The Original Texas B.B.Q King just might be next best thing to heaven for die-hard rib lovers. In a word, the B.B.Q king is authentic. True to the old-tyme Texas B.B.Q., the B.B.Q. King is a small shack, adorned with HUGE smokers that are slowly cooking every assortment of ribs known to man. A man stands watch over the smokers, and occasionally flips the meat over, when necessary. This man's job is very important to the outcome of the rib, and he takes his job very seriously. He won't make eye contact with anyone, he's just focused on his meat. And we're all very appreciative of that.
The B.B.Q King is not by any means a restaurant. It is a shack, where you drive in, park your car, order at the window, and wait for your food. They have a few wooden tables outside, but most people pack up their food as take-out, and eat elsewhere. So, those looking for a nice, sit-down affair, you won't find fancy in this place, but for those who are purely interested in the flavor of the food, stick around... You won't regret it.
On to the grub. Apparently B.B.Q King's hamburgers are famous, and worth trying, but clearly I stuck to the ribs. They have a vast menu: hamburgers, breakfast, baby back ribs, pork ribs, st. louis style ribs, links, pork brisket, beef brisket, fried crawfish, fried catfish, and many others, including combos of most every option. With every meal, you get a choice of 2 sides (b.b.q. beans, collared greens, mac n' cheese, mashed potatoes, french fries, house salad, cole slaw, potato salad, and 2 pieces of corn bread.
I got the pork ribs and pork sausage combo, with b.b.q. beans and mac n' cheese. The ribs were cooked to perfection. At the slightest touch, the meat fell off the bone, and was juicy, tender, and cooked just right. What I liked best about the ribs, was that they were slathered in B.B.Q King's home made sauce. The sauce is tart with a bit of heat, but not too much. The baked beans are cooked in the same sauce, and were absolutely to die for. They give the beans in a pint-sized container, so there are plenty of beans to share! The mac n' cheese, in the pint-sized container as well, was creamy and basic. It was rather bland, but they gave a side of sauce to liven it up a bit (which I did, and the mac n' cheese tasted much better with the extra b.b.q. sauce kick.) And the corn bread, ohhh the corn bread. It was moist, but still flaky, as corn bread should be. It was basic, true-to-the-south corn bread that tasted phenomenal dipped in the extra b.b.q. sauce.
B.B.Q King, nestled discreetly outside of Downtown L.A. proved itself as a killer b.b.q. joint. With great prices (you can get a platter that consists of a slab of ribs, beef or pork, one whole chicken, one pound links & tri tip, two Qt. side orders, and one dozen rolls or corn bread, $36, serves 4-6) and amazing b.b.q., this place is a jewel. If it's true-to-Texas b.b.q. you're after, get to Downtown L.A., drive north on Figueroa, until right before it turns into the 110 North Freeway, and spoil yourself with the best b.b.q. in Los Angeles (maybe even California.)
The Original Texas B.B.Q King: 867 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90012
Tel: (213) 437-0885
(213) 437-0881