Tag Archives: Barbecue

Tuscaloosa’s Finest

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If you’re new in town, Tuscaloosa’s myriad of restaurants can seem a little daunting. Every genre of food has at least 2 or 3 different restaurants boasting that their food is the best. Being a sophomore, my experience with the local dine ins is well versed. I’m writing this to give the rookies of Tuscaloosa dining some tips on where to find the best food in Title Town.

Best Barbeque

Let’s start off with what the South is most known for: barbeque. If you’re looking for the best barbeque in Tuscaloosa, look no further than Archibald’s and Woodrow’s. Way out in the sticks, therth it for the most drive is wosucculent ribs in the whole county. At first glance, Archibald’s looks like a shady shack with an incredibly greasy chimney, but once you get inside, the aroma of slow smoked meat hits you right in the face to let you know you’ve made the right choice for barbeque. My favorite thing to get is the mix plate with pork and ribs. Make sure you put their delicious vinegar based sauce on everything and go to town.

Best Fine Dining

Next up we’re taking a trip downtown to the some of the best seafood. Chuck’s Fish is a bit on the expensive side, but their sushi and fish are out of this world. I’d recommend getting the TNT roll if you’re there for sushi or the catch of the day fish tacos. The TNT roll has super fresh tuna and three delectable sauces; a spicy sauce, a soy sauce reduction, and a chili paste that gives it amazing flavor and heat. If you go the fish taco route, you won’t be disappointed. Made with the catch of the day so the fish is always fresh and served with Pico de Gallo and a zesty chipotle ranch, it is without a doubt one of the best fish tacos I’ve had in a long while.

Best Bar/Pub

If you happen to be over 21 and want to have a fun time at one of the local bars, I’d have to suggest you head over to the Avenue Pub on 23rd St. Their happy hour deals include 3 dollar microbrews and a 5-dollar burger that’ll get you coming back for more. My favorite beer they have on tap would have to be the Yellowhammer Dubbel, at 9.2% abv it has a very hoppy flavor that’s just unmatched. The 5-dollar burger comes with all the fixings and a literal bucket of garlic fries. Cooked to perfection and served on a hearty ciabatta bun, for the money it’s the best burger in Tuscaloosa.

Now I’m no food connoisseur or reputable yelper, but if you’re looking for some great tasting food, take my advice and visit these restaurants at least once while you’re in town.

My Favorites Around T-Town

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Favorites Around Tuscaloosa

One of the main things that attracted me to college in the South was the food—in particular Bar-B-Que and comfort food. I wanted to try (and still do try) anything and everything that is not found anywhere but here in the South. For example, an authentic, slow cooked, juicy, tangy Bar-B-Que meal or hearty plate of gooey mac n cheese. I am from Pittsburgh, so our idea of a bar-b-que is grilling hamburgers and hot-dogs on our back porch with all of the neighborhood kids and sadly most of the time mac and cheese is from the box. I was really excited to spend some of my hard-earned money from the community pool on the various joints Tuscaloosa has to offer.

Southern Cooking

The first place I tried was Blue Plate Diner during my initial campus visit. After a long day of walking around campus for the first time, my dad and I decided we needed to have some “southern cooking.” We asked our tour guide, Tucker, where the best place around was to get a feel of the south. He recommended Blue Plate, where the food is “authentic, fast, and friendly to a college students budget.” His recommendation was on point because it has become one of my go-to restaurants. It is located on McFarland Blvd in Northport so if you are willing to make the ten-minute drive away from campus it will not disappoint. I recommend the chicken and dumplings, they have yet to let me down and are on special most days.

Bar-B-Que

Another one of my favorites is Jim ‘N Nicks. I found this gem when I was cramming everything I needed to know about microeconomics into my brain. Deciding to take a study break, I ordered take out from the well know BBQ joint and I was pleasantly surprised with their wide variety of selections. I opted for the Carolina style pulled pork with extra BBQ sauce– traditional style, adding on sides of mac n cheese and corn bread. The BBQ I consumed from this restaurant was my first time I was properly introduced to BBQ (I think) and I cannot wait to make my way around to all of the other places Tuscaloosa has to offer over my four years here.

Wild Card

The surprise for me in the area was the great Italian restaurant, DePalma’s, located in Downtown Tuscaloosa. When I think of the South, Italian doesn’t come to mind very often. The dishes they serve are traditional with a spin, and I when I go there to eat I feel like I am back up North. You really can’t go wrong with any of the dishes they have to offer and the environment is very welcoming inside. They don’t take reservations so if you are looking to go there on a Friday or Saturday (or really any day of the week), you may be waiting for a little while.

There are hundreds of amazing restaurants in our quaint college town, so if you have one that you feel should be recognized please leave your suggestion below!

 

 

Interior of a restaurant

Best of Tuscaloosa

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Living in Tuscaloosa as college students, we often overlook the plethora of tasty restaurants we have around us. While it always seems easiest to just head back to your usual fast food place, T-town is home to much more than just Chick-Fil-A and Buffalo Phil’s.  From Mexican to Mediterranean, Tuscaloosa has a little something to offer for everyone, no matter what your taste.

Coming to Alabama, one food I highly expected to indulge my taste buds in was barbecue. The south is known for its meaty ribs, slow-cooked pulled pork, and smoked beef brisket all smothered in decadent barbecue sauce. Although Tuscaloosa definitely has its fair share of top-of-the-line barbecue spots, Archibald’s BBQ would have to take the cake. From the outside, Archibald’s looks like nothing special, but once you start to devour their baked beans and baby back ribs, you know this place can’t be matched. Their barbecue sauce is a homemade blend of spicy and sweet flavors that put your barbecue experience over the top.

Although I love me some great ribs, my personal favorite is Mexican food. A great place to satisfy your taco cravings is none other than Taco Mama. Similar to Chipotle, you get to pick a dish, a meat, and an overwhelming amount of toppings. My personal favorite is Jorge’s nachos. The nachos are a bed of tortilla chips, smothered in queso then topped with your choice of chicken, beef, pork or fish and any/all of their seemingly infinite toppings list: rice, beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, pico, sour cream, grilled onions…. the list goes on and on. According to some of my friends, the best part for them is that the guac is not, and will never be, extra.

If you’re looking for something a little different, maybe Mediterranean food is the way to go. Glory Bound Gyro Co. offers a vast menu that is sure to expand your horizons. Their falafel plate seems to be a crowd favorite with its unique flavor wrapped up in warm pita bread. The meat is marinated in blend of spices that allows the beef to burst with greek flavors. As a person who is always pretty skeptical about trying new things, I can confidently say that taking a risk on Glory Bound is not something you’ll regret.

Finally, if you’re in the mood for some amazing American cuisine, look no further than FIVE. As the name insinuates, this trendy restaurant only offers five main dishes including hand-battered fried shrimp and perfectly cooked rib-eyes; although a petite list, all of these dishes are worth raving about. FIVE offers both a brunch menu as well as a dinner menu. If you get the chance, I would highly suggest trying both their brunch and dinner before your time as a student is over. Off their selective menu I would have to say their cheeseburger is the best. Definitely my favorite burger in Tuscaloosa, this seared beef patty is topped generously with bacon relish and melted cheddar cheese with the option of a fried egg on top (always something I splurge for). As an honorable mention in this category, Mugshots Grill and Bar is a great place to grab a burger as well as a side of their fried pickles. Many rave about their peanut butter burger, a dish that seems intimidating and strange but definitely worth a try.

As you can see, Tuscaloosa has a little bit of everything. From a great place to take your friends on game day to a cute spot you can grab a bite at on a random Tuesday night, T-town has it all.  Of course we all have our own individual favorite spots so let me know what tasty places I’ll have to try next in the comments below!

Ribs with barbecue sauce

Best BBQ in T-Town

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My top priority when I arrived on the University of Alabama campus was finding out where the best restaurants in Tuscaloosa were­­–specifically the best barbecue.  I know as freshmen we are supposed to eat in the campus dining halls where our parents spend hard earned money, but let’s be honest – everyone needs a break sometime.  I am from the North where chain restaurants call themselves “barbecue joints” but fall seriously short.  I knew that once I arrived in Alabama, experiencing the famous cuisine that is synonymous with the South was a must.  Slow cooked tender ribs falling off the bone smothered in tangy, smoky robust sauce preoccupied my mind.  I started on my mission, to see if Southern barbecue was in fact legendary, or if it was all hype.

Hoo’s Q

Hoo’s Q is right across the street from Cook-Out. It is a “no gimmick, bare tin and wood walls” restaurant.  You order at the counter, the food is brought out in five minutes or less, and it is easy on a college student’s budget.

I ordered a pulled pork sandwich and a side of fries. The pork was very tender and had a nice smoky flavor.  Their special barbecue sauce had mild heat and enhanced the flavor of the meat. The fries were superb because of the special seasoning. They were extremely salty but the fries were an excellent complement to the sandwich.

 

Full Moon BBQ

The second restaurant was Full Moon BBQ, which is right off McFarland Boulevard. Full Moon calls itself the “Best Little Pork House in Alabama.” The restaurant’s decor is very inviting with paintings, pictures, and UA sports memorabilia from years past plastering the walls.

Full Moon specializes in trays, which include a main dish and two sides. I ordered a half rack of ribs with a side of mac and cheese and steak fries.  The ribs were excellent with the scrumptious meat practically falling off the bone. The mac and cheese was a perfect ratio of creamy cheddar sauce and al dente noodles. I enjoyed the crispy, steak fries with the soft insides. As an added surprise they give you a free cornbread muffin that was absolutely delicious with its mouthwatering flavor and moist, warm inside.

Dreamland Bar-B-Que

Dreamland Bar-B-Que prides themselves on “treating you like kin” and is located just over the bridge heading towards Northport. The amazing aroma of the open pit barbecue hits you as you step in the door. They cook all of their meats in wood ovens that you can see while you dine in the restaurant.

Before you order, you are served a plate of white bread with their famous barbecue sauce. A note of caution:  their sauce has a kick to it, so make sure you have a glass of water by your side before you dunk the whole piece of bread!  For my meal, I ordered a half rack of baby back ribs. The ribs at this restaurant are a tad tougher than Full Moon, but the overall size of the ribs are much larger. The seasoning on the ribs was flavorful and paired nicely with the sauce.

Tuscaloosa is a treasure trove of Southern barbecue restaurants.  I only sampled a small number of them, but I am thankful I have 3 more years to continue my research!  In an attempt to help other students, I have ranked the three places by the characteristics I feel are most important to college students.  It isn’t just hype….Southern barbecue is truly legendary and bucket list worthy.

Best Overall Place 

  1. Full Moon BBQ
  2. Hoos Q
  3. Dreamland BBQ 

Best Food for Price

  1. Hoos Q
  2. Full Moon BBQ
  3. Dreamland BBQ 

Best BBQ Sauce

  1. Hoos Q
  2. Dreamland BBQ
  3. Full Moon BBQ

If you would like to tell me about one of your favorite barbecue restaurants in town, I would love to hear about them! Please place your suggestions in the comments section.