Alabama Rib Shack — Restaurant in Gainesville

Alright, gather 'round, folks, and let me spin you a yarn about a recent midday culinary adventure my lovely wife and I embarked on at a little slice of Southern heaven known as Alabama Rib Shack. Now, Gainesville, AL, might not be the first place that springs to mind when you're plotting a food pilgrimage, but trust your old pal here, it's worth the detour.

We dove headfirst into what they affectionately call "The Big Sampler." Imagine, if you will, a carnivorous carnival featuring a vibrant array of smoked delights. We're talking a quarter of barbecue chicken (we opted for the dark meat, because, let's be real, that's where the flavor party's at), a rib rendezvous showcasing St. Louis, Texas, and baby back varieties (two bones each, mind you, just enough to get you properly acquainted), a charmingly curled pig tail, a half-pound of rib tips, another half-pound of sausage, a respectable portion of jerk chicken, and, to round things out, a half-pound of pulled pork. And as if that weren't enough, they threw in collard greens and candied yams as the supporting cast.

Now, while we were patiently waiting for our impending feast, we got a glimpse into the heart and soul of this establishment. The pitmaster, who I'm fairly certain is also the owner, a fella named Jamie, emerged from the smoky depths of the kitchen. He wasn't there to bark orders or survey the scene; no, he was there to chat with a customer, advising them on how to strategically place their future orders to maximize savings. And get this, he even refunded them $4 on the spot! That, my friends, is the kind of genuine, community-lovin' spirit that warmed the cockles of my heart.

But let's get down to brass tacks, shall we? The chicken was moist. The ribs were infused with the intoxicating aroma of the smoke that had lured us in from the parking lot. The sausage? A masterful blend of spice and flavor, a gentle caress to the back of the throat that leaves you wanting more.

And those collard greens! Oh, sweet mercy, those collard greens! Now, my wife, bless her heart, isn't exactly a card-carrying member of the collard appreciation society. Yet, there she was, practically inhaling them, savoring every last drop of that magical pot liquor. For years, I've held Mert's in Charlotte as the gold standard for collard greens, but Alabama Rib Shack has officially reset the bar.

So, here's the bottom line: If you ever find yourself within a hundred-mile radius of Gainesville, Alabama, do yourself a favor and pay a visit to Alabama Rib Shack. It's not just a meal; it's an experience. You'll...

Oh my lord!!! This place is 100% worth the hour & a half drive from Birmingham for sure! After hearing about this place on an episode of TrueSouth on the ESPN/SEC network, we decided to take a drive down and see what this place was all about. When we first walked in the door, we were immediately greeted by this "larger then life" character who turned out to be Pitmaster Jamie Lee himself! He asked us if we were ready for some flavor because that was what we were about to experience! We decided to order the Big Sampler platter because it had everything we drove down there to eat. First, let me say the sides were so good, and that is not always the case in some bbq joints because the focus is usually just put on the Q. Well, not at the Rib Shack, my friends....the mac-n-cheese had a taste like I've never experienced before in such a simple comforting dish. The potato salad was expertly made, and the baked beans were through the roof delicious! The cornbread muffins were not your ordinary dry, tasteless cornbread that you sometimes find in other places. Now for the Q! The platter had 4 types of ribs (TX style, baby back, St Louis & rib tips). All were smoked with a perfect smoke ring deep into the meat and seasoned by a true master (my favorite was the TX style heavy on cracked pepper)! The smoked pig tail was very different and very good (yes, I said smoked pig tail). There was a generous portion of chopped smoked bbq chicken and a quarter of a Jerk seasoned chicken, "OMG." Several big hunks of smoked sausage and a bowl of pulled pork. Not just your run of the mill pulled pork. This stuff was amazing! Once again, I have never tasted pulled pork seasoned so differently and so well. Overall, this platter was not inexpensive, but there was enough food on there to feed us for 3 meals and well worth the price. We have already started planning our next trip down in hopes of trying the ox tails or beef ribs if we are lucky enough to get there when Jamie Lee has some on the menu. Now, just so yall know,living in central Alabama, I've tried bbq from all over this great state and some top spots in Memphis as well. Big Bob Gibson is now my SECOND favorite bbq in Bama after the Rib Shack! Thank you to Pitmaster Jamie Lee and your great team in Gainesville, AL, for a well worth trip to your little...

Words can not describe how amazing the food, the atmosphere, the hospitality & the people are here. My husband & I just went on our first vacation EVER in November to see the Alabama football game and we knew we wanted to check out the Alabama Rib Shack not knowing anything about it. Let me tell you what, out of our entire stay in Alabama this was the ONLY place that had REAL BARBECUE! There were no other places in Alabama that could even come close to what Pitmaster Jamie Lee cooks up! He introduced himself to us and gave us some history on the Alabama Rib Shack & himself and made sure we were taken care of before we left to head back out of state! Pitmaster Jamie Lee goes above and beyond for his customers and treats them like family. Fast forward to the holiday season, Alabama Rib Shack has their hoodies for sale, so I placed an order for my husband for Christmas in addition to some of Pitmaster Jamie Lee’s famous BBQ sauce. (If you haven’t had it, you need to 🤤) He made sure to ship it so it would get here in time for Christmas, and even though the postal service damaged the package and crushed one of the BBQ sauce jars, Pitmaster Jamie Lee made time to call me late night on a busy Friday during the holiday season to tell me that he would send me out a new one so we didn’t have to worry about dealing with the postal service. Pitmaster Jamie Lee, you are one of a kind, you are a blessing, and you are a beautiful soul and shows through everything including the food you cook. We cannot wait to come back to your home at the...