Barbeque 152

“I did an about-face and veered into the sandwich shop. What I ordered is none of your business, but it was really good.”

---Sue Grafton

BARBEQUE 152

8295 Monterey Road  (Highway 152)

Gilroy, CA 95020

408-842-4499

11:30 AM to 9:00 PM          Every Day

        bbq152.com

(Note:  Except for the directions page, this site is under construction at this writing.)

Barbeque 152 turned up in one of our Google searches of barbeque in the Gilroy area.  We had to drive over Highway 152 anyway to get back and forth between Gilroy and Watsonville during our stay, (OK we could have driven around on 129, but the road is fun.) and we found the place easily. 

It looks like a converted hamburger stand.  It even has a drive-thru window.  When you drive into the lot you know you are in for barbeque.  There are two large, boxy smokers going just outside with a rick of oak against the wall.  Even though it is in Gilroy, the Garlic Capital of the World, you smell the wood, not garlic.  Inside, it’s clean, bright and simple with a flat screen TV on one wall tuned to the inevitable sports channel.  You order from the counter, and they bring your order to the table.

Sharon and I ordered two meat combos, hers with Pork Ribs and Chicken, and mine with Pulled Pork and Tri-tip.  The combos come with Garlic Bread and only one side each.  Sharon ordered the Beans and I ordered Cole Slaw and an extra side of Potato Salad.  They also have BBQ Packs for large parties and sell smoked meat by the pound and the rack of ribs.  The service was fast as you would expect of someplace that has a drive-thru.  The que is served the way we like it, dry with the sauce on the side

Tri-tip

They have tri-tip down to a science.  It’s served sliced, but not too thin.  The meat is tender and juicy with a perfect smoke ring.  It is as good as it gets anywhere!  Definitely try the tri-tip.

Pork Ribs

The appearance was perfect with beautiful color and smoke ring.  They were not fall off the bone tender and while good not exceptional.  If they get the ribs to the same level of perfection as the Tri-tip they will really have something. 

Pulled Pork

The pulled pork is very good.  Not quite as flavorful as some I have had in the South, but on the top rung for California que.  It would make a great pulled pork sandwich when topped with a great slaw.  (See below.)

Chicken

So many places that have barbequed chicken really have a roasted chicken with barbeque sauce.  The chicken here is thoroughly smoked, not chased through the smoker.  It made a good leftover, but didn’t have a chance to pass the kitty test because I didn’t let them have any.

Beans

The beans were simply prepared, and not too sweet.  There seemed to be some cayenne in them because they definitely had a tang to them.  Sharon’s mouth burned a little after she ate it.  These are side dish beans that are a little better than average.

Cole Slaw

Here is another competent, chopped cabbage slaw with a cream style dressing.  It is not too wet and has a pleasant tang to it.  I haven’t tried this on a pulled pork sandwich, but you if you’ve been reading this you know that I would prefer a shredded slaw on a sandwich both for taste and to make a more stable sandwich.

Potato Salad

Again, this is a competently done side dish that looks, tastes, and feels on the tongue like it was done in house, and didn’t come in a container from Smart and Final.

The place looks like a converted burger joint.  It’s simple, and clean, but not dramatic.  The tri-tip is to die for and indicates that there is a lot of potential here.  The rest of the que is very good, but not fabulous.  It’s not destination barbeque, but if you are in the Gilroy area at lunch or dinner time, you would be doing yourself a favor by stopping in.  Even the local gendarmes patronize the place. We give it an eight.