With grills on backorder and temperatures still high, maybe we should leave the BBQ to the pros this Labor Day—of course, if you want to grill over the holiday weekend, some of L.A.’s best restaurants are making that easy, too.
Whether you’re hoping to bite into 12-hour–smoked ribs without any of the work or you’re planning on manning the flames at home, L.A. steakhouses, pitmasters, Italian restaurants and Oaxacan gems are all offering special meal kits or ready-made feasts to celebrate however you want, with whatever you’re craving.
American Beauty
If you feel like doing the grilling yourself, Venice’s extremely cool steakhouse is offering two extremely cool Labor Day package deals for the holiday weekend: one for steaks and one for burgers, and both involving sides and dessert. Whether you’re opting for the $85 kit with two 15-day–dry-aged rib eye steaks or the $65 kit of four steakhouse burgers, you’ll also get the fantastic stuffed hash browns, plus elote kits with corn for the grilling, and four chocolate chunk cookies. Order online by September 4 at 4pm, then pick up between September 4 and 7.
Conservatory
Looking to dine in or get it to-go? West Hollywood’s Conservatory has you covered either way with a massive ready-made BBQ box all weekend long. The $95 package includes plenty to go around: a full rack of hickory-smoked baby back ribs, a couple 12-hour–smoked beef ribs, a couple kielbasa sausages, sides of potato salad and baked beans, and a couple ears of grilled street corn. There’s also à la carte BBQ, plus a themed cocktail at an additional cost. Stop by or get it all to-go from Saturday to Sunday.
Madre
There’s no reason not to surround yourself with margaritas and ceviche this long weekend (or any weekend, really), and one of L.A.’s best Oaxacan restaurants is making it easy with a massive Labor Day package that feeds/drinks five people. Every pack includes 10 margaritas, plus chips, guacamole, salsa and shrimp ceviche, and runs $150. It’s available at all Madre locations—that’s Torrance, Palms and West Hollywood—and can be found this Saturday to Monday.
Rossoblu
Steve Samson’s always-on-point ode to the Emilia-Romagna region is giving Labor Day an Italian edge with a $49 meal package for two, complete with antipasti of focaccia with anchovy butter; marinated tomatoes with burrata; and watermelon salad with olives and ricotta salata. The entrée offers the choice of two bolognese-topped burgers; the brick chicken; or a 28-day–dry-aged steak for a $40 supplement, and whatever you pick, you’ll also get sides of fingerling potatoes and creamed corn. Dessert? Four fresh chocolate chip cookies, or a peach crumble crostata ($20 supplement) or a pint of gelato or sorbetto ($10 supplement). Order online, then pick up at the Fashion District restaurant on Saturday, September 5, or Sunday, September 6, from noon to 6pm.
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SLAB
Can’t BBQ at home? Don’t even want to try? Let SLAB’s pitmaster extraordinaire, Burt Bakman, bring home the brisket. SLAB on West Third is doing it up with a Labor Day package that feeds four with two pounds of brisket, a whole chicken, one pound of pulled pork, and your choice of three sides (between mac and cheese, baked beans, slaw, potato salad, and collard greens), plus red velvet cake for dessert and all the extra pickles, onions and sauce you could want as BBQ accoutrements. Order the kit online for $130, then pick it up from the restaurant Sunday or Monday from 11am to 9pm.