Kaminski's BBQ: A Carnivore's Heaven

There was never a doubt in my mind that would be the meat-haven I assumed it would be. From the moment you drive into their parking lot, the smell of BBQ is very apparent. As I approached the building, my only thought was, “Yep. I’ll have no problem finding meat dishes on their menu.” Low and behold I was right. This column was created with places like Kaminski’s in mind.

This was my first visit to this restaurant. I know—shame on me for having not gone before. My first impression was this is a great place to watch a sporting event. I can appreciate a bar area with countless TVs that’s roomy, clean and comfortable, yet not too overdone. They also have plenty of tables and a separate area for large parties. We sat in the bar area, but it wasn’t the kind of place I felt was an uncomfortable environment for kids. There were other families there and we all mixed in quite well with the guys there to watch the baseball playoffs.

As for the food, this place delivered on all things meat. Not much of a surprise there, seeing as how it is a BBQ restaurant. Their menu is fairly typical of what you would expect to see: wings, burgers, pizza, meaty sandwiches, BBQ platters, some salads and all types of potato sides. Their portions are of a decent size, prices are good and the food is fit for the hungriest of kings!

We started off with a starter of fries, which were perfectly crunchy and came with a nice chipotle sauce. For dinner, we ordered a Carolina pulled pork sandwich ($9), a BBQ bacon burger ($11), a grilled cheese on garlic sourdough with hickory smoked bacon ($9) and a kid’s hamburger meal ($6).  

Honestly, I can say we were all pretty happy with our selections. It’s really difficult to mess up simple dishes, so everything was what I expected from Poway’s first authentic BBQ house. The grilled cheese was way better than what I expected, the pulled pork was decent and the burgers were good, all-American burgers. No complaints at all. I could definitely see why Kaminski’s is so popular! Granted, my youngest decided to have a meltdown in the middle of dinner—every parent’s dream when they’re in public (OK, not really)—so thank goodness for the TVs to distract us.  

It should be no surprise that Kaminski’s rightfully earns a grand 10 out of 10 on the meatiness scale. Unlike other restaurants I’ve reviewed lately, it’s probably not the best choice if meat isn’t your thing, but if it is, this will be a home run for you. I should mention Kaminski’s has joined the food truck craze, so if you’re out and about in San Diego County, be sure to check out their Super Q truck. It’s a great way to experience the BBQ that Poweigans keep talking about!