This is California's best BBQ restaurant

Family of slain Riverside County deputy reopens family restaurant

Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy Darnell Calhoun was killed in the line of duty on Jan. 13. On Wednesday, his family reopened their family restaurant, Calhoun Family Texas Barbeque in Murrieta.

MURRIETA, Calif. - If you're looking for the best BBQ in California, look no further than Riverside County.

That's where you'll find family-owned Calhoun Family Texas BBQ. Located in a Murrieta strip mall, the beloved restaurant was recently named byYelp for serving up the best BBQ in the entire Golden State.

The BBQ spot is owned by the family of slain Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy Darnell Calhoun, who was killed in the line of duty on Jan. 13.

Following Calhoun's death, the restaurant closed and became a gathering place for the community. Flowers, cards, and balloons surrounded the restaurant in a show of support.

But on Feb. 1, Calhoun’s mother Renee, dad Lonnie, and their surviving children reopened the restaurant. Inside there is a plaque dedicated to their late son, with the date of his passing, and the initials EOW "End of Watch."

"He was the best you could ever imagine, I love him so dearly, but I have to know he didn't die in vain. I was proud of him and who he became. He even worked here at the restaurant for eight years before he went into law enforcement. He was the one in the front, always taking the orders, he had the personality," his father emotionally stated.

Darnell Calhoun: Community holds memorial for deputy killed in line of duty

The community held a memorial for slain Riverside County deputy Darnell Calhoun.

The restaurant has 4.5 stars on Yelp with over 1,100 reviews, many of which mention the Calhoun family's kindness and hospitality a major selling point.

"Whenever we get to Murrieta we always stop in at Calhoun's. It never disappoints!' one Yelper said.

"The best BBQ in the Inland Empire. A Real mom pop winner. The best food I've had," another review read.

"This place is the real deal. Amazing barbecue from Houston, Texas," another commented.

To determine the best barbecue restaurant in every state, Yelp identified businesses in the restaurant category with a large concentration of reviews mentioning "barbecue," then ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews mentioning those keywords.

You can see the best BBQ in every state by tapping or clicking here.

California Murrieta Food and Drink Inland Empire Riverside County