We had lunch at the original location of Meat Boss on Cottage Hill Rd. The food and service were…read morevery good. Shout-out to LeAnne - she was so friendly and welcoming. Based mainly on the food compared to other barbecue restaurants across the country, I give Meat Boss a solid four out of five stars. It's worth checking out.
We rolled in with a group of eight around 12:20pm on a Friday. Luckily, we were able to combine two tables in the side room and sit together. By the time we left (shortly after 1:00pm), the dining rooms were full. This place is popular.
We shared large orders, family-style, of ribs, pulled Boston butt (upper pork shoulder), pulled beef brisket, and pulled chicken, along with sides like slaw, fries, mac and cheese, "Boss" beans, and Conecuh sausage. In addition, for the barbecue, we got all the sauces: sweet, sweet and spicy, Carolina, spicy Carolina, and white BBQ.
LeAnne could tell we were visiting from out of town, so she came to our table and brought us a couple of containers of Meat Boss's "rib candy" on the house. The menu describes it as "award-winning smoked rib meat, caramelized with Sweet Boss Sauce, brown sugar and honey."
The entire meal was delicious and satisfying. The ribs were firm and a bit chewy (not my favorite) and I didn't care for the rib candy, but everything else - barbecue, sauces, and sides - was quite tasty. The sauces were a must. The white BBQ sauce on the pulled chicken was a memorable combo to me, but in general, all of the sauces on the barbecue were flavorful and mouthwatering. The slaw and beans were probably my favorite sides.
If you're unfamiliar with Conecuh sausage, Conecuh is a famous smoked pork sausage brand from Evergreen, Alabama.
The restaurant itself is situated in a humble, home-like structure. Inside, the vibe is very casual and laid back. Not "modern" or anything like that. Old school. Guy Fieri visited and featured Meat Boss on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Season 39, Episode 1: "Smokin' Southern Decadence" (March 1, 2024).
As we were leaving, LeAnne came out to the covered patio to give us suggestions on things to do during our visit to Mobile. She was really nice and sort of like a mother to us. Thank you, LeAnne!
Meat Boss opened in December 2012.