Yelp’s global approach to the art of cooking with smoke has broadened the thinking about great U.S. barbecue places — and put some of California’s top Asian and Mediterranean grills in competition with the likes of Franklin Barbecue in Texas and Joe’s of Kansas City.
On this year’s Yelp Top 100 BBQ list, released May 18, five Bay Area restaurants made the top 100, and two of those cracked the top 10. The list was created by Yelp’s Elite Squad, which traversed the country to sample barbecue that had been highly rated by Yelp consumers.
San Bruno’s Mazra, a popular wood-fired Mediterranean-Levantine grill, ranked No. 3 — and previously made it onto Yelp’s overall Top 100. This is “where family recipes and wood-fired meats come together,” said the judging squad, which praised the rotisserie chicken, the fresh seasonal mezzes and the “warm, welcoming setting.” The owners, brothers Saif and Jordan Makableh, also operate a second Mazra in Redwood City.
The No. 1 restaurant on the BBQ list is Little Miss BBQ, a Phoenix joint specializing in Texas-style barbecue. A Japanese barbecue in Honolulu, Han No Daidokoro, ranked No. 2.
Coming in at No. 5 is San Ho Wan, a Korean barbecue in San Francisco’s Mission district. “Thoughtfully sourced ingredients and precise techniques from chefs Corey Lee and Jeong-In Hwang shine in every dish,” Yelp said.
South San Francisco’s Sofra Grill earned the No. 13 spot. Yelp noted chef-owner Azad Sinjary’s “fresh take on Turkish and Syrian favorites” with house-baked flatbreads and signature desserts like kunafa.
The 10 Butchers Korean BBQ in Sunnyvale ranked No. 33. “Farm-to-table quality shines at this Bay Area Korean BBQ spot, where diners can sample 10 cuts of premium wagyu grilled right at the table,” the Yelp judging panel wrote.
The fifth Bay Area restaurant to be honored was Quack House, a restaurant in San Francisco’s Lower Nob Hill area that specializes in Cantonese-style roast meats and came in at No. 42. Yelp said: “The real star is the signature roast duck, best enjoyed with house-made plum vinaigrette.”
Ten Southern California restaurants, all either Korean or Japanese grills, made the list. The highest ranked SoCal spot, at No. 11, was Yakiya of Hacienda Heights in the San Gabriel Valley, with its chef-curated Japanese barbecue tasting menu.
Full list: yelp.com/collection/9GmH_fwNfL1oAtCnY8JMdg/Top-100-BBQ-restaurants-in-the-US-according-to-Yelp-Elites
Dining and Cooking