In the San Fernando Valley: Hoggly Wogglys on Sepulveda. Everything is the best!

Best BBQ in LA according to Citysearch:
1 Dr. Hogly Wogly's Tyler Texas BBQ

2 Mr. Cecil's California Ribs

3 Lucille's Smokehouse Bar B Que

4 Wood Ranch Bar-b-que

5 Phillips Bar-B-Que

6 Woody's Bar-B-Que

7 Taste of Texas

8 Bear Pit Bar-b-que Restaurant

9 The Pig

10 Johnny Rebs' Southern Roadhouse


Editorial Winner

Woody's Bar-B-Que
That sweet-smoky smell attracts hordes of barbecue-lovers to this hole-in-the-wall take-out shop.

Top editorial Nominees

Name

Phillips Bar-B-Que
Leo's Bar-B-Cue
Jay Bee's House of Fine Bar-B-Que

Today I went to
Aunt Jenny's Barbecue Etc at El Segundo Blvd
12807 Crenshaw Blvd, Hawthorne
310-263-0501

It is a very small place that I found today. The BBQ was very good the the owner Joe Jackson is very hospitable.

One of my favorite place is

Jr's BBQ
3055 S. La Cienega
Culver City
http://www.jrs-bbq.com/biography.htm

The owner and the employees are great and the BBQ is fantastic.

The following 3 I haven't been to yet but plan too.

Bar-B-Que Unlimited 2 at Crenshaw Blvd
3101 W Rosecrans Ave, Hawthorne
310-644-3415

Bodacious Bar-B-Que
637 E University Dr, Carson
310-527-7847

Red Lava BBQ
4675 W Imperial Hwy, Hawthorne
310-671-1181



Many of these restaurants I have posted are in South Central including several in Sweet Willie's post above. Many do not get rated or much publicity because many people may not feel comfortable going to these area but I have found that THESE places are the most home cooking foods with other items such as mustard greens, macaroni and cheese, and peach cobbler.



[This message has been edited by wingless (edited Jan 20, 2004).]

The Bear Pit in the S.F. Valley. It's on Sepulveda right next to the 118 freeway.

I recommend the pulled pork sandwich on their cheese toast. YUM!!

New discovery!

For those staying or working in Downtown Los Angeles, there is a very good BBQ "dive" within walking distance. This morning I was jogging downtown and came across The Original Texas Barbeque King, on the NE corner of Figueroa and Sunset (about a block north of the 101 Freeway). Place is a converted gas station, with just a few tables outside. It's really a take-out venue.

My wife had business downtown and I tagged along for the ride, which was why I was jogging on a Sunday morning in deserted L.A. After I met back up with her, we went up to the shack and ordered two combo plates (each had a large pork rib, hot link, chicken thigh, and tri tip; along with two sides... try the mac and cheese, it's excellent). Price is $8.95 for the lunch combo, and this was about most expensive thing on the lunch menu.

Tri-tip was the best of the selection, with the hot link a close runner up. Everything was quite decent though, made even better by an incredible sweet sauce.

They do deliver, with a $20 minimum order (213-437-0885).



[This message has been edited by Craig6z (edited Feb 01, 2004).]

JR's BBQ is now #1 in LA on Zagats

24 Food

Culver City
3055 S. La Cienega Blvd. (Blackwelder St.) Culver City, CA, 90232 (310) 837-6838

This �little hole-in-the-wall� in the industrial zone where Fairfax and La Cienega meet is a �trip down to Tennessee without the headache of LAX�; ribs �so good they�ll have you speaking with a drawl� are served with �three kinds of sauce� and the �best-ever baked beans� by a �friendly� staff, which adds to its �addictive� appeal.



[This message has been edited by wingless (edited Feb 20, 2004).]

Craig,

Is this the place on Caeser Chavez? If so, it's

Dan

Dan,

Yes, you are correct. At that intersection, Sunset running east becomes Cesar Chavez.

Had dinner last night at Dr. Hogly Wogly's, and it was very good. Really good and attentive service and an obscene amount of food. I had a three-way of beef brisket, sliced pork, and hot links (post Ash Wed. and pre Lent Friday meal). Everything was great - no fat or gristle in the meat. The hot BBQ sauce they give you on the side is HOT.

I took home enough leftovers for a nice meal.

Been going to Dr. Hogley Wogley's for maybe 15 years. Hands down the best in L.A.

I was staying at one of the LAX hotels on a Saturday nigth after having got in late. I had not had any BBQ in awhile and upon seeing how close Jr�s was to me (thanks to a mapquest.com search) I decided to head out.

It was empty, as it was about an hour before they closed, a few stragglers were coming in for their take out orders.

I got a three-meat platter and an order of rib tips to go.

The great, good, ok and the bad.

The great, the pork shoulder, not a pronounced smoked flavor but incredible none the less.

The good, the brisket. Shredded! The state of Texas has really spoiled me with their usual presentation of slices of brisket, that are so tender one can cut them with a fork. Jr�s shreds their brisket (boooo!). Again, not a pronounced smoke flavor but good, not great however.

The ok were the links, made with chicken. Good but just ok.

The bad, rib tips. Very little smoke flavor, very little meat flavor, just not good at all.

Potato salad was great, slaw ok, both seemed homemade.

Try Royal Hawaiian BBQ in Monrovia. They've got some good short ribs, chicken and beef. Go early since everytime I passed by, they are busy. I don't have the address, but they are on Myrtle Ave near old town.

Help me choose I live in Orange County now, but lived in the S.F. Valley for 10 years. I am trying to decide which of these to try this Saturday night. We are going to be in North Hollywood.

The Bear Pit -- haven't heard of this one

The Pig -- Found mixed reviews

Ribs USA -- Went there years ago, but now find mixed reviews

What I'd like: Casual, great BBQ, moderate prices.

BTW, have been to Hogly Woglys, but it's a little farther north than I want to aim for this time.

The four of us will be trying MY choice for dinner -- so any help is appreciated!

Sorry I missed this thread before my trip this week. I found a positive review in the LA TIMES 2004 Restaurant Guide for Big Mama's Rib Shack, so having the better part of a warm sunny day ahead, I set off to Pasadena on the Gold Line, walked around the Old Town until I found Lake where I caught a bus up to this restaurant. Looked promising in being a modest place where I might sample some "black" style cooking.

I ordered the sampler platter of three ribs, a couple of slices of beef and pork briskit, some BBQ chicken and a sausage. Also had a side order of their supposedly authentic fried chicken. The best beer they had on offer was a Miller Genuine Draft.

I was given a couple of corn bread muffins to nibble on until my beer and chicken arrived. The fried chicken was a bland as the beer, crusty but other than the basic chicken taste, no indication of any flavouring or spices. As I have never sampled this style of southern cooking -- other than the Colonel's -- that was promoted as being "authentic", well... Not impressed.

The BBQ items arrived, and while the ribs were tender and meat pealed off the ribs nicely, they too lacked any real character. The sauce seemed very katchup and sugar, with a pinch of tobasco and some orange aftertaste. The sliced meat was dry and not the type that shredded. And the sausage was no more interesting than your average ballpark frank.

I had hoped for more, but it certainly came nowhere near even the least interesting BBQ sampled a couple of months ago in Kansas City.

Also checked out two local brewpubs, the Crown City and the Pasadena Brewing Company. In both cases, their only ale offerings were quite uninteresting. Oh well, always good to have reference points at the bottom end of the scale too.

I went to the Bear Bit a few weeks ago and it was ok, but not as good as Dr. Hogly Wogly's (IMHO). Our group decided if we were going to drive that far - the Bear Pit is where the 405 and 118 meet - we'd just as soon go to the Doc's...

Hope you have a great meal, wherever you go!

[edited to add review for 10/25]

I had dinner at the Bear Pit again last night and it was again very solid, but not exceptional. I had a combo plate of baby back pork ribs and 1/4 fried chicken. The chicken is deep fried in either a light dredge of flour or nothing at all. I didn't taste any real seasoning, but it was very moist and not greasy. The ribs are lightly basted with BBQ. You are given two sides of BBQ sauce (one slightly hotter) for dipping. It also comes with cheese toast, baked beans, fried potatoes, and either slaw, salad, or soup. About $20 per person.