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    Thomas Rib Shack

    4.6 (12 reviews)
    Open 10:45 am - 5:00 pm

    Order Thomas Rib Shack Takeout or Delivery

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    Rib Sandwich with a side of fries
    Scott M.

    I had been passing by Thomas Rib Shack for years, and I finally decided to stop by and give it a try. Parking is limited, the venue is small, overall the venue is a hole in the wall. I would suggest looking up the menu before going in, just a suggestion. I ordered the rib sandwich, with fries. It came with 4 ribs, two slices of bread and small portion of fries. I was disappointed in the amount of fries and I would suggest making sure they give you a larger portion than they did me. The main course, the ribs were so damn delicious. Pristine meat, seasoned & smoked to perfection. The sauce dripping across the ribs made it a wonderful experience

    a hand holding a bottle of barbecue sauce
    Anthony J.

    There is a new player in the Tuscaloosa rib scene. I am almost hesitant to review so the secret won't get out. These are top 5 ribs I've ever had and if you look at my reviews I eat a lot of ribs! The sauce is a perfect compliment. Light, sweet but with a nice vinegar kick. Very limited dining area. Probably best to call it in and pick up. These ribs were definitely fresh not microwaved and had a great smoke flavor that lets me know somebody knows how to cook on a well seasoned pit. Great flavor. Just can't say enough good things about these ribs. Tender but not fall apart. Perfect. They never made it home!

    Fried fish sandwich

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    5 months ago

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

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Love this place! Excellent food and very nice staff. Try the Mac and cheese! You won't regret it.

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

    This place has amazing food... I love the fried catfish, pulled pork sandwich and the veggies. The service is always excellent!

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    8 years ago

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    Dreamland BBQ

    Dreamland BBQ

    4.0
    (537 reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$

    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.

    How do you not go to Dreamland. The BBQ was bomb. I loved the plate I got. I love how the building…read moreis just low key and nothing too fancy. Just a divey looking place. Our server was the sweetest. She helped my picky son decide what he would like, and she was spot on. The only thing I didn't like were the ribs which is weird. Just a tad too dry for me. I DID like the Chicken and my son got the sausage and I think Brisket....Anyways, we will go back next time we are in town for a game. Roll Tide.

    Photos
    Inside view
    Inside view
    Hickory Smoked Sausage
    Hickory Smoked Sausage
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    Line to get into Dreamland
    Archibald's BBQ

    Archibald's BBQ

    4.4
    (193 reviews)
    2.0 mi
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    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!

    Archibald's is coming to Birmingham, so I decided to try the original over lunch today…read more I ordered the small mixed plate with ribs and pork. It was a TON of food. Nobody needs the large mixed plate (unless you're sharing it?). The ribs were salty with just a kiss of smoke. Far superior to Dreamland and fall-off-the-bone tender, I thought they were alright. They were moist and very porky. The chopped pork was watery with very little flavor. I wasn't a fan of the bbq sauce either- it mostly water with flecks of yellow mustard and heavy on the black pepper. I'm certain it was just a small container of their mop sauce used in the pit to moisten and flavor the meat as it smokes. Coleslaw was fine. Zesty with a mayonnaise base. There was the distinct bite of dill pickles. I think they just use leftover dill pickle juice to moisten it. The star of the show was the potato salad. Zingy with plenty of mustard it perfectly cut the richness of the fatty meats.

    Photos
    Seating area is outdoor patio
    Seating area is outdoor patio
    Archibald's BBQ
    Entrance is to the right of the menu/under the Let's "Q".

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    Entrance is to the right of the menu/under the Let's "Q".
    Robertson BBQ

    Robertson BBQ

    4.7
    (30 reviews)
    15.5 mi
    $
    32 years in business
    Catering service

    Robertson BBQ is off the beaten path and is in an older, beat up gasstation and honestly, I think…read morethis adds to the overall atmosphere and ambiance. The staff here was friendly and engaging and I can say that both the woman at the food station and the woman at the checkout were great. The customers were also friendly. This place had a great vibe. I ordered the chicken here and for my sides, I went with the potato wedges and onion rings. All were excellent. Prices were in line with what you would expect. The half chicken with two sides was somewhere around thirteen dollars and a large iced tea was I believe two dollars and fifty cents. Robertson BBQ is just about ten minutes off of the highway and it is definitely worth the detour. All in all, Robertson BBQ is a fantastic place for barbecue and I would definitely recommend it and I will give it five stars.

    Our group 12 traveling from Lubbock, TX to Atlanta, GA for a missions conference chose this of the…read morebeaten path spot for lunch. This is a hidden gem. It is a short scenic detour off I-20 and well worth the time. The setting is an old gas station and the seating area is small. But the food is all the reviews say it is. Delicious! We had pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, onion rings and homemade strawberry cake. All was very tasty. Others inour group said the ribs, chicken and grilled cheese were equally good. I like to find the out of the way 'mom & pop' spots on our travels. We give Robertsons BBQ 5 stars for food and 4 stars for seating capacity. Try it. You won't be disappointed.

    Photos
    Robertson BBQ
    Robertson BBQ
    Half chicken with two sides, potato wedges and onion rings

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    Half chicken with two sides, potato wedges and onion rings
    Urban Bar & Kitchen

    Urban Bar & Kitchen

    4.5
    (277 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    Whole wing dinner, sweet potato fries, cheese grits, I had coleslaw. Fried crab claws for an…read moreappetizer. Absolutely awesome, best wings in town, crispy, juicy, seasoned and cooked perfectly. Such an awesome meal, not cheap but worth every penny. Service was great, place is really nice and super clean and organized.

    If you know downtown Tuscaloosa, you know getting into Urban Bar & Kitchen usually requires…read morepatience--and a willingness to stand around waiting for the doors to open. But spring break week flipped the script in the best way possible. Tonight, my wife and I met up with some good friends for a pre-retirement dinner, and with the college crowd scattered to the beaches, downtown felt like it belonged to us "seasoned locals" again. No lines, no crowds--just a quick call ahead and we were seated within minutes. That alone felt like a win. We started things off with the fried green tomatoes--a true Southern delicacy and, let's be honest, acid reflux's favorite dance partner. Worth it? Absolutely. These were hot, crispy, and full of flavor. The kind of dish that would make Grandma nod in approval. No shortcuts, just done right. For the entrée, I went with the UBK Pasta--blackened chicken, sausage, and shrimp tossed with corkscrew pasta probably crafted in a cast iron skillet. It came out hot and packed with flavor, carrying just the right amount of spice to keep things interesting without overwhelming the dish. Exactly how I like it. My wife stuck with a proven winner: the shrimp & grits. She's had it before, and once again, it delivered. Consistency matters, and this dish continues to hit the mark every time. Now, not everything was quite as smooth. Our waitress wasn't exactly channeling that warm Southern hospitality you hope for. Let's just say she wasn't "Miss Dolly" serving smiles with a side of charm. The service leaned a bit on the impatient side--subtle (and not-so-subtle) hints that our time at the table was up, including clearing drinks before we were even finished. At one point I joked about going to the restroom but worried I might come back to find my chair gone. Still, when the food is this good, it carries the experience. Urban Bar & Kitchen continues to deliver where it matters most--on the plate. The atmosphere was relaxed thanks to spring break timing, the food was as strong as ever, and the company made it even better. As for the service... maybe she was just ready for her own spring break reunion. Happens to the best of us. Final takeaway: Go for the food--it's consistently excellent. And if you can catch a quieter night like this one, even better.

    Photos
    Urban Bar & Kitchen
    Black bean sandwich
    Black bean sandwich
    Grouper Sandwich with sweet potatoes fries

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    Grouper Sandwich with sweet potatoes fries

    Thomas Rib Shack - bbq - Updated July 2026

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