Food and service was exceptional. Still the same as I remember 45 years ago. One of the only places in Birmingham that still offers fresh cut French fries. I would go across town for just the french fries. read more

Good solid bbq and burgers at reasonable prices. Friendly staff. I got #1 combo with pulled pork sandwich and ribs Pork was nice and juicy with good sauce. Decent ribs. Sides were good. Wife enjoyed the burger. Nice portions. Recommended for a hearty lunch. read more

Needed to be at a nearby business for a meeting so we ended up here for lunch beforehand. I was intrigued by the fact they've been in business since 1945. This is exactly the type of place I love. Nothing pretentious; no fancy decor driving up the prices; just a modest business offering good food. I was kind of hoping that the people dining with me would order something different from me so I could see what it all looked like, so I purposely ordered last (third). Well, as soon as I did, one changed the order to the same thing I had ordered. Then the other also said that sounded pretty good and changed, too. I, and subsequently all three of us, ordered the Carlile Burger. Comes with bacon, cheese, grilled onions, and some Carlile special sauce. The burger was not greasy, and I even asked if they ground their own since it seemed to be a finer grind than many burgers. They do not, but they do hand pat their own burgers each day. And the special sauce turns out to be a combo of the Original and Red Sauce Carlile makes. They do offer it bottled at the register if you want to take some home. We also split a pint of their hand-cut fries for the table. Added some cookies at the end since we didn't have time for the pudding or pie, but they looked fantastic. I think the cookies may be another brand they just bake instead of homemade--like the baked ones you might find at several fast food joints. Definitely a place I would go back! read more

See all

If you are looking for old school, southern BBQ this is your place. In fact, this restaurant has been around since 1945. We had relatives from Virginia visiting and they were interested in Alabama BBQ. On the way from the airport, we stopped at Carliles for lunch. Some suggestions I have for newcomers, their fries are amazing!! In fact, for his sides, my husband always orders double fries. I also recommend the BBQ pork plate and the mac and cheese. Carliles is known for its southern hospitality, and it shows everytime we visit. Just FYI, it is only open during weekdays 10:30 - 3 pm. read more

Carlile's Barbecue - Pork plate with mac and cheese and fries. - Barbeque Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

I've been eating at this place for several years but I used to go with my friend Len. He introduced me to it even though he doesn't eat BBQ! He always would get French fries and a grilled cheese. Well the ribs are really good and the fries are outstanding. Sadly, my friend Len has passed away. I will always think of him when I eat at Carlile's. read more

Carlile's Barbecue - Len's favorite grilled cheese and french fries - Barbeque Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

See all

Back in the 70s, we'd get off work at Reynold's Aluminum on 2nd ave and almost daily go to Carlile's BBq for beer and bbq. In all my travels since, I've never really found any BBQ taste comparable to Carlile's. To really appreciate what I think of Carlile's BBQ, I've lived in San Antonio for 40 years, and to date, I speak of only 2 bbq joints I've stumbled across in Texas that are worthy of using the 'bbq' label. Judging by the photos, it would appear to me that the old greasy fries I recall haven't been changed at all. Cheers for buying this place and keeping the memories alive. read more

I came here for lunch recently. Mainly in part due to me not wanting to driving anywhere far. I also remembered that Carlile's BBQ has a pretty good burger and it had been awhile since I ate here. I ordered one of their ten combos available; I was amazed at the number of options available! I went with the #2 (Fresh Ground Chuck Cheeseburger w/t no mayo) which came with two sides for $8.29 plus tax. Yes, you read that right!!! $8.29 for this meal! I had sweet tea to drink, so that made the price increase. The burger is well made and the toppings (lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles ) all were fresh. I had to take some of the onions off because there were just too, too many! I also requested extra pickles. The french fries were fresh , not frozen. I didn't care for the baked beans since they were mushy to me. I definitely think the portion sizes were well worth the price! I really liked the two different sauces available on the table . One is vinegar based and the other is not... both tasty! The service for the most part was good but some parts were annoying. This is an older restaurant so it has that feel to it and the floors were extremely greasy to me!! Ewwww Whether you are craving a burger , bbq , meat and 3, etc. Carlile's has a solid menu and offers a down home experience. read more

See all

Obviously, this restaurant has been at the location a long time. It is full sit down service. We had a relatively long wait for our food. They cooked everything by order, not in advance. On the walls they had art. Many silhouettes of cows, pigs and chickens. The food came hot. It seems that the side orders (vegetables) were exceptional and better tasting than the meats. All the vegetables we had rated five stars. My French fries were exceptionally good. A large portion. Tasted as good as the best fries I ever had. My wife had fried okra and potato salad. She raved about them. All five stars. She was not so happy with her sausage or her brisket. My brisket reminded me of pot roast. But not great pot roast. I think it was 3 stars. My chopped smoked pork was better. About four stars. We agreed not to return, next time we visit Birmingham. There are many barbecue places in the area and we will try another, in search of five star barbecue. Though I may want to sneak a take out order of fries. read more

Guess I ordered the wrong thing. Carlisle's hamburger not bbq. Was ok. Fries were plentiful but soft and oily. Other guys ordered bbq. I think theirs was better. Old buddy talked about the good times had here when he was young. Staff was pleasant and professional. Crowded at lunch. read more

The service has always been good and the bbq isn't bad either. However, they keep the place so cold inside that you can't enjoy a meal. If you hate the cold...get the take out. read more

I'm a HUGE fan of Carlile's! They have the absolute BEST French Fries in the City! I went to Carlile's today for the Baggett Burger - a bacon cheeseburger with pork bbq and red sauce on it. It never disappoints. Messy, sloppy cheeseburgers are my thing, and this one is oozing cheese, sauce, and BBQ. It's amazingly delicious. But the fries, y'all! They really do have the best fries in Birmingham. Super crispy, so fresh and potato-ey tasting. I smother the fries in Carlile's red sauce, which is also one of the best BBQ sauces in Birmingham. There's a reason this place is a Birmingham institution! read more

I was brought here by a local and if it was not for him, I would never have found the place nor visited. It's a local's favorite for a reason, great, tasty, BBQ at an affordable price. As I got out of my truck, I knew that it would be a great place because the scent of wood burning permeated...hmmm, wood fired fueled BBQ, oh yeah. The décor is old school, from the 1970s maybe, but don't be fooled because it adds to the reality ambiance of the place - you go for the BBQ and it does not disappoint. As soon as we sat, our server stopped by to take our drink orders. Sweet tea please - along with the tea came some fried pickles and white sauce. Great contrast in flavors - the sourness of the fried pickles with the white sauce (goes great with chicken). I ordered the pork BBQ plate with sides of mac&cheese, turnip greens. The pork BBQ is slathered with vinegar-based sauce, I do not think that it's needed because the BBQ is moist and flavored enough. The mac&cheese (considered a vegetable in the South) was okay, the greens can be flavored a bit more, but the BBQ was great. A bit out of the way from downtown Birmingham and easily missed if not looking for it, Carlile's BBQ is a local favorite. Among the diners were men in coat and ties, ladies in dresses, as well as construction crews...and tourists like me! My next visit to Birmingham will include another visit so that I can try some other BBQ, with the sauce on the side. read more

Carlile's Barbecue - BBQ pork, turnip greens, mac&cheese, fried pickle - Barbeque Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

The smell here honestly is a little funky. It smells like the backside of a dumpster. Not appetizing at all. Coming in the restaurant and even sitting inside I got a hint of it as well. I just can't overlook the foul odor. Ugh. The waiter was friendly. The service was pretty quick. The wings I ordered were thickly covered in their barbecue sauce. More sauce than meat on most bites. I added some white sauce to their fries to vastly improve their flavor. They do have a great white sauce. The wings were ok. Overall I did like the food. Little tweaks would help. The buttered bun was a nice addition to the plate. The waiter brought a to-go sweet tea without me even asking for it. Maybe for marketing? I waited for her to come back, so I could place an order for a slice of pie but she never came. So, by that time my food had settled and I went ahead to the pay counter to check out. Overall there's an older crowd who comes here and I'm guessing they have been coming for years and I can see why. It was a decent amount of food for the price. Again I can't overlook that smell and the tired decor. I know it's meant to look like it did when it opened but that's not always a good thing. Bring it into the right decade at least. read more

Stopped for lunch during the week because it was close. I love trying local BBQ. I wanted to sample a few items to see how they were. The Rib Sandwich came up way short. These were not the kind of ribs that work on a sandwich, the meat did not want to come off the bone. Fatty and not good flavor, I was not impressed. The Pork Sandwich was decent. I felt it could have used a little more smoke flavor. Plenty of meat and the bun was soft. The staff was very friendly and they had great customer service. The BBQ came up short on flavor and quality. read more

See all

Folks swarm to this place at lunchtime, lots of regulars. Its the "Cheers" of BBQ joints. Daily specials, lots of none BBQ dishes. Its a basic meat and two sides kind of place, walls are plastered with pictures of college celebs, political celebs and just plain old celebs. Homestyle food, not anywhere near 5 stars but surely a great place to eat for lunch on a regular basis. Waitresses are very nice and friendly. Have, and will continue to eat there again and again read more

Yuuuuuuummmm the BEST sauce with juicy smoky bbq and amazing fries. Also the freshest burgers I've ever had--handmade!!! I'm from New England where cornbread is SWEET and that's how I like it but this place has finally changed me. I'm reformed. Converted. A new person. Praise. read more

Very good eating experience. My wife had the barbecue pulled pork plate with baked beans and slaw as her sides. I had the nachos with cheese and pork. Everything was very good. The fried dill pickles were very tasty. Service was good. We were a group of six, and there was a mixup with the bills, but it was successfully corrected. I will be back. One of our party had the ribs, which looked delicious. read more

Great meat and vegetables for lunch. Old school bbq joint. Good and friendly service.

THIS is a quintessential southern BBQ diner and if you're a meat & 3 seeker, their offerings change each day but on a weekly rotation ...which makes it a great ' go to ' lunch spot !!! .... And remember, they've been doing this since 1945 read more

I'm embarrassed to say this, but this is the first time I've been to Carlile's--why am I embarrassed?? My relatives own this place!!!! I've had food served at family events, but never been to the restaurant. Service was fast and I loved that they brought out the fried pickles for us to enjoy while we waited. Our kids shared a chicken finger plate, my hubby ordered the stuffed potato, and I had the salad with chicken on it. I wanted to be healthy, but I'll probably pass on this option next time as I'm not a fan of the "good ole" salads that have iceberg lettuce and loads of cheese. I'm not one to usually want a stuffed potato, but my hubs was sweet and shared it with me so he could get some of the "healthy" salad too. Our kids enjoyed the fries and chicken fingers and we had food leftover to bring home. Overall, enjoyed the atmosphere and food and felt price was reasonable! Glad to have this gem in the area, especially since it's close to my hubby's work. We'll be back! read more

This is my new favorite place for barbecue in Bhm! We had the pork plate, and when our server asked if we wanted the pork "sliced or chopped, inside or outside or a combination", I was excited. Anyone who likes outside meat appreciates that question! The pork was perfect - succulent, tender, and hot. it was served with the vinegar sauce, which was very good, but really, the meat would have been delicious plain, with just a little sauce on the side. There was also red sauce on the table, which was sweeter. One plate was easily enough for two - we should have shared. The homemade potato salad was very good too. Carlisle's is an old school, diner-type place, with friendly service. Well worth adding to your barbecue trail. read more

See all

I had the BBQ nachos. They were ok the pork had good flavor but it was a little dry.

I've been eating here with my dad for years, he won't make a trip into the city without stopping here. It really is the kind of place that makes Alabama's BBQ so infamous! Standard little juke joint on the inside, the walls are covered with pictures of celebrities, local and international alike, enjoying dishes and flavors that make this a Birmingham icon. The portions are generous, especially the incredible fries. Tammy is almost always our waitress and she's part of what makes the experience great. Big glasses of sweet tea (with the good ice) are always full and she's attentive and great with recommendations. The BBQ sauce is a vinegar based one that you won't be able to try just once and the pork is always smoky and perfect. If you like ranch dressing, theirs is house made and done just right, especially on the fried chicken salad (which is HUGE). Only open for lunch but don't let that stop you from giving this place a shot, if you're looking for authentic BBQ this is the spot. read more

Decided to try a new (to me) bbq place today. The staff, friendly. I decided on the honey mustard chicken sandwich with fries. It was pretty good. The chicken was tender, the honey mustard was the creamy kind, more mayo based I think. The fries were the real fries, nice and greasy. Got my food about a minute after I paid. Super quick for take out. Now I have to skip meals for the next week. read more

My question for Carlile's is why open only at lunch Monday - Friday? There is some serious good stuff here and as a BBQ place, it's a little different. Carlile's should be a historic marker with all the pictures of sports, celebrities, and politicians that have come through. From the outside, I thought it was going to be a one room shack, but it is very nice and roomy inside. With help from my waitress, I went with the rib and brisket combo with potato salad and cole slaw. I was disappointed to see I had one big spare rib. The rib was meaty, tender, and had a char - broiled like taste to it. Next time, I will have to get more than one. The sauces, in my opinion, was disappointing. There are 2 sauces - a mustard vinegar base and a ketchup vinegar base. Both were a little too easy on the tongue. The mustard one didn't taste good with anything and the ketchup one was good with the rib. I guess why that it is named rib and chicken sauce. However, part of the reason why I was disappointed with the sauces was because the brisket came in its own sauce and it tasted way better with in its own juices than either sauce. The brisket was like eating pot roast with a tangy sauce. It didn't fit the mode of brisket to me, but it was serious as a roast. Cole slaw was fantastic! It had a good mix of sweet, creamy, and crunch. Potato salad was chilled and was like eating a version of mashed potatoes with some spices. Sweet tea was perfect! I also had a look at the pork and fries. I imagine the mustard sauce goes better with pork and the fries looked freshly cut. Besides the sauces, Carlile's was very pleasing and worth making another visit too. read more

See all

My first visit and I was thoroughly disappointed. I was frustrated by the slowness during lunch. However, the ribs I ordered were subpar. They looked and tasted boiled. I inquired through the waitress, manager, and cook and all three insisted that the ribs were smoked, not boiled, and they were Saint Louis ribs. My suggestion would be not to order their rib supply from Saint Louis. read more

One of the oldest BBQ joints in the state and also one of the best. Got a pork sandwich with fries, beans, and split some fried okra with my friend. When the place can get you outside meat and sliced instead of chopped, you're usually in good shape. Pork had good char and taste. Toasted bun and sauce was good (kind of a dreamland taste but with a mustard kick). Fries were excellent, okra was good and beans were average. A, B, and C respectively. Sandwich was an A as well as the tea. Give it an A- for now until I try more than just pork. read more

The smell in the place is odd, a mixture of sour rags and onion. Me and my wife had lunch here and we will not go back, too many other bbq places in town that is better. Food is just ok and we didnt realize its now a part time daycare for children. One of the workers, had her kid in there and she was running all over the place. Trying to eat and over hearing other people saying the same thing that it was very uncomfortable. The worker just stood there and watched and didnt do anything. If I wanted to be around kids I would have visited my grandkids and not gone here. I have never seen anything like this before. 5 thumbs down for the owner and management of Carliles for allowing this. read more

This is great locale place with really good BBQ! Waitstaff very friendly and portions big. Definitely will go back next time I'm in town.

Dreamland may have the best ribs in town, but Carlile's has the best BBQ sandwiches. Reasonable prices and a comfortable atmosphere--things you will not find in the other BBQ joints in town...Carlile's is one of Birmingham's best kept secrets: They have such a loyal following they don't have to advertise. read more

Birmingham's best kept secret. All the rave is about the BBQ. I haven't tried it yet, but let me tell you about this hamburger. When I started working downtown I was looking for a good burger & a coworker suggested it. Oh my it's so good, so big & so delicious. It's like an old fashioned homemade burger. Fries are good too. It's around $8-9. Down home dive feel to the place. Looks like it's pretty crowded during lunch time, still not sure if it opens past lunch or weekends. I'm giving 3 stars only because I haven't tried the BBQ yet & it is a barbecue joint. read more

I've passed this place a bunch and had never batted an eye. My boss took me to lunch here today and suggested the burger. It was a damn good suggestion. I got the Carlile Burger and it was one of the best in Birmingham for its price; $6. The fries are also on point. I will definitely be coming back. read more

Old Birmingham; Can't be beat! I love their vegetable plates. Y'all need to come by and eat! Btw, fed the family for the same price as fast food joints. read more

This review is actually about their catering only. Roxane and Carlile's came through big time for us for the Bama vs LSU game/post-wedding shenanigans when we booked the upstairs at Pale Eddie's. They were very reasonable/competitive on the pricing for pulled pork sliders and wings for 50 people, plus all of the necessary plates, napkins, plasticware, etc. Everything was set-up on time with plenty of time before the game and both the wings and sliders were excellent (and gone within an hour). Great job and would not hesitate to have them cater any event in the future. read more

If you only have 30 to 45 minutes for lunch don't stop here. Getting a drink refill or your ticket so you can leave is like pulling teeth. For the price of the food you would think that the service would be better. When they had the location in Moody the food was awesome. read more

First time here (had a groupon) and was pretty impressed. It's your typical BBQ joint with slightly better food than some others. They are only open for lunch, but they were packed. You can definitely tell that most people were regulars, and I plan on being one too! read more

This restaurant is an awesome jewel.. love the food, the atmosphere! I never knew about this place while growing up here in Alabama. The fried pickles, veggie plates are awesome! Servers are so friendly. read more

I have ordered from Carlile's for our corporate catering functions. Ina is fantastic and so is the food. She is always prompt and has an amazing willingness to work within a limited budget!! read more

When I have an opportunity to meet people downtown for lunch I enjoy Carlile's Barbecue. I haven't found anything I don't like but I particularly enjoy the pulled pork salad. The atmosphere is good for a conversation and the service is very quick. read more

I have tried BBQ all over the USA & Canada and this is the best there is. I love the RED Sauce it is the BOOM. I made some Wing in my Hot Air Fryer with it on them everyone loved them, my first. Hope to see you soon. read more