Smoke Star BBQ

I was looking forward to trying place… will not go back.
Location: Sucks– very chaotic and congested parking
Food: run out of all meat except chicken, links & ribs (can’t get ribs with the Groupon offer). No cornbread too… who runs out of bread!
Waited: 45 min for take out for chicken & links

Business is closed.

This BBQ place rocks! Clean nice restaurant and good music! Very nice and friendly people behind the counter! Every thing melts in your mouth, real BBQ!
TIP — The Carolina sauce is the BOMB!

Bought a groupon, so glad I didn’t pay full price. The meat is cooked well but the sauce killed it. So overwhelming that I couldn’t tell if there was a smokey flavor or not. I saw a smoke ring but couldn’t taste it.
Service was decent but nothing to write home about.
Never again.

I found Smoke Star BBQ by searching Unilocal for a BBQ place. It looked decently reviewed, and I thought I would have an okay experience. In the end it was okay.
The dining area is pretty small. I can appreciate the picnic benches trying to add authenticity to the BBQ experience, but the store is frankly too small for that. The bench at the table I sat at was annoyingly wobbly. Simple tables and chairs would make the place far better at accommodating guests that wish to dine in.
I ordered a combo plate that comes with 2 meats and 2 sides. I picked pulled pork and brisket for the meats, baked beans and mac n cheese for the sides. There some reason was a $ 1 up charge for the mac n cheese, but I ignored this. The drink selection is pretty sparse. They have some cans and bottles of assorted beverages, but they lack in variety.
I was informed that there would be a wait, but I didn’t mind. Cooking food to order always takes time. Little did I know, this little wait was over 30 minutes. The place was slammed and consistently behind. They were clearly understaffed. What terrible planning. This place should know that it would have good business on July 4^th for those who were too lazy or didn’t have the means to barbecue.
The meat was decent. While I am glad they didn’t try to overseason things, both the pork and the brisket ended up bland. Their sauce wasn’t particularly good. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were store bought.
I was disappointed with the sides. A barbecue place that isn’t part of a chain should make quality sides with good portions. As you can see from the pictures, sides are served in fairly small plastic ramekins. For a place to get away with that, the sides would have to be especially high quality, but the fact is they are not. The baked beans were the definition of mediocre.
The mac n cheese was especially disappointing. A $ 1 up-​charge should mean it is the best mac n cheese ever. It was as average as everything else on the plate. Also reality check — a dinner roll from the supermarket is NOT cornbread. Seriously Smoke Star, shame on you for this silly fallacious advertising.
Smoke Star is okay, but in the end it’s just another place that tries to imitate Southern BBQ but fails abjectly. Barbecue haters and lovers alike should try better places.

I also had a Groupon and had high expectations of the BBQ here.
In fact I was returning from the Desert (133 mile drive) to redeem my Groupon and to take home some yummy BBQ. Man I was hungry! Just to be safe I’d called the day before to make sure if the deal was good to go as I was taking a special route to get this. They never called back so I thought ~ what could go wrong. I checked the opening hours etc., (they ended up calling 2 days later).
I walked in to Smoke Start after squeezing into a parking space in a jammed up lot. There were people sitting down eating on some picnic style tables, I thought to myself that I was glad to be taking away. Before I had a chance to get to the counter the attendant says sorry we are closed?! I looked around again, people eating ~ yes, how can they be closed?
She went on to explain that they had run out of everything due to the Groupon offer? Ok that doesn’t help me ~ at all.
Ok I then thought to myself. Wouldn’t you keep track of how many offers had been redeemed and how many were left to go and make an appropriate amount of food?
To say I was dissapointed would be an understaitment. Lucky for them I was tired from the long drive and left never to return.
I have been to Chef Marilyns on weekends for Ribs and OMG ~ amazing. I think they have moved though :(
This is one of those cases where a Groupon offer went very wrong. The place was to small to handle the offer. As other people have said, parking is a drag and the location isn’t great. Very congested and a bit sketchy.
Sorry Smoke Star you get one Star for now. Next time I’m passing I’ll give you another go :)

«It taste so good, makes you wanna slap your momma»
Here we go Unilocalers… The meat on the ribs came right off! It was so tender, flavorful, not dry at all. I loved the beef briskets, It came in thicker slices than I’m used to, but it was also very tender and juicy. I loved how I was able to taste the quality of the meats and not just bbq sauce unlike some places. (cough cough) We also ordered a side of coleslaw ($ 4), a small side of baked beans ($ 4), and few slice of cornbread. All portion sizes were very good and highly recommended.
Peep game: SSB does NOT put bbq sauce on their meats, but it definitely did not need it! If you must have bbq sauce on your meat, then they do provide it tho… This was also delicious… perfect combination of sweet and tangy flavor to it. Mac and cheese was by far the best I EVER had and cole slaw was good too.
The people at SSB (Smoke star Barbeque) were so friendly and helpful, especially the man himself! The restaurant itself is a smaller place with less than 10 tables. You order at the counter and wait for your name to be called and no outrageous line… at least not yet!

Damn you, Groupon for bringing me to this shady-a$s corner of LA.
So little to like about this place, so much to dislike.
First of all, the location f*kin sucks. There’s 15 parking spaces for the 10 businesses there. And there’s the issue of the safety of your car. So make sure you park your car where you can see it.
And what kinda restaurant doesn’t have bathrooms? I understand I guess, that if I was a business owner at this location and the population look pretty homeless, that I guess I too would say no bathrooms. But seriously, what kinda restaurant doesn’t have bathrooms? So the guy told me, «well maybe ask the barber shop next door.» I got rejected by the ghetto barber shop, as I would’ve guessed.
The food was ok. I got the pulled pork platter with side of coleslaw and macaroni and «cheese» (which is a dollar more, despite my guess they don’t really use that much cheese.) Hubby got a combo platter with brisket and ribs tips with a side of greens and mac and «cheese». The total: a whopping $ 26 (minus the $ 20 groupon, purchased for $ 10).
The pork was juicy and had good flavor, served with simple dinner roll. Poor hubby compared the size of his platter (which costs $ 2 more than mine), and felt jipped. He got like 20% less protein. During dinner, we spared talking, as that means that I would have to expose my car to more risk of being … there. Plus the air conditioner is really loud. The rib tips were dry, and hubby said he doesn’t like the rub they use on the meat– it was too salty. The brisket was not good, according to hubby. I thought it was ok.
The price is expensive if I didn’t have a Groupon. But a good value with the groupon. If they knock down the prices by say. a couple bucks a platter, it would be fair. And there’s no need to charge extra for mac and «cheese». What’s in that cheese anyway? I shook my head vigorously to my hubby to indicate that he should not try the mac and cheese, as I took the bullet and tried it first. But he went in, and he finished it. As we were safely driving off out of this danger zone, I asked him what he thought was in that «cheese». because it was grainy. He said. «I’m guessing egg.» I was like. «umm. I don’t think so but I don’t think it’s cheese though.»
Pretty much no. I wouldn’t go here again, mostly cause of the location and the surroundings make me anxious.
I’m gonna go to Costco and buy myself some Lucille’s gift cards now.

Came here on a weeknight and was the only one there. I was getting take-​out so it didn’t really matter much. This place is located near Koreatown and is Korean operated. Their menu is very well priced and there are so many side options.
I got the brisket along with some biscuits, cole slaw, and the mac and cheese. The meat was decent, not the best cuts of meat. The sauce was great. They offered me 2 different BBQ sauces. I did not like the sweet one as much as the bold one they gave me. My favorite part of the meal was the mac and cheese though. It had a smoky taste and was truly unique.

I had a groupon. thank god.
The lady at the counter was very nice and helpful thats why this place gets two stars.
Onto the food… i ordered two combo plates which included the ribtips, sausage. pulled pork, chicken, coleslaw, and macaroni cheese. Sad to say, nothing was good. The meats were dry and over salted. I usually enjoy any macaroni and cheese but had to toss this one. I was disappointed because I love bbq and pass by this joint often.

This place is cool. Its kinda pricey but the food is satisfactory.
I tried the brisket, which was pretty good and had nice flavor and texture.
The pulled pork was ok. The flavor was ok but the cut was odd.
They definitely do not have a variety of sauces and I am a sauce guy.
I got a group on, so it was worth it, but without it, probably not.

Amazing Spare ribs. Considering the location of this place and relative size, the meat is succulent with none of the porky smell. The price is very fair. Their coleslaw was simply amazing. I don’t like the mayo based coleslaws. This place has a nice vinaigrette based one with crispy cabbage! If you live in the K-​Town area, I would definitely recommend you check it out.
The place has limited seating, so don’t expect to «dine in» with a big party. I think they can comfortable accommodate up to 10 people in the entire restaurant. It’s an excellent place to just grab a bite to eat during your lunch break, or when you’re waiting for 7 Dias Tire to install some tires on your sweet new wheels.

The owner dude takes pride in his food and is really nice. The price is decent and the selection is ok.
Dont be a BBQ snob and expect the «same» as the best in KC or some other state. We aren’t in KC. We aren’t in TX. We are in SoCal and I am pretty sure he didn’t come from a family tree with a long history of BBQ grillers.
This is me raging against people who write stuff like
«This philly isn’t anything like the awesome philly cheesesteak I can get in PA…»
or
«the sushi is so much better in Japan…»
or
«my great grandmother makes better kimchi at home…»
…DUH!
The food is pretty good, with its own non sweet home-​made barbecue sauce which is slightly on the vinegary side.
Personally, it offers me a variation to the Korean restaurants that surround me in KTown. Reminds me a lil bit of back home… ATL
There is barely any seating so don’t know what happens if it gets busy. Does it ever get busy? I was the only when there eating when I went.

Located in the heart of Koreatown, SmokeStar BBQ was definitely a void that was filled. Although there are many korean bbq places around, one must travel outside of LA to find a good American bbq joint.
As I walked into the place, I was pleasantly greeted by the owner/​cook. The staff was very friendly and they were very helpful in helping me decide what to pick on the menu.
What I really I loved was the simple the park-​bench bbq atmosphere that a REAL bbq joint has. For me, the more luxurious high end bbq atmosphere kills it. It helped me soak in the vibe of an authentic bbq eatery as if I was outside in a park.
I chose the pulled pork sandwich with a side of macaroni and cheese. I was DELICIOUS. The meat was great and I really liked the sauce.
Because I stopped by here due to visiting a friend that lived nearby and I asked them if they delivered, they said that they did. EVEN BETTER. I decided to pick up a pulled pork sandwich for my friend to bring back with me.
With the friendly service, great atmosphere, and tasty food, this is a place I would come back to again. Can’t wait to try the other stuff on the menu.
Finally, Koreatown LA has an American bbq spot that the locals can enjoy… Thank you for bringing it to us, it was about time this happened!

After the unfortunate closure of The Smokin Joint and waiting very patiently for the opening of The Park’s Finest restaurant, me and my guy found this spot while coming back to his place.
It’s all nice and in a divey strip mall (which is a must for American BBQ joints) and surprisingly clean inside. Since we both wanted to try every meat on the menu, we ordered a couple of combos and a half rack of ribs. (It was less than $ 30 for all that meat!)
WOW! The brisket, pulled pork, and ribs were excellent! The sauce had just the right amount of tang with a molasses finish. The sides were quite good, even though they were out of the mac ‘n’ cheese at that time. I love me some fresh sides, and Smoke Star delivered.
It was pretty awesome to see APA folks running the spot— I fully support APA businesses to the fullest!
Would I return? HELL YEAH!

The service here is excellent. It’s one of the best food options close to the Wiltern. I got the SSB Style sandwich, which is pulled pork and beef brisket with slaw on the same sandwich! The sandwich was excellent, and I’d probably get the same thing next time. If you’re the indecisive type, worry not. They offer slider-​size sandwiches with all of their meats so you can have one of each!
There is a general lack of good BBQ in LA, and this place is a breath of fresh BBQ scented air.

I like BBQ and this place made me pull over and stop in early July when I just happen to be driving by. Too bad it was not open yet. So the other day I watched like 4 hours of BBQ Pit Cookoff and was struck with the urge to eat BBQ. My usual is Spring Street BBQ but I thought to look up Smoke Star BBQ. Well the reviews had me wondering if it was worth the drive. I finally gave in to my adventurous side and packed an ice chest with some Dale’s Pale Ales and headed West. I love the neighborhood due to its variety of cultures, Korean, Salvadorian and Greek specifically.
So I walk in and the first thing I ask the young lady at the cash box is, is this place for real BBQ? She responded that it was so we ordered a bit of everything. We liked the sausage, it was like a kolbasha with a nice kick in spiciness. The pulled pork was not memorable but the brisket had a good flavor. The sides were decent but not out of this world. I hope it was an off day because I will try them again if I find myself on that side of town.
My biggest beef, no pun intended, is that they do not serve beer. Fortunately I planned ahead had a beer in the car to wash the BBQ down. I wish them luck. If you work near there and crave some BBQ this is definitely a good outlet to satisfy your desire
I don’t know about some of the reviews on Unilocal about this place but take into consideration how many reviews people have made in the past before taking the review seriously.
Enjoy!

I enjoy southern bbq and I was excited about this place based on the high ratings. I decided to try it on a Saturday afternoon. Honestly, I think that some of these reviews are not trustworthy.
My date and I ordered pulled pork and ribs. The ribs had an unacceptable amount of visible fat and it made me conclude that the meat was of low quality. It was also tough. The meat had a hint of kbbq taste to it, which I didn’t mind. But I wouldn’t consider this a genuine southern bbq place. I did, however, like the fact that the ribs weren’t doused with sauce.
The service was excellent. I liked the location because it’s central, and the interior is clean and simple.

I am reading the reviews here and I am thinking only 2 things can be true.
«I went to this place on the worst day they ever had». Or. «The people writing reviews have never tasted BBQ.» This place sucked on an uncomfortable level.
The brisket I had was so tough I could barely gnaw through it and with a name like Smoke Star you would think it would have at least a little actual smoke on it. I ate the meat because it cost me 10 bucks but the sides were distinctly Asian influenced. The beans had some kind of Asian spice in them that made them inedible and the coleslaw «Loosely Translated» had no creaminess or flavor at all. It was essentially cabbage with a drizzle of what I think was peanut oil on it.
Smoke Star I get what your trying to do, but if you want your product to improve go out to a place in Rancho Cucamonga called DICKEYS and have anything on the menu. Now I’m not saying its the best I’ve ever had but for fast food level BBQ it is hard to beat.
And for you poor bastards that think this place is quality BBQ. Man you need to get out more.
David

My friend and I were looking for a decent local BBQ place in Los Angeles and stumbled upon Smoke Star BBQ. I was a little hesitant since most of the BBQ places I have tried were not good. Well this place was awesome. The food was perfect and not overpowered by BBQ sauce, which is the one thing I have noticed from other places.
I had the brisket and hot links. The brisket was juicy, tasty and not dry. The hot link was exactly what I expected… tasty.
I can’t wait to go back to try more items off their menu.
If you are in the neighborhood you should definitely give them a try.