Phillips Barbecue (CLOSED)

There are a few Phillips Barbecue locations—one on Crenshaw Boulevard, one on Leimert, another on Centinela Avenue—and while longtime customers claim a favorite, they're all serving up the same thing: legit BBQ. Sure, it may look a little sketchy from the outside, but that narrow corridor leading up to the counter fills up quickly with a lunch crowd waiting to get their hands on Phillips' signature spare ribs. Tender and smoky, the ribs come with a sauce that ranges from mild to spicy (though your hands get dirty either way). There is corn on the cob and beans, potato salad and yams, and BBQ meat to the max. What is lacking? Enough chairs and tables, so be prepared to take your tinfoil of pulled pork and styrofoam containers of side dishes elsewhere.