50 Best Barbeque Restaurants near South El Monte

“Even if the interior needs a lot of work, the food doesn't. The roast pork is divine! So crispy on the outside and juicy and tasty on the inside. Dip it into the hoisen sauce, and it's perfect. I couldn't try the char sui because they ran out the day I went (late). I will try it next time with the roast duck. It's $21.99/lb for the roast pig. It's well worth it. I also got the eggplant shezwan style, dry string beans, salt & pepper rock cod fish fleet, and clams with black bean sauce. All of it was superb, not too salty, as a lot of Chinese food can be. This is my new go-to Chinese BBQ place from now on!“

“I drove all the way from Glendale for the nostalgia of BBQ Duck and they did NOT disappoint! I actually drove down for a different restaurant but they had already closed. Majority of restaurants say they close at 9 when they actually close at 8. Thankfully Sam's answered the phone and was willing to prep the food for me minutes before closing. I will definitely be back! 19$ for half a duck 35$ for full (inflation is crazy because when I was a kid, my grandma would get a whole duck for 18$). So grateful for them to make the trip worth it!“

“Stopped by cuz nothing else was open and I was curious lol. Didn't expect much out of this place. Turns out the food is not bad, I got the lamb skewer and you can taste they slow cooked it on the charcoal. I also got the beef rice noodle, didn't know it was spicy but it turned out good too lol. Wish they used an actual bowl instead of a togo container but oh well. Still taste good.“

“The Ribeye cap M9 here is so beautifully marbled but I think I loooved the Prime short rib even more. It was flavored so perfectly and literally melts in your mouth.And have you ever had grilled eel at Japanese BBQ before?? It was definitely my first time because I think I got the order of operations wrong in terms of building my perilla leaf-eel-seaweed wrap, but hey, it tastes so delicious all the same, right?We also got the Wagyu sukiyaki to share and the Wagyu bibimbap that’s mixed tableside.Thanks for reading! ^-^“

“4 of us ate at the new Craft at LA Live but I can't find it here so recommending them on the Pasadena location. This was the second night they had been open last Saturday. Service was outstanding. Judy did a terrific job taking care of us and the head chef and owner cam by to welcome us. Food was outstanding too. Great place.“

“Good food. Great service. Very understanding and accommodating staff.“

“First time here and we’re so surprised! Got here right at opening and there was a line but got seated right away. Service is so friendly and fast! We were overwhelmed by how quickly everything arrived. Food is delicious, but you need to cook it yourself.“

“Interior is small but parking is decent, and I think the food is hit or miss depending on what you order. But for the most part the fried chicken katsu is a good option; the bone in fried chicken that others seem to like was a little dry for me. There is a catering menu and seemingly they are a good option for gatherings. The owners work here and are very sweet Asian couple. They will always smile and engage in conversation with you. Top Restaurant has been in business for a long time so they are doing lots of things right!“

“i have been 4tunate enuf 2 have tried both locations but of course, many more times in HH since its been there 5+ yrs ~ originally i often didnt fill up after their omakase mealz but they have since improved & i dont leave hungry i started visitin HH location cuz an old friemd used 2b da chef there; he has since retired & im happy i got 2 try this new location ~ food is yumz, service is good, place is clean & modern wished there were somethin they can do bout da noisy background ~ its very echoey, thus hard 2 hear wut frenz r sayin (def less noisy @HH location)“

“The breakfast/ brunch was amazing!!! The biscuits and gravy was off the chain. Very strong coffee. I got got the Banana waffle and it was so good. My husband got the pastrami Benedict and he loved it. Definitely recommend trying this place out!“

“Loved the food, we found this place accidentally thinking it was sushi but it was a very good mistake! Very delicious but definitely dress for a special occasion. We loved all The courses and the desserts were absolutely delicious! At first we thought we wouldn't get full but by the end of dinner we were more than satisfied!“

“Best Korean Tofu Soup (sundubu-jjigae) in SGV!Tofu Bean is my go-to whenever I'm craving good comfort Korean food! My husband and I usually get the tofu soup combos with galbi. I always get the seafood tofu soup and it comes loaded with shrimp, oysters, and clam! Everything is so delicious here! All the entrees come with the traditional banchan and it's always freshly made! You know a Korean restaurant is good when their banchan is on point!As a Kpop fan I also love how they play Kpop and kdramas on the tvs! They even have RM's autograph displayed in the front of the restaurant as you walk in! Being Army I can't help but fangirl over it whenever I visit!“

“Service was great!! Food was ok. My steak salad was not good. I had it before and it was wonderful. This time the meat was rare. I thought it was going to walk off my plate. I'm always too embarrassed to say anything so I ate as much as I could. Other than that had a nice time.“

“My fiance and I came in on Tuesday during lunch time and the service from Jun, our waiter was impeccable. It is slower during the week so we got to have a personal experience where Jun cooked some of our meats for us, came out with his recommendations, and showed us how to eat the proper way with nori sheets, fresh garlic, and lettuce! The food was amazing, and their seafood options are so fresh and delicious. I used to go to the Monterey Park location but this will be our permanent go to spot instead.“

“I have loved this place for 20 years. While some things have changed, it’s still the great quality & delicious wok I remember from my first time. This place is fantastic & even though I no longer live nearby, I still make time to eat here every time I’m in the area.Amazing noodles, great service, worth it.“

“I’ve been to this place a few times but never wrote the review for it. First of all, in this area, this is the best bbq spot. With that being said, the customer service upon entering the restaurant was sketchy at first but it got better as I stayed to order my food. I had to drive here to order because the phone never got answered nor did the online service work. I got the chicken sandwich, 1/2 chicken, fries, mac & cheese, and Cole slaw. The sandwich was good, the chicken was okay and the sides were decent. You can dine in if you want but at the time I went, they were really busy so the wait from what I seen was about 15 to 20 minutes. I don’t think they take reservations. I would say to go and visit the place for yourself. It is worth the drive if you’re in the area. I would not say drive from LA to come here when there are other spots along the way.“

“Insanely great food, in addition to amazing service. the pork plate is a must try! Their Mongolian BBQ is remarkable as well.“

“For the record, this place is not all you can eat. Price is definitely on the higher side of Korean BBQ. However, the food and the service you get are definitely worth the trip. The food is cooked by your server, and they will ask you how you want your meat cooked. The side dishes are delicious. My favorite is the sauce they give you for the BBQ. The only thing that may deter you from going to this restaurant is the long line during peak hours.“

“AMAZING service!!! The meat was so fresh and delicious! We are visiting from Chicago and this impressed us so much!! Come for the food stay for the service!! Thank you so much SOH Grill house!“

“I love Steve’s BBQ, the food is extremely great. The service is excellent, they try to accommodate you to your liking. The owners are the best. I go there twice a week and enjoy the great food they have.I have read the reviews and find those who are complaining about the food and service are just that. This place is very clean, welcoming, great food, quick service. You couldn’t ask for a better BBQ to eat at.“

“Do not judge this place by the exterior. There is a reason this place has been here for 20+ yrs. The value of this place and quality of food is solid for the price! There are lines during peak weekend hours so be aware. If you go during lunch (Ends at 4pm) it's cheaper for the same food, minus egg rolls and egg drop soup. They are closed on Tuesdays, so Wednesday the food is the freshest. I would avoid the turkey, but the other meats were fine. My favorite is the lamb. Of note, the peppers and red pepper oil they have at the bar lacks spicyness so I need to put a lot on and I ask for siracha sauce to help with the heat. They also have assorted spirits and sodas. The service is friendly and fast. The ambiance is causal and family friendly.“

“My first time here was not the best because we came around 9:10pm and was able to get a seat without waiting. We ordered our first round and when the meat came my server just dumped all my beef tongue on the grill when the grill was not hot. This caused my beef tongue to be soggy and very tender.. :( We continue cooking other cuts of meat as we order and surprisingly the meat cuts were pretty nice compared to all the other AYCE bbq places out there. Soooooo...We visit Thirsty Cow almost once every two weeks! We come here for friends gathering, dates, and even just regular dining. We came here mostly for the meat cuts cuz to us thats what matters the most! Instead of trying other places we just stick to Thirsty Cow for ayce bbqs now since their meat quality are by far the best and most consistent. Our most recent visit was on April 7th and we noticed that they changed their menu a little bit. They now have wet and dry aged meats for their Premium option which was a plus for us. More options for Wagyu but they removed their Tomahawk :( They give each person 1 Melona ice cream after you pay so that was pretty nice and cute in my opinion. Their service can be a little messy since they do not offer virtual waitlist or phone reservation. You need to check in at the counter to get a place in line and then wait for your number to be called. Lines are unfortunately pretty long most of the time. We tried visiting at 2:30pm, 3:30pm, 4pm and even 8pm. Usually there's always a 30 minutes minimum wait time.Service provided by their servers varies a lot depending on how busy they are. Sometimes I see my server running around all tables taking care of more than 7 tables at a time and other times I just never see my server anywhere ever. So it depends a little bit on your luck and the days you visit. Either way, definetly give them a try for their meat!!! I believe they also increased their price slightly from what they used to be.“

“I usually don't try full on meals at breweries but I'm so glad that I did. Pit & Bull is the best BBQ I've had in the area! I'm a Mac n Cheese girly so of course I ordered the Pit Mac with Beef Brisket on top. The meat was cooked perfectly and was smothered with a smoky BBQ sauce. My favorite part was the Mac n cheese tho! They use actual cheese and top it off with bread crumbs so there's a nice crunchy layer on top. I ordered a side of fries and was surprised by how good they actually are. They're crispy and taste like a less greasy version of McDonald's fries! The brewery gets extremely packed during the weekends but the workers are always very efficient and prompt. They get your food out within 15 minutes. The ambiance itself is really nice since it's inside the brewery. There's lots of seating, games, and even an outdoor patio with live music. Definitely will be back!“

“I had the catfish and it was great . You have to eat it with the special sauce he has . DD was just outside with his meat smokers and jamming some amazing tunes. What a great guy and I will definitely go back for more. 5 big stars“

“The foods were awesome, and my favorite was actually the chicken skin and pork intestine. The pork intestine wasn’t smelly like you get from other restaurants. The flavor of the chicken skin was sweet and crunchy. The food got here very fast and we finished all the food within an hour. It is a great place to gather up with friends!“

“I had a wonderful experience at this restaurant! The atmosphere was spotless and inviting, and the staff were warm and welcoming. The Chili & Lemon Shrimp Saap and Chili & Lemon Chicken Wing Saap were standout dishes, full of flavor and depth. I also noted that it is better to order the wings & shrimp when you dine-in. I wholeheartedly recommend adding this restaurant to your must-visit list!“

“Had to write this on my lunch break the second after eating cause hot damn this is the best food I've had in Los Angeles in my 30 years of life. I got the Pulled Pork and Brisket plate with a side of loaded mashed potatoes. Let me tell you, when they say loaded, they mean LOADED, I saw bacon bits, herbs, spices, potato peel, and what I can only assume as just love cause holy mother of god they were absolutely amazing. The pulled pork was drenched in a tangy bbq sauce and went perfect on the bread roll. Now for the brisket, I consider myself a snob when it comes to food, and this brisket was not only juicy, tender and absolutely loaded with flavor, it was gigantic and had a perfect smoke ring. Do yourself a favor and eat here, it is seriously some of the best comfort food I've ever experienced, I say experienced because it truly felt like I was reborn again and relearned to taste again after eating all the refried and processed crap most restaurants serve now. 10/10 bees knees, cats pajamas, will probably be eating here frequently. Also the door slides, don't be a fool like me and try to push it open.“

“Huge portions I got the Fried Noodles and Rice combo (not on the menu, small extra charge) and the steak and vegetables. It came in two boxes - one for the noodles and rice and the other just stuffed full of steak and vegetables (cabbage, zucchini) Only 14 dollars I think - with a can of soda The service is great - just one guy, and he's super friendly. Makes the food, gives it to you. I think he's making a lot of stuff to order so that's good - you can hear him chopping stuff fresh. Ambience is non-existent - but you don't care cause you're there for good food for a good price. All in all, a great, fast, inexpensive meal. Just so you know - it's just one guy taking orders and making it, so be nice and be patient. It didn't take very long“

“Very family friendly atmosphere and outstanding service. We enjoyed our dinner with extraordinary talented Mariachi!“

“Obsessed with this place for breakfast, I tried a little bit of everything (thanks to the people I went with). The pepper bacon, potatoes, waffles, raspberry lemon pancakes, sourdough toast. Everything was delicious! The service was great too.“

“I enjoy Indian cuisine very much because of the species and fresh ingredients they use daily preparing so much flavors in the food. I enjoy the spinach and cheese it's amazing flavors like the spices and spinach and especially the cheese it add texture and flavor to dish. The other dish I really enjoy is chicken Tikka Masala one of my favorite so much flavor I enjoy it. The naan bread is very good I took a piece of the naan bread scoop in the chicken tikka Masala getting the fully flavor of naan bread and chicken Takla masala.“

“Took my nephew for dinner. He had the pull pork Sammy. He said it was delicious ?. I tried the tri tip Sammy, and it was very tasty and tender. The tater tots were ok, just a little over cooked for my taste. My nephew said they were good. The staff is really friendly.“

“Rodney's ribs are the Truth. I moved to Pasadena recently. I've had Q at Dreamland in Alabama, 12 Bones in North Carolina, Franklin's in Austin, Corky's in Memphis and Hecky's in Chicago, and this is some of the most righteously smoked meat I've ever had. Thank you, Rodney.“

“Excellent Service and I loved the quality of the meats.Parking: It is a plaza so there are many establishments, of course availability will depend on how busy all the stores are.Kid-friendliness: I think it is a family restaurant...there is a grill on each table; that is where you cook your own food: if you are careful with the children everything will be fine.“

“Food: 4/5 The crispy pork was a bit hard and dry and the beef tendon slices was too thin and can grill a little longer so that it doesn't taste rubbery. However, the rest of the items were very flavorful and juicy. I have tried a few skewer places and I have to say, the quality and amount of meat is very good. Service: 5/5 Our server was nice and he called out the name of the items he brought out. Ambience: 4/5 Love the overhead projectors and the big screens all around the walls. They also have a good selection of playlists. However, the bench can use a bit better cushioning because it was kind of low. All in all, it's a good skewer place to eat with friends. I would come back again and recommend this place if you want good quality meat and affordability.“

“I cannot emphasize enough how exceptional the service was for me. The waiter had very helpful answers to my questions (about portion size) on what I should order.I ordered the half green onion, half garlic bossam for $42. I love the garlic sauce here—it's a sweet minced garlic paste that masks any gaminess in the pork. The green onion sauce was more of just a gochujang sauce that had shredded green onion on top. Not my favorite but that's just my personal preference.I didn't think I was waiting particularly long for my food at all. Maybe just 5-10 minutes into placing my order, the waiter came by to let me know my dish would be coming out kind of slow because they were making a fresh batch of the pork. They offered some refreshments on the house and refilled my banchan without me needing to ask. AND THEN they came around like another 5-10 minutes later to offer a plate of freshly fried gyoza for the "inconvenience." I really didn't think the wait was unreasonably long at all, but their dedication to good service brings me to tears. ? ?Parking: The plaza has a large parking lot, but it fills up quickly when busy. The road is also a little narrow, so be cautious and watch out for other cars and pedastrians (as you should anyway).“

“Don’t order the grilled chicken! ! ! The skewers are all delicious, the beef and mutton are grilled with the aroma of fat, the New Orleans flavor is full, and the tinfoil series are also great. The chicken is cold when it comes out, and the taste is amazing.“

“Kim Tar's roast duck is the best in the area. The Hainan chicken is of very high quality. Somehow Kim Tar's taste is different among the Chinese BBQ's in the area and good/authentic. We've been coming here for 20 years, having our get together and bday celebrations here. Staff is very friendly.“

“The ribs literally melt in your mouth. So tender and juicy. The tri-tip was absolutely amazing and the chicken omg the chicken was so good. Love the BBQ sauces especially the habanero, not to spicy, actually sweet with a kick. DO NOT for get to try the pickles!!! My wife, mother in law, and myself shared "the pit boss" plate and it fed us with left overs. Before I forget the cheesecake so moist and delicious just like their cornbread. 100/10 will be back again“

“Great ihaw ihaw and crew are very friendly“

“If you're craving for bbq brisket, pork belly burnt ends, Huli chicken, cheddar jalapeño sausage.... And all it's trimmings, this is the place. It's a bbq place with a subtle Korean Twist in flavors so it's poppin. Best tasting bbq in Los Angeles. The meats are juicy, and let's not talk about the 3 choices of bbq sauces in their sauce bar. They have other options like rice bowl, loaded potatoes, loaded fries, 6 different sides and meat by the 1/2 lbs, and daily changing lunch specials. Process is order first then seat yourself and they will bring it to ur table. The wait is usually less than 5 mins more or less but they are fast. Customer services is phenomenal, that if it is part of the menu, it is their best seller. I made an order error assuming that brisket burnt ends are similar to sliced brisket but my son ate it anyways bec it's their best seller and it's good, I didn't bother anymore and ate it. After we ate, the owner comes in with 2 slices of brisket and he gave it to me apparently because of the mixed up a mistake from my end. OMG, this doesn't happen almost anywhere and anytime of this day and age. Great customer care and their bbq meats are definitely their best sellers. This is how great customer service is done. I ended up buying more brisket slices for my husband to-go. They got me! Keep up the great work Burnt Belly! They are located in the 626 area San Gabriel Valley, Fremont and mission street front of Kohl's store beside Johnny Rockets. Parking is at the back. Alhambra City.“

“This is some if the best Thai food I've EVER HAD. I was blown away. My brother is a professional chef and makes a killer red curry but I'd have to say this one topped it. The tofu was out of this world. The Tom Kah soup was super yummy too. But the star of the show was definitely the sticky mango rice. I had to stop myself from gobbling everything down even after I was full! I don't live in the area but I'm going to definitely drive out of my way to come back! We went on Easter so it was empty so idk what the crowd is normally like. Don't be put off by the lack of good pictures of the food on the menu and windows.“

“Best barbeque I've ever eaten. As a Texan, it's a shame I have to admit it's from California. The place is take-out only, but it's a great neighborhood so eating inside or on the hood of your car is no issue. Will definitely eat again the next time I'm in the area.“

“12.02.23 We were in the area and I googled Filipino food and this one was top three on options to consider. Service was the best - kind, caring, and really nice front counter reps. Plenty of combo options to choose from and pics on the side walls are pretty good help. Not exactly sure how to rate Atmosphere because the restaurant is inside 99 Ranch market. It's pretty clean eating area which is across the order area and past the spacious entrance.“

“Saw them set up out here in San Dimas at Burning Bridge Brewery in mid-Oct of '23. Friendly people serving up good food and reasonable prices to boot. Plus they even gave my Good Dog ? some samples of their xlnt Carne Asada and Chicken. Gonna try myself one of their Burritos ?.“

“Great little local spot for a quick delicious sushi fix. Quick kind service and great sushi. 5 stars in our book.We tried the miso soup, the spicy garlic edamame, energy roll, papa roll and albacore. The only one we wouldn’t get again was the papa roll it was just okay, but everything else was amazing.If you’re local or in the area definitely recommend.“

“Parking: easy (parking lot) Wait time: No wait (once during 2PM, another time for 8:30PM dinner) Food ordered: 1. Beef and seafood tofu soup 2. BBQ short ribs, tofu soup combo Best tofu soup in SGV comparing to A Ri Rang and Young Dong. Everything was perfectly seasoned especially their side dishes. Although I've had better kimchi (yukdaejang's), I enjoyed their seaweed salad most. Like many Korean restaurants, they refilled all side dishes. I very much wanted to try new dishes here, but what I've ordered previously were so good I couldn't help but order the same thing my second time. Lunch combo did not come with a salted croaker like dinner combo. 10/10 would recommend and come back. My Recommendation to the restaurant: 1. Offer rice cakes in tofu soup (add-ons?) 2. Make a bibimbab+tofu soup combo“

“The food was flavorful and the portions generous. We'll definitely be back.“

“Who knew this place existed in La Habra of all cities?! Hi BBQ is delicious, flavorful and reasonably priced. They give you huge portions and we all had leftovers to take home. The chef is also a very sweet lady. I will definitely be back again to try the other items on the menu.“

“Really, really good food. The pork ribs were amazing.“