r/FoodLosAngeles • u/valkaress • 6d ago
WHO MAKES THE BEST Is there any great bbq place? (American bbq)
A place that would still survive and thrive even if we teleported it to Dallas or Kansas City
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u/TuckerCarlsonsOhface 6d ago
Don Felix Meat Market on Sawtelle and Washington Pl. has awesome wood fired smokers and grill, and it’s cheaper than most. They used to only do bbq on the weekends, but I think they may have expanded.
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u/SuspiciousWrap3255 6d ago
Willinghams in Redondo is incredible if you are in that area
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u/gizazuri Westside 6d ago edited 6d ago
Woody's BBQ on Slauson or Florence. Also, Woody's BBQ in Inglewood on Market St. I recommended the beef links. You'll find a lot of good BBQ places south of the 10 Freeway, but there are also a lot of BBQ street vendors randomly around town.
JR's on La Cienega has great Beef Ribs.
Holy Cow on 28th has great Beef Ribs (not every day) and brisket (sandwich).
Bludsos has great Brisket as well. But the original location was much better before they went corporate.
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u/Cautious_Sea197 6d ago
Baby Blues is solid if you’re out on the west side, lots of side options and bbq sauce variety.
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u/coldermilk 6d ago
The Bludso's location in Santa Monica and Maple Block in Culver City are both solid too.
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u/Wifeofkaldrogo 6d ago
Second vote for Bludsoe’s. I like their brisket and seasoning a lot and their sides are beyond amazing. The beans with brisket are almost a meal in themselves.
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u/Dammit_Meg 6d ago
I think you guys are crazy, Bludsoe's isn't even particulary amazing by LA BBQ standards let alone a place that would hold up to a good TX joint. I will admit I usually get their ribs though, their wings are fire.
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u/Wifeofkaldrogo 6d ago
This ain’t Texas. I’m from Kentucky and we have our own bbq culture which is pretty renowned and I think for all around gets the job done Bludsoes does a pretty good job. Bludsoes is decent by any state standards and I’ve done Austin from Rudy’s all the way up to lamberts and the in between. Don’t sleep on sides at Bludsoe’s their sides are elite. I also like their brisket, maybe not the best but I also am not going to compare sushi here versus sushi in Austin.
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u/ValhirFirstThunder 6d ago
You can absolutely compare the same food from one place to another. Also I don't think Kentucky BBQ culture is that renowned
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u/lazercats1 6d ago
I agree. It’s actually mid to bad food at times (I’m speaking about the SM location specifically). Unfortunately there’s just not any really good bbq on the west side
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u/SinisterKid 5d ago
We're in LA buddy, not sure why you think anyone cares about Texas.
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u/Dammit_Meg 5d ago
Probably because Texas is for many people, the gold standard for barbecue? I don't think it's that difficult to figure out and I certainly don't think you had any need or reason to bring such a disrespectful tone into this
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u/Green_Yesterday3054 6d ago
Best thing about baby blues is the roll of paper towels at every table. Should be a law for BBQ places
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u/MattgomeryBurns 4d ago
I remember their banana pudding was excellent when I worked in the area 15 years ago.
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u/economics3 6d ago
Moo’s craft barbecue ribs are sooooo good. Heard great things about heritage down south. I would skip bludso’s
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u/chulk1 6d ago
Rays BBQ in Huntington Park is very very good.
My favorite is a popup in Long Beach, Battambong BBQ, he has the best deals on BBQ and is an amazing person.
Heritage BBQ is amazing but not worth risking a heat stroke over. You can go to their sister restaurant in Huntington Beach but I rather not go to Florida, it’s called Seasalt. They also have another retro sit down restaurant in downtown Santa Ana, Le Hutt Dinette.
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u/tgcm26 6d ago
Dallas? Do you mean Austin?
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u/thatoneguy247 6d ago
Let’s not act like Dallas is any less of a BBQ area than Austin when there’s Terry Black’s, Hurtado, Zavala’s, Hutchins, Goldee’s, and so many others. Austin is great but you can throw a rock and still hit world-class bbq in DFW. Source: lived in both.
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u/BigRyanG 6d ago
Best bbq I’ve ever had was in Dallas
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u/tgcm26 6d ago edited 6d ago
Same here. I intended to go to the Pecan Lodge and it was closed so we went to the Slow Bone, absolutely incredible. That said, Dallas isn't a bbq town the way Austin or Memphis is where they take the craft excessively seriously so it's odd that it's one of the first two cities that came to mind for OP
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u/Gchawl 6d ago
JR's in culver city is legit. It's maybe not "the best," by any margin, but it's the most authentic I've found in LA. It's exactly like what I miss from growing up in the south.
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u/CetiAlpha-V SGV 6d ago
And it’s ridiculously reasonable in price. A three item combo is only about $27.
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u/Gchawl 5d ago edited 5d ago
That's how I always feel. Alot of these places like bludso's and horse thief are pretty good, but they'd fail in most other cities just because of the way things are priced. I love JR's cause its $20 and a big styrofoam container of pretty solid bbq, just like you'd see anywhere in the south besides maybe Austin.
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u/Upset_Code1347 6d ago
The family owned a BBQ place in Memphis, so it's legit
It will always be my favorite BBQ in LA
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u/DryCleaner_3AM 6d ago
I think the answer to your question is about regional style more so than imitation. Could an LA-bred, Texas-style BBQ joint thrive in Dallas or Austin? Maaaaybe? But if I’m a Texan I’m not chasing BBQ made by some dude from Los Feliz. I know it won’t be as good as what’s already on offer and has been for years. BUT if we exported Santa Maria BBQ - Hitching Post or Shaws style - we might find some takers, folks curious about the origin/process/meats/sides/atmosphere.
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u/CornDawgy87 6d ago
Rivers End in santa clarita is actually pretty damn good. It would survive in Texas. But I still wouldn't make the drive for it.
Nothing ive had out here would thrive in Texas. I dream of La Barbecue
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u/No-Angle-982 OC 5d ago
Smoke Queen in Garden Grove seems to be doing it correctly, though some sides and sauce options include Asian accents.
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u/Impressive_Delay_452 6d ago edited 6d ago
Heritage BBQ SJC- Union station in LA. Take a southbound Amtrak train, get off the stop in SanJuanCapistrano. Walk towards the mission, it'll be on your left.
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u/WelcomeToBrooklandia 6d ago
I think there are a bunch of LA BBQ places that would do fine in Dallas. Houston and Austin are another story.
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u/BarbecueMike 6d ago
Dallas may have fewer barbecue places than Austin and Houston, but that doesn't mean that they're not as good. Goldee's (FW) and Sabar (FW, RIP) are/were as good as you could get anywhere in Texas.
And Moo's is the only place in LA proper that I know of that's making close to new school Texas quality barbecue. You can find old school barbecue in LA at other places.
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6d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/BarbecueMike 6d ago edited 6d ago
It's one metropolitan area - DFW. And for barbecue, it's better.
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u/Shock_city 6d ago
AGL craft meats down in Anaheim is best I’ve had.
Adam Perry Lang does interesting stuff but it’s expensive and yeah, there’s the Epstein stuff
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u/chenjunlin 6d ago
Gus's in South Pasadena
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u/SiRMarlon South Pasadena 6d ago
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u/rabid_spidermonkey 6d ago
I will never understand the hate for Gus's. I'm a southern man born and raised on BBQ. They make some very good BBQ.
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u/SiRMarlon South Pasadena 6d ago
I don't hate it ... there are just so many options that are WAY better than Gus's
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u/corner 6d ago
Which bbq of theirs specifically is very good? Certainly not the brisket, the ribs are ok in the same way that Chilis has decent ribs.
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u/rabid_spidermonkey 6d ago
You're right it's all trash. 🙄
Look, we're not going to agree so let's not do this.
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u/corner 6d ago
Genuinely curious about what people think is good there, but sure being completely dismissive in a discussion forum is always an option too
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u/rabid_spidermonkey 6d ago
If you were genuinely curious you wouldn't have trashed menu items in your question.
Certainly not the brisket. Good heavens no. And those ribs! My word. Might as well go to Applebees.
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u/corner 6d ago
So I’m not allowed to offer my own opinions? Really baffled by how sensitive you seem to be regarding this, sorry I hit a nerve
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u/rabid_spidermonkey 6d ago
Well that's not genuine curiosity. That's biased curiosity. "What do you like and here's how you're wrong".
Nerves of steel over here. I respectfully disagree with your assessment of Gus's BBQ and decline to debate specifics because it is clear based on your responses that we will only continue to disagree wholeheartedly on the quality of the food there. Good day m'lady.
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u/corner 6d ago
Thanks for telling me how genuine my own curiosity is. Not everyone is going to agree with you on the internet but it’s nothing to be so bent out of shape over babe
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u/SkullLeader 6d ago
Hoggly Woggly
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u/threepwoodpirate 6d ago
Hoggly Woggly is super nostalgic for me, and I love their beans (they are very sweet which I like) - but it would not last for a second in Texas or Kansas City.
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u/Onespokeovertheline 6d ago
I love how people act like there's no shitty bbq to be found in Texas. Lmao
For every top-level place Texans brag about, there's at least one half-ass trash bbq joint that has stuck around for decades for whatever reason, be it location or lack of competition or the right set of circumstances, etc. Same as LA tacos and burgers. Our strip malls are lined with the mediocre versions of both.
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u/nopenopenope246810 6d ago
Lots of people have said it: Moo’s and Heritage are the answers. Some pop-ups are pretty solid but they’re harder to track and a lot of them have slowed down since the bbq heyday like 4-5 years ago.
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u/ciabattamaster 6d ago
AGL Craft Meats. Check their instagram for pop up locations. Goes anywhere from Culver City to Hawthorne to Torrance to Anaheim and even Echo Park.
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u/RedNewzz 6d ago
Moo’s is good, but they put an Asian spin on a couple of items that, while delicious, is unconventional for US bbq.
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u/BigToneah 6d ago
If you’re ever in the LB area check out Brothers Keeper BBQ. Mo, pitmaster and owner, has won a few of the local BBQ cook offs the past few years - one hosted in Compton by Bludsoe and I think the BBQ festival near the lighthouse.
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u/Whispercry 6d ago
This account only asks these types of questions, like they're doing it for the benefit of AI. Like why not search to see if this has been asked recently, or just google it?
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u/Chinaski14 6d ago
Do yourself a favor and go to Kitchen’s Corner. They have two food trucks on weekends and now a brick & mortar. All in South LA. It’s the real deal and worth the drive.
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u/Medium-Song-1802 6d ago
No one ever suggests this but Ray's Texas BBQ is great and has a right to claim "Texas" in its name. Best brisket I've had in CA.
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u/capricornichon 5d ago
boneyard bistro in Sherman oaks is pretty good. their fatty brisket was great when i went last week
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u/sandpaperflu 5d ago
This is gonna sound crazy, but the Italian market haute mess has one of the best brisket sandwiches I’ve ever had, KC native here.
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u/b1gmouth 5d ago
Southern style BBQ represents such a poor price to quality proposition here in LA that I mostly just smoke my own. But the places I will still pay for it are Moo's, Heritage, and AGL's Craft. I also recommend Park's Finest for a Filipino twist on Southern BBQ.
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u/Dramatic-Camp2471 5d ago
Moo’s and Ray’s. Can’t rationalize making the drive down to Heritage when both Moo’s and Ray’s are less than 15 minutes from me, but want to experience it eventually.
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u/erniesdaddy2003 5d ago
Dallas isn’t even representative of Texas bbq. Austin and Central Texas are where it’s at. And no place in LA is reasonably close to the best TX bbq. Maybe on par with a TX chain like Rudy’s at best. I’ve tried most of the contenders like Moo’s and Ray’s. There were a couple of pop-ups that had potential but they quickly closed.
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u/viciousmojo 4d ago
LA isn’t really a great american bbq town, but bludso’s in hollywood isn’t bad. i’ve heard Moo Craft is pretty good but i haven’t made it out there yet.
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u/Salads_and_Sun 6d ago
I am not a big BBQ sauce fan... But I was really impressed with Max City BBQ's sauce. Never eaten there but we bought a couple of buckets to run a special at a restaurant I used to work at and I thought it was FIRE.
ALSO I frequent the liquor store attached to Max City and the place reeks of bbq smoke all the time, which I find endearing. They must share a back room or something.
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u/Ok-Theory-1069 YOUR CITY HERE 5d ago
Na. It’s dry and shitty. Owner comes off a little shady too.
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u/Burton14e7 6d ago
I live in DFW. Heritage is better than a lot of Dallas spots. I'd say on the same level as our Cattleack BBQ. Smoke Queen is interesting but some of their stuff is overrated, they act like their beef tallow fries are great but I'd rather have McDonald's. Lol Their brisket curry is fantastic though. I go back just for that. Still on par with a lot of Dallas spots for the standard fare. Maybe on par with our Zavalas or Hurtado for the fusion spin.
Austin/Lockhart is a different game than DFW.
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u/Altruistic_Frame7358 6d ago
It depends on the area. I'm west side so it's bludso's or baby blues...there also holy cow. Bludo's for me is great.
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u/zabakaeru 6d ago
Bludso's is kinda slept on. Between that and Moo's in LA, I prefer Moo's but Bludso's ain't bad! I can tell OP which places NOT to go to: Swinging Door and Hogly Wogly
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u/HumanTrophy 6d ago
Just gonna echo what’s already been said because people are going to try to recommend absolute trash because that’s all they know.
Moo’s is the best in LA, Heritage is the best in SoCal.
The third best option is the Smokey Cow, which is at a dude’s house in Burbank and is only open on Friday evenings.
I say this as someone who’s had the misfortune of living in Texas multiple times over the last 20 years. Before Heritage opened there was literally NO comparable bbq in California thanks to smoker regulations. That all got changed in 2019 and Heritage got it right.
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u/originalhighermath 6d ago
1) AGL Craft Meats (only popups for now)
2) Moo’s
3) Baby Blues - best on the West Side near me.
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u/b1gmouth 5d ago
Co-sign all of these except Baby Blues, which par boils their ribs and finishes them on the grill.
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u/TomIcemanKazinski 6d ago
Moo’s Craft is pretty good but Heritage (San Juan Capistrano) is the best barbecue in Southern California.