The Rib Joint Roadhouse — Restaurant in Dana Point

My husband and I did a vacation in Dana Point for our 10-year anniversary in May 2024. We sampled a few different restaurants in the area and The Rib Joint was the pick of the trip! I'll say it again for the people in the back, “THE PICK OF THE TRIP!” This restaurant not only has amazing brisket … the CHICKEN is the BEST BBQ chicken we have EVER had. Flavor? Oh, it's there and popin’ ! Juicy goodness? Yup, you betcha! Never have I ever had a BBQ place break my neck with their chicken …. but here we stand. Neck Broke y'all. I did a double take on this chicken and it was EVERYTHING!

The staff made us feel welcome and were genuinely friendly people (that’s what you get with family-owned, am I right?). We went when there was live music and it added to the vibe, which was giving! Tasty drinks? Yes, please. Bartender knew what they were doing! Watered down? Not here.

If you live locally, I envy you as you have access to this gem on a regular basis! If you are vacationing in the area, include The Rib Joint on your itinerary. You won't regret it. We are already finding another “occasion” to go back to Dana Point so we can eat at this BBQ place again because once...

We were looking forward to a good rib dinner during our stay at Doheny State Beach. After our visit to the Rib Joint...I wish we would have just stayed at our campground and barbequed our own! When we arrived at the typical dinner hour the place was empty...This should have been our 1st clue not to eat there. The only folks there looked like they were regulars at the bar. By the looks of them and by the foul language coming from their mouths that should have been our 2nd clue not to eat there. When the ribs arrived they were very dry and overcooked. They gave us a side of barbecue sauce but even that wasn't any good. When I took the leftovers home to my husband he said they were the worst ribs he had ever eaten. It's too bad because the location was good, the waitress was very nice, but the food just wasn't good. I was warned by someone to go elsewhere and I wish I would have taken their advice. I feel bad being so critical because it looked like a family owned business and I wish I could support them. They need to work on their cooking and it just might be a good place to eat...

They just fired a man, he said no hes just not coming back lol that is a very well wonderful man, he is very, very nice. He asked us if we were gonna eat here tonight and we told him; Yes, and we came back here to eat and he was more than hospitable and he made it where we could eat here and he got us food and drink, and made us quite welcome and the women here were so Foul and evil and screaming at him flat hateful and I pray for the women working here. I pray that they find Lord and I pray that they find peace in their lives. I pray that they are fine. And I pray that someone can reach out to them. They were discrimitive to me over my dog as well and that's wrong he's a federal service dog they have no standing whatsoever on that. That's illegal. They are not the place you'd want to go to eat. Flat hateful. This man deserves an award for dealing with these hateful women! They were trying to fight me I said hit me then. They called law officials on us. I did them too....