Greenbrier Restaurant — Restaurant in Madison

Very few places will bring me back to my childhood but when I got a craving for hushpuppies, I knew right where to go. Greenbrier Restaurant in Madison has been a staple in the area for my whole life. When I was a kid, I didn't appreciate this place like I should have.

Growing up, I was here atleast once a month it seemed like. We visited my grandmother and would generally come here for the hushpuppies and bbq/seafood. So I got my fair share of this place.

If you are looking for a super modern and updated restaurant, keep on looking. If you are wanting just a great sit down meal without all the shiny and sparkly stuff, Greenbrier is the perfect place. This place smells just like it did when I was a kid and looks it too.

Let's talk food. Number 1, get the hushpuppies...and keep getting them until you are about to explode. Make sure you get all the Sauces on your table, a vinegar hot sauce (pork sauce), a thicker bbq sauce (rib sauce), a white bbq sauce and a tartar sauce. They are all excellent on the crispy yet soft interior of the hushpuppies.

Today I got their large pork plate and it was more than enough to fill me up. It came with my choice of fries, baked potato or sweet potato and a side of vinegar slaw with pickles on top. The bbq is smoked every day in the early morning and kept warm in a water tray. This is typical for bbq restaurants and while i don't like the practice, I was still able to taste some smoke and the pork was still juicy. The slaw was crunchy and tangy and paired well with the pork. The baked potato was...well a baked potato. Butter, sour cream. Simple but good.

Let's talk service, first off I was seated really quick for a busy lunch period. Hot hushpuppies were immediately dropped off and my drink order grabbed. Then after ordering, it took 5 minutes for me to get my food. The waitresses were all super nice and treated you like family.

Is Greenbrier the best bbq I've ever had? No. They will not measure up to bbq pulled straight off the smoker and shredded. Was it the fanciest bbq restaurant? Nope. But I don't think I want a bbq restaurant to be fancy. I want it to be simple yet functional and that's exactly what Greenbrier is.

I think for the price, Greenbrier offers an excellent meal without breaking the bank. So if you are in the area, give them a try.

TLDR: Go to Greenbrier for good cheap bbq and the best hushpuppies around....

It's probably been 10+ years since I last visited Greenbrier, but I took a trip out there on Monday to give it another try.

I called ahead of time to place my order since I'd be in a hurry to make it back to work on time. The gentleman on the other end of the line was pleasant. I was able to place my order easily. He told me it'd be ready in 5 minutes, which surprised me - very short timeframe for carryout. I asked if they'd be willing to wait 15 minutes before putting my order in and he agreed.

The restaurant is in a pretty rural location and is easy to miss, but it's been around for forever. That shows a little bit in the decor and appearance of the interior especially.

My food was ready when I arrived. The man at the register was polite when I checked out, and my meal was boxed nicely. I appreciated that they added a couple of ketchup packets without me having to ask; I realized I forgot when I was more than halfway back and I was sad because I love my hush puppies dipped in a little ketchup (don't knock it till you try it, lol). Luckily for me, that was provided!

The food is just alright; I'd say it's middle of the road bbq for the Huntsville area. I had a small pulled pork plate with fries. It also came with slaw and hush puppies.

The tea I got to drink was absolutely ENORMOUS - so large it hardly fit in my cup holder, lol. Good value there. The small pork plate was plenty for me. The pork has a decent smoke flavor and texture, but was dry. Unfortunately, I didn't much care for the sauce that came with my meal; it was very thin, vinegar based sauce. I did like the kick to it, but I much prefer sweet, thick sauce. The fries were mushy and a little undersalted even when I ate a few before pulling away from the restaurant. I'm not really a coleslaw fan personally so I only tried a bite; it was decent but I prefer mayo-based coleslaw if I'm going to eat it at all.

The highlight was, as I remembered from my last visit long ago, the hush puppies. I won't agree that they're the best hush puppies ever, but they ARE quite good. Cooked fresh, hot and crispy, with just enough oil for a little bit to seep out on your fingers, they're yummy. Again, give them a try with a lil ketchup! ...

These hush puppies are the best :) It seems to me though the recipe has changed a bit since I last visited, or at least something seems different about them now. They're still yummy, even if I get prefer how they used to be. Everyone associated with running this establishment are just the most awesome humble family like bunch. Lori, a server there, ask for her-she is the best and most attentive server who pays attention to her customers, reads their body language and anticipates their needs in a way that sets the dining experience apart from those waitresses who come by the table every 3 minutes and always check on you while you have the biggest load of food in your mouth or maybe you're on a date and talking getting to know one another ... Sometimes you have to read the room because you might think asking the table if they need anything every 5 minutes is a sign of a job well done&your table might perceive this very thing for whatever reason as an annoyance, like you're not paying attention &leave you puzzled as to why you got a tiny tip. Sometimes your table might be folks you've waited on years and they'd love you to sit and chat awhile. You won't know until you read the room&I'm sure we all know the rubber necking motion we all tend to do when we are looking for our server. There is an art to service, especially with a lil ol place like this that has been around forever&sees a lot of the same regulars. Lori, has this lovely uncanny ability to read the room&be just perfect at the juggle of multiple tables&has the energy of a 20 year old! Now I know I just wrote a book about a server, but to me what makes this place awesome isn't really the food so much as the people.

Well... That and...