The Pottery Grill

The original remains the best. Nestled in an African American rural neighborhood south of town, the…read morevery journey along an old 2-land highway is a throwback to a different South. The building is classic roadhouse style--totally unpretentious with its sign and adverts plaster on the walls. The interior is the same, open seating and seats at the bar. The menu has broadened over the years, rather than just ribs, white bread and pudding, you can get a pork sandwich and chicken with a limited number of sides (the Mac and cheese is superior). The franchised Dreamlands are so different with a plethora of choices, more to the liking of the suburban south. If you like that, go for it. For my money, you can't beat the original. The ribs are charred perfectly and the service is old time South, friendly and helpful. You immediately feel at ease with everything and everyone around you. Take out is available--actually this place is just minutes off the highway. But a whole another world at the same time.

I will say I am extremely disappointed. I use to come here 20 years ago and the ribs were fall off…read morethe bone. They were juicy and spectacularly made. They had a home, love, and story to tell. I took my family here as we traveled through. We were hours away when I would tell them stories of traveling here just for the best ribs I ever eaten. It was now an adventure. We arrived and the building looked the same, the customer service polite and inviting. The atmosphere superb. The food not so much. The ribs were charred, there was hardly any meat. It was the worst ribs I had in a long time. The ribs did not have that love they once had, they no longer had that care of the art of bbq. I felt horrible that I spent so much and took my family here. O' how I dream of those days at Dreamland when the ribs just fell off that bone and the eagerness of the next bite because they were so so good. I pray one day they will go back to their roots and the dream that Dreamland once had to provide the best southern bbq ribs around.

Inside view

Hickory Smoked Sausage

See all

Line to get into Dreamland

Oasis Bar & Grill

4.0(43 reviews)

3.3 mi

Awesome burgers. I would go on a weekday so it isn't as busy. Devine got to get fries and a cold…read moreOne.

I absolutely love dive bars, the food is normally great. Your food was good BUT your prices are…read morethe prices of a 5 star steak. 75.00 for bar food and 3 beers, I was on the fast track of a heart attack.

See all

Dine-In & takeout orders are both available.

Archibald & Woodrow's BBQ

3.6(238 reviews)

8.5 mi

Was recommended to try Archibald's while in Tuscaloosa- and so glad we did. It's a no frills place…read moreand is all about the food- service was on point- you order it in one building and can eat in the other or take it to go. We chose to stay and enjoyed the cool air and clean tables. I had fried okra and potato salad. The best okra I have ever had- not greasy and nice and crunchy. The potato salad was the way we like it - mustard and pickles - so good. We both had the mixed plate combo with ribs and chopped pork- they give you 5-6 ribs so come hungry. The bbq sauce is a vinegar base and was delicious- not overly vinegary so delicious. A local hidden gem worth the trip for sure.

Honestly food was trash. I don't leave reviews often but it was incredibly overpriced for what it…read morewas. I'm not a picky person, literally just kinda felt sick after I finished my meal. Try it, don't try it, your call. This it just my $0.02.

Fried tomato

See all

Full Moon BBQ

3.2(127 reviews)

7.7 mi

AVOID THIS FULL MOON BBQ. All over the restaurant, it's…read moreposted they accept "Bama Cash", but when we paid with it, the transaction went green, but the worker canceled the transaction and claimed it wasn't working. They are scamming students and it's criminal. The short femaile cashier with fake eyelashes has a horrible attitude.

Love the menu selection, great food! Brisket and the chicken baker my favs! Dine in or drive thru…read morefor convenience. My go to place when I'm in Tuscaloosa.

Inside

Onion rings

See all

Urban Cookhouse

4.5(137 reviews)

8.5 mi

We stopped in during move in and I am so glad we did. The food is amazing!! I love sweet potato…read morefries and theirs are top notch with brown sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top. We are in Tuscaloosa a lot visiting our sons. We will be back again for sure!!

First time at this spot, and my initial impression was positive. I would say, I love, love, love…read morethat they use Big Green Egg's inside the restaurant on the line. If you've never had meat (or VEGGIES!) cooked on a BGE, it will change your life. This fact alone will bring me back to try other things. Before I get into the meal, my only real complaint was that they only had a soda machine and tea. I had brought my mother along, and she already had lunch and wanted just to sit and chat. As it was a very cold day she was gonna order a coffee and they don't offer anything hot! It's definitely an opportunity to expand here even if it was just so simple as putting a Keurig machine in the back. I had the Buffalo Chicken Wrap. It is served with grilled chicken in a grilled wrap and cheddar cheese. If there was a buffalo sauce, I didn't taste any. I was a little disappointed in the wrap. The flavor didn't really stand out as being cooked on the Big Green Egg. The cheese wasn't really melted, which can be a common problem with shredded cheddar cheese, but it also didn't really have the buffalo flavor that I was looking for in a buffalo chicken wrap (maybe it was a Toledo Ohio wrap I don't know just not spicy. ) It served with a side of ranch which I juiced up with some Cholula and that helped. I i'm not knocking the quality of the food because it was good. It just didn't live up to the expectations I had in my head based on the menu description. It also came with a side, which I chose the broccoli salad. This was nicely done with bacon, I believe some quinoa and the broccoli was chopped up nicely so you didn't have huge chunks. Also, it wasn't overly sauced so that would make it runny. Overall I give the property four out five stars. Also, the flavor of the whole meal was fine. Good size portion and good value for your money.

Wood Fired Shrimp Kabob

See all

White BBQ Sandwich with broccoli salad

Houndstooth Barbeque

5.0(1 review)

7.2 mi

Best mobile bbq in Alabama, good variety great service and very pleasant staff…read more They also give you a large serving and it's all very FRESH from the bun to the condiments. Every restaurant should strive to be as good. Honestly I can't say enough about how pleasant they are and genuinely care about their customers.

See all

Southern Ale House

4.1(189 reviews)

9.3 mi

This was a home run from start to finish. Though it was a bit of a hike from South Tuscaloosa, it…read morewas absolutely worth the drive. The wait for our party of 5 wasn't too long and we were seated in a big booth near the bar. Very nice decor, classy but comfortable. All of the servers and staff were super friendly and offered a nice selection of local brews and tasty margaritas. Several of us had the redfish special which was just outstanding! All in all, and outstanding experience. Definitely a repeater for us when next we're in town.

Well after seeing reviews me and wife decided on this for lunch…read more I'll say all the staff were great. Very friendly. But the food?????? Wife wanted a salad and potato skins so went with the wedge which came chopped so more of a chopped salad than a wedge and it was fine. Nothing spectacular. Who potato skins were reminiscent of some frozen ones you heat in the oven. Didn't seem fresh at all. The bacon wasn't that great really and the cheeses was cheese. All in all edible but not enjoyable. I went with the bacon wrapped meatloaf with mashed potatoes with gravy and a side of Mac and cheese. I'll start with the Mac. It was horrible. Sorry don't mean to be a downer but wasn't good at all. The mashed and gravy a big nope. The potatoes weren't all that good. It was like eating a plat of spackle. And the gravy was horrendous. Made bad potato's worse. The meatloaf was ok. Kind of like cafeteria meatloaf. I did eat it but wasn't thrilled. Again not a fan of that bacon so ditched that after one bite. Personally I would not go back and wife agreed. Maybe we got the wrong items but nothing was good.

Pimento burger sliders on Hawaiian rolls

See all

Queen Bee is delicious

The Deli Press

4.0(4 reviews)

9.5 mi

We had lunch at this cute little spot while visiting family in Tuscaloosa and Northport. I had the…read moreberry salad, and it was freakin' delicious--the chicken was tasty and the dressing was very flavorful. My wife said the ranch dressing was also amazing on the garden salad. My niece had the kid's pizza panini with fruit and a cookie, and she loved it all. My sister had the Reuben and the Cajun potato salad, and she was complimentary of both. The Cajun potato salad was good, but it tasted a little more like Old Bay or maybe just shrimp boil seasoning to me than specifically Cajun. Either way, it was still good! Definitely check this place out for a quick and delicious lunch if you're in town!

What a hidden gem! The place is small and hidden away, but such a delight! Food was made fresh and…read moresooo good. The place is clean and the staff is friendly. I will be back!!

See all

Garden salad with ranch dressing

Jason's Deli

3.8(59 reviews)

7.6 mi

Always a great meal Love the salad and sandwiches…read more Always someone tending to the cleanliness all the time

My experience at Jason's Deli was really disappointing. We waited about 30 minutes for our food,…read moreonly for it to come out cold. The noodles and sauce had zero warmth and barely any flavor, which made the long wait even worse. On top of that, the dining area wasn't clean at all -- most of the tables were dirty, and it definitely wasn't because they were short-staffed. The whole place just felt unorganized and not well taken care of. Overall, nothing about the meal or the atmosphere made the wait worth it. Unfortunately, it was a really underwhelming experience.

Build Your Own Salad

Receipt with employee's name and time

See all

Spinach Veggie Wrap Regular

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

3 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Jhon G.

12 years ago

Hotel directed us here. what a pleasant surprise. we hit it on karaoke night and it was fun! Thoroughly enjoyed the food, the entertainment and the friendliness of all the staff and especially the other patrons. Would recommend it to anyone who enjoys BBQ. there is a seating area away from the karaoke room if that is preferred. read more

Charlotte H.

16 days ago

Fabulous pulled pork, lots of sides choices and the best banana puddin'! Owned by same friendly folks for many years. See u there

Edward T.

7 years ago

Great food! They will take care of your catering needs as well.

The Pottery Grill - bbq - Updated August 2026

People who viewed The Pottery Grill also viewed

Archibald's BBQ

4.4

(196 reviews)

Walked in and was immediately greeted with that southern hospitality and charm. Laughter and jokes,…read moreeven gave a sample to let us know we came to the right spot after learning it was our first time here. We had just left Dreamland Bbq hungry and disappointed with ribs that tasted bland and boiled. Archibalds ribs were full of flavor, tender and had a nice vinegar sauce, he assured me they were Gluten free and I ordered Beans and potato salad as well. The beans were good but a little sweet for me, and the potato salad was ok as well. My spouse had the Whiting and Fried okra which was not gluten free but said they were really great! We left full and happy! Great prices too, very reasonable!

Wow, was this ever an out of body experience. I thought I've both had and smoked awesome ribs in my…read morelife....that was until I ate at Archibald's today for lunch. After the very first bite it was evident these ribs are on a whole other planet than any ribs I've ever had before.

Hicks Barbeque

3.6

(9 reviews)

After living in the Tuscaloosa area for over 4 years, I finally stopped in at Hicks BBQ and had…read moredinner. This restaurant is great, good is always hot, service is always quick, dining room while small is efficient, I have never had to wait for a table yet. Joey knows his regular guests and will ask what you're having today by asking if you want the item and item as usual. This is the best BBQ in the Tuscaloosa area and I'm mad at myself for waiting over 4 years to try it out. I'm now a regular guest here.

I want to give it four stars, because it's very real, and been there since 1975. Cinder block…read morebuilding by the side of a 4 lane highway. Smoke from the chimney. I didn't check to see their firewood pile, but I bet it's out back. First, the building is 80% kitchen. That's good for the staff and the food. There's a small ordering and waiting area out front. A few benches, people were all waiting on their orders. An older patron told me to get my ribs elsewhere (Archibold's --- famous) I wish I'd ordered them anyway, I didn't though. We chatted for a few minutes, orders were coming out. The guy would yell it through the window, and folks would pick up their orders. We ordered, and waited a few minutes as orders came out. 3 folks in the back. I ordered a whole chicken. Definitely, a good appearance of smoke. Not too Smokey though. They don't brine their chicken, it was pretty plain. No dry rub nor other seasoning I could detect. Sauce was kind of a dirty brown color, not the deep brick red I'm used to. BUT, the sauce had a good vinegar kick, and def not too sweet. Too sweet ruins it for me, personally. Wife had a cheeseburger, she said the patty was pre-made. Not hand made. I'm sure it was orange square cellophane cheese. But that's to be expected. Overall, I give it 4 stars, cause I didn't try enough, but really... it's a 3. As one commenter said, not a big or fun seating area. Very functional, old time Working man's BBQ. They had two Mexican workers who came in, they were patient/helpful with them while ordering. So, 4.

Thomas Rib Shack

4.6

(12 reviews)

The food was hot and fresh. Great customer service anytime I visit and the best cake in town.read more

Great food , good service, friendly staff.great Pigfeet, vegetables fresh daily…read more Great food , good service, friendly staff.great Pigfeet, vegetables fresh daily

Smoked Magic

4.1

(11 reviews)

Great food. You get a lot but they fail in the sauce department. A tiny cup of sauce for a pulled…read morepork plate that doesn't even cover half of the meat doesn't cut it. Hearing my husband rant about it every time we order is annoying. Most bbq places cover the meat in enough sauce. They charge extra for an extra cup when you're paying for a bbq plate that should come with enough sauce to begin with. lol. If they would give enough to cover your food they'd definitely get 5 stars.

My husband saw that this restaurant was gone g to have a good Truck today, so we decided to check…read moreit out. There wasn't a food truck, so we ordered at the wk die for carry out. It is Taco Tuesday, so I ordered two chicken tacos and ordered two beef I am not a fan of spicy food, and these tacos were really spicy for me. The tacos have absolutely no lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, or guacamole. Only the meat, cheese, and corn. The dude in the tacos always too spicy for me. It is a Bar B Queue restaurant so I will have to try that before I completely pass judgement, but I. Certainly will never ever get the tacos again.

Bama Barbecue & Grill

3.7

(20 reviews)

Nice change of pace. Friendly service and great food. Service was very nice and friendly.read more

Food is great it's done the way it should be service is excellent a lot of bama memorabilia to see…read morespacious seating friendly staff

The Coker Market

4.8

(10 reviews)

My wife and I stepped into this throwback general store, The Coker Market, before the IBOB game…read morelast week. And for the record, the Alabama Crimson Tide took care of business against that team from lower Alabama. But we're not here for the basketball recap--we're here for the food review. I've heard a lot of good things about this place, so today we took a little field trip and moseyed on over to Coker to see what all the fuss was about. If you're a stranger to this part of the county and somehow manage to find the correct road, you're not going to miss it. When you reach the county "traffic light"--also known as a four-way stop sign--you're there. Go another hundred feet in any direction and congratulations... you've officially left Coker. I ordered the pulled pork BBQ plate and my wife went with her favorite: fried catfish. Now I have to be a little careful ordering fried foods late in the day because it can trigger the midnight acid reflux eruption--and nobody enjoys that wake-up call. But I decided to roll the dice. The BBQ was soft, tender, and delicious. The only thing I'd probably pass on next time is the white BBQ sauce. It's a little different from the famous Alabama white barbecue sauce that folks around here rave about. Stick with their regular BBQ sauce--it's much better. Now let's talk about my wife's catfish... that fish was the bomb. Whoever was running that fryer might have **Emeril Lagasse rethinking his catfish technique back there in that frying pan. If you find yourself here trying to decide what to order, my recommendation is simple: catfish all day, every day, and twice on Sundays. It was hot, crispy, and absolutely on point. The black bean salad was okay. My wife enjoyed it more than I did--and that's alright. She thinks for herself, and most of the time she's right. One of the things I really liked about the place is the atmosphere. It's not just a restaurant--it's a true general store. You can grab Alabama-made products off the shelves and wash your meal down with an ice-cold Coca-Cola if that's your style. It's got that small-town charm you just don't see much anymore. All in all, I'd give The Coker Market a solid 4 stars. In a town where you can leave city limits in about 100 feet, The Coker Market might just be the best stop in all of Coker.

This place is absolutely amazing. The food is prepared fresh the price is not bad. I love the…read moreatmosphere. There is local goods inside and the people are so friendly and absolutely amazing.

City Cafe

4.3

(180 reviews)