According to a recent Yelp Top 100 list, Southern California has six of the top barbecue restaurants in the country.
“Great barbecue is an American treasure,” the Yelp post said. “Just a whiff of sweet wood smoke and sizzling meat is enough to get mouths watering and stomachs rumbling. And everyone—including our Yelp community—has an opinion about the best BBQ.”
The Yelp list said that cities like Los Angeles have earned a top three spot for barbecue recognition on their site.
“For our Top 100 Barbecue Spots list, they’ve weighed in on where to find it across the US, from mainstays in the South to lesser-known barbecue hotspots like Philadelphia, Montana, and even North Hollywood, California,” they added.
Yelp selected barbecue restaurants with a certain number of reviews mentioning “barbecue” and ranked them based on review volume and ratings.
Of the 100, below are the six that were ranked in Southern California.
17. Calhoun’s Texas Barbeque, Murrieta
18. Badlands BBQ, Norco
21. Heritage Barbecue, San Juan Capistrano
25. PorkChop & Bubba’s BBQ, Bakersfield
41. Spirit of Texas BBQ, San Bernardino
62. The Swingin Door Texas BBQ, North Hollywood
The Swinging Door Texas BBQ in North Hollywood offers authentic Texas-style barbecue. They serve smoked meats like brisket and ribs, known for their flavor and generous portions. With a casual atmosphere, it’s a great place to enjoy a hearty meal with friends and family.
“While LA’s barbecue scene feels like a recent thing, its history goes back decades and is deeper than just the backyard Texas-style stuff in play now,” a Yelp post said about L.A. ‘s exploding barbecue culture.
“For a glimpse of simple, high-quality barbecue done with love (and for the local community) head up to Swinging Door,” the post added. “Lightly charred ribs, fatty brisket, and more come off a unique two-forked off-set smoker, and big take-home platters are always available.”
Other honorable mentions not included in the Yelp list include Moo’s Craft Barbecue, Bludso’s BBQ and SLAB.
This doesn’t include the countless pop-up barbecue joints like A’s BBQ, along with several others.
Moo’s Craft Barbecue in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, is known for its high-quality meats and dedication to barbecue craft. They offer a variety of smoked meats like brisket and ribs, along with several sides.
Earning top-10 spots in the L.A. Times 101 best restaurants lists and a James Beard award nomination, Michelle and Andrew Muñoz burst on the scene, opening the heralded location during the pandemic.
Infusing Latin flavors with central-Texas style barbecue, their restaurant has become one of the most successful in the barbecue joints in the city.
Most recently, they earned an appearance on Selena Gomez’s cooking show, “Selena + Restaurant,” now streaming on Max.
Their operation began in the backyard, prior to loosened food safety laws allowing aspiring restaurateurs to sell food from their residence.
Bludso’s BBQ is a popular Los Angeles spot known for its authentic Texas-style barbecue.
Founded by Kevin Bludso, it offers a variety of smoked meats like brisket, ribs, and sausage, served with classic Southern sides.
The casual atmosphere and delicious offerings make it a must-visit for barbecue lovers, in celebration of Black culture through southern comfort barbecue.
With dozens of new barbecue restaurants in SoCal, central-Texas smoked meat remains a staple in Los Angeles and beyond.
