Holy Cow BBQ - Santa Monica

The gentleman at the front said they don't do sweet potatoes anymore 😕 Very disappointed I was looking forward to sticking to my eating plan Good meat a sweet potato is all I wanted A lot of reviewers talked about the sweet potato. I'll give it five stars if they bring back the sweet potato, doesn't make sense to me they're fairly cheap and really healthy. Why would you get rid of something like that? Also no table service they make you stand in line. You got a place your order yourself and pay before you get your food. Why can't we have real restaurants with service?

Best BBQ during my USA west coast trip so far. Brisket was amazing.

We ate our food too quickly so only a picture of their perfect Arnold Palmer (not too sweet). Such friendly customer service and absolutely delicious bbq - we got the Santa Maria and the house brisket sandwiches with mashed taters on the side. I'm from the south and this was really quality bbq with really quality service. Will be back!

I randomly walked into this BBQ joint and was hooked. The brisket was melt-in-your-mouth good, and their spicy pickles were so addictive I bought a jar to go. The sweet potato fries were perfectly crisp, and their Carolina gold sauce had just the right kick. Casual but clean interior, fast service. I’ve been back twice this month.

As a native North Carolinian, that lived in Austin for over a decade. I can confidently say that this place is amazing. The brisket is incredibly tender and flavorful. The pulled chicken is just like I remember it from home. And did I mention that the service is phenomenal?!?!? I’m so glad I found this place. My new favorite restaurant in LA!!!

Seriously one of the best burgers I’ve ever had. Tri-tip combo was also delicious with great sides (especially the roll). The mac & cheese was great as well. We will definitely be coming back!

Less busy than usual is true but staff is A plus rating. Thanks Xavier Loved the key lime pie 🥧 Perfect size fresh lime zest Food was great but dessert 🍨 is what will keep this in my go back list

Se had a very nice experience. first we arrived around 20:00 and the place closes at 20:30 (so early myyyy god) but they were really friendly with us. We ordered the plate that comes with a little of everything and it sure can be eaten by 3/4 person. We took home the leftovers and had lunch the next day. Really liked the taste of the meat and the only thing that was not very good was the Mac n cheese, very average, not tasteful at all.

The food was delicious! My guest were saying how great the food was and where did I order from. Needless to say my party was a roaring success! The brisket and the beef ribs were a hit.

I stopped into Holy Cow for lunch yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to find out it was Wing Night and Happy Hour! A perfect combo! Not only was the food delicious, but the service I received from Jairo was truly exceptional. He took the time to walk me through the extensive menu with patience and enthusiasm. It's rare to come across someone who takes such genuine pride in their work, and Jairo is definitely one of those people. While chatting with the manager, I mentioned that I had a really disappointing customer service experience with the waitstaff at another restaurant just a few days with earlier so my interaction with Jairo's was truly refreshing.

Jack the manager is the nicest most patient man! My friend and I walked in staring at the menu for so long since there are so many choices. I finally decided and Jake was a great help. Loved the pies. Left super happy because Jake made the ambiance a happy place.

Probably the juiciest chicken breast I have ever eaten on a sandwich, however the coleslaw took away from the pepper aioli. I almost preferred the chicken by itself without all the fixings, just a dipping sauce. I also really enjoyed eating the yummiest potato salad. They checked on me three times to make sure I was good. Having a napkin dispenser was convenient as my sandwich was very messy.

My partner and I recently moved back tonight after being evacuated due to the fires, and we were too exhausted to shop for groceries. I placed an order and, feeling a bit guilty for all the add-ons, apologized to Ernesto when I asked for extra ketchup. He was incredibly kind and understanding, even giving us a complimentary apple pie with our order. His genuine concern and warm wishes for us to get back on our feet truly touched my heart. And the food was absolutely outstanding--just what we needed after a long day of unpacking and cleaning.

Great warm welcoming service. Try the Texas brisket and don't forget the Mac n cheese or the awesome light and airy garlic roll.

This review if for Julian. Its 7pm the night before July 4th, Im sure they are absolutely swamped, I could not order on the site and I called and talked to him and then realized I had more questions and called him about 3 times for a big order on July 4th. He was so helpful, professional, calm, compassionate, willing to take several phone calls where other could have been frustrated. What an amazing guy, thank you Julian!

Fine food, poor value. We expected bigger portions for the prices. When paying $7 for an order of corn, I expect more than the single tiny ear of corn we received. Staff were friendly and bbq was competent but apparently we needed to order a lot more. We spent over $120 for takeout dinner for a family of 4 and didn't have enough food to go around.

Service was great, and the meats were well cooked, but we didn't particularly enjoy the sauce. The restaurant itself was really cute and located in a cool area.

Hi I wanted some Bar B Que and I was in Culver City. I have been seeing the sign on my way to work. HOLY COW bar be que decided to stop today. Looks brand new inside, they serve lots of other foods also. Has a bar, a cozy spot for a date. I ordered baby back ribs 1/2 rack they were so tender and meaty. I ordered smoked chicken my husband said was great. But wait I ordered potato salad that was delish and the cold slaw good. Go pay them a visit it would be worth it. Cora

I've been a loyal customer for quite some time and have always enjoyed your food--especially the ribs, corn, and cornbread. I typically place takeout orders and pick them up, and I've even brought out-of-town friends and family here, though only once so far. Until recently, I've never had a bad experience. However, my visit on Sunday, May 25th, 2025, was deeply disappointing. From the moment we arrived, it felt like we weren't welcome. The young woman working the counter between 4-5 PM didn't acknowledge us at first and eventually spoke to us in a tone that and seemed like she had no choice to let us know we have to come up to the counter to order. We didn't mind that several items included ribs were unavailable--we understand that can happen--but the overall experience felt unwelcoming. What stood out even more was how uncomfortable the atmosphere felt, even to the point where another table at the far end of the restaurant kept staring at us, making the situation more unsettling. Ultimately, we decided to leave and went to Din Tai Fung in Santa Monica instead. Despite being walk-ins, we were graciously accommodated, received excellent service, and spent $228 plus a $45 tip--all because the experience felt respectful and warm. As I mentioned, I've always appreciated your food and service in the past. But this experience has left a bad taste in my mouth, and sadly, I don't plan on returning. In 2025, in a diverse and vibrant city, this type of treatment is both surprising and disappointing. I only want to spend my money where I am welcomed

BBQ, sides, and bread... all was very good, and so many choice of sauce they gave us to try!!!!! We couldn't pick one so tried little bit of everything and it was wonderful. So volumie and great price as well! but most of all the ppl working there was SUPER NICE AND FRIENDLY! We had to take our dogs out and decided to eat while we were out. They were so welcoming, and gave my dogs water and samples to try! All of us were so happy. They did above and beyond. Thank you so much for taking great care of us and we will definitely come back!!!

If you're willing to walk a tiny bit, there are residential street parking nearby. Otherwise metered parking. Located across from Brentwood country mart. HH 2-5p Monday thru Friday available- I'll have to come for this one of these days. They have several tables inside and a few outside. You stand in line, order, they give you a number to take to your table and they bring out your food. Everything I've ordered here has been absolutely delicious! Beer, lemonade, fries, beans, sandwiches etc. Their meat is very tender and perfectly flavored- I'm very impressed. Love this spot for BBQ!

I love Holy Cow! The food is excellent. The pulled chicken had a ton of flavor. The cornbread was great and the BBQ Chicken Salad was delicious. I highly recommend this place.

I ordered a plate with trip tip, brisket, and a beef rib with collards as the side to cut through the richness of the meat. It's really good. I couldn't find anything really wrong with the food except wish you had a spicy bbq sauce to balance the sweet one for me. Wish I ordered more garlic rolls to make sliders, I wasn't expecting anything because with bbq it can be hit or miss. I'm happy it was hitting on a Saturday.

This is weird. Everyone in my family agrees, so I figured I write a review in hopes management sees it and fixes this. The ribs taste like chemicals/soap 1 out of 5 times I'd say. Not sure if it's a product they are using to clean the grill with that isn't entirely washed off before cooking or what. Couldn't eat more than a bite or 2 after tasting the chemical soapy like flavor. Hope this helps and you can look into what that could be!

Update: Great food! I'm not a fan of BBQ sauce, so it takes a lot for me to like a BBQ place! BBQ Chopped Salad with chicken was Excellent! Generous amount of chicken. Enough salad for 2 people or take home tomorrow's lunch. Price has gone up $3 since I last reviewed, but that seems to be the norm with restaurants due to Covid costs. Tip: When ordering the BBQ Chopped Salad, ask for the chicken to be PULLED, and for dressing on the side. Pulled chicken is amazing here.

The food is excellent. I have visited on several occasions. The team- both in the front and back - are great. It is true the prices are high, but not out of line with Santa Monica. Plus, the quality fully justifies the price.

That sandwich was fantastic, my first time ordering from here. I order the Tri-tip Sando sandwich, it was great. Will order again.

The food is good, I don't know about the ambiance because ordered delivery, but Ernesto took care of me, let me know they were out of the meat I wanted, even comped me extra without up charge! Very few good people at restaurants who go above and beyond like this, I commend him!

My lady & I have been going to Holy Cow for many years now. Great spot for a casual date night, we always enjoy the food & good vibes. However, what compelled me to write a review was the impeccable warmth, service and vibrant energy from Connor. Right as we walked in he asked if we'd like some recommendations and offered the combo options make the most sense for two people. After we got the food we noticed that the pulled pork and tri-tip looked a bit different that usual and he explained the new method Holy Cow is using to retain the juiciness for the meat. It's always a nice time here, but this experience was a bit more special than the rest. Thank you!

Don't sleep on this place. Consistently great barbecue, brisket is our favorite. Best on the Westside IMHO. I order their version of potato skins every time. It's hard to choose brisket over their pulled pork sandwich though. Good problems.

The service is always outstanding. The brisket and Mac n Cheese are so delicious. Great combination. The Shoestrings onion rings are very tasty. This place is so much better than the one in Culver City. The food is always hot and fresh.

Great food. Been going to it for years! The meat is so tender.. delicious Would recommend it. The vibe is nice too

I first ordered through DoorDash few weeks ago and wasn't too impressed because it seemed like I didn't get that much food. My first order was the 2 entree sampler which I ordered ribs. You must understand when ordering ribs, you're not getting that much food since the bone is taking up so much space. This time around I ordered the 4 item sampler and it was great! The brisket, and tritip were amazing!! The smoke flavor! Unbelievable! Honestly to cook something like this at home would take me forever..... so glad I found something close to home with such a great BBQ flavor, made a great Memorial Day dinner! Thank you!!

The food here was amazing! I ordered the burger and it did not disappoint. It was simple, yet juicy and full of flavor, just how a burger should be. The owner even brought me a piece of their brisket so I could try and order next time. The service was great. The best part had to be their dessert. I ordered the key lime pie. It was delicious!!! I highly recommend.

Tri-Tip chimi churri sando Outstanding, very flavorful, melts in your mouth, perfectly cooked! This place gets a strong endorsement . I truly loved this sandwich.

Absolutely the best BBQ on the Westside! Great menu options with something for everyon. The staff are lovely too!!

Yikes. I work in the neighborhood and thought I wanted a delicious BBQ salad and unfortunately this place is not it. Too much tomatoes (wish I had know cilantro and tomatoes were a big part of the salad) and for some reason the chicken didn't taste good. LIKE HOW?!?!?! I paid a good amount and left hungry...

Great BBQ all around for any occasion! The baby back ribs are the favorite at our table. Hits the right spot every time!

So the ribs are really good. Corn bread too. But $5-$7 for a can or bottle of soda is insulting. And offensive.

I had their Smokey Burger with Smashed Taters and Unsweetened Ice Tea. The burger was delicious and the Smashed Taters brought back memories that I have had numerous times while eating in Texan restaurants while visiting family in Texas.

I recently Posted a review that was mixed. I did say the Ribs were 100% perfectly cook. But wasn't as kind on some of other items. Mgmt reached out to me. Appreciated that. Shows that the Mgmt cares about what their customers have to say and are willing to engage and address customer comments. Tough economic environment out there and takes a hell of a lot of money , time and risk to open up a restaurant. There intention isn't to to provide a bad experience. With that , don't just be a hater and give bad reviews, take the time to give good reviews. Yelp responsibly. What you say effects there business and ultimately people's jobs And if mgmt reaches out addresses the problem . Take down your negative review and try em again in few months. G You may be surprised.

It's not often that I treat myself to barbecue, this was a great choice! For barbecue, the prices are about average and the quality is great. Pulled pork and brisket were super tender and flavorful, as were the collard greens. I also really enjoyed the sweet pickles on the side and the little dinner roll. Two item plate (1/4lb each meat) was plenty filling for me, though I honestly wanted more because it was so satisfying. It's a somewhat modern approach to the presentation of it which may surprise some, but it fits the neighborhood and it's still comfy. The staff are very friendly too. I will be back!

Best BBQ ribs! My first time ordering and I was so happy with my meal; food exceeded my expectations. Loved the coleslaw and skinny onion rings

My daughter and I loved this place, I got the burger and she got the tri tip and it was all delicious. Great service too. We highly recommend this place

Great BBQ and amazing service. Perfect little BBQ place that has great food and an abundance of gravy things to choose from.

First time here and it won't be my last. It satisfied my BBQ cravings. Many options of protein and side selections. The sauces compliments the protein nicely. The staff was very helpful providing recommendations since it was our first time here.

Excellent service and delicious food I had the bbq chicken with beans and Tatertots Cute place too

Oh Wow! Holy Cow! It's been a while since I saddled-up and ventured out to enjoy the Southern comfort and ambiance that's reminiscent of Nashville, TN or San Antonio, TX. The fact that this restaurant was conveniently close (across the street from the Brentwood Country Mart) instead of half way across the Continent, was a pleasant surprise. What really got my giddy-up, was when I sunk my teeth into the slow-cooked Brisket Sandwich. The combination of subtle flavors played nicely on my tongue. To quote the local movie star (former restauranteer & politician) who sauntered in to pick-up his to-go order while we dined: "I'll be back!" That's exactly how I felt, too. Next time, I'm gonna get the Big BBQ sampler plate to gain a broader perspective of what I've been missing; and what I'll want the next times I have a "come-back." You can stay-tuned to read about my future samplings of the sides, the salads, and desserts.. But, I think dropping by to sample things yourself would be more fun. "Hasta la vista, baby!"

Really good food! Just only order from GrubHub tho, cus Uber eats and door dash really stick it to you, and dont care about service. This place has got the good Barbecue!!

One of the best bbq spots I've tasted and the delivery was fast and the food was still warm. Definitely will recommend

Sensational. The staff was beyond friendly and the food was amazing. It was my boyfriend and I's first time here and they were helpful the menu options. The place is super clean and the mood is set perfect for the food. Definitely will have to come back soon. Thank you to the friendly staff! Super appreciated especially now a-days. Clean plates fully bellies. 10/10

Food was great. Got the platters with 4 meats. Tri tip, smoked chicken, pulled pork and brisket. All fantastic. Sides were good too. Chili and Mac n cheese. Also tried mashed potatoes and potato salad. Both were great. Service was great. Employees were polite and attentive.

1 word to describe this place: bomb. I wanted BBQ so badly, like sloppy bbq sauce bbq. This place has the flavor, and the taste. I'm satisfied and I hope this place stays down the street forever.

Placed a largish order to go and had my wife p/u at 11:45am b4 lunch hour. One item for $22 omitted. tried for one full hour to call their Sm loc. Line busy the entire time. Cannot contact them even via email let alone via phone. This seems preposterous in that they rely on take out orders, and with that, one would think an open phone line is essential...I thought I was being smart calling the Culver City store to try to report this, but left on hold for 8 minutes for the mgr. It seems nobody at Holy Cow cares. This place is soon to be Out of Business

This restaurant has terrible customer service and they do NOT care about safety. Until they improve their customer service and care about safety, I can't recommend them.

First time visitor and newest fan. As this was my first time here, I asked the waiter for a recommendation of the best meat offerings and was told the brisket and the pulled pork. I ordered both In addition, I tried Mac n Cheese, collard greens, coleslaw, cornbread, key lime tiny cake, banana pudding and the peach cobbler. Sounds like a lot of food, I know, but BBQ has a way of doing that to me. Every side was incredible, especially the Mac n Cheese. I've used Patty LaBelle's Mac n Cheese recipe for decades and I can honestly say this Mac n Cheese is as good or better than, especially bc I don't have to do all the work! All three desserts are excellent, especially the key lime, and I'm hyper critical of all key lime pie. In addition to the taste, the "tiny" size is a perfect way to end a delicious meal. When having BBQ, I like to try the meats first without the sauces to gauge the pit masters skills. Unfortunately, both meats were slightly dry for my taste. However, once I used the sauces I was satisfied I have found a very good BBQ restaurant in Santa Monica. The service was wonderful, welcoming and patient while I asked many questions about the food. While I took my food to go, the store front looks inviting. I think the next time I crave BBQ, which is often, I will take my family here vs eating at home.

I orden on line my barbecue ribs when I get there. It was already waiting for me. Excellent fast and delicious I really recommended the sweet potato. was just unbelievable delicious thank you. Holy cow. I am sorry I was so starving I didn't take pictures of before