Golden Rule Barbecue-Irondale

Recommends

sirmrmatt

Joined 7 years ago

The Ninjas of Barbecue: Silent, Clean, Effective. I would give this place three and three quater stars, if only cityseach would allow me to be so Star Search-like.

This is not reach out and punch you barbecue. In my Alabama barbeque adventures thus far, I give that honor to Thomas Pit Barbecue in Madison, which is worth going well out of your way for.

This place on the other hand, has been doing this since 1891...no, not 1981...1891. Assuming the recipes have not changed much, this is good barbecue at the meat level: it is near-greaseless, cleanly cut, with excellent subtlety to the smoke penetration (seems to go completely through it) and flavor balance.

A half rack was a reasonable $10 and a full rack double that at $20. Make sure you look at what includes sides and what does not! We got two plates, a ribs plate and a chopped pork plate...one came with sides and one we were charged $2 per side extra for at the checkout counter. I was not too pleased about that.

We tried the fries, which are fresh cut, boardwalk style and greasy-good. Easily worth getting for $2.

The rest of the sides are nothing to write home about, but received zero complaints. All good. The beans won the "wow" award (as much as one could be given to the sides here) with it's cumin and other herb/spices flavoring and rich, brothy character.

All told this is definitely a good pick if you are in the Birmingham area, but I harbor the conceit that there may well be better. I wish I could have heaped Thomas Pit-like praise on it, but all told it's a solid, tasty pick for a good value in barbecue.

Recommends

Temp

Joined 4 years ago

Favorite BBQ in the world. Very few BBQ places offer sliced pork and Golden Rule Irondale has been doing it the best forever. Great sauce, beans with meat, fries, what are you talking about!

Everybody thats anybody thats comes thru B'ham goes there and the walls are full of autographed pictueres to prove it.

Doesn't Recommend

timsuggs

Joined 8 years ago

Hags with bags.... The BBQ is "so-so" at best, but if you like old hags serving your food that haven't smiled since WWI with manners and attitude to match, then this place is for you.