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Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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First tried BBB at the SM bbq fest, thought it was amazing, so I had to hit up the source.
The ribs are just as good as I remembered. Fall off the bone succulent and doused in their signature NC vinegar based bbq sauce. They also have great beef brisket and pulled pork. Come during lunch and they have lunch specials around 10-13 for sandwiches or lunch combos that come with several meats, a side and corn bread.
Honestly though, the more times I come, the more I am sold on their sides. Try the mac and cheese, or really the Cheese with mac. It's so cheesy, you'll think you were sitting front row at a carrot-top show! Honestly, all their sides are the shit, and they know it, even offering an all-sides platter, which I would totally go for, except the carnivore in me always rights me every time toward the ribs.
My husband and I ate here for an early dinner, last Wednesday (Nov. 11, 2009) and we absolutely LOVED it. We ordered far too much food for just two people, but wanted to try as much as possible since we weren't sure how soon we might get up that way again.
We started off with an appetizer size order (1 pound) of their super spicy buffalo wings, accompanied by a pitcher of cold Shiner Bock beer. We ordered separate entrees, but shared everything.
My husband ordered the "Bones or No Bones" platter: 1/2 a rack meaty tender Memphis Ribs and 1/2 pound of the best pulled pork we've ever had (smoked for 16 hours). He chose the baked beans (black, red, pinto) and collard greens...both equally fabulous.
I ordered the beer braised beef brisket plate, with the baked beans and coleslaw. The brisket was full of smoky flavor (also smoked for 16 hours) and very tender -- but I still prefer the brisket from Bigmista's Barbeque. I too loved the beans, but thought the coleslaw was average (the collard greens were much better.
Oh, and their cornbread is to die for.
Hands down best BBQ in Southern Cali.
Pulled pork plate is top notch. Could use slightly more flavor on their pork because normally I like my pulled pork sans sauce and this pulled pork needs some sauce for a little added flavor. Thankfully it comes naked so you can add only as much as you want.
The corn bread, mac and cheese and potato salad sides are yummy. I've tried the baked beans, not my fav.
Service is great, fast, friendly, and yes boys...very attractive females that also seem to have brains with their good looks.
Only place in LA better than Baby Blues Venice is Baby Blues WeHo.
The WeHo location has a full nice size bar area, larger restaurant, attractive men, multiple tv's for football Sunday, and super yummy bloody mary's ($6) and even the food seems better than the Venice location, the mac and cheese, pulled pork, and the corn bread all seem better.
Having said that, I still recommend visiting Baby Blue Venice.
My advice...try both and decide. Either way, you won't go wrong.
Okay I was watching the food channel. (yes the greatest channel ever well NG and Discovery as well) Anyways I was watching Diners, Dives, and Drive-Ins. Wish I had Guy's job. Saw a special BBQ spots and they mention Baby Blues as one of the places to go.
My friend and I went one day to Venice from Burbank have this so called amazing BBQ! Let me tell you, you will not be disappointed. I've had my share of BBQ in my life. Haven't had the authentic ones from the south or anything like that, but pretty good ones. So far this place is the best!! Definitely don't wear anything you want to get dirty, cause smothering it in the sauce and eating it with your bear hands is the only way to take on this beast!!
It does get busy at times, so you might have to wait, but it's worth every second! I just recently discovered that they have one in west hollywood off of santa monica I believe!!! I'm definitely going there!! It look a little bit more fancy than the one on venice, but if the food is the same who cares! I'll go in with my t and shorts on still. The one on venice is definitely more home like atmosphere. If you love BBQ and ribs you have have havvvvveee to stop by. Don't take my word for it, find out for yourself and let me know what you think!!! Eat well!!
SHORT review: Decent for lunch. VINEGAR, VINEGAR, VINEGAR. They've got OKRA which means fantastic!
LONG review:
Took a friend for his first lunch there. Corner location, small and grungy. Staff quite friendly and attentive.
Here's the thing. It's decent, but it's definitely vinegar based so the sauce well, you'll either dig it or not. I'm filipino so I like vinegar and so I liked this.
We tried:
Appetizer: Suicide King - Beef on cornbread with cotija cheese and slaw. 4 "pieces", needs more beef - very tender though, cotija cheese? Well that makes everything better. The combination was well, to be honest different. I think I liked it. Will have to try again.
BBQ chicken sandwich - Nice sized breast on bun. Only ok. Next time, go for the beef or pork.
Pork sandwich - that was his. I didn't try, but waitress reminded us, they don't add sauce - it's up to you to add from their sauces of XXX, regular or somethin else which I can't remember. He said it was tender.
Sides: Mac n Cheese, Mashed Potatoes, Okra. Mac N Cheese was thick n hearty - fattier size of elbow mac used with some bread crumbles. Mashed potatoes were super straight forward - just a little salt and pepper - nothin fancy, but works well if you bit into your sandwich and you used to much XXX sauce (tempers the flare up on the tongue). Okra is VERY vinegary and has chunks of stewed tomatoes. I LOVED it. I think the vinegar cuts the slime.
One VERY COOL THING? They've got KOOL AID as a drink offering. Yipee!
Ok, so I asked my 2 1/2 year old what she wanted to eat for lunch today and she said "I want ribs." Vaguely remembered a rib place on Lincoln and wound up at Baby Blues BBQ. We had a fantastic experience! The staff was super welcoming to me, my 2 1/2 year old and my 4 1/2 year old. We sat at the counter cuz the girls enjoyed watching the "fire". We split a lunch combo (around $13) and had more than enough food. We had 1/3 rack of the ribs, two pieces of great cornbread, pulled pork and mac and cheese. The mac and cheese and the cornbread alone would keep me coming back! The ribs were great--a bit tangy, not too sweet, not too spicy! I am so excited to learn they deliver--no more pizza delivery for us! The entire staff actually looked like they were having fun, not hating every minute of their job!
I've never eaten ribs in Texas or Memphis or anything like that, so I really don't have a comparison to make in that category. I have eaten ribs in Burbank, Santa Monica and Marina del Rey so I have some localized comparisons to make.
I've never had a bad meal at Baby Blues in Venice. In fact, I recently chose it for a birthday dinner over choice of steak and lobster somewhere else, I love their ribs.
I haven't eaten too many different items on the menu, but things I love include their cornbread and coleslaw (a big fan of both) collard greens, large beef ribs, baby back ribs and BBQ chicken.
When I eat there alone I rarely ever order chicken but I'm happy to take some off my companions plate were eating there together. I'm a huge fan of the big beef ribs (only need to order one) along with a side of coleslaw and corn bread (extra cornbread please).
Whether we've chosen to dine in or take out the staff has always been friendly and lived up to the food loving attitude Baby Blues portrays. They get four stars for scrumptious, finger licking good ribs, and an additional star for attitude.
Also helps that they're nearby my neighborhood and takeout orders are typically handled pretty quickly.
Casual attire, I wouldn't wear a fancy white shirt to this place, unless you're bringing along a barbecue sauce catching bib. Great place to eat after a long day visiting Venice Beach.
400+ reviews?! Really?
What else is there really left to say?
The cornbread is quite possibly the best I've ever had. So moist, it literally tastes like moist kernels of buttery corn.
Sweet tea is delicious diabetes in a plastic cup! Yuuuuum...simple syrup...gooooood.
I'm quite certain the waitresses are strictly forbidden from eating the food cuz they're all skinny as hell.
The mac and cheese was actually a bit too cheesy for me, after a while though...it was still damn good.
Creamed spinach could use improvement, but my bad for ordering that...shoulda got the okra.
Mashed sweet potatoes: broke my hymen for mashed sweet potatoes, don't really have anything to compare it to, but it was effing good.
Pulled pork is the best so far on the West Coast.
Memphis ribs are falling off the bone tender and flavorful.
Unsanitary ex various bottles of liquor on the tables hold the elixir to life.
Home made BBQ sauce is hands down....my new bath water.
Owner is a nice, regular guy who hooks you up with to go BBQ sauces when taking home leftovers.
I cannot wait to move to the WestSide, yo. I went at an off peak time, so no wait. If it wasn't for the horrendous wait, I would be there 24/7.
Went on a Friday night - pretty busy for such a small place.
I guess if you want BBQ and you are in the area it's an ok place, but I don't really care for so much vinegar in my sauce.
I had the pulled pork plate with mashed sweet potatoes, greens and corn bread. The cornbread was very dense and heavy - I prefer a lighter cornbread, the sweet potatoes were good, but a bit stringy and the greens were in a tomato base. The pulled pork was o.k., but nothing spectacular.
The ribs were ok - not sure, but maybe they boil the ribs before throwing them on the grill - didn't see any smoke ring on them - but they sure did fall apart.
We had the chicken wings for a starter and had the XXX hot ones - this was probably the best part of the meal other than the sweet potatoes.
They don't show it on their menu, but they have wine and beer. Not a huge beer selection - I'd change up the selection.
The best BBQ I've had in CA is Bar B Que Bills in Bishop! Those ribs are KILLER! Talk about nice and smoked - great smoke ring on those ribs! Of course you will have to take a 5 hour drive from Los Angeles, but worth every minute.
Baby Blues review in a nutshell - People really think this is five stars? Now that we've finally gone, I don't really think that I need to go back. I've had better. I think next time I've really craving BBQ and need a local place, I'll head over to Woodranch at the Grove.
I'm secretly searching for a solid contender to some our country's BBQ heavyweights in which I've had the pleasure in indulging in over the course of my military career, to include Memphis' Rendezvous, The Salt Lick in TX, KC's A. Bryant's, and even Dreamland in Birmingham. After today I have completely lost faith in finding such a place in Cali altogether. I will make two important points in this review.
First, on the ribs. Management: How can you honestly claim you smoke the ribs 4-6 hours? Forget the fact there's no trace of wood out back for such a time-honored culinary operation. Forget the fact the only aroma I detect outside 20 feet from the building is the natural stank of lincoln blvd. There's a BBQ joint nearby? Never would've guessed. But it all makes sense inside when I'm served a rack of BOILED ribs. I felt not only mislead, but let down.
Second, on the iced tea. Obviously BBB operates to the beat of their own drum, trying to hit all the major regions, with Texas brisket, NC vinegar-based sauce (sub-par at best) and so-called "Memphis-style" dry-rubbed back ribs.... The iced tea is a harsh reality check. I'm sitting in Cali, where sweet tea is a figment of my imagination, and this failed jack-of-all-trades/master-of-none BBQ joint is just 30 bucks I'll never get back in this lifetime.
The star is for the cornbread.
Oh my god! I have been searching for great southern barbeque since moving to Los Angeles. When I go home I always get barbeque just to ease my cravings. But now I have finally, finally found a place here that hits the spot.
My husband took me here over the Labor Day weekend, and it was absolutely mouth watering. There were also a few tables outside, so we could enjoy the wonderful weather and people-watch while dining. I had a pulled pork sandwich (my favorite!), and tried several of the sides. I love their tangy barbeque sauce, and the sandwich was great. However, what really shone were the sides.
We had the baked beans, which were slightly spicy and amazingly barbeque-y. The mashed potatoes were also a complete winner. A surprise for me was the coleslaw. I normally hate coleslaw because of the heaviness of the sauce, but this was great. It was more like a light cabbage salad than any slaw I've had before. And finally, the blues on the cob, which was corn on the cob with blue cheese. Amazing! I can't rave about this place enough. For anyone who, like me, craves a real southern flare to their food, Baby Blues is the place to go.
This is hybrid BBQ and I love it. I've had the baby backs, the memphis, bbq chicken, shrimp. Along with sides of mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, collard greens, mac n cheese and corn bread. Always delicious! The service is always great!
The Hound Dog is yum. Went to Baby Blues on recommendation of a coworker. I will have to go back for a fair assessment--must be allergic cause I got sick on something right after I got back to work from lunch.
I have had better BBQ in Texas, but apparently, good BBQ is a little more difficult to find out here. I really happened to like the sauce, esp the hotter version.
GREAT collard greens and fried okra. Sweet tea was alright, and I dig the atmosphere here. I feel like I'd need to go back to give it another try, but it wasn't the worst or the best--it did happen to put everyone in a food coma for a few hours, though.
So delicious! It has been a couple months since I was last here so unfortunately this will be a short review since I can't remember exactly what we ate.
Four of us arrived a little late, around 8, on a weekday and the place was packed. Luckily, however, a table in the corner had just freed up moments before and we were seated rather quickly.
A quick glance at the menu showed all the usual favorites of a BBQ place - brisket, ribs, chicken, mac and cheese, beans, collard greens, you name it they got it. Once you enter the smells of the small establishment immediately melt your soul and you feel like ordering everything. If, for some reason, you weren't hungry before you got here, you will be since you can practically taste the aromas in the air.
On the table sit several sauces of varying spice. Try them out before the meal because you wouldn't want to overindulge on the wrong one.
Now, the portions are a decent size, not over sized like I expected (although we all still brought home leftovers). The food is excellent and perfectly cooked. I was slightly disappointed with the mac and cheese but that doesn't mean I didn't eat all of it and still wanted more (it was a little too liquidy).
Two of use ordered ribs, someone had chicken and someone had brisket. We had to share since I wanted to try it all. Good BBQ is hard to come by, for some reason, but thankfully this place was nowhere near a disappointment. The reason I haven't returned? Work. But once I'm able to I'll be back here with friends in tow.
Had dinner here today.
Full rack of baby back ribs and mash potatoes. (Right under $30)
I'm a huge ribs fan and well... for my taste buds, I had better (Harlem, New York, Aspen, Colorado, Honolulu, Hawaii are a few places I tried ribs from that claim their fame)... not digging the bbq sauce either.
But it was worth a try, I drive past there all the time since I'm in Santa Monica and was curious to see what the rave was about.
Very hole in the wall type of place. They sat us against the wall next to the soda machine. Like the paintings on the wall. Street parking.
If you are craving ribs, stop by here... maybe it's for you. Customer service was pretty good and food came out at a decent time.
First and last for me. Nothing special! Sorry BBB!
Next!
I hardly ever make it to this part of town so you can imagine how excited I was that I was finally going to try this place out. Like Charlie in the candy store about to pay for that Wonka bar, I handed the waitress my money and waited in anticipation for my ribs with mac n cheese and corn. Sadly, instead of the Golden Ticket, all I got was okay mac n cheese with slightly underdone corn and dry flavorless ribs. Boo on you Baby Blues.
Side note, the waitstaff is super good looking and super cool too.
So i cant comment on the authenticity of the BBQ, or how it would stack up against the grub from Texas, North Carolina and the likes, but for tatsy BBQ in Los Angeles, look no further than Baby Blues. I tried it for the first time at the first annual Los Angeles BBQ festival and I was hooked. The ribs are nice and tender, and the pulled pork is delicious and the sandwich comes packed with it. They have several different kinds of BBQ sauce, but the XXX is definitely the way to go.
But if you only get one item, it has to be the mac and cheese. They put some of the dry rub into the mac and cheese and it is amazing; a nice crust on top and gooey cheeseyness underneath.
The place is pretty small and can get get crowded for dinner, so take-out is a good option here.
There are some VERY big people walking in and out of this place - a sure-fire sign of a genuine BBQ restaurant (or pretty much any place in the South of Midwest). Sat right down to a very, very tasty beef brisket sandwich. Fast and attentive service, and some seriously succulent meat.
I've driven by Baby Blues BBQ many times, and I've always wanted to try it. The place is small, quaint, and very rustic. There are a few no frills aluminum tables as well as a counter (with a small television playing a sporting event). You see barbecue sauce, salt, pepper, paper towels, and wet-ones everywhere. Parking is available on the street (they say you can also park in the big Fox Store lot across the street).
The food was kind of a mixed bag. Here was the good and the okay (nothing was really bad).
The Good:
--The baby back ribs were very good. Very tender and a good taste. They are some of the better baby back ribs I've had in the Los Angeles area. The ribs are quite blackened, and they are not drenched in barbecue sauce like other places. Barbecue sauce is on the table though.
The Okay:
--The macaroni and cheese. It was decent, but I've had better.
--The Memphis spare ribs. Spare ribs are not as tender as baby back so you can't expect that. But these were just okay. If you are looking for really good spare ribs (you should try Montgomery Inn in Cincinnati). The one thing I noticed was that there Memphis ribs were all over the menu. And to substitute baby back ribs was $2 (it would be worth it).
--Corn on the cob was fine. It was topped with a mild cheese (probably blue cheese). It didn't add much.
--Corn bread was meh. Just drenched in oil.
I really liked the baby back ribs, and I would come back for that. I wasn't that thrilled with the rest of the menu, but there are a lot of choices on there (so I imagine there are some other good dishes). Prices were reasonable considering the very large portions. Service was a little spotty.
I had just gotten back from a 5 day backpacking trip to scale Mt. Whitney, and after living on granola bars and freeze dried foods, I was freakin' hungry. Like HUNGRY in all caps.
The friend that picked us up suggested this place, and man, nothing sounded better than barbecued meat. And then when he told us this was featured in Guy Fiori's "Diners, Drive-In's and Dives", omg, that made me, a Food Network fan, even more deranged.
And it didn't disappoint! Atmosphere was kickin' because of all the hot waittresses who were as sweet as pie and because of the patrons themselves were a hoot to watch as this place attracts all sorts of fun people.
Food was both massive in proportion and delicious in taste. I got the "Bones and no bones" which was a 1/2 lb of memphis baby back ribs and 1/2 lb of beef. Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. The beef I just smothered with their vinegar and bbq sauce, and together it was so juicy and tender, and paired with some mashed potateoes, that'd be worth the price there.
But I still had ribs to go! Crazy! And the ribs were just as amazing as well. Pairing that with some sweet tea, and wow, amazing southern taste.
Definitely worth a return trip!
Finger lickin yum. Went on a Sunday night and expected a long wait but it was only 30 minutes or so. Just know they won't seat you until your whole party is present so don't invite non-prompt people if you're starving. We got the baby back/texas ribs combo with 2 sides--more than enough food for 2. The baby backs definitely were the more tender and flavorful of the two (the texas was kinda burnt). Loved the cornbread, smoked chicken rice and coleslaw. Sweet potato mash was overly sugary. My friend swore by the pulled pork but I was way too stuffed to try any. They also have 3 different sauces on the table for you to drench your meat in if desired.
Service was decent for a jam packed place. I think 2 of us spent around $30. Go get your finger lickin on.
Baby Blues would be my last meal on earth. No doubt. A huge plate of beef, savory shrimp, and sides like their blown my mind mac & cheese would allow me to leave this earth a very full and happy gal.
I loved sitting at the counter, watching the crew putting together plate after plate of delciousness. I kept rethinking my order, wishing I had gotten that...or maybe that. But I'm sure I'd be happy with anything from their menu.
There's almost always a wait...but as always, the good shit is worth the wait.
Just went there with some coworkers for lunch. The ribs are ok and the pulled pork not bad but everything required sauce to be palatable. The iced tea (regular) tasted like nestea and the cornbread was abhorrent. There is just no excuse for cornbread to be this horrible. The consistency and flavor were both so gross I wanted to spit out the bite I took.
The mac and cheese was just ok and it required salt. I've been told by a trusted source that sometimes it's like mac 'n crack and then other times it's the clotted ho hum mess I had.
I walked away from this place feeling ripped off and unimpressed.
My guess is that the rave reviews are from folks who don't know what good BBQ is, which is not surprising in L.A.
UPDATE!!! This place gave me a serious case of the runs. Woke up at 1am and let's just say I did not get any sleep the rest of the night. I've confirmed that it was most definitely this establishment because a friend of mine who ate there with me ordered the exact same thing and had the exact same experience starting at 1am.
I haven't had much time exploring L.A.'s BBQ scene. But so far this is my favorite. I've had the Baby Back Ribs and the Memphis Style Ribs. Go for the Memphis style ribs. I love how perfectly charred everything is and flavor wise this is my favorite BBQ. The place is tiny. The wait is long. I prefer takeout. The sweet tea is really sweet. It's not cheap, and the food takes long. They have lunch times specials for $13. I don't like the brisket or the okra side, so I usually get the Mac N' Cheese or Mashed Poatoes. Can't miss that big wall mural with blue flames, and I kind of like how it's located next to that flea market thing.
4.5 to be exact, but I'm rounding it up. :)
To start off, when I first walked into this place, it didn't seem all that appealing - but as soon as I got a whiff of the ribs, I knew that this place was going to be something else. Being here made me feel like I was on a set of a movie taking place in an old mom&pop shop. The place doesn't seem too clean, but I forgot about that as soon as my food came. I couldn't stop drooling..
Ordered the Memphis Queen which is half a rack of baby back ribs and half a rack of Memphis ribs and for my sides, I chose macaroni and cheese, which was very rich and creamy and I also had the corn on the cob which made me eat like a slob - no joke! :) The corn had chipotle butter on it and Parmesan, just like the kind you buy off the streets. This also came with corn bread which is really fluffy and rich. YUM!
As for the ribs, I was a bit disappointed with the baby back - it was good, but not GREAT. It was just missing something. The Memphis, ahh the Memphis was amazing. It was so tender and juicy and perfectly seasoned. I loved it.
I ordered a sweet tea and the boyfriend got a kool-aid, both of which were sweeter than a truffle. It was the thickest sweet tea I had ever had..really had to water it down. I also threw a lemon in there and it was great. :) I think they sweeten the sweet tea with sugar cane or something..it tastes very interesting.
My favorite part about my dining experience here was the fact that all the waitresses are so laid-back. Our waitress was walking down while dancing to Michael Jackson, it was so cute and funny. :) I'll definitely be back soon!
Love.
This BBQ is just about as good as it gets here in So Cal. I had the huge beef rib, my Dad had the babybacks. Both were good. Really good.
The sides were awesome. Loved the corn and the mac and cheese. And the cornbread. Actually, I loved most everything about this place. Except the long wait and cramped seating. Minus one star for that.
Oh yeah, don't forget the 22oz Stone IPA- good way to wash down all of those calories!
Shall I start with the good or the bad? What about I just spill the beans and you decide what's good/bad?
I've never had trouble getting seated here because we usually go right when they open on weekdays. However, sometimes people who get seated after us get their orders taken before we've even been asked what we want. Other times we have stellar service. My experiences have led me to the conclusion that service is hit or mis.
I've had the beef brisket platter with corn bread, and the shrimp po'boy. As for the sides (aka fixins), I've tried sauteed okra and creamed spinach and mac and cheese (which I recommend you eat with lots of black pepper and their version of Frank's Red Hot Sauce) I don't know why I've still never tried their pulled pork!
I must say if you're picky or easily grossed out don't eat here. Just order your food and have them deliver it or pick it up. The location isn't the newest or cleanest facility. It sort of smells of tabasco sauce, the tables can be sticky, the waitress' don't wear enough clothes (I realize this may be a selling point for some) The kitchen staff for sure has never received any awards for plating. They use plastic sports team plates which get saucey and oily all over. They also must inject flies into the place to further enhance your experience and make you feel like you're in the south. I've got a thick skin when it comes to eating out, but I know some people who wouldn't be too happy with the aforementioned things.
Considering this is an LA BBQ joint... It's pretty decent. It really wouldn't be fair to judge any place here with the greats in the BBQ states so I'll go easy.
The pulled pork is decent. It's tender enough but they totally douse it in sauce on the sandwich. With really good pulled pork, you should only need a touch of sauce to balance with the flavors of smoke, pork, and pork fat (yum). They lack the depth of flavor so I guess they resort to saucing.
The ribs are...... eh. Everyone has their own preferences about how ribs are done, but one thing that shouldn't be missing is the smoke flavor and that characteristic "pink ring" you see in good BBQ that indicates a long, slow smoking.
Their sauces and sides are pretty good. But it doesn't make up for the BBQ.
Minus 1 star for seriously being sloppy with service and seating ever since they were featured on the Food Network. If they want the business boost from TV, they should learn how to handle it. And from my experiences and many others here, it's pretty obvious they're dropping the ball.
If you've never had real BBQ before, you'll probably like it just fine. If you're from the Carolinas or Texas or any other big BBQ state though.... forget about it... just buy a plane ticket home or build your own smoker.
BBQ lovers are the hardest to please. Everyone has their preference. Everyone has their specialties. Everyone has something to nitpick about.
Here's my take. I sat at the bar with my boyfriend. It was available, we knew the place was packed, we went for it. Yes, it was smoky at times, but whatever, you could see the slabs and slabs of ribs being cooked, can't complain...
We sat so close to the cooks, you can see all the sweat barreling down their faces like a waterfall. The cooks are hard workers!! Cranking out endless food for the hungry patient and impatient patrons. A lot of pressure wouldn't you say?
I ordered the beef brisket with mac and cheese, cornbread, and chicken rice. There was no chicken in the rice. But whatever. The beef brisket had a really good flavor, but a little too dry for my taste. Great cornbread, great mac and cheese.
The boyfriend ordered a whole slab of Memphis with an Arrogant Bastard. Yum. We also had the hot wings as appetizer.... really good!!
$51 gets you the food above.
The ladies of the place are attentive, good service, very attractive. It gets crowded around here. I might try ordering to go next time and get some of those mouth watering tiger shrimps and sausage link.
The price is average, parking sucks, there's only one restroom. The food is so good, I'm definitely coming back here again!
Blues Stay Away From Me. Blues stay away from me. Blues why don't you let me be. I don't know why you keep on haunting me......sorry I'll stop singing!
Down home best describes Baby Blue's. I love the worn wood floors, the Johnny Cash paintings, paper towel rolls on every table, love at first sight.
I had the pulled pork with mash potatoes and mac n cheese. The meat was mouth watering and the mac n cheese was some of the best I've ever had and the corn bread had corn kernels in it, now who knew? Now my only thing and it ain't a complaint, but I'm not into vinegar based sauce I tend to like the sweet stuff, oh well.
I will be back to try more.
I would rate this about a 2 or 2.5. If I had to wait in line I'd be pissed, but because we were seated quickly and service I'll lean upwards.
Highlights creamed spinach, beans, mac and cheese and the weird cornbread-like cake consistency. The creamed spinach looked mediocre but I thought it tasted great. I enjoyed the smokiness and sweetness of the pork and beans, and the corn bread is more like a cake, a really dense and super moist brick of corn meal. Mac and cheese was standard but tasty, nothing wrong with them here and satisfyingly cheesy and rich. The sides I didn't care for were the stewed tomatoes and okra, I felt both were just overly acidic which prevented me from eating them in any quantity.
What I didn't find that great were the meats. They lacked any smokiness or depth of flavor like other BBQ places I enjoy. The ribs fell off the bone but they weren't that tender, they were a little bit dried out. The brisket was just pulled beef in a barbeque sauce kind of like barbacoa, not nicely sliced tenderly smoked brisket I'm used to. Pulled pork was decent, again, lacking depth, but once slathered in BBQ sauce with some pepper vinegar I wolfed it down. My favorite places have that fatty juice that just screams pork like a carnitas with a smokey flavor but I couldn't find it here. The BBQ sauce itself is decent, a little bit on the vinegary side but a lot of people prefer it and definitely a leg up from store bought sauce or Lucille's.
That's as far as I got so I can't comment on the Memphis ribs or the chicken since I was full off the sides and the meats I sampled. I'd go back if invited out by friends, but I don't think I'd stop by on my own accord. It was $26 a person including tip and a sweet tea, which by the way sucked. Was not a fan of the tea, it tasted like straight up sugar water without that deep tea flavor. I hate to say it but Lucille's has this and their banana pudding right, and I would not order it here even if it is promptly refilled. Actually, sorry, service was great, but now that I think of the tea, it's a 2.
You guys make some mean ribs. You never burn the edges like they do at Mr. Cecils. The babybacks and the beef ribs were finger-lickin' good and I devoured the creamed spinach and mac n' cheese.
I usually order a Racer 5 beer which makes a great accompaniment to the meat.
Their banana pudding was decent. Try to come at off peak hours because it seems like there's always a line!
We wanted Baby Blues BBQ, not Baby Blues Boiled Meats.
I can't say this for a fact...but the ribs tasted like they were boiled, then thrown on the grill or "smoker," as there was no depth of flavor in the actual meat (flavor that you WOULD find in a good barbeque). The collard greens, like a previous reviewer said, were very acrid. Mashed potatoes were probably reheated from the previous day, as they tasted pretty stale. The cornbread was actually okay.
It's a shame we have to write this restaurant off as another one of those "all style, no substance" places. If they spent more time on the food and less time designing their website, maybe they could be taken more seriously.
It's with good reason that this unassuming restaurant in Venice has a reputation as a dinner destination. Hearty portions of delicious Southern grub make for quite the delicious outing. The baby back ribs I had were a little light on the BBQ sauce, but this is easily remedied with extra bottles of it (in regular and spicy) standing by as permanent table settings. The cornbread, though slightly unusual in appearance, is in a league of its own and an unequivocal must with your meal. It's a little on the pricey side (good luck finding any entrees for under $15), but if you're given to the occasional splurge, this is as good a place as any to pay a premium for what you're getting.
Just wanted to update my previous Baby Blues review. I still like Baby Blues even though their pulled pork sucks. Everything else is really good there and previously I recommended Zeke's Smokehouse at Santa Monica and La Brea for pulled pork as, while it's not perfect, it's ok for LA pulled pork. While I still feel Zeke's is a very good place to eat I've found a place I consider even better. It's not in a posh neighborhood and doesn't have the atmosphere of Zeke's and not as convenient to me as Baby Blues in Venice, but the pulled pork and collard greens at Territory are the best I've had in Los Angeles and are much less expensive than either Zeke's or Baby Blues. The downside is they're located on Hoover street in a bit of a rough area and the place is more in the hole in the wall status hence lower rent and lower prices, but thankfully the food doesn't suffer as a result. Check my Territory review for more, but don't forget about Zeke's. They're still well worth a taste and Baby Blues makes great ribs and sides, just don't get the pulled pork at Baby Blues whatever you do.
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Well, I guess I have to revisit this review as right after I posted it some…
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Everyone else is writing about the food, so I will just comment on the clientele.
This was my first time here.
When I walked in, there were two cops seated in the back corner. One was a very tall, handsome Latino officer. He was seated with a red-haired fellow officer. The Latin crime fighter was so tall, that he could not fit his legs under the table, and he sat at an angle, reclining, arms folded, surveying the room with his gun in its holster and his eyes fixed on the waitress.
A dark haired server in short shorts, served me with a smile and a rapsy, sweet, affectionate voice. She sounded the way a girl sounds who smoked too many cigarettes the night before and just woke up before the sun rises, drowsy and headachy.
A large table was full of improbably handsome young people. There were three guys, each of whom was tall, well built, sullen and dark eyed. There were three girls, one who looked to be mixed race, with luscious eyes, thick lips, soft and beautifully shaped breasts. There was an older woman at the table, blond and careworn, drinking a beer. The gorgeous girls didn't really talk to the good-looking guys, but everyone was desirable and sensual in their own unique way, and I would have made love with anyone seated at that table. Josh, in particular, with his close-cropped hair, tight white cotton shirt, exploding lats and broad shoulders, was one of the best dishes served here.
I don't know what they serve here, but I do know, that on this mid-summer night, when the Valley was over 100 degrees, it was still cool and breezy and delightful to be near the Pacific Ocean, in the company of so many pretty people, enjoying BBQ and beers in the prime of their lives.
In the quest for the perfect plate of barbecue, there will undoubtedly be ups, downs, and the middle road. The ups are the places that are uh, to die for. The downs are the man, that place stinks, the waitress farted in my face, and these ribs are chewy and... maybe not pork or beef? And then there is the middle road... the places where you can eat because they satisfy the craving, but they aren't quite there for some reason or another. Baby Blues BBQ is the middle road.
I had heard great things about this place, so the girlfriend and I checked it out one night for dinner. It's a nice little place inside, and we didn't have to wait... bonus. Although if a BBQ joint is top notch, you're always going to have to wait. Reconsidering that bonus point... Uh oh...
So since it was our first time here, we wanted a sampling of the works. She went for her staple (pulled pork sando), and I opted for the babyback ribs combo... hook me up with a little bit of everything.
The food was good, but nothing spectacular. Her pulled pork was the best thing that we ordered. My ribs were... okay, but definitely not the best I've had. A little dry, and the sauces were average. Which means that for $20+ for the plate this stuff was way overpriced.
I will, however, give kudos to the banana pudding that we shared for dessert. That stuff was the bomb! Some of the best banana pudding I've ever had (but not the best). I could eat mountains of that stuff.
The highlight of the night? Our farting competition on the way home. Yup, luckily I have a convertible (and a very cool girlfriend), because let me tell you that it was terrible... and it was the night that we broke the fart barrier (awwww how cute). Well, she broke the barrier with me... I took care of that on our first date.
So I'm giving the restaurant 3 stars... not the worst, not the best... very middle of the road. Next time I will NOT order the most expensive thing on the menu... it's just not worth it. And to be honest, I'm not sure whether I'll go back when Mr. Cecil's is close by and their ribs are bomb! Now if only Baby Blues had lower prices to reflect their lower quality, and I would give 4 stars and definitely be back (for the banana pudding of course)...
Perfect Meal: Smoked Sausage sandwich (grilled) toped with house slaw on a grilled bun. Ordered a side of Mac N Cheese. Quenched my thirst with an abundance of free refills of grape Kool Aid. For dessert: Banana Pudding.
Verdict: Bliss. Heaven. Euphoric. If food could really cause a Rachel Ray type orgasm this would be the place. I've had BBQ many times over and by far this is the place.
The Sausage was crunchy and tender, topped with their house hot sauce, it was worth all of the bathroom problems I had the next day. the Mac N Cheese was too rich to finish but I did any way because I have that "live for the moment" attitude.
I'm a sucka for Banana Pudding and I found the Holy Grail. It's like a thick homemade banana frosting.
It's a small place and I sat at the tiny counter filled with locals who'll make their own recommendations. You'll get even hungrier as you're peeking over the counter and seeing all of the cooks barbecue your meal and everyone else's.
Great John Lee Hooker playing from the sound system and the hostess and waitresses are really cute women. I just don't know how they maintain their figures if they said they've tried almost everything on the menu. I digress.
Just go here. This is the place.
Several hundred good reviews? Are you kidding? I saw the Food Network DDD review, then the Yelp review and thought I'd finally found good BBQ in LA....NOT!!
I agree with one other poor review regarding the lack of smokey smell. The restaurant smells... the owners nor the servers asked how our food was.. My wife and I had the Memphis ribs and pulled pork. I've had better pulled pork at a swap meet. Neither meat was smokey at ALL.
I would suggest these owners seriously ask themselves why they would tolerate the stench and NOT ask their customers how their experience is. Obviuolsy they are delirious from reading the YELP reviewers who have no taste buds or were paid.
Lucilles BBQ or Tony Romas was better...and they dont exactly scream "good bbq"
I'm not a bbq connoisseur by any means but I am a big fan of baby blues. Besides the fact that the hostesses and staff are gorgeous girls, they're very nice and helpful and the food is great. The mac n cheese has 5 different cheeses in it and don't forget to try their different bbq sauces. Pulled meats are to die for (great sandwiches) and delish corn on the cobs. Small place but always packed. All in all if you are willing to wait for a table to open it's well worth it. Come hungry, leave very happy
Neighborhood: Venice
Category: Barbeque
Neighborhood: Venice
Category: Barbeque
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Barbeque
Neighborhood: Venice
Category: Thai
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Barbeque
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