Fourth Planet BBQ — Restaurant in Florence

Wound down the July 4th holiday weekend with a quick trip to Florence, AL to get the closest thing to real TX BBQ I have had in the state of AL. Truth be told, we were a bit skeptical because it's really hard to recreate TX style BBQ, but we walked away believing the hype!

Got in line an hour early and was the 20th person in line. Ah, just like Texans do on the weekend. Not much shade on a hot summer day, but the crew had FREE cold beer (need Lonestar or Shiner for the true TX experience) and water to quench everyone's thirst, good music, and umbrellas to cover until you got to the shaded area during the wait. The single line moved fast. All the staples of any BBQ joint were present. We settled on brisket, pulled pork, jalapeno & cheddar link, TX twinkie (jalapeno with cream cheese & brisket wrapped in bacon), elote, mac and cheese, and TX style baked beans. Everything was on point and at a price point ($55 after tip for both of our meals) I can see why they have sold out every time they have opened.

The only con I can honestly say is they have very limited seating. A single inside community table that seats 6-8 people in what looked to be a boutique shop in downtown Florence and then everything else is outside. 25 July 2025 was like a furnace! No matter how many fans you have blowing the AL heat and humidity were a lot to bear while enjoying this meal! No fault to @fourthplanetbbq , but as they grow and word of mouth spreads, they will need to find a way to keep those who eat onsite cool.

#fourthplanetbbq...

Everything we ordered was Saturday delicious! The meat (i.e. pulled pork and brisket) was moist and had a great smoke flavor that wasn’t overpowering. We also ordered the Large beans and street corn which were especially unique and flavorful. What we ordered for our whole family’s meal was enough for a second! The owners even threw in a couple cheesy jalapeño franks which we cute in half longways and heated on the flattop. It was so juicy and flavor packed! As for the atmosphere, we were working on Saturday and didn’t get to stay but they have outdoor dining space that is between the buildings with lights hanging over. And I can’t wait to get to go and enjoy the experience eating on site! If you haven’t, follow them on Facebook and go check out this locally...

I was in town for a wedding planning session with clients. We were considering Fourth Planet for catering the welcome party. It took all of five seconds for our decision to easily be made. I have always said that BBQ is average at best no matter where you go. This is different. We had Brisket, smoked turkey, and every side available. The BBQ served up at Fourth Planet is like watching your show in the 80's. You may have to wait a week, but the anticipation and enjoyment is worth every minute. I can't recommend enough. The free beer (first come first serve), the live entertainment, the joyful mood outside in line....it's like a BBQ lovers convention in all the good ways. 10's...