Little India in Artesia runs along Pioneer Boulevard, a stretch of sweet shops, grocery stores and clothing shops that pulls in visitors from all over Southern California on a weekend. Ribs 'n' Kabobs is not on Pioneer Boulevard. We are a short drive away on Norwalk Blvd, which makes us an easy answer to the question every Little India visitor asks after an hour of shopping: where do we eat?
Here is a half-day plan that covers the boulevard first and the smoker second, with what to order, how to find us, and how people from Cerritos, Norwalk and Buena Park fit the trip into a weekend.
What is Little India in Artesia?
Little India is the stretch of Pioneer Boulevard in Artesia where South Asian businesses have clustered for decades. In a few blocks you will find Indian and Pakistani grocery stores, sweet shops selling boxes of mithai, jewelry stores, fabric and clothing shops, and restaurants. On weekends, and especially before Diwali and Eid, the sidewalks are busy and parking takes patience.
Two names give a sense of how long the district has been here. Ashoka the Great, at 18614 Pioneer Boulevard, has been serving Indian food since 1988. Biryani Factory, at 18521 Pioneer Boulevard, has been there since 2011. Plenty of other shops have come and gone around them, but the boulevard itself keeps drawing a crowd.
Is Ribs 'n' Kabobs on Pioneer Boulevard?
No, and that matters because some listings get it wrong. Ribs 'n' Kabobs is on Norwalk Blvd in Artesia, a short drive from the Pioneer Boulevard Little India district. If you are standing outside a sweet shop on Pioneer, you are a few minutes by car from a plate of hickory smoked ribs. We are the halal BBQ house Little India visitors drive to after shopping, not a shop on the boulevard itself.
That distinction matters for one practical reason: you will not stumble on us while walking. Put the address into your maps app before you leave the boulevard.
How do you spend a half day in Little India, Artesia?
- Start on Pioneer Boulevard. Park once and walk. Pick up groceries, spices, frozen parathas, or a box of sweets for the house. Stop in at a fabric shop if there is a wedding coming up. Give yourself an hour or two.
- Take a break. Grab a chai or a cold drink somewhere along the way while you decide what to buy. Do not fill up on snacks yet; the real meal is next.
- Drive to Norwalk Blvd. Leave the boulevard and head to Ribs 'n' Kabobs. The drive is short, and the smell of hickory tells you when you have arrived.
- Order from both sides of the menu. Something from the smoker and something from the lava rock grill. The next section tells you what.
- Finish with dessert. Gulab jamun, kulfi or a mango lassi from our menu, or take your Pioneer Boulevard sweets home for later.
On a weekend, check the specials before you order. Haleem, goat biryani and the Brisket Weekend Special show up on weekend specials, and they are worth planning a Saturday around.
What should you order first at Ribs 'n' Kabobs?
If you have spent the afternoon on Pioneer Boulevard, you have probably already had your fill of samosas and sweets. Order the things you will not find on the boulevard:
- Back Ribs in Hickory Smoked BBQ sauce. Beef ribs from the hickory smoker, fall off the bone tender. Start here.
- Beef Seekh Kabob or Chicken Koobideh. Hand-mixed, cooked on the lava rock grill. Order one skewer of each and compare.
- Animal Style Cheesy Kabob Fries. Fries topped with kabob and melted cheese, the dish in the cover photo. Share it, or do not.
- Brisket Burnt Ends. An appetizer of smoked brisket pieces. Brisket takes about 12 hours in the smoker, low and slow.
- A Kabob Platter for the table. One to five skewers with sides, the easy choice for a family that cannot agree.
Everything on the menu is hand-slaughtered Zabiha halal and certified by HFSAA; you can read the standard at hfsaa.org. There is no pork and no alcohol on site, so a family coming straight from the masjid or the sweet shop does not have to ask. For more on the smoker side of the menu, see our post on halal BBQ in Los Angeles, and for the wider picture of eating halal in town, read our halal food in Artesia guide.
How do you get to Little India and to Ribs 'n' Kabobs?
Artesia is near the 91 and 605 freeways, which is why Little India is easy to reach from most of Los Angeles County and northern Orange County. A maps search for Pioneer Boulevard, Artesia will take you to the district.
When you are done shopping, Ribs 'n' Kabobs is a short drive from the Pioneer Boulevard Little India district. Search for the address, 18925 Norwalk Blvd, rather than the restaurant name, so your phone does not send you back toward the boulevard. Directions are on the contact page.
Who makes the trip?
Families from Cerritos and Norwalk are close enough to make it an ordinary evening out. People from Buena Park and Long Beach often combine a Little India run with dinner. Visitors from further out in Orange County or the Inland Empire tend to plan the whole day around it: shop in the afternoon, eat early, and head home before the evening traffic.
If you are coming with a group, a Ribs Platter of 10 to 40 pieces and a Kabob Platter cover the table. And if you would rather the food came to you, our catering delivers to Artesia, Cerritos, Norwalk, Buena Park and other nearby cities with at least 24 hours notice.
Where do you end the day in Artesia?
Ribs 'n' Kabobs, 18925 Norwalk Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701, is a family-owned, HFSAA-certified, 100% Zabiha Halal BBQ and grill restaurant serving Los Angeles County, Orange County and the rest of Southern California since 2014. Read how the family started the restaurant on our story page, and bring an appetite from the boulevard.