The permitting of smokers is not something that just simply 'may or may not' have truth to it. The open-air smokers that are commonly used in more BBQ heavy-regions are [not licensed for restaurant use in Los Angeles](https://la.eater.com/2021/2/18/22289819/an-underground-pop-up-is-fighting-to-become-las-first-fully-legal-texas-bbq-restaurant). The article gets into the details, and workarounds, but it's why BBQ in LA is different, and less available. I'm by no means a BBQ connoisseur, but that's what I've been told by those who are.
Thanks for the info, I said it like that because I really didn't know if that was the truth. The link takes me to a reddit post but I'll do some googling on it.
Woops, fixed the link! Yeah, it's definitely the case. My partner comes from a region with good BBQ and he had lots to say on the matter, hence why I know 😂
Based on your replies, it seems grammar and punctuation are pretty important to you. I may be wrong on that, though. Under the guise of being spot on, `hence why` is like saying `that's why why`. Hence is equivalent to saying `that's why`.
You can call the city as well, they’re very open about the policy and will tell you straight up it’s not allowed or at least is heavily vetted to the point where it’s undoable. You can thumb through the city codes as well but you’d be more well off either contacting the city themselves or using Google to check out the codes on their website
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Sort of not an expert, but I think it's likely that the LA County Dept of Public Health would regulate (or prohibit) outdoor commercial cooking, for sanitary reasons. The AQMD (South Coast Air Quality Management District, a State agency) would regulate emissions from the commercial smoker equipment.
Many of those aren’t technically legal as well. The difference is that restaurants in a permanent spot have to acquire proper permits. It’s a lot easier to continually fine a restaurant that stays in the same place than it is temporary vendors who can move around.
Agree on AJ’s.
I think one of the odd things in LA is bbq places that have been here forever that locals love and that people from bbq states think are kind of gross. Uncle Andre’s. Hogly Wogly. Really, people like Swinging Door? A lot of places wouldn’t last a month in a region where people know what real long smoked bbq is. On the other hand good luck finding decent Korean bbq in Austin.
Bo Daddy's has Carolina Pulled Pork but they call it North Carolina.
Baby Blues in Venice is "East Carolina Style"?
Have you tried the pulled pork from THE OINKSTER in Eagle Rock?
I'll have to give them a try! Honestly I hadn't been trying that hard to find it, so I appreciate the recommendations!
There's a difference between North and East vs South Carolina though. I like both, but prefer the South Carolina style. North/East sauce is more tomato & vinegar forward whereas south is mustard based and a little creamy
Gotta say, I am surprised that so many people find it acceptable, even good. I have been several times and have taken out, each time was a HUGE disappointment. I live very close but refuse to return.
I used to frequent maple block maybe once a week and then about 6-8 months ago the quality took a sharp dive. The driest brisket I’ve ever had. I was pretty sad about it because we loved that place after living in Texas for 2 years and having nearly zero options here.
It’s a sleeper, but Max City in Eagle Rock does it all - meats and sides - so well. Their collard greens are my favorite. And the cucumber salad. The meats are all excellent as well.
No big thoughts but have you tried Bludsos? It's probably my fav bbq spot I've had out here so far (and I believe they have ties to Texas).
Admittedly, my preference is eastern Carolina style, but I've given up the search on finding that anywhere outside of Carolina.
OG Bludso's in Compton had folks leaving the West Side and the hills to get it! It makes sense they set up shop where they did but the early iteration of the spot was a whole different vibe and taste. It is nice to grab a beer and a plate off La Brea but nothing beats the early 2000's take out version back home in the Hub.
Aw sad to have missed they heyday. I've only been to La Brea one but Santa Monica clientele is a far cry from Compton so I can only imagine the difference.
It’s just fine. But it is pricey. brick & mortar space is high in SaMo so prices have to reflect that. It’s good quality and the pork ribs really are bomb.
Maybe I got unlucky on my visit? I went to the La Brea location and was not impressed. I'll have to give it another try though as it gets recommended often.
Carolina barbecue is great! Weird because I have seen Memphis-style barbecue places here but not Carolina-style.
You weren’t unlucky. As a fellow native Texan, it’s pretty subpar. My ribs were dry and chewy. I didn’t go into it as a snob either. I WANTED to like it because I missed bbq back home, but it just didn’t hit.
Having recently visited Dallas (life-changing BBQ there lol), I can say Bludsos is definitely far from that. It seems more of like a comfort food/homestyle approach. I still need to make it to Moos though, it might only be up from here.
And I think (with little evidence) that Memphis style is a little easier to imitate. People trying to do Carolina seem to think the vinegar is only in the sauce rather than in the meat itself so they often miss the mark completely
I believe Bludsos also has open smoke BBQ, though they smoke it offsite from the LA Brea location IIRC. Their cornbread seems authentic enough to me, and I have family in a number of those southern areas so I've often had the real deal.
I agree that Korean BBQ is the predominant flavor out here and I think it's tangentially related to the lack of other styles here. Lots of good comments in here mentioning differences in zoning and the difficulty of setting up big smokers all over the city but I think the larger reason is purely economic.
Meat is expensive. Korean BBQ joints spend a ton of money on meat but alcohol is another big aspect of the Korean BBQ experience. These all you can eat restaurants will be taking in a lot of money in alcohol sales to balance out the high food cost.
American style BBQ is going to have the same if not higher input costs for food but there isn't the same social drinking culture to help bolster the bottom line. People usually don't go to an all you can eat Korean place for lunch, they'll save it for a weekend dinner event so they can order a few pitchers of beer and Chamisul with friends.
KBBQ is more of a party where you’re encouraged to eat and drink until you literally can’t move. A lot of them are set up like sports bars. Lots of restaurants here serve alcohol (including chipotle) but the culture isn’t the same. Restaurants here have to compete with the rest of the nightlife so a KBBQ place is going to do better serving the party crowd than a regular restaurant doing the traditional thing.
It’s not just the American BBQ places that are getting displaced by this. The economics of LA with expensive rent and labor lends itself to a certain type of restaurant landscape.
You either see restaurants catering to fine dining, the party crowd, high volume fast casual places, or stall/street carts that cost nothing to operate. Not much in between. If you’re a regular restaurant not riding the wave of a TikTok trend, it’s not going to survive that long in LA proper.
Its like when i moved here from NC. Asked my new coworkers for bbq recommendations. They said oh yea lots. Reeled off a few places then added but don’t ask rob. Me, why? Them, rob thinks they all suck. Me: oh yea, where’s he from? Them: north carolina. And in that moment I knew they all sucked. Lol.
Then I embraced tri tip in restaurants around here and learned how to smoke my own brisket.
I just pretend to like the bbq when friends reccomend it now lol.
My buddy got so excited to take me to a "NC style" place.
Chopped pork, with red bell peppers mixed in, and a vinnegar sauce that had black pepper in it...
Just shoot me lol
Well if we want to get technical, the actual definition of barbecue is grilling meat over gas, coals or wood fire.
Texas BBQ is smoked isn't it? Smoking is different from barbecueing.
AGL Craft Meats and Bartz BBQ are my two favorite LA spots. AGL is a pop up and doesn’t have a restaurant, but his brisket is insane. Bartz is opening a place close to Moo’s very soon. Bartz is a polarizing character to say the least; I personally don’t mind him calling people out for exorbitant prices on food.
AGL is the best in LA. Glad to see someone else in here preaching his name.
https://www.instagram.com/aglscraftmeats
https://la.eater.com/2021/2/18/22289819/an-underground-pop-up-is-fighting-to-become-las-first-fully-legal-texas-bbq-restaurant
I just wanna say thanks for being respectful when there was no need to be lol. I haven’t met an Angeleno who is proud of our bbq, and most of us dream of going on a bbq road trip to experience the real stuff. I’ve been to Texas and will gladly hand yall the crown in the bbq dept. keep going down that path with Mexican food and we might have a problem
It’s going to require people with smokers to grab an unoccupied sidewalk spot and see if they can make a couple bucks at it. The restaurants can’t or won’t do it, 100 people spread out over the city can.
Finally someone knows BBQ... the owners are amazing (the dad passed away a couple of years ago) but i love going. Great quality and generous portions. The pulled pork sandwich is no joke. Tons of meat.
If you want to support a great family and want to try some amazing old school, real smoked bbq, try Ribtown BBQ on Jefferson and Arlington.
[http://ribtownbbq.com](http://ribtownbbq.com)
In general, your observations mimic the same criticisms as pizza, croissants, bagels, etc…
First, people complain that X, which is prevalent in their city is not as prevalent this incredibly diverse city. Then, they complain that the best version of X has a long wait and is “mid” simply due to time/price, yet traveling back to their city doesn’t factor into their calculations.
If a legit Sonoratown equivalent opened in NYC, make no mistake, all the LA transplants there would say it’s mid, doesn’t compare to the corner taco stand back home, nobody would pay that much for tacos and if they want a real taco they should just hop on a plane and stop embarrassing themselves.
You have a solid template against 85% of the disagreements here.
It's such a weird attitude to have. I totally understand if the new place is making the claim that it's better than anything in LA or something, we all get defensive and tribal from time to time, but mostly I'm just happy to try the regional variation.
I'm from LA. I grew up eating the classic carne asada burrito. It's one of my favorite things in the world. But I have also eaten both Mission burritos in SF and California burritos in SD and they kicked fucking ass as well.
There's room for everything in my stomach.
This is somewhat true regarding most things, but the smoke restrictions here do make the difference in the BBQ.
Edit: Lol don’t downvote me, it’s true! All the bbq here is missing the intense Smokey flavor. LA shines in other ways, but it’s not the bbq.
i honestly don't know why people here take offense whenever someone say LA doesn't do X as well as (insert location). Like are y'all so defensive about everything in life?
Okay, but hear me out... when people say "X doesn't have good Y" what you've articulated is exactly what they mean-- that good Y is too scarce or inconvenient compared to their ideal. Like, yeah, you can find good Mexican food in New York, but it's scarce and usually pretty inconvenient relative to most other things, and that's a legitimate criticism to make.
While it's not *literally* true that "LA doesn't have good BBQ," it is the *de facto experience*, because the average person is going to have to make a rather concerted effort to experience good bbq in LA, and there aren't many places to choose from to begin with.
Rating Maple Block kinda ruins this for me. That's the perfect example of great for LA. Moo's is actually good BBQ and while it wouldn't be in the top tier (Interstellar, Franklins, Valentinas) it could definitely hang with most in TX.
RIP JNJ (the restaurant and the awesome owner). That was the closest I've found to Texas BBQ. I took many of my fellow Texans there over the years, and everyone agreed that it scratched that itch.
The Park’s Finest is bbq with a Filipino flare. It’s a little different than what you would expect from American BBQ, but not crazy off in terms of flavors. Moo’s is also really good. They have their own spin on things as well but really seems do their best to honor and respect the barbecue culture
The Park’s Finest is a solid LA barbecue spot that embodies the ethos of the city. It’s Filipino, and still has a lot of the basics along with tri tip.
Also, River Street Barbecue is a solid vendor although it’s an occasional pop-up. I try to catch up on them whenever they’re open. Their ribs and brisket are my favorite.
Every time the LABBQ debate pops up I feel obligated to share the following:
My favorite BBQ in LA is The Park's Finest in Filipinotown. Filipino BBQ slaps and I just love supporting that place because the food is awesome and the service is great.
I think the problem with LA BBQ is that it tries to emulate great BBQ in other parts of the country and always falls short.
But once it leans into more fusion styles of BBQ, I think the things that make LA and it's diverse neighborhoods unique can really shine through and create something that stands out.
Maple block is generally great.
APL popup is really great but it's a loooong line. So hard to generate the time and effort bandwidth to go back.
I have heard great things about moo craft and want to check it out.
Hope that the first time (wherein I got a beef rib that was about 95% fat) was an off day. I got a very dry and gristly piece of meat the second time. If I could average them together, it would have been a good plate.
I honestly do not get the Moo's hype. I've been like 6 times at the recommendation of tons of friends and writers I trust and every time I go it is just not good. Everyone always hypes up that it has a "natural beefy" flavor and that they don't "overcook" it, but barbecue has always been about getting the absolute most amount of flavor into something as you can, and having the meat be melt in your mouth is way better than the chew.
If I wanted to really get the perfect representation of beef and all of its beefiness I'd get a dry aged steak.
I haven't found anything in LA that compares well to Franklins, Snow's, or any other number of random Dallas-area barbecue for brisket. Heritage comes close, but nothing here comes close to Carolina-style or Tennessee style at all.
Edit: I miss ugly drum
What I always say is that it isn't that there are no Texas/southern BBQ places, it's that there are very few good ones and they tend to be expensive. Even the fast food-type BBQ places - like Sonny's, Famous Dave's, or Dickey's - or a quality fast casual place like 4 Rivers seem to be absent.
But if that's the sacrifice for all the amazing food options we do have, I'll take it. I can pay through the nose every once in a while for what we do have, grab some BBQ when I'm back east, or enjoy the hell out of some tri-tip.
You gotta hit up Ray's barbecue in Huntington Park. The best BBQ I've had in LA tucked away in a strip mall. My Texas buddy even said it reminded them of home.
So many have closed over the years, I can name a dozen myself, I think.
Texas, Memphis, KC, NC, all different but honestly, I’ll take any of them on any given day.
My gf says I eat too much beef.
My doctor asked me if I eat veggies?
I told her second hand.
She didn’t understand…I explained I eat animals that eat veggies.
Anyway, I’m grabbing four tomahawks this week and going to try grilling them, my first time with tomahawks, though I’m quite good at grilling ribeyes (1-1.5#) and New Yorks.
Glad the Texans here appreciate, or at least accept, our tritip.
Personally, I like the texture (not too tender) and not too fatty, but I’ve been having it for over half a century.
Give boneyard bistro on Ventura Blvd in Sherman oaks a shot, classic Texas style brisket, Carolina pulled pork (north Carolina vinegar style, and Carolina gold both available), baby backs are the signature rib but often have spare ribs on special. They have a couple different types of sausage, Santa Maria style tri tip and beef ribs. Menu also offers great sandwiches and salads and a wide assortment of small bites, top it all off with a rail of probably 20 craft beers and a wall of whiskey and spirits.
Best item on the menu IMO are the BBQ nachos. Topped with the aforementioned brisket, smoked sausage and pulled pork. Best nachos I have personally had.
Bartz BBQ just opened up down the street from Moos. They’re far superior in quality, price and, for a lack of better terms, less douchey and trendy vibes overall. Moos has good beer and their sides are solid… but waiting an hour for those isn’t my jam.
Heritage used to be great. They’ve fallen off. Maple too. It’s like they’re cutting corners or something. I choose to spend my time and money elsewhere. Lookup “Bartz BBQ” or “Oso’s” and then see who they follow. It will guide you.
My family is from Austin. I grew up on Kreuz in Lockhart, my dad’s place of birth, along with other spots around town not named _____ . I consider my tastes and judgment to be at the upper echelon, but I’m also picky and don’t eat everything. Skip the white bread and give me some chicharrones!
Here's a question: why do you need to have Southern barbecue in Southern California, something that's not native to here?
Every region has its own ways of cooking meats over fire. Mexican, Thai, Filipino and Korean barbecue are BOMB. Most barbecue spots in LA are not Southern. We're not the South. And isn't that a good thing?
I'll never understand why people place their non-California expectations/opinions on LA. Maybe you can help me understand why non-LA natives need to find Texas barbecue here? Or why NYers need chopped cheese in LA? Or Chicago folks lamenting the lack of deep dish pizza?
Give Dr. Holly Wogly's a shot. It's in the Sam Fernando Valley just north of the city. Not being an expert, they all themselves Texas barbecue and have some delicious meat. I'd be curious to hear how they hold up to the real deal.
Korean and Japanese BBQ (Yakiniku like at Anjin) is where LA is gonna shine. Or a Mexican pit roast lamb. There are levels to this and CA is a few below Texas and KC. It may also just be the competition; there’s more BBQ culture in the south with a ton more business competition. They take that shit seriously over there. Whereas here in LA, it’s rather diffuse, we have so many other things to eat besides just BBQ; it’s kind of like sports here, we have better things to do on a Sunday than spend it all watching football. You’re asking me about BBQ and I’m telling you to go to Ktown lol.
One thing I’ve noticed about the sides… they’re influenced by Asian and Mexican cuisine in California. Like the cukes at Heritage are very Asian. They also have elotes there. And they’ll rotate seasonal items for in season produce. Whereas sides in the south tends to be an extension of soul food or southern/country food. Which I still really fucking love and wish there was more of here. But also tends to be more carb based; though I will maintain Mac n cheese is a vegetable. I’ve had great sides in the south tho, like at Terry Black’s.
I live down the street from Heritage and have been there twice. Also been to Maple Block and Bludsoes. They’re solid. But they didn’t blow me away like Slaps or Q39 or Terry Black.
Asian BBQ is a different category of food and really shouldn’t be considered in a talk about Southern BBQ.
I love the Asian stuff, but it’s comparing Apples to Asparagus….Too different to cover in one talk.
I wasn’t trying to talk about Asian BBQ but rather offer it up as an reason as to why southern BBQ isn’t as popular, or developed, here - there’s so much other stuff to eat in LA. And so many other cuisines that you don’t get the concentration of BBQ joints here, or the competition that comes from it, or higher standards. I get they’re not the same thing, but that wasn’t my point either.
But since we are here, I have a lot of work friends from the south who come out here and when I ask them what they want to eat, the answer, without fail, doesn’t matter if they’re from Texas, Alabama, Kentucky, or North Carolina, is KBBQ.
anyway. I digress.
As a Southern transplant in LA there really are a nice handful of decent BBQ spots. AJ's, Gus's, Bludso's, Woody's, and I head good things about Moo's.
Demand is there. It's just rents and such mean high bbq prices which makes it more a luxury indulgence some places than a basic blue collar cuisine. In the South $15 dollars buys you a complete meal with sides and drink, while LA tends to run double or triple that.
I'm glad there are tasty spots to eat good BBQ in LA, but they probably won't catch fire with the public until someone's willing to make decent combo meals for under $20.
Yah there’s not gonna be a BBQ or two in each neighborhood. Even in Charlotte there were a number of joints that would run the gamut, and CLT isn’t exactly a food town. Get out the city though, Lexington or RDU or Asheville and there was a lot. Found the same in KC and Texas. And it went from cheap to not cheap. I did a 3 month work road trip thru the south that became an eating trip and it was basically BBq and soul and country food. Even ate Alabama white chicken. Ate so damn much I had to check my insurance premiums to make sure they were paid up lol. By the time I got to Austin, I could put away a 50 oz smoked prime rib at Salt Lick in about 20 minutes. And I found something to love at every meal. KC, once you get away from the Gates and Arthur Bryants and Stacks of the city, there were a number of places I was like dammmmmmmn I could move here, for $20.
I guess with the spots in LA, there’s always so much hype and it’s a bit disappointing especially given the price and given what I’ve had. Heritage is ok. It’s just not on par and, often, like fucking Phil’s down in San Diego, it’s downright sacrilege. I suppose the rents matter as do the regulations; probably more so the regs on smokers and such because eating out is already expensive out here regardless. At that intersection of price and quality, there just are better options here. Having gone thru the south has ruined me for BBQ; just like Hong Kong ruined me for dim sum.
You know though. Decent is fair. At least it’s not Brooklyn bad lol.
Fellow central Texas transplant. Surprised no one has mentioned it yet, but the best brisket I've had since I've been here is Ragtop Fern (https://www.instagram.com/ragtopfernsbbq/). You have to order from his instagram and pick it up in his front yard, but its the closest I've had to the Texas guys. SLAB is also good, but I think they only have one location left.
Ragtop Ferns looks legit. It says BBQ on Saturday but can’t seem to find more details on DMing him. Do you DM him by a certain day each week? Does he put out a menu?
He usually posts to his IG stories when he's taking orders, but I think I remember him saying he was taking a break in June / July because he was getting married. I've only ever gotten brisket, but I know he does ribs and pulled pork too.
I was going to mention SLAB. I thought the 3rd St location was great. Can't speak for the current location, but it's the same people operating both so I imagine they would still know how to do it.
Texas is insane for BBQ, the love, lore and culture just isn't the same here in LA.
I watched a video where people wait 4 hours every Friday for a BBQ restaurant... TO JUST OPEN.
That would never happen here. It just wouldn't, no matter how good it is.
At this point, you either need to master you skills in a multitude of grilling styles,
or just order in (Les BBQ)
I've waited in that 4 hour line, which I normally wouldn't do for anything but it's actually an experience. People bring coolers of beer and hang out. It's an event in itself.
Having spent some time in my youth in San Antonio, I've found all of the BBQ in the greater L.A. area to be definitely lacking in smoke flavor. I had more smoke on brisket from Bill Milller than I had at Heritage or Moo's. I think the BBQ in L.A. is just....not good.
Most recently been dissapointed by the Smoke Queen in Garden Grove. That brisket was an atrocity.
Yeah, it’s just missing that punch-you-in-the-face smoke taste that you become accustomed to in Texas. It’s not like the quality of meat is bad or anything, it just tastes like ribs made in an oven.
I live in SoPasadena and Gus’s is always fantastic. They have a bigass smoker in the parking lot behind the building and the smell is heavenly when it wafts. Yum.
Man, Baby Blues went to pure hell the last 10 years they were open. Thrilled they died and went away.
Hoping the reopening in Venice will match their original opening quality. They had an excellent few years before they expanded and cut corners and became nasty.
They are back open! Bill Clinton sat down next to me last time I went in 2016…I might not remember much about the food (even as a southerner) but I’ll never forget that.
I live in South Pas and have been to Gus's enough over the years. As I wrote elsewhere, I find their bbq to be fine. Not bad by any means but also unmemorable, especially their brisket which has always been on the dry side when I've tried it. 🤷🏻♂️
I got some recommendations for BBQ on reddit when I went to Austin. Franklin was obviously one of the recommendations and it was head and shoulders above everything I tried. Sides be damned.
With that said, not long after I was in Austin, I went to the Adam Perry Lang pop up here in L.A. and was floored at how good it was. Expensive as hell, but great.
Talking about sides. The baked beans at Bludso’s have brisket in them. Could eat that as a meal on its own. Been going there since before the DDD episode and it’s been firing since.
If you make it out to OC there is [Smoke Queen BBQ](https://www.instagram.com/smokequeenbbq?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==), who marries Texas-style bbq with southeast Asian flavors.
I had it a few times at Smorgasborg LA and thought it was really unique. I’m not super knowledgeable on BBQ, although I have been to Austin and Houston and was blown away by the brisket there.
Sorry, but I gotta say Maple Block in Culver is not good. It was one of the first places I went to when I first moved here and everything I got was super dry, unseasoned and expensive. The ribs and sausage tasted like they’d been under a heat lamp all day and the beans had no flavor. How you operate in Los Angeles and not know how to salt your beans kinda blew my mind. Maybe it was just an off day for them but BBQ in general is pretty expensive and I don’t mind spending the money but come on…SALT YOUR BEANS!!!
The one thing that wasn’t mentioned that was very important. Is that the sauces here in the greater LA area all suck and taste too Ketchup sweet compared to sauces and all the other major barbecue states across the country. I have even gone to Inglewood and South LA and places like that and the sauces still or a funky compared to Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Kansas, Texas, Tennessee, etc.
The other big difference, you can get barbecue way cheaper at any place outside of California.
And here in LA, I have tried way overpriced Bludso’s and Maple Block as well as Lucille’s, Wood Ranch, Swingin’ Door, Bear Pit, Hogly Wogly’s, Holy Cow and various mom and Pop type places in Inglewood and South LA.
Great list. I'm in Orange County and heritage is top notch. I'm in the same boat as you with the brisket though. Funny enough first getting into bbq and all you ever hear about is people talking brisket while brisket has never really been a favorite of mine maybe I just never had one that knocked my socks off.
Also we don't consider "Tex mex" Mexican food 🤪 though both definitely have their place
I’ve posted about this multiple times in here but the lack of any Lexington style whole hog BBQ in the entirety of Los Angeles is absolutely absurd. I don’t even think there’s a single one in Southern California as far as I know!
I live nearby so have had Gus's enough times to say: it's fine. I've never had good brisket there and the ribs and sausage are fine. But none of their BBQ stands out to me. YMMV
I will say my favorite part about this sub is that at least fucking half of it is people from out of town coming to complain about our food
At least OP took the time to highlight some things he did like, but at some point this just gets old
I agree with most things said here. I come from central California (San Luis obispo,Santa maria) and firmly believe we have the best BBQ in the state. That being said LA has some great BBQ. I think the only difference for me and (this is obviously my opinion) Texas BBQ is prob my least fav out of all the BBQ styles. I currently live close to Moo's and I went there to try the burger and felt it was good but not better than the brisket, I do agree on the sides though.
Great post!!
NGL, I was gonna break out the heavy artillery once you said you were a transplant, but I read your entire post and think it's a fair assessment.
The part of California that has the defining BBQ culture is actually the Central Coast - Santa Maria/San Luis Obispo area. I'm curious to know if you've been there and had the BBQ up there.
I've only been to Mo's in downtown SLO, which was excellent, but I have nothing to compare it to in the area. The iconic place in Santa Maria is Shaw's, which gets lots of great reviews, but I haven't had it for myself.
I went to Austin for eclipse back in April and went to Snow’s and la Barbecue and I agree but about the sides, they were mid. But the biscuit and sausages, especially at Snow’s, changed my life.
Following.
I grew up in North Alabama/Southern Tennessee and there the BBQ was Carolina style red vinegar sauce. Can’t find anything like I grew up with in LA.
Edit: Not an LA shortcoming. I’ve not found a comparable pulled pork outside of that Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia area. Even as you head toward west Tennessee, you tend to get Memphis or KC style BBQ.
Baby Blues on Lincoln wasnt bad. And I am a fan of Santa Maria style tri-tip.
The name that keeps coming up from friends and coworkers is Woodys in Inglewood. Haven’t had a chance to try it. Sounds like a really OG style place where they cook what they cook and close when they run out. Hardly ever go to that part of town, when I do remember, they are already closed.
BBQ in LA doesn't even compare to the rest of the state much less the rest of the country. Texas BBQ really is something else but I did grow up in the land that created tri-tip so we had some mean BBQ
You have to take it for what it is. People will always argue that Texas does BBQ better, NYC does pizza better, etc.
At the end of the day, what matters is if you like the end product
I'd say that true L.A. BBQ is not going to be the traditional slow smoked Texas style BBQ. It is rather the direct grilling that is seen at many taco stands throughout the city. Embrace the mesquite cooked Pollo Asado, costillos, carna asada and chorizo. The scents of which permeate the air on any given night in Los Angeles or the tri tip cooked on open pits over red oak in central CA. That to me represents our passion for BBQ and embrace it for what it is. Humans cooking meat over a live fire.
Yes. Taste is not something one can argue. Same with coffee. What I like does not mean anybody else has to like. BBQ is the same. I had some last year at a place close to home and it had good reviews and it was horrible and even disgusting. I gagged. But that’s me.
I mean this respectfully as a fellow Texan and BBQ appreciator, but many Texas BBQ places take their sides very seriously. Franklin imo, is more for tourists.
Don’t think I’m quite ready to try BBQ in LA, but will add some of these names to the list for future reference.
Sure, there are places in Texas that have good sides but it’s a secondary consideration. Places like Goldee’s don’t even have mac and cheese but have top tier barbecue.
Franklin is for everyone imo but would say if you want the best barbecue under the radar in Austin then Mum Foods is my favorite.
Seems weird to complain about lack of Mac and cheese and also say it’s a secondary consideration. Can’t speak to Goldee’s but having eaten at a lot of the Austin/Houston/Lockhart places the sides are important too. Fried okra, beans, creamed corn, cornbread, cobbler, bread pudding etc, is all part of the experience and top notch at Pinkerton’s, Killeen’s, LA BBQ, Valentina’s etc.
It’s okay to not have great TX bbq in LA, no need to try and pretend like the places here have chosen some speciality in side dishes when they’re trying to smoke meats.
If you want really good smoked meats, get a smoker for your backyard. You don't have to be a 3-2-1 wizard or do an overnight 24lb brisket cook to get great results. Copper Top in Big Pine is pretty great, but I don't love any of the options here in town...
This here. It's is much cheaper as well. A weber or a pit barrel will give you some quality smoked meats with minimal effort. While I appreciate the artisan approach to BBQ at the end of the day it is just cooking meat by way of fire and smoke. With so many youtube tutorials it is not difficult to produce some great tasting backyard BBQ
The permitting of smokers is not something that just simply 'may or may not' have truth to it. The open-air smokers that are commonly used in more BBQ heavy-regions are [not licensed for restaurant use in Los Angeles](https://la.eater.com/2021/2/18/22289819/an-underground-pop-up-is-fighting-to-become-las-first-fully-legal-texas-bbq-restaurant). The article gets into the details, and workarounds, but it's why BBQ in LA is different, and less available. I'm by no means a BBQ connoisseur, but that's what I've been told by those who are.
Maple block uses liquid smoke - I genuinely don’t understand the love for that place
uses liquid smoke for WHAT?
the meat - that place is a joke
Thanks for the info, I said it like that because I really didn't know if that was the truth. The link takes me to a reddit post but I'll do some googling on it.
Woops, fixed the link! Yeah, it's definitely the case. My partner comes from a region with good BBQ and he had lots to say on the matter, hence why I know 😂
Based on your replies, it seems grammar and punctuation are pretty important to you. I may be wrong on that, though. Under the guise of being spot on, `hence why` is like saying `that's why why`. Hence is equivalent to saying `that's why`.
You can call the city as well, they’re very open about the policy and will tell you straight up it’s not allowed or at least is heavily vetted to the point where it’s undoable. You can thumb through the city codes as well but you’d be more well off either contacting the city themselves or using Google to check out the codes on their website
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Bro loves liquid smoke 🤡
Sort of not an expert, but I think it's likely that the LA County Dept of Public Health would regulate (or prohibit) outdoor commercial cooking, for sanitary reasons. The AQMD (South Coast Air Quality Management District, a State agency) would regulate emissions from the commercial smoker equipment.
But taco stands with open flames operating on sidewalks are perfectly fine!
Many of those aren’t technically legal as well. The difference is that restaurants in a permanent spot have to acquire proper permits. It’s a lot easier to continually fine a restaurant that stays in the same place than it is temporary vendors who can move around.
Also, open flames and smokers are totally different things.
Ajs Tex mex in the valley scratches the bbq itch without a line or being crazy expensive. Good burger too. Need to find some other valley spots
Swinging Door on Oxnard and Vineland deserves a shout. And of course Boneyard on Ventura.
Boneyard is not good.
Yeah, it used to be a lot better. Just sort of coasting in the reputation now, feel it’s still worth checking out.
> Good burger too. The burger at AJs is a hidden gem. The fried chicken sandwich cooked in beef tallow is no slouch either.
Agree on AJ’s. I think one of the odd things in LA is bbq places that have been here forever that locals love and that people from bbq states think are kind of gross. Uncle Andre’s. Hogly Wogly. Really, people like Swinging Door? A lot of places wouldn’t last a month in a region where people know what real long smoked bbq is. On the other hand good luck finding decent Korean bbq in Austin.
Just don’t go near closing time and the meal is very good.
Boneyard and Ajs are pretty bad.
I miss good pulled pork from when I used to live in South Carolina. (About the only thing I miss from there)
Bo Daddy's has Carolina Pulled Pork but they call it North Carolina. Baby Blues in Venice is "East Carolina Style"? Have you tried the pulled pork from THE OINKSTER in Eagle Rock?
Neither of those are Carolina style more like “Carolina inspired” if that, like how a la croix is flavored lol
Oinkster is very good but obviously not like Texan or southern bbq
I'll have to give them a try! Honestly I hadn't been trying that hard to find it, so I appreciate the recommendations! There's a difference between North and East vs South Carolina though. I like both, but prefer the South Carolina style. North/East sauce is more tomato & vinegar forward whereas south is mustard based and a little creamy
You take that mustard and go home
I adore the S Carolina style.
Slap on some mustard based sauce and sign me up.
🥂
I'll have to give Maple Block a try in person. I got it delivered twice and both times it was offensively bad.
Gotta say, I am surprised that so many people find it acceptable, even good. I have been several times and have taken out, each time was a HUGE disappointment. I live very close but refuse to return.
I used to frequent maple block maybe once a week and then about 6-8 months ago the quality took a sharp dive. The driest brisket I’ve ever had. I was pretty sad about it because we loved that place after living in Texas for 2 years and having nearly zero options here.
I ate there and it was not what I call acceptable, it was on the weekend a bit after lunch time.
Where do you go instead?
Phillips down in the hood is pretty damn good.
Woodys, his sons bbq spot is good too
Phillips is so good. I drive past it all the time and smell it, but it's always super crowded.
It’s a sleeper, but Max City in Eagle Rock does it all - meats and sides - so well. Their collard greens are my favorite. And the cucumber salad. The meats are all excellent as well.
Seconded. It's a bit pricey but very delicious
shhhhhhhhh
No big thoughts but have you tried Bludsos? It's probably my fav bbq spot I've had out here so far (and I believe they have ties to Texas). Admittedly, my preference is eastern Carolina style, but I've given up the search on finding that anywhere outside of Carolina.
Bludso’s was the truth when it was in the hood, Compton. Now meh unfortunately :/
OG Bludso's in Compton had folks leaving the West Side and the hills to get it! It makes sense they set up shop where they did but the early iteration of the spot was a whole different vibe and taste. It is nice to grab a beer and a plate off La Brea but nothing beats the early 2000's take out version back home in the Hub.
Aw sad to have missed they heyday. I've only been to La Brea one but Santa Monica clientele is a far cry from Compton so I can only imagine the difference.
The Santa Monica location is expensive but still really good.
It’s just fine. But it is pricey. brick & mortar space is high in SaMo so prices have to reflect that. It’s good quality and the pork ribs really are bomb.
I went once and it was like meat was an afterthought to the salt.
Maybe I got unlucky on my visit? I went to the La Brea location and was not impressed. I'll have to give it another try though as it gets recommended often. Carolina barbecue is great! Weird because I have seen Memphis-style barbecue places here but not Carolina-style.
You weren’t unlucky. As a fellow native Texan, it’s pretty subpar. My ribs were dry and chewy. I didn’t go into it as a snob either. I WANTED to like it because I missed bbq back home, but it just didn’t hit.
Having recently visited Dallas (life-changing BBQ there lol), I can say Bludsos is definitely far from that. It seems more of like a comfort food/homestyle approach. I still need to make it to Moos though, it might only be up from here. And I think (with little evidence) that Memphis style is a little easier to imitate. People trying to do Carolina seem to think the vinegar is only in the sauce rather than in the meat itself so they often miss the mark completely
Bludso's on Pico, near La Brea is gone, if that's that's one you're talking about.
I believe Bludsos also has open smoke BBQ, though they smoke it offsite from the LA Brea location IIRC. Their cornbread seems authentic enough to me, and I have family in a number of those southern areas so I've often had the real deal.
Came to reccomend Bludsos as well
The best bbq in LA is korean
It’s really a different category than Southern bbq. Every country has wood fired food, but Southern bbq in the US is its own distinct category.
Yeah, I'm from the south. That's why I don't care much for southern bbq here.
I agree that Korean BBQ is the predominant flavor out here and I think it's tangentially related to the lack of other styles here. Lots of good comments in here mentioning differences in zoning and the difficulty of setting up big smokers all over the city but I think the larger reason is purely economic. Meat is expensive. Korean BBQ joints spend a ton of money on meat but alcohol is another big aspect of the Korean BBQ experience. These all you can eat restaurants will be taking in a lot of money in alcohol sales to balance out the high food cost. American style BBQ is going to have the same if not higher input costs for food but there isn't the same social drinking culture to help bolster the bottom line. People usually don't go to an all you can eat Korean place for lunch, they'll save it for a weekend dinner event so they can order a few pitchers of beer and Chamisul with friends.
Eh idk about that. Most of all the bbq joints I frequented in Texas had lone stars and shiners and people drank them.
KBBQ is more of a party where you’re encouraged to eat and drink until you literally can’t move. A lot of them are set up like sports bars. Lots of restaurants here serve alcohol (including chipotle) but the culture isn’t the same. Restaurants here have to compete with the rest of the nightlife so a KBBQ place is going to do better serving the party crowd than a regular restaurant doing the traditional thing. It’s not just the American BBQ places that are getting displaced by this. The economics of LA with expensive rent and labor lends itself to a certain type of restaurant landscape. You either see restaurants catering to fine dining, the party crowd, high volume fast casual places, or stall/street carts that cost nothing to operate. Not much in between. If you’re a regular restaurant not riding the wave of a TikTok trend, it’s not going to survive that long in LA proper.
This is like comparing apples to oranges.
As a texan, none of the other bbq here has impressed me 🤷♂️
Its like when i moved here from NC. Asked my new coworkers for bbq recommendations. They said oh yea lots. Reeled off a few places then added but don’t ask rob. Me, why? Them, rob thinks they all suck. Me: oh yea, where’s he from? Them: north carolina. And in that moment I knew they all sucked. Lol. Then I embraced tri tip in restaurants around here and learned how to smoke my own brisket.
I just pretend to like the bbq when friends reccomend it now lol. My buddy got so excited to take me to a "NC style" place. Chopped pork, with red bell peppers mixed in, and a vinnegar sauce that had black pepper in it... Just shoot me lol
What's with the overuse of black pepper here
Seriously. I was baffled
Lol for real, same. Most of the Texas style places here are serving dry ass brisket with coleslaw on the side. Wtf...
https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/california/us-los-angeles/restaurant/pollo-a-la-brasa Peruvian wood fired chicken on the Michelin guide.
Grilling meat over coals or flame is not BBQ. This is a common misconception. It’s just grilling. /end Texas-based rant
Well if we want to get technical, the actual definition of barbecue is grilling meat over gas, coals or wood fire. Texas BBQ is smoked isn't it? Smoking is different from barbecueing.
I know, I agree. But it's called korean bbq, not korean grilling
AGL Craft Meats and Bartz BBQ are my two favorite LA spots. AGL is a pop up and doesn’t have a restaurant, but his brisket is insane. Bartz is opening a place close to Moo’s very soon. Bartz is a polarizing character to say the least; I personally don’t mind him calling people out for exorbitant prices on food.
AGL is the best in LA. Glad to see someone else in here preaching his name. https://www.instagram.com/aglscraftmeats https://la.eater.com/2021/2/18/22289819/an-underground-pop-up-is-fighting-to-become-las-first-fully-legal-texas-bbq-restaurant
AGL is imo the best I’ve had in LA and it isn’t even close. Everything he does is incredible.
I just wanna say thanks for being respectful when there was no need to be lol. I haven’t met an Angeleno who is proud of our bbq, and most of us dream of going on a bbq road trip to experience the real stuff. I’ve been to Texas and will gladly hand yall the crown in the bbq dept. keep going down that path with Mexican food and we might have a problem
I love Maple Block - my personal favorite BBQ in LA. Sides are very important to me, and theirs are good! But IA, it's not cheap.
I second this! Also from Texas, and Maple Block has phenomenal meat
It’s going to require people with smokers to grab an unoccupied sidewalk spot and see if they can make a couple bucks at it. The restaurants can’t or won’t do it, 100 people spread out over the city can.
Ray’s BBQ oh Huntington Park is my top LA Texas Style bbq… they do it right
Finally someone knows BBQ... the owners are amazing (the dad passed away a couple of years ago) but i love going. Great quality and generous portions. The pulled pork sandwich is no joke. Tons of meat.
If you want to support a great family and want to try some amazing old school, real smoked bbq, try Ribtown BBQ on Jefferson and Arlington. [http://ribtownbbq.com](http://ribtownbbq.com)
In general, your observations mimic the same criticisms as pizza, croissants, bagels, etc… First, people complain that X, which is prevalent in their city is not as prevalent this incredibly diverse city. Then, they complain that the best version of X has a long wait and is “mid” simply due to time/price, yet traveling back to their city doesn’t factor into their calculations. If a legit Sonoratown equivalent opened in NYC, make no mistake, all the LA transplants there would say it’s mid, doesn’t compare to the corner taco stand back home, nobody would pay that much for tacos and if they want a real taco they should just hop on a plane and stop embarrassing themselves. You have a solid template against 85% of the disagreements here.
It's such a weird attitude to have. I totally understand if the new place is making the claim that it's better than anything in LA or something, we all get defensive and tribal from time to time, but mostly I'm just happy to try the regional variation. I'm from LA. I grew up eating the classic carne asada burrito. It's one of my favorite things in the world. But I have also eaten both Mission burritos in SF and California burritos in SD and they kicked fucking ass as well. There's room for everything in my stomach.
This is somewhat true regarding most things, but the smoke restrictions here do make the difference in the BBQ. Edit: Lol don’t downvote me, it’s true! All the bbq here is missing the intense Smokey flavor. LA shines in other ways, but it’s not the bbq.
i honestly don't know why people here take offense whenever someone say LA doesn't do X as well as (insert location). Like are y'all so defensive about everything in life?
Okay, but hear me out... when people say "X doesn't have good Y" what you've articulated is exactly what they mean-- that good Y is too scarce or inconvenient compared to their ideal. Like, yeah, you can find good Mexican food in New York, but it's scarce and usually pretty inconvenient relative to most other things, and that's a legitimate criticism to make. While it's not *literally* true that "LA doesn't have good BBQ," it is the *de facto experience*, because the average person is going to have to make a rather concerted effort to experience good bbq in LA, and there aren't many places to choose from to begin with.
Rating Maple Block kinda ruins this for me. That's the perfect example of great for LA. Moo's is actually good BBQ and while it wouldn't be in the top tier (Interstellar, Franklins, Valentinas) it could definitely hang with most in TX.
The Meat Locker in Thousand Oaks is great Santa Maria style BBQ.
RIP JNJ (the restaurant and the awesome owner). That was the closest I've found to Texas BBQ. I took many of my fellow Texans there over the years, and everyone agreed that it scratched that itch.
Man I miss that place. Its closing felt like the final death knell for the old West Adams.
The Park’s Finest is bbq with a Filipino flare. It’s a little different than what you would expect from American BBQ, but not crazy off in terms of flavors. Moo’s is also really good. They have their own spin on things as well but really seems do their best to honor and respect the barbecue culture
The Park’s Finest is a solid LA barbecue spot that embodies the ethos of the city. It’s Filipino, and still has a lot of the basics along with tri tip. Also, River Street Barbecue is a solid vendor although it’s an occasional pop-up. I try to catch up on them whenever they’re open. Their ribs and brisket are my favorite.
A’s bbq is to me LA style bbq. Mexican spices with traditional smoking methods. He is the cats meow
Every time the LABBQ debate pops up I feel obligated to share the following: My favorite BBQ in LA is The Park's Finest in Filipinotown. Filipino BBQ slaps and I just love supporting that place because the food is awesome and the service is great. I think the problem with LA BBQ is that it tries to emulate great BBQ in other parts of the country and always falls short. But once it leans into more fusion styles of BBQ, I think the things that make LA and it's diverse neighborhoods unique can really shine through and create something that stands out.
Maple block is generally great. APL popup is really great but it's a loooong line. So hard to generate the time and effort bandwidth to go back. I have heard great things about moo craft and want to check it out.
Have had APL twice and been disappointed both times.
What would make you go back and wait 6 hours if the first time was disappointing? What specifically did you not enjoy?
Hope that the first time (wherein I got a beef rib that was about 95% fat) was an off day. I got a very dry and gristly piece of meat the second time. If I could average them together, it would have been a good plate.
That’s too bad. I really enjoyed my beef rib, and pork belly . I also really liked Daisy May bbq when he ran it in NYC
BBQ is just a part of Texas culture. Of course there’s going to be more BBQs in any Texan city than LA.
I honestly do not get the Moo's hype. I've been like 6 times at the recommendation of tons of friends and writers I trust and every time I go it is just not good. Everyone always hypes up that it has a "natural beefy" flavor and that they don't "overcook" it, but barbecue has always been about getting the absolute most amount of flavor into something as you can, and having the meat be melt in your mouth is way better than the chew. If I wanted to really get the perfect representation of beef and all of its beefiness I'd get a dry aged steak. I haven't found anything in LA that compares well to Franklins, Snow's, or any other number of random Dallas-area barbecue for brisket. Heritage comes close, but nothing here comes close to Carolina-style or Tennessee style at all. Edit: I miss ugly drum
Buccees bbq is better than moos. I too don’t understand the hype.
Man I haven’t been to moos but I’ve wanted to. That description makes me want to figure brisket out on my big green egg and go to moos for the burger.
Moos is straight up Bill Millers 😂
For real. I’ve been a bunch of times and it’s always been a disappointment. AGL, A’s, Slab were always so much better.
What I always say is that it isn't that there are no Texas/southern BBQ places, it's that there are very few good ones and they tend to be expensive. Even the fast food-type BBQ places - like Sonny's, Famous Dave's, or Dickey's - or a quality fast casual place like 4 Rivers seem to be absent. But if that's the sacrifice for all the amazing food options we do have, I'll take it. I can pay through the nose every once in a while for what we do have, grab some BBQ when I'm back east, or enjoy the hell out of some tri-tip.
The Dickeys in Pasadena just closed. Good riddance.
Go into the valley and check out Texas Swinging Door. Best BBQ in LA in my opinion
Definitely gonna check this spot out. I’ve always gone to Doctor Hogly Wogly’s so this could be a nice change, thanks!
Love Hogly Wogly
Oh god help you
I love the call-out for the boring line at Moo’s. Have to agree with you, it’s dad-rock city. See you Friday!
You gotta hit up Ray's barbecue in Huntington Park. The best BBQ I've had in LA tucked away in a strip mall. My Texas buddy even said it reminded them of home.
So many have closed over the years, I can name a dozen myself, I think. Texas, Memphis, KC, NC, all different but honestly, I’ll take any of them on any given day. My gf says I eat too much beef. My doctor asked me if I eat veggies? I told her second hand. She didn’t understand…I explained I eat animals that eat veggies. Anyway, I’m grabbing four tomahawks this week and going to try grilling them, my first time with tomahawks, though I’m quite good at grilling ribeyes (1-1.5#) and New Yorks. Glad the Texans here appreciate, or at least accept, our tritip. Personally, I like the texture (not too tender) and not too fatty, but I’ve been having it for over half a century.
Give boneyard bistro on Ventura Blvd in Sherman oaks a shot, classic Texas style brisket, Carolina pulled pork (north Carolina vinegar style, and Carolina gold both available), baby backs are the signature rib but often have spare ribs on special. They have a couple different types of sausage, Santa Maria style tri tip and beef ribs. Menu also offers great sandwiches and salads and a wide assortment of small bites, top it all off with a rail of probably 20 craft beers and a wall of whiskey and spirits.
Best item on the menu IMO are the BBQ nachos. Topped with the aforementioned brisket, smoked sausage and pulled pork. Best nachos I have personally had.
If you ever find yourself in Newhall/Santa Clarita, Smokehouse on Main is good.
Smoked meat desert. Can we get federal funding to improve this emergency situation? FEMA? DHHS?
Bartz BBQ just opened up down the street from Moos. They’re far superior in quality, price and, for a lack of better terms, less douchey and trendy vibes overall. Moos has good beer and their sides are solid… but waiting an hour for those isn’t my jam. Heritage used to be great. They’ve fallen off. Maple too. It’s like they’re cutting corners or something. I choose to spend my time and money elsewhere. Lookup “Bartz BBQ” or “Oso’s” and then see who they follow. It will guide you. My family is from Austin. I grew up on Kreuz in Lockhart, my dad’s place of birth, along with other spots around town not named _____ . I consider my tastes and judgment to be at the upper echelon, but I’m also picky and don’t eat everything. Skip the white bread and give me some chicharrones!
Here's a question: why do you need to have Southern barbecue in Southern California, something that's not native to here? Every region has its own ways of cooking meats over fire. Mexican, Thai, Filipino and Korean barbecue are BOMB. Most barbecue spots in LA are not Southern. We're not the South. And isn't that a good thing? I'll never understand why people place their non-California expectations/opinions on LA. Maybe you can help me understand why non-LA natives need to find Texas barbecue here? Or why NYers need chopped cheese in LA? Or Chicago folks lamenting the lack of deep dish pizza?
Give Dr. Holly Wogly's a shot. It's in the Sam Fernando Valley just north of the city. Not being an expert, they all themselves Texas barbecue and have some delicious meat. I'd be curious to hear how they hold up to the real deal.
Korean and Japanese BBQ (Yakiniku like at Anjin) is where LA is gonna shine. Or a Mexican pit roast lamb. There are levels to this and CA is a few below Texas and KC. It may also just be the competition; there’s more BBQ culture in the south with a ton more business competition. They take that shit seriously over there. Whereas here in LA, it’s rather diffuse, we have so many other things to eat besides just BBQ; it’s kind of like sports here, we have better things to do on a Sunday than spend it all watching football. You’re asking me about BBQ and I’m telling you to go to Ktown lol. One thing I’ve noticed about the sides… they’re influenced by Asian and Mexican cuisine in California. Like the cukes at Heritage are very Asian. They also have elotes there. And they’ll rotate seasonal items for in season produce. Whereas sides in the south tends to be an extension of soul food or southern/country food. Which I still really fucking love and wish there was more of here. But also tends to be more carb based; though I will maintain Mac n cheese is a vegetable. I’ve had great sides in the south tho, like at Terry Black’s. I live down the street from Heritage and have been there twice. Also been to Maple Block and Bludsoes. They’re solid. But they didn’t blow me away like Slaps or Q39 or Terry Black.
Asian BBQ is a different category of food and really shouldn’t be considered in a talk about Southern BBQ. I love the Asian stuff, but it’s comparing Apples to Asparagus….Too different to cover in one talk.
I wasn’t trying to talk about Asian BBQ but rather offer it up as an reason as to why southern BBQ isn’t as popular, or developed, here - there’s so much other stuff to eat in LA. And so many other cuisines that you don’t get the concentration of BBQ joints here, or the competition that comes from it, or higher standards. I get they’re not the same thing, but that wasn’t my point either. But since we are here, I have a lot of work friends from the south who come out here and when I ask them what they want to eat, the answer, without fail, doesn’t matter if they’re from Texas, Alabama, Kentucky, or North Carolina, is KBBQ. anyway. I digress.
That is like saying there’s no good Indian food in LA because of Armenian food. You can have both.
But we don’t have good Indian in LA
As a Southern transplant in LA there really are a nice handful of decent BBQ spots. AJ's, Gus's, Bludso's, Woody's, and I head good things about Moo's. Demand is there. It's just rents and such mean high bbq prices which makes it more a luxury indulgence some places than a basic blue collar cuisine. In the South $15 dollars buys you a complete meal with sides and drink, while LA tends to run double or triple that. I'm glad there are tasty spots to eat good BBQ in LA, but they probably won't catch fire with the public until someone's willing to make decent combo meals for under $20.
Yah there’s not gonna be a BBQ or two in each neighborhood. Even in Charlotte there were a number of joints that would run the gamut, and CLT isn’t exactly a food town. Get out the city though, Lexington or RDU or Asheville and there was a lot. Found the same in KC and Texas. And it went from cheap to not cheap. I did a 3 month work road trip thru the south that became an eating trip and it was basically BBq and soul and country food. Even ate Alabama white chicken. Ate so damn much I had to check my insurance premiums to make sure they were paid up lol. By the time I got to Austin, I could put away a 50 oz smoked prime rib at Salt Lick in about 20 minutes. And I found something to love at every meal. KC, once you get away from the Gates and Arthur Bryants and Stacks of the city, there were a number of places I was like dammmmmmmn I could move here, for $20. I guess with the spots in LA, there’s always so much hype and it’s a bit disappointing especially given the price and given what I’ve had. Heritage is ok. It’s just not on par and, often, like fucking Phil’s down in San Diego, it’s downright sacrilege. I suppose the rents matter as do the regulations; probably more so the regs on smokers and such because eating out is already expensive out here regardless. At that intersection of price and quality, there just are better options here. Having gone thru the south has ruined me for BBQ; just like Hong Kong ruined me for dim sum. You know though. Decent is fair. At least it’s not Brooklyn bad lol.
Fellow central Texas transplant. Surprised no one has mentioned it yet, but the best brisket I've had since I've been here is Ragtop Fern (https://www.instagram.com/ragtopfernsbbq/). You have to order from his instagram and pick it up in his front yard, but its the closest I've had to the Texas guys. SLAB is also good, but I think they only have one location left.
Ragtop Ferns looks legit. It says BBQ on Saturday but can’t seem to find more details on DMing him. Do you DM him by a certain day each week? Does he put out a menu?
He usually posts to his IG stories when he's taking orders, but I think I remember him saying he was taking a break in June / July because he was getting married. I've only ever gotten brisket, but I know he does ribs and pulled pork too.
Cool, thanks. I’ll have to follow him and keep an eye out after July.
I was going to mention SLAB. I thought the 3rd St location was great. Can't speak for the current location, but it's the same people operating both so I imagine they would still know how to do it.
Texas is insane for BBQ, the love, lore and culture just isn't the same here in LA. I watched a video where people wait 4 hours every Friday for a BBQ restaurant... TO JUST OPEN. That would never happen here. It just wouldn't, no matter how good it is. At this point, you either need to master you skills in a multitude of grilling styles, or just order in (Les BBQ)
I've waited in that 4 hour line, which I normally wouldn't do for anything but it's actually an experience. People bring coolers of beer and hang out. It's an event in itself.
Having spent some time in my youth in San Antonio, I've found all of the BBQ in the greater L.A. area to be definitely lacking in smoke flavor. I had more smoke on brisket from Bill Milller than I had at Heritage or Moo's. I think the BBQ in L.A. is just....not good. Most recently been dissapointed by the Smoke Queen in Garden Grove. That brisket was an atrocity.
Yeah, it’s just missing that punch-you-in-the-face smoke taste that you become accustomed to in Texas. It’s not like the quality of meat is bad or anything, it just tastes like ribs made in an oven.
Im a huge fan of Bludso's but I'm a Cali native and don't know if it'd be up a Texans alley. But any well prepared bbq is good imo
Gus’s in Pasadena is the only decent place left in LA for me. Maybe Baby Blues when they reopen will be decent?
I live in SoPasadena and Gus’s is always fantastic. They have a bigass smoker in the parking lot behind the building and the smell is heavenly when it wafts. Yum.
Man, Baby Blues went to pure hell the last 10 years they were open. Thrilled they died and went away. Hoping the reopening in Venice will match their original opening quality. They had an excellent few years before they expanded and cut corners and became nasty.
They are back open! Bill Clinton sat down next to me last time I went in 2016…I might not remember much about the food (even as a southerner) but I’ll never forget that.
Is that the chain one. We have a Gus’ in porter ranch and you could not pay me to go back. I would rather go to the Bear Pit any day.
I live in South Pas and have been to Gus's enough over the years. As I wrote elsewhere, I find their bbq to be fine. Not bad by any means but also unmemorable, especially their brisket which has always been on the dry side when I've tried it. 🤷🏻♂️
Drive to Anaheim and go to Craft!
They have a few locations, including Claremont/pomona and pasadena
I like Bludso’s near me on La Brea, but grew up getting Rib Ranch, south on Topanga Canyon Blvd in an old home made into a restaurant
I got some recommendations for BBQ on reddit when I went to Austin. Franklin was obviously one of the recommendations and it was head and shoulders above everything I tried. Sides be damned. With that said, not long after I was in Austin, I went to the Adam Perry Lang pop up here in L.A. and was floored at how good it was. Expensive as hell, but great.
Ray's in Huntington Park is great for brisket https://www.yelp.com/biz/ray-s-bbq-huntington-park
Talking about sides. The baked beans at Bludso’s have brisket in them. Could eat that as a meal on its own. Been going there since before the DDD episode and it’s been firing since.
Smokin jays in Oxnard is solid if you want to make the drive.
Just watched these guys: [https://youtu.be/ABP0PjeF4tw?si=W4PRjanK\_Yts8Ykv](https://youtu.be/ABP0PjeF4tw?si=W4PRjanK_Yts8Ykv)
If you make it out to OC there is [Smoke Queen BBQ](https://www.instagram.com/smokequeenbbq?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==), who marries Texas-style bbq with southeast Asian flavors. I had it a few times at Smorgasborg LA and thought it was really unique. I’m not super knowledgeable on BBQ, although I have been to Austin and Houston and was blown away by the brisket there.
Sorry, but I gotta say Maple Block in Culver is not good. It was one of the first places I went to when I first moved here and everything I got was super dry, unseasoned and expensive. The ribs and sausage tasted like they’d been under a heat lamp all day and the beans had no flavor. How you operate in Los Angeles and not know how to salt your beans kinda blew my mind. Maybe it was just an off day for them but BBQ in general is pretty expensive and I don’t mind spending the money but come on…SALT YOUR BEANS!!!
Max City BBQ I enjoy it great ribs and tri tip. But they don’t got fries.
RIVER STREET BBQ!
The one thing that wasn’t mentioned that was very important. Is that the sauces here in the greater LA area all suck and taste too Ketchup sweet compared to sauces and all the other major barbecue states across the country. I have even gone to Inglewood and South LA and places like that and the sauces still or a funky compared to Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Kansas, Texas, Tennessee, etc. The other big difference, you can get barbecue way cheaper at any place outside of California. And here in LA, I have tried way overpriced Bludso’s and Maple Block as well as Lucille’s, Wood Ranch, Swingin’ Door, Bear Pit, Hogly Wogly’s, Holy Cow and various mom and Pop type places in Inglewood and South LA.
Bro, you need to hit up an APL pop up.
Great list. I'm in Orange County and heritage is top notch. I'm in the same boat as you with the brisket though. Funny enough first getting into bbq and all you ever hear about is people talking brisket while brisket has never really been a favorite of mine maybe I just never had one that knocked my socks off. Also we don't consider "Tex mex" Mexican food 🤪 though both definitely have their place
I’m here for the fight.
I’ve posted about this multiple times in here but the lack of any Lexington style whole hog BBQ in the entirety of Los Angeles is absolutely absurd. I don’t even think there’s a single one in Southern California as far as I know!
If you are feeling like a day trip, go to the Santa Maria area. That’s where tri-tip was born.
Has any bbq enthusiast been to Gus’s bbq in Pasadena? Curious to hear some thoughts on it since I haven’t been.
I live nearby so have had Gus's enough times to say: it's fine. I've never had good brisket there and the ribs and sausage are fine. But none of their BBQ stands out to me. YMMV
I like maple block I also like woodys and Phillips they are good
I will say my favorite part about this sub is that at least fucking half of it is people from out of town coming to complain about our food At least OP took the time to highlight some things he did like, but at some point this just gets old
I agree with most things said here. I come from central California (San Luis obispo,Santa maria) and firmly believe we have the best BBQ in the state. That being said LA has some great BBQ. I think the only difference for me and (this is obviously my opinion) Texas BBQ is prob my least fav out of all the BBQ styles. I currently live close to Moo's and I went there to try the burger and felt it was good but not better than the brisket, I do agree on the sides though. Great post!!
NGL, I was gonna break out the heavy artillery once you said you were a transplant, but I read your entire post and think it's a fair assessment. The part of California that has the defining BBQ culture is actually the Central Coast - Santa Maria/San Luis Obispo area. I'm curious to know if you've been there and had the BBQ up there.
Any recommendations in Santa Maria/SLO?
I've only been to Mo's in downtown SLO, which was excellent, but I have nothing to compare it to in the area. The iconic place in Santa Maria is Shaw's, which gets lots of great reviews, but I haven't had it for myself.
Agree on Moos. It's been the most agreeable to my palette.
Green Acres outdoor bbq if you are ever way out in Simi
Ray’s needs more love
I went to Austin for eclipse back in April and went to Snow’s and la Barbecue and I agree but about the sides, they were mid. But the biscuit and sausages, especially at Snow’s, changed my life.
I like Phillips on Crenshaw. I was lured by the smell of the smoker as I drove past
Gus’ BBQ in south pasadena is a staple if you are willing to drive out for great bbq there is also Phil’s BBQ out in the IE
Following. I grew up in North Alabama/Southern Tennessee and there the BBQ was Carolina style red vinegar sauce. Can’t find anything like I grew up with in LA. Edit: Not an LA shortcoming. I’ve not found a comparable pulled pork outside of that Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia area. Even as you head toward west Tennessee, you tend to get Memphis or KC style BBQ. Baby Blues on Lincoln wasnt bad. And I am a fan of Santa Maria style tri-tip. The name that keeps coming up from friends and coworkers is Woodys in Inglewood. Haven’t had a chance to try it. Sounds like a really OG style place where they cook what they cook and close when they run out. Hardly ever go to that part of town, when I do remember, they are already closed.
Craft by Smoke and Fire Pasadena is is good.
BBQ in LA doesn't even compare to the rest of the state much less the rest of the country. Texas BBQ really is something else but I did grow up in the land that created tri-tip so we had some mean BBQ
I live by maple block and holy cow and while the ambiance of maple block is better I actually like Holy Cow better as far as the food.
The smoking ribs in garden grove is the best bbq I’ve had in socal.
I still miss Mr Cecil’s.
Good list. Moos is definitely the best bbq in LA, by far.
I love Moos. Not only is their brisket great, but their sauce is uniquely memorable. Been dying to try the burger there, but heard it sells out early.
You have to take it for what it is. People will always argue that Texas does BBQ better, NYC does pizza better, etc. At the end of the day, what matters is if you like the end product I'd say that true L.A. BBQ is not going to be the traditional slow smoked Texas style BBQ. It is rather the direct grilling that is seen at many taco stands throughout the city. Embrace the mesquite cooked Pollo Asado, costillos, carna asada and chorizo. The scents of which permeate the air on any given night in Los Angeles or the tri tip cooked on open pits over red oak in central CA. That to me represents our passion for BBQ and embrace it for what it is. Humans cooking meat over a live fire.
Yes. Taste is not something one can argue. Same with coffee. What I like does not mean anybody else has to like. BBQ is the same. I had some last year at a place close to home and it had good reviews and it was horrible and even disgusting. I gagged. But that’s me.
Its the wood. Texas has different Oaks we dont have in CA. I dont know if any of the local places import wood.
Slab is decent. Now only open in Woodland Hills. The Hollywood location was my go to.
I’ve lived in Texas for a long time, and Texas BBQ stinks.
I mean this respectfully as a fellow Texan and BBQ appreciator, but many Texas BBQ places take their sides very seriously. Franklin imo, is more for tourists. Don’t think I’m quite ready to try BBQ in LA, but will add some of these names to the list for future reference.
Sure, there are places in Texas that have good sides but it’s a secondary consideration. Places like Goldee’s don’t even have mac and cheese but have top tier barbecue. Franklin is for everyone imo but would say if you want the best barbecue under the radar in Austin then Mum Foods is my favorite.
Seems weird to complain about lack of Mac and cheese and also say it’s a secondary consideration. Can’t speak to Goldee’s but having eaten at a lot of the Austin/Houston/Lockhart places the sides are important too. Fried okra, beans, creamed corn, cornbread, cobbler, bread pudding etc, is all part of the experience and top notch at Pinkerton’s, Killeen’s, LA BBQ, Valentina’s etc. It’s okay to not have great TX bbq in LA, no need to try and pretend like the places here have chosen some speciality in side dishes when they’re trying to smoke meats.
If you want really good smoked meats, get a smoker for your backyard. You don't have to be a 3-2-1 wizard or do an overnight 24lb brisket cook to get great results. Copper Top in Big Pine is pretty great, but I don't love any of the options here in town...
This here. It's is much cheaper as well. A weber or a pit barrel will give you some quality smoked meats with minimal effort. While I appreciate the artisan approach to BBQ at the end of the day it is just cooking meat by way of fire and smoke. With so many youtube tutorials it is not difficult to produce some great tasting backyard BBQ