Came here on a whim and left to be a loyal customer. Not just because the food is good, but because the customer service was top notch. Danny gave me a little sample pf everything and it did not disappoint.
Andrea D.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Diego, CA
First time here, I walked in door and was greeted immediately. I said it’s my 1st time here, show me what ya workin wit! The guy lined up the sample cups & let me taste pretty much everything. From first bite to the last I was pretty impressed. Now I’m a foodie and big critic & will tell you the honest truth. I drive pass this place everyday… well today’s the last time I’ll do that! I ordered the slab of ribs, Mac and cheese and baked beans. Thank you Danny for bringing good food and love to our community. Your new loyal customer
Thuong T.
Rating des Ortes: 2 San Diego, CA
I decided to come here because they had a lot of high reviews. Let me just say that this place is very ghetto. It’s attached to a liquor store and a market. The whole building looks pretty run down. The place felt more like a market rather than a restaurant. I came here about one hour before closing. The food definitely looks like it has been sitting around for awhile. But heck, I wanted to give it a try anyways. Got a beef rib combo for $ 9.99. Thats an awesome price. But it only came with two smaller rib bones and two sides. I chose the mac n cheese and sweet potato. The beef ribs were good but a little bit greasy. The mac n cheese sucked. Very mushy and powdery. The sweet potato was in some sort of weird sauce and it was okay. My sister wanted fish and chips, but they claimed that they had no fish because the market next door was closed. Thats weird, because the market is obviously still open. Sounds like they just don’t want to make it. So she ordered a turkey sandwich instead. Although the turkey sandwich was large in size, the meat and veggies were very scarce. Just imagine a giant loaf of bread with a very thin layer of meat and veggies. The proportion of meat to bread was completely off. Maybe I came on a slow or bad day, but I don’t think I’ll ever come back here again…
Roger B.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Diego, CA
The food here is amazing!!! I highly recommend the RibTips, the greens, and the brisket baked beans!!!
Erikar Z.
Rating des Ortes: 5 South Encanto, San Diego, CA
I went in wanting their $ 1 tacos & came out with the DELICIOUS brisket plate. The plate came with 2 sides. The 1st Danny was super generous with the samples we tried. We tried the greens(new to us but very delicious), the mac & cheese has 4 different cheeses and was really good, and the baked beans that were cooked with the brisket(vs pork). Anyways, Danny convinced us to get something different which we did. We chose the baked beans as one side and mashed potatoes with chicken pot pie toppings(which was also bomb!!) The 2nd Danny was just as nice and very courteous as the other Danny. I also walked away with a taco of Adobada which had a really good taste along with the salsa . The 2nd Danny was nice enough to give us a sweet potato slice of pie to try. It was delicious as well!!! Something I will definitely get again. The prices are great and they give more than enough food to share. Anyways, the brisket had a really good and tangy or almost spicy factor to it which made the brisket taste that much better. I told my boyfriend that this food tastes extra delicious because the customer service from both Danny’s was amazing. Thank you guys, you guys are awesome(:
Jen B.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Diego, CA
Gotta give Danny and Danny five stars. They are friendly and proud of their service and food. I appreciated that they were super generous with their samples — they’ll let you taste anything and so you know what you’ll prefer before you order it. I like the place, too. Feels like a food stand rather than a restaurant. You can see everything too… I love an open kitchen! And again, the friendly attitude was so welcome after a very poor service experience at another local bbq place.(Actually, got to hand it to them or I may never have come across the street! So thanks, other bbq place.) I recommend the ribs, they are delicious and a great pricr. The greens are great and the yams taste like dessert. I need to go back for some pulled pork! It was in the smoker when I arrived.
Steven M.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Diego, CA
I’m a big BBQ advocate. I travel around d San Diego trying to find a truly great BBQ place. This was it. I walked passed it almost every week day only noticing the really nice chopper outside. Today I got off work late and decided to stop in. 10 out of 10 in customer service and the same if not higher for the food and price. Different BBQ sauces that are a luck of the draw depending on which day you go. But you always win this draw. I will be returning a lot to try everything on their menu. They definitely sparked my interest. Beef brisket was delicious and I’m trying the cat fish next.
PNUT M.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Diego, CA
Near, far wherever you are, you need to try the food here!!! Read reviews saying it was in a bad neighborhood but don’t judge a book by its cover. The guys helping us with our order were so kind and generous with their samplings. My hubs ordered the ribs, with chicken pot pie mash and collard greens, I ordered beef brisket with collard greens and candy yams. All of it was delicious! We also ordered a pepperoni, sausage with bell pepper pizza for our daughters and they loved it. The pizza was a lot better than expected!!! The sausages had fennel seeds which gave it a pop of flavor, tasted really good. Everything here was mouth watering! Totally recommend this place. We decided not to get drinks here and went to Sprouts down the street and got local brews from Belching Beaver«Me so Honey.» Would recommend that beer with your pizza.
Alain R.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Diego, CA
One word, SAMPLES. You can sample pretty much anything. Quite honestly, I’m upset at myself for not coming here sooner. Great place to pick up food and enjoy in the comfort of your own home. The quality of the food is ridiculous, amazingly great tasting home cooked style food. If you fancy a stop here, ask for Danny the store owner, he’s a great guy and will make you feel at home. Lastly, get the four cheese macaroni and cheese, you will not be disappointed.
A J.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Diego, CA
We had it for the first time last week and we went back tonight because it’s so delicious. The food tastes so fresh and homemade. We hade brisket, cornbread, greens, potato salad, beans and banana pudding.
Jesse D.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Oceanside, CA
Such a great place to eat, customer service was great and they let me try anything that I wanted to try. The food tasted like it was cooked to perfection as well as they had everything from pizza to barbecue to sandwiches. You cannot go wrong with this place I would definitely bring friends and family and significant others here.
Steve j.
Rating des Ortes: 5 El Cajon, CA
My buddy and I decided to try this place after reading the reviews. As soon as we walked in the owner Danny was very polite and welcomed us with many samples to try, samples of everything, and it was all great, seasoned perfectly and Cooked just right. And you can’t beat these prices for the taste, I have tried a lot of bbq places, this place is definitely way up there, absolutely recommend it to everyone.
Victor A.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chula Vista, CA
Been wanting to try BVM bbq for a while after reading all the great reviews. Finally had the opportunity today and it was even better than I imagined. Hands down the best bbq in town. I’ve tried them all and none compare. Went in and was greeted by Danny. After chatting about and tasting all the great food I ended up walking out with the brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, bbq beans, mac n cheese, greens, and yams. Everything was AMAZING! Can’t wait to go back. Thanks Danny!
Philip R.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chula Vista, CA
First off the previews reviews are true. This place has amazing customer service. I forgot the name of the two guys but they were super friendly. They gave us samples of their sides and explained how they made it. Definitely got me excited to order food from them. The brisket and ribs were amazing! Good smoke flavor and the bbq sauce had a nice vinegar flavor. The sides were plentiful and delicious. The baked beans are made with brisket, the Mac n Cheese uses 3 cheeses(I think one of them is parmesan), collard greens, open face/deconstructed pot pie, and Spanish rice with a hint of garlic. We also got a sample of their Mac n Cheese balls and two of their desserts, banana pudding and peach cobbler. Definitely have to come back here to try their pizza and wings next time.
Gina c.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Oceanside, CA
Yes! Yes! Yes! It’s hood good the food is on point! Don’t let the area scare you off though. Me and the bf had BBQ beef ribs and pork ribs along with their chicken wangs mmmm! And to top it off we almost had to throw down for the banana pudding. the owner will give you samples to try just about everything he’s super cool and cordial! You don’t get that often and that’s a bonus cuz you can’t beat good customer service and good eats. we are definitely coming back to try everything else!
Aaron H.
Rating des Ortes: 4 San Diego, CA
Came here because of a strong recommendation from my favorite Unilocaler Soo H. He was right, this place is pretty amazing. I felt like a little kid coming in here. I was wide-eyed and overwhelmed wanting to try everything like being in a big kid’s candy store. Had to go with the game plan of BBQ even though the fried chicken and fish were taunting and whispering to me behind the glass. Go with the brisket combo with collards and mashed potatoes. Love that they slice those large slabs of brisket off in front of you. The woman was nice enough to offer to take the slices back on the grill for a few minutes to liven it up for some BBQ sauce. Unfortunately there’s no dining in here while I was starving and beyond eager to dive in. Should of asked her favorite before I ordered. She said the rib tips and mac & cheese are her favorite. They’ll be my next returning order. Eat this massive tray of food in my car. Awesome fat guy portions. The BBQ sauce took me by surprise. Sooooo much better than anticipated. Love the spices in that sauce. Hope I can buy some bottled the next time. Brisket is good. Got my smoke fix. Huge chunks of fat on it. Difficult to eat the way they sliced it and with plastic utensils. A little over cooked but still good. Just a little tougher and drier than I used to. Mashed potatoes were better than expected too. Just wish they had some gravy. Collards were decent. Tasted better than they looked. Think my timing was bad coming mid afternoon. I’ll be back to try more. This place is super cool and exactly what I’m looking for. A better location would give them a lot more customers. Big fan.
Tom M.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Diego, CA
So I used a website called to find this place. It’s pretty close to my house but I’ve just never noticed it I guess. It’s not in the best neighborhood and doesn’t look like much on the outside. My loss, because the food and variety is darn good. I feel like I’ve missed out on going here! The guy behind the counter was exceptional… really some of the best customer service I’ve seen in a long time. As a lot of the reviews say, they want to give you samples so you can try a lot of the food. Everything was great. I really liked the greens and the yams, but my daughter wanted the bbq beans and mac-n-cheese along with the brisket. All of that was exceptional as well. We also ordered a pizza. They have a nice variety of pizza toppings and specialty pizza. We decided on the taco pizza. OMG, it was amazingly good! My wife took a few leftover slices to work the next day and said the entire staff lounge was drooling. The menu is pretty extensive, covering bbq, pizza, wings, sandwiches and tacos. It was a bit overwhelming to see that much stuff in one place. Well, I am going back and will try a few more items. I’m certain I won’t be disappointed. Bravo, job well done!
Soo H.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Diego, CA
Tree sprouts in forest wood in smoker flavors ribs the circle of life. I use to drive to the hood for the awesome fried chicken at Huffman’s BBQ. The sign is still up but now cell phones are sold at the old Huffman’s building. A bit further down the road I found BVMBBQ. If my mom had owned a bbq I think it would be like this place. The owner Danny is one of the nicest and most engaging owners I’ve met. He told me everything I wanted to know about how his food was prepared and gave out samples making ordering much easier. I showed up right when he opened at 11am and there was a hint of smoked meat in the air. The beef brisket had a delicious smoky aroma. Smoked in hickory and pecan wood the mix of flavors was amazing. The pork ribs had an complex flavor from the dry rub combined with smoke from apple, cherry, and mesquite wood. Tender, juicy and delicious. 2nd visit I tried the fish and chips. Corn meal batter on the swai fish tasted very similar to the fried catfish I get at Felix’s BBQ. The french fries here have much better flavor but I prefer the fish at Felix’s. For dessert I tried the banana pudding. Delicious mix of banana wafers and pudding. I also tried the fried chicken. Nice crispy skin and flavor. Comparable to Crispy Fried Chicken. I’m gonna try to come here when they open at 11am. Ribs and brisket are fresh out of the smoker. Awesome deal on a full rack of pork ribs at $ 19.99. Fried chicken isn’t as good as Huffman’s but the ribs and beef brisket are delicious! :-)
Justin J.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Spring Valley, CA
My fellow BBQ hound Omar S. braved the joint and had kind words, so I decided to shoot in before closing on a Friday night. Ordered two combos: 3 pc Fried Chicken w/Mac and Cheese and Greens ~ Chicken was good and a small step above the chains, Mac and Cheese was average, but the greens were on par with any soul food joint in the county. Pork Ribs w/Mac and Cheese and Mashed Potatoes ~ Ribs came 3 to an order, were decently meaty, and had a great smokey flavor. I enjoyed them a lot. The mashed potatoes were dry and tasted like they could have came from a box, but in fairness I stopped in 45 mins before close so they probably had rested under a heat lamp for quite some time. Peach Cobbler ~ A generous portion of a good cobbler. Heated up a bit and it tasted like Christmas. **I got a side order of Sweet Potatoes and although I enjoyed the spiced sweetness, I almost swallowed a small piece of metallic colored foil** Overall decent viddles and I would happily give this place another try, somewhere along the way.
Omar S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 San Diego, CA
READER’S NOTE: This is a review about BBQ. I understand that my preferences are not the only valid ones. If reading this review makes your brain hurt, please get a grip; it’s just meat. Now that Barnes’ BBQ is gone from Lemon Grove, I am unaware of any place in the County that slow-smokes pork ribs and shoulder using my favorite wood, hickory. Among the few local BBQ shops that smoke meat at all, most use mesquite(which my Southern taste buds find bitter), and many rush the process, using considerably less than the several hours required to get a good smoke ring and good«bark» on the meat. Our area’s most popular«BBQ» restaurant doesn’t smoke their meat; they bake it, rub sauce on it, then finish it on a grill. Go figure. My Beloved and I dropped by BVM recently. We met the owner, Danny, who, as other Unilocalers have noted, is highly enthusiastic about his business and the food he produces. Danny will discuss any aspect of his business, food preparation, competing establishments and BVM’s prospects for the future, for as long as you wish to continue the conversation. He will also provide samples of anything he makes, large samples, more than one, whatever it takes for you to understand that his place is about good food. Never shy about talking or eating free stuff, I warmed to this fellow immediately. It turns out we know some of the same people in the area’s BBQ community, so, after a bit of gossip(‘Tay moved to Las Vegas, for those who wonder), my Beloved and I got down to sampling. We tried: Danny’s homemade BBQ sauce, pork ribs, rib tips, beef brisket, pulled pork, mac ‘n cheese and greens. Then, hard as it may be to believe, we ordered dinner. The verdict(s)? Well… I didn’t care for Danny’s sauce, finding it too sweet and needing some sort of emulsifier, but I’m not much of a sauce guy. I like dry-rubbed meat, relying on spices and smoke for flavor. — Pork Ribs were tender and succulent, each bite leaving tooth marks in the meat, as though it was pork tenderloin wrapped around a bone. The ribs were smoked with a combination of mesquite and cherywood, a blend tastier than I would have expected. There wasn’t much of a smoke ring or bark on the ribs, but they were good. We took home a full rack, which, at $ 20, is a value. — Rib Tips were like the ribs, but they’d been doused in BBQ sauce, so they were less appealing to me. — Brisket was a real surprise. Not being a fan of BBQ beef, I passed on the offer of a beef rib, and only sampled the brisket because it was put in front of me. Boy, am I glad I said«yes», because that was some melt-in-your-mouth, luscious and flavorful meat. It was smoked with hickory and pecan, a combination I’ve used at home, one that delivers a sultry taste. — Pulled Pork was dry and had been sauced. I’d try it again, but only if I could have it served straight from the smoker. — Mac ‘n Cheese was good, not great, a version of what many other BBQ shops prepare. Actually, so many restaurants have jumped on this particular bandwagon that I wish everyone would just stop and figure out something else to do with macaroni and cheese. That being said, we took an order home with us. — Greens: Ah… those greens… the most gratifying discovery of the night. Greens are easy to cook but hard to make delectable, and Danny has worked out a fantastic recipe. He braises collard, turnip and mustard greens together with smoked meats — ham hock, pork belly and turkey wings — and for fun, dresses the pot with chili flake, which he adds because it frustrates him to see people dump hot sauce on the dish. The result is juicy, rich but not fatty, and in no way bitter. This was my favorite item on BVM’s menu. — Peach Cobbler. Leave aside the fact that this dessert was tasty and not oversweet; I weighed the serving on my kitchen scale and found I’d purchased a full pound. For $ 3.99. The sole negative: BVM’s fried chicken was greasy and salty; think Asian salt and pepper wings, but bigger. We also thought that for the pieces included in the plate, it was too expensive. Finally, a note about BVM’s smoker: Danny uses a cooking device I’ve never seen before: the BBQ Boss by Smokarama( ). It’s a sort of smoke-filled pressure cooker that shortens the cooking time while avoiding the baking/boiling mess that others get into. Being an old-school firebox-and-cooking chamber kind of guy, I’m not sold on the device, but if Danny get more bark on the ribs and pulled pork without introducing creosote taste, I’ll be a fan.