The New Diner: Lou's Red Oak BBQ-Closed

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Lou's Red Oak BBQ-Closed

Lou's Red Oak BBQ
21501 Brookhurst St
Ste D
Huntington Beach
714-965-5200

I do like Santa Maria style BBQ. But the last two experiences at Santa Maria style BBQ makes me want to stop going to any Santa Maria style BBQ places.

I have known about Lou's for over three to four years but I just haven't been down there.

But much to my regret, I did make it down there. I got the rib combo plate, $16.99 with tri tip, and Kraft mac and cheese and corn on the cob. I know Santa Maria BBQ is all about tri tip but this tri tip was terrible. They said cooked medium but what I got was tri tip cooked rare, the pictures do not lie. Now I'm not too picky, I just don't like well done. The tri tip was tough, not much flavor, and lots of fat. They do not season their tri tip well at all. It seemed as though they flashed cooked the tri tip because they were running out.

I love BBQ ribs and I always get BBQ ribs at BBQ places. I'm not expecting smoked ribs but damn the ribs were bad. First of all they say they are St. Louis style ribs, they aren't because the tips were on the ribs. St. Louis style means no tips. But they were grilled and lack flavor. They also had a lot of fat and grizzle. Not good at all

Now they say real Kraft mac and cheese is a side option. But damn, can't you can't make your own mac and cheese? The corn on the cob was cold and pretty flavorless.

Service was OK. We were greeted and seated quickly. But after that we didn't see the server for at least ten minutes. They were on their Iphones and texting everybody. But after coming back to take our orders the server was good, refilling drinks and was helpful.

I would not go back to Lou's again. I thought the prices were very high for the amount and quality of food you get. A Santa Maria style bbq place better make a damn good tri tip but Lou's falls way short. If I lived in Huntington Beach, I would make the drive to Culver City and get the best Santa Maria style BBQ at Santa Maria BBQ.

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