Unearth The Voyage
Tucked along a lonely stretch of Highway 395 in Big Pine, California, a tiny barbecue stand once earned a title that shocked the food world. Copper Top BBQ climbed to the very top of Yelp’s rankings in 2015, beating out thousands of restaurants across America. What makes a roadside shack with picnic tables and no indoor seating worthy of such praise? The answer lies in smoky tri-tip, family dedication, and the kind of authentic flavor that turns first-time visitors into lifelong fans.
1. A tiny roadside stand that became a destination
Copper Top BBQ doesn’t look like much from the highway. It’s a modest stand perched right off Highway 395, where the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada meets wide-open desert sky. Eater LA wasn’t kidding when they called it a “tiny roadside stand”—there’s no dining room, no fancy décor, just weathered picnic tables under the sun.
But that smoky aroma hits you before your car door even opens. The scent of slow-cooked meat drifts across the gravel lot, pulling in travelers who planned to drive straight through. What started as a humble pit stop has become a true destination, the kind of place people add to their road-trip itinerary on purpose.
Outdoor seating means you eat elbow-to-elbow with strangers who quickly become friends. Everyone’s here for the same reason: honest barbecue in the middle of nowhere, served with zero pretense.
2. National spotlight: Yelp’s #1 in America (2015)
In 2015, Yelp dropped a bombshell: their annual “Top 100 Places to Eat in America” list crowned Copper Top BBQ as the number-one restaurant in the entire country. Not just in California, everywhere. ABC7 Los Angeles and TIME both covered the story, and suddenly this little Sierra stand was part of the national conversation.
For a family-run spot with no marketing budget and no Michelin ambitions, the recognition was surreal. Owner Hank Otten went from flipping tri-tip for locals and hikers to fielding interview requests and watching cars with out-of-state plates fill his lot. The Yelp crown proved that sometimes the best food isn’t hiding in a city—it’s smoking on a grill in a town of 1,800 people.
That spotlight changed everything, turning Copper Top into a pilgrimage site for barbecue lovers and Yelp believers alike.
3. What to order (and what you won’t find)
Forget Texas brisket, Copper Top is all about California barbecue. That means tri-tip takes center stage, flanked by ribs, pulled pork, and smoky chicken. Eater LA crowned tri-tip the “star of the show,” and for good reason: it’s tender, perfectly seasoned, and cooked low and slow until the edges caramelize into beefy heaven.
If you’ve never tried tri-tip, this is your classroom. The cut is a West Coast staple, especially in Central California, and Copper Top nails the technique. Ribs come fall-off-the-bone tender, and the pulled pork has that sweet-smoky balance that makes you forget about sides.
Don’t roll in expecting a twenty-item menu or fancy fusion experiments. The focus here is meat, smoke, and time. Simple ingredients, serious skill, and zero distractions, that’s the Copper Top way.
4. Practical info: address, hours & sell-outs
You’ll find Copper Top at 442 N. Main St., Big Pine, CA 93513, right in the heart of town (which isn’t saying much—Big Pine is tiny). Recent listings show they’re typically open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday through Monday, with Tuesday and Wednesday dark. But here’s the catch: they sell out, and fast.
Eater LA reported that the menu can be “completely crushed in just a few hours,” especially on weekends or during summer road-trip season. If you’re planning a detour, call ahead or check their social media day-of. There’s nothing worse than driving an hour through the desert only to find an empty smoker and a “Sold Out” sign.
Pro tip: arrive early, especially if you’re craving tri-tip. Once it’s gone, it’s gone, and no amount of pleading will conjure more meat from thin air.
5. Why locals (and road-trippers) love it
Hank Otten opened Copper Top in 2013, and he’s still the one standing at the grill, tending the coals and checking temps. It’s a family operation through and through—no corporate playbook, no franchise dreams, just a guy who loves barbecue and wanted to share it with his neighbors. That authenticity is what keeps locals coming back week after week.
Road-trippers love it for the same reason: it’s unfussy, unpretentious, and laser-focused on doing one thing really well. You’re not paying for atmosphere or Instagram backdrops—you’re paying for meat that’s been smoked with care and served with a smile. The outdoor vibe adds to the charm; eating tri-tip at a picnic table with the Sierra breeze feels right.
Lines form, tables fill, and strangers swap travel stories between bites. That’s the magic of Copper Top.
