Robin's Wood Fire BBQ & Grill

When I drove into the lot I knew this was the place. I could see and smell the sweet apple and oak coming out of the smokestack in the back smokehouse area. I found a nice smoke ring on my Tri tip and Baby back ribs and both were tender as well. This BBQ is as good as it gets and better than some in my home state of Texas.

Pros: Apple & Oak Wood for smoking, Shiner Bock on tap

Cons: Closed on Monday, no Monday Night football

Posted 10/20/09

Robin's does it right, Texas style in flavor and attitude. We took our relatives from Austin, TX for BBQ at Robin's based on feedback here and they knocked it out of the park. The mgr even gave us a tour of the smokehouse and prep area. We watched to cook mop on a mustard slather before he rubbed all of the meat with some sweet and peppery spices. He also show us the smoker. This is a real deal Texas smoker that doesn't use gas or propane, just apple and oak wood. Pretty cool. We had never scene the back of a restaurant like this and it was a treat. Bottom line, the Tri Tip had a salty peppery rub that complimented the smoky flavor perfectly. It was as tender as a filet. The Beef Ribs were the unnotched kind, more meat than bone, tender and great with the mad dog sauce. Cold Pabst and Shiner Bock on tap and Lone Star in a bottle made us all feel like we were in Texas. The blue cheese pecan cole slaw was different but great and the blueberry cornbread was sublime. Best BBQ weve had in So Cal. Worth every mile of the trip from Long Beach to Pasadena.

Pros: Huge portions of well smoked BBQ, Tasty bark on the Ribs & T

Cons: Closed on Monday

Posted 08/06/09

I've been eating at Robin's for years and have watched for over a year the construction of their new Smokehouse built behind the restaurant. The "Q" has always been top notch but now it's sublime. Robin says that the smoker was built in Texas and has no gas connection and that it works only with wood. The new rubs are great and sauce really is only needed if you like it that way. Tasty deep pink smoke rings on everything and the beef has a peppery rub that I taste hours later at home, really good stuff. I could go on and on but it's worth the drive for us from the Valley.

My hats off to a business that wasn't afraid to commit a substantial investment in their business during the worst of economic times. It will come back to you many more times than it cost you. Great job and GREAT BBQ.

Pros: On-site smokehouse, well rubbed meats, mad dog bbq sauce

Cons: there isn't a Robin's in the west Valley.

Posted 02/28/09

We took the family to Robin's for some ribs and the server talked me into trying the all u can eat Rib Tips. They are served on Wednesday & Sunday nites and they were great. They were smoky, tender and sauced with their Mad Dog sauce. For $12.95 it was a steal. I had a re-order and was stuffed. They don't allow doggie bags on the special so you have to eat them or leave them. The server was upbeat, the music was great and the place rocked. With 4 in our party the price was right and the BBQ was fabulous. Will recommend this place for families and for BBQ.

Pros: All you can eat Rib Tips, well smoked BBQ, kid friendly

Cons: Closed on Monday

Posted 02/22/09

Never felt compelled to leave a review here before but Robin's BBQ earned it. This place really brought back childhood memories of growing up in Mississippi and eating barbeque on Friday nights after a trip to the local bowling alley. A friend recommended it from an Elmer Dills television review a couple years ago and we finally dropped in. The place is decked out like walking into a time warp from the 50's or 60's. Old beer neons from 40 years ago, highway signs etc and the music was vintage 60's. Peanuts on the tabel and shells on the floor. Just like back at home. We split the garbage can combo and still took home leftovers. Stand outs were the beef ribs, tri tip and sausage. Well seasoned and smoked, really good stuff. The corn was charred just right, the blue cheese coleslaw was different but great and the blueberry cornbread was sublime. Our server Sergio was professional, fast and not real talkative, just efficient. we even met the owner Robin himself while he was asking if we needed lemonade refills. We will be back and like another reviewer said, it's worth the drive.

10/8/09 re-review:
Dropped in last night for the all u can eat rib tip special and it was great. Well smoked tips, hot fresh cut fries and a real good strawberry shortcake for dessert. It all it the spot and Robin's was as good as always.

Pros: Real good barbeque, sides, music, looks and sergio the server

Cons: Crowded but the wait went fast while eating the free salted peanuts.

Posted 11/21/08

Our party of 8 had barbeque at Robin's and it really was great. We drove in from San Dimas upon hearing great reviews and it was well worth the trip. The staff was efficient, bathrooms were clean, the place had a rib joint feel to it and we even met Robin as he was walking around the tables. Our best picks were the garbage can platter, the beef ribs which were excellent and full of well smoked meat , the onion rings and the fresh squeezed lemonade. We watched the server squeezing and hand shaking it per order. I hadn't seen that in years and it was great. Our first time here won't be out last time. They got it right.

Pros: best beef ribs, fresh squeezed lemonade, mad dog barbeque sauce, pabst on tap

Cons: please open a Robin's in the San Dimas area, gets a bit noisy from crowds

Posted 11/15/08

We love this place. Were else will you hear Gene Pitney, James Brown and the Dave Clark Five at one sitting. The music is HOT and the place looks like a Southern roadhouse from down in Mississippi or Texas. That's all good but the real deal is the BBQ. We stop in on Wed & Sun for the all you can eat rib tips.At $12.95 we can eat like a pig but still look like a fox. These tips are smoked, charred and sauced and really are good. We also like the garbage can combo which has everything that they offer. The blue cheese pecan coleslaw is different but excellent and the blueberry cornbread is off the charts. I think that Robin's is one of the best "Q" joints in the country. This place ain't cheap but you get more food than you bargained for. Worth checking out.

Pros: Great BBQ, Well smoked, you can smell the smoke in the lot, great slaw and cornbread

Cons: Sometimes a bit noisy, sometimes a bit too crowded

Posted 11/13/08

Their BBQ is excellent! Its a pretty noisy place with a bar, so its not bad for a group of friends to come and eat here. Their food proportions match their prices, and its pretty easy to share with other people. This place has very good spicy sauce and requires you to use your hands, since forks and knives just won't help you too much. They probably assume as much, since there is a roll of paper towels around the table. I would recommend coming here no more than once every few months though, since eating so much meat gives you a sauce overload and it won't taste as good if you came too often.

Their dessert (Double death by Chocolate) is HUGE! I would NOT recommend eating it alone, since you might get instant type 2 Diabetes. The thing is so massive and sweet! Once you take a bite of their chocolate fudge cake, ice cream and whipped cream simply isn't that sweet anymore.

I never had problems with service, and we were seated promptly, and our food was brought to our table quickly. By the way, when you're done eating here, be prepared to smell like BBQ.

Posted 09/10/08

First of all, reservations are useless. If the owner rather have his friends there, he will simply just bump you for his friends. The staff is severly shorthanded so you do not get prompt service.

Posted 07/01/08

Very disappointed how my family was treated.

My mother made a reservation a month prior of our engagement in Robin's "Garden Room", 1 week prior the reservations were confirmed, then again the morning of the dinner it was confirmed again with management. As our party of 20+ started to arrive we noticed the "Garden Room" was occupied, later to find out it was occupied by Robin's friends. It appears we were bumped so Robin could accomodate his friends. My family have been loyal customers for several years and have excellent relationships with the staff, we have also referred many people to this restaurant who are now consistant customers.

A phone call was made to Robin at the time, we left a message, but going on a week later have not heard from Robin.

Robin's have lost a long time loyal customer

Cons: Reservations evidently don't mean a thing

Posted 06/25/08

I have frequented Robin's often over the years and although the food has stayed consistently good, the service has continued to deteroriate. The ribs are tasty, the blueberry cornbread is awesome but the desserts too have declined in quality, especially the chocolate cake which used to be "death by chocolate" and now is more akin to cheap birthday cake. The servers range in quality from relatively attentive to uninterested, as do managers. On one trip to Robin's, I ordered a coke that tasted bad - probably due to low syrup - and I sent it back, requesting water instead. At the end of the meal the soda was still on our bill, so I brought it to the server's attention. She told me that she couldn't take it off because the manager had left, but could give me something else off of the menu for the same price - I declined and paid for a drink I never consumed. Another time I ordered take out and got home to discover the sides were wrong on two of the three meals, only one side of cornbread had been packed when there should have been three and the dessert wasn't in the bags. I called to complain and they said they would give me what was left out if I came back - at this point, I was hoping they would just give me a credit for my next visit instead of making the 15 minute drive back out.
Overall, Robin's food is pretty regularly good, but it's not cheap and for the prices you pay better service should be expected.

Pros: Good bbq

Cons: poor service, management indifference, attention to detail lacking in take out service

Posted 01/09/08

This was very good BBQ and also very authentic being that the owner is from Wisconsin. Ordered the Garbage Can Lid special which is a pretty good deal at under $30.00. You get 1 link, beef ribs, spare ribs, sliced tri-tip and even a whole 1/2 chicken! The sliced tri-tip was moist smokey and very tender and the spare ribs are fall off the bone. I am not a fan of beef ribs and in fact never order or even think about them but these were pretty damn good! The sausage link was dry but I have never had a moist juicy sausage link in any restaurant ever so I was not suprised, it was tasty though. The chicken was was well done, some other reviews called it dry but it wasn't that bad. Also had the rib tips which were brilliant. You can have several choices of sauce, I forgot about that and we were givin the standard house sauce which was pretty damn good. All the meat was very well smoked and even came with the blue ring which is the sign for authentic BBQ. There is definatly better BBQ in LA but this is pretty damn good for the Pasadena area. The service is a little weak but quality of the BBQ makes up for it. We waited for a little longer than necessary specialy since it was a weeknight, they deffinitly need a hostess. If you go in with both eyes open, ears and a light heart you will be able to weather though the service just fine. The staff is very friendly and easy going, just remember that this is not a chain place and the staff may not be as polished but they also aren't corporate chain drones either. The sides are ok at best, we had the cole slaw which was standard but made well, the mashed taters which were full of garlic and parmesan and very tasty and finally the much tauted blueberry cornbread which was nothing special. The flour to corn meal ratio was to high and it was very dry. If you are going to feed a BBQ craving the sides are not what matters and what matters is the meat. Robin's is very good and the only thing lacking is a brisket and sliced pork.

Pros: Great BBQ meat for area

Cons: So, so sides and service

Posted 01/03/08

The place is not romantic, but the food and service is good. The atmosphere is bright and alive with plenty of patrons lookig for good BBQ. I went for the first time last night with a group of friends and we were all in consensus that we would go back. Overall recommend.

Pros: BBQ, Service and Abmience

Cons: Too Bright

Posted 10/25/07

That's what the bumper sticker says and I agree. Everything we had was great including the service. The BBQ sampler or garbage can plate was big enough for 3 of us. At $29.95 the math worked out well. Though the spare ribs had some fat on them they still were fine. The baby backs were fall off the bone tender and the blueberry cornbread was unique and delicious. The music was cool and they have this killer hand dryer in the restroom that is so powerful it nearly knocks your hands down to your knees. Never seen anything like it. Cool place and worth a drive.

Pros: Tender baby backs, killer hand dryer in restroom, cool music

Cons: Kind of noisy, a bit pricey but worth every penny.

Posted 10/11/07

To be blunt the barbque is horrible. If you have eaten at places like Big Jims or the Rendezvous in Memphis then you will hate this place. We ate there twice and both were big dissapointments. The ribs are cooked quickly and are therefore tough. They need to wake up early and cook for at least 4 hours.

Pros: nice place

Cons: they have to learn to barbeque

Posted 09/21/07

I have tried to have City Search change some of the info, but no luck. So here goes... Robin's is closed in Mondays and no longer offers all you can eat nights or kid's eat free. For more reviews check out thechefknows
Still great food

Pros: Great food, friendly service

Cons: Kids running amock

Posted 06/20/07

The food is average at best. We've even tried their combos to get a taste of everything including their ribs that they are so proud of. The meat is dry and the taste is bland. The side dishes like coleslaw are tasteless, and the corn bread/muffins leave little to be desired. Don't let the other reviews fool you, the food is mediocre at best. We even went there a second time to give it another chance--same average food at relatively high prices. We will not be back.

The best thing we can say is the the service is good, and it's usually pretty empty on weekdays, and a little busier on weekends.

Pros: Ambience, Parking, Service

Cons: Food

Posted 08/31/06

the food was great, and good/fun service. the decor inside is cool, could be family or cool date night place.

Pros: flavor, decor

Cons: i always eat to much.

Posted 08/23/06

Casual family style eatin' and finger lickin' good. Four sauces-for first timers try the garbage can-one meal can serve 4. Pork spare ribs, beef ribs, baby back ribs, half a chicken, tri-tip and dont miss the blue cheese pecan cole slaw. I have been going to Houston annually for the National BBQ cook off and Robins has it down. They will be adding long sufferring brisket soon and it takes real expertise to cook this long and right. Meat is smoked with either mesquite or hickory and it is moist and tasty. Outdoor patio. Not much of a wine list but who cares with a $2 corking charge! This is a must for true BBQ afficionados.

Pros: Simply the best BBQ around town.

Cons: Could be too casual or too noisy for some.

Posted 08/09/06

Got to rank Robin's up there with the best. Though the incredibly huge crowds on weekends tend to make the service a bit slower the food greatly makes up for it. My must haves are the garbage can combo, an extra couple of blueberry cornbreads & the bluecheese pecan coleslaw. I also think that the combination of decor, music and laidback staff give it a good roadhouse kind of vibe. BTW, I revisited Zeke's in Montrose and they are doing a much better job than on my last visit several years ago. I miss the fresh baked bread that they used to serve but the garlic bread replacement is quite good. A side note, avoid Barnburner in Pasadena. The place is overpriced and the food has never been the same since one of the founders Tex Morgan left. He put out a decent plate of BBQ but know where near as good as Robin's or Zeke's. Happy eating Y'all.

Pros: All around exceptional in the total experience.

Cons: Too crowded on weekend nights, very small wine list

Posted 08/04/06

A friend referred us to Robin's & we finally checked it out this past weekend. From the outside it looked more like a Mexican or Italian restaurant but inside it's a BBQ place. Great old neons & beer signs are everywhere, really great eye candy for a nostalgic collector. The service was swift & friendly & our drinks were constantly refilled. The food was served on large plates with lots of food. Similar to the Cheesecake Factory in that it's kind of pricey but you get huge plates of food. The comparison stops there as the food was much better than the C.C.F. Best bets are the bluecheese pecan coleslaw, the baby back ribs & the garbage plate combination. Full bar, clean restrooms & patio.

Pros: Full bar, huge parking lot, well smoked meat

Cons: noisy, crowded, a little pricey

Posted 07/31/06

We travel for bar-be-que and have for years. Our best find to date this year is Robin's on the east side of Pasadena. The place looks like a chain operation but it's one of a kind. There is a sweet smell of smoke from the rear of the place where they probably are doing the smoking. As for the food, top notch, 1st rate bar-be-que. The Garbage can combo was enough for the both of us. The baby back ribs were well smoked & fall off bone tender. The hot links were especially smokey with a proper amount of fire in them. Beef ribs were fine as was the tri-tip. We really liked the sides. The blueberry cornbread was one of a kind, the baked beans were quite good and the sauces were excellent. We ordered our meal dry & had all four sauces brought on the side. Our vote goes for the Mad-dog sauce although all were fine. The place has a fun look, the music is good and not too loud & is really worth a try.

Pros: Well smoked & tender meats, fine sauces, fun atmosphere

Cons: No reservations, small wine list

Posted 07/30/06

That garbage can sample plate was enough for three. As good as Goode Co. in Houston, TX,
Williamson Brothers in Murrietta, GA & Memphis Championship BBQ in Las Vegas, NV. Lucky to be a pilot with a jones for BBQ, I check out all of the best wherever they may be & Robin's is up there with the best. I also want to put in a plug for Phillip's near LAX in Inglewood. Take-out only so take lots of napkins.

Pros: Best BBQ in Los Angeles, garbage can sampler

Cons: Closed on Mondays.

Posted 07/30/06

I've been coming to Robin's for years, and I still haven't found anything on the menu I don't like. Ribtips for appetizers are my favorite, and you can't beat the garbage can lid combo for a meal (or 3-4 meals.) Its very reasonably priced, and you need 2-3 boxes to take the left-overs home.

Bottom line - you have to visit Robin's.

Posted 07/17/06

The atmosphere is fun, like a unique Friday's. I opted for the Rosemary Chicken and it was really good, a little greasy. The parmasean mashed potatoes, though, could have been a meal in itself! This is a great place for kids. It is a tad expensive but you get a lot of food.

If you don't like coleslaw, they will give you an extra muffin!

Pros: mashed potatoes, muffins

Cons: slow service

Posted 06/21/06

Been to almost all of the BBQ's in the S.G.V & S.F.V. & saved what was the best for last. Robin's does it right. The service was a bit slow but the place was packed. The server made up for his slowness with a great attitude. Kind of reminded me of Charlie Vergo's in Memphis, TN except that Robin's ribs come with sauce.

Pros: excellent ribs, cool vibe, full bar

Cons: noisy, slower service, pricey but good

Posted 05/02/06

We were pleasantly pleased by the quality & service we got at Robin's last Friday nite. The place is huge & was jam packed yet our server Aaron made us feel as if we were his only table. The garbage can combo was more than enough for the both of us. At $26.95 is was a bargain. We prefered the mad dog sauce over the 4 offered. Our only complaint was it was noisy. Real noisy. Not a place to hold a business meeting or an intimate conversation. Would highly recommend Robin's BBQ.

Pros: garbage can combo, atmosphere, service

Cons: NOISY, crowded

Posted 05/01/06

Took the family for the Sunday nite all you can eat BBQ special and what a treat. Service was prompt, the portions were huge and the kids menu was a nice touch. Our little one devoured a huge kids hot dog that I helped him finish. Really a nice place to take the family when on a budget. We always take home a doggy bag of leftovers for Mondays lunch.
I like the retro sodas like Moxie orange cream and the fresh squeezed lemonade. It's just a real nice place with very good barbeque.

Pros: Kid friendly, Ribs, Fresh Lemonade

Cons: Always crowded, Sometimes too noisy, Closed on Monday

Posted 04/27/06

Real friendly staff, comfortable outside patio, clean restrooms and some very well smoked barbeque. The sauces are excellent as are the side dishes. The ribs & tri-tip had a nice smoke ring and the hot links were among the best I've had. Well spiced with a nice texture. Any Barbeque palace that serves Pabst Blue Ribbon on tap in this day & age is at the top of the list with me.

Pros: Hot Links, Pabst on tap, Barbeque sauces

Cons: , A little too crowded

Posted 04/27/06

Read about this place while voting for another restaurant in another category. I work in the area & checked it out. Man, this is one cool place. Ribs are well smoked, the sauces are killer and the staff seemed pretty hip. I liked the retro look, the blues music playing in the background & the free peanuts on the table. I've enjoyed good ribs at Phillips, Dr. Hoggly Woggly and Leo's and would rank Robin's with the best of them. It's nice to have a good selection of excellent BBQ in every corner of L.A.

Pros: Baby Back Ribs, Great Sauces, Excellent Hot links

Cons: , Closed on Monday

Posted 04/27/06

After reading the reviews here at City Search and Westways magazine, we were looking forward to trying this BBQ joint. C-Lo aka baby Jesus #2, our waiter was awesome! The best service we've had in years! Attentive, yet unobtrusive, and funny all at the same time. Ask to sit in his section if possible. As for the food, we recommend the garbage can combo. It's a sampler platter with tri tip, chicken, 3 types of ribs, and hot link. The food was pretty good, the tri tip was overdone, but still flavorful. Order it dry so you can try all four sauces. Our two favorites were the Carolina sweet mustard, and Memphis red vinegar sauce. For dessert, try the Apple sizzle...yum!!

Pros: Service , Incredible sauces

Cons: None

Posted 04/23/06

Compared to other barbecue places, great value for the big portions! The blueberry cornbread is heavenly, and the meat is so flavorful, even without the sauces (you can order them "dry" and then get the four different sauces on the side for dipping). I didn't like the chicken much, but I didn't expect to--for chicken I prefer mediterranean places or KFC. Tri tip was a bit dry, and the pork ribs and especially spareribs were just incredible!

Pros: Fun place, price, parking

Cons: Noisy

Posted 04/05/06

The best barbeque in Pasadena and possibly Los Angles. Love it, love it, and love it. Great for the family and to take the kids. Wednesdays from 5-9 kids eat free. Its a bit pricy but the plates are big, so you can always split it or take some home. Well worth the drive and the money.

Pros: Great Food

Cons: Kind of pricy

Posted 01/03/06

We tasted a lot of BBQ restaurants and Robin's is hand down the best BBQ we've ever tasted, better than Lucille's and Woodranch, way better than TGIF and Chilli's. Their babyback meat literally falls off the bone without trying. The sauce is right on. Not too sweet, not too salty. The blue berry muffin is pretty good. However, we are not a fan of their BBQ baked beans. We think Lucille's has the best bean. Other side orders are average. Their onion rings and fries are good, specially if you like In-n-out style fries.

The waiter is super friendly and made us feel so welcome. The service is quick and the parking is plenty. Robin's is also a great place to throw a party. I know where I will have my next bday party at.

Pros: Yummy BBQ, Friendly service, Plenty parking

Cons: ok side-order, ok salad

Posted 11/30/05

Seems like everyone knows about this place, judging by the crowds. I got the garbage can combo and liked everything but the hot link. The chicken was probably the best I've ever had. Spare ribs and tri-tip were good too. Baked beans and other sides were just average, but the blueberry muffin was good. Relaxed atmosphere and nice service, but it can get noisy.

Pros: Food, Fast service

Cons: Noisy, Crowded, Expensive

Posted 11/02/05

The first, and now only, time we went to RObin's I got a crick in my neck from looking over my shoulder to find our waiter the entire visit. It was a bad sign when there was no hostess to seat us and it went down hill from there. The food was just ok and made me wonder why this place is so highly touted. Drove all the way from Pomona because of the write up in Westways magazine. NEVER AGAIN!

Cons: Lack of service, Tables too close toge

Posted 09/09/05

Probably the best BBQ I've had in California. I don't know why they say "The Sauce is Boss" because the ribs actually taste better without sauce -- it's that good! Unfortunately since this place is so busy, the service gets to be slow and often disappears all together.

Posted 09/07/05

I have been a fan of BBQ especially from South Central Los Angeles until I found this place. I rate this as being better than many of the Los Angeles long time BBQ establishments. The sauce is to die for. The quality of the meat is consistently great and just falls off the bone.
They now have a car show in the parking lot to the rear on Saturday nights. Overall a great place to go frequently. Highly Recommend.

Pros: BBQ, Sauce, Friendly

Cons: none, none, none

Posted 08/24/05

I wanted to try Robins after reading most of the positive reviews here.Was I sorry!No,Robins is sorry,this was by far the worst BBQ I have ever tasted!It's a shame you spend you spend good money on food and it can't be eaten!

Pros: Good Parking

Posted 06/10/05

Tell you what, you set yourself down, order up a mess of those ole sticky BBQ bones, choose your sides of spuds, and have the time of your life gaining 3 lbs. Slaw, cob, and bread come with the feast. The Carolina-sweet sauce, is really all you need but if'n your hankerin' for some adventure -you can takes your chances on the Hot & Spicy. Beef, Pork, or chicken there's enough meat there to keep your jawbone a going fer a while. Plan to get a box to take home cause you're gonna want some the day after. They smoke tobaccy outside, so if you want fresh air, stay-in or request no smoking around your area. They'll put it out cause nothing should distract you from your mouthwatering. Bless the meal, Thank God for tastebuds and tie a napkin 'round your neck. The price was fair, cause I was full.

Pros: The Food, Ambience was calm, ...did I say the food

Cons: Parking is dim-lit, Smoking is allowed

Posted 03/23/05

Loved the ribs, the sauces and the ambience. When we're in the area we'll make it a regular rib stop.

Posted 02/26/05

Though the wait on Friday night was longer than the host promised, we really enjoyed our visit & it was worth the wait. Our barbeque was well smoked & seasoned right. Our favorites on the Garbage Can Combo were the chicken, baby back ribs & the beef ribs. Some of the best ribs we've ever had. The blueberry cornbread was served hot & the blue-cheese pecan cole slaw was special. Great waiter, great barbeque & some great old blues in the background. Wish there was a branch in Simi Valley.

Pros: baby back ribs, bbq chicken, huge beef ribs

Cons: , a little too crowded

Posted 12/08/04

Although the Beef ribs have always been good, the chicken is always dry; the babyback and pork ribs can range from grand to bland. I can never predict how the meal will turn out, and I've been more often dissappointed than not.

Pros: fun dining atmosphere, reasonably priced

Cons: , very dry chicken

Posted 12/04/04