Robert Earl’s BBQ, the North Long Beach gem that largely introduced the city to proper barbecue, will be permanently closing its long-loved brick-and-mortar on Aug. 9. The space at 703 E. Artesia Blvd. will definitely feel empty as Robert and his family take to a food truck for operations.
“Our last day at the brick-and-mortar will be this coming Saturday,” Robert said. “So please come out and support us. I will then move to the food truck for all operations. And yes, I will post daily our locations. Our phone number will be the same—562-726-1116—and you can always visit our website or email me: robertearlsbbq1@gmail.com.”
And while it marks a sad shift in the loss of Black-owned brick-and-mortars across the Southland—the stellar and underrated Grilled Fraiche immediately comes to mind—there is reason to celebrate that Robert and his family at least have another means to maintain the business via the food truck.
“Who would have thought something that started in the backyard some 17 years ago to support my then-young family,” Robert posed, “would be what it is today? I would like to thank you all who have been ridin’ with me since day one.”
The love for Robert Earl’s BBQ
When I first walked into Robert Earl’s BBQ back in 2014, five ounces of brisket with a side of potato salad was $7.50—which is rather wild to think about nowadays. Just a year later, the space would be the 2015 Business of the Year via then-Assemblymember Anthony Rendon.
Back then—and, let’s be honest, for many to this day—it was always been about Bludso’s, the Compton staple just north of Long Beach that hadn’t reached the echelons Kevin Bludso has now. And, call it sacrilege, but I never bought into the idea that Bludso’s—which persistently held spots on the Los Angeles Times’ 101 Best Restaurants—outshined North Long Beach’s own small-but-mighty Robert Earl’s BBQ. At the least, they were certainly neck-and-neck at the time, but given that Robert Earl’s was the city’s best-kept secret, it often felt like the hometown spot had the edge.
We’re talking about what was, without hesitation, Long Beach’s best BBQ. And it wasn’t just about the food—it was about Robert. His humble smile. Or LaTonya going into deep detail regarding the importance of potato salad. Their habit of sitting with patrons to talk about their kids’ latest achievements. Or to ask after someone’s mother. The vintage Victrola that invited you to drop on some Al Green. The paper trays lined with red-and-white checkered paper…
They created a community.
With the food truck, Robert and LaTonya have a return to roots—well, kind of.
In a sense, the Robert Earl’s BBQ food truck is a return to their more humble roots.
Robert Earl’s smoked art first appeared at the Greener Goods farmers market, where he took his backyard craft—slow-smoking and coaxing tenderness out of meat—and offered it to more than just family and friends. By the summer of 2012, he was selling once a week, drawing lines that rivaled any big-name joint. Just over a year later, Earl—ever the dreamer—took the leap into his current brick-and-mortar space.
The restaurant, east of his former market stall, allowed him to turn out Texas-style BBQ at a level of production that the farmers market could never sustain. And now, it seems that Robert and LaTonya are returning to those simpler operations—a choice that should always be met with applause in the industry—with this food truck.
Our job? Continue to support them.
