Barrel and Ashes Reviews

Yummy, yummy bbq. Their maple cornbread in a little cast iron skillet is OMG good!

Really nice place with amazing food. The baby pork ribs and the brisket is perfect. The cocktails are also very good

Dose cost a bit of money but it dose tast pretty good.

The decor at this location is very nice. Customer service is on point. Great place for cheap quality drinks and a good late night dinner.

Wings are phenomenal as is the habanero bbq sauce. :-)

It was quiet the experience and lived up to the name. Around 25-30$ per person should be more than enough. The ribs can be a little dry but still good.

I've had BBQ from all parts of this country. This was without question some of the best BBQ I've ever had. The ribs and brisket were crazy go nutz.

Great, Fantastic bar tender, nice atmosphere, mediocre fare.

We came here on the second night of it's opening to the public on a Sat night for dinner. They had seating/tables in the patio and inside. You have the option of choosing a communal table or having your own private booth/table. They also had a bar and has the concept of an "upscale" BBQ restaurant with an open kitchen.

The ambiance was very laid-back however it was very noisy. It can be challenging to have a conversation with the person next to you if you don't speak up.

Service was great! The waiter was really friendly and was able to talk about the highlights of the menu and made some good recommendations.

FYI, they don't serve ginger beer. :( However, they make their own ginger ale which they use with their cocktail drinks.

The menu was a little weird. The food items were listed on the front and the cocktails on the back. The menu seemed kinda small for what we expected. It was also weird to see a chicken sandwich under "snacks" and a pulled pork sandwich under "salads & sandwiches." But we knew that they were still working out their full menu.

We tried the Brisket which was really good! Since they do Texas-style BBQ, its a dry rub so no sauce is served. However, you can ask them for their homemade sauces. They have a few options that include a vinegar and a sweeter sauce with molasses. We were given a sample of their sauces.

For the side, we got the shells & cheese, which was great! Very cheesy and rich.

We also tried the Pulled Pork Sandwich which was good. However, we felt that the bun was too thick and there was not enough meat. We're not sure if we would order this again.

We were very disappointed that they ran out of ribs. We're not sure how this problem will be solved in the future because we were told that they had a small smoker in the back so once they're out of meat or ribs, that's it.

Overall, we would probably give this place another chance once it's up and running for a couple months. It'd be nice to see what the changes are for their full/complete menu.

Definitely give them a try, great service and great food.

Read a lot about this place prior to going. Exceeded expectations. Very well done place.

Delicious food and crafted cocktails. Great service.

Just stopped in for a quick drink but it was a very cool place.

The brisket is so good, ask for bbq sauce with it on the side, you wont be disappointed. Totally decent micro brews, a few of which are IPA's (hell yeah).

BBQ and service at this spot is great. great spot for an appetite of any size.

Great beer selection! Nice pieces to sit inside and outside.

I should've known when I didn't see a roll of paper towels on each table. Brisket is mediocre. Mac and cheese doesn't have enough flavor, taste like craft Mac. Nice ambience though.

This place has a good food to offer. Loved this spot! We had a great dinner and they found us a spot to sit even though we didn't make a reservation! Such a cool atmosphere and we loved our waiter he was so nice and friendly. I will definitely return this place again.

Best authentic Texas style BBQ that I know of in Los Angeles! I wish it was closer.

It was difficult to rate this place for me. I want to give it a 5 stars but the food wasn't amazing nor we're sauces. But nothing was horrible. The best thing here is their famous ho cake. Make sure to get it. It's a sweet salty buttery corn bread.

The perfect Wagyu burger! Really enjoyed my meal there. The staff were super cool and friendly which made it even more enjoyable.

We where celebrating mothers day!The food was cold,uncooked and they brough our fries 10 min late.I do not recomended this place!Very expensive and they are not doing a great job!The server was nice and the fries were good.

I had the buffalo chicken sandwich, it was good as expected but I have also tasted the rib tips, brisket and mac and cheese. The rib tips were smoky and saucy with a great flavor, the mac and cheese was good. Unfortunately the brisket was a dry, while I sampled it off a family members plate I found it to be disappointing. The staff was great and hard working.

Excellent food and service for breakfast. Plenty to choose from and reasonably priced. We had a party of seven and no complaints.

Loved the atmosphere and the smoked smell. Some of the Rib Tips was tough according to my husband; I found them to be flavorful. I loved the "Damn Best Chicken Sandwich", that was awesome; a little messy but awesome . The Brisket Sandwich was also good; love the BBQ Sauce. The side of Greens and Mac n Cheese was also awesome; enough for two to share. The only reason I did not give (5) stars is because some of the meat was tough, but not my chicken.

Personal faves at Barrel & Ashes include the Smoked Chicken Wings, Hoe Cake and Open Faced Santa Maria Tri-Tip on Sourdough Slice. Barely coated Pork Spare Ribs were good even though they were not "falling off the bone," nor drenched in sauce East Texas style. Brisket quality has improved since they first opened in November 2014, but the gold standard for brisket is still Bludso's of Compton.

This place has no right calling itself a BBQ joint. It's more hipster bull that you see all up and down Ventura. It's basically the size of a bar, not a restaurant, so I spent a lot of the night having the bottoms of the servers and other patrons brushed up against me.
They didn't have ribs. Let me repeat that: the BBQ restaurant had no ribs, and hadn't for hours. Of course, they were the reason we came, and we weren't informed until 10 minutes after being seated, this on top of the 25 minute wait, then no silverware or plates for 5 minutes after being seated, and only being given 2 menus to split between my whole party, though they had enough to give menus to the children at the table next to us who can't read, but ok. The server rushed us through ordering, grabbed the menu out of my hand even when I was still looking it over, and we barely saw her again. For the 2 hours we were there, she wasn't there long enough to ask if we wanted another round, which we certainly did and never got.
And then the food. Tiny portions on these stupid trays, NO SIDES, NO BREAD, dry meat, A BUTTER KNIFE FOR CUTTING STEAK. It was nuts. I was so hungry, I ordered what I thought was cornbread (I mean, what restaurant doesn't give you sides or bread, what is that?). It turned out to be this gross cornbread pancake covered in chives and so much salted butter, I was gagging. I was so confused. I left the restaurant ticked off and starving. I paid out the you know what, only to end up at McDonald's on the way home. Never again.

Had a nice time. Busy Sunday night were seated right away at the bar. Nice view of the show. Brisket was very tender and full of flavor. Very nice. Cuts were strangely uneven. Had a couple of huge steak like slabs and a few very thin in 1/2#. Was nice for the change of texture but a bit weird and harder to split without someone feeling cheated. Sausage was disappointing. Good smoke and snap but so evenly ground and uniform in flavor was a bit mealy. Coleslaw was great but wasn't much for $4. Good beer selection and excellent Bourbon and Rye list. Overall, the quality of the brisket made up for a bit pricey and otherwise 3 star experience.

Great atmosphere, but the food doesn't really live up to the restaurant.

Great drinks, great BBQ, great service - can't go wrong. Gotta have the hoe cake!

The hoecake is very buttery and tasty. The brisket sandwich was delicious and flavorful. Sides are separate. A little pricey. Good food though.

Food is wonderful, service terrific, I had the beef ribs, great barbecue"
"About an hour wait on a Friday night, very limited area to wait for your table."
"Beer, wine, and spirit selection was strong and the staff was knowledge."

Sparks is a great place for a good neighborhood vibe with really good food. The flat bread and roasted chicken are really good. Great service there also.

Best Whiskey bar in the SFV. Some mighty good BBQ too.

Absolutely delicious - Jordan went out his way to make delicious pastrami sandwich and fries. They a picture speaks a 1000 words, so just feast your eyes on that sandwich :) glistening juicy fatty salty pastrami, crunchy toast, pickles and dressing-- yum! Abraham the chef should be proud to have that masterpiece on the menu. So glad I made it in for lunch.

Service was good. Parking was a headache. The food was good except their "the best damn chicken sandwich I ever had" is not even in my top 3. I kind of had high hopes. The beef was good, mac and cheese and cocktails are awesome.

Very good barbecue. Was surprised that it was as good as it is being in California. Southerners will feel at home.

cook for a very long time. I would advise you to take a couple of cooks! They cooked for two hours. it's disgusting!

All meats are just amazing.
The cake is out of the world!!!!!!

A small spot with big flavor. Seating is limited but the good food more than makes up for the wait. Can't go wrong with any of the meat and don't forget to try a Hoe cake. Take an Uber or get ready to valet as parking is extremely limited.

Stopped by here omw home. The mac & cheese is a must!

They ran out of ribs and BBQ chicken at 7pm
Very disappointing.

Exceptional food. Great ambience and service. Kenny Perez, General Manager, is running a terrific restaurant. The Chefs aren't just cooks, they're Artists of taste.

I'm a bit of a snooty foodie when it comes to BBQ and brisket (originally from the South, only Texas and Missouri BBQ would do ...). Barrel & Ashes has made me a believer again.

Excellent BBQ, excellent bourbon, great service. The interior is small, but that's basically made irrelevant by what really matters, the food and drinks.

Just casual enough to ensure a relaxing dinner. Food is wonderfully consistent, even when you have it delivered.

On the menu their chicken sandwich is named something like "The Best Chicken Sandwich Ever." It actually may be. I mean, that's a huge thing to live up to and we both loved it. It's crunchy and salty and tangy and delicious. It comes with Pimento Cheese which was too cold and thus I thought took away from my experience but my significant other thought it made the sandwich.
He got the bbq brisket and jalapeno cheese sausage. My bite of brisket was delicious but he said all of his were a little too dry. Unfortunately, it seems like he gave me the best part of it. So my experience of that was fantastic.
The flavor of the sausage was very good but unfortunately it was cold. Which was strange because the cheese was melted.
The inside is fun, we got to sit at the bar facing the kitchen which has not one but TWO wood burning ovens/stoves.
If quality control were a bit better I'd give them 5 stars but the food and staff were so excellent that we'd certainly go back.

Everything we ordered was outstanding! Ribs, mac&cheese, Hoe cake (OMG!), Brisket sandwich... going back soon to try the shrimp and other items on the menu. Service was top notch.

Awesome food and drink. Really good and interesting apps, we tried one that was a frito boat in a frito chip bag! I know that isn't new but still the first time I've seen it at a restaurant. Everything I tried was great. Very friendly staff.

I BBQ a lot, so I tried not to compare mine with their's. All I could say is, I would go again. Better call ahead tho, packs out quick in the evenings.

So good! Loved their family style eating arrangement, great veggie sides and of course the BBQ itself was the main event. Ho cake is amazing! The bar was great. Kind of pricey but I'd definitely eat here again next time I am in LA

I've been looking for a place like this in Los Angeles for a very long time. I've had really good BBQ from places like Bludso's, Lucille's and Horse Thief and even though they have delicious food in their own right, I personally rate a BBQ joint on how good their brisket is.

I compare brisket to Texas BBQ like Franklin's or the Salt Lick where you have that crusted char, pink smoke rings and butter-like consistency. Honestly, Barrel and Ashes is the closest to having Texas-style BBQ without going to Texas.

Even if you're not into brisket like I am, every piece of meat I've had from Barrel and Ashes was delicious, even the Mary's BBQ chicken had a great crust and was ridiculously juicy. Also, dont get me started on the fall-off-the-bone ribs.

I enjoyed the interior of the restaurant as well as all the different kinds of Bourbon they had available. Started with ordering the dry-rubbed wings and Stetson Lime Rickey for happy hour. For the main entree I ordered 3 different meats which came with collard greens and baked beans as well as mac n cheese. I tried everything and loved everything, and would like to try the rest.

You may have a heart attack after eating here. You'll definitely need a nap after eating here. And it will all be worth it. Great KC bbq.

Very good mesquite meats such as brisket, pulled pork, chicken, ribs, burgers and great beers on tap with choice whiskey's etc. A lil pricey but well worth it. Highly recommended this establishment!!

Atmosphere is standard. Ribs were just fine.
But the cocktails really set Barrel and Ashes apart from your standard BBQ joint. Thoughtful, well-crafted cocktail menu.

Great atmosphere, great service, and the food was amazing! I loved the Hoe cake & their wings were so juicy.

Service is great, super nice staff, good portions. Country cooking with an urban flair.
Great vibe.

Good BBQ and amazing sides. Try the Frito pie and fried pickles...

Food and drinks are good, but it can get loud inside.

Amazing! Ribs, brisket, kettle beans, mac n cheese! So good!

The place has a fun environment with a good vibe and upbeat servers. The appetizer portions weren't the biggest, but were indeed flavorful (we shared the artichoke). The Pepper Encrusted Sirloin was quite delicious, and I'm a sucker for smashed potatoes. All in all, we really enjoyed it and definitely plan on going back sometime to try some new items.

This place was amazing! Great food and service by Clay was outstanding! Got us out of there soon since we had to catch a concert #worthit

Great food excellent service....Cecelia our server was amazing...just let her order for you :-)....be sure to have the Hoe Cake

The atmosphere is nice the workers are friendly. I ve always wanted to eat here because the smell walking by is tempting. Today I did just that. I ordered the wings. Cold. Tough. Sort of warm and so salty that They were unbearable. I took the wings back. I m sure other items on their menu are better.

If you like REAL barbecue, this is not the place for you. I've had worse brisket, but I haven't had worse baby back ribs...or beans...or collard greens. Too much mustard on the ribs (tasted like the cheap bratwurst with cheese). The beans tasted like pickled beans swimming in a sea of vinegar. The greens were also drenched in vinegar. Their "world famous" hoe cake is actually "the only thing worth ordering" on their silly menu.

Pretty good food. A bit pricey but very good selections. Terrific service. Nice setting.

Fantastic Louisiana hot links and pulled pork sandwich.

Best eggs Benedict I've ever had. The place is a little small for the crowd it has and having a paid valet for such a small place seems rediculous. The valet literally moved our car an inch from where we pulled up. It still cost alot for just that and the valet actually asked for a tip for that. As for the restaurant itself the foods great and the service was friendly. Just wish they would have filled up our drinks more. It was bottomless mimosas. I was only asked if I wanted a refill twice then never even looked at again.

Had the fried chicken sandwich. Best coleslaw I've had in a while. It really complimented the sandwich well.