15 Best BBQ Restaurants in Los Angeles, California – Where To Eat BBQ in LA

Bludso’s BBQ

Since its opening in 2008 on La Brea, this popular BBQ joint in Compton has shaken up the area’s BBQ meat scene. Owner Kevin Bludso focuses on serving Texas-style BBQ to LA residents and guests at this spot. Before starting this joint, Kevin was working with the Los Angeles Corrections Department.

This spot is considered to serve up the best BBQ in Los Angeles. Located on La Brea Avenue, they offer everything from BBQ chicken, ribs, brisket, and more. They also have a separate space with food-friendly drinks. If you want to catch a game, this might be the ideal spot for you since they have many TV screens.

Bludso’s BBQ uses the original recipes by Kevin Bludso to smoke their meats. For instance, the juicy brisket is slow and low smoked for 14 hours, giving it that smoky, tasty flavor.

Once you get to this restaurant, you will certainly not go home hungry. The spot will make you feel like you’ve just landed in Texas. Depending on how popular this joint is for their BBQ, expect to find a long line! Just have patience, and you’ll see that their BBQ is worth the wait!

Max City BBQ

When it comes to the best BBQ joint in Eastside, very few restaurants can surpass Max City. This spot features a cool and friendly space that appeals to every BBQ lover.

Started in 2014 by Melanie Blair and Jason McDonald, this joint was initially funded through Kickstarter. Since then, it has attracted a cult following for its Southern-style BBQ. Expect to find the usual combo of smoked meats and side dishes at this joint. However, their BBQ is not influenced by a particular region.

They serve up slowly cooked meats like tasty pulled meat and St. Louis ribs. Moreover, their side dishes are prepared using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. These tasty, yet affordable meals keep diners coming back to this spot over and over again!

Since the space is fairly small, it might be difficult to land a table at this joint. Luckily, they offer takeout, which is very common here. You can also take a seat at their place and enjoy their selection of craft drinks. While we’re still on space, you can make your order online to avoid that hassle!

Slab Barbecue

Slab BBQ first opened its doors in 2014. It’s located in the heart of Los Angeles, where it’s serving up tasty Central Texas BBQ. Although this restaurant has many great options, their brisket is one of the best in the city!

The joint is currently run by Burt Barkman, an Israeli native. Barkman joined the LA dining scene with his Trudy’s Underground BBQ joint at his home in Studio City. There, he used a massive custom-built smoker to create Texas-style specialties.

After a few years, he opened this brick & mortar joint on West 3rd Street. The spot serves up pitch-perfect brisket, beef ribs, smoked chicken and pulled meat. They also serve various side dishes that you can choose from. Don’t forget to take home one of the restaurant’s signature BBQ sauces.

This restaurant opens at 11 am every day and goes until their meals run out. Considering how good their BBQ is, it’s better to get there early to avoid missing out!

Spring Street Smokehouse

Located near Union Station, this joint is popular for its delicious hickory-smoked BBQ topped with vinegar Carolina-style BBQ sauces. The restaurant was started in 2005 by Dan Patterson.

Before starting this spot, Dan operated a commissary kitchen outside the current location on North Spring Street. Since he offered contract food to the federal government, the contract eventually came to an end. That’s when he turned the space into an American full-scale restaurant.

15 years later, the joint is undertaking its operations successfully in downtown. They observe high-quality standards for their down-home family-style services and meals. The joint has also maintained the original recipes it was during its establishment. For instance, they still use the Carolina-style barbecue sauce recipe, a multi-generational recipe. 

All the classic BBQ meats are smoked over hickory wood for 4-12 hours. Thus giving it that smoky and dense flavor. They serve all the favorite smoked meats you would expect to find in a classic BBQ joint. This includes; pulled meat, beef ribs, brisket, and Texas hot links.

Their dine-in service is available from 12 pm to 8 pm, Wednesday through Sunday. You can also pre-order for delivery and pick-up!

Woody’s Bar-B-Que

Woodrow Philips opened the first Woody’s location at West Slauson Ave in LA in 1975. Today, the restaurant has 3 locations spread across South Loss Angeles. This has seen the Phillips clan being established as the first BBQ family in Southland.

At Woody’s BBQ, the staff still cooks BBQ on brick ovens using oak wood. They also use a water hose to control the fire. The joint’s signature sauce and smoky flavor are popular throughout LA and it’s appreciated by the locals.

This BBQ joint takes care of its customers in the most unique way. They pay exclusive attention to their BBQ and cook fresh dishes every day! The three spots are fully functional, serving up tasty pepper-and-salt-only Texas-style BBQ. Get to this spot with family and friends for slow-cooked sown-south BBQ, you’ll all enjoy. With the main attraction at this joint being big takeaway rib platters and brisket slices.

In addition to serving BBQ, this restaurant caters to various events. They have catered for various businesses including daily working group members in LA and even for celebrities!

Maple Block Meat Company

Opened in August 2015, Maple Block Meat Co has gathered national attention including being featured in popular publications like the Texas Monthly. This modern restaurant in Culver City was started by pitmaster Adam Cole, Mike Garrett, and Daniel Weinstock.

In Texas, most BBQ shacks grow dark because of the smoky build-up over the years. But this restaurant has taken a different approach. It adopts a modern approach that involves sports wood & steel design. You’ll also seek a black drum smoker positioned in the lot, alongside peach wood. You can see your meat being cut behind the counter.

`They serve up elevated side dishes and classically prepared wood-smoked meats. The joint still offers an extensive la carte menu and special combos including 3/6 packs of brisket tacos. Furthermore, they’ve 4 on-premises crafted sauces. These sauces include; spicy red spiked and Alabama white sauce.

As compared to the early days, lines at these joints have somehow subsided. Yet, items like brisket run out early, especially on weekends. So, get to this spot early and it’s open every day from 11.30 am to 9 pm.

APL BBQ Restaurant

Adam Perry Lang is one of the most respected chefs and pitmasters in America. All thanks to the dry-aged meat and BBQ served at his APL BBQ joint. He opened this joint in 2018 on the ground floor of the Taft Building, 1st-ever high-rise building in LA. This building was constructed in 1923 and it’s situated on the corner of Vine and Hollywood.

The 143 restaurants will ensure that you get an exceptional dining experience! Even better, it acts as a modern steakhouse by night and a BBQ joint by day! Some of the signature dishes served here include slow-and-low cooked brisket and pulled meat.

Lang’s daytime BBQ menu runs from 11.30 am to 3 pm, Tuesday through Saturday, while diner starts at 5.30 pm. This means that you can dine in, instead of taking takeout at the fixed hole-in-the-wall. Furthermore, this indicates that they have beer options-either in cans or on tap.

Don’t be surprised if you find Jimmy Kimmel enjoying his BBQ at this restaurant, since he is Lang’s pal. Not to forget that Lang’s BBQ smoker is in the parking lot of Jimmy’s studio in Hollywood Boulevard.

Horse Thief

Because of its location, adjacent to Grand Central Market, Horse Thief is ranked among the most popular BBQ joints in town! This joint is owned and run by 2 Texas natives Russell Malixi and Wade McElroy. Wade and Russell focus on serving up traditional Central Texas-style BBQ and modern sides at this BBQ takeout window.

Once you get to the shade-covered patio, you’ll not feel like you’re in downtown LA anymore. Instead, the smoked brisket, craft beer, and atmosphere will make you think you’re in Austin. On their best days, the flavor and their thick smoke ring are unmatched.

They serve dinner and lunch until everything is sold out. For first-timers, make sure you taste their brisket! It is dry-rubbed and slow-smoked for more than 15 hours. For their side dishes, this joint is on another level. Some of their favorite sides include; cornbread, jambalaya, creamed corn, and more.

Whenever you’re craving for authentic Texas-style barbecue in downtown LA, just head out to this casual joint. They’re open 7 days a week, cater, offer delivery and serve tasty foods at their tables!

The Park’s Finest BBQ

Run by Johneric Concordia, this Filipino-style BBQ has gathered a large following in Eastside since its opening in 2009. Johneric grew up in Echo Park in Historic Filipinotown. This restaurant initially started as mobile catering services. After some time, the restaurant grew and opened a dine-in brisk and mortar location.

The joint’s extremely low prices allow diners to enjoy as many meals as they want. Thus enabling the joint to meet its commitment which includes satisfying appetites and revitalizing the local community. Some of their best options being dry-rubbed chicken, pulled meat, and cornbread.

Its space has some colorful paintings and burgundy walls. But the joint mainly focuses on the Filipino-inspired BBQ! Meats like sausage and chicken are smoked out backing with pecan and alder wood. To pair your meat, they have a sweet house-made BBQ sauce crafted from coconut oil, tomato, and pineapple.

The Park’s Finest BBQ joint has some of the best backyard BBQ in town! It’s a spot where Filipino flavors merge and mix with various smoked meats. So, make sure you visit this spot for dine-in or catering services!

Baby Blues BBQ

LA’s BBQ scene has completely skyrocketed within the past few years. This has left some long time favorites such as Baby Blues BBQ in shadows. Yet the joint still some great barbecue. Visit this joint and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Baby Blues was established in 2005 by 2 Southern guys who missed authentic BBQ after moving to LA. When the original joint was first opened in Venice, it was usually busy almost overnight. This prompted them to open a 2nd location in West Hollywood, but it was eventually closed. They later opened other locations in LA like the Echo Park location in Sunset. They also have other joints outside LA like in San Francisco and Philadelphia.

This joint smokes meat like pulled meat for about 16 to 18 hours. They have even won awards for their perfectly smoked Texas-style BBQ! Furthermore, they make their own BBQ sauce using poblano peppers and Scotch bonnet.

For a large group, they have family-style platters than can satisfy about 6 to 20 people, leaving everyone happy. So, whenever you and your Southern friends are missing home, just head to this BBQ spot!

Ragtop Fern BBQ

Ragtop Fern’s Barbecue is an authentic LA experience, offering BBQ on the streets. It has been considered as the best underground barbecue in LA. It’s a 1-man driveway operation, just north of Koreatown.

Since 2016, Fernando Carrilo has been manning his trusty smoker known as Lucifer on weekends. It’s located in front of a certain apartment, just off the freeway. Fernando opens the joint’s tent at noon and starts serving up his smoked meats which are smoked over pecan wood. These meats usually run out within thirty minutes, indicating how great this weekend smoking operation is!

The only standby here is the baby back ribs which are brushed with their house-made Kansas City BBQ sauce. Fernando sells his smoked meats by piece or by the pound. You can find other items like large beef ribs, brisket slices, and Chori-man green chorizo links.

If you stop by this joint on a certain special day, you’ll get smoked chicken as well as a side dish of savory coleslaw. This spot has that incredible homemade feel, thanks to its hand-crafted meats that are cooked to perfection. To satisfy your smoked meat craving, track down Fernando’s Ragtop Fern’s BBQ. Moreover, you can invite then to cater to your upcoming event!

Phillips Bar-B-Que

Even after the emergence of many new BBQ joints around LA, Phillip’s traditional style remains the city’s best. With the joint’s secret being: the sauce! If you can’t handle hot spice levels, ensure that you order mild.

This joint was started by Foster Phillips, Louisiana native, on the southeast of Leimert Park in 1980. The Leimert Park location was operating as a go-to walk-up window. Now, with 2 locations in Inglewood and West Adams, the joint smokes sliced beef, ribs, and crusty ribs over red oak wood. These are then covered with their lip-stinging BBQ sauce.

Because there is no seating at this joint, make your order from the window to-go! In addition to BBQ, Phillip has traditional sides and 3 types of greens; mustard, collard, and turnip. Expect to find a waiting line at this joint, even if you call ahead to make your order!

There’s a reason as to why publications like Eater LA has ranked this joint among the essential BBQ joints in LA. So, don’t hesitate from tasting the old school BBQ served at this amazing takeout place!

Wood Ranch

For delicious, award-winning BBQ with your entire family, head out to this upscale-casual setting. It’s a relatively suburban joint with 16 locations. This joint is well known for serving up Texas-style BBQ to more than 60k diners per week in South California.

It was established in 1992 by longtime friends Eric Anders and Ofer Shemtov. Before starting this restaurant, both Anders and Shemtove had prior experience operating restaurants in Los Angeles.

The original location of Wood Ranch BBQ was in Moorpark. Almost all of the joint locations are on the outskirts of Los Angeles. However, a few locations like Northridge and the Grover, are more rooted in the city.

If you want to get to the Grove location, enter the Farmers Market place from South Fairfax Ave. Then head straight up until you see the restaurant on the left. You’ll find valet right in front of the joint’s front entrance.

They have high-quality signature items like ribs, fresh fish, and chicken among others. Moreover, they have a kid-friend menu for your little ones. Their valet and dine-in services are fast, easy, and amazing! Get there for dinner, lunch, or hire their catering services.

Bo Daddy’s BBQ

Probably the newest BBQ spot on the list, Bo Daddy’s is already serving some of the best BBQ in LA. So, if you’re on the lookout for a new barbecue option in Downtown, LA, Bo Daddy’s is a great option for you.

Owned by John Spiva, this joint offers tasty BBQ to friends and family. John was inspired to start this by great BBQ memories he experienced when he resided in Upstate New York. Currently, the joint has a unique take on barbecue, making it a perfect spot for LA diners looking for something new.

Their side dishes are hand-made from scratch. But the secret ingredients of this restaurant are their BBQ sauces. They’ve 2 types of BBQ sauces; one made with mustard and another with tomato! Make sure you try their signature Smoked Philly Cheesesteak sandwich!

This restaurant is located along South Hill St. and it’s opened daily from 11.30 am, except on Tuesdays. Just note that they don’t have dine-in services, but they offer delivery and takeaway.

Boneyard Bistro