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The LA Pit

3.6 (132 reviews)
Closed • 10:30 am - 7:00 pm
Updated a few days ago

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Happy hour specials
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - The LA Pit

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Potato Salad.
Renee P.

Our firm had a BBQ theme today, July 14, 2026. The LA Pit actually delivered the food to DTLA. The LA Pit did not do it for me. The only thing that tasted decent was the pork ribs and beans. I tasted the ribs with and without BBQ sauce. They actually tasted better without the BBQ Sauce because the sauce was too sweet for my liking. I like it hot and spicy. The links, I'm not sure if they were beef or pork, but I did not like the texture, and the casing was difficult to chew through. The mac n cheese, potato salad, and brisket were mediocre at best. We used to get the BBQ from another spot, but the Pandemic took them out. When we were getting BBQ from the other spot, we always brought in empty containers to take food home. Today, those of us who did bring containers said we would take them back home EMPTY. I would definitely not spend my hard-earned money on The LA Pit. There are far too many BBQ spots that are superior to The LA Pit. In my humble opinion!

Inside
David T.

Finally was able to find street parking right by their door. The dining room was pretty crowded with a work group watching the Spain vs Austria world cup soccer match. The server, Rhonda was helpful and friendly and patient with my disability. I decided on the brisket sandwich combo which came with one side and a canned soda. I chose the cole slaw as my side. I found an open table and sat down. Shortly alter getting settled in, Rhonda brought me my meal and lots of paper towels to help keep my hands clean. The brisket was flavorful and tender. The cole slaw was tasty with a hint of tanginess. Overall one of my favorite BBQ places in the southbay.

2-meat platter. Beef polish sausage, beef hot links. Onion rings and french fry sides.
Dalia J.

Gardena has great food options so it was nice to see that The LA Pit took up the space left open by Ana's and now there's a bbq option to add to the list of great eateries in the city. There's plenty of seating available, the space is open and the self-serve utensils, napkins can all be found near the counter. No table service here so head right on up to the counter to place your order. The woman we met on Friday, October 10 was so nice. Since it was our first time here, she made some suggestions on what to try, and also let us know they had run out of ribs :/ My friend and I decided to each get the 2-meat plate and we ordered different items so we could try a little bit of everything. After ordering we sat at one of the open tables and waited a bit. When the meat plates arrived we let out a little "ooh and ahh" because it all just look so amazing! I got the pulled pork and brisket with mac n cheese and green beans as my side and my friend got the beef polish sausage and beef hot links with onions rings and french fries. We chose the regular and spicy bbq (which comes on the side) and oh boy! The spicy bbq sauce has a nice heat to eat but nothing that makes it uncomfortable and unenjoyable to eat. Say "yes" to it when you order. The meat-plate comes with a dinner role but both of us opted for the corn bread, sooooo good! Not dry, not too crumbly. I liked the bark of the brisket, it had a nice salty taste that I enjoyed and I didn't even need to use the knife to cut into the brisket, it feel apart with the fork just going through it. And this was a plastic fork so that's how tender it was. I like the pulled pork, and I do like mine more on the wet side (you know the style of pulled pork that is pulled super thin and covered in juice) but this version was nice too. Flavorful. I tried the sausage and that beef hot link, that was spicy! Both of the sausage options were soft, tender. The casing gave that nice snap that (I think) sausage should have. And these onion rings (and I don't like onion rings) were so good. Whatever they're using as a batter and however it is that they're frying made these crunchy. We had a really nice experience. If there was one thing I would change about the experience is that the piece of cornbread is just too tiny :/ . It's soooooo good and I think maybe what is served comes from a larger platter (?)

Outside
Mike H.

This place is new and in Gardena. I went right when they opened so I was a lonely soul for lunch. Clean and spacious. Service was food and fast. Look, I hate to leave a. Bad review, which this is not! This is a call to action on your brisket, it needs work, I don't know that it was smoked, it seemed baked and for a place calling itself LA pit, you got to turn that around. Jalapeño cheddar sausage was good but the turkey also could use a hand. Boneless turkey breast without a good rub and a touch of smoke is a hard sell. Mac and cheese and beans were on point. Please keep striving for improvement guys. I see the potential!

Jay D.

Starting off I don't know what to say I don't know if it's a black owned restaurant or not I feel like they need to take something down off of one of their Pages stating that is black on black rain but being black has nothing to do with flavor. Had the brisket the ribs macaroni and cheese fried okra green beans Texas toast cornbread everything was real failure I can't even lie the only thing that was really good was the potato salad that we always get from Ralphs green beans no seasoning ribs felt like they just came out of the freezer and they try to warm it back up brisket was reheated times 12 macaroni cheese was Kraft macaroni and cheese with some damn Velveeta cheese on the inside with some paprika okra was failure. Texas toes Texas toast you came by I mean you can buy it wasn't giving at all honestly I think I am going to change the rating we gave it three stars. But now he gets a 2.5. Service was great Ambiance was the regular walk-in pick up your food and walk out.

Bad beans
Derek J.

The LA Pit is not, I repeat LA Pit is not the place for good quality bbq.This establishment is an upgraded version of Dickeys BBQ, and Dickeys is trash. Pork ribs just ok, potato salad ok, coleslaw ok,but those beans that falsely advertised as bbq beans, are not bbq beans.Looks like they were frozen and resold the next day. Those beans are regular pork and beans out the can. There's nothing bbq about them. Beans aren't supposed to look like this. I keep it real, I don't just complain about it I show it. Pictures speak a 1000 words. See for yourself I have no reason to lie. Not to mention that place is definitely overpriced.$27.61 for pork ribs potato salad and pork n beans and a roll. These are the beans we ate with hot dogs when we were little kids. I won't be going back and I recommend that you don't go at all. Save your money and go somewhere else, I bet you they'll be cheaper than LA Pit.

BBQ burger with potato salad. Delicious

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Reviews are mixed. Many praise the tender brisket and ribs and friendly and helpful staff. The tasty BBQ sauce and flavorful sides are also enjoyed.

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1 year ago

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7 months ago

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9 months ago

Food is good but portions are small. The restaurant is plain and simple. The service was good. Oh the WiFi in the area is really poor.

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9 months ago

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1 year ago

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6 months ago

After posting a review I received a call from Rhonda to deliver the replacement for the brisket

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6 months ago

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1 year ago

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I truly appreciate this feedback, and we hope to see you soon!

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7 months ago

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Thank you so much we appreciate the love and the support!!

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11 months ago

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Thank you- I really appreciate this!

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11 months ago

Good food, clean place, friendly people. I will def buy from this place again. My tritip sandwich was perfect! Make sure yall order it

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11 months ago

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I truly appreciate this feedback , and I hope to see you again soon!

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9 months ago

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1 year ago

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Thank you!!!!

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5 months ago

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1 year ago

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Thank you!! Come try the ribs one day;

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1 year ago

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I appreciate it, and pleasure meeting you guys!

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1 year ago

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Thank you so much we appreciate the love and support!

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Thank you!!! It's reviews like these which keep us going!

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I appreciate this!! Thank you!

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Page 2 of 4

Ask the Community - The LA Pit

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Came because they were sourcing their wagyu from Sakakiyama. Apparently the focus is on raising a…read morebalanced, flavorful beef - not just simply go for the highly marbled A5 rating. Some parts of Japan might feed their wa-gyu herd beer and rice. Sakakiyama apparently puts their cows on a steady diet of rice straw, then cashew nut meal. I can tell you, the result is pretty damn good. While there is still that lovely, oily, marbled fat, it is leveled out in harmony with the beef content. I think those of you that have bought like, some $150/oz A5 Wagyu cut from a high end steak place know just how cloyingly rich a mere 2 or 3 ounces of beef can be. We tried out every top tier cut you could grill at this fabulous yakiniku. A5 ribeye, A5 short rib, A5 chuck flap, A5 ribeye sukiyaki style (the thinly sliced beef to dip into a beaten raw egg), A5 top round, A5 topround steak cut, A5 sirloin, A5 tenderloin... and even.... A5 Chateaubriand (that lovely tenderest part of the tenderloin that includes the filet mignon). They are all lovely and enjoyable in their own way, in their own way that they begin to grill, or even the way the wagyu kind of caramelizes into its Maillard reaction of cooking that lovingly marries that amino acid meatiness to the beef's inherent sugars. Your bite into heaven is merely the cost of Sakakiyama beef. And that glorious Chateaubriand, so beefy, yet lusciously tender, as that melted marbled fat boosts its power the way hollowfication boosts Kurosaki Ichigo's bankai to untold magnitudes of dominance!!! And don't skimp on the sides. Splurge on that demure bowl of shiso rice. The seasoning and sliced shiso leaves over white rice really brightens and freshens up the palate in a way that really complements rich fatty wagyu beef. The plate of seasonal vegetables are also the way to go. Just do it. Fresh, acidity, crisp vegetables brings harmony to the whole experience. And pair it all to a glass of red wine, or tall glass of Suntory The Premium Malts. It's what Ryo Saeba, the City Hunter would do. If you're splurging this much, might as well go all the way. Ne? Nyaa?! Victory must be absolute. Personal service might be slow, but they only had like 2 people on staff on the floor, running between only... EVERY table. But if you want to get their attention, use the electric bell on the table. But they're good people. Nice people. The greatest people. Serving some of the greatest food, the greatest beef. So some reviewers might think this yakiniku joint is among the worst. But I think it's one of the greatest! [Last note: we were lucky to grab a 50% off premium cuts weekend discount, normally this meal which heartily fed a party of 4 with drinks, would cost in the neighborhood of over $600. But even they do have a more accessible menu of US Prime cuts along with A5 and non-A5 wagyu.]

The meat and vegetables are always fresh, and everything is perfect…read more They have a great selection of kids' menu items, so you can visit with peace of mind.

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Yellow Cow Korean BBQ Restaurant

Yellow Cow Korean BBQ Restaurant

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Among Southern California's K‑BBQ spots, Yellow Cow has long been recognized for its refined Korean…read morefundamentals and consistent meat quality. At the Gardena location, I tried the banchan crafted directly by Kim Young‑sook, a certified Korean culinary master, along with the chadol + samgyeopsal + nakji stir‑fry combo, kimchi stew, steamed egg, and cheese pancake. Her banchan are known for being: Never excessive Focused on the natural flavor of each ingredient Clean, balanced, and beautifully composed Served with a banchan cover that keeps everything protected and perfectly neat. Each dish feels like a quiet supporter that enhances the meat without ever overpowering it. Chadolbagi : The richness is unbeatable -- pure, clean beefy flavor. Samgyeopsal : A perfect match with aged kimchi. Truly a dream pairing. Nakji-bokkeum : Sweet, salty, and spicy all at once -- the kind of flavor that makes you reach for a spoonful of rice immediately. Cheese Pancake : Crispy outside, soft inside, with melted cheese wrapping around the green onions. Great texture between bites of meat. Kimchi Stew : The depth of aged kimchi comes through clearly -- not harsh, just clean and comforting. Steamed Egg : Soft, fluffy, and cloud‑like. Simple but perfect.

This place gets a ton of love via social media so I'm sure you've heard of it?…read more Why Yellow Cow Korean BBQ? * Been around locally since 1998 (25 years) * Cool to see the owner Monica Kim still working hard * Banchan dishes are homemade and fresh NOT SURE I would come back based on the pricing versus what you get IMO 4/5 Food - Delish BBQ and meat quality was solid. - Soup after the BBQ was HUGE! 4/5 Service - Friendly and quick service from all staff members including Monica coming over to help 4/5 Parking - Easy ample parking 4/5 Ambience - Clean tables and location, they are pretty packed all the time

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Yellow Cow Korean BBQ Restaurant
Yellow Cow Korean BBQ Restaurant
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bb.q Chicken Gardena

bb.q Chicken Gardena

3.8(241 reviews)
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Alright, round two at this cozy Korean spot, and let me tell you, it's still got that laid-back,…read morelate-evening magic that makes you want to kick back, loosen your belt, and whisper "I'm not leaving until I'm spiritually full." The crew here moves like a well-oiled machine powered by kindness and caffeine. Quick, friendly, and somehow always smiling, even when the line looks like a K-drama cliffhanger. You order, blink...wait...blink again then suddenly your food's ready. It's the kind of service that makes you feel like you accidentally joined a VIP club. Very comforting. Still chill, still cozy, still giving "I could eat here in slippers" energy. The vibe's so relaxed you half expect a couch to appear next to your table. It's the perfect spot for late-night cravings or post-work decompression , no pressure, no nonsense, just good food and good mood. Check your energy at the door prior to stepping in. Now, let's talk about the holy trinity of my meal, Ddeok Bokki with cheese, kimchi fried rice, and fried chicken, aka the "I'm gonna need a nap after this" combo. *Ddeok Bokki with cheese, Imagine spicy rice cakes doing a slow dance with melted cheese, wow it's gooey, fiery, and comforting in a way that makes you question the taste buds craving more (like why you don't eat this daily). Every bite is a little adventure: chewy, creamy, and slightly dangerous if you underestimate the spice. * Kimchi fried rice, amazingly Smoky, tangy, and perfectly balanced, like the DJ of the meal, keeping everything vibing. The kimchi flavor hits that sweet spot between "I'm alive" and "I might need water." It's the kind of dish that makes you nod mid-bite like you just heard a good beat. * The chicken, super Crispy outside, juicy inside, the kind of crunch that could be used as a sound effect in movies. It's seasoned like it's trying to flirt with you, and honestly, it's working. Every piece feels like a small victory in the war against bland food. Second time back and still laughing between bites, not because anything's funny, but because the food's that good. It's the kind of meal that makes your stomach clap and your soul hum. If happiness had a flavor, it'd taste like this. "One bite at a time!" Miguel C.

I've been eating here since it opened (30+ times). The chicken wings are much smaller than before…read moreand the crispy coating is now very thin. A 16 piece used to barely close in the box and now a 24 piece closes easily. As a result, since I believe they cook for the same amount of time, it is now very dry (smaller wings and much less batter). The portion of French fries has also shrunk by around 30% or more. This is a franchise so each one is independently ran, but I will likely choose another location if next time is the same.

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bb.q Chicken Gardena
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Wagyu Butcher - Harami (Outside Skirt Steak)

Wagyu Butcher

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HELLO PEASANTS! I write to you from Heaven, for I have…read moretasted the goodness of God here at Wagyu Butcher, and I have transcended to a higher place. It starts with one of the chefs enthusiastically showing me and my wife some of the A5 Wagyu that he'd be using from Japan and I'm like, "sir. I know wagyu." I took my wife to The Cut on our first Valentines together (not compensating) and they had good Wagyu. I was wrong, dear readers. Dead wrong. This place knows Wagyu. Whichever tier you get, make sure it either comes with, or add on the A5 Wagyu Filet. They'll tell you to cook it 45 seconds each side (so 6 times), but here's a trick. do 45 seconds on four sides (the top, bottom, and the long sides), and then a bit of salt if you need it and some lemon slice. ADD THE LEMON JUICE!! BUT NOT TOO MUCH. That will take you out. You're welcome peasants. Think of me when you try it. Or don't. I might be pooping and I don't like the idea of people thinking of me while I poo. The server was awesome too. I didn't catch her name because I was too busy being a fatass.

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The LA Pit - bbq - Updated October 2026

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