Welcome to Mike’s Backyard Barbecue, your go-to BBQ destination at Garlic World! We’re open every Friday through Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm, or until we sell out.
At Mike’s, we believe in serving only the freshest, slow-smoked meats. Each weekend, Mike starts the oak wood fire at 6 am to ensure everything is perfectly cooked by 11 am. Our commitment to quality means we never reheat food, so when we run out, that’s it for the day. Any leftovers are shared with our neighbors or donated to the homeless, keeping our community spirit alive.
Our catering service starts at $28 per person, including green salad, garlic bread, beans (baked or chili), and your choice of 1-4 meats: Tri-Tip, Ribs, Chicken, or Pulled Pork. Note that table service and cleanup are not included.
Placing an order with Mike’s Backyard Barbecue is simple and convenient. You can call, message, or email us ahead of time to arrange your large group order.
For those who prefer to enjoy our delicious BBQ at home, we offer a hassle-free pick-up catering service. Located at Garlic World in Gilroy, CA, you can place your order in advance and specify a pickup time.
Rachel2024-09-15Stopped by at Garlic World and grabbed a brisket and garlic lovers tritip sandwich to go. Sandwiches came super fast. The meat was impressively tender. I'd skip the coleslaw and get only beans for the side next time.Joy2024-09-08Soo good 🤤 I had to pause and take a photo of my brisket sandwich for this review 🤗 Briskets are available SUNDAYS only! We got lucky 🙂↔️Matt Owens2024-09-02Amazing fall off the bone ribs. Coleslaw is top quality and made fresh.Lori ONeil2024-08-19THE BEST BBQ I've tasted in the area. Will definitely be back! YUMMY!Leo Anaya2024-07-29Mike and the family are great at BBQ! Meat always has that smoke ring, well balanced rub, and tender meat that melts in your mouth. Ribs are the staple of bbq. They should fall off the bone and be meaty with flavor. Mike and family execute this well! I keep coming back and I live in Gilroy.Flavio Torres2024-06-16Nice smoke ring, the tri-tip sandwich was very easy to bite, delicious. Their beans are very flavored, and the staff is super friendly.David Atkins2024-06-15Great bbq tri tip and chicken right off the road! Also have ribs and on Sunday, brisket! Owner was super nice and informative. Shop has farm fresh veggies and all the nuts and candy snacks you can imagine.Lynda Gibson2024-05-26I’ve tried everything at Mike’s. It is consistently EXCELLENT and a REAL TREAT!!
EXCELLENTBased on 39 reviewsVerifiedMaui S.2024-09-22At the last second, my friend and I stopped to check this restaurant out and Garlic World. We are so happy that we did! The Tri Tip was cooked and seasoned to perfection, exactly the tenderness you are looking for when getting bbq. Unfortunately they were out of the Pork Ribs & Brisket, but it gives us a reason to come back here! The order itself didn't take too long at all to be made, the service on point. Great place, definitely try it!VerifiedJosie L.2024-09-14Probably one of the best BBQ ribs in California! But I'm from SF and there aren't much here or in the east bay so coming across this place during a stop in a road trip going back up 101 north is a pretty nice break for a long distance. Now the ribs stole the show, I came here almost a month ago and I still remembered it! It was literally fall off the bone Super moist and juicy but so tender it just slid off the rib bone. We went twice, once going down and needed to stop for gas nearby and 2nd time back up on 101 for them and buying a whole rack to bring home for the fam because we enjoyed it so much! The BBQ sauce complimented the meats and I wish they made more to sell but they don't. Either way it's a great spot to stop for lunch especially on a roadtrip. If you're heading up north on 101, passing Gilroy definitely give it a try! (The pulled pork was a little dry The tri-tip was good, but because tri-tips are usually a lean cut it was also slightly more dry than I would've preferred more fatty skin around it.)VerifiedMike S.2024-07-13Amazing bbq! One of the few places in Ca that does it right! Tri-tip and brisket are perfection! One of the few bbq places where I'd prefer not to use the sauces (which are also really good). But the flavor of the meats really stand out in their own they way it should be!VerifiedSamantha L.2024-06-16nice spot right next to garlic world. we stopped by after cherry picking and was convinced by the great reviews. for 6, we ordered the large platter - beans and slaw: average - garlic bread: so garlicky and soft! - ribs: delicious! - chicken: nice smoked flavor - tri tip: wow!!! so tender and delicious, best item - pulled pork: solid although the food was good, was a bit bummed by the service. instead of the 12 ribs that was included, only 3 were available. options were wait 45m for the rest or get a substitution. we opted for pulled pork substitution but the amount they gave us in exchange was very minimal (about a fistful of meat)VerifiedEffy B.2024-06-07I think the food gods smiled upon me and my family when we found Mikes bbq. When my parents moved to the area we were worried we'd have to settle on bbq 152, which severely lacked flavor and soul. Not with Mike's BBQ. Here your meats are dripping with flavor. We've never tasted a brisket so delicious and tender. We frequent Capelo's bbq and we thought we knew what good brisket was, but Mike's delivers that punch of flavor and smokiness. The Tri-tip is also succulent and I myself have never been a fan of it, but I thoroughly enjoyed this Tri-tip and wanted more. The chicken is my go-to since I try my best to only have red meat in occasion and I can usually taste the spices and lemon permeating through to the entire breast or leg. The family here is so lovely and we wish them all the best. I love having conversation with the wife, Leslie, as we wait for our food. Sometimes we have the opportunity to speak with Mike and we see the joy it brings him when we tell him how much we enjoy his food. He really cares for his craft. We haven't spoken with their son, but you can tell he also puts a lot of care into his work. It's always hard waiting for the weekend and we daydream about having Mike's bbq.VerifiedSamuel W.2024-05-26First time customer, lifetime hooked now. We tried all their meats this weekend. I usually like one more than another at other bbq joints but at Mike's Backyard BBQ everything is great. Not salty not overly smoked. And their sauces are awesome finishing touches. Perfection. When you hear other customers coming up after dining in and telling them how much they enjoyed their meals then Mikes is doing something right. Winner!Verifiedshannon l.2024-05-13This is a must if you are in Gilroy... The food is absolutely AMAZING, especially the ribs! (That just won 1st place in a competition) Leslie and Mike are a wonderful couple that make you feel so welcome. There are a few tables outside to thoroughly enjoy this "4 napkin feast."VerifiedAlex W.2024-05-05Great Food! I mean I drive over 40 miles sometimes to get this! Delicious all around. Service is amazing with the host treating you amazing and letting you order and sit. The ambiance is a grocery store outlet for local growers and farmers to sell products (gilroy) Definitely recommend 10/10 BRISKET and TritipVerifiedL B.2024-04-06Tri tip was perfectly tender and seasoned. Loved to cole slaw. It, too, was perfect--just the right balance of mayo so the slaw had crunch. I cant stand soggy slaw.VerifiedDixie C.2023-12-17One of the best BBQ I've tasted. Both the Ribs & Pulled Pork are tender and yummy, the Ribs just fall of the bone. Can't wait to try the Chicken Sandwich!