Dr. Hogly Wogly's Tyler Texas BBQ — Restaurant in Los Angeles

A Vegetarian at Dr. Hogly Wogly’s Tyler Texas BBQ: A Sojourn into Panorama City

If you have ever wandered the sun-soaked boulevards of Southern California, you may find yourself pondering the ancient American question: “Where, pray tell, does one find honest barbecue on a day when the sun seems intent on barbecuing you?” Fortune, ever the fickle companion, led me by the nose—not by hunger, for I count myself among those eccentric souls called vegetarians, but by curiosity and a cinematic whisper—to the venerable institution known as Dr. Hogly Wogly’s Tyler Texas Barbecue.

Born, they say, in the wilds of Tyler, Texas in 1969, this modest eatery set its stakes in the gentle, asphalted plains of Panorama City, and has withstood the withering gales of time, neon, and Los Angeles real estate. Its low-slung, wood-paneled walls and booth-lined interior are as steadfast and unyielding as the trunk of an old river oak. Should the walls themselves grow mouths, I wager they would tell stories—of boom years, slow afternoons, and the gentle drizzle of barbecue sauce over brisket.

But I was not there to test their beef nor to sing the praises of smoked pork. No, I arrived as a humble seeker of plant-based sustenance, armed only with an open mind and a keen eye for the details that flavor a meal.

The young lady behind the counter, with a kindness that would put most saints to shame, guided me through the treacherous shoals of the menu. When I, with a hopeful glance, considered the baked beans, she did not let me founder—“There’s meat in the beans,” she said, her voice a beacon of vegetarian safety. It is no small thing to be seen and spared such a fate in a barbecue house; for that, I tip my hat.

So, dear reader, what lay before me on my lacquered table of plenty? First, a coleslaw of the freshest stripe: cabbage crisp as the morning after a rain, not overburdened by sauce nor mystery, but refreshing, subtle, and honest. The macaroni salad, creamy and true, balanced delicately between toothsome and yielding, offered a comfort known to all who have ever loved a picnic. Sweet potato fries, that rarest of barbecue companions, emerged golden and healthy—neither slick with oil nor burdened with salt, but perfect in their modesty. The sweet potato pie, simple and unadorned, surprised me—a slice neither too sweet nor too plain, with a crust that whispered of careful hands and homespun kitchens.

All the while, the restaurant played host to a fine playlist—a symphony of late ’70s disco and ’80s pop that would please the heart of any time traveler, and perhaps, just perhaps, coax even the most stoic among us to tap a toe. Booths for families, napkin dispensers for the sauce-splattered, bottles of ketchup and salt for the hopeful—every detail steeped in Americana.

Baseball flickered on the screens; the afternoon sun glanced off the polished tables. I looked around and saw not a relic, but a living, breathing testament to endurance, kindness, and the strange fellowship of the Los Angeles lunch hour.

So if you find yourself hungry in body, or merely hungry for memory, you could do worse than to step into Dr. Hogly Wogly’s Tyler Texas BBQ. Even a vegetarian, with a little help, will find their share...

Short and skinny: Horrible and nasty, unless you like BBQ with a vinegary taste

On a trip to Universal Studios we settled in to a comfy chain hotel for the night before heading back to Fresno. We asked the attendant for his recommendation to an eatery. He was very outgoing and enthusiastically recommended "Hogly Wogly." We headed to the joint which was a few clicks away. And when we arrived (like most good places) it was what many refer to as a hole-in-the-wall.

Inside, the little place is cozy and packed with patrons, but somewhat reminiscent of a lounge/bar scene complete with bench seats and dim lighting. Oh, but the smell was wonderful! Our appetites were only equaled by their huge serving portions. And that is the end to my praise...

Seated near the kitchen our place mats were stained with grease smudges and when asked for new mats and clean silverware the waitress simply gathered all up and slapped some new ones down. When our food arrived it was horrible. The BBQ Pork Ribs tasted like they had been drowned in vinegar and the covered in a Tampico based BBQ sauce. The Hot Links were more like sausage links. And No, the meat did not melt in your mouth; it was tough.

And with a dwindling appetite (from nausea) we ordered a to-go container. The waitress then came to our table with a clear baggy and picked up each plate and dumped them into a bag. Talk about "doggy-bag" --now that is what I call an authentic experience!

In favor of a more tasty and real BBQ experience and we all persuaded my wife to go here instead of Apple Bees, but afterwards we all apologized.

We left the restaurant bewildered and sorely disappointed and found a beggar standing without perched to ask for money. And with a couple of bills in his hand I just knew my friend wasn't going to give him anything, but then he gave him the doggy-bag and asked, "Are you hungry?" Coincidence, maybe, but the next morning my friend was sick I dumped my untouched left-over-portion in the hotel trash.

Overall the service was poor-I'll never go back or recommend the place to anyone. I hate to publish a bad review on a small business, but it is what it is...the 3 people we asked gave top marks, but trust me (unless they just didn't want us there, which if that was their goal they've accomplished it) it was NOT good at all! But you can see from all the "excellent" reviews other people had a different experience than we and apparently different tastes in BBQ. I guess, you'll just have to decide for yourself...See you on...

Saw Dr. Hogly Wogly's highly recommend as really good BBQ in the Valley. Our server was very polite and the decor is quaint.

The food however is just no good. I don't believe anyone that says they've been going here for decades unless those people have no taste buds.

To start with, a BBQ place with neither Mac n Cheese OR Corn Bread is just... why even bother? I ordered the half chicken lunch with steak fries and Baked Beans. The half chicken came out hot with half a roll of steamed bread. The bread was good but chicken was swimming in far more juices than those pieces of meat could generate and it was pretty gross. The chicken seemed to be seasoned but had no flavor whatsoever. The Steak fries were generic and flavorless. Barely any salt on them. The Baked beans were just abysmal. More like mushed beans with a flavor I couldn't quite place. I had a spoonful and that was it. Their sauces weren't terrible. The "Spicy" sauce has no kick but is definitely chipotle based. It was alright but I didn't use it cause it was TOO chipotle based. Their regular sauce was pretty sweet and I used it for the flavorless fries.

I really was hoping this place lived up to the hype but it simply doesn't. Our waitress was very nice and attentive, sadly it seems that's the only attention that is paid in this restaurant.

Would definitely NOT recommend. There's a Bludsoe's like a mile away. Go there if...