BBQ Bistro-Closed

BBQ Bistro
16691 Gothard St
Ste K
Huntington Beach
714-842-8919

BBQ Bistro was the first stop on a two stop BBQ ribs taste test in Huntington Beach. My second stop was BT's Southern BBQ.

BBQ Bistro is located in an industrial area on Gothard St. There are many businesses in the area, that hopefully are keeping BBQ Bistro busy!! If you're trying to find BBQ Bistro, look for the red umbrellas on the west side of Gothard St, or if you get there early enough, follow your nose!!


Half slab of St. Louis ribs, $12.39.

I really wasn't expecting too much from BBQ in Huntington Beach. Most BBQ places in Orange County are terrible. But, I was pleasantly surprised at BBQ Bistro. These ribs were great!! They were huge, meaty, a nice bark, good smoke flavor, very little fat, and just wonderful. The ribs were smoked with hickory and apple wood and the pit master does a great job. The BBQ sauce is a tomato based sauce, pretty good but the ribs were so good, you don't need sauce at all!!

Service is pretty good. The guy who took my order greeted me when I walked in and was pretty helpful.

I would go back to BBQ Bistro anytime. The ribs were very good. They are not open for dinner, since they cater to the surrounding businesses, which, I assume, close about 5pm. My BBQ ribs taste test was off to a great start!!

BT's Southern BBQ-Closed

BT's Southern BBQ
7144 Edinger Ave
Huntington Beach
714-841-7016

After my BBQ ribs taste test in Huntington Beach got off to a great start at BBQ Bistro, my second stop was at BT's Southern BBQ.

BT's Southern BBQ is about a mile away from BBQ Bistro, right across Edinger from Golden West College. It's a bit tough to find, but it's the same shopping center as the Toys R Us-who knew they were still in business! Once you find it, you will see a small restaurant with about 10-12 tables and a bar area inside, and two tables outside.


Full slab spare ribs, $17.95.

After a great example of real BBQ ribs, I get a bad example of real BBQ ribs. The best way to ruin real BBQ ribs, is to finish them on the grill!! Come on, the best way ruin any real BBQ by putting them on a grill!! You took the time and effort to slowly cook the ribs, but now you ruin them by putting them on a hot grill! You can see the grill marks on the ribs.

The ribs were thin, dry, lacked flavor, and just not worth it. I got more meat from the five ribs from BBQ Bistro, than I did from these 10 skinny ribs at BT's Southern BBQ.

Service is pretty good. The girl who took my order was pretty nice and helpful. When she dropped off my ribs, she told me about all the BBQ sauces they had on the table, including two sauces that were in a yellow and a red squeeze bottle, I thought they were ketchup and mustard. After a little while, she came outside and asked how everything was.

I saw many people order BBQ sandwiches, so that maybe the way to go here, but when I go to BBQ, I get spare ribs. So, I wouldn't go back to BT's Southern BBQ, especially since BBQ Bistro is only a mile away.