I love this place. Food is excellent, friendly staff. Doggies are welcome, great music.

Stopped in for a long anticipated lunch after many hours of driving from Solvang. Ordered the macaroni and cheese with barbecue pulled pork. The pork was tender and nicely seasoned. The macaroni and cheese tasted good, however after I dumped some barbecue sauce on top it kicked it up a notch! The soda machine has many tasty options. I settled on the cream soda since it's not too sweet. The people here are always nice and welcoming. I noticed the new patio outdoor seating area. Well new to me anyway. It looks pretty!

I'm from KC, so bbq options in CA are usually not that great. Aptos St BBQ had delicious brisket. Sides were just ok, but it's all about the meat for me. Tons of beer options. They had live music when we were there on Friday night.

In the area and looking for bbq. We had the 4 meat special with two sides. Ordered the spicy hot link, pork ribs, brisket and tri tip. For the sides we got the last bit of mac and cheese and also had potato salads. The meal came with a piece of cornbread. I'd give the place an overall 3.5, which rounds up to a 4. The brisket which they said they were known for was not very good so I was surprised they bragged about it. Maybe we got a bad piece. The sides were awesome and the meats were all right but not super tender. You order at the counter and wait till they call your number. Pretty much a self serve kind of place but everyone is friendly. A very causal vibe going on. Will probably try a different BBQ place when we're in the area.

Quite possibly the best balanced smoked meat, not too fatty of a brisket and BBQ sauces just right. I really couldn't tweak the brisket and chicken and BBQ sauces any better for my taste. Also, I did enjoy the slice of corn bread. It was not the cakey-fluffy kind. One walks up to the cashier, orders the meal, desserts, drinks and they yell out your name when the food is ready to be picked up. Talking about drinks, they have a myriad of sodas on tap, beers, ciders and canned libations. In and outdoor seating. There is a parking lot but it seemed easier and shadier to park on the street.

To feed a crowd happily, order the Big Onion catering package in advance. Even my guest the BBQ pro who uses four kinds of wood when he barbecues was delighted with his meat. These guys order quality meat to start with and then smoke it low and slow. The beef and pork are juicy and well-seasoned while the chicken is a bit dry, but still good. The sides were crowd-pleasers, especially the beans, simmered with garlic, onion, and meat. The service was excellent and included help carrying my order out to my car. The food was fresh and delivered in spill-proof aluminum foil trays. The price was reasonable, a good value, at $235 to serve 10-12 +kids. Aptos Street made it easy to host a barbecue.

Decided to stop by here for lunch on a whim. I forgot how good Aptos BBQ is! It's been awhile since I've eaten here and I'm not sure why? The meat is always SO tender and flavorful. They are always consistent, I've never been here and had a bad plate of food. Today I got the regular bbq chicken sandwich with a side of coleslaw (I dump it in my sandwich) and wow. So filling and delicious! My partner got the BBQ spud with brisket and my kids got their littles plate of tri-tip, choice of side and either corn bread or garlic bread. Just for $10! Not bad! The service was quick but we also came when it was empty. So that left lots of seating options! They also have a good selection of beer on tap! Only issue is parking can be tricky! Definitely check this place out! Way easier to get to than Mission St. BBQ (IYKYK)

Q the Roof Another quality BBQ joint by this family-run operation that has multiple BBQ restaurants located throughout Norcal. This location might be my favorite of the bunch, tho, as the Q on our last visit was out-fucking-standing. Here's a full list: Aptos St BBQ (Aptos), Trail Dust (Morgan Hill), BBQ 152 (Gilroy), South Winchester BBQ (SJ), Salinas City BBQ (Salinas, duh), Wagon Wheel (Mt View), Mission St BBQ (Santa Cruz), The Crossroads (Carmel-by-the-Sea), and Real Smoked BBQ catering. The Good: *Outdoor dog-friendly seating *Fast-casual (i.e., order at the counter) *Friendly service *Fantastic selection of local microbrews (this is a hallmark of these Q joints) *Live Blues music 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. nightly (Sat 1 - 4 p.m.) *BBQ Beans were just a hair underdone but really good, regardless. *Ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender, smokey, and delicious. *Brisket was smokey, juicy, and full of beefy goodness. Maybe the best brisket I've had in a few years. *Carissa loved her smoked chicken. Pro Tip: Make sure to specify dark or white when you order, but I can almost guarantee the white will be dry. *The "Slaw Queen" gave her stamp of approval. The Meh: *Street parking only, which wasn't an issue for us, but it could be during peak times. *Wasn't a big fan of the Mac and Cheese, as I felt it was a little gloppy, but it was still plenty edible. The Ugly: *Not really sure what to make of the cornbread... Kinda odd, but kinda good at the same time. Very unusual. Conclusion: Excellent Q, solid beer selection, and great vibes.

This has been my favorite BBQ spot for YEARS and I'll specifically make the trip down to Santa Cruz just to eat here. Everything is extremely on point and the portion are super generous as well. I always love to get their BBQ sandwiches if I'm taking it to-go to eat at the beach or their meat combos to share. Dining in is also always a great option, they sometimes have live music and a great beer selection to choose from! Service is always great and happy to assist with anything.

Aptos Street barbecue has some pretty sweet barbecue. This is always a good place to go after a long day at the beach. They have plenty of indoor outdoor seating. They have an extensive tap list with a lot of local beers. We got a pound of tri-tip because a large was only 11 ounces. Got a side of baked beans and mac & cheese as well. The tri-tip is perfectly cooked soft and tender and juicy. I would like a little bit more flavor on it. It was awesome that they had a barbecue station with regular spicy barbecue sauce. It was on the sweet side, which was nice. very good for both of them. The baked beans basically just tasted like barbecue sauce. It was OK when I get again. The mac & cheese was good and cheesy Again. Definitely. Would recommend the spot and be back again.