Do You Even Barbecue Bro? (Plus My Top Ten BBQ Spots in OC)

 Ribbro BBQ

2300 SE Bristol Suite C

Newport Beach, CA 92660

It can now be confirmed that we are experiencing a barbecue renaissance in OC. Until the middle of the last decade, we had maybe one or two spots creating exceptional barbecue. This is not the case these days. I can now fill out a top ten list for barbecue restaurants in OC and still have a few spots left over. That's never been the case before, and I've been dreaming of this, especially after a long-ago trip to Texas to see what authentic BBQ was all about. My personal top ten list of OC barbecue restaurants will follow this review. 

It was a Saturday, and Katie and I wanted to get out and walk a few miles. We are big fans of the Upper Newport Bay Trail, which runs alongside San Diego Creek. It's a nicely paved and flat route, with a hint of getting away from it all with its stunning views and excellent people-watching on this busy trail. Of course, we procrastinated a bit while leaving the house and decided to have dinner before our supposed hike, which I knew would not happen. 

I picked Ribbro BBQ, situated at the end of Bristol, right before it turns into the 73 Toll Road at Jamboree. I had not heard any buzz about this spot before, and I was not expecting too much from it. When we showed up right around half past five, there was not that pleasing BBQ aroma wafting outside that I've come to expect from excellent barbecue restaurants. I also saw no smokers on the restaurant's side or back. I was sure this would be a dud, even though their four-and-a-half-star rating on Yelp gave me a sliver of hope. 

I had secretly texted my friend Chris to meet us here since he lives nearby, and that would ensure that we would not be doing any walking this evening. When we walked into the tiny storefront, we were greeted by a husband and wife duo. They've been open for coming up on three years now. Their menu features sausage, chicken, pulled pork, pork ribs, brisket, and a beef rib requiring 24-hour notice. You can get these proteins in sandwiches, plates, or a combo meal. We ordered at the counter, and the food was brought to our table under a canopy in the parking lot. Let's see if Ribbro would surprise us.  

Here's a quick shot of what Chris got for his meal. He opted for the Half Pound Brisket Plate ($16.50) and a Side of Cole Slaw ($3.50). Plates at Ribbro come with just the meat and no sides except for a slice of cornbread, pickled veggies, and two sauces. It's definitely worth getting the combo plates with two sides and a free fountain drink. 

Katie definitely knows how to order at a barbecue restaurant. She went with the 2 Meat Combo ($18.99 plus a fifty-cent upcharge for the pulled pork). She selected Louisiana Sausage, coleslaw, and potato salad to round out her meal, along with the pulled pork. The pork was excellent, with lovely bits of bark and a pleasing flavor that was not overly smoky. There was a good texture to it as well, as it was not too dry and not mushy. I'm pretty sure they don't make their own sausage, but it was good, with a nice snappy casing surrounding it. It went well with the mustard-based sauce that came with our meals. The coleslaw was okay; I would have liked a little more dressing included. The potato salad was creamy with a bit of chunkiness to this mustard-tinged side item. Chris and Katie liked the cornbread here, but I would have liked it better with some butter on the side.  

Since no ribs were available this evening, I also went with the 2 Meat Combo ($18.99 plus a $2.00 upcharge for the brisket option). The brisket at Ribbro BBQ really blew me away. I was not expecting it to be so good. It had a lovely tiny ribbon of fat along one side of it, the outside had a nice flavorful bark, and the pink smoke ring was definitely visible. Everything you look for when getting brisket. No sauce was needed for this brisket, but I did enjoy their BBQ sauce, which I found myself using sparingly, not wanting to taint the great-tasting brisket too much. The andouille was denser than Katie's Louisiana sausage but had a nice pop of heat in each bite. The mac and cheese was just okay. The top layer was the best part, with its crunchy topping, where all the cheese sauce was. By the time I dug deeper, it was just the shells. The cheese corn was basically kernels of corn topped with a light cheese sauce and sprinkled with parmesan. It was unique and something I'd have again. 

You can say I was surprised with how much I enjoyed Ribbro BBQ. It didn't look like much outside, but I left here very impressed. I'm looking forward to returning visits when the pork and beef ribs are available, and yes, I'll still order the brisket. Prices were not out of control here, but I wish they would add a disclaimer to their menu that certain meats included with their combo meals had an upcharge. It's not a big deal, but some customers get perturbed about seeing it on their receipt. The lack of buzz about this delicious barbecue restaurant has caused me to think about the other spots that serve just as excellent barbecued meats like this, but they need to be noticed. Luckily, I still have plenty of time to get around to trying them. 

Out of five burrowing owls (because these particular owls use the bluffs of the nearby Upper Newport Bay for protection), five being best to zero being worst, Ribbro BBQ gets 3.5 burrowing owls.  

For more information about Ribbro BBQ, head to their website here: https://www.ribbronewportbeach.com/

Also, as promised, here are my top ten barbecue restaurants in OC so far, with links to my reviews. Enjoy!

#10 Blake's Place - Anaheim

#9 Leadbelly's BBQ - Fullerton

#8 Fire Breather BBQ - Lake Forest

#7 Ribbro BBQ - Newport Beach

#6 Meat Up BBQ - Placentia

#5 The SmoKING Ribs - Garden Grove

#4 Sauced BBQ and Spirits - Orange

#3 Jav's BBQ - Anaheim

#2 Evan's Smokehouse - Yorba Linda

#1 Heritage BBQ - San Juan Capistrano