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Meat on the grill at Green Acres Farm Market in Simi Valley.

High School Sports

Holy Smoke! 10 BBQ dining options for high school football fans

By Eric Sondheimer

Columnist

Aug. 21, 2022 5 AM PT

Brisket that melts in your mouth. Mac and cheese so tasty you want a second helping. Baby back ribs so good that you lick the sauce from your fingers. Corn bread so alluring you want more and more. Hamburgers so big who needs French fries.

Welcome to the world of Texas barbecue available for high school football fans on Friday nights in Southern California. It’s barbecue food at its smoky best for tailgating in a parking lot or for pigging out in a pregame meal.

With help and guidance from Nick Garcia, a barbecue connoisseur and strength coach at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, let me offer 10 destinations near high schools in the Southland for your fall and winter pregame dinner option. The focus is on brisket, and the best places have quality meat, great bark and the fat in the meat is perfectly rendered.

Showing Places

Heritage Barbecue

San Juan Capistrano BBQ $$$

It’s the go-to diner for Trinity League events at nearby JSerra. It opens at 11 a.m. and sometimes runs out of food by 6 p.m. I had brisket on potato bread, and it was so good.

Nick’s comment: “The brisket melts in your mouth and the fat is perfectly rendered. They cook on an offset smoker using white oak as the wood of choice. They offer many different sides and a few different choices of sausage that are freshly made.

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The brisket ready to be cut at A.J.'s Tex Mex BBQ in Valley Village.

A.J.'s Tex-Mex & Barbecue

Valley Village BBQ $$$

Nick visits for lunch several times a week down the street from Notre Dame High. I tried the brisket and haven’t tasted anything better. It’s moist and soft. The owner purchases top quality beef from Harris Ranch and Creekstone. There’s also a highly recommended cheeseburger made out of the trimmings from brisket.

Nick’s comment: “It’s one of my favorite places for brisket. The meat is rendered just right. It melts in your mouth and has a great smoke flavor. Their breakfast tacos and burritos with fresh homemade tortillas are also favorites and are served all day.”

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BBQ chicken sandwich with fries and mac and cheese at Rattler's in Santa Clarita.

Rattler’s Bar B Que

Santa Clarita BBQ $$

If you go to any Hart, Valencia, West Ranch or Golden Valley games, this is the place to visit. Chicken, ribs, tri-tip, and garlic rolls served in a family restaurant make it an ideal pregame dinner spot. Still waiting for the return of their much-appreciated salad bar.

Nick’s comment: “They offer some great appetizers and one of the favorites are the carne asada tacos.”

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Green Acres

Simi Valley BBQ $$$

Adjacent to the Green Acres market is a barbecue restaurant that makes the largest, most delicious hamburgers. They grill the meat outside, then have helpers in the market finish it off with bun and toppings. It’s Santa Maria-style BBQ.

Nick’s comment: “The burger, cooked over mesquite, is one of the best around and it is a go-to for all of us coaches when at a track meet in Simi Valley. One of their best kept secrets is their brisket jerky offered inside the market. Definitely some of the best jerky around.”

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Baby Blues BBQ

Venice BBQ $$$

This is my favorite place on the Westside. The baby back ribs, corn bread and mac and cheese are my favorite. They fill up the plate and you never leave feeling hungry. They have multiple sauces to try.

Nick’s comment: “I tend to go with the pork ribs here. They are fall-off-the-bone tender and have both sweet and smoky flavor. Here you have to finish off with the banana pudding.”

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The Bear Pit BBQ restaurant in Mission Hills.

The Bear Pit Bar-B-Q

Mission Hills BBQ $$$

OK, I admit it. I love this place whenever going to a game at Bishop Alemany or Granada Hills Kennedy. I can’t have enough of their famous garlic bread sandwiches with turkey or lamb. Their baked beans are sweet and they give you a dish of carrots and celery to chew on while waiting for your main course.

Nick’s comment: I tend to go with the pork ribs when going to the Bear Pit. It is Missouri style barbecue so it is a bit different than the Texas and Santa Maria style we have mentioned previously.

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Ray’s Texas Bbq

Huntington Park BBQ $$$

Family owned, Ray’s occasionally uses almond wood, giving its meat a different smoked flavor. When not using almond, Ray’s uses white oak. They offer your traditional Texas-style barbecue but also offer a variety of bowls and burritos.

Nick’s comment: “The beef brisket is prime and the Beef Dino Ribs when offered are first class.”

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Baby back ribs from Glenwood Smokehouse in Glendale.

Glenwood Smokehouse BBQ

Glendale BBQ $$$

The same owner as A.J.’s Tex-Mex runs this restaurant and the baby back ribs are the best seller. It is a great atmosphere being right across the street from the Americana and has a few more items on the menu than A.J.’s.

Nick’s comment: “Just like A.J.’s everything is very high quality and tastes great. During happy hour they have $1 wings that are smoked and fried. It is considered a unique item and is very tasty.”

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Badlands BBQ

BBQ $$$

This diner is on the way to Norco High. The ribs and sandwiches are full of taste. There are many choices.

Nick’s comment: “Badlands is unique because they use apple and hickory wood to smoke their meats. It offers a different flavor than most places in California. Hickory tends to be a bit stronger smoke flavor and that is something I prefer and enjoy about Badlands.”

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Moo's Craft Barbecue

Lincoln Heights BBQ $$

Moo’s Craft began as a pop-up in East Los Angeles and now has become one of the go-to places for Texas style barbecue in Los Angeles. Moo’s Craft cooks on offset style smokers and offers a variety of smoked meats. Brisket, pulled pork, ribs, sausage, and turkey to name a few. Their sides are also very good and mac and cheese is one of the favorites. Their smoked burger has been ranked in the top 10 in Los Angeles.

Nick’s comment: “The jalapeno cheddar sausage is one of my favorite things on the menu. It is made out of a blend of prime brisket and Duroc pork. Although mac and cheese is a customer favorite, I enjoy the brisket loaded beans.”

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