"It's impossible to mention Ray's in Huntington Park without highlighting the challenges of the family behind it. After founder Rene “Ray” Ramirez passed away unexpectedly in 2022, his wife and children took the lead and kept this strip mall spot's dedication to Texas barbecue alive. Our go-to here is the well-marbled brisket encrusted in pepper and cooked in an oak-powdered cabinet smoker in back—order it by the pound with a side of their sweet-spicy sauce, or get it in the Pitmaster's Sandwich with cheese, slaw, pickles, and a whole roasted jalapeño. The dining room is small, but expect to see utility workers on their lunch break and others subtly undoing a pants button after consuming one too many jalapeño-cheddar sausages." - brant cox, sylvio martins, nikko duren
