Heritage Barbecue

Heritage Barbecue is located on the corner of Old Mission Road and Camino Capistrano across the street from Mission San Juan Capistrano with paid public parking below/behind around The Station restaurant. I first came across this place while scrolling through YouTube. Saw it on “48 Hours at Michelin’s #1 BBQ in California” video and had it flagged to stop in for a while. Well, I finally did and I wasn’t dissapointed!! Stopped in on a semi-rainy and overcast day, which meant there was no line, good for me. Everything’s ala-cart on the menu, and with their decent options, it took me a bit to narrow down what I wanted. Also, everything’s priced by the 1/2 pound. After ordering food and paying, there’s a separate drink area with bottled/can sodas as well as draft and canned beer. They have

We recently visited Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano for a Saturday lunch. Arriving at 12:20 PM, we found ourselves behind roughly 200 people. While the line moved at a crawl, the atmosphere remained surprisingly calm. About an hour in, a staff member in a cowboy hat gave a brief speech explaining their 'pay-before-you-sit' policy. The menu is written on chalkboards and changes daily; unfortunately, by the time we reached the front, several items had already sold out. At 2:40 PM—over two hours after our arrival—we finally reached the cashiers. After ordering, we watched the pitmaster behind the window expertly hand-cut the meat to order. We were given a number and escorted to a table on the outdoor patio. Though our group was reaching 'hangry' levels of frustration by the time we

I learned about Heritage Barbecue on Facebook. I'm always very wary of other people's recommendations because American food is often overly salty, overly sweet, and those ribs are usually drenched in a ton of sauce and often topped with a burnt crust. So this time I came prepared. I went to the website and read reviews on Yelp. Before my trip, I knew the place was popular and there would likely be a line. Knowing the restaurant is in San Juan Capistrano, which is significantly hotter than Long Beach, I decided that arriving at 3 p.m. was the best time. Yes, my decision was a bit risky, as they could sell out and close. But we took the risk anyway. I also knew about the bib gourmand award and how it differs from a Michelin star. Accordingly, I wasn't expecting anything special, just well-co

This was a great find. Driving by and saw a line up of people which was intriguing. Got in line and ordered brisquet and mac’n’cheese. Both were amazing! The brisquet was mouth watering and the cheese had a uniquely different taste that was delicious. Great outdoor seating area, friendly service, and clean washrooms. Would definitely go out of my way to eat here.

Best bbq I ever had so far 🤭 we (party of 14) arrived super early around 9:13AM Sat (first in line) from Oceanside via train (Metrolink) all the food was amazing. The chicken and tri-tip was mouth watering. Definitely going back for more. The owner and workers were super nice 😊 thank you for the wonderful hospitality 🥹