Max City BBQ

To Jason @ Max City regarding your comments to us ~
The meat was dry. Just own it. Saying that «some folks prefer their meat slathered in sauce, others like just a hint of it, so we try to accommodate both preferences by providing the sauce on the side» does NOT address my comment that the meat was dry which is why we added sauce.
As for being shy about feedback, I am not shy.
You. Do. Not. Care.
Minus 1 star.
Cheers!

I am a huge fan of barbeque. I honestly think it’s one of my favorite foods! I saw so many reviews for this place so I was dying to try it. Although, the downside to this place is the location. I had a hard time spotting it, because the sign is pretty hidden. You really have to keep a watchful eye out for it, or maybe do a few u-​turns until you see it. Other than that, everything else was good. The venue is pretty small inside, but luckily they have a small patio for you to sit. It definitely has a rustic barbeque joint ambience with a bit of LA.
What we ordered
— Tri-​tip with baby back ribs, potato salad, and slaw– MMM! It was good but not the best I’ve ever had. The tri-​tip was kind of dry and I felt like I had to drown it in sauce. The ribs were good and I was glad I was able to eat the meat nicely off the bone. The flavors are great, and I like the fact you get choices for your sauce. The potato salad was okay but the slaw was so good! It wasn’t watered down like most places and it had a bit of a peppery taste to it. Very good and it complimented the meat well.
This place is a bit pricey but I guess that’s pretty normal for any barbeque joint. I recommend coming here to try! It’s always good to have an idea of what other barbeque joints offer!

I’ve lived in HLP for almost 3 years and I cannot believe I’ve never tried this place before! The brisket was smoked perfectly and the cornbread was a great match for the AMAZING truffle mac n cheese.
Cozy and cute restaurant, definitely coming back

The chicken, the ribs, the tri tip = the best.
So far, this is the best BBQ place I have been to. Seating was a bit tight, but it don’t matter, the food more than makes up for it.
Also, it’s kind of hard to find the place since it’s pretty small.

My father is from Texas and I’ve been there, like, 3 times, so I know great barbecue! I’m from New Hampshire.
ANYWAY, Max City is good! We got the WeaKnees plate and everything was great! At first I was like: «barbecue chicken? YAWN!» But even that was good! And the sides and cornbread were amazing!
Our server Chynna (?) was super attentive, friendly and fun. While sitting at the bar, it felt like we were guests at her kitchen table.
Some of the best barbecue I’ve had in L.A. and that includes Bludso’s and that place on Crenshaw @ West Adams that I thought was a building on fire once, but turned out to be an OK barbecue place.
Only thing missing is hush puppies.
Will totally be back.

Well I would drive to Lucillles for BBQ but not anymore!!! Had the Baby backs, chicken and wings.
A couple of nice brews on drafts. cucumber salad is fantastic and my wife thought the veggie burger is very good for you veggie heads.

Came here and ordered a full slab of baby backs to go. The Slabs weren’t too bad, but weren’t great. I wasn’t too impressed with the consistency of the meat. It wasn’t falling off the bone or as tender as I’d hoped it to be. Flavor was pretty good.
The place is pretty small so I wouldn’t plan on coming here with a large party unless you sit out in their patio area in the back. Patio is nice, but faces the sun in the summertime.
Back parking lot also and some street parking. Would consider coming back.

It’s a nice little outfit and so much fun when shared with a group of people. It’s not a large place so seating might be a problem if it gets very busy. Employees are patient and helpful. I tried:
Chicken
Brisket
Tri tip
St. Louis ribs
Baby back ribs
Pulled pork
Baked beans
Mac n cheese
Collard greens
Potato salad
Cornbread
For the sides, everything was a better than average (not the best I’ve ever had but certainly good.) The baked beans and Mac n cheese stood out the most. Sadly the cornbread didn’t work for me, too dry.
The MEAT… the winners were the brisket, chicken and baby back ribs. Pulled pork and St. Louis rib were definitely solid, both had lots of flavor, though not my fave, they’re definitely worth ordering and trying. The tri-​tip didn’t have much flavor and was too dry for me.
They serve beer and wine and a variety of desserts (pies, crumbles, and bars.)
Max City is a small gem on eagle rock Blvd.

Ever since Max City BBQ opened in Eagle Rock, I wanted to go there whenever I pass by the place. Fortunately, I was able to go there for lunch with a good friend and enjoyed the food and company.
By the time the place opened at 11:30 AM, we were the first guests to enter the BBQ joint. The parking lot was located behind the place, but it was very small and would be difficult to park during the busy hours. Your next bet would be parking at the residential street near the place. The ambiance was pretty chill with wooden walls all around, which reminded my friend of Wurstküche in the Arts District. The staff was very friendly and attentive to our needs, especially when we needed water. We each ordered our own meals for the lunch specials (range from $ 11-​$ 13) and they were really good. I got the BBQ pulled pork with cornbread, cucumber salad, mac and cheese.
The BBQ pulled pork was good, but a bit dry to the extent where I had to put a lot of BBQ sauce to eat it. The cornbread, however, was surprisingly delicious and I was very impressed with that. It was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Furthermore, the cucumber salad was excellent. It was a unique side dish to try, but it complemented well with the rest of the BBQ food. To top it off, the mac and cheese was phenomenal.
Overall, Max City BBQ is a wonderful addition to Eagle Rock.

First time coming here felt welcomed !!
Food was yummy def hit the spot. Music they were playing was nice not to loud just perfect .
My daughter slept the whole time we were their. And we got free desert to go! Def will be coming back. The staff was very nice and helpful.

I’d give it 3.5 if I could.
Customer service was nice.
the beans were super sweet.
The collard greens had a nice spicy kick to it
The corner bread was a hit over done
The baby backs were okay
Would I come back. not necessarily, but it’s worth a try pause
…I think… lol

This place is in my hood and I really wanted to like it but with the Bad customer service and lackluster food I gave you THREE chances which is more than what I’d normally do, so three strikes you’re out!
Customer service was pretty bad all three visits, getting orders wrong, one time I stood at the register to order while the two waitresses walked back and fourth, delivered food etc all while ignoring me, NOT even a Hello, Sorry I’ll be right with you! NOTHING… I can go on and on but obviously Management are slackers and don’t properly train their employees.
Overall the food is hit and miss depending on what you order, and which cooks are working that day… I’d give them 3 Stars OK for the Food but gotta keep it real and minus 1 Star for the slacker service.
Brisket Sandwich ($ 12.00) (topped with coleslaw & includes one side)
The brisket was good, nice and tender with a decent smoke flavor
*BUN compliments of HOMEBOY Bakery was real nice…
«FYI» the menu says sandwiches «topped» with slaw but has always been served on the side.
DRY and not much flavor if you’re eating as a «side» but if you top your sandwich with it and add «Q» sauce you probably won’t notice.
Mac & Cheese —
DRY, after the couple of bites off the top with the cheese, EVERYTHING else was just DRY! #EpicFail
Pulled Pork Sandwich ($ 10.50)
I really liked the bark pieces but overall it was a bit fatty
should have been trimmed up better.
Slaw — Thumbs Down!
Baked Beans —
Imma Frijolero and approve of these Beans!
Another visit…
Brisket Sandwich —
The meat was pretty good but a bit tougher than the first time.
Mac & Cheese — NO Photo, guess I forgot but sent that dry crap back…
Corn Bread ($ 3.00)
Just OK, I can’t say anything great about it, perhaps it could have been a bit moister.
On one of the visits while finished and leaving the waitress did ask «how was everything» when I told her the issues with the food, she replied «OH» and walked away!

I love the pulled pork sandwich. The spicy sauce and of course the beer.
The idea of having the bbq sauces in bottles instead of drenching the sandwich in bbq sauce is great. Other places add too much bbq sauce to the ribs but not this spot.
The theme makes it feel good to eat ribs for some reason, at least it does for me.

It was one of those days. We had a really bad craving for BBQ and all the places we wanted to go to were either closed or sold out of the things we wanted. I think Max City BBQ was either the 3^rd or 4^th place we called to see what they can do for us and they came through! We placed a to-​go order because we wanted to eat bbq at home (aka get fat without judgment) and they were ready with our food in about 20 – 30 minutes which was perfect since it took us a good 15 minutes or so to get to the actual restaurant. There’s parking in the back but it’s small so it’s probably hard to find parking during peak hours.
We ordered baby back ribs (whole), and a half order of brisket. For sides, we chose potato salad and baked beans. Their to-​go packaging was very sturdy and nothing leaked during our drive back home! We ate our BBQ with some steamed rice (because we’re Asian) and we throughly enjoyed our meal. The baby back ribs were tasty and fell off the bone easily enough. It was also smoked though and I’m not necessarily a huge fan of that. My boyfriend liked it a lot though. I preferred the brisket by far. I wish it wasn’t as fatty though. I cut off the fat and just ate the rest of it. Super tender. For the sides, the potato salad was good but the baked beans were just alright. I would get something else next time. I think the best thing about the bbq was their spicy bbq sauce. That was delicious and I dipped everything into it.
Overall, it wasn’t necessarily my favorite BBQ joint but it got the job done when all other places failed us. Service was also friendly even though we were just taking our food to go. I might come back and try some of their other sides and maybe get some more of their brisket! ⁴⁄₅

I am very happy to discover a good BBQ place closeby!
Ambiance: Casual
Seating: Tables, patio seating, bar seating
Food:
*Tri-​Tip Plate: The best option! Very flavorful, not dry, and good quality meat.
*Brisket Plate: Very tasty but can be kinda fatty.
Sides:
*Cucumber salad: Delicious! A great option if you love sliced, pickled cucumbers with dill.
*Mac’n’cheese: Cheesy, yummy goodness! Not too salty and not dry. Well done!
*Corn bread: One of the best cornbreads I’ve ever had! You get small pieces of corn. Make sure to ask for butter and honey!
Drinks:
*Iced Tea — Refreshing! Free refills!
Parking: They have 6 – 8 spots in the parking lot in the back or you can find free residential parking down the street
Overall, a great place to grab lunch or dinner. Just be prepared to spend about $ 10 – 15 per person.

For BBQ, it’s still hard to beat Bludso’s for me in LA. WIth that said though, Max City is putting up a valiant fight for eastsiders and could become my go-​to Eastside destination for slow cooked meats.
It’s a small restaurant, plenty of bar seating and only a smattering of booth-​side tables. It’s the kind of place I could saddle up on a weekend with a couple of beers, watch a few games, and head home full and satisfied.
I liked their pulled pork, the best of their offerings that I had. Their cole slaw was not my favorite that I’ve had, a little lighter than I like my slaw with more of a vinegar emphasis. The mac and cheese was good enough for a BBQ place. As much as I love pairing mac with my BBQ, I’ve yet to find a place where I’d go to eat just the mac and cheese on its own.
All in all, a place I’d return to but I’d need a lot more convincing to go here over taking the longer drive to Bludso’s.

This review is gonna be straight up basic… Kind of like this place.
Been here a couple of times and it was just ok. Meat was a bit dry. Hypothetically speaking if they’d forget to give me the corn bread, I really wouldn’t miss it. The slaw was tasty but not my favorite in my cole slaw eating career. I did dig their cucumber salad though & the fact that they had a few beer options. The mac n cheese was pretty good too!
Probably a good spot if you live close by but I wouldn’t cross the 5 or the 101 or what ever your freeway is go grub here.
Your Homegirl,
Violy

Mad props to this sensational BBQ destination in nearby Eagle Rock.
Having recently moved back to Pasadena after 5 years on the East Coast, experiencing serious ‘cue in the 5 buroughs of NYC (Fette Sau, John Brown Smokehouse, Blue Smoke…) and also sampling the best of Washington DC and Alexandria, VA (I heart Sweet Fire Donna’s), this place reminds me of the passion involved in perfecting the art of this type of cuisine.
The ordering process is easy. There’s a chalkboard to tell you what’s available, and like true BBQ joints, when something is sold out — that’s all she wrote!
We ordered the ½ smoked chicken, ½ pound of pulled pork, mac and cheese, and a tartfully tasty cucumber salad.
While we waited for our meal, I sipped on a craft white wine while my boo enjoyed an Olympia beer in the can. Because we’re simple like that.
Everything was perfection! Succulent and tasty beyond words.
I can’t wait to go back!

I was craving some tri tip and we decided to try this place. It’s small and cute and the staff is very friendly. We ordered the Weakness that has a little bit of everything, ribs, chicken, brisket and I substituted the pulled pork for tri tip ($ 2 extra to sub for tri tip) to satisfy my tri tip craving. The platter comes with 2 sides. We went with the cucumber salad and mac n cheese.
As soon as we were given our food, we dug right in and were quite disappointed. The brisket and tri tip were extremely dry. The chicken was moist but it lacked a smokey bbq flavor. The ribs were ok… they definitely weren’t fall off the bone tender, but rather tough. I was pretty disappointed after paying $ 30 for the platter and not being too impressed. A couple things that I was impressed with were the cucumber salad and mac and cheese. The side dishes were pretty good. Sadly, the bbq is not.

Pretty awesome idea! Having recently traveled to Austin, I’ve been on a hunt for good BBQ in California. After having followed Max City’s kickstarter page, I thought this place might be worth a shot. Turns out, it’s pretty good.
This place has a super Silverlake (soon to be Eagle Rock) vibe. With everything from stationary water tanks and mason jar drinking glasses to exposed ceiling beams and ventilation piping, it’s like a weird lovechild of hipster and southern. All in all, I loved the vibe. Clean, efficient, modern, and pleasant.
Let’s discuss the actual BBQ. It’s clear there is effort on the kitchen’s part, as the flavors are complex and unique. The brisket has a nice rub – it’s smokey, peppery, and a little sweet. I thought it was a bit on the dry side though, and was really lean too. Maybe I just got unlucky? The baby back ribs were delicious though, wonderfully smokey and slightly tangy. I could’ve eaten 100 of them they were awesome.
The sides were on and off for me. The mac and cheese was awesome (I think it had some kind of truffle oil cooked into it) and filling. The beans were almost great, but a little bit overwhelming on the sweetness in my opinion. A touch less flavor and they would’ve been heavenly. The potato salad was pretty delicious. The biggest let down for me was the corn bread – it was kind of cold and crusty and didn’t satisfy me the way corn bread usually does. Again, maybe just unlucky.
Overall, the prices were pretty standard for BBQ (maybe a bit on the pricey side compared to Austin), and the food was good. The ambiance is great, and the staff is friendly and quick. I’ll probably be back sooner or later to try more of the menu out. Glad to see more BBQ in LA!