Gorilla Barbeque
| Address: | 2145 Cabrillo Hwy, Pacifica, CA 94044, USA |
| Phone: | +1 650-359-7427 |
| Site: | gorillabbq.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | 12–8PM Closed 12–8PM 12–8PM 12–8PM 12–8PM 12–8PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 6
KR
Kristin Deem
Like many diehard DDD fans, I followed Guys advise and took a road out to Pacifica on a Sunday. I was told to expect a line out the front, so at 12:30pm, theyre were only about 10 people ahead of me - took about 20 minutes tops. Im disappointed there arent picnic tables out front or somewhere near the vicinity. I drove down to my usual spot in Half Moon Bay so my food had cooled off a bit. I got the two meat choice - Brisket and Hot links with cole slaw and macaroni and cheese on the side. The brisket was amazing, a few pieces with gristle but nothing I couldnt slice off. The hot links are indeed HOT but a welcome heat over the more savory options. Cole slaw is TO DIE FOR - retained the crunch of the cabbage and just right amount of sugar, wasnt mushy and "made ahead" like a lot of other places. The macaroni and cheese was MEH at best - I was really looking forward to this one but it was just crammed into a small styrofoam cup and lost the allure. Cheese flavor had a bite so you could tell they put in quality cheese varieties but the noodles were overcooked and just plain cafeteria-ish. My mom got the two meats as well - the chicken and ribs. I warned her that her ribs are better and not to get them - she agreed after eating them. The chicken was slightly pink at the bone so we saved that part and just microwaved later at home - was perfect by then added to a small salad. We both agreed the corn bread was pretty decent. OH AND THE PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS ARE OFF THE HOOK!!! Grilled and fresh, they will definitely be ordered again. Best part actually is the BBQ sauce - by the end of the day, I had three little containers of it leftover in the fridge. I was making chicken sausage and vegetable stir-fry a few days later and thought "why not, lets use the Gorilla sauce." OH SNAP! was it good. Ill give this place another try regardless of some of the so-so aspects.
CH
Christopher Calhoun
There are 2 good BBQ places in the area, Gorilla BBQ is one of them. This is a mans BBQ place, not for wussy people who cant stomach tons of MEAT. I got so much food when I went there it literally was spread out across 3 nights of dinner. And I can eat, just look at my sexy belly! They have a fairly diverse menu. Ive had most stuff on it, I will come again. Some places give you a big plate of bones and smother it with sauce, not this place. It is true they may need to add more sauce at home, at least they arent covering it all up so you cant see that you are getting a fair value for your cash. Anyway, if you want dinner from here, better get it early before it sells out. They are so extremely popular and for good reason. Its good friendly people doing their best to make good BBQ. They pull it off well.. Not excellent OMG that is the best in the world kind of good, but pretty darn good. The prices are reasonable unless youve been hiding under a rock for the past 3 years or are some silly poor person who whines that everything in the bay area is expensive. Speaking of whining, they didnt open for so long because they were fighting the dreaded city council all that time trying to get permits and crap like that. well nuff said ;) its unique, their storefront is an old boxcar, thats pretty wicked fun. Yay, Pacifica! Support local business! We need more restaurants. Maybe if enough people develop good places to attract tourism Pacifica will finally fix all those rotten potholes in Highway 1.
JO
Johnny Chau
Gorilla bbq is definitely one of the hidden gems of bay area bbq lovers. Yes, the wait can be long on weekends, but try to get there early (11am) and be guaranteed to get some great bbq. The portion size for bbq is pretty significant. Talking to the owner, a serving of brisket is 0.5 lbs! Thats quite a lot of bbq. Go on Monday or Wednesday for lunch and wait a few minutes tops. Slight smoky flavors permeate a well cooked brisket. Good bark in the central Texas style (salt and pepper only as dry rub). Brisket slices are a little on the thick side but still tender and holds up well to the pull test. Ribs are good, not disintegrating off the bone but still falls off when you want it to. Pulled pork is unctuous and delicious. Havent been able to try the cheesesteak yet. The sides are pretty good, I would recommend the mushrooms. Cornbread is great, rice and beans are a bit salty. Drinks are in the cold case. I would highly recommend visiting Gorilla. BBQ is very personal decision about what you like. If you like a solid bbq that requires little/no sauce, with a smokiness that wont overpower the meat, you found your place.
TA
Tamara Farhat
Dear vegetarian lose this tab, this restaurant is not for you! Even though Gorilla barbeque has a vegetarian meal, all the mouthwatering smells and meats will make you an instant meat lover ! It is a small warehouse container basically, where they sell some serious food. You can either pick up and take it home with you or you can eat it just right next to it in the outdoors where theres something like a small picnic area. Forget about their sandwiches and just opt for their meats. I had the cheese steak sandwich, the meat was great but overall the sandwich was a bit dry. My hubby had the chicken and ribs. The chicken was a bit undercooked (still red from the inside) but he loved the flavors of the few bites he got to eat.Everyone seemed to be enjoying their food, even the only vegetarian with us. The highlight of the place is by far the mac and cheese it is the best one I had so far. As it is a barbeque place I wish they barbecued the corn instead of boiling it... The complimentary bean and rice was really good and they are extremely generous in giving you a lot of real good barbecue sauce.
IL
illyanna Maisonet
At Gorilla Barbecue I decided on a 1 meat option + beans and rice + 2 sides ($12.99). They only offer outdoor seating, but you’re practically sitting in a coastal forest under a canopy of Cypress trees where the spongey floor is a collection of conifer needles that naturally compost the bits of meat that fell off the corners of your mouth. It’s incredibly relaxing and satisfies our primordial instincts to gnaw flesh cooked on an open fire outdoors. The 1 meat plate had three ribs, pinto beans and rice, cornbread, corn on the cob and potato salad (I should have gotten zucchini instead of salad) and a little side of bbq sauce. The corn gleaked juice into the air when I bit into it, the glistening pink hued rib meat stayed on the bone when I greedily lifted it to my gob and yet pulled clean off into submission without a fight. The cornbread had kernels of corn but was a little dry. And that sauce was not unlike the one I make at home: thick, sweet spicy and tangy. I didn’t feel like I had been ripped off.
SE
Sean-Franc Strang
Barbecue is a highly subjective experience, and coming from North Carolina with a Texan Mother, Im always on the lookout for great barbecue on the West Coast. Gorilla is good, but it misses the mark on a few areas. The building is a quaint locomotive converted into a smokehouse, and they follow the traditional "open till we run out" hours. Best to arrive well before 4pm on weekends or you might have to make the drive home on an empty stomach. The ribs were excellent, and the sauce is addictive. Brisket lacked the deep smoke rings and there was hardly any "bark." Also, the serving I had was dry. A friend had chicken and express a desire to douse it in sauce, another sign that the moisture had left the poor bird a long time ago. But as I said, Barbeque is highly subjective. Heading to Gorilla is a great reason to head out to Pacifica, and the food in general hits the spot with decent sized portions. excellent service, but definitely a little pricey for the quality.
