Pearl’s Fills a Texas-Sized Barbecue Hole in the Arts District

Farley Elliott is the Senior Editor at Eater LA and the author of Los Angeles Street Food: A History From Tamaleros to Taco Trucks. He covers restaurants in every form, from breaking news to the culture, people, and history that surrounds LA's dining landscape.

One of the bigger barbecue restaurant openings in recent years is finally here, as Pearl’s BBQ brings smoked meat and more to the Arts District this Saturday. Los Angeles has long been without much prowess in the larger national barbecue conversation, but the new Pearl’s — with its Airstream trailer, picnic tables, and open-air patch of the Arts District — is hoping to help change all that.

It’s not hard to see how, literally. The primary focus of the big, open lot is likely to be the 1,000 gallon smoker, a big, long white affair made by the team up at Fat Stack Smokers in Sun Valley. With the outsized rig, owner Dana Blanchard and his team can push out dozens of weighty briskets for happy diners to nosh on daily, not to mention options like sausage and beef short ribs.

The other eye-catcher at the Pearl’s property is the gleaming Airstream trailer, a silver bullet outfitted to act as the service center for the whole operation. That’s where the Pearl’s front of house crew will actually be dishing out meals, with brisket running alongside tertiary options like potato salad, coleslaw, and peach cobbler for dessert.

And the best part of it all? Pearl’s will be open daily, serving up at 9:30 a.m. and throughout the day until 7:30 p.m., or until last brisket call. The official opening day is Saturday, November 18, with a big block party planned that will include other food vendors like Mad Miller BBQ, Daddy’s Fried Chicken, Blast Ice Cream, and beer from Arts District Brewing and Shiner. Expect live music and games as well.

Pearl’s BBQ
2143 Violet St.
Los Angeles, CA