Lots of places claim to serve Texas-style barbecue, but the meat at Smokin' J's is the real deal. Owner John started smoking meat as a hobby back in Dallas, and took that passion with him when he moved to South Pasadena. But that setup was far different from today's Smokin' J's—John was dishing out his grub to hungry travelers from a roadside smoker at a Chevron station. As demand for John's barbecue grew, so did his need for a bigger space and additional help, inspiring him to finally open a storefront location.

That extra space allowed John to build his barbecue repertoire as well. Today, in addition to his famous barbecue ribs and Texas-style brisket, diners can dig into pulled pork that's been slow-smoked for 14–16 hours, smoked sausage, and tender barbecue chicken. Real Texas-sized appetites, however, may want to attempt the Challenge Sandwich: a mammoth grinder topped with one-pound each of Smokin' J's most popular meats, plus a full rack of ribs, one-pound of sides, and garnishes.