Perdue's Barbeque456 E Orange Grove Ave
Pasadena
626-229-0742
History Lesson: August 9, 1945, the US drops a nuclear bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, which would lead to the ending WWII. The US did the right thing using the nuclear bombs since many more lives would have been taken, if the US had to invade Japan.
But what the US did to Japanese-Americans during this time, sending them to concentration camps, is disgraceful. When you consider that the 442nd Infantry Regiment was made up entirely of all Japanese-Americans-who's families were in the concentration camps and was one of the most decorated units of WW II, it really showed how much of an idiot, john dewitt, really was for issuing Executive Order, 9066.
The smell of BBQ coming from a new mixed used development on Orange Grove in Pasadena? No it can't be another competitor, to Robin's for BBQ in Pasadena? But it is a BBQ place, Perdue's Barbeque. Perdue's Barbeque used to be in LA but moved to Pasadena. They are on the first floor of a condo complex. If this BBQ was great, I would buy a condo in this complex.
I got the pork spare ribs, $10.95, with mac and cheese and potato salad. After a 45 minute wait, no kidding, four small, dry ribs are set in front of me. The ribs had a sweet bark to them, I prefer a spicer bark. A decent smoke flavor. But they were small, not much meat, dry and pretty flavorless. I wasn't impressed.
The mac and cheese was bland and the potato salad was mustard based. I barely took 2-3 bites from each of the sides.
Service. Very friendly, nice people working there/own the restaurant. BUT even though the sign, as you enter says This isn't fast food. Your wait maybe 15-20 minutes or longer. I waited 45 minutes for my food. Not impressed. I can live with 25-30 minute service but 45!!!! And it was hot in there, turn on the air conditioner!!!
I rarely talk about the decor of a restaurant but I loved the decor at Perdue's. They had pictures of the Negro Leagues and pictures of Hall of Famers like Rube Foster, Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson, and Satchel Paige. Such great baseball players that many in America didn't see because of the color of their skin.
I would not go back to Perdue's again. Nice people but the BBQ is not worth the wait.
