Find your next
KBBQ spot.
An updated take on the viral 2022 chart — LA & OC KBBQ restaurants ranked by cost and rating.
The chart
Every spot plotted by rating and cost. Down & right is the sweet spot.
Tap a bubble to see details
Chart key
Dot color: cost per person
Quadrants: how to think about a spot
Understanding the chart
🧮 How is the cost per person calculated?+−
AYCE spots: Midpoint of the menu tiers — (cheapest + most expensive) ÷ 2. Hover a bubble to see the full range.
Non-AYCE spots: Estimated cost from the most common set or a typical 2–3 person order. Treat as a ballpark until verified.
Where exact price hasn't been checked, we fall back to the Yelp price tier's midpoint.
💎 What does "Value Pick" mean?+−
Restaurants in the top 25% of the value score (rating ÷ cost × 100) and under $40/pp. A quick signal for spots where you get a lot of quality for the price.
💵 What do the $ / $$ / $$$ price tiers mean?+−
When exact price isn't verified, we estimate from Yelp's price tier:
- $ — $28–$35/pp (budget)
- $$ — $35–$45/pp (mid-range)
- $$$ — $45–$60/pp (premium)
- $$$$ — $60+/pp (high-end)
About the project
🗃️ About the data+−
Data seeded from the viral 2022 chart by Rajesh Nitityanandan, expanded with additional spots and updated prices.
AYCE vs Non-AYCE isn't something Yelp reports — newly added spots may need their type confirmed.
Currently tracking 50 restaurants across LA County.
⭐ How do ratings work?+−
Ratings are pulled from the Yelp Fusion API and may differ slightly from Yelp's website due to API caching. Review counts follow the same source.
🗓️ How often is the data updated?+−
Prices are checked manually and may be months behind. The "last price check" date on each restaurant page shows when it was last verified — always confirm before you go.
Yelp ratings and review counts can be refreshed from the API via the admin panel.
🔥 About this project+−
Inspired by the viral 2022 chart by Rajesh Nitityanandan. This is an updated, living version with more restaurants and an actively maintained dataset covering greater LA and Orange County.