iloveuab.com’s Top 5 Birmingham BBQ Joints!
Alright iloveuab.com readers I’ve been gone most of the summer traveling around the nation and seeing some amazing places! I’ve been to California, Florida, Tennessee and and just about everywhere else in between! That being said there is no where like Sweet Home Alabama and I am so glad to be home! Being on the west cost totally made me thankful for the incredible food we have around here! No one does it better than Alabama when it comes to Q!
That being said we at iloveuab.com love our city along with our illustrious university so what we’ve done is broken down the top chain BBQ joints in the ‘Ham down to 5 and have made our list of the best BBQ restaurants in the Birmingham area! Enjoy!
#5
Johnny Rays BBQ
Distance from Campus -2.7 miles.
Website Johnnyrays.com
Why it’s on our list -Alright let’s just boil it down from the start. No need to beat around the bush here. Johnny Rays is on our list for one thing and one thing only; their pie! I’m not gonna bore you by talking about the mediocre taste of their BBQ or how other places are easily more affordable and better quality but I am going to tell you their pie is by far the best in the state. Johnny Rays pies are off the freaking charts! And I know that starting out with pies is a weird way to begin a BBQ countdown but hey it’s the South and I’m a college student I can eat dessert before supper if I want! Who eats BBQ and then doesn’t have dessert? I mean dessert is just as important as the Sweet Tea (which we’ll discuss later).
What I usually order- CHOCOLATE PIE!!! Mmmm…
Will I have to sell my books to eat here? Maybe, a meal at Johnny Rays will run you from $8 (without a drink) and upward
How’s the menu?-Nice variety. Plenty to choose from.
Any Drawback?-Very forgettable BBQ and pretty pricey.
#4
Golden Rule BBQ
Distance from Campus-1.6 miles.
Website Golden Rule (Just an aside the site was down when I tried it but maybe it will be back up by the time this hits the web)
Why it’s on our list -Golden Rule has been a figurehead for BBQ in the Birmingham and it’s surrounding area for quite a while now. With everything from ribs to chicken to beef to pork Golden Rule just about has it all! Great sweet tea and delicious desserts Golden Rule is one of the those places that does anything it takes to cater to all its clienteles tastes.
What I usually order- Chicken Sandwich.
Am I gonna have to ask my mom to send me some money after I eat here? Actually no Golden Rule is a fairly priced BBQ joint. We’re not talking dollar menu but you could easily pull off a $6-$7 meal.
How’s the menu? -Great variety. A little something for everyone!
Any drawbacks? -While there is great variety and plenty of locations to choose from, Golden Rule’s core BBQ is at best forgettable. While the food is strong and plenty filling the sauce and meats are just as tasty as the type your Uncle cooks for you when you go over for the 4th of July. Not trying to bash too harshly just saying Golden Rule has plenty of the quantity but not so much of the quality.
#3
Dreamland BBQ
Distance from Campus -0.7 Miles.
Website Dreamlandbbq.com
Why it’s on our list -Ribs, Ribs, and more Ribs! Dreamland BBQ has been a staple for Alabama BBQ for over 50 years now. Despite the fact that Dreamland started in T-town it’s signature ribs and sauce have made people travel from miles around to Tuscaloosa to get a taste of John “Big Daddy” Bishop’s famous dish. Once again proving that sometimes good things can come out of Tuscaloosa. Back in the 90’s Dreamland began to franchise itself out and started putting up spots around the south. Thanks to the franchisement(yes it’s a word I’m an English major dammit) UAB received one less than a mile from our campus (around where the Pi Kaps house is) and has been enjoying the delicious ribs and sauce for many a year now. Although some folks complain that the franchisment (start using this word daily it’ll catch on) has made Dreamland lose some of it’s “hole in the wall” taste Dreamland still stands as king of the ribs in this state.
What I usually order -The filet mignon. Duh the RIBS!!!
Will I have to ask Nick Saban for some extra money for books to eat here? Probably, Dreamland is ribs and ribs are kinda pricey. Think somewhere in the $10+ range for a a full meal.
How’s the Menu? -Check the next comment…
Any Drawbacks?-Ribs, ribs and more ribs! Actually while ribs are awesome and I freakin love me some good ribs ribs is pretty much all Dreamland serves. They have some chopped chicken sandwiches and stuff like that but their sides and dessert choices are pretty short. Also be prepared to pay around $10 for a meal.
#2
Full Moon BBQ
Distance from Campus -1.3 Miles
Website Fullmoon.com
Why it’s on our list -Full Moon is one of those places where you could eat at every day for a month and probably never get sick of it. (ok maybe you would get sick of it but I wouldn’t) With plenty to choose from including BBQ sandwiches, ribs, bakers (potatoes) and more Full Moon has something amazing to choose from for everyone. However, unlike the previous 3 Full Moon’s full menu (haha…ehh) is sure to satisfy the taste buds. FM has mastered the art of having quality with quantity. On top of there bountiful menu Full Moon also has some of the best Sweet Tea this state has to offer. Good Sweet Tea, Good food and a great dessert menu Full Moon is hands down one of the best places to get the most bang for your buck.
What I normally order -BBQ Brisket Sandwich. Delicious!
Will I have to request a government bailout to eat here? -Not at all Full Moon is easily afforadable BBQ where you can get a very, very filling baker and water and eat for $4! But a more regular meal will run around $6-$7.
How’s the menu? -Plenty to choose from and all of it is delicious!
Any Drawbacks? -No real drawbacks but only one thing separated Full Moon from the #1 spot.
And the survey says…
#1
Jim ‘N Nicks
Distance from Campus -1.1 Miles
WebsiteJim’NNicks.com
Why it’s on our list -For starters Jim ‘N Nicks has in my opinion some of the best BBQ you will ever find at a chain BBQ joint. With an amazing BBQ sauce and delicious sweet tea Jim ‘N Nicks delivers on all levels. However, just one thing separates Jim ‘N Nicks from Full Moon.
That’s right cheese biscuits. Jim ‘N Nicks has mastered the art of preparing you palate for the meal to come by bringing out Cheese Biscuits to every table to wet their appetite for the feast that is to come. Jim ‘N Nicks incredible variety and amazing food quality puts them at the top of our list.
What I normally order BBQ Brisket sandwich. Fries are better than Full Moon and sauce is a little tangier.
Will I have to sell some of my roommates Star Wars collectibles to eat here? If you’re strapped for cash yeah. A meal for one will run you somewhere in the vicinity of $10.
How’s the menu? -Expansive and filling. Whatever you pay for it’s worth it.
Any Drawbacks? -It’s probably not a place you’ll grab a quick lunch from but for dates or parties there’s no place better.
Well that’s it people! Remember this list is subjective and only encompasses the chain BBQ places around here. There are some great hole in the wall BBQ joints around Birmingham that definitely deserve a visit from you. So from iloveuab.com I wish you happy BBQ hunting and have a tasty summer!
CJ OUT-
Popularity: 4% [?]
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Oh CJ! You missed the top joint in town:
Miss Myra’s BBQ
MISS MYRA’S BAR-BQ, 3278 Cahaba Heights Road, 967-6004.
http://blog.al.com/scenesource/2008/03/food_detective_recipe_for_uniq.html
“Once again proving that sometimes good things can come out of Tuscaloosa.”
Plenty of good stuff comes from Tuscaloosa! For example, Me!
To Jason-dude I’m sorry but like I said the list is subjective but I have eaten at Miss Myra’s BBQ and thought it was a complete and utter rip-off. I respect that you like it but the one time I went it was like $12 for a sandwich, chips (no fries) and drink. I was still hungry afterwards and it took forever to get my food. Maybe I just had a bad experience but I did take Miss Myra’s into thought. I’ll have to hit it up again and see if they were just having an off day that day…
To Sara L- I was just poking fun. And like I said sometimes good things do come out of t-town.
Really CJ? Every time I’ve been, its been totally on point!
Well man I’m definitely gonna have to go hit them up again then.
I would add Bob Syke’s in Bessemer to that list. It’s awesome and is nationally recognized as a top barbeque joint! Enjoyed reading this as always…
I’m pretty sure that a lot of the full moon’s have a drive throught, I love drive through ribs!
Yeah, pretty sure you’re missing Saw’s BBQ, Miss Myra’s BBQ, Carlile’s BBQ, Tin Roof BBQ, Porky’s BBQ, and Bob Sykes.
Plus, if you had any of these others I’ve mentioned, I doubt you’d have any drawbacks to them. All affordable, all the food is amazing, and tons of food to offer.
I mean, the corporate joints are great and all… but seriously, they’re all the same. The REALLY good BBQ is found in the hole-in-the-wall joints that look shady but produce the best food. More than that, it’s about a unique atmosphere. The only one on this list that I really agree with is Full Moon… and maybe Dreamland, if it’s the one in Tuscaloosa.
Jim ‘n Nick’s has gotten so large of a company, they’ve forgotten how to really cook BBQ. Ten years ago, it was fantastic. Now it’s a greasy mess. Golden Rule and Johnny Rays has great pie, but their BBQ doesn’t compare to the small shops in town. The places that really take time to cook the meat, and even have to close early because they run out of food (always the good sign of a great BBQ joint) are the winners. You can’t just slap great BBQ on a grill in an hour and call it fantastic. It’s a process, one which a lot of places on this list have lost site of because they’ve gotten too big for the little guys…
Moes BBQ and Saws BBQ!!!!!
Oh snap! The great debate begins! I must admit, I have never been to any of the BBQ joints that you mentioned Emily. I have mainly stuck with the ones I had heard of before. I am definitely going to have to expand my BBQ knowledge and try these out.
I agree with Emily! All the way!
Down with corporate chains!
My Top 5 BBQ in Birmingham:
#5 Moe’s BBQ – Although I’ve never actually eaten here, all I have heard is that it is amazing. It might move up on my list if I ever get to try it!
#4 Jim ‘N Nicks (Five Points) – I once heard Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite) say the location at Five Points was the best BBQ he’s ever eaten.
#3 Dreamland – “Ain’t nothing like ‘em nowhere”… Who needs napkin’s when you have sliced bread!?!
#2 Golden Rule – I’m a sauce guy and Golden Rule is the King when it comes to sauce! Sorry CJ, but I have to take offense to your comment about their sauce.
And standing alone at #1 is…
#1 Bob Sykes (Bessemer Location) – If you haven’t been here you HAVE to go! It will rock your taste buds off!
And my least favorites are definitely Full Moon and Johnny Rays.
Damn, It’s been a bad day for ya CJ, they’re lettin ya have it!
It seems like the only way to settle this is a panel or eaters assembled by iloveuab to go to every BBQ joint in the Birmingham metro area, armed with discounts and an empty stomach. I volunteer for this task.
Well it seems to me that most people are offering up more “privately owned” places and hole in the wall joints.
Let me reiterate I said this was my (subjective and my opinion) list of the top 5 chain (corporate, bid restraunts etc..) BBQ joints in the ‘Ham.
I respect that you don’t like the “big/chain” joints around town Emily but that’s what this list is made of. I didn’t make a list of the smaller places.
I know most of the BBQ places yall have mentioned but I was trying to keep with my own personally crafted criteria of keeping with the corporate “giants.”
I guess after all this fuss I’m gonna have to make a list for the “littler” BBQ places in the ‘Ham.
And yeah Stone I am getting roasted lol.
No worries CJ, I just got a direct message on twitter from Jim ‘N Nicks, here is what it said:
“plz tell CJ thanks. and DM us a contact number and we’ll bring Cheese Biscuits by for your whole team. Our treat.”
Gotta love it.
moes bbq should be on the list.
I keep hearing all about Moes, I’m def gunna try it out
I’m with adamblak. Me and stone talked about being traveling eaters this weekend.
Is Moe’s the new place in Lakeview? They’ve got a pretty tasty white sauce.
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Hey Full Moon won one of the top 10 bbq spots in the nation, gratis MSN
I LOVE Full Moon……………………..
Thanks for the props given to Johnny Ray’s… it’s a family business.
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