By Jessyka Heredia
March 17, 2024 (Lemon Grove) --
Are you looking for that perfect spot to eat that the whole family will love? Look no further than The Barn House BBQ in Lemon Grove’s downtown district that is quickly becoming a foodie destination. The Barn House BBQ offers wonderfully smoked in-house meats and traditional sides, craft beers, wine, craft cocktails and even a game room the whole family will enjoy! Come for the food and stay for the fun.
When you walk into The Barn House BBQ you can smell the smokey flavors immediately. The Barn House BBQ smokes their meat right outside every day to bring you fresh, quality BBQ to savor.
When you arrive, go straight to the counter to order your meal then take a seat in one of their dining rooms that also have several TV’s to watch your favorite sports game, or head over to the game room where you will find arcade games, a pool table and even foosball. There is also a lovely patio that allows you to catch the view of passersby. Staff will bring your meal out to you so relax and enjoy.
I started my experience with the half rack of the pork ribs platter to see if this BBQ place had what it takes to make me come back for more. The ribs were a generous portion of six meaty wood-smoked ribs. The char was perfectly executed; this is where a crust is created around the surface during the smoking process to seal in the flavors and juices. This is one of the first things a serious BBQ lover looks for and The Barn House BBQ delivered.
My ribs were tender and moist with still some chew to the meat. I definitely enjoyed these ribs, as they were not smothered in sauce. If you are not a sauce person, these are your ribs. The dry rub is cooked into the meat and delicious on its own. A side of traditionally sweet and smokey Kansas City BBQ sauce is provided on the side for dipping or drenching if you prefer. The sauce is not overly sweet and had a thinner consistency that was delicious and great for dipping fries and other sides in.
The half rack portion came with two sides of your choice. I decided to try the smoked beans, which were a lovely combination of large chunks of smoked pork belly and both pinto and black beans with a rich tomato base. These beans were hearty like chili and the smokey flavor from the pork belly was what really separates these beans from anywhere else. I also tried the mac and cheese which was a creamy traditional recipe that is sure to be a hit with even the most finicky eater. Other side options included onion rings, coleslaw, cream of corn, bacon mashed potato, sweet potato fries, and regular French fries. For the half rack pork ribs plate, The Half rack plate of pork ribs is $25.95 and the portion was large enough to share.
I also tried the pulled pork sandwich, which was piled high with delicious pulled pork, perfectly sauced and then topped with the house made coleslaw. The sweet sauce with the tanginess and crunch of the coleslaw was satisfying and tasty. I paired this with a side of sweet potato fries that were absolutely the perfect addition. The sweet potato fries added a touch of salt to my palate to balance the sweet sauce in the pulled pork, however the sweet potato fries were also wonderful when dipped into the BBQ sauce. The pulled pork sandwich is $15.95.
Both dishes also included a large dill pickle wedge and a tangy portion of pickled onions. These onions were quickly devoured after my meal.
The Barn House BBQ also offers a kids’ menu that includes items such as a grilled cheese sandwich, chicken tenders, or a traditional burger.
Vegetarian? No problem, The Barn House BBQ has you covered with a wedge or Caesar salad, meatless sides, as well as a veggie burger topped with lettuce, tomato, and onion on a brioche bun.
The menu has a wide variety of sandwiches such as turkey, BBQ chicken, pastrami and several burgers. There is even a Grove Burrito filled with BBQ pulled chicken, smoked BBQ aioli, fries, cheese, avocado and pico de gallo. Sandwiches are priced from $13.95- $18.95 and include your choice of fries or smoked beans. You can upgrade to sweet potato fries for an additional $1.50.
They have a diverse selection of starters that include wings, nachos, sliders, tacos, rib tips and loaded fries. These starters range in price from $6.95- $12.95.
The Barn House BBQ has family meals to feed even the biggest families and large tables for groups and plenty of TV’s no matter where you are sitting. Family meals range from $65.95 and $95.95 and include beef ribs, pork ribs, and chicken as well as a choice between smoked beans, coleslaw or fries.
Don’t miss dessert! Desserts include Barn House smoked cheesecake and carrot cake.
The arcade and game room are filled with two full-size pool tables, Foosball and several arcade games including a ride on motorcycle game. This room has tables to dine at as well so families can play together and tucked in the back of the restaurant, so it is a bit hidden if you don’t know it is there. While I was dining there was a large family enjoying the room and they told me they all had a blast.
East County Eater sat down with owner and general manager Alberto Vasquez to hear how he and his business partner and Chef Yovani came together to create The Barn House BBQ in the heart of Lemon Grove.
Vasquez told ECM that before COVID hit and wreaked havoc on many businesses including the restaurant industry, Vasquez was planning to open a second location to a restaurant he previously owned. Vasquez stated, “I went out of business within a year. It was really hard. I couldn’t survive because it was a brand-new restaurant.”
Vasquez said the challenges he faced during that time were too much to bear, but now is their time to try a different concept with Kansas City BBQ after playing around with some recipes Vasquez and Yovani knew they were on the right track with the BBQ concept. Vasquez explained that the meats are smoked daily and take 8-14 hours depending on the meats being smoked. Vasquez said they prepare everything fresh and in house.
One of the challenges of restaurants today is how to separate yourselves from the others in the area. Vasquez and Yovani did just that by bringing their delicious smoked meats, and a diverse variety of food options to make the whole family happy. Bringing the arcade and game room to Lemon Grove is sure to be a hit with people of all ages. Lemon Grove has welcomed this restaurant to town and is sure to be the hangout for locals from all around East County on gameday or any day!
The Barn House BBQ is located at 8099 Broadway, Lemon Grove, CA 91945.
They are open Sunday – Thursday 11:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. and Friday – Saturday from 11:30 am - 9:30 pm. Visit their website at https://www.thebarnhousebbq.com/.