Zeke’s Smokehouse BBQ

This place is awesome, I’m from Texas and I went here and they had Shiner on tap! Everyone that worked here was super nice, the food was delicious and yeah that rules. I usually am picky about potato salad needing to be mustardy and yellow because mayo is disgusting, but their potato salad is NOT white and mustardy and it is still delicious, go them.
My friend and I had the special of the day, hot link sandwich and pork quesadillas so I can vouch for those both being super tastey :)

This is a great bbq place, smack dab in the middle of West Hollywood. I had the brisket sandwich and a side of kettle chips, both of which I thought were really good. The service was quick and friendly. For all of you vegetarians, they do have a a veggie burger on the menu, which looked pretty tasty. I think any bbq fan or novice will
appreciate this place.

3.5 stars.
I admit, I am a bit of a bbq snob, so keep that in mind when reading this review. I am always a little skeptical of chain bbq places because of the inconsistency of places like lucilles, famous dave’s, etc, but decided to give this place a try because I had heard a few decent things. The one thing chain bbq places never really mess up on are their side items. Zeke’s can be included in that conversation, the beans were really good and their fries were nice and crispy.
Now the important part, the bbq. I always order the same thing when I visit so– called smoked bbq places, which are the pork ribs. The pork ribs here were definitely smoked, but not the best I’ve ever tried. They lacked that nice crust that I like, and the smoke flavor was a bit mild for my liking, but overall they are acceptable. The sauces are not that great, so I kind of switched back and forth between a few of them, with the hot and spicy being my favorite.
This was probably one of the better chain bbq places I’ve tried, and I would actually eat here again.

I won’t pretend to know what I’m talking about when it comes to BBQ — I grew up in New York for deity’s sake — however, I know good food when I try it, and Zeke’s is very tasty.
The brisket is succulent and tender as all hell. Saucy, though not TOO saucy, which is a good thing. Their potato salad has no onions, so I’m a fan of them. Having eaten here a couple of times, and it’s tasted the exact same way, they’re consistent, which is always a plus for me.
Again, I’m no BBQ aficionado, but this is good eatin’ right here.

Get your smokehouse cravings right here at Zeke’s. One of the best BBQ places in the WeHo district. With a friendly staff and good diggins, this restaurant is the place to be to enjoy a filling and satisfying meal.
Inside the restaurant reveals a diner interior and you can look straight into the kitchen at the back. You notice the cooks scrambling around to prepare the orders on the line. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll be seated in one of the booth seats next to the kitchen to sink in the yummy happenings.
Our server was cool with the WeHo look at hand: he had the earrings with a friendly smile. Gave us the menus and told us the specials and the best items on the house. I happily ordered the Slow Cooked Smokehouse All Chicken White Quarter with Collard Greens and Garlic Mashed Potatoes (with garlic bread!). The chicken was unbelieveably tender and the garlic mash was so good it could’ve chased off TWO vampires.
On each table, there are three kinds of sauces, with different levels of spice. I had the medium spice one and topped it on my chicken — super good!
Zeke’s got it. Good prices and good food. Most definitely a recommendation to check this place out in WeHo.

If they made the portions a little bigger and you have yourself REAL TEXAN BBQ! I didn’t expect to get full because honestly, most of the BBQ places I been to in California usually don’t. At first, I thought it was southern food because of the band that was performing that night. No alligator meat or gumbo yaya. Just good olé bbq meat!
The meat was so tender it reminded me of rudys. The side dishes were ok. Briskets… Must get briskets. I totally don’t mind if they brought a couple pounds of it in a bucket. It is just that good!

We went to dinner here on a Tuesday night with two good friends. They live around the corner from this place and promised some tasty meat. Honestly, it was GREAT!
The service was really good — attentive, helpful, and accommodating. The restaurant was quiet, even though there were plenty of people having dinner at the same time (must have good acoustics).
The food was good. It looked good (not sloppy, not greasy). It smelled REAL good (warm, juicy smell of meat!). And, honestly, it tasted REAL REAL good!
I had a turkey burger that came with a side — loved it. My husband had the smoked brisket, which he loved. He described it as «AMAZING!» One friend had the veggie burger, which she inhaled! The other friend also went for the brisket — apparently, it is awesome here. I also can highly recommend their fresh made potato chips — the four of us were drooling over these chips… sooo good!
The atmosphere is relaxed and casual. The interior reminds you of something you might see in a BBQ chain restaurant, but this place is not a chain — it is an original gem.
It is located in the Target shopping mall at the corner of Santa Monica and Highland, though further down on Santa Monica near the sushi place. I’d recommend parking in the Target lot, which is free for the first hour.

I have been to this place a few times as it is right by where I work. It is what it is, nothing exceptional, and yes, over-​priced, but it’s a pretty decent BBQ joint.
In the past I have had the pulled pork and beef sandwiches which are good, and recently I had the all breast fried chicken which was ok, a little oily, but ok.
Their sides are tasty, the fries are good here as is the mash potato, but I am not the biggest fan of their beans, didn’t like the taste off of them.
If you are in the neighborhood and are wanting some BBQ, I would recommend it, but don’t go in with high expectations and make sure to expect to pay about $ 20 per person.

Zeke’s flavor is why you will keep coming back…
The price is why you might not…
I think the 3pm to 7pm special is a really good deal, 9.95, 2 sides and 2 kinds of BBQ. good deal right!!. And overall the prices are reasonable.
Good looking place with a comfortable atmosphere and good service.
Sweet potato fries are a good item to share, and mash potatoes are a tasty and big side order compared to the rest…
As you can tell I like potatoes. .Zeke’s parking is cool down stairs cuz the first hour if free.
I am a fan!

I try to be as objective as possible when writing my reviews, but the majority of the previous Unilocalers have it right: This place is just meh.
The bbq here IS very bland. We ordered the Zeke’s Combo and the flavors of the chicken, beef, and ribs were all very muted. No distinctness to the meats at all. Everything just tasted the same. The only positive note was that the brisket was tender. All their sauces are tough to differentiate from each other because they’re pretty much the same sauce, except for very minor heat and sweetness variations.
Service was ok the night we came in. Nothing to write home about.
I hate to say it, but Zeke’s just doesn’t have the soul of an honest-​to-​goodness bbq joint. Meh. Probably won’t be back.

I was actually surprised i thought this place was so good. Went in not expecting much. Had a spare rib lunch meal. Was told hands down spare ribs over baby backs. They do serve a lot of non bbq items like fried chicken and other types of sandwiches. Can’t vouch for those items but why would you go to a smokehouse and not get bbq anyways?
Can’t complain. All choices of the sauce were really good. fries as a side. I would not be opposed to going back. Everyone was real nice also.

Blah BBQ. Shitty service.
The food is just OK. The BBQ sauces kinda tasted like Arby’s sauce and I just couldn’t get over that. So if you like Arby’s style BBQ sauce you’ll like it! I personally prefer sweeter ones, with honey or molasses.
I ordered the pulled chicken sandwich. Kinda bland — not enough BBQ sauce on it. I did like that they had their 3 sauces on the table — I just wish the difference between the sauces was noticeable. The fries were cold. Bleck. My husband got their special which included 2 items and 2 sides. The server brought him a side green beans after he asked for baked beans. When we kindly let him know of his error and he was super bitchy about it. He also brought out my hubby’s burnt side of «Texas Toast» about ¾ of the way through our meal and shoved it onto the table and walked away. He never came back to ask how our food was or refill our empty waters.
You can probably just go ahead and pass up this place. I won’t be back. The staff just all seemed to not give a shit about the food or service.

I came here for lunch with some of my friends one day. The place is nice. We were in time for their happy hour so we ordered some off the happy hour menu and the regular one too. The BBQ ribs and chicken were ok. Nothing to rave about. I have had better at a few other places. I don’t think that there are any other BBQ places nearby. Otherwise you might find a better place for BBQ. The service was good and the prices were too. Too bad the BBQ wasn’t better.

Ah man, I almost forgot this place!
I stopped here a few times when I worked in the neighborhood and it became the place where I go to when I go to either the Target or Best Buy that are two doors down.
Great pulled pork sandwiches and sweat tea, and their BBQ sausages are delicious as well.
The service is prompt and friendly, they always keep your cup full and the food makes you want to order more even if you’re full.
Stop by Zeke’s next time you go to the BevMos over there too or the shopping center (bypass the «Greek» place and the «Mexican» place beneath the Target) and have some pulled pork per my request! Enjoy!

I’m so glad to see that most of the reviews here are positive. BBQ seems to be the holy grail of foodies everywhere. Anyone who’s ever stuck a pork rib in their mouth seems to know where the world’s absolute best BBQ can be found. This begs the question: Is Zeke’s the best? In my unqualified opinion: Probably not. But before you start composing your nasty-​gram to me in your head, let me say this. Zeke’s is among the best BBQ in LA for some very important reasons:
1.) Value — you really can’t beat the price for the size of the portions and the taste.
2.) The side orders of mashed potatoes, mac n’cheese, and collard greens (an acquired taste to be sure) are excellent.
3.) As someone previously mentioned, they refill your very generous drink with lightning speed (I thought that was just the waiter flirting with me, but my ego will survive). Beer is also available including the Texas-​exclusive Shiner Bock. I think this may be the only restaurant in town that pours this on tap.
4.) They are located in the new Target shopping center in WeHo and sit on literally ACRES of parking. I think the first hour is even free. In LA, that’s like winning the lottery!
5.) For being a «chain», I think the reasons listed above make Zeke’s very unchain-​like. There are only 2 Zeke’s in LA (not a very BIG chain) and both maintain the same quality and service.

I didn’t even see the sign… I just followed my nose. The day after Christmas, I had my first meal at about 2 in the afternoon and maybe that’s why I was mesmerized with what Zeke’s had a-​cookin’.
The bf & I walked in and were promptly helped with our pending take-​out orders. He got the 2 beef rib combo with a side of mashers and baked beans. I got the meatloaf with mashers and a side of collard greens. We almost ordered 2 Cokes in the vintage glass bottles, but the manager was kind enough to mention that they were $ 3.50 a pop. And he immediately apologized for mentioning it in case we were going to give him the standard «are you fucking crazy» reaction upon seeing the bill.
When we got home with our goodies, we sunk our teeth voraciously into everything at once. Nothing but mmmm’s and aaahh’s followed by a couple lemme-​try-​summa-​dats, eyeing each others’ styrofoam containers
I am a huge fan of collard greens. They weren’t too salty and I relished the dish I rarely get to consume. (You haters of Zeke’s collard greens cuz your mama can make ‘em better just stfu, and send me an invite to mom’s so I can be the judge of that. My # is …) The bf & I dug the mashers and his ribs were lip-​smacking goo-​ood. This was probably the first time I have ever ordered meatloaf… felt like being adventurous. I don’t know that I’d order it again any time soon, but I’ll say that it was at least decent and not as bland as I presumed it would be.
I’d like to try this place again and see what they have to offer in the way of mac n cheese. I’ll say all in all, not bad, especially since I’m not a fan of bbq… just stuff that smells and tastes good.

Been once for lunch. Loved it. Can’t wait to go back. Oh, and they deliver, too. Sat at the counter, and got to see things fixed on the grill. Very friendly and helpful service. I asked way too many questions, and they didn’t bat an eye.
The Pulled Pork sandwich was outstanding. And plenty of it. Three different sauces on the side, depending if you like it sweeter, smokier, more KC, or Texas or Carolinian.
Sides were great, too. Mmm. Tough to find good BBQ in LA. This beats the pants off of Cecil’s in Studio City. Of course, I might need more scientific research to speak with full-​bellied authority.
Oh, and you can park in the Target parking lot, cause street parking can be a challenge.

It’s not the best BBQ I’ve ever had but I’ll give them two stars for two things:
1. They fill the sodas faster than any restaurant I’ve ever been to. I don’t think that I ever had an glass emptier than half before it was magically filled again.
2. They also serve up the food super fast as well. So if you want a quick meal, I guarantee you’ll get one here.
That said, the mac and cheese is eh, the pulled pork is ok.

I will have to review this place as a person who eats but knows nothing about BBQ.
First impressions at lunch: everyone in the entire room is male. I know this is W. Hollywood, but I have never been in a large restaurant where every customer is a man. Most of the guys seemed straight, judging by the ample waistlines and many white sneakers.
The host/​waiter was very friendly. He brought me a large glass of iced tea and continually refilled it until my arms and legs were trembling from an overdose of caffeine.
I ordered something called pulled chicken. It came in reasonable time and was a plate with french fries, cole slaw and picked-​apart-​into-​pieces chicken.
The server pointed out, helpfully, the three different sauces which I believe were based on such states as NC, TX and???
I ate my pulled apart shredded chicken. It was moist. It was also dry. Depending on which piece I ate. I think they pulled my lunch from several dead chickens.
Then the bill arrived. I opened it, expecting that my fries, iced tea and chicken might be, oh, around $ 7-​$ 11. Nope.
It was $ 20. With tip, I spent $ 23.
Luckily, after a year of unemployment, I have a job nearby that will keep me employed for three weeks. I can afford Zekes this week.
Next week will be a different story.

Summary:
Continuing last summer’s search for great Los Angeles area bar-​bee-​que, we ventured to Zeke’s Smokehouse in West Hollywood. Admittedly, I was a little skeptical at first as we approach the suburban modern dcor of the restaurant. I became even more skeptical to not see a bar or beer tap! However, things began to brighten up as the smoked hickory wood smell begins to fill your senses.
However, when it comes down to it, the place is about the food. The ribs were moist and smokey – maybe not quite as moist as Lucille’s, but they certainly stand up there in terms of seasoning and taste. Offering three different types of quality homemade sauces (sweet, spicy, or mustard based) to complement their meats, you’ll have your choices to complement your choice of meat. Zeke particularly shines in their Carolina style pulled pork. While very tender and smokey, the pulled pork is livened with a punch of peppery spices and tangy vinegar.
The service was very friendly and quick – especially when it came to refilling drinks and getting your food out. The atmosphere is certainly casual and very family friendly as well. While our visit was on a Thursday night, the location can get busy on a weekend night.
Tips:
*Free parking is around the corner on Formosa and Sunset Blvd in the underground parking structure.
*They do offer free delivery for places within a certain radius – call for details!
*Make a night of it by checking out some of the local small-​time theaters and plays east of the area.
Minor complaint: Wish they had biscuits to accompany the ribs rather than the fancy, but rather bland toast.