Xinjiang BBQ Serves Skewers Until 3 A.M. — and Chicken Drops to $1.25 After Ten

Overview

Xinjiang BBQ in Linda Vista is open until 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

It doesn't open until 5 p.m. This is a dinner-and-after place and nothing else — and in a city where most kitchens are shut by ten, a grill running until three in the morning is a genuinely scarce thing.

Their own framing is "城市一隅，夜宵之选" — "a corner of the city, a choice of midnight snacks."

Here's the deal that rewards staying late, and it's unusually literal.

Chicken skewers are $1.75 normally. From 5 to 10 p.m. they're $1.50. After 10 p.m. they drop to $1.25. They call it Happy Chicken Hour. Dine-in only, chicken skewers only — takeout stays at the full price.

A skewer that gets cheaper the later you stay is a clear statement about what kind of restaurant this is.

What to Order

The skewers, which are the point:

• Lamb Skewer (4) — $6.99 — the house signature, "loaded with cumin and chili, a handful at a time"
• Beef Kabab (4) — $6.99 · Beef Back Tripe (4) — $6.99 · Beef Tongue — $3.99
• Chicken (1) — $1.75 (see Happy Chicken Hour above)
• Chicken Gristle (4) — $7.99 · Chicken Skin (4) — $6.99 · Chicken Wings (2) — $7.99
• Pork Belly (4) — $5.99 · Enoki Mushroom w. Bacon (2) — $6.99
• Whole Squid — $11.99 · Squid Tentacles (4) — $7.99 · Shrimp (2) — $4.99
• Scallop w. Garlic Sauce (2) — $5.99 (five for $13.99) — "still bubbling when they reach the table"
• Oyster (2) — $5.99
• For the adventurous: Lamb Kidney $4.99, Sheep Testicle $6.99, Beef Scalded Aorta (4) $6.99, Pork Intestines (4) $5.99, Whole Quail $5.99, Pork Feet $7.99

The centrepiece:

• Spicy Grilled Fish — $34.99. Choose sole (less bone), catfish (with bone), or sea bass (with bone, +$5). It arrives whole, in the middle, for everyone to share

Vegetables, which are cheap and genuinely good on a grill:

• Shiitake Mushroom w/ Garlic $4.99 · Garlic (2) $3.99 · Bean Curd Skewer (5) $4.99
• Eggplant w. Garlic $7.99 · Lotus Root (2) $3.99 · Chives $6.99 · Potato Slices (2) $3.99
• Steamed Buns (2) $4.59 — order these to go with the lamb

Pots and pans:

• Spicy Clams (1 lb) — $16.99 · Pre-Braised Spicy Crawfish (1 lb) — $14.99 (2.2 lb for $29.99)
• Szechwan Spicy Pot — $14.99 · Tin Foil Enoki Mushroom — $8.99

Cold appetisers, $7.99–$10.99: cucumber with garlic, spicy beef tripe, century egg on tofu, cucumber with jellyfish, seaweed, sweet-spicy fried peanuts.

To fill out the table: Fried Rice $11.99 · Chow Mein $11.99 · Noodle w. Lamb Soup $11.99 · Beef Wonton Soup $11.99 · Rice $1.99

Dessert: Sweet Rice Cake (5) $6.99 · Fried Yogurt Roll (5) $6.99

If You're a Group

Two combos take the decisions away:

• $88 Valued Combo, for 2–3 — spicy grilled fish, a cold appetiser, 8 lamb or beef skewers, 16 more skewers, dessert, 2 rice, 2 sodas
• $169 Valued Combo, for 4–6 — spicy grilled fish, 2 cold appetisers, 16 lamb or beef skewers, 24 more skewers, a foil dish, a pound of clams or crawfish, sweet potato fries, a noodle or rice dish, dessert, 4 sodas

For a table of five or six, the $169 combo is the efficient order — it covers the whole format without anyone having to read a menu with eighty items on it.

How to Visit

• Address: 6931 Linda Vista Rd, San Diego, CA 92111
• Phone: (858) 567-3988 · Email: tong@xinjiangbbq.us
• Hours: Sunday–Thursday 5 p.m.–2 a.m. · Friday–Saturday 5 p.m.–3 a.m.
• Free parking for guests
• Reservations for groups of five or more through Yelp. Smaller groups walk in
• Pickup through their own online ordering, ready in about 25–35 minutes. Delivery through Uber Eats and DoorDash
• Spice levels run from no spice to extra hot
• 4.8 on Google across 880+ reviews

No alcohol is listed on the menu — drinks are teas, sodas and coconut milk, $1.99–$3.50.

Good to Know

• Stay past ten for the cheaper chicken. $1.25 a skewer, dine-in only.
• Order the fish for the table, not per person. It's built to share.
• Get the steamed buns. $4.59, and they're what you want alongside cumin-heavy lamb.
• Five or more? Book on Yelp. Four or fewer, just turn up.
• Free parking is a real advantage on that stretch of Linda Vista Road.
• It's a 5 p.m. opening. No lunch, ever.

The Takeaway

Go late, order lamb skewers, the spicy grilled fish and a plate of steamed buns, and let the chicken get cheaper around you.

What makes Xinjiang BBQ worth knowing isn't only the food — it's that San Diego has very few places genuinely set up for eating after midnight, and this is one of them. Skewers, a whole fish, free parking, and a kitchen that's still going at three.

For more spots worth knowing, browse our Local Picks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Xinjiang BBQ? At 6931 Linda Vista Rd, San Diego, CA 92111.

What are the hours? 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. It does not open for lunch.

What is Happy Chicken Hour? Chicken skewers are $1.50 from 5 to 10 p.m. and $1.25 after 10 p.m., dine-in only. The regular price is $1.75, and takeout orders are charged at the regular price.

What should I order? The lamb skewers (4 for $6.99) and the spicy grilled fish ($34.99, served whole to share). Steamed buns at $4.59 go with both.

Is there a group option? Yes — an $88 combo for two to three people and a $169 combo for four to six.

Do they take reservations? For groups of five or more, through Yelp. Smaller parties walk in.

Is there parking? Yes, free parking for guests.

Do they serve alcohol? No alcohol is listed on their menu. Drinks are teas, sodas and coconut milk.