Bludso’s BBQ has been one of Los Angeles’s most celebrated Texas-style BBQ operations since Kevin Bludso opened the original Compton location, smoking brisket, ribs, and sausage over post oak with the low-and-slow commitment and Texas pit tradition that Kevin grew up with in Corsicana, Texas — bringing genuinely authentic Texas BBQ to a city that had very little of it. It appeared in Season 17, Episode 6 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Kings and Queens of ‘Cue,” which aired May 27, 2013. Guy Fieri found an LA BBQ operation doing Texas pit cooking with the authenticity and quality that earns a Los Angeles restaurant its national reputation. The original Compton location no longer appears on the official locations page — check the website for current operating locations.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Bludso’s BBQ
City: Los Angeles, California
Cuisine: BBQ
DDD Season: 17
DDD Episode: 6
Episode Title: Kings and Queens of ‘Cue
Original Air Date: May 27, 2013
Address: 609 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036 (current location)
Phone: 323-931-2583
Website: https://www.bludsosbbq.com
Status: Open (check website for current locations)
What to Eat
The Texas Brisket — post oak smoked low and slow with proper bark and smoke ring, the cut that Kevin Bludso grew up eating in Corsicana — is the signature that built Bludso’s reputation and the reason Los Angeles BBQ conversations start here. The Pork Spare Ribs, properly smoked with just the right pull from the bone, are the other pit centerpiece that most regulars add to any brisket order. The House-Made Hot Links with snappy casing and a smoky interior are the sausage that completes the Texas BBQ plate. Find a Los Angeles hotel on Trivago.
Plan Your Visit
Check the website for current locations and hours — Bludso’s has expanded and relocated since the original Compton DDD feature.
Address: 609 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: 323-931-2583
Website: https://www.bludsosbbq.com
Status: Open
Flavortown Approved
Bludso’s is one of the most authentic Texas BBQ operations in California. Stream the Kings and Queens of ‘Cue episode on Amazon and bring Texas pit culture home with Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Dry Rub Variety Pack and Guy on Fire: Adventures in Outdoor Cooking.
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Bludso’s BBQ appeared in Season 17, Episode 6 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Kings and Queens of ‘Cue,” originally aired May 27, 2013. Kevin Bludso opened the original location in Compton.