Two Black-owned restaurants in Huntington Beach serve authentic barbecue, but they’re not really competing against each other—they are at opposite ends of the city.
Chef Keenan Handy, the founder of Hambone’s Smokehouse on the corner of Adams Avenue and Brookhurst Street, was born and raised in Compton, and learned the art of cooking and smoking meat from his parents.
According to the Hambone website, Handy has over 20 years of experience as a pitmaster and restaurateur.
At Hambone’s, the meat is smoked to perfection in a wood-fired barbecue pit with a secret blend of woods and spices that makes his California barbecue distinct.
He offers three different signature barbecue sauces all made in-house.
I sampled the Hambone cuisine recently and ordered the catfish nuggets served with a spicy remoulade sauce, and the fried mushrooms with a ranch dipping sauce. Not only were they tasty, the portions were more than generous.
2020 Opening for Beale’s
Meanwhile, Beale’s Texas BBQ on Coast Highway in the part of Huntington Beach known as Sunset Beach has been serving Texas-style barbecue since May 2020.
That’s right—owner Brett Beale opened his restaurant in the middle of a pandemic, but he did not move here from Texas. He’s a Santa Ana native who opened his first restaurant in the Inland Empire before relocating to the coast of OC.
His recipes are family heirlooms passed down for generations, although Beale has perfected the art of smoking meats.
Highlights of his menu include St. Louis ribs slowly smoked with Beale’s “Grand Champion Rub,” tri tip, brisket, pulled pork, Louisiana hotlinks, collard greens, and honey cheese cornbread.
Hambone’s Smokehouse: 10056 Adams Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 968-1261, hambonesbarandgrill.com
Beale’s Texas BBQ: 16400 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach, (562) 588-3070, bealestexasbbq.com
