The Bear Pit BBQ

The Bear Pit is the place to go for BBQ in LA. Sure, there might be a couple of places on the Westside, and a few chains here and there, but if you want real down home cookin' and a homemade taste, you've got to go to the Bear Pit.

The prices are good and the BBQ is even better. The atmosphere is very relaxed. The restaurant looks a little rustic from the outside, and you can see the kitchen exiting the parking lot. There is sawdust on the floor giving you that real BBQ restaurant feel.

The Bear Pit makes two different kinds of sauces. The original is a thick delicious sauce that is just right between sweet and salty. The other sauce is very sweet. They sell bottles of the sauce at the front of the store.

Once you are seated, the waitresses bring a bowl of pickles, celery, carrots and one hot pepper. The pepper is really hot so look out. The menu does not have any vegetarian items so only bring the meat eaters and don't go if you are looking for low fat, low calorie meals.

There are three things I get at the restaurant regularly (yes, embarassing but true, I eat here regularly) - the Bear Pit Special, the Kodiac, and the half chicken. The Bear Pit Special is a sandwich of beef and ham on your choice of bread (trust the regulars and go for the Garlic Toast) with your choice of two sides (side choices are beans, coleslaw or fries). The Kodiac is a full sandwich with one meat on choice of bread, 2 sides, and either 1 beef rib or 2 spare ribs. The chicken comes with a ton of meat, beans, potato balls (kind of plain), and choice of soup, salad or coleslaw.

The salad constantly has too much dressing, so if you don't like a lot ask for it on the side. The Kodiac gives you enough food for 3 meals, the leftovers taste just fine the next day if you didn't smother the whole thing with bbq sauce. The best way to eat the food is to dip each bite in sauce so that the sandwich doesn't get soggy.

The ribs are succulent and huge always with lots of meat, the sandwiches are delicious, and the chicken is most under a little too thin and crispy skin. The Kodiac is the best deal on the menu at dinner time. You get a little bit of everything for a much lower price than just a plate of ribs.

The prices are good probably about $15 a person with drinks and, as I said, leftovers for lunch tomorrow and possibly dinner too.





The Bear Pit
10825 Sepulveda Boulevard
Mission Hills, CA 91345
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