Daniel Castillo’s salsa-verde-smothered, hickory-smoked tri-tip, topped with buttery ripe avocado slices and served with a “Caesar slaw,” just steps away from the breaking waves, seems like a mirage at first.
But Smokehouse By Heritage Barbecue has been quietly operating in Bolsa Chica since May 3rd. Since then, it's been a secret known primarily to surfers, beachgoing families, and e-bikers on the boardwalk, lured in by the enticing smell of his carne asada-style tri-tip.
“Eating barbecue with tortillas and salsa is how I like to eat barbecue at home,” Castillo, a 2025 James Beard Award Finalist for “Best Chef” in California, tells L.A. TACO after a visit.
Unlike Heritage Barbecue, the emphasis at Smokehouse by Heritage BBQ is on Castillo’s tri-tip, which he marinates like carne asada and cold smokes for two hours, and then sears on his Santa Maria-style grill over hickory until it melts in your mouth. You can see the collagen on the thick-cut strips of beef.
Castillo summarizes his menu as “ Latino-style meets Black-style. It’s ‘hood, but finessed.” There is no macaroni and cheese, but there is a macaroni salad. The slaw features cotija cheese, an homage to the Caesar salad.