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Succulent ribs and scrumptious shrimp …. & the side dishes I shared with my friend ... Yummmmmm…. the Mac & cheese - incredible, the okra was a delicious surprise (I thought there was not much you can do with Okra-I was wrong), the baked beans with pulled pork … the best I have ever enjoyed, and the corn on the cob….wow. The service was friendly and casual, the atmosphere was a bit loud but embracing; the entire meal experience-it was undeniably enjoyable.

BBQ is a very subjective enterprise with everyone from Texas to Kansas City to North Carolina favoring his or her regional style. This is AUTHENTIC, GENUINE North Carolina BBQ, and done exceptionally well. There is a reason the place always has a line outside. Do yourself a favor and head to Venice for some Baby Blues. Rock solid.

Highly over-rated- I'm pretty sure if you're a bar-b-q fan you'll come to know that you can do better in your own back yard. The meat, at best, taste like char. Mind you, I like char on my meat, but I don't like char as the general flavor of the meat. Is there a rub on this? I can't tell- all I taste is char. Maybe I went on a bad day. The only way to get flavor out of them dry bones is to sauce it up real good, but then you're left with saucy char. The mac'n'cheese was supposed to be the top pick- meh. Okay at best.

baby blues is generally a very good place, with some notable caveats. the service, though friendly, can be rather casual--god help you if you're in a hurry. the servers, usually young women, often seem to be chirping away with their friends, customers and fellow servers, instead of paying close attention to who came in when, who needs to be served quickly, etc. the decor is crowded, dark and nondescript. the food, however, is a pleasure. the baby backs are absolutely first rate--i've never had an order where every bit of meat on the bone wasn't tender, delicious and edible--no wasted gristle, etc. the key lime pie, made i believe by an asian lady, is usually but not always available, and has just the right balance of sweet and tart--it's first rate. i've stopped going anywhere else for these two items--baby blues has retired the trophy. to go straight to heaven, at home heat half a rack of the ribs at 350 for ten minutes, pull off the meat and mix with a blend of smoky bbq sauce (2 parts) and hoisin sauce (1 part), then pile on top of a piece of cornbread and add two poached eggs and a few sliced scallions. you should die happy.--gonzo

It's the real deal here and the guys know how to do it right. They take great personal care that the recipes are excellent and the meat, fish and chicken are super high-quality, but at a price you and I can afford. Innovative menu, but not a California-ized version of BBQ (I am so sick of that). Terrific ribs, and the corn on the cob is THE BEST I've ever had anywhere. Do NOT miss it! Noisy but fun. And very personable wait staff they're like your buddies. Wonderful food in a place where you feel like they know your name. Too rare for Los Angeles...

This is one of my favorite places. The food is divine. Everything from ribs to shrimp to chicken to mashed sweet potatoes and corn. I have been to plenty of places and this food is by far the best. Worth the drive if you're on the east side like me! The place gets packed, so get there early and there is no A/C so it definitely gets hot but boy is it worth it!