The 20 best barbecue restaurants in Los Angeles

Los Angeles has arrived as a barbecue city on the national stage. Gone are the days of overcooked tri-tip and too-saucy ribs. Today’s scene is all about growth and personality, as newcomers mix with longtime barbecue restaurants across the region to create an eclectic, unique moment for smoked meat. Pitmasters are turning to family recipes from across the diaspora for inspiration, while the term “barbecue restaurant” grows to include pop-ups, backyard hangouts, garage setups, and just about everything in between. For this list Eater is looking only at the restaurant side of LA’s local barbecue ecosystem; there are separate maps for out-of-town barbecue places, and for LA’s many pop-ups. Locations are sorted geographically.

Added: Big Ant’s BBQ, the Bad Jew, Zef BBQ, Smoke Queen BBQ

Removed: Dr. Hogly Wogly’s, Max City BBQ, Spring St. Smokehouse, Horse Thief, Beachwood BBQ

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