It was easy to order online for pick up. My favorites were the sides - collard greens and potato salad (very pickle forward). The meats were okay and kind of dry, especially the chicken. It came with two slices of white bread. The collard greens were delicious. read more

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Listen. I'm all for a great chat with customers to create that family vibe, but the gentleman talking to the customer in front of me just went on and on and one. The bbq had great sauce but the meat was so dry. The sides were so tiny and tasted like they came out of a can. I don't think I'd be back. read more

After passing by J.R.'s Barbecue in Culver City more times than I can count, I finally decided to stop in and see what all the buzz was about--and I'm glad I did. Like many small businesses, J.R.'s adapted during the 2020 pandemic by leaning into takeout service through its walk-up window. What started as a necessity became a winning formula, and today the restaurant continues to thrive with that approach. While it's primarily a takeout spot, there are picnic tables outside if you'd like to sit down and enjoy your meal on-site. The experience begins the moment you walk up to the window and are greeted by owner Robert Johnson. His warm smile, infectious energy, and genuine hospitality immediately make you feel like family. In a world where great customer service is becoming rare, Robert reminds you how much a friendly welcome can elevate a dining experience. I ordered a hot link sandwich and potato salad and spent some time chatting with Robert while I waited. The beef hot link was absolutely delicious--flavorful, perfectly prepared, and packed with that classic barbecue taste that instantly transported me back to my childhood. The potato salad was equally satisfying and brought back memories of a beloved local barbecue spot that sadly is no longer around. Not wanting to stop there, I also ordered a half slab of ribs, brisket, mac and cheese, and barbecue chicken to take home. Every bite reflected the care and attention coming from Robert and his kitchen staff. The ribs were tender, the chicken was flavorful, and the sides were exactly what you hope for when you're craving authentic barbecue comfort food. J.R.'s Barbecue is more than just a place to grab a meal--it's the kind of neighborhood spot that reminds you why local businesses matter. Great food, generous portions, welcoming service, and a genuine sense of community all come together here. If you're anywhere near Culver City, do yourself a favor and stop by J.R.'s Barbecue. Come for the delicious barbecue and homemade sides, but don't be surprised if the warm smile and heartfelt hospitality from Robert Johnson become just as memorable as the food itself. Highly recommended. 5/5 Stars read more

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I had a pulled pork dinner and got violently sick during the night. Manager swore I did not get sick from his food. Send the health department to them read more

This was my first time purchasing food from JR's Barbeque, because my friend told me it was the best. That was NOT my experience, it was probably the worse barbecue ever, I should have stayed with Phillips. It was dry and the sides were tasteless!!! I am not the greatest cook and my food taste better the this! Let's just say it was my first and LAST time going to this place. read more

Received refund after power outage and returned. The meal was decent. For a small business that specializes in this dinner I expected a bit more, but at the same time, not much. There was flavor but nothing impressive. The selection of sides were very limited for the plate. Adding a side wouldn't have been cost effective. Didn't get enough bang for my buck so not sure I'd return for a third attempt. I tried Ribs Against The Machine in Burbank recently and that was more of what I was looking for. read more

JR's Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Culver City, California

I have mixed feelings about this place. My friend and I went and had to sit and talk about the pros and cons. For the both of us our visit came out to $50. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with baked beans and a side of onion rings. My friend ordered a salmon burger with potato salad. For my order I think the sandwich was ok. The only turn off for me was the soggy bread. The portion of the beans was a little small for the price but wasn't a huge deal for me because they were too sweet in my opinion. My onion rings had what appeared to be blue lint on at least 4 of them. I pulled said lint off and ate them anyway. Besides that the onion rings were also ok. My friends Salmon burger in his words "was not worth the price" also he thinks the potato salad was too sweet as well. So for being advertised as "The best BBQ in LA" we do disagree. It wasn't terrible but will most likely not return. read more

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I have passed JR's barbecue 1000 times as I grew up in Venice and Coached soccer in Culver City and I've never stopped in despite smelling that wonderful barbecue smoke as I drove by telling myself I must stop. Well that ended this weekend as I pulled into this small joint partly because I was stuck in traffic as much as the Sirens smell of bbq lured me in. After parking in the small lot in front I surveyed the menu and stepped up to engage in a wonderful friendly conversation with Robert. We discussed the restaurant, Memphis, different styles of ribs and I ended up ordering the baby back ribs with medium sauce and a side of slaw. JR's used to have indoor seating but after Covid they went to only a take out window operation. I see the reviews are all over the place but the ribs were very large and meaty particularly for baby backs. This was some big baby and the medium bbq sauce at first bite surprised me with the heat but after that I really enjoyed the flavor and tangy sauce on the meat. The addition of pineapple in the slaw made it very refreshing coupled with the ribs. Each experience is a personal one and being celiac for 26 years Robert took the time to tell me exactly what the ingredients in what I ordered and the ribs, sauce & slaw are all gluten free. That is not that easy to find as many places use rubs and/or flour in their bbq sauce. For me, the friendly and informative service along with the ribs and sauce hit the spot. read more

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The man that took our order, an older man, has horrible customer service. He has a MAJOR ATTITUDE!!! When you ask him a question he always replies with a sarcastic response. The food is good but he needs to develop his personality before he gets to taking orders!! read more

Take out only, which is what you want. The older gentlemen, presumably running the place, has a major attitude. It's a shame, because the BBQ is good for LA standards read more

Today is national brisket day in Texas so I had a taste for it. I ordered a half pound brisket that was very tender! It was $3 more than Woody's but worthy! The customer service lady was very nice! read more

Thought this place was closed, but it's open today. I walked down from Whole Foods and got lucky on a Sunday afternoon. The outside looked empty, but the vibe is in the air, 'cuz you can smell the smoked meats! The order taker at the window was nice. I ordered two pounds of Memphis style beef brisket and a quart of collard greens to take home. At the time, the collard greens weren't ready. So I got lucky the greens were cooked long enough to serve. Freshest collard greens ever. I went with a mild bbq sauce and a medium bbq sauce. I should've gotten the most super spicy sauce. Driving home with the smell of meat wafting in the car was bonus luck strike extra. read more

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Ordered through DoorDash an hour before closing and the order was canceled. I didn't noticed until I realized my order was late arriving. Don't have the DoorDash service on if you're not taking orders. read more

JR's Barbeque - Canceled order. - Barbeque Near Me - Culver City, California

I don't understand why these restaurants are so inconsistent with the quality and taste of their food. I ordered a half slab of baby backs, half slab of pork ribs, and the chicken links. I placed my order through DoorDash and called the restaurant to make sure they were still serving the same chicken links. I'm sure it was the owner who I spoke with because I have spoken to him in the past about that dry a$$ chicken. He told me the chicken links are the same, that's not true. The texture was off, they were not the same. I didn't order sides because I had cooked my own. I should have cooked my own meat too. The only flavor the BBQ sauce had was sweet and it was too thick. I had to add water, Liquid Smoke and Cayenne Pepper.to make it edible. Phillip's used to be my go to for BBQ, but they fell off too. Bludso's is not the same since the Pandemic, and I have only been to Woody's once, never to return. I know where Phillip's used to get there chicken links from, I will go there, buy my links, any other meat I want, and cook my own BBQ. I am not going to spend over $70 for subpar food anymore. I almost forgot, when I mentioned that the chicken is dry, I thought he was going to say, not anymore, we took care of that, but nope, he just said, "I understand." I know some of you will be like me and say to yourself, I'm going to try JR's anyway. Good luck, maybe your experience will be different. The posted pictures are not from my most recent order. After all the work I did doctoring the sauce, I realized the meat is nasty, no smoke or charcoal flavor, just nasty. I have never had BBQ that tastes so bad. I decided it was better to throw the damn near $80 worth of meat in the trash, rather than eat the sh$t. The trash worthy food are the most recent photos, posted May 10, 2025. Please forgive any typos, was typed on a mobile device. read more

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This is the best BBQ in Mid city. The staff is extra nice, explain exactly what to get if you have questions about the menu. The taste is consistent, and the beef ribs are big. The brisket sandwich was good, ask for extra mixed or spicy BBQ sauce bcus it slaps. Appreciate having such a convenient and delicious BBQ spot in Mid-City. Compliments to the grill master most definitely. read more

The top BBQ spot in LA, without question! I highly recommend everything on the menu--it's all excellent. My favorites are the beef ribs and briskets, which are perfectly smoked and juicy. read more

One of the best BBQ places period! It is great to have a place in your neighborhood where you get this type of barbecue. We came in on 11-23-24 around 5:30pm to get dinner. I ordered the beef links dinner along with beef ribs dinner. Everything on the menu is so good. The side are amazing which I ordered potato salad and mac n cheese. The order taker was Dee W. and he is really nice and pleasant. Looking forward to coming back! read more

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I ordered the family pack for 4 people it was the smallest portion my boyfriend could finish the amount they gave us alone. I expected more for the money I paid. The baked beans were good. The bbq sauce has almost no flavor, can tell they're not smoked. read more

Omg I have been here for years. I was passing through town and had to stop. I did not regret it. Prices are so reasonable for the food they serve. This is the best bbq ever. Sorry Lucille's and Gus's, you can't even compare. Their bbq beans are like no other. It feels good to see that this restaurant is still here and is serving the best bbq. I definitely have to come back. read more

JR's Barbeque - BABY BACK RIBS SLAB FULL SLAB was so delicious and tender. - Barbeque Near Me - Culver City, California

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My salmon burger was undercooked and we received a dry pull pork sandwich. When I went back at 5pm in rush hour traffic to get sauce they did nothing to remedy the oversight. Terrible customer service! read more

Best barbecue in the area. This location is located just off the interstate. The food never disappoints. Over several visits, I have tried all of their meat offerings. Everything is great. My favorite two are the pulled pork and smoked turkey. You order at the counter and the open kitchen starts prepping your food right in front of you. In a minute or two you are sitting at one of the many tables enjoying the feast. All of their sides are good. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

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Looks can be deceiving. Smelled good looked good and the meat portion. Is wonderful! BUT nasty as ..... Rib Tip Dinner hmmm the BBQ sauce. Tasteless. Dry. And dull... The meat not seasoned AT ALL. I THINK they boil their meet then prepare it. It's definitely NOT smoked. It was more like chunks of meat. Not tips! Where's the gristle? The fat (don't judge)? You know what I mean!!!!! It was dry as Mojave dessert. The best part were the table spoon of beans. The potatoes and was more like a tablespoon of mashed potato with uhhhhh NOTHIN'. Sorry never will I ever come back. The gorgeous man brought me my food- so courteous.... With dos hanging out is his mouth! read more

The bbq beef ribs were falling off the bone and the bbq sauce (medium spice level) has the perfect amount of kick to it with a little bit of tang (if that makes sense lol). This place is so good that I went back the next day and ordered some more for my father. The portion sizes for the meats are huge. The sides are good and standard sized however I was really surprised at how much meat they give you. It's enough for two meals for sure. The service of the staff reminds me of southern hospitality. All around JR's BBQ is well worth the visit. read more

The ribs weren't seasoned and they were drowning in sauce. The sauce was horrible! The ribs were cooked in the oven. They were not smoked or grilled. The sides were also horrendous. Even the Arnold Palmer had a weird taste. read more

JR's Barbeque - BABY BACK RIBS DINNER with baked beans and potato salad. - Barbeque Near Me - Culver City, California

Place is not friendly to customizable orders. Place ain't friendly in general when I came through. No substitutions so you gotta buy extra sides to get what you want , if you want to do double of the same meat on a plate , they don't let you either. Why ? Money. read more

I pre ordered a Christmas dinner a few days before my delivery date. Yet the day of my order was cancelled!! They said they were too busy! Orders placed ahead of time should be handled in a timely manner. I don't think I will bother spending any more money here. Bah Humbug!! read more

TENDER BRISKET!!! I got the brisket sandwich, 2 corn bread, mac n cheese and soda the toral was $30. Honestly great price for LA bbq. The cornbread was amazing and you could tell the mac n cheese was made w love. Will definitely be back! read more

JR's Barbeque - BEEF BRISKET SANDWICH Mac and Cheese CORN MUFFIN BBQ BAKED BEANS 4oz - Barbeque Near Me - Culver City, California

JR's is hands down the best beef barbecue restaurant in Los Angeles. The ribs are meaty, juicy and delicious. There was once a BBQ restaurant in San Francisco with the slogan, "You don't need no teeth to eat our ribs", and the same goes for JR's ribs. I stop by every time I can for my barbecue fix since I do not live in the area. If you are looking for great ribs, check out JR's Barbecue, my favorite. read more

Not sure why the rating is so low, personally I had a great experience here! I really enjoyed the beef brisket and the burger. Good service too. read more

Long line was worth the wait. Beef ribs were moist, juicy, tender and falling off the bone. I really liked that they have the sauce on the side. Baked beans were good like you'd expect and it was that satisfying homemade potato salad not like store bought. The cashier was friendly kind and efficient. This is THEE place for barbecue on the Westside. read more

I decided to order my Thanksgiving dinner from two places. One of those being JR BBQ. What a great decision on my part! Their Baby Back Ribs were scrumptious!! I don't like my ribs with a lot of sauce and they followed my request perfectly!! I will order again during this Holiday Season! I highly recommend JR BBQ! read more

I ordered the 3 meat combo on DoorDash today. I have seen this place and wanted to try it for along time. Today was my lucky day. Everything was so good. The meat was so tender "You don't need teeth to eat JR's meat". Lol. The beans, potato salad, greens and Mac & cheese were so good. They even give you a nice amount of bbq sauce on the side. The cornbread muffin was moist I only wish I ordered 2. JR's bbq reminds me of home and my dad. I haven't had good bbq in along time. Keep doing your THANG (YES...I said THANG). I will definitely be ordering again. Very satisfied customer CHEFS KISS P. S.... I have teeth read more

The beef brisket was too lean, the beef ribs were overcooked. Both dry. The BBQ sauce couldn't even save it. The coleslaw had fruit in it in a way that wasn't complementary. The mac was mushy and was probably the best dish but there was a low bar. Potato salad was decent as most BBQ spots' potato salads are. The staff weren't unfriendly but pretty low energy. As another review noted, La Cienega is noisy so if you decide to move forward with eating from here, get it to-go. read more

JR's Barbeque - Coleslaw, potato salad, beef brisket, beef ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Culver City, California

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First time ordering from there and the take out experience was very sketchy. Ordered online, paid ahead with credit card and at pick up, cashier demanded driver id license number be written down along with signature. Has anyone else experienced this there? Won't be returning. read more

This is a damn institution. I wish more spots cared about the community like this. The type of place a single mom could take her kids for a special meal and not have to break the bank. The man at the front is a legend. The hospitality is certainly southern. If looking for comfort food around central LA look no further. read more

I stop by JR barbeque on Saturday 9/20/2025 at 6:00pm for a hot link sandwich and got the shock of my life the guy told me he was not going to take my order because he was going to close but their closing time is 7:00pm. He took the other three guy's order I'm not going to mention race color, but he had a bad attitude. so i went to Woody's barbeque were i met this lady and she told me JR barbeque is nasty it taste like wood that's she stop going their. read more

I'm going with a 3 because I don't know what to make of this place. For some reason, it doesn't taste or smell like authentic bbq. I just did t get a good read on it. The chicken was a bit dry. It was over-cooked and not as easy to eat, as I would've liked. It simply kept getting g stuck while swallowing. Ya, pretty disappointing. The corn was decent. I think they boiled it versus grilled it. I'm truly not sure I'd try Jr's again. Driving by, it doesn't even smell like a bbq spot. So weird. Once again, I'm not sure what to make of this. I miss the bbq smell and the food I received lacked the authentic smell and taste too. Final Word: Exceptionally Average. read more

Where do I begin! I placed my order with Robert. He was pleasant, kind and had great conversation. My food came out hot, cooked to perfection and fresh. I could not wait to get home and get a taste. This was my first try of this deliciousness. Finding good Q is hard around these parts. I had a strong craving for some so I set out in search. So glad I followed my first mind to try this place. Ribs were so tender the meat slid off the bone and the brisket was soooo gooood. The sides were pretty good too. The potato salad had a different cinnamon flavor which paired excellent with the baked beans. I like mixing my tayta salad and beans together , mmm mmm yummy. If you're looking for good Q, you should definitely consider this place. read more

JR's Barbeque - 2 TWO MEAT COMBO (brisket & beef ribs) with potato salad and baked beans - Barbeque Near Me - Culver City, California

The food is sooo good, so tasty, the brisket might be the best I ate, I'll definitely recommend and will order again for sure.

The food was OK. The problem is now there is really good BBQ so OK just doesn't do it. I would call it a B- or C+ at best. Again, it was good but not going back. read more