Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q

I stopped by Big Bob Gibson after going to an appointment in Decatur. They were getting ready for the lunch crowd as it was 10:30. Workers were making sure tables were stocked with condiments and cleaning. The restaurant has a homey feel. I ordered pork BBQ, a whole chicken, slaw and vinegar based sauce. All of the foods were excellent. The ladies at the to go counter were very helpful and made my experience pleasant. Please stop by and give this local restaurant in Decatur a try. You will love their foods.

I am not going to lie, I have known and heard about this place for years, but it was one of those things that I purposely kept blocking out of my life. I am very particular about styles of bbq, and hearing about "white sauce" was one of those things that I just couldn't fathom, or just want to try.Fast forward to many years later, it was time to take a road trip to Memphis. Since I wasn't in a rush this time, I wanted to go on a path that I hadn't been on before- taking US72 across. I got to see the Space Camp for the first time since 5th grade, and I also decided to eat at Big Bob Gibson (I see they have 2 locations, I don't think either are originals, but I went with this one just because) for lunch. And let me tell you what, I can make a day trip out of this to keep going back, because holy hell, you have a fan in me!First of all, the prices are great. I think my 2 meat meal, and 2 bottles of sauce were under $35- that seems like these days a price for meat only at a lot of places.I decided to get the chicken and ribs, and collards and beans for sides. Now I had heard about that chicken (which I rarely get at bbq places) dunked in that white sauce, but I had no idea about their ribs. The chicken, was juicy, peppery, and oh so yummy. I should have gotten a bigger portion. The ribs, I could easily say were in the top single digits I have ever had, anywhere. Bold statement, and you can't make it up. There is a reason this place always wins awards.The place itself reminded me of a time warp- with lots of local families sharing their meals together- that was cool. The staff was very friendly as well. And did I mention the food was served fairly quickly as well!What is there not to like, fast, delicious, cheap food, great service, a true gem for the city of Decatur- they are blessed to have it! Can't wait to go back, because yo, this is not to be missed!

I have been on a search for the World's greatest bbq since I was 16. About 32 years ago I found Big Bob's and if it's not the world's greatest it will be in the top 5. I haven't tried it yet, but I've been told by my daughter that Terry Black's in Texas actually beats them out, but I don't know. I haven't been to Texas in a couple of decades. We'll see one day. In order to just get in the restaurant one has to walk around gigantic trophies. I've heard Big Bob has won at least 10 world champion trophies. And hundreds of blue ribbons. With that said, everything I've had here is outstanding. And I've had everything. I learned I loved BBQ taters here a few years ago. I discovered bbq and salad are a solid combination. My wife had this meal tonight. I had a standard pulled pork plate. The meat was slow smoked in such a way my heart was dancing all by itself. I use the traditional sauce, because it just don't get any better. A meal at Big Bob's is life changing. I can not recommend this restaurant highly enough a 10/10 just isn't good enough! Thanks Big Bob!

Looked for some hot chicken spots and this was the number one spot that came up! Here was our experienceAMBIANCE:Parking: Plenty of parking. It has its own plaza with room for about 30 cars. Seating: Inside seating for about 80 people. Great for groups!Vibes: The area is a strip of other everyday stores but mainly restaurants and gas stations. The restaurant itself is pretty historic. The place prides itself rightfully with all of its rewards and longevity with its history. No music playing or anything just the comfort of the chatter and the hustle and bustle of the servers. Great for a family outing or food adventure.FOOD:Big Bob Gibson Combo (Recommend)St Louis ribs and choice of meat with add-on meats for an additional cost and then two sides and a roll. I got the beef brisket and pulled pork for this one, along with green beans and mac and cheese. This can last you two meals! The meats were delicious. The ribs fell off the bone, the brisket was juicy and well-seasoned, and the pulled pork was smoky. The sides complemented it well the green beans made things a bit healthy and the mac and cheese was cheesy and gooey.French Fries (Recommend)Crunchy, lightly seasoned, and salty. A good comforting side all around.Smoked Chicken Wings (Spicy) - (Recommend)It's saucy and charred appearance made it look aesthetically pleasing. Juicy, fresh and delicious!Sweet Tea (Recommend)Splendid. Your mild hint of bitter earthy tea but a nice balance of sugar makes this drink pleasant.CUSTOMER SERVICE:Great! As a visitor I felt the excellent Southern hospitality with a warm greeting and genuine patience as I needed help on deciding what to order.TL; DR OVERALL:4.5 Stars. Delicious food, great selections, reasonable prices, and a great atmosphere. What complements the food well is the service. This may be far from Birmingham but if you're in this neck of the woods, definitely worth trying, especially tasting flavors of history such as trying a place that created the "White BBQ sauce"TIPS:* Unsure what to get? Go with the combo plates!* Want more sauce, they sell them!* Curious about the bbq white sauce - it's a bit vinegary mixed with mayo.

Big Bob's chicken is a legend and for a good reason: it is superb and unique. Known near and far as the creator of "Alabama White Sauce," this unusual concoction perfectly complements their smoked chicken, which is juicy, tender, and flavorful. I ordered the Big Bob Combo, which paired my bird with ribs, which were quite good. But it is the chicken that shines here. All three of us left full and with a bottle of the white sauce to take home. Service was friendly and sassy. A must if you find yourself in Northern Alabama.

I'm a lifelong resident of Alabama but had never tried the famous Big Bob Gibson BBQ, inventor of the Alabama White Sauce. In fact, I had only tried a copy of the white sauce once before today, so on our trip to Decatur, I was excited to try the OG. First impression: It's a typical BBQ joint, smells great soon as you pull up in the parking lot, and crowded! We were seated immediately & the server helped me decide what to order. I asked, "What can I order that will help me truly experience the famous white sauce?" She recommended the Turkey for sure and added that people often pair it with the chicken. So that's what I ordered: the Little Bob Gibson Sampler, with greens and chips for sides. My husband ordered the Rib and Meat Combo with smoked turkey, Mac n cheese, and fries. My food was great, though I was disappointed that the chips were a tiny bag of Lay's Classic. I think I was expecting homemade potato chips. (The menu doesn't say that, it was just my incorrect assumption) Turkey was great, especially with the white sauce and the greens with bits of meat were very good. The chicken leg quarter was also good. My husband was also happy with his plate. Oh & he raved about the Chocolate Pie. He usually doesn't care for meringue, but said the pie was so good "even with the abundance of fluffy stuff on top."Tip: the sauces are on the table and the rib sauce is vinegar basedI'm so glad I tried the home of the Alabama White Sauce and I recommend it if you're in the Decatur area.

Not too long ago I found myself bored and with a bit of time on my hands, and it occurred to me that I was hungry and that I'd never been to Big Bob Gibson's BBQ which is famous for inventing Alabama white sauce. It stood to reason that I had to go there and so I did.There's a lot of seating. A lot. This place can accommodate your group for sure. It's got your classic bbq joint menu, all the meats, all the sides that you'd expect from an Alabama bbq spot. The prices are low, especially given the portions which are big enough to send you home with leftovers.I had the brisket, some mac & cheese, fries, bread and a rib of 2 for good measure. The brisket was cut thick, and relatively lean. I tend to prefer fattier brisket but this stuff was legit. The ribs fell off the bone and were loaded with flavor. The mac & cheese was above average. Would order it all again. In summary, it's worth the drive if you're thinking of giving it a try, and it's a no brainer if you're in the area. Give em a shot. You'll be glad you did.

I just happened to be in the area when this place opened, and I was happily surprised by their early hours.I ordered the Big Bob Gibson Combo. It came with ribs and I ordered pulled pork and brisket with greens and beans for the sides. My favorite meat was definitely the ribs, and for the sides, the beans hit the spot.To finish things off, the very nice waitress recommended the coconut cream pie. It was light and delicious, not too sweet. I really liked the toasted coconut flakes on top. All it all, I was greeted promptly, and my food was out on my table very quickly. It was enough food to take some home for dinner too.All in all, a pretty good bbq place.

So I was excited to try famous Bob Gibson's bbq. I was in Red Bay Al so I drove an hour and 15 minutes to satisfy my que needs. Well I was disappointed. My chicken breast was dry, my friend's brisket was dry and my St. Louis ribs were good not great. The sides were good and the pie was good. So my bottom line was it was pretty good but definitely not championship barbecue. Not worth going out of my way for other than being able to say I went to the oldest bbq in the U. S.

The best bar-b-que! Pulled pork and chicken so tender and all the sauces were perfect. Had baked beans, Cole slaw and green beans and rolls. Got it to go for group of 4. Staff was friendly and fast. Would definitely go back.