Sticky Fingers BBQ Malta — Restaurant in Saint Julian's

If you’re in Malta and craving bold, smoky, finger-licking BBQ, this place is an absolute must-visit. From the moment the smell of sizzling meat hits you, you know you’re in for something special—and it does not disappoint.

Every single dish we ordered was a knockout. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender with a rich, sticky glaze that had just the right balance of sweet and smoky. The pulled pork was perfectly slow-cooked, juicy, and full of flavor—served on a soft bun with crunchy slaw, it might just be one of the best BBQ sandwiches I’ve ever had.

The BBQ chicken wings were crispy on the outside, tender inside, and coated in a sauce that I could honestly drink by the bottle. Even the sides were top-tier: the corn on the cob was grilled to perfection, the mac and cheese was creamy and indulgent, and the coleslaw gave the perfect refreshing crunch between bites of smoky meat.

The atmosphere was casual, rustic, and full of charm—exactly what you want from a proper BBQ joint. Think wooden tables, the smell of smoked meat in the air, and a warm, welcoming vibe. It’s the kind of place where you can relax with friends, get a little messy, and truly enjoy your food.

The staff were incredibly friendly and clearly passionate about what they serve. They took time to explain the menu, recommend favorites, and even chatted with us about the smoking process. You could feel the pride in every dish. Service was quick, but never rushed—just relaxed...

I will start with the positives, the atmosphere, view, and service were amazing. No complaints at all here.

The complaint I have is with the food itself. I was very disappointed in the smoked ribs. I couldn't taste any smoke, it was extremely dry to the point where I couldn't eat the edges at all, and the sauce was extremely thin/runny and didn't coat the ribs in the least after the first bite.

These ribs felt like they were cooked in an oven because there was zero smokeyness. I then looked at the meat and didn't see any red outer part which should be present with smoked meats. Leading me to think this was not in fact smoked.

My pictures tell the story, you can clearly see how dry it is and that there's zero smoke bark/colouring. I couldn't even force my way through any more than what I showed - that's how disappointed I was in the ribs.

The fries were ok - zero salt or anything put on them, and the side salad was just ok - I didn't think it's tangy enough or that enough flavour was present.

Overall, I wouldn't rush back here. I will once again say, the service was exceptional though - the ladies did a great job and were...

EDIT: the owners response is so aggressive but there’s a running theme with any poor feedback which is attack. This isn’t a fake review the waiting staff was a female who I refer to. After reading some good reviews online we thought we would eat at this restaurant on Tuesday night after arriving at the restaurant …it was closed and in darkness even though the restaurant opening time online stated the restaurant was open so not sure why it was closed. (Yes we arrived well after 6pm) Anyway we later returned to find the burgers are so pink inside they are not cooked adequately. I could hear the burger mooing at me it was that underdone. Customers should be pre warned you will serve the burgers pink inside and people should be given an option if they want it cooked or raw. In my eyes it was still raw. No customers inside the restaurant it was completely empty. Slow service from waiting staff, as waiter is too busy chatting and socialising with the chef and using bad language on more than one occasion. Avoid if you have children. Very expensive and overpriced wish I had...