Bear Pit Bar-B-Que Restaurant

04/14/09

You've got to be kidding

by octobass at Citysearch

After driving past this place for 30+ years, thought I'd give it a shot. After all, the parking lot's nearly always full. It must be very good.

Well, it's not good. Actually it's horrific.

I picked up take-out ( Beef Ribs,Pork Ribs, chicken,turkey, potatoes, beans, cole slaw and garlic bread) and nearly gagged all the way home in my car from the odor. And--I might add--not one whiff of smoke--pretty weird the restaurant calls itself Missouri BBQ.

Starving when I arrived home, I attacked the food. Yikes, bad move. Most of it was totally inedible. The Beef Ribs were a fright, nothing but gristle and fat, tasting less than fresh and certainly never smoked. Pork Ribs had decent texture, but tasted like a swanson's frozen dinner from 1957. Chicken was passable.

The turkey? Surely this was a joke. The nearest smoke this turkey had been near was when the guy at the processing plant (2-3 years ago?) put it on the truck to send to California while smoking a cigarette.

The cole slaw was not bad. The potatoes were ghastly--How do you screw up potatoes? Is that even possible? I couldn't even look at the beans, let alone eat them.

The whole take-out horror is now in my garbage can, where it truly belongs. 45 dollars worth.

• Pros: Big Parking Lot
• Cons: Every morsel of food, except cole slaw

03/20/09

The Bear Pit is for Bears only

by hamiller at Citysearch

The only HUGE portion you get is a piece of garlic powder toast, other than that the chicken and ribs I had today were tasteless, and dry to brittle dry if there is such thing. I started to wonder if I ordered ribs or beef jerkey. I asked the waitress if the ribs had been fried, because they were greasy, and she said that the bear pit has a different way of locking in the moisture after smoking them. I didnt taste anything smoked, they were so dry the only meat on them was like fried jerky, if there was ever such a thing, and dripping with grease. I think they knew they were overdone, and the way they reheat them is to dip them in hot grease to make them seem moist. The beans were okay, but there was 3 spoonfuls of those. The best part of the whole experience was the soda, and leaving. Also, for those mixed, or minority people out there, this place is full of caucasian people, my friend is light skinned black and my kids are mixed, and we had a ton of weird looks being there. For 30 dollars I could have ate better at Tony Romas, or really ate at a fast food joint and been more satisfied for half that price. I will NEVER go back there, nor do I recomend anyone go. The only good reviews they have are probably from thier own extended family.

• Pros: easy freeway access to get home
• Cons: Dry meat, rushed servers, overpriced

06/26/08

Great Place, Great Tradition

by sillyshell at Citysearch

Best BBQ in town. Great friendly atmosphere. It's hard to find a great place with sawdust on the floor. My family has been going since the day I could walk....over 35 years. The Bear Pit Special on Garlic toast is the first thing everyone should try. We love it!

• Pros: Location
• Cons: Not more of them.

06/13/08

mediocre food but bad service

by marlamoomoo at Citysearch

when i first walked in i was surprised to see sawdust on the ground, thats just a litlle bit to weird for me. didnt seem hygenic to me. our server was nice but seemed very rushed. i ate the kodak which is ay-okay considering what you pay for it, it comes with Sandwich, Choice of Beef, Pork, Ham, or Turkey on a French Bread, PLUS: Two Spareribs or One Beef Backrib, Served with Choice of Two: Beans - Cole Slaw - Fries (On Garlic Toast....which is not bad, but the people that work there are like zombies....you would think you are in ghost town for a secong. For a good deal Bear Pit...for great service and good beef brisket..hands down to dr hogley wogley

• Pros: the brisket sandwich
• Cons: poor service

06/12/08

BEST BBQ IN LOS ANGELES

by jazzyjeff41 at Citysearch

I have been going to the Bear Pit BBQ Restaurant for over 35 years. This restaurant is a Landmark. My favorite is the BBQ beef, pork or ham served on garlic toast with BBQ beans and Cole Slaw. This is a must try. all the food is good here. After you place your order they bring a bowl of crushed ice, with pickles, carrots and cellery to munch on until your order arrives. Its a great place for the family with saw dust on the floor.

• Pros: Casual Dining, family atmosphere
• Cons: prices are climbing

Editorial Review

by Contributor at Citysearch

Who says things don't get better with age? Since 1954, slow-cooked, Missouri-style barbecue and famed garlic toast have been the hallmarks of this sawdust-floored family restaurant.

03/26/08

WORTH A HEARTATTACK OVER

by mustjazz at Citysearch

I've been coming here since my college days 30 years ago. It is as good now as it always was. The BBQ sandwiches on their ultimate garlic bread is heavenly. Worth risking a heartattack over!!! The sauce is smokey, vinegary & thinner than some, but excellent. The service is always awesome. They bring a "relish" bowl to your table filled with carrots, celery & yummy pickles on ice to munch while you decide what to order. They use to have 2 other locations, but this is the only one left. I hope it goes on for a long time. Yummy & delish, the best BBQ in the L.A. area, hands down.

• Pros: Sandwiches, hush puppies, service, BBQ
• Cons: Nothing

02/12/08

BEST BBQ SANDWITCH ON EARTH

by Katherine794 at Citysearch

I STARTED GOING TO THE BEAR PIT 40 YEARS AGO WITH MY DAD, AND NOW I TAKE MY KIDS AND GRANDKIDS, I LIVE 50 MILES AWAY BUT WE WILL MAKE THE DRIVE TO EAT, HAVE TO HAVE BBQ SANDWITCH ON GARLIC CHEESE TOAST, AND THE BEEF RIBS ARE REALLY GOOD ALSO, IT'S A MUST GO

• Pros: GREAT FOOD, PARKING, SERVICE
• Cons: I LIVE TO FAR AWAY

08/25/07

good food, good service

by lenahanson at Citysearch

tonight i was craving bbq. i searched for bbq places in my area and the bear pit was not only the closest, but had really great ratings...so we took a chance. it was so yummy! we can't wait to go back! at first you think "oh no is this some trashy place"? the restaurant is very casual and good for kids too. they have an outside area and we did not have to wait at all on a saturday night. everyone was there from the young to the old! i can't believe we've never been here before!

onolicious!!!

• Pros: parking, lots of food, seated quickly, good service
• Cons: none

06/25/07

I love me some missouri style bbq.

by 310valleygirl at Citysearch

i hate the fact that this place is so far into the valley. as if it couldn't get any further, it's at the tip of the 405. nonetheless, the drive is well worth it. this place is finger-licken good. they remind me of that place in k.c. ...burnt ends?