The Verdict
Phillips Bar-B-Que is one of Los Angeles's enduring barbecue names, founded in 1980 by Louisiana-born Foster Phillips. It is takeout only and proudly low-frills: the draw is red-oak-smoked meat, sauced hot, sold over the counter to a weekend line that regularly runs out the door. The Crenshaw Boulevard store is the flagship; an earlier Leimert Park storefront has closed, but the kitchen still trades on Crenshaw and Centinela.
What you order is straightforward — spare ribs, baby backs, rib tips, hot links, sliced beef and chicken — finished in a sweet-hot sauce that defines the house style. Rib tips run about $12.25 and a pork-rib sandwich about $10.90, which keeps it one of the better-value plates in the city. Bring cash, expect a wait, and eat in the car.
The Pit
There is no named chef — founder Foster Phillips built the operation in 1980 and the kitchen runs on his method: spare ribs, baby backs and rib tips smoked over red oak, then finished in the house sweet-hot sauce. Beef links, sliced beef and chicken round out a deliberately short menu. The cooking is about smoke and sauce rather than competition-barbecue bark, and the rib tips are the order regulars swear by.
The Room
There is effectively no room: Phillips is a takeout counter, not a dining room, and the experience is a queue, an order shouted over the counter, and a foil tray carried out. Weekend lines are long and the operation is cash-friendly and fast. Plan to eat at home, in the car, or at a nearby park.
Best for Takeout and a Crowd
Phillips is built for feeding a group: a slab of ribs and a few pounds of tips travel well to a backyard, a game day or a family gathering. It is a solo-friendly weekday lunch too, as long as you are happy to eat off your lap rather than at a table.
Not For
Not for a sit-down dinner, a date or anywhere you need table service — there are no tables, no reservations and no atmosphere beyond the smoke. Vegetarians and anyone wanting a quiet, leisurely meal should look elsewhere; this is a counter for serious barbecue to go.
Reservations
No reservations — Phillips Bar-B-Que is takeout only, and the Crenshaw Boulevard flagship draws long lines on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, when popular cuts can sell out. Order early in the day for a large group, bring cash, and budget time for the queue. The kitchen also operates a Centinela Avenue location in the Inglewood area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Phillips Bar-B-Que?
Phillips Bar-B-Que was founded in 1980 by Foster Phillips, a Louisiana native who built the takeout barbecue business in Los Angeles. He is a cousin of Woody Phillips of Woody's Bar-B-Que, part of a wider Los Angeles barbecue family, and the kitchen still follows his red-oak smoking method and signature sweet-hot sauce.
What should I order at Phillips Bar-B-Que?
The signatures are the oak-smoked spare ribs and the rib tips, both finished in the house sweet-hot sauce, along with hot links, sliced beef and chicken. Rib tips run about $12.25 and a pork-rib sandwich about $10.90. Everything is takeout, sold over the counter, so it is built to carry home rather than eat in.
Is Phillips Bar-B-Que dine-in or takeout?
Phillips Bar-B-Que is takeout only; there is no dining room or table service. You queue at the counter, order, and carry out a foil tray, which is why weekend lines on Crenshaw Boulevard can be long. Bring cash, arrive early for a crowd order, and plan to eat at home or nearby.
Where is Phillips Bar-B-Que located?
The flagship is at 2619 Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles, in the Crenshaw and West Adams area, and the business also runs a location on Centinela Avenue near Inglewood. An older Leimert Park storefront has closed, so use the Crenshaw or Centinela counters for ribs, rib tips and links.
Also in Los Angeles
South and West Los Angeles run deep on barbecue and soul food. Compare Bludso's Bar & Que for Texas-style brisket, or Harold & Belle's for Creole, and Coni'Seafood for Sinaloan seafood nearby.