Bludso's BBQ

"The father of LA’s modern barbecue movement is a busy man. In July 2023, Bludso’s BBQ co-owner Kevin Bludso opened a new Santa Monica location. A month prior, Bludso won a coveted James Beard Award for his book Bludso’s BBQ Cookbook: A Family Affair in Smoke and Soul, while appearing as a judge on Netflix’s American Barbecue Showdown. Bludso, along with business partner, James Starr, also operates the original location on La Brea, a takeout counter at Proud Bird near LAX, plus additional restaurants in the Valley and Australia. One could say that Bludso is having a moment. This Compton native’s fame and strong following are years in the making, developed through perfecting Texas-style barbecue with a Los Angeles inflection. Traditional side dishes abound on the menu with cornbread, mac and cheese, baked beans, and potato salad. Every meat is placed in a custom-built smoker for up to 14 hours, adding the perfect amount of flavorful vapor to brisket, chicken, Texas-style hot links, pulled pork, and even smoked jackfruit for vegetarians. Though the takeout business is brisk, it’s best eaten while hot on-site with one of Bludso’s strong cocktails, especially the Pitmaster’s Punch with vodka, pineapple, grapefruit, and ginger. — Mona Holmes, reporter" - Eater Staff

"Bludso’s sits firmly in our city’s pantheon of great barbecue. Originally started in Compton, this low-key smokehouse now resides in a spacious picnic-bench-filled space on La Brea in Hollywood (with a second location in Santa Monica). Aside from excellent smoked meats, it's become one of the neighborhood's most dependable group dinner spots and a fun place to watch a game. If you're with a lot of people (up to 15), their party trays come with prime brisket, pulled pork, ribs, chicken, hot links, and a heap of sides for a reasonable per-person price. There are no clear misses on the menu, so order what sounds best, grab a beer off their excellent tap list, and watch whatever sports team is imploding on the TV. " - nikko duren, brant cox, sylvio martins

"Bludo’s BBQ, judged by Kevin Bludso, is renowned for its pitmaster skills." - Nadia Chaudhury

"Slab originally started as a pop-up in its owner’s Studio City driveway (called Trudy’s Underground BBQ) and now operates inside a shiny space on 3rd Street. The order-at-the-counter shop is casual and straightforward, and the barbecue is certainly some of the best you’ll find in central LA. Most people are here for the brisket, but it’s the spare ribs that keep us coming back. Be sure to throw in a side order of creamy mac and cheese." - brant cox, sylvio martins

"They’re serving quite possibly the best BBQ in LA (not exactly a ton of competition, we know), in a space that’s perfect for a first date, a birthday bash, and yelling at your favorite team on TV, obviously." - kat hong, james montgomery