Brooks Barbecue — Restaurant in Muscle Shoals

This place is on al.com's list of 50 best bbq restaurants in Alabama and it didn't disappoint. I had the pulled pork plate and my buddy had ribs. The pork was tender and smoky and I loved the bark on it. Not every restaurant cooks pork so it has a nice bark but Brooks' did and it added a nice textural contrast and a slightly smokier bite. The ribs were ridiculous! My buddy tried to pass me one while holding the bone and the meat slipped right off. They were super juicy and tender and the flavor was off the charts! They were seriously some of the best ribs I've ever had. The quality of the meat is some of the best in Alabama. The sauce was vinegar based and packed a slight punch,, but the texture was gritty so I used very little of it. The beans were firm and a bit too spicy for me. They tasted kind of one note and were seasoned hot like cayenne. I finished them but they weren't my favorite. The yellow slaw, on the other hand, was outrageous! I've only had mustard based slaw one other time and was OK with it, but this recipe is one of my favorite slaws in the state. I ate almost my entire meal with a bite of slaw and pork together. The tangy slaw and sweet pork were the perfect complement to each other. That slaw is available in stores around the Muscle Shoals area and I will buy some next time I'm that way. I liked it that much. The my last side was potato salad and I thought it was very nice. It was heavier on the mustard and that was good by me. We also had the pecan and coconut pies. The pecan was good but the coconut was crazy! The pies are homemade and the slices are thin and small but the flavor is huge! Plus they're less than three dollars. The plate in my picture plus pie and drink was less than $14, an amazing bargain. I will definitely be back. Please go out of your way to visit Brooks Barbecue. You...

I was introduced to this family's BBQ in the late 1960s, by my new husband's family. My father-in-law had known the original BBQer for many years. Sorry that I don't remember the man's name for he passed away many years ago. My father-in-law would take fresh meat almost every week to have the meat cooked. At that time, people could bring their own meat to be cooked and smoked there. That glorious smokey, meaty, smell permeated the streets all around the little "hole-in-the-wall" restaurant. Times changed my father-in-law passed away, we had to move to a different area, and the restaurant owner passed away. He passed his guarded recipe along to his daughter and she was just as good a BBQer as her dad. My husband and I moved back into the area and we were so glad that the daughter had married and opened a restaurant. The smell still permeates the air and causes people's mouth to start drooling. Other items have been added as the years have gone by and ALL of the food is amazing as well as being good home cooking!!! The pies are homemade and not something from a restaurant supplier. My favorite pie is the coconut pie. I donot live close to the restaurant now, but always go by the restaurant for sandwiches or pickup a pound of the meat, slaw, and pie. So if you are in the Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, Florence, or Tuscumbia area, make a trip by Brook's BBQ for an outstanding meal. DON'T FORGET...

If you have never had Brooks BBQ you are missing out on the most legendary BBQ place in Al. I am 47 yrs old and my first experience with Brooks BBQ was when I was about 12 and it has remained unchanged as far as quality ,originality ,flavor . The staff has changed but it is still family owned I do believe but the pride they take in what they do has stayed the same as it was when Mr. Brooks himself was there , I remember Darryl and his wife best and they always treated you like family and fed you food that they would and did feed their family . I have introduced my wife and kids to the Brooks experience (thats what it is an experience not just food)and they love it and jump at the chance anytime we go ,which we try to do atleast once or twice every week or two . Only restrained by our schedules and school keeping us from...