole slaw was a bit bland and I ended up mixing it up with my brisket or baked beans in turn. The brisket was soft and the bbq sauce was good with it. The baked beans were definitely different from ones I'm used to, but good too. I did like the garlic bread tossed in with the meal as well.
  
  Overall, a good experience, but definitely pricey for the whole meal for the amount of food that you get.

• Ebony M.

  star star star star star_border 8 July 2026

  I'm black and from the South. So, not to be a stereotype, but BBQ is kinda in my blood. I know that Bryan's isn't necessarily AUTHENTIC, but you know what? I still LOVE this place. EXCELLENT potato salad and Cole slaw. I like the ribs because they have that Memphis dry rub on them, but the sauce is just fantastic and contrasts the rub nicely.
  
  I get that it doesn't have that "fresh off the grill" bite to it (which is the common complaint I hear from friends and relatives that I've brought here over the years), but my palate is diverse enough to enjoy and appreciate different versions of something -- as long as it's good. Bryan's is just that. Good eatin'.
  
  I deducted a star because it's just too dang expensive. I understand that the Farmer's Market and the Grove are not cheap real estate, but I can get equally delicious ribs from Trader Joe's and slap those on a tiny grill. $11 for a two-person serving of baby backs as opposed to the $25 I spend at Bryan's once all is said and done.

• Nathaly R.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 6 July 2026

  Presentation... awful. Chicken for both my partner and I, dry. Lemonade ($3.00 plus tax) is too expensive plus it's also sour... makes you feel like your drinking a classic margarita at Wahoo's Fish tacos but with out the agave. $33 for awful food... I mean as they say. You get what you pay for. Nothing is fresh here. At all. Service at the front by the owner I'm guessing... is also bad but not as bad as the food. Our mistake to come here with a hungry appetite.
  PASS. Don't waste your time at this location. Settle for something great! Sometimes expensive food is worth it.

• Bahar S.

  star star star star star 30 June 2026

  Honestly I'm outraged by the bad reviews. The food here is so delicious. I like the beef ribs and the chopped beef sandwich. I get my kids the brisket sandwich plate with Mac and cheese and they LOVE it. You have to make sure you ask for a "juicy" cut of the brisket. They also have delicious Yams. It's so hard to find a place that the whole family likes and this place is definitely our favorite shop at the farmers market. It's a family business and the people who run it are always so friendly and helpful.

• Kevin R.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 24 June 2026

  The Farmer's Market is a regular haunt of mine and I've been stalking Bryan's for decades now. Loving BBQ as I do, the obstacle to entry has always been the steam tables upon which the fare is displayed. Suffice it to say: BBQ and steam dot not mix. Also, one of my rules of thumb is: if you never smell wood, you're not walking past a BBQ.
  
  A couple of years ago, I inquired to the man behind the counter as to the style of BBQ to which Bryan's aspired. He answered, "We call it California BBQ. We don't pour on a lot of smoke." Honest answer. It is also a similar answer to one I got in another establishment, one in Pasadena, about which i was similarly suspicious. In that case, I found a fairly unique take on BBQ which I generally enjoyed. And hey, I don't know everything. So I've been planning to try Bryan's for some time. My day finally came last week... Should have kept walking.
  
  I ordered what I consider the holy trinity of BBQ: Pork ribs, beef ribs and sliced brisket. Taken in their turn:
  
  The brisket was a homogeneously under fatted product, resembling nothing so much as deli roast beef. Not very good and having little or nothing at all to do with the best exemplars of BBQ brisket.
  
  The beef ribs were prepared from a good enough underlying product but the preparation added little flavor or interest beyond a wealth of paprika. Likewise the pork ribs. Uninspiring as all three of these dishes were, the visual appeal was equally lacking. Such is the fate of meat left on a steam table. Now, I cannot say for sure, but I think it possible that the only cooking the BBQ at Bryan's get is from a steamer. Now that may not be a crime but it really should be. It's just that wrong. And if California is to become associated with its own category of BBQ (besides that of Santa Maria of course) we can certainly do better than this.
  
  The price was fair and guys that work there seem very nice and are very helpful, but at the end of the day, Bryan and I disagree stridently on the topic of BBQ. Alas, pass this one by.