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    Thomas Rib Shack

    4.6 (12 reviews)
    Closed 10:45 am - 4:00 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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    6 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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    4 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
    (540 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.

    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.

    Photos
    Inside view
    Inside view
    Hickory Smoked Sausage
    Hickory Smoked Sausage
    Line to get into Dreamland

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    Line to get into Dreamland
    Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q

    Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q

    3.7
    (214 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    First time at Jim & Nicks. Took our son who turned one there for ribs for his birthday…read more Everything that came to the table was delicious. From the free biscuits to the ribs beans and fries. The Jalapeño cheddar sausage was to die for. Can tell they use fresh jalapeños. Not the canned crap Restaurant was extremely clean and had a great vibe. Would definitely return for another meal.

    Need to provide some context for this review. I am traveling for work this week around various…read morecities in Alabama. Yesterday i stayed in Tuscaloosa and wanted to try this restaurants location there. I ordered online and within got a call in which the manager indicated they were out of wings and could not fulfill the order, he asked if i wanted something else or just to cancel. Other things on the menu looked good but was really in the mood for wings which are my favorite food so i just canceled. I got an email asking for feedback so i filled it out. I did not leave anything negative but simply noted what happened and that i really wanted to try their wings but was only in town for the one night. Today i received an email from a managing partner noting that my refund would be processed within 5-7 days so that was nice that there was follow up confirmation. Additionally, he gave me a gift card to used next time i was in town, that is absolutely incredible customer service. I happened to be staying in Montgomery the following night and noticed they had a location about 10 mins from my hotel so below is my review of the highly regarded wings. The Managing Partner that provided me the gift card noted that the wings would blow me away, and let me tell you: he was absolutely right! They were absolutely incredible. All were very big and all smoked so perfectly they fell off the bone! Definitely a contender for the best wings i have ever had!! Buffalo sauce was also delicious. Order was ready in less that 30 mins which was also appreciated. I will 100% be returning and will undoubtedly get the wings again, Thanks so much Jerath for reaching out to me, that is incredible customer service.

    Photos
    Sitting at the bar looking at the back part of the restaurant
    Sitting at the bar looking at the back part of the restaurant
    Smoked Buffalo Wings
    Smoked Buffalo Wings
    Deviled Eggs

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    Deviled Eggs
    Urban Bar & Kitchen

    Urban Bar & Kitchen

    4.5
    (279 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    Excellent experience, plan on walking, parking is terrible! The food was good,must try.Be prepared…read moreto walk and wait for a table.

    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 August 2026

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