10/29/09

Great BBQ place!

by laurenelise1

I hosted a party for 150 people and Mr. Cecils came to our rescue!!

They literally brought a 6 foot grill and cooked all of our food to order! The food was amazing, I got great reviews from the guests and I was impressed as well. They had a great crew that we quick and efficient and set up and tore everything down effortlessly.

As far as the food, the ribs, beans, coleslaw, tri tip, cornbread etc. were incredible. i seriously had no complaints and be sure to get the grilled corn on the cob. That was by far the most popular item that day--we even ran out!!

BBQ sauces were superb as well!

In need for BBQ catering? Contact Samara. Shes super helpful!

• Pros: amazing BBQ

Whimsical, casual BBQ spot serves up super-sized slabs.

by Mar Yvette

Located at the end of a strip mall stretch of Pico, this longtime barbecue joint might first grab your attention with its cartoonish shack exterior. But it's what's cooking inside this exposed-brick space that keeps folks coming back for more. Hungry carnivores can choose from St. Louis, baby back and beef ribs--all without sauce. Yes, that's right. Without sauce. That's because the whole concept of Mr. Cecil's ribs is that they're already so tasty there's no need to slather 'em up. Instead, accessorize those meaty slabs with grilled corn in chili-lime butter and a bowl of barbecue baked beans brimming with bacon.

08/10/09

You are not supposed to leave a BBQ place hungry

by sleepykitten

I have given this place a chance 3 times over and I quit. For a BBQ place with mostly decent reviews, I was surprised at how low quality the food was. I usually order chicken, my husband ribs. Once I asked for breast and they brought me dark, failing to inform me that they were out of white. The ribs were tiny, over cooked and just plain sad. The servings are soooo small. Another time when I was able to get a breast, it was the tiniest thing I'd ever seen. This place is not worth it. You'll drop $40 - $50 easy between 2 people and you'll leave hungry. Do yourself a favor and drive across town to Dr. Hogly Wogly's.

• Cons: very small amount of food for what you pay

06/01/09

Gr8 Catering! The Best!!!!!!!!

by Anarky

Best Memorial Day BBQ ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Every1 loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fantastic!!!!!!

• Pros: delicious food, xcellent help!
• Cons: none

02/17/09

OK....I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FOOD....BOTTOM LINE I KNOW WHATS GOOD.....

by FATSO1

MY PARTNER AND I WERE DRIVING THROUGH WEST LA, AND AS USUAL I WAS STARVING. A FRIEND RECOMENDED A NUMBER OF PLACES AS WE WERE DRIVING DOWN PICO, BUT THE BBQ SOUNDED GOOD. SO WE WALK INTO THIS PLACE, AND ITS PACKED. LUNCHTIME, GO FIGURE.

WE SAT AT THE BAR AND CHECKED OUT THE MENU, EVERYTHING SOUNDED GOOD TO ME AS USUAL, BUT IT SEEMED A BIT PRICY FOR LUNCH, BUT (DID I MENTION I WAS HUNGRY)... OK SO I GOT THE BASKET OF RIBS AND ASKED FOR HALF BEEF AND HALF BABY BACK. THE WAITRESS/MANAGER, SAMARA HAD THE WHOLE PLACE TO HERSELF, AND SHE WAS "ON IT" I GREW UP IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS, SO I KNOW WHEN SOMEBODY HAS THIER SH1T TOGETHER. THIS GIRL WAS GREAT, SHE HAD THE BAR , THE TABLES, THE PHONE AND TO-GO ORDERS ALL GOING FLAWLESSLY.

OK, SO.....BACK TO OUR FOOD, IT WAS TRULY "LOVE AT FIRST BITE" THE RIBS WERE ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS, NOT DRIPPING WITH SAUCE, LIKE SOME PLACES DO TO HIDE THE TRUTH. THE RIBS WERE FALL OF THE BONE TENDER, AND SO TASTY, THEY REALLY DIDNT NEED SAUCE, BUT TRY IT ANYWAY, ITS GREAT TOO. AND MY PARTNERS SANDWICH WAS REPORTED TO BE GREAT AS WELL, ALTHOUGH I ONLY SAW IT ONCE, BEFORE IT DISSAPEARED. THIS WAS OUR FIRST VISIT TO MR.CECILS BBQ, BUT I ASSURE YOU IT WONT BE OUR LAST.

SORRY FOR ALL CAPS, BUT I JUST HAD TO TELL YOU HOW GOOD IT WAS WITHOUT USING BAD WORDS.....SO I YELLED IT!!!

• Pros: THE GREATEST
• Cons: NONE

03/13/08

Excellent

by l84dinner

A great BBQ Restaurant with homestyle cooking! You will not be let down! Everything comes out exactly they way you order it. The service is excellent as well!

03/07/08

BAD

by iknowfood222

went there to see how bar b que could be in LA. I have lived in Houston, Austin, Miami, Ashevile, and wanted to get a better idea about what this place was. Went there and was surprised that the prices where so high for dinner entrees with two sides. I thought i will try the rib entree with grilled corn and baked beans. The Ribs looks like they were cooked yesterday, the corn was cold and the beans tasted like honey. i was diappointed at first and then really diappointed when i paid 34 dollars for a cold dry meal. Texas still has the best BAr b que

• Pros: none
• Cons: dirty, bad tables, building is a death trap

09/15/07

Bad, even for faux bbq

by phillyboy2431

I'm on the L.A. bbq quest. I'm having some fun with it. But sorry to say, this place scores a D-. Their meats have this weird, gas like flavor. And because I guess they boil their ribs, they are, in fact, tender. But they're also bland. And how they managed to get the gas like odor in there is beyond me. I'm not sure if they're grilling over a propane tank or what, but it ain't workin'.

That said, the service was friendly.

• Pros: When I left
• Cons: When I arrived

08/13/07

Horrible Dry Overcooked Small Ribs

by jtripper2007

This place used to be awesome. They had excellent big beef ribs that were juicy and tender. I used to go there often as I live very close (walking distance). However, for the past few months, this place has changed dramatically. I keep giving them one last chance because I love ribs, but I've had it - no more chances. They have really messed up the past four times I've been there (in the last 4 months). I don't know why they're allowing this place to serve such horrible food when they once used to be awesome. Their big beef ribs are now much smaller. They are also way overcooked (new chef?). It doesn't just fall off the bone like they used to. I went there last night and decided to have the smaller baby back ribs, but I feel sick today. First time I didn't want to finish ribs on my plate. Extremely dry. I am afraid to say the ribs from Ralphs a few blocks away are much better and cheaper. Their service was never good, but I didn't care as their ribs were good. Now they have nothing. No more chances for them. They lost me as a customer for good. I love ribs and am very sad to have lost this place. Note the good Zagot reviews were written in 2005 - back when they were good.

• Pros: No pros
• Cons: Horrible dried up food

08/05/07

Good but not great; not a good value

by moonchilde

I pass this place literally every day on my way home from work, but have never stopped. Today I had a craving for ribs, so decided to have lunch. I ordered the half "order" of baby backs, baked beans, and cornbread. Citysearch's 'nanny' function won't let me use the correct word for it, but you know. It starts with an 'r'.

The ribs are TINY; while a whole "r" would have been too much, and at $24 pretty steep, $16 for six small ribs, an average sized serving of beans and a teeny, crusty, half stale piece of cornbread was way too much.

The place is very bare-bones inside, and small. The ribs were good and I enjoyed them, but I honestly do not see why anyone would drive across town or make a special trip to eat here, as while they were good, they were not mind-bogglingly great. I've had better ribs and a lot more food, presented with more style, at Lucille's and Zeke's, and even at The Elephant Bar, which serves a delicious, huge platter of of an *entire* "r" of ribs plus sides for $1 more than Mr. Cecil's teeny half "r".

Feeling ripped off aside, the BBQ beans with bacon were DYNAMITE.

• Pros: The food was good if not great, and my service experience prompt
• Cons: Too expensive, portions too small