APL BBQ Pop Up — Restaurant in Los Angeles

We went to this BBQ pop-up on 7/26/2025 and here’s what we found.

Wait Time & Line Flow The restaurant opens at 12:30 PM. We arrived at the entrance at 10:30 AM and were the first in line. From our observation, arriving between 11:30–11:45 AM should still allow you to be part of the first group to enter. (Based on our experience this time.) Around 12:30 PM, entry begins through a side iron gate.

Parking The only real advantage of arriving early is being able to park for free right in front of Gin Rummy (about 5–6 spots), so you don’t have to look for street parking nearby.

Pricing & Portion Sizes Here’s the current price list for this time of year for your reference: • Colorado Whole Rack of Lamb – $160 (approx. 8–10 ribs) • BBQ Oxtail – $100 • Aged Wagyu F1 48oz Tomahawk – $300 • Colossal Beef Short Rib – $86 (approx. 1–2 large ribs) • 36oz Beeler’s Farm Pork Chop – $85 • Sweet & Sticky Pork Ribs – $60 (approx. 8–10 ribs) • Pulled Pork Shoulder – $50 • Oak Wood Smoked Prime Rib (English Cut) – $95 • Honey Butter Corn Bread – $9 (serves 1–2 people) • APL BBQ Sauce – $10

Recommendation Regardless of the price, this is hands-down the best American BBQ I’ve...

Adam Perry Lang is still making great bbq. 20+years after often frequenting Daisy Mae in NYC, this pop up is a reminder of some of that glory. Limited but focused offering of a few meats (all looked great) and excellent slaw and cucumber salad.

However, not everything was on form. The beef rib was over cooked, under seasoned and no real smoke flavour - pretty bland actually. We spoke with a few folks at our table and the consensus was the same. Which is fine - that happens sometimes. But when I asked the staff for some sauce to attempt to give the $75 beef rib some much needed flavour, I was summarily dismissed and scolded that “all meats are appropriately sauced”. Had the beef rib been cooked properly, then they would have been correct. But it wasn’t, and they wouldn’t, so we ended up just abandoning it as it wasn’t really worth finishing.

Arrogance aside, APL BBQ pop up seems to be a hit and I am sure all the food is usually very good. One disappointment does not a trend...

Got the pulled pork sandwich and the pork ribs.

Hardly any smoke flavor. Don’t need smokers like that if you get so little flavor. Clean smoke isn’t the reason, all the texas barbecue places use clean smoke. That isn’t it.

The ribs were not very tender and not rendered enough. Meat is very stuck to the bone. Very unimpressed. This isn’t barbecue in any barbecue region.

The pork butt in the sandwich was hardly smoked as well.

Very unfortunate. No photos because it really wasn’t worth it.

The pickles were amazing so that was why there’s two stars. Didn’t get any hot peppers though.

The process of buying was ok. Smooth. However there’s not much of help in explaining things. This isn’t an establishment that’s been open for years. People waited 2 hours for this. Be more hospitable please.

Wherever they pop up again, get there forty five minutes early and be one of the...