The “Welcome to the cookout” signage carries cultural weight. In Black American traditions, being invited to the cookout is more than access to good food—it’s acceptance, community, and joy. Anderson and Cedric have bottled that feeling and serve it alongside their “Riverfront Ribs” and “AC Chopped Brisket.”
Families spill onto the terrace, plates loaded with smoke-kissed meats. At night, string lights cast a warm glow that almost—almost makes you forget you’re in a shopping center and not someone’s backyard on a perfect summer evening.
Where Entertainment Meets Culinary Heritage
The restaurant isn’t just named for its founders’ initials—it’s infused with their personalities. The lively atmosphere feels like the physical manifestation of their on-screen chemistry.
In the kitchen, pitmaster Burt Bakman brings serious credentials to what could have been dismissed as another celebrity vanity project. But AC Barbeque has roots deeper than that.
This venture extends beyond Los Angeles. The duo has already launched campus kitchens at Howard and Jackson State universities, creating pathways for Black culinary talent while bringing their flavors to historically Black colleges.
If you order the DBYF Burnt Ends—smoked pork belly with glazed maple sauce—you’ll find yourself closing your eyes with each bite, temporarily transported from mall dining to someone’s family reunion.
The mac & cheese tastes like it was made by someone’s auntie who refuses to share the recipe. Lorna’s cole slaw (named for Cedric’s wife) carries that perfect balance of tang and sweetness that makes you suspicious it might be a closely guarded family recipe.
Because it is.
This isn’t food trying to reinvent barbecue—it’s food honoring tradition while making space at the table for everyone. In an age of digital taste memories, where algorithms suggest your next meal, there’s something grounding about barbecue that speaks through smoke, spice, and stories passed down by hand, not code.
What makes AC Barbeque special isn’t just the food. It’s being invited to something authentic—a celebration of Black culinary excellence that welcomes everyone to pull up a chair.
Sometimes the soul of a city is found in unexpected places. And sometimes, it tastes like smoke, spice, and the joy of being invited to the cookout.
