My family and I had been looking for a good BBQ restaurant in the Valley and came across Bludso's in Van Nuys -Take out only. We were genuinely excited to find a BBQ spot we enjoyed, and for a while, we were happy customers. Unfortunately, over time, our experience became increasingly disappointing, particularly when it came to the size and consistency of the ribs.
The first couple of times we ordered, the ribs looked like a standard, reasonable portion. But on our later visits, we noticed that the ribs appeared noticeably smaller. It wasn't just a one-time observation; after seeing the difference several times, we decided to call and ask about it. We weren't looking for anything unreasonable, we simply wanted an explanation and some consistency in what we were paying for.
We were told, "Sorry, we'll have our manager get back to you." We appreciated that someone would supposedly follow up, so we gave them the benefit of the doubt. It has now been a couple of months, and we have never received a call, email, or any kind of follow-up.
That part is honestly just as disappointing as the portion issue.
Bludso's prices are high, and when you're paying premium prices for BBQ, you expect the quality and portions to be consistent. We understand that food costs, labor, and operating a restaurant are expensive, we're not expecting bargain prices. But when a restaurant charges what Bludso's charges, customers have every right to expect that the portions will be consistent and that legitimate concerns will be taken seriously.
In a time when the cost of everything continues to rise and people have to think carefully about where they spend their money, spending more at a restaurant should come with the expectation of getting a quality experience. If we're willing to pay higher prices, we expect the food and customer service to reflect that.
What really sealed the deal for us was that we actually tried to address the issue directly. We didn't immediately leave a negative review or complain online. We called the restaurant, explained our concern, and gave them an opportunity to respond. Unfortunately, the fact that nobody ever bothered to follow up after promising that a manager would contact us left us feeling like our business and feedback simply weren't important.
We enjoyed Bludso's when we first discovered it, which makes this even more disappointing. But there are plenty of BBQ options out there, and at these prices, we don't feel there's a reason to continue spending our money somewhere that doesn't provide consistency or follow through with its customers.
We tried. We gave them multiple chances. We reached out and gave them an opportunity to make it right.
Unfortunately, we've moved on. No more Bludso's for us. read more