Got the chance to finally get some APL bbq out in Venice. Perfect weather, chill outdoor venue, 4 huge smokers out back, and a long line of patrons excited to get some bbq. What an amazing way to enjoy a nice weekend. The bbq was awesome. Tender, smoky, and tasty. We got to try these items. Lamb rack - very tender not gamey at all. Peking Duck - came with a very interesting fun blackberry sauce. Taste foie gras like yums. Crispy Pork Belly - super crunchy and basically melts in your mouth ooooweee! Favorite bite of the day. Short ribs - super beefy and tender Pork ribs - Smokey and tender Corn bread - soft, crumbly, and sweet. Yums had like 3 pieces. Baguette - crispy crust, soft airy interior with a nice chew (reminds me of sour dough) Paired the bbq with some beer and cocktails. Super fun dining experience. So close to the beach so we got to check that out as well. Heads up the lot next door is $20. Should Carpool. read more

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I've only been to two of Adam's pop-ups so far -- two different times, two different locations -- and both were unreal. The first one was at a bar in El Segundo. My wife and I went with friends and had NO idea what we were walking into. We got there early and ended up waiting almost two hours before they even opened. I was hungry hungry and getting close to hangry... but the wild part? Everyone in line was in a good mood. People were excited. You could tell we were all about to experience something special. When the doors finally opened and we walked in, it felt like a show. You've got Adam at this huge cutting board, chopping smoked meat right in front of everyone. The smell, the energy, the sound of the knife hitting the board -- it's dinner and entertainment. We had the pork belly and ribs. Each plate came with a solid handful of pickles and peppers that cut through the richness perfectly. The pork belly had insane texture -- tender, flavorful, with that little bit of crunch that takes it over the top. Then he drips that mop sauce over it... I was in heaven. The two pieces of Texas toast underneath just soak everything up like a blanket for the meat. No joke, my whole group went quiet while eating. That's how good it was. That meal actually inspired me to buy a smoker and start trying to smoke meat myself. I try... but Adam is out here making magic. Second time was in Venice at Gin Rummy Bar. This time we had ribs again and the Dino beef ribs. Those Dino ribs? Ridiculous. So tender, so rich -- straight meat heaven. The kind of food that makes you close your eyes for a second. Now I literally look for excuses to be near Venice just to see if I can catch the pop-up, even though he sells out all the time. Big thank you to Adam and the crew. This isn't just great BBQ -- it's an experience. read more

I have been thoroughly enjoying APL Barbecue with my family since Adam was cooking up a storm down at Strand Brewing Company in Torrance years ago....Okay, I just checked my photos...that was in the ancient days, er, December 18th 2022. Torrance was certainly more convenient for us but since then, we have schlepped to Manhattan Beach and most recently Venice at Gin Rummy to splurge on insane BBQ. Speaking of insanity, my son and I patiently waited in line for over 5 hours when Adam was at Grunions in Manhattan Beach. Thankfully, he has been at Gin Rummy for quite some time now so the line has definitely shortened. On this most recent visit a couple of weeks ago, my son and I arrived at 11:30 and were the first ones in line. Adam typically starts serving between 12:30 and 1pm. Since we were the first ones there, we took the opportunity to chat with Adam for a couple moments and reminded him that he was kind enough to give my Autistic son Alec a cookbook (and signed it) on our last visit which made him feel very special. Adam is a true mensch (German/Yiddish for a person of integrity and honor) and has always been gracious, humble and friendly. He's also an absolute maniac when it comes to grilling and smoking large cuts of beef, veal, pork, lamb, venison, well, practically anything. And it is oh so good!! Yes, it's quite pricey but once in a while and in our case three times in three years, it's absolutely worth the splurge and yes, it is life changing. Gin Rummy is a cute little bar with pinball machines but unfortunately you can't play them while Adam is chopping slabs 'o meat because his area takes up the space right in front of them. Still, the bar makes some great tropical libations while you wait and opens at 12 o'clock so you can whet yer whistle while you wait. They also made my son a virgin Pina colada which he thoroughly enjoyed. My son can be very particular and was very excited to see Adam again and get his cookbook signed a second time which Adam graciously obliged. He also took time out of his busy chopping and serving to take pictures with me and Alec. On this most recent trip, Adam made us a deal. I had asked what we should order and he said the Candied Ox Tail, the Veal Chop and the Venison. When I said we'd do it...he said he'd throw in some beef rib and pulled pork which was a really nice touch. Somehow, Alec and I were able to wait until we got home for dinner to share our spoils from our L.A. trek. Here's what our family ate that night: That Veal Chop: This was my favorite dish. The veal was cooked perfectly and tasted absolutely incredible. Man, the flavors of that chop were amazing and it was super tender and juicy. Holy cow,. The chop came with golden chanterelles and duck fat potatoes and soaked up all those delicious juices. The mushrooms, in particular, were phenomenal. Smothered Candied Oxtail: Oxtail is not something I've had a lot of but don't be afraid of the name. The meat fell off the bone and had wonderful flavor. Venison chops with hachiya persimmon & pomegranate: These were big, meaty chops...wow. The persimmon added a nice sweetness to the meat. Very good. Beef rib slices that Adam gave us as a sample while we waited and put in our to-go care package: This is the first thing of his I tried back in 2022 and it is just as good as before. This thing will blow you away; it is so freakin' good! Pulled pork that Adam also threw in: Sooo good and well, perfect. Honey butter cornbread: Probably the best cornbread I have ever had. Amazing. Thank you so much, Adam, for your kind generosity and absolutely incredible BBQ! We look forward to going back again and again! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND! read more

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Great BBQ. Have been many times to the Venice location. I highly recommend. Best BBQ in the nation.

We arrived late around 2:30. Almost everything gone. The team was cleaning up already. With the owner's recommendation., we ordered more than we can eat. However, the meats are good and we didn't even open the ox tail (save it for friends we are meeting tonight.) The one point took away for the team didn't call us and packed our orders as take-out while we specified dine-in, our food/order was sitting on the counter top until we reached out. Advice: arrive early to have the full menu. read more

APL Barbecue - Beef rib - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, California

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Last Saturday, I finally made it to Adam Perry Lang's weekend BBQ pop-up at Gin Rummy in Venice and let me tell you - this was worth every bite of the hype this guy gets. I arrived just after noon because I didn't want to deal with a really long wait and I'm glad I did. By the time they opened at 12:30pm the line wasn't too bad and moved quickly once we could place our orders. Pro tip: go early if you want to avoid a long line and make sure you get your first pick of the menu - things DO sell out! I ordered the pulled pork shoulder, which was the most affordable meat option on the menu. While my eyes kept wandering to the tomahawk steak, I just couldn't justify dropping $300 at a restaurant I'd never tried before. But next time?! YES I'm dropping those hundos without thinking twice. The pulled pork itself was tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. This is seriously the kind of BBQ that makes you pause mid-bite just to appreciate it and wonder HOW did he create this tender delight. On the side, I couldn't resist the cornbread, which was rich, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth good. I also grabbed one of their massive chocolate chip cookies (truly as big as your face) which was the perfect sweet ending to an indulgent meal. Not going to lie, I got everything to go so I could enjoy in the comfort of my own home. I appreciated being able to use my real silverware for this bomb BBQ instead of the plasticware available at APL Gin Rummy. And, of course, it was easier to pack up my leftovers... Between the quality of the food, the efficiency of the operation, and the casual setup at Gin Rummy, this was one of the best BBQ meals I've had in LA. Adam Perry Lang's reputation for phenomenal barbecue is well earned and I'm already trying to figure out when I can make the popup again. Next time, tomahawk - you're mine! read more

APL Barbecue - Pulled Pork Shoulder from Adam Perry Lang with a piece of cornbread and giant chocolate chip cookie - September 2025 - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, California

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5 for the mocktail that Gin Rummy Bar made while we all waited for APL to officially open his pop up there at 12:30-3:30pmSat and Sunday's. So come with a group, and let someone go in and order drinks at the bar so you can have a drink while waiting. I went on a Saturday, arrived at 11:40am and the line was already long and stayed long until we left about 1:30pm. Parking is tricky and street only, so uber if you can. Got the beef short rib and the flavor was fantastic. A little crispy outside and super tender inside. Tried the Tomahawk which was also good. The lamb was crazy tender. Wasn't a fan of the prime rib. The pork ribs were delicioso! We had a group of 5 adults and two 10-12 yr old children. We took food for at least one meal each home. They serve you a lot of meat and the prices are high ($90-300 based on cut) so you get your monies worth for sure. If you're solo we are talking a week's worth of meat from just the short rib dish alone. A 5 for the cornbread tasted like pound cake and crispy chewy tasty cookie cooked to perfection. Marcus is a BOMB cook. I used to go to this spot when it was Nueva. Still the same and same owner just a new name. read more

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We waited for little over an hour and it was worth it! Portions were very big, and it was bit pricy too but it was worth it. We had oxtail which was $100, beef rib, burnt end and corn bread which was almost $300! We really enjoyed the bbq tho. I wish there was some kind of combo mix we can do so we dont have to get such a big portions in one thing. I wanted to try different bbq but between four of us, that was best we can do. We had half of it left over to take home. read more

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The APL pop up has been here for an over a year and it has been a welcomed spot in the neighborhood. The cornbread is incredible and the pork ribs are very passable for hitting my craving for bbq. The line is a disaster and they need to just hire someone to take orders. Everyone gets the front then loses brain cells. It takes forever and seriously is annoying. The wait is not worth the punch - especially for this price tag. This is not a cheap meal and there is no way to order by the pound so you aren't left with massive portions. Whoever the owner of the restaurant - not APL - is contstantly harassing the chefs and holding up the line for his custom smorgasbord...annoying. read more

Adam and Marcus run service at an amazingly efficient pace! This is my favorite vibe of all his pop ups so far. It's super casual (it's a patio with a dirt floor) and there's tons of room. As for the bbq itself... it's amazing and he makes the only prime rib that I've ever loved. You will def have leftovers! And if you don't, get extra. A true class-act with a warm, festive family environment. The music (perfect, classic hip-hop playlist usually) may be a little loud for some, so it's something to keep in mind. Worth the trek! Get there early. Bar was serving to folks in line. read more

As a kid I so looked forward to our summer cookouts where my dad often sourced ribs from Leo's barbeque in West Adams. This bbq definitely brought me back to my childhood and did not disappoint. My sis and I dropped into Gin Rummy Bar in Venice a few hours before the Chris Brown concert at Sofi and did not have to wait more than 15-20min from entry, to food on table. We ordered the candied oxtails with pickles and Texas toast. Two Long Island iced teas (surprisingly not sweet, like an 'adult' version of a true LI) and a biscuit w/huckleberries and ice cream later, we were ecstatic! The oxtails were tender and cooked to perfection. Adam also let me try some of the pork ribs he was slicing and they were also delicious. The vibes were dope... nothing snobby. Staff was cool as hell and Mr Lang really seems to enjoy what he's doing and is truly welcoming. I'm looking forward to dropping in for the lamb chop or ribs or steak. It all looked incredible... Only reason I didn't give five stars was the lack of relatively affordable sampler plate. The pickles were fuego and deserve an honorable mention as well! Great experience :) read more

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Is Adam Perry Lang's BBQ worth it? It depends on your tolerance for sticker shock. Be prepared to wait in line for close to an hour, with zero indication of pricing while you're standing there. There's no one taking orders; you order at a kiosk. By the time you reach it and see the total (ours was over $500 before tip, more than $600 with tip, and that didn't include alcohol), you're essentially committed. Walk away or bite the bullet. The BBQ itself? It's good. Very good. The portions are massive, honestly too much for two people, which partly explains the cost. But I can't say it's worth the price or the wait. If you're curious, go with a group. Bring friends or family so you can share both the food and the expense. Just know what you're getting into before you get in line. read more

My SO wanted to try this place out so we lined up at 11:30am. They open at 12:30 pm and the line started to move. We were able to order at 1:15pm. We got the beef rib, pork rib, tomahawk, corn bread and pulled pork. The tomahawk was easily the best, then beef rib, pulled pork and pork rib. The corn bread was delicious. The tomahawk and beef rib were easily the best ! Pulled pork is flavorful and pork rib was allright. This place is easily the best bbq in california I have ever had. read more

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Adam Perry Lang is legendary bbq craftsman at its finest. People are so critical because of his fame and artisanship. It is exactly what it is, he spares nothing when it comes to quality (FU mentalityship, If you know you know) if its too much, he doesn't need you. Its true to its craft and the picture and video doesn't do the justice. The layer and smoke, flavor profile is from different planet. 41 days aged F1 Wagyu Cherry Wood Smoke Tomahawk was just incredible and eating like a piece of ruby jewel. One of the best thing my sensory brain has orgasmed to in the most recent times. Umami at its peak with euphoria that will be remembered in the coming days. read more

APL Barbecue - 41 Days Aged F1 Wagyu Tomahawk. - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, California

Completely unacceptable dining experience with APL. We bought the $400 roast duck lunar new year dinner for 2 ppl which we thought was pickup considering the description and all the emails leading up to it said 6pm pickup at the wrong location. Nope, it was actually a sit down dinner which they sent a clarification email the day before, but otherwise no call/nothing to inform guests of the mistake. The dining, pop up experience was ridiculous. They opened doors at 6, seated guests at 7, and were expecting to serve by 730 with the dinner wrapping up by 830 ... this was all explained in the final email. We arrived at 7:15 and did not receive our duck breast plate until 8:50 and there were still tables who did not receive the first round of duck until 9:10. Completely unacceptable. We did not even stay for the second serving of the duck legs or crème brûlée dessert at this point. Even the guests who had been served the first round of duck around 750/8pm hadn't gotten the duck legs nor the crème brûlée dessert by the time we finished the duck breast coarse. This dining concept was completely unrealistic. APL hand carved each duck and was predicting he could carve approximately 30 ducks, serve, and finish service around 830/9pm. In no world, should you pay this much for dinner and expect to wait for an hr & a half for a first course. Food was good, but not worth the wait or price. If you really want fantastic duck, do yourself a favor and go to Charcoal in Venice. Plus I doubt those chefs are on the Epstein list! read more

I've had multiple people tell me about Adam Perry Lang's BBQ pop up and they tell me it's a must try. I stopped by with my friend this past weekend. We showed up an hour early, we wanted to avoid a long wait and potentially losing out on items. We were able to get drinks from the bar while waiting, solid drinks. Walking in we were greeted by Adam himself at the door, which was cool. We ordered the beef ribs, corn bread, and rack of lamb. The portions are large and come with pickled vegetables, which compliments the meats well. The beef rib is good and tender. The lamb was more on the sweeter side, there were small bites between the bone in lamb and that was delicious. The corn bread was a little too sticky for my liking personally. I will say it is expensive, including the drinks (about 20 bucks for a cocktail). Which you expect for BBQ, but for 3 items with tip it was about $324. Overall, food is good and portions are large. Is it wow, debatable. I would recommend coming with a group to try what is available. I would come again, but I would come with a group to better enjoy the menu. Paid parking is nearby, I went on a Sunday and it was easier to park in the neighborhood. Stop by an hour before opening so you can beat the long line and give this spot a try. read more

APL Barbecue - Beef rib, corn bread, and lamb - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, California

This place is insane I thought after 42 years in food & beverage Ive seen everything OMG You can smell the BBQ from a mile away Forgot about Texas this place is so awesome If there is a better BBQ restaurant "I DONT WANT TO SEE IT" This is the Disney land for adults It's a nightmare for vegetarians And heaven for carnivores I've been to more BBQ establishments in California than I have fingers and toes on my body But by the quantum leap "THIS PLACE IS THE BEST" If you're NOT a vegetarian and you visit SOCAL and you miss this place You've done yourself an absolute injustice And I'm NOT exaggerating one bit Don't miss it read more

Great place excellent barbecue price is reasonable in a service is great. You're gonna try it. It's worth it.

Surprised there isnt more reviews. Its jam packed every weekend. Showed up @ 1pm. Waited 90 mins in line to order, then 30 to get food. Not many options; pork shoulder is $45, beef ribs are $86, oxtail $130. Big portions. Meant for large groups. Overall an exhausting experience that will test your patience and blow a hole through your wallet. But the BBQ is pretty dang good. Juicy, tender, moist, flavorful. read more

APL Barbecue - Beef ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, California

Okay, so the drinks at Ginny's were muah! The Cadillac Margarita was my favorite! It was like a party while waiting in line. Adam was so cool and the staff were super fiendly. 80's hip hop made the experience even more chill. We tried the oxtails. They were good but somewhat dry. I'm used to juicy oxtails that are a bit more flavorful. It is a bit pricy. $100.00 for the whole oxtail. The pickles and onions on the side were so good! I got a side to go. The bread is so fresh, and just enough! My husband loved the cornbread. I would try this place again. Thanks Adam! read more

APL Barbecue - Drinks from Ginny's Bar! - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, California

Where to start. We visited his pop up in Venice on May 11th. Firstly, his barbecue is extremely mid, especially given all the hype on IG. My friends were super excited and we waited over an hour in line just to be completely unimpressed. Overly sweet and not anything special. Then comes his business ethics side. After we ordered from a kiosk, we waited another 30 mins for our name to be called, only to be told that 1/3 of our order (the chicken) ran out. The lady told us to just write our name and phone number down and they would refund us. After a week, my friend received no refund. Then he began to follow up with them on Instagram (only way to contact them). All 4 messages showed as read, but no response! This was over the course of a couple of months - absolutely mind blowing. Not only was the food not good, but they are crooks. My friend disputed the charge with Chase and they sided with the customer (no surprise here). I decided to make a comment on his IG to warn people, but his team quickly blocked me. Hence, why I created this Yelp page for hi. So he can be held accountable. So much hype around this place. Just shows how IG can really morph reality. Just don't go. read more

APL Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, California

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I have been wanting to try this bbq by APL for a while now. Finally earlier today I went to have lunch with my family and my brother's family. We got there at 12:15 and there was already a long line. After one and half hours it was our turn to order. While you are waiting in line you could order drinks from Gin Rummy and they will serve it to you in line. Delicious drinks by the way.... Right before opening Adam walked through the line and thanked everyone for showing up and gave high fives. Once we got to the kiosk it was pretty easy to place an order. You just choose the items you want, then pay and step aside while they pack your food. We got ribs, lamb chops, pulled pork and corn bread. We all loved the pulled pork shoulder and the lamb chops. The ribs were a bit dry and hard to bite (I like it when the meat falls off the bones) .... The cornbread was absolutely delicious and I ordered two more to go. There was lots of seating outdoors, the ambiance was great. Friendly and attentive customer service. Overall we enjoyed our food and time here. read more

APL Barbecue - Pork ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Venice, California

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The food was absolutely amazing and worth the wait. Ordered one cocktail in line while waiting for them to open. I arrived at 11AM and was first in line and I ordered another drink at the bar while waiting for them to prepare the food. Such an experience. I'll be back for sure. read more

This place is so mid everything was dry and under seasoned. I wouldn't be surprised if the people who adore this spot have never tried real Texas style BBQ. Better off going to Baby Blues or even SLAB although they fell off. read more

Bbq was solid. Not enough sauce. Customer service was terrible. We spent $540 for 6 people, which is not terrible these days but still pricey for casual bbq at a bar. So We needed more bbq sauce. I went back to the cashier and asked her for some more bbq, and she said I can't give it to you for free and you have to get back in line and pay for it. I said I wasn't going to cut in front of 50 hungry people to buy a $5 sauce on the kiosk. She said if you want you can bring your bbq up here and we'll drizzle sauce on it. So angrily I did that with our beef ribs, and on the way back to the table, it dripped all over my white shoes. So it already ruined my mood. We did enjoy the food minus the idiotic cashier. But At the end of the meal, I went to the chef and told him we liked the food, and if it's cool can you give us some sauce on the side for our leftovers. He said "no. Because I sell it, but you can cut in line and order some." I again said I'm not cutting in front of people for some sauce, and he said "it's ok don't worry." And I said "I'm Ok" and just left. Clearly he wasn't getting it. So he'd rather make his hungry customers wait longer just to make an extra few bucks on his sauce. He doesn't realize that that one container of free sauce would make my group of friends tell everyone we know to go there, and now we are telling everyone this story. Bad business sense. It just goes to show that bad customer service can always ruin a good meal. read more

Wow, delicious bbq! So, the reason for only 3 stars is price, ambiance and wait time. You have to get there early or you get a raincheck to come back and the dirt floor restaurant is such that we got ours to go. So price is kind of outrageous, $300 for the tomahawk, I did hear it was fantastic though we opted not to get it. Prices aren't very transparent for a reason, you will not see any price on their instagram page. read more

We first experienced Lang's bbq at Spago's event last year. The experience was one of the most memorable barbecues we have ever had. We did the research. Thank you to the many reviews on Yelp encouraging to get there at least an hour early before it opened. We were greeted by Chef Lang just before 1pm at the door and got to see the service prep (see attached). The aroma alone is a worth while. May I add that Food Network chefs Jet Tila and Alex Guarnaschelli also were there by their response first time trying the food. The restaurant is a more elevated SoCal tiki vibe. The pit smokers and wood are in the patio area. We ordered the beef ribs (one of the best we have had) and could not resist rack of lamb, cornbread, and their gigantic chocolate chip cookie. This is going to be at minimum an annual trip for us. Bring your Patience though. It took us just over two hours from getting there to getting our food. But I'll emphasize getting early is key. The line behind us was around the block. read more

Late post ‍. Best BBQ I've had in 2024! Laid back vibe that we love! (Dec 2024) We got there between 11:30-noon and we were able to order about 1:10. We got our food about 1:30 pm. What I thought was awesome was Adam came out to greet and thanked customers for coming out. Very genuine, hard working and polite! Big portions so bring friends to share or bring home leftovers!!! Parking is tight so you can park in the public parking (scan the QR code to pay). Enjoy because this is a great place to try awesome BBQ! Check him out instagram to see what his daily menu is. read more

What can I say about this place. I'll start from the beginning. Instagram made this place look delicious. I drove there, where at the time he was working out of the back of a Thai food restaurant. Traffic was absurd. Line was insane. None of that mattered. I was super excited to try it. Waited in line for an hour. Still no complaints. I knew what I was getting myself into. Got the giant beef ribs, lamb chops, and I think it was trip tip or brisket. It's been awhile but I can't remember. The place didn't have any real sitting area, but so what. I wasn't there for the ambiance. Overall the food was good, but not great and soooooooo expensive. You're better off going to Moo's Craft Bbq. It's better, cheaper and it's a lovely restaurant with plenty of seating indoor and outdoor. read more

The long line every weekend says everything that needs to be said. This is the best, most creative bbq in the country. APL is a genius

Stole my money!! We were really excited to try Adam's barbecue given all the great social media content so we ordered one of each thing on the menu at his pop up in Venice (ribs, chicken, pork). They unfortunately ran out of two of the items before they could make our order so we only got to try the ribs. The woman at counter took down my info and said they would refund me for the food they ran out of and didn't provide. Fast forward many weeks later and messages to them trying to get my refund, and no response! Totally just ignored me and made me pay for food I never got. Also, the ribs (the one item we did get) were so tough and chewy. Pretty much the opposite of "fall off the bone" read more