Okay, don’t shoot me.
But I happen to like this place.
Yes, I know it’s a chain, and along with that go the ever popular huge chain portions and prices.
An offshoot of the
Hof’s brand, Lucille’s does BBQ, which I think they do rather well.
I have noticed a slight drop in quality over the years, but they are still among the top of my list of BBQ joints.
Decorated in a somewhat Southern motif, Lucille’s offers live Blues music on the weekends.
Upon being seated, you are brought a basket of warm biscuits and apple butter. The biscuit is the size of a large rock, and has the heft of one as well. The biscuit is buttery and is more crumbly then it is flaky. Add the whipped apple butter, which has just a hint of sweetness, and this is a great way to begin any meal.
The Rib Tips are a generous portion of St. Louis Ribs. The ribs are marinated in their original BBQ sauce, which is a thick ketchup based sauce that is relatively sweet, then hickory smoked until tender. The ribs are then finished off on the grill to add a little char for another dimension of flavor. A nice pink smoke ring can be discerned on the ribs, which are very moist and tender. On their own, they are very good, but add some of the Hot & Spicy BBQ sauce for some added kick and this will certainly wake up your taste buds.
The Tri Tip Platter comes sliced and fanned out on the plate. As with the Rib Tips, the Tri Tip is slowly smoked over hickory. The Tri Tip is very lean, but has a little bit of a fat cap to give it some added moisture and flavor. The beef flavor sings in your mouth and is so tender hardly any chewing is needed. The corn on the cob is grilled and that added smoky flavor gets imparted into the corn. The corn is not overcooked and each niblet bursts with juice with each passing bite. The Macaroni and Cheese is drenched in a rich and thick cheese sauce. The elbow macaroni is tender but not overcooked. There is enough of a chew for any al dente pasta lover.
Although Lucille’s gets a lot of bad remarks, their food is consistent. The prices are steep for a BBQ place, but the end product will certainly satiate the inner caveman in anyone.
Lucille’s Smokehouse BBQ
1639 E, Imperial Highway
Brea, CA 92821
(714) 990-4944
5 comments:
This is my favorite BBQ place. I love the beef ribs and tri tip.
Lucille's is a yardstick which I measure other bbq places. Always a good place to grub down.
BTW, I noticed a Huff's Hut being torn down and a "Lucille's Coming Soon" sign on the construction fence. (the one on South Street in Cerritos, across the street from The Cerritos Mall.)
I just had BBQ last nite.. now I want it again.. haha Thanks VB.
Veronica,
The beef ribs and tri tip are also my favorites. The chicken is also very good, but compared to the other items it often gets overlooked.
polar,
I too use Lucille's as a measuring stick when comparing BBQ places.
Well, you're in good company. I think Elmo likes them too.
CP,
Lucille's probably won't win any awards at Memphis in May, but they put out consistently good food.
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