The line is long, the parking lot is always full. Get there early, walk a few blocks from your street parking, and wait patiently in line because most things sell out long before the day is done.
If you have enough friends, a catering order allows you to skip the line. Order one of almost everything, just be prepared to empty your fridge and your wallet and not cook for over a week.
Sundays are the best days because of the Gochujang Beef Rib special. The smoke is solid, and the sweet Korean glaze is a nice twist on a classic Texas Q. The meat is quite tender, though there are some tougher bits that cling close to the bone.
Pork Ribs are alright. The meat doesn't fall off the bone, and I think the beef ribs are all you need.
Smoked Chicken Quarters are smoky and tender with a potent rub and plenty of smoke. No chicken has ever or should ever eclipse the pork or beef, but if you're into chicken, these are sure to impress.
Brisket is another staple. Good smoke, a pretty moist meat, but I'm a bit spoiled by my mail-order Black's and Snow's.
Pork Belly Char Siu is fun, but it's really just slices of belly with Chinese-infused bbq sauce.
Pork Belly Siu Yuk is the real star. It's that fatty belly cut topped with cracklin' skin that crunches so hard it'll vibrate your brain. It's the most beautiful way to bring Asian tradition to the southern smoker, and the result is astounding.
The meat is good, but the sides are better.
So many signature standouts - I can't get enough of the mac n' cheese. It's a most classic all-American, gooey-firm cheese-covered shells, but there's something about that cheese mix and the first texture of the coating that makes it impossible to stop eating.
Second favorite is the Mapo Chili, but the biggest mistake you can make is to eat it like a soup. It's more like traditional mapo, made to be mixed with a bed of savory Chicken Rice. The beef and pork mix is savory but sweet with bell peppers and bold with a peppery spice. The subtlety of the rice is easily lost amongst this menu of heavy hitters, but it's infused with chicken flavor that runs quite deep and shouldn't be overlooked.
They do their own take on Dirty Rice using Chinese sausage, and I love every bite.
Sesame Slaw has a vinegar pop, and Granny's Potato Salad is sweet and bright with tart apples and gooey raisins.
Spicy Cucumbers are a must to break up the bites of beef.
The Banana Pudding is sugary and light, but I'm not a fan of the runny, sugary pastry cream. I prefer my pudding with a thicker texture.
Kaya Bread Pudding is better, IMO. The bread is dense with butter but chewy and fluffy with custard and egg. The sauce is as thick as a bisque and it is glorious.
Overall, my feelings about Smoke Queen are mixed. Although I found everything extremely enjoyable, I don't think they hold up against the smoky big-meat traditions of Texas. But I also don't think that's a fair way to judge as Smoke Queen is as unique as the Asian diaspora that defines so much of SoCal, and in its own category, their creative take on an age-old American tradition is one that is very much worth a try.
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