Golden Rule Bar-B-Q and Grill — Restaurant in Irondale

I went there wanting some veggies. Didn’t see a veggie plate on menu. Asked waitress if they have a veggie plate price. She said the new menu didn’t include the veggie plate price but it would be close to the previous menu price of roughly $7.50 for 3 or $8.50 for four. So I asked her to check to make sure.

She came back saying she couldn’t find the new price but she was sure it would be close to the last price she gave me.

So I placed my order. The food came out and I asked her again if she got the updated price. Again she assured me it would be close to the same price as she quoted me before I ordered roughly $8.50. I began to eat my meal feeling basically assured of its affordability.

One of the owners came by to fill our drinks and I asked him about the veggie plate price. He said we would have to wait til we checked out to see what the new veggie plate price is. I asked him if he could check and see before we got to the register. So he did.

He came back a few minutes later and told us there was no veggie plate anymore and the price was as marked on the menu with no discount for 3 or 4 veggies. So the meal ended up costing $16 instead of roughly $8.50. I didn’t think that was right and told him the waitress assured me the price would be roughly $8.50. So he said he would see what he could do.

He came back a few minutes later and said there was nothing he could do about the 4 veggies for $16 price. He offered a desert for free to somehow mediate the problem. Didn’t even want a desert but something is better than nothing.

Coming into the Golden Rule I was excited to experience some wonderful food as I have in the past. However, I left feeling jaded and jilted. Such a sad thing to see a wonderful iconic establishment go down the tubes because the owners just don’t get it. You just don’t do your customers this way.

If I do come by there for some of their good eats I will order just one veggie for $4, drink water and leave a $2 tip. Getting me out of there for a lot less than $16 for four veggies.

I hope the owners read this and go back to adding a reasonably priced veggie plate...

I have been eating at this location for 50 years. We love Golden Rule....Period!! Last week my Wife, Grandson, and myself had dinner at the Rule. We all had combo dinners( pork plate, hamburger combo, and the large hamburger steak). My grandson ordered his burger ketshup only came with two sides. Wife had the pork plate with two sides. I had the large hamburger steak with fries and baked beans. I paid the bill, left a generous tip (we even got two pieces of cake to go) and went to the car. I looked at my receipt and thers was a couple of curious charges on there. Not a lot of money, but never the less its my money!! I went back inside to the counter to question the charges and was very rudely set straight. There was an upcharge for the ketchup on my grandsons burger!! They charged me for removing lettuce, pickles, mustard, etc. and addind a squirt of ketchup! By the way there was a bottle of ketchup on the table for use had we bern told. Also, I was upcharged for one of my sides that I ordered with my hamburger steak, which Ive been ordering for several decades (also had one a week earlier and ut came with two sides!!) I was rudely explained to that the menu had changed (Which it still clearly said sides (plural) and that the almost $17.00 hamburger steak no longer came with two sides!! Again, we are only talking about $4.00 but its just the way I was treated at the counter as if I was not important and didnt matter. As the lady behind the counter showed me the door I told her emphatically, that after 50 years I would never come back!! There are plenty of other Barbecue options in my area that will appreciate...

You know you are at a great BBQ place as soon as you open your car door. That smoky aroma is everywhere! Unlike the other Golden Rules we have visited, the smell, the interior of bldg, and by just watching the pitmasters and food prep folks working, you know you are in for some really good BBQ. I had the chopped brisket plate with potato salad and baked beans. While the sides were really good, the brisket was outstanding. Great flavor, great texture and super juicy. If reviewing food only, this review would be 5+ stars. However, service was definitely lacking in specific areas. One, while I know the rona has affected eating establishments and they have to do what they have to in order to serve, when asked if I could get my Miller Lite in a glass, was told absolutely, then received a Styrofoam cup, well....that didn't work for me...but it ended up not being an issue due to the beer (canned) being so warm, I returned it, un opened and drank water instead. My next issue, was the lack of knowledge from waitress, which has been an ongoing issue with Golden Rule at a cple different locations. She didn't know which brands of beer they served, couldn't tell me the difference in a large and small brisket plate and never once came back to refill my water. If Golden Rule ever brings their server staff up to the level of their food, they will be a favorite of...