3 Alabama BBQ Joints make top ranks + 3 more underrated restaurants we love

One thing about Alabama is that we know how to grill up some tasty BBQ. Southern Living has recognized three of our BBQ joints in their top 50. Keep reading to find out what are the top restaurants and which ones we think deserve to be on that list as well.

Top 50

There’s A LOT of BBQ in the South. Even after the pandemic when many restaurants had to shut down, the BBQ market continued to thrive. Southern Living mentioned how resilient BBQ restaurants have been these past few years. We’d make the argument that this success is because you can’t go wrong with the sweet and tangy flavor of a BBQ sandwich.

Take a look at who Southern Living ranked as having top-notch BBQ in Alabama:

• #32: Dreamland Bar-B-Que—Tuscaloosa, AL: Dreamland first opened its doors in 1958 selling burgers, but soon realized their specialty was BBQ. Now, look at them!
• #23. Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q—Decatur, AL: Run by Chris Lilly, one of the top-ranked pitmasters, this joint is known for its white sauce.
• #7. Archibald’s Bar-B-Q—Northport, AL: A down-home restaurant for the perfect college town meal.

3 underrated BBQ joints

There’s no denying that Alabama is known for its BBQ joints with highly popular places including Full Moon and Jim N’ Nicks. Even Food Netwood has covered Gadsden, Alabama’s BBQ competition. In no particular order, we gathered some of our favorite spots to get BBQ in the state.

1. SAW’s

According to Bham Now’s Nowie Awards, SAW’s was voted on by the audience as THE best BBQ in Birmingham. Don’t believe me? Head to any one of the five locations in the city to try their stuffed tatters. The potatoes are as big as your head and the flavors will always be a 10/10.

• Location: Find your nearest SAW’s
• Website

2. LawLer’s Barbeque

Anyone who lives in the Tennesse Valley has heard of LawLer’s. Out of the 13 total locations, seven of them are located in the valley—it’s THAT good. Although this BBQ joint is growing it still has that ma-and-pop feel that comes with exceptional-tasting food.

• Location: Find your nearest LawLer’s
• Website

3. Sonny’s BBQ

It’s always sonny in Mobile! While that might not be true, Sonny’s BBQ having the best oak-smoked meat is a truthful statement. One thing everyone loves about Sonny’s is that this BBQ joint also has phenomenal sides.

• Location: 770 Schillinger Rd S, Mobile, AL 36695
• Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11AM–9:30PM | Friday-Saturday 11AM–10PM
• Website

BONUS: These 15 Alabama towns named most charming + 5 of them we love

Do you have a favorite BBQ you think we missed? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook or Instagram.