4. Restaurants

Saw’s BBQ

1008 Oxmoor Rd, Homewood, AL, 35209
  • (205) 879-1937
  • Store is closed

Saw’s BBQ Menu

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Visit below restaurant in Homewood for healthy meals suggestion.

Homewood Diner ( 162 Oxmoor Rd )
Arby’s ( 159 State Farm Pkwy )

Visit below restaurant in Homewood for healthy meals suggestion.

Arby’s ( 159 State Farm Pkwy )

  • Carlton S.

    I have eaten 'cue all over the South, and this is truly some of the most unique barbecue anywhere, and a contender for some of the best Birmingham barbecue (in a town that's super saturated with competition). For me personally, with barbecue, it's all about the details. For example, I love the fact that Saw's BBQ serves its pulled pork plate "wet" - i.e. with the Carolina-style sauce drenched on top. I think the sides are fantastic: to-die-for mac cheese, slap-yo-mama potato salad, and solid turnip greens. However, my favorite order is without a doubt the smoked chicken sandwich (with slaw added). The combination of the slaw with the vinegar-tanged white sauce is fantastic! I have also had one of the pulled pork "bakers" - it's a football-sized baked potato drowned in sour cream, butter, pulled pork, cheese, and scallions. The owner of SAW's BBQ, Mike Wilson, used to work in the test kitchens for Cooking Light magazine AND he's from Carolina, so he's truly a professional.

    (5)

  • John L.

    If you don't eat at Saw's when you're in Homewood, then you're a fool. Chicken white bbq, mac and cheese, banana pudding, and pabst are a must.

    (5)

  • mon b.

    I'm not sure if the people who review this were paid or what.. Ate at hundreds of barbeque joints across the south.. saw the reviews on this.. thought we would try it.. .and we did twice... This is not good food.. tough dry pulled pork.. a little to tangy sauce.. more of the vinegar type. It was better than that dump Sweet Bones...it is just at best what I call a barbeque dive without great food.

    (1)

  • Trey S.

    BBQ Sandwich with white BBQ sauce is awesome. Potato salad is one of my favorite sides with baked beans a close second. Get there early, once they run out of meat and sides for the day, that's it. Great place to pick up dinner to go as well if you don't feel like eating there.

    (5)

  • Emily R.

    Get the Tator Baker! Baked Potato loaded with bbq pork or chicken or both! Amazing! Small, simple place, order at counter, sit down and they bring it to you.

    (4)

  • Ramon L.

    Hands down the best BBQ in town, you can't go wrong !! The ribs,pulled~pork or smoked chicken with white sauce are smash hits. The sides are Great as well. I mean this place just totally kick a$$. All dinner plates are less than $10.00. This is one of the best secrets in Bham...........Prices are above $10.00 now but the food is still great

    (4)

  • Pat W.

    Great food, vibe and hospitality! Plus the prices don't break the wallet. Great deal for the dollar!

    (5)

  • Brian G.

    This is the type of small BBQ place that you look for when you travel. I don't remember what I had but it was great I a bought a bottle of sauce to bring home. If your in town you should try it.

    (4)

  • Bill C.

    Lives up to the reputation in every respect. Great BBQ, excellent sides, hole in the wall atmosphere, friendly staff - even free parking. The chicken with the regionally based white sauce was surprisingly good. The collard greens were Grade A - smokey-tart flavor was memorable. Potato Salad appeared to have too much mayonnaise, but it was actually a slightly tart sauce that was perfect. Ribs and pork were also excellent. A fun place, high quality BBQ.

    (4)

  • Ashley M.

    This is absolutely the best BBQ I have ever had. My husband and I frequent this place, and you can be sure that it will be packed at lunch. I love the chicken sandwich with white sauce. It is a generous portion, and I can't help but eat all of it. The banana pudding is also wonderful!

    (5)

  • BBQ B.

    The chicken is the best I've ever had hands down. This place is awesome. Dreamland has nothing on Saws.

    (5)

  • Paul N.

    I grew up in a family that knows how to BBQ , so a lot of times when someone suggests a BBQ joint, I'm a little skeptical. This place IS the real deal!

    (5)

  • Chris W.

    Incredibly consistent barbecue. The pulled pork, rib, and chicken plates are all moist, tender, and juicy. Even the chicken, which I generally avoid at most bbq joints because I often find it to be too dry, is fantastic at Saw's. The sauces are distinct and delicious. The sides I've tried are also all generally excellent. This small mom-and-pop joint is truly some of the better barbecue I've consumed.

    (5)

  • John S.

    Best barbecue I've had in Alabama.. And I believe Alabama is thee BBQ Capital of the Known Universe. Saw's is just amazing. The sides, the pork, the chicken, the sauces..... when I visit this is the first place I want to go....and that place used to be Moe's, but sadly no longer. Saw's is the first BBQ joint I never minded waiting in line for 45 minutes to order...my son cautioned me to stay calm and that I would be rewarded for my patience and I WAS! This place is great, put it on your Bucket List. I was visiting my kids from Florida, and my son talked me out of going to Moe's so we wandered down to Saw's on Saturday for lunch. The line was out the door for over an hour, but man was it worth the wait. The pulled pork was smokiley delicious and moist and very tender..... same with the chicken. And WOW, that white sauce is fantastic. The sides were great too, especially the potato salad and beans. And the BBQ sauce is fantastic, a perfect compliment to the pork. I also got a look at the ribs and the stuffed potatoes have to be seen to be believed, they are monstrous in size! Anyway, will have to say goodbye to Moe's on future trips, and they are superb, but Saw's is the King of the whole damn state IMO. And yes, I understand that is a strong statement.

    (5)

  • Jim M.

    Very good BBQ!!!!! have eaten here a few times. Yes this does not look like a place that would have great BBQ as it reminds you of a whole in the wall joint. We had the pull pork sandwiches that were spot on, good portions for the money. We tried the fried pickles and the banana pudding, both were really good. All in all you cannot go wrong with Saw's, it is by far the best BBQ in town...

    (4)

  • Debbie C.

    Got bbq here with my Fiancee when he was in town. I think we orered enough food to feed a small army. Atmosphere: 3/5 Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 We ordered our food to-go, but from what we saw while waiting in the store...there were quite a few flies hovering around. Luckily I'm not too squeamish about that. Service was fast and excellent even though the line was out the door, literally! I will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Will B.

    I have now completed the trio of Birmingham Saw's locations. And this one did not disappoint. My first experience with this location was the catering side. Although, going in the location, very similar to the others. It has the charm of the Juke Joint and the size of the Avondale location (maybe slightly bigger). But the Que, even in mass quantity, was the same quality you expect from Saw's. And that white sauce... OH the white sauce. Good on everything. I didn't put it on the banana pudding... Enter the Will B inner dialogue - Bad Conscience - Wait, should I have put it on the banana pudding? Good Conscience - No the pudding is great by itself. BC - But could it be better? GC - White sauce on banana pudding is crazy. BC - But that white sauce is crazy good. GC -That seem excessive and unhealthy. BC - That settles it... I'm trying it next time. Did I mention I love Saw's White Sauce?

    (5)

  • Spencer P.

    Absolutely superb. If you are in Birmingham, you need to stop at Saw's BBQ. If I could afford it, I would eat here everyday. My advice is to get the chicken wings. They are excellent. (Make sure you get the white BBQ sauce) If you are starving, get the platter. I will say this, nothing is bad on the menu. But, if I had to choose my sides, it would be baked beans and green beans! EXCELLENT! GO SAWS!

    (5)

  • Kristian D.

    I had to drive a bit to find this place near Birmingham, but I was glad to do so on my last trip to the South. Saw's BBQ was recommended as a good place to try Alabama style BBQ with the unique white sauce. The restaurant is textbook barbecue joint on a classic Main Street in Homewood. I had to walk a bit to find a parking space, but it was fun to see the rest of the businesses on Oxmoor along the way. I had the chicken with white sauce and a baked potato. The chicken was cooked perfectly with a great rub, but the sauce was a real treat. It tasted like the dressing for cole slaw with a kick and really complimented the chicken. The baked potato was a great side dish and is recommended. Plus, you have to have some iced tea! I was fortunate to try several different styles of barbecue in the South, and I can definitely recommend Saw's for anyone wanting good Alabama barbecue!

    (4)

  • Mike R.

    There's nothing on this menu I don't love. There's rarely a place to sit, but that should tell you something about the quality of their food. Get a big sampler to go and have a picnic in Homewood park.

    (5)

  • Len W.

    Got pork, chicken and ribs. Wife got pork sandwich. Absolutely no bbq flavor. Pork tasted like it was boiled. Oven roasting meat and putting bbq sauce on it does not make it bbq. Yuck.

    (1)

  • Mike M.

    My flight home got cancelled today which meant I had to spend another night here in Birmingham. I had Saw bookmarked and was glad that I was going to be able to eat there before I left. I went in today at about 6 pm and there were only 3-4 other people in there. I ordered the chicken plate with the BBQ white sauce along with baked beans and potato salad for $11.95. It came out about 5 minutes later and looked a little weird with that white sauce all other that big 1/2 chicken. Weird turned into very good. First of all I am not sure the white sauce tastes like regular BBQ sauce but I enjoyed it a lot. Also the bird was big, moist and flavorful (4). The beans had pulled pork in them so that won points for it. I enjoyed them (4). The potato salad was mayo based and had very small potato pieces that made it look almost like grits. I thought it tasted great (4.5). With this meal having the white sauce and the almost creamy potato salad being different than what you normally get at a BBQ joint all I can say is being different here is very good. This is a quality BBQ place to eat at. By the time I left almost 30 minutes later, the place was full. I now understand why.

    (4)

  • John S.

    A co-worker new in town wanted to go here for lunch after reviews on Yelp and having previously tried the Avondale location. While seating is somewhat limited at the Homewood location (I didn't even realize was here) it is expansive in comparison to Avondale. I had the BBQ Pork sandwich, added slaw on top, with macaroni and cheese side. BBQ was moist and flavorful, no added sauce needed. I did anyway - original style (not too sweet and not too spicy). Quantity was more than ample. Macaroni and cheese was good but nothing to write home about. Now that I know it is this close, I will be sure to be back.

    (4)

  • William T.

    Want bbq? Bbq its what's for lunch. While my business guest and I walked out smelling of delicious bbq it was still a great lunch spot. This was my first visit to saws so I went for the full package. The large sampler so I could get a taste of everything. This plate is not something one simply eats. This is a feast for even the most champion of eaters. Pulled pork, chicken, ribs, and two sides. Absolutely some of the best BBQ I have ever had the pleasure of eating. Tables were a hot commodity but we didn't have to wait long. Sound level was loud and probably not the best for a business meeting or lunch with a long lost friend. But if you want to sit there in silence and stuff your face with mouth watering BBQ this is your place.

    (5)

  • Sam N.

    No other barbecue in the region compares. Always consistent, always excellent, and always leaving you filled and craving more, Saw's is undoubtedly a legend in Alabama barbecue and an undeniable force to be reckoned with.

    (5)

  • Noah P.

    I visit Birmingham on a regular basis and have always enjoyed the bbq. I was told to try Saws bbq and it was honestly the best bbq I have ever had. My only complaint is that I haven't found out about this place sooner. I had the #2 daily special and it was enough to feed two people. Tip, get a side of the white BBQ sauce for the chicken and pulled pork.

    (5)

  • Been B.

    Saw's had some good tasting food but less than stellar service. The potatoes were what stuck out to me most. They were good for all those that ordered them. Here are the scores: Loaded baked potato: 8/10 Ribs: 7/10 Mac and cheese: 8/10 Cornbread: 6/10

    (4)

  • Francis P.

    This place is really good I went there during June on a road trip to Atlanta the pulled pork was on the a bit dry side but really smoky and good. The ribs was yummy smoky moist and not too dry the best thing I like there is the sausage pork that had rice inside really good soft texture.

    (5)

  • Jacob W.

    Amazing food, and the best BBQ in Birmingham. The only problem is this place isn't Saw's Soul Food Kitchen. The latter serves several items which aren't included at this location, like the Sweet Tea Chicken Sandwich. I'd drive across town for that.

    (4)

  • David C.

    This was the real deal. I had smoked chicken with white sauce, a "baker" and a side of slaw. Such a cool environment, memorabilia all over the walls. Open kitchen where you can see the smoking magic happen. The chicken was amazing, the slaw was vinegar based and just perfect. The baked potato was huge and perfectly cooked. Add a few pickle slices and white bread and this was an awesome meal. Don't pass up the opportunity to try this place. Service was fast and friendly.

    (5)

  • Marcellus E.

    My favorite has to be the chicken sandwich with white bqq sauce. This sauce it to die for I could eat in on anything. The deviled eggs are delicious also, the egg yolk filling is creamy and has a tangy bite. The line is often long when you enter the restaurant, but if you look on the right or left when you walk in the front door you should she menus laying on a ledge so you can decide what you're going to have by the time reach the front to order.

    (5)

  • Angel S.

    Hands down the BEST bbq I've ever had. If it wasn't so far from my hotel I would've eaten there everyday! I had the sampler pulled pork, ribs, chicken. With Mac n cheese and deviled eggs. AMAZING! The gentleman that helped us was very nice and helpful. The lady not so much. But I didn't let her mess up my experience the food was great! I would recommend to anyone that loves bbq! Thanks yall!

    (5)

  • Corey A.

    I have been eating here for years, best BBQ hands down in Birmingham. The roll Tide with white and red BBQ is by far the best.

    (5)

  • Jason L.

    Had the combo plate and it was spectacular. Only bad part was I couldn't decide what was my favorite to order next time. This place will most likely have a long line and possibly no tables so don't be angry when you have to wait in line or eat outside it will be worth it.

    (5)

  • Akira R.

    Lived up to the hype, it was worth the drive and wait in line. Hotdog for the toddler was a bit salty, but we didn't go there for hot dogs. Price was not too steep, but next time we'll probably go for the family meal instead of individual plates to save a few bucks. Go hungry and expect a crowd!

    (5)

  • Scott H.

    Awesome BBQ. It literally melts in your mouth. If you come to the Magic City, you must try this delicious food. I highly recommend it.

    (4)

  • Brian H.

    Get there early, because this place gets crowded ... for very good reason. The meal was phenomenal. Pulled pork and mac 'n cheese were both top notch. Make sure to try a side of sausage with your meal. You won't regret it.

    (5)

  • Jessica H.

    I could smell the smoker before I even turned the corner to make my way toward SAW's. With my untouched Jim 'N Nicks in the car (I was doing a comparison between the places), my stomach growled in anticipation. The nose knows. The stomach followed. This was going to be authentic. I rushed inside. Now, when you walk into a bbq joint and it looks like this, you know it's gonna be delicious. This is the real deal folks. Probably not as clean as it should be, definitely not as pretty, but the service was great, the smell AMAZING and you know they focused on the most important thing...the food. After gathering up my bbq contenders, I headed to The Vulcan - a Birmingham landmark, so I could enjoy my little picnic with a great view of the city. I ended up with a half pork/half beef salad and two Jim 'N Nicks cheesy biscuits and a smoke chicken sandwich smothered in white bbq sauce. The verdict? If we could have one bbq joint that had that amazing white sauce and those amazing biscuits, it would save me from having to run all around town, BUT the trips are and would be worth it. If I would have known how yummy that sauce was going to be I woulda taken extra! The chicken was a bit dry, but the sauce more than made up for it. And I'm not a saucy person (er, well, I'm saucy but not into sauces?!?) Despite being dry, the smoky flavors were good. I think next time I'll just forgo Jim 'N Nick's meat, get the biscuits, and head to SAW's for more of that white sauce and to try more of there meats.

    (4)

  • Kelly C.

    One of my absolute favorite Birmingham restaurants. This location is the original and they are consistent in really fabulous food. I usually get the chicken baker, sometimes with broccoli, (and to get both white and red sauce you can say you want a roll tide chicken baker). The bakers are a bit pricey for lunch ($10-11), but it's a lot of food so a lot of people I know split it or take some home. I love it too much to share. I also love the pork sandwich and the southern style sides are delicious, I especially love the mac and cheese, the greens, and banana pudding. A sweet tea is almost a must. While the folks that take your order might be a little brusk (it helps to know what you want in advance, especially during a busy lunch rush), I've found they warm up when they start to recognize you and especially if you tip well (I'm a former server so it's hard not to). Saws often has a line by 11am for lunch so get there early or come after 1:30 if you don't want a long wait.

    (5)

  • Carol B.

    So you're in 'Bama searching Yelp for the go-to eateries. Search no further. Saw's is the place you MUST VISIT for some of the most delicious BBQ that you'll ever sink your teeth into. This location has minimal seating inside, but tons of outdoor seating. We tried their BBQ chicken and a full rack of ribs, along with a serving of the macaroni and cheese. After a few minutes, our tray of steaming hot heavenly goodness was plopped down in front of us with nearly a quarter loaf of white bread along with it. Before me was more meat than I usually eat in a week, and we were about to devour it in one sitting. Just a note: a full rack of ribs is way too much for two people. The chicken was delicious. It was so moist and juicy! I don't usually get chicken at a BBQ place, but I'm glad that we gave this a try. And the white sauce is like icing on poultry cake! The ribs were just insane. So freakin' good. They were smoky and doused in BBQ sauce. For a BBQ joint, the bathroom was amazingly clean. There's also an ice cream place a few doors down (not that you'll have room for dessert). Seriously though, if you try one place in Birmingham, it has to be Saw's!

    (5)

  • Keith E.

    Solid BBQ... Had chicken plate with white sauce and will give that an A++. My wife had pulled pork sandwich and loved it. Beans were ok. Slaw was awesome. Small place and I kind of liked that part of it. Service is order... Sit down... Eat and leave due to size. Will be back.

    (4)

  • Janice N.

    Took the family here based on the yelp reviews. It's very small most people were taking it to go. I had the chicken with macaroni and cheese and turnip green. Loved it! The white bbq sauce was tasty and an interesting alternative to traditional bbq sauce. The macaroni and cheese was amazing and the turnip the best I ever had. The 3 stars are because my husband didn't like his pulled pork sandwich he said it was just average so we met in the middle for the star rating.

    (3)

  • Holly G.

    Great place! Fried okra and smoked wings are a must! Everything we had was good, don't think you could go wrong

    (5)

  • Thuy P.

    Found this place on Yelp on our way to Tennessee. Unfortunately the ribs were out by the time we stopped by for lunch because there were so many phoned in orders for it. Otherwise I might have given it 5 stars if I got a chance to try the ribs. The shredded pork and smoked chicken were the only meats left. They both were very tender and flavorful. Their BBQ sauce is not your typical thick sauce and had a slight sourness to it but went well with their "white" BBQ sauce. Their mac & cheese was ok, the kids didn't care for it. The corn was a bit bland despite some tasty paprika-type seasoning on top. The loaded baked potatoes looked delicious. The banana pudding was on point. It's a very small dining area so I would recommend calling in your order to go. I would definitely eat there again if we pass this way again.

    (4)

  • Abby P.

    Try the pulled pork loaded baked potato.....so delicious!!! The ribs were also very good. I've had better sides but not complaining. The restaurant was crowded but had a great vibe. Will definitely visit again when I'm in the area.

    (5)

  • Jessica M.

    When it comes to ribs, all other BBQ places should just throw in the towel. This place is THE place to get ribs. They are incredible. My second favorite thing at this location is their mac and cheese. It's better than my homemade, and I think I make pretty good mac and cheese. Lately, I've gotten their combo meal which comes with a pulled chicken (or pork) sammy, and one giant rib, and a side (guess which one I get...). It's a great sampler if you're new to the Saw's original location, as you can only get ribs here. If you've got a big appetite they've got a sampler that has ribs, chicken, and pork. It's a ton of food and you could easily share. If you've got somewhere nice to go afterwards, bring a change of clothes, because you'll smell like smoke! You can watch them work their magic in the kitchen if you get a table in the middle. Make sure you avoid peak lunch hours on the weekend or you'll be out of luck getting a seat!

    (4)

  • dawn t.

    Finally made it to Saw's BBQ after 25 years in B'ham. I had the #2 special sampler plate. It was a great move. It came with 1/4 saw's chicken with white sauce, 2 ribs, and some pulled pork and two sides. I chose the greens and potato salad. It was a perfect meal. This dish can be shared by two people. I would recommend it unless you are just a really hungry person! Beer was cold and had a large selection. We had a late lunch, but the line was out the door and a consistent flow the entire time. Young lady running the place was sharing the history of Saw's BBQ. I caught that she said Saw's stand for "Sorry Ass______? but I didn't catch the last word due to the roar within the place. It's eclectic with collected memorabilia on the walls. Great antique shop next door. Worth the drive into town and we WILL return! I have to rate it better than Dreamland. I love living in Dixie where the BBQ is so great in multi corners of my state! Saw, you're doing it right. Weekend after next, it will be a trip off to your soul kitchen! : )

    (4)

  • Josh A.

    Amazing BBQ. This place is small and a bit divey, but the staff is super friendly and the food is incredible. I got the ribs, chicken and pulled pork combo because a staff member recommended it... and it was perfect. The ribs fell right off the bone and the chicken and pulled pork were simply fantastic. If I am ever in B'Ham again, I will return.

    (5)

  • Nolen G.

    This place is superb. I usually find myself disappointed with restaurant ribs and bbq but SAWs never does. It is truly awesome. The white BBQ sauce is unreal. I suggest the ribs and the chicken at the same time and pay that extra .50 for the white sauce!

    (5)

  • Nicole F.

    Wasn't crazy about the place. After reading the reviews I was expecting the best BBQ I'd ever had. My husband got the chopped pork plate that wasn't really chopped & was sort of dry. I got the ribs that were good but drowning in sauce. We both got the slaw & mac/cheese. We barely touched our slaw & the Mac/cheese was alright after you ate around the huge globs of cheese. The slaw had a strange taste I just couldn't put my finger on... It wasn't horrible but I prefer Moe's over Saws any day. I would try it again & order differently next time.

    (3)

  • Jayson S.

    Great southern barbecue; don't be intimidated by the long line. The service is quick and the BBQ is tasty. We had the pulled pork, the boudin sausage, the Mac and Cheese, and the baked beans. Will definitely come back next time I am in town.

    (4)

  • Denise C.

    So much flavor it's addicting

    (5)

  • Melanie N.

    Oh my Golly!! You cannot go to Birmingham without trying Saw's. Its is located in adorable Downtown Homewood where there are many other great businesses (try the creamery after your BBQ). I shared the chicken and rib lunch with my sister and it was more than enough food for a small price. The only problem would have to be the seat (which there is almost none). So, go on a cool day and sit outside!!

    (4)

  • SYRENS H.

    the best barbeque in the world! I live in California (unfortunately) but I promise to always have saws sauce in my kitchen. whenever I'm in bama it's a must stop! if your close go there. I recommend the fully loaded pulled pork potatoe.

    (5)

  • Josh S.

    Visiting from out of town for work and trusted all the yelp reviews. Definitely glad we stopped in. Great pulled pork sandwiches and the beef rib was probably the best beef rib I've had. Add the sauce in the mix and Saw's knocked it out of the park. The baked beans were good as well, the Mac and cheese was better though!

    (5)

  • Michelle H.

    We went here because we were told it was the BEST BBQ in Alabama. Given that this is my first visit to the South I was very excited. I ordered the ribs which would have been good had they not been slathered in the BBQ sauce. My husband got the pulled pork which he wasn't impressed by. I think the meat would taste best without the sauce, it was too vinaigry (is that a word?) for me. I wouldn't say the flavor of the meat was bad at all. Once I wiped off the sauce I found the meat to taste quite good. Could just be a taste preference. The potato salad and coleslaw was not good at all but the mac n cheese was good tasting. I wouldn't call it the best in Alabama yet...Not to mention the woman that took our order had the blandest personality ever. Hoping to try a hole in the wall BBQ spot on the side of the road to really get a better perspective on Alabama BBQ.

    (3)

  • Evan D.

    I have had BBQ all over the South and that was phenomenal, right there with the best I've ever had. I ordered the pulled pork plate with green beans an baked beans. Pork was cooked to perfection, and the beans, maybe best ever! I've been in BHam 5 months and disappointed I'm just making it to Saws. That I sure to change going forward.

    (5)

  • Laura A.

    Food was good but we sat in the bar right next to the tv. We asked for them to turn off the volume and they wouldn't. No one was listening to the tv...It was extremely loud and unpleasant. We won't come back because of that experience. The right response would have been to realize no one was listening to the tv and make the customer happy = turn off volume!!!

    (2)

  • Taylor D.

    Saws BBQ Pork and Chicken is the BEST in Birmingham. Ribs are delicious as well. You just can't go wrong eating here.

    (5)

  • T U.

    Closed at 7Pm on Saturday nioght???? Come on...seriously. Not sure what to say...

    (3)

  • Trevvor C.

    Saw's has lived up to its hype after multiple visits. The sandwiches are heaped with moist, tender meat, and the cups for the sides are crammed full of cole slaw, mac 'n' cheese, baked beans, or whatever else strikes your fancy. The platters are equally generous and accompanied by a pair of sides. If chicken is your meat of choice rather than pork, Saw's has you covered there to - and covers the chicken in a delicious white barbecue sauce. The chicken is truly melt-in-your-mouth good. Typical of the best barbecue joints around, the walls are plastered with football paraphernalia, local flair, the odd vanity license plate, and the signoffs of prior patrons. The place is very cozy (and I've heard Saw's Soul Kitchen runs even smaller...?!) and when the place gets full and a line starts forming, you'd better not be claustrophobic!

    (5)

  • Srinivas B.

    Goto place for BBQ

    (4)

  • Jonathan M.

    Best BBQ place in birmingham. It is well worth the hype. The potatoes are huge and the sandwiches are great. It is hard to say what is not to like about this place. It is small so at lunch time, seating can be a premium. It also sometimes gets a little smokey in the place since they cook not far from where you sit. The chicken and pork are both outstanding. You can't go wrong with anything here.

    (5)

  • Sherie W.

    A sign on the door stated "Closing at 6:30pm". I arrived at 6:10pm and the door was locked. The person working there looked at me, I pointed to the sign, and then he turned away ignoring me. I came from downtown to dine here, because I was told the food was great. I may now never know. That really wasn't cool.

    (1)

  • ben h.

    Good BBQ but incredibly small. Go early or late if you want a seat. Nice variety of choices, but expect to share a table with "friends". There Crestwood location is much larger, has great food and a bar.

    (3)

  • Reese S.

    Saw's' will become one of the landmarks in Alabama for BBQ. Without a doubt some of the best BBQ I've had in the state (and in the country). I am a proud representative of North Alabama, and we do chicken and white sauce up here. It's not so often you see it south of Birmingham. So, when I saw it on the menu at Saw's I had to try it (I try it anywhere that has it). Wow! Incredible. It would please any Northern Alabamian. The chicken sandwich was deliciously smoked and juicy and cut in thick slices (reminded me of post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich meat). I like it better this way. Too often in North Alabama the chicken is pulled then chopped. I think it's too small that way. The thicker slices are better. The white sauce was so good, too. It wasn't too lemony or too vinegary or too sweet (the three things that make or break white sauce). It was just right with plenty of black pepper. So, well done Saw's for achieving an excellent white sauce that would make Bib Bob Gibson proud. Their pork sandwich was killer. I love their BBQ sauce. It's that reddish brown vinegary stuff we love so much down here in Alabama, but it was packed with black pepper and just a tad sweet. It is my second favorite sauce next to Piggshack's. The sides were great and big enough. How lame is it when you go to a BBQ joint and they skimp on the sides? Lame. Not at Saw's. You get plenty. The Mac 'n Cheese was divine and the BBQ beans were out of this world, the best I've had. They were cooked in the same sauce that's on the pork and packed with little bits of green peppers and shreds of pork. Mmm! Can't beat it. Now, what ultimately makes or breaks a BBQ joint in Alabama is its sweet tea - the nectar of the south! (Although, an argument could be made for banana pudding being the deciding factor too). But, go ahead and get their sweet tea. Heaven. Go to Saw's. You won't regret it. Pig Heaven.

    (5)

  • Madison J.

    Always SO good. Best BBQ in Birmingham. I was recently flying Delta and pulled out the Delta catalogue. There is a 20 page feature on Alabama, featuring Saw's as the best BBQ in Bham. I 100% agree! I dont even like barbecue!

    (5)

  • Maggie E.

    When you enter into Saw's for lunch the first thing you see is what appears to be an ever-lasting line forming much out if the way out of the door. And for good reason to I say! This place is, in short, a carnivores paradise. The smell of meat slowly cooking on the smoker for hours is a sure sign that this will be a good meal. With few, however don't let that discourage you, of the goodness of the sides. The barbecue offered at this location is of a great quality of meat that you may never have again. However if you are a vegetarian this is not a place that I would recommend rather than those who love meat, and even as a well deserved treat for those on a diet after, or perhaps just starting, a grand vacation.

    (4)

  • Justin W.

    This place is absolutely delicious! When an out-of-towner comes in and needs to be taken to a local spot this is an easy go to. Maybe followed by Dreamland or Jim-N-Nick's. Barbeque is a must in Birmingham, and Saw's does it good.

    (5)

  • Mark E.

    GREAT BBQ joint! I would recommend this place to anybody in the area. I was staying in Hoover and made the trip up to Saws based on a recommendation. Parking is a bit hard to come by. I would recommend parking in large lot at the corner of Oxmoor and St Charles. The place isn't very big, so get there early to avoid the lunch rush and grab a seat. The food is very yummy and the service is super fast!. I will be returning to Saws if I ever make my way back to AL.

    (4)

  • Lori J.

    Very good unadulterated barbeque! Smoked chicken sandwich with white sauce and mac & cheese was total comfort food experience. Husband also really enjoyed the pork sandwich and potato salad. We even bought a bottle of sauce for the road!

    (5)

  • Shay A.

    Nice!

    (4)

  • Michael N.

    Saw's is a hidden treasure in Homewood. You can get all the standard BBQ fare such as the BBQ Potatos, BBQ Sandwich or Plates. The Ribs are by far the best in town. As for sides you have to try the Mac & Cheese. I'd get there around 11:30am to avoid lunch crowds because this place stays busy.

    (5)

  • John C.

    Simply the best BBQ joint you will find anywhere. The white sauce is especially good so if you go make sure you order some. Goes great mixed with their traditional sauce and especially the chicken. All the food is vinegar based so if you're not into that then you'll be disappointed. Only drawback to this place is that they do run out of meat and then your out of luck. Oh yeah, if you eat inside, be prepared to smell like BBQ the rest of the day. Well worth it though!

    (5)

  • Kenny F.

    This is by far my favorite BBQ pulled pork sandwich in the greater Birmingham area. I've also tried the chicken sandwich with white sauce. It's also very good.

    (5)

  • Bruno T.

    Visiting from KCMO deep into BBQ territory it was good. Loved the smoked taste on the ribs and the chicken was moist and tender.

    (4)

  • N H.

    It was a dive but we love dives. The bathroom looked recently remodeled but they remodeled it over 30 years of urine. It stank really, really bad. But, food reviews were so good we gave it a try anyway. They were out of pork barbecue....a barbecue place out of pork barbecue. The chicken everyone raves about was super dried out with ranch sauce on top. I gave it 3 stars because the ribs were very good. The sauce is a more vinegar based North Carolina sauce.

    (3)

  • Tracy M.

    Great BBQ! It's very rare that I find ribs that measure up! The ribs, pulled pork, stew, everything was awesome

    (5)

  • Ken K.

    I have been travelling through the southeast for over thirty-five years. I have eaten BBQ in Memphis, Birmingham, the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. Birmingham has been one of my favorite towns for food. I always eat at Niki's and used to eat at John's seafood downtown. For BBQ, it was Jim n' Nicks for a decade. Well, now that is changed. Saw is a grungy, fun, tasty, memorable joint in Homewood. The place is not fancy. The walls are decorated with memorabilia ranging from antique signs to BBQ inspired plaques. I am not a rib man. To me, the rib has always been too fatty a cut. I love beef ribs, but pork ribs aren't my favorite. I prefer outside sliced pork to enjoy the crusty, smoky, goodness of the pork. I first went to Saw when I was looking on Yelp for highly recommended restaurants. We were in town for a convention, and would need to have some delicious places to dine. We always went to the Bright Star in Bessemer the first night. We also fell in love with GianMarco's Italian (also in Homewood). We have now added Saw to our must eat at list. Back to Saw... My friends who dined with me are from New Jersey. I am responsible for taking them to cool places. We went to Saw and everyone was thrilled with the meal and the experience. They all had BBQ sauce stains to prove it! The ribs were unbelievable! We tried the devilled eggs first and they were scrumptious! All the sides, from Collards, Beans, Okra, mac n' cheese, cole slaw, etc. were great. The pulled pork was good but not as good as the ribs. When you order a full rack, it is enough for 4 people. I order a rack and bring it home for my family. When I reheat the ribs in my oven, I have to lock the dogs outside because they go crazy! So do I! Go to Saw. You can't help but fall in love with the grunge!

    (5)

  • Mark M.

    This is the best BBQ in Birmingham, hands down. I get take out from here on my way home from work often, and am always happy. I almost always get one of there combo platters so I don't have to decide what to get. The only thing that I have gotten there that I was not happy with was the baked beans. They were straight out of a can, but everything else tastes like it is hand made from scratch. This one of the places that deserves all the hype and accolades. Hopefully all the attention does not hurt their quality!

    (5)

  • Steven P.

    Great barbecue, great service, reasonable prices - I highly recommend Saw's. My wife and I split a sampler platter containing a chicken quarter, 2 (huge) ribs, pork, bread and two sides. It was plenty of food for us and everything was very good.

    (5)

  • Adam S.

    The smoked chicken sandwich with White sauce is extremely tender. We also got the ribs which were "fall off the bone" tender. I think the sauce is well balanced between spicy, acidic and sweet. Pulled pork sandwich was also really good. Would definitely reorder anything we got.

    (4)

  • emily p.

    Off the charts food. YUM chicken, mac and cheese and coleslaw. Fun for visiting the SOUTH for sure!!

    (5)

  • Chris N.

    Amongst the flurry of chain restaurants that continually try to produce revenue by shorting the customer on food quality, I am happy to see there are still small business owners that pride themselves on making an amazing product in hopes that they can pay the bills at the end of a business day and keep the customer relationship personal and keep them happy.. Well SAW BBQ does ALL of that.. Its a no nonsense place.. You want ribs? chicken? pulled pork? or all three? The BBQ sauce (for me) was PERFECT!!! Just at the border of being hot enough to have a in your mouth sensation of zest yet not spicy enough for me to pad my tounge with napkins. Speaking of napkins, THIS PLACE OFFERS YOU MECHANICS PAPERTOWELS!! Not the cheap crap.. Real heavy duty paper towels that will help you remove all of that yumminess from your hands.. Now onto the ribs.. BOMB AS HELL Smoked Chicken.. Juicy and you can taste that brick over goodness Pulled Pork... Absolutely full of flavor and delicious You cant go wrong at a place like this.. they even turned all the tv and the surround sound stereo system for the Kings stanley cup game.. The charm of this place screams homey and I can't wait to get back here again..

    (5)

  • Brad H.

    I've been meaning to try Saw's, and finally did. Wow. Best pulled pork in town, and that I've ever tried. It was so tender, moist and flavorful. Made the out the door order line worth it. Would give 5 stars if there was more seating and space, but the food was incredible. Will be back to try the smoked chicken with white sauce, I hear it's the best in town as well.

    (4)

  • Pam D.

    This was a bit of a let down. This is a quick-service place, where you order at the front then find yourself a table and wait for the food to come out. When we came in there was a long line, and it took us a while to figure out the flow of things. I ordered pulled pork, and the meat was tough and sauce was extra vinegar-y. I was not too impressed with my baked potato side... it's just a potato! BF got the ribs, he was also not too impressed. It was disappointing for us, since seeing all the great reviews (and the fact it was BUSY) gave us high expectations. We'll have to try somewhere else next time we're in BHM.

    (2)

  • Mary Y.

    This was my 1st time eating in Alabama. Saw great reviews and decided my husband and I had to try it. I was dying for real ''southern'' food. When you walk in, you can immediately smell the BBQ. (In fact when you walk out, you'll probably smell like it too) We ordered a BBQ Chicken combo that included two sides. I got the mac n cheese and potato salad. I went with a reviewer about the ''white sauce'' for the chicken and I'm glad I did. I don't know how to describe it but it definitely adds flavor to the chicken. The portion was just right for 2 people and the sweet tea was delish!! Free refills too. The only problem here, is the bathroom. Not the cleanest.

    (4)

  • Bryan B.

    I'm a sucker for BBQ. I came to the Birm for quick work trip, and one look at Yelp told me where to go for my BBQ fix. The reviews all rave about the chicken, but for my money, pulled pork is the way to go. Back in California, we try. We have pulled pork, and some places it's even good. But it is nothing like this. The pork was moist and impossible to stop shoveling into my waiting mouth. The sauce was a perfect compliment. Saw's gets really busy, but any wait is 100% worth it. There may be better BBQ in Birmingham, but I havent had it.

    (4)

  • Aleem A.

    The food in Saw's BBQ was the TRUTH! I've been craving some ribs for a very long time and I made my way to Birmingham to the restaurant and I am certainly glad that I did. The meat falls off the bone and the baked potatoes with meat will make you want to go back for more. The service was quick and the restaurant has a great, small time, hometown feel. This was my first visit and it certainly will not be my last.

    (5)

  • Jeff D.

    Great BBQ - want to try different sides next time. Slaw not my favorite. Definitely worth stopping while driving through Birmingham.

    (4)

  • Anne W.

    Great pork or chicken, excellent burger also. Sides are always good--love the fried pickles!

    (5)

  • John S.

    This is definitely the best pork BBQ I've ever tasted! Well worth the drive. The potato salad rocks too.

    (4)

  • Carolyn M.

    This review is long overdue.... I first had Saws when I was working at Jim N Nicks. Cheating you think? Not at all, two totally different and both amazing places. I will suggest Saws just as fast, if not faster than my old stomping ground. Why? It is so completely original and different that one can't help but love it! My first meal was a loaded baker. My SO had grits, greens and pork. Holy Pig was it good. I had had grits and pork before, but never with the greens. It added a tanginess that was to die for. Another time I had the pimento cheese and fried pickle sandwich, because why not? While it wasn't for me, I truly respected the effort and wanted to love it. Honestly, there's not a bad thing about the place. Even the limited seating is endearing to me. Sure, of course I want to sit with a neighbor!

    (5)

  • B. H.

    Growing up in Birmingham I was taught Dreamland was the place to go for ribs. That is wrong, go here. The ribs are so full of meat, and their sauces are great.

    (5)

  • lin h.

    Got the smoked chicken with white bbq sauce sandwich combo. Added the slaw and got mac n cheese as a side. Not a rip off at $10.50, but def not cheap. The smoked chicken was great. Really tender and flavorful. The white sauce was very good, but I expected just a little bit more. The mac n cheese was average. Can't wait to try their pulled pork and ribs. Good sandwich, but nowhere near most of the sandwiches at Paesano's in Philadelphia.

    (4)

  • Bryan Z.

    Yeah this place is as good as advertised. Not sure if living right around the corner is a blessing or a curse. Would be awesome if they had brisket and a few more options for sides but I get it, keep it simple. Their bbq sandwich with slaw is amazing and ample size for a strong lunch. Best bbq I've ever had.

    (5)

  • Jane D.

    We were on our way back home from Atlanta, GA going through Alabama and thought we would try out a bar-b-q place. The toss up was Dreamland and Saw's. We decided we would try a dfferent place. According to the ratings on Yelp and Urbanspoon Saw's was the place to go. Although it was not on "the way home" away from the interstate as Dreamland would have been, we are SO glad we discovered Saw's. The restaurant itself is VERY small, but quaint. It was very busy when we got there and there was a line, but not so much so that we wanted to turn around and leave. We got the specials of the day which consisted of ribs, chicken and pulled pork. O-M-G...the pulled pork was THE best I had ever tasted! And believe me I come from a bar-b-q town. The ribs were also good (not baby back, but still awesome!) The mac-n-cheese was also REALLY good...not too cheese -- which I like. If you ever go through Birmingham, AL give them a try...you won't be sorry you did!

    (5)

  • David M.

    This is truly the best BBQ in B'ham. My go-to is the pulled pork sandwich. Every time I've gotten it, it's been succulent and flavorful with a generous pink smoke ring around the edges. Often BBQ joints have great pork, but if allowed to sit for a bit before going out to customers it can dry out quickly. This is not the case at Saw's. Juicy. Every. Time. They serve a proprietary vinegar-based sauce that's well balanced--not too sweet, not too tangy, with a heavy pepper presence. My only complaint is the odd hours. They close at 7 pm. They used to close earlier, but apparently stretched their hours based on demand. Nonetheless strange to shut down midway through dinner service.

    (5)

  • Brandon C.

    The BBQ is delicious. For an extra fifty cents, you can order the white sauce, which is a nice compliment to the BBQ. The sides are inconsistent. The slaw is not very good at all. Other sides are hit-or-miss. If they have macaroni or black-eyed peas, these are usually great options. Parking is bad and a long line can form at the height of the lunch rush. You must refill your ice behind the cashier, which is kind of odd, but so is the place in general. That being said, go for the BBQ. It is great.

    (4)

  • John R.

    Better than full moon and better than Jim and nicks. Mac and cheese was soo delicious and when you get done there is a cup cake bakery right next store to take some treats home for later.

    (5)

  • Richard Y.

    This is simply awesome BBQ. Being from TX, I'd never seen Alabama white sauce, but it was really good (I spent an hour googling if I could find it in Dallas afterwards, that's how much I liked it). I've been twice now out of 4 trips to Birmingham, and the only reason it hasn't been 4 out of 4 is because of schedule. I've had the ribs, the chicken with white sauce, and the sausage. All were super delicious and tender. You will leave drenched in BBQ smell. Which just made me hungry later on smelling myself.

    (5)

  • Chris O.

    A service flop w/ total disrespect! *Thumbs Down* I walked in at 7:05pm oblivious to their hours. So excited in anticipation that I couldn't handle it. A police officer stood in front of me placing his order and the guy working looked at me and said "were closed". I looked at him with a blank stare, looked around at 6-7 people eating and said "REALLY!" He replied "Yup" Did I mention that I was standing in the establishment watching others eat right in front of me?!? In utter disbelief I turned and humbly walked outside and took a seat on their patio chair. After careful deliberation I decided to walk back in to the unlocked restaurant as the police officer exited and the guy immediately says "What do you want dude?" with complete disrespect. (Ah hell no!) At this point I said "look, I flew out from CA to eat here (ok, a little over the top) and you tell me your closed, I'm a little disappointed." He then stated they close at 7:00pm every night. Regardless, lock the door dum@$$! Clearly his parents didn't teach him unconditional respect. To his defense he asked me to come in. HOWEVER at this point, I WAS NOT going to let this punk kid treat a customer like this and feel as though he saved the day. As far as I'm concerned... This is the kind of thing that KILLS business. Disrespecting customers. Being that I went 20 minutes out of my way from my hotel to eat here, says something about their food. But service like that, I have no desire to return 20 minutes out of my way next time. Oh by the way... You should know they are proud to be Yelped! Kudos! Saw's broke my heat tonight and now I will go cry myself to sleep *tear*sniffle*sniffle*finger* O

    (1)

  • Madyson F.

    Not a huge BBQ fan, but I am a fan of Saw's. Their ribs are PERFECT. You can't beat the Mac and cheese either. It's a must try!

    (5)

  • Jeffrey A.

    Hands down the best pulled pork sandwich I've ever had. Mac and cheese is nothing special. The seating area is small, although they do have some outdoor seating, so if you arrive at peak times you're going to have a long wait for a table. Definitely worth the wait though!!

    (4)

  • Nicole N.

    Not too bad, just wish there was more help!

    (3)

  • Leslie T.

    I am 90% vegetarian....EXCEPT when it comes to Saw's. I can't get enough meat when I'm in there. If I could take a bath in their BBQ sauce...I would. I took my brother here while he was visiting from NYC, and I think he almost moved down here after the experience. Plus, the Edgewood neighborhood is a wonderful spot to eat some Q.

    (5)

  • Brandon H.

    This place is fantastic! I read some reviews and was hoping that it would hold up to my expectations. It did and then some. Had the two rib, chicken leg quarter and pulled pork sampler with mac & cheese and turnip greens. The greens were some of the best I've ever had. Do yourself a favor and hit this place up!

    (5)

  • Jason B.

    Bring a respirator if you sit inside or you will have lung cancer from the pit smoke but the reward of charred meat is worth that for sure.

    (5)

  • Amy S.

    Great BBQ. The pork sandwich is way better than the ribs. I enjoyed the pickles they put in the sandwich.

    (5)

  • Joshua K.

    just a quick note: the ribs. most BBQ places are either too saucy and so the meats gets soft or too dry but has a good bark. this place has both! so good. pull pork was great, the stuffed taters are awesome, but that bark on the ribs, SOOOOO GOOOD. I took a picture, but you know they mean business when instead of napkins, they provide auto shop towels, like the ones you use when you change your car oil.

    (5)

  • Bret R.

    This has to be the best BBQ I've had. The pulled pork was moist and tasted great. The mac'n'cheese was really good and the baked beans were good as well. My wife had a loaded potato and I was jealous that I didn't order one after I tasted it. If I ever pass through Birmingham again I'll be stopping by Saw's BBQ.

    (5)

  • Steve K.

    Their BBQ is astoundingly good. Oh, and the banana pudding is pretty good too--not too sugary. Sometimes short reviews suffice--this is the best BBQ I've tasted.

    (5)

  • Drina B.

    Definitely one of the places that I take my friends from out of town. The banana pudding is my favorite dessert here. I don't consume pork or beef, so I always get the chicken. The white sauce is my personal favorite, but the normal BBQ is alright, as well. I prefer the Homewood location simply because I think it is a bit more spacious. The one in Avondale I like when I want to enjoy the food outdoors.

    (5)

  • Shuja D.

    Half chicken with the white bbq sauce is good. Their Cole slaw seems to be pickled so it is really interesting. Food served on paper plates like other bbq restaurants. Fried okra was good and not too oily. I prefer dreamlands banana pudding over saws. Not much seating inside but there are some picnic tables outside.

    (3)

  • Dean S.

    What a find! Smoked chicken, pulled pork and killer slaw and potato salad. No frills just excellent food. Also feature fresh vegetable sides.

    (5)

  • Matty C.

    my favorite spot in birmingham, hands down

    (5)

  • Raye F.

    No pork for me! With that being said....I was really impressed with the pulled chicken sandwich. It was rather awesome! The white sauce added something I've never experienced with a chicken que- the pickle & even the bread was good! I had the mac & cheese side- which is all I suggest! This would be my pick on a easy breezy/good weathered afternoon. Good for friends, family or a small group. Be aware- you will encounter a small amount of smoke inhalation. It's a BBQ pit! happy eats (minus the oink-oink)!

    (4)

  • Sean H.

    Good stuff, good people, good time!

    (4)

  • Kelly H.

    My husband and I drove over from Atlanta to try this BBQ. When we got there there was a line outside waiting to get in. Totally worth the two hour drive. I had the smoked chicken sandwich with white bbq sauce. Delicious!! The Mac and cheese and deviled eggs are out of this world. My husband really enjoyed the sampler too. Everything was fantastic! We'll definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Matthew M.

    Found this on yelp while in town for work and had time for lunch. Classic southern BBQ spot. Shared a table for my sandwich combo, since it was too cold to use outside tables. Get the beans! Maybe the best I've tasted.

    (5)

  • Justin H.

    This is one of the greatest restaurants in Birmingham. I keep coming back and the quality is consistent. They have a great list of food items and I would consider this to be the best bar-be-que restaurant Birmingham has to offer. I lived in Memphis for a year and have seen my share of great bar-be-que places, but I seriously believe this is the best quality food I have had. This is a must have if you are in Birmingham. It's only a matter of time before the food network or some TV show find out about this place and visits!

    (5)

  • Kim M.

    This is the standard by which I judge all BBQ joints. I cannot get enough of Saw's. My absolute favorite is the chicken with white BBQ sauce. Their ribs are to die for as well. My kids rave about the pork BBQ sandwich, and my son literally inhales their baked beans. Only thing my husband grumbles about is they don't have fries, but that doesn't bother me at all. The sister location, Saw's Soul Kitchen, has burgers and fries, so if you must have those, then go to that location.

    (5)

  • Jackie B.

    Recently went on a 9 day road trip of the South East. We ate BBQ in every state we stopped in. Saw's was my favorite on the whole trip of all of the South. You're literally hit with a cloud of smoke when you walk in, it's not fancy at all, simple menu. The Ribs, chicken with white sauce, and pulled pork were to DIE for. We ate in silence. The sides were nothing out of the ordinary- but also good.

    (5)

  • Nick O.

    I ate here about a month ago and I'm still dreaming about it. I had the sampler - it came with chicken, ribs and pork. I started with the pork and couldn't move on the the ribs because it was so delicious. One I demolished that I moved on to the ribs and couldn't wipe the grin off my face. I left the chicken for last as I am not a huge chicken fan however it was among the best chicken I've ever had. The write sauce was out of control. Insane. There are two reasons I am not rating this 5 stars - a cup of water is not free (as it is almost everywhere else) and it is such a small venue that me, me wife, and our two elementary schoolers were pretty uncomfortable eating inside. Still can't wait to get back.

    (4)

  • David B.

    You know it's a happening spot when you see 10 people waiting outside for the doors to open at 11. Let's just say Saw's didn't disappoint. It was by far some of the best BBQ I've ever had. The seating is tight so if it's crowded, you may want to get it to go or eat outside.

    (5)

  • Massimo F.

    I was told that in this place they kwon how to BBQ, and I can confirm they do! Ambience is poor, small, and you pay at the counter. Food selection is good, you can find several kind of cuts, greens, and backed beans. Drink selection is good enough, more then 5 beer choices, tea, and some more. Their BBQed food is just perfect. Melting in the mouth, not too heavy sauced or salty, but just greatly balanced. A must go in town.

    (5)

  • Min M.

    We went to the little joint in Avondale and loved the pork and greens special. Big hunks of beautiful smoky pork over greens and cheese grits crowned with onion rings. Will be hard to branch out and try something else on the menu. The dish had a nice spicy bite. Sauce a little too sweet and light on the vinegar. Enjoyed the bluesy music. Go at off times so you don't have to wait. Worth your time.

    (4)

  • Caysal L.

    Great BBQ and sides. Turnip greens sweet and spicy. Staff was friendly and helpful. Will be back.

    (5)

  • Jeremy K.

    Man this place is crowded. Maybe try it at off peak times, but the food was great. While visiting from FL we stopped in for some local BBQ based on other yelp reviews. We have several different really good places where I live but this was good and unique! My only suggestion would be to hire someone to help you organize and better use the space, unless you like that of course as part of the experience.

    (4)

  • Tai F.

    I'm so glad Yelp sent me in the direction of Saw's for lunch. It was quite the Alabama experience. Feeling like I needed to get a taste of everything I got a sampler plate and it was FAR too much food. Probably best to be shared between two. For about $25 tax and tip I got some chicken, pork, 2 ribs, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, deviled eggs and banana pudding. I washed it all down with some sweet tea (and they use the good ice!). Here's what I would pass on next time: macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs & cornbread. Here's what I would probably get but not definitely: chicken. Here's what I would never miss out on not once: pork, ribs, banana pudding and sweet tea. The macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs and cornbread were all pretty bland. Plus the cornbread was cold. They definitely weren't bringing out the big guns when they made these. The chicken was pretty good. I'm not as big a fan of the white sauce as I was their standard bbq sauce but the chicken was sufficiently moist and delicious. ohmygoodness the pork was fracking to die for. So tender, so tasty, so moist. I wish I could eat some every day. It was perfectly prepared and really the star of this show. The ribs were HUGE and very meaty. It wasn't fall off the bone tender but it was still very delicious. I was sad that I started eating those last as I could barely fit any food in my stomach. Ending with the banana pudding was a real treat. It's just one of the most classic desserts and you shouldn't leave here without it. It was so good I didn't even regret that I couldn't eat any ice cream at the parlor next door. Seriously, that good. Saw's is a must stop in Birmingham. I'm so glad that I was able to find this place and experience this incredible lunch. Next time I'll try the bigger place that has such delicacies as cheese grits. yum!

    (4)

  • Judy D.

    Come hungry as the portions are huge! Smoked chicken with white sauce is great! Baker (baked potato) was old and dry. Come for the BBQ, not the sides.

    (4)

  • David L.

    Birmingham is just brimming with barbecue. Nestled in the suburban Homewood neighborhood and behind a well-kept brick storefront, alongside a cafe and a cupcake shop, lies SAW's barbecue. It's only five years old, but because SAW took over a previous operation, the space already has character, copious wall decoration, and of course the pervasive, sweet smell of barbecue. The small space doubles as a pantry and not in the trendy way. The owner hails from North Carolina, and he brought with him not only license plates but an excellent pulled pork and a well-crafted (Western) vinegar and tomato sauce. He also does superb smoked chicken with an Alabama white sauce. Even the turnip greens receive the attention they need.

    (5)

  • Jarinda W.

    Consistently Great food! The barbecue chicken with white sauce is great and I'm not a huge white sauce fan. Ribs are great too. Yummy banana pudding

    (5)

  • Lynn B.

    I'm a fan of almost any BBQ. I'm fortunate that I get to go to Kansas City fairly oftern and eat some great BBQ. Saw's is ok, they have a good smoke flavor. The people are nice and it's a good BBQ atmosphere. It's worth a visit.

    (4)

  • Will L.

    I just have to post a quick update to my last review. My entire family ordered ribs last week for a party. More than ever, I was blown away by how good they were. By far the most tender ribs I've ever had. Ridiculous.

    (5)

  • Denton J.

    Terrible experience. So I call ahead for a pick up lunch order and I get put on hold for at least 10 minutes. Normally I would have hung the phone up yet I wanted a bbq sandwich. I arrive to pick my order up and the lady at the register is rude and has an attitude. Now my idea of a good bbq sandwich is Memphis style-lean pulled pork with bbq sauce, slaw & pickles. Saws version was dry pork that is burnt, no bbq sauce at all, small teaspoon amount of slaw, 1 small pickle and cost $6.72 for a sandwich only. I should have checked the sandwich before I left but thought that a bbq place that gets good ratings and reviews in the Homewood area could get a simple order of pulled pork sandwich,add slaw, bbq sauce and pickles correct. I will go to Jim N Nicks from now on who always gets my order right. Jim N Nicks is hands down better bbq!

    (1)

  • Matt C.

    The best smoked chicken I've ever eaten! I've gotten the saws sampler each time I've gone, and I don't see any reason to change my order any time soon. Great smoked meats, outstanding sauces, good sides, and genuine southern pit BBQ ambiance.

    (5)

  • Jerry M.

    Love a "local" place to eat and per Yelp had to try it. It was also recommended by people I work with. Would agree with them (and Yelp rating). Really great chicken and pulled pork. Very tender. Love the sauce on the chicken. Think their prices are moving from $$ to $$$. Spent $25 for 3 sandwiches and extra coleslaw. Pulled pork sandwich was $5.75 with nothing else. Not a big sandwich. With that said, excellent barbecue. Limited seating.

    (4)

  • Sir Funky P.

    Really unimpressed. Cold bun, soggy from all the sauce they dumped on it. Dry ribs that you had to yank off the bone. Cold pork on the sandwich that was dryer than hell. Maybe it was because it was the day after Christmas things weren't on par? But I don't get the hype. The best part was the collard greens - they were some of the best greens I've ever had. I'd go back just for those.

    (2)

  • insang s.

    Food is absolutely amazing. Ribs may be a bit over cooked and tough on the outside but the meat just falls off the bone. Chicken with the white sauce is fab. Cucumber salad is dope! Cole slaw was not. Get it to go as place is small and gets crowded quick.

    (5)

  • Garrett I.

    Update - almost all of my family members know that Saw's is a must whenever visiting Bham. Original - This is definitely my favorite BBQ place...ever. Texas and KC have nothing on this perfect Bama BBQ. My favorite thing is eating the pulled pork with the thicker red sauce and bread with the thinner red sauce. Turnip greens and mac & cheese are my favorite sides and I have enjoyed the deviled eggs too. If you want a little of everything, get one of the combo platters because it is all good. The line may be out the door but it moves fast and the line is a sign of the love Bham has for Saw's. Recently a must get for me is a side of boudin. Enjoy the blues music and smell like a smoke pit for the rest of the day...its well worth it!

    (5)

  • Fergie F.

    On the outside, it doesn't look like much. On the inside...it still doesn't look like much. So I put my order in for the shrimp sandwich and a side of sweet potato fries. That ran me about $14. That price was a little hard to swallow. But when I bit into that sandwich and shoved those sweet potato yumminess into my mouth...what frickin' $14? I was too busy chomping away. Yeah, this is a must-go place. Just don't go around noon during the weekday, or you'll have to get your food to go. You won't have a place to sit.

    (4)

  • Blake H.

    What a neat bbq place. Had the bbq pork sandwich and mac-n-cheese. The pork was excellent. Their house sauce is a hint of sweet and a lot of tangy- very good. Had some chicken with their white sauce which was very different but totally delicious!! Husband had a baked potato filled with bbq pork and some toppings. Huge hit! The restaurant is very small, about 10 tables, but we never saw anyone waiting for a table- people get in, eat, and make room for the next group to enjoy this great food!

    (4)

  • Max M.

    I give them lots of credit because they are one of the rare bbq places i've found that can do good pulled chicken. Most bbq places do weird bbq chicken, i don't know why... i wish it could actually be "pulled" like the pork is. The chicken here isn't pulled either... it's just like chunks of chicken pulled from the bone, but at least it's good. Also the turnip greens were phenomenal... seasoned perfectly! Probably the best greens i've gotten from a bbq joint ever. My first complaint is the mac and cheese because i hate any kind of creamy mac... i like only real stringy gooey cheese in my mac, nothing soft and mushy. My other complaint was that the bread on the pulled chicken sandwich wasn't toasted at all. But overall, i give them 4 stars because some things were better than most equivalent places. And the things i disliked were somewhat personal preferences.

    (4)

  • Becky A.

    My family and I traveling from California met a friend here. Tiny little place. Look for the picture of the pig in the frying pan because you might miss it! You wouldn't think by the looks of the place that it would be so good. Our orders included BBQ pork. One order with red sauce, other with white sauce and another on a baked potato. My son said, "it was bomb!" They each say 4-1/2 stars. My order was sweet tea chicken & sweet potato fries and I loved it! We also had some good fried okra to share. Next time we'll try fried green tomatoes. You'll first walk in to a few tables, check the chalk board for what to order at the counter and they'll call out your order & walk it over to you. Delicious, courteous service & worth a visit!

    (4)

  • Dennis F.

    Small place and seating is at a premium at meal times, looks like a dive, and your fingers stick together when you leave. I think you should all stay away so I can get a seat. Seriously, this place is the BEST the sauces are great, the meat is perfect and the portions huge. As for french fries, they have none so I get the delicious potato salad. Well I guess they aren't good for me anyway...

    (5)

  • Ashley W.

    When you're born and raised in the South, you more than likely love BBQ. You might go two days or two months without BBQ but when the craving hits, you know you have to get it as soon as possible. My BBQ craving hit on a rainy Friday night and the craving decided to try Saw's. I am so glad that we fought nature and made it down to Saw's BBQ for delicious porky goodness. The sauce that adorns the BBQ is my favorite kind (vinegar based) and the pork itself is so melt in your mouth. I got the platter which came with a good amount of pork and two sides. The potato salad was amazing - the potatoes seemed to be finely shredded and perfectly coated with a mixture of mayo and other appropriate spices. The baked beans were pretty basic, but I never have high expectations when it comes to beans. My husband enjoyed his BBQ pork sandwich but neither of us were impressed with the mac and cheese. This Saw's location is rather small for such a popular place and the line we witnessed was out the door. If people are willing to wait in the rain (under an awning, but still) for this BBQ, then it's definitely worth the trip.

    (4)

  • Lee G.

    Outstanding!!! Got the combo- pull pork sandwich with coke slaw, baked beans and sweet tea. 2 thumbs up

    (5)

  • Dan W.

    OVERRATED! Had the sampler - ribs, chicken and pork with baked beans and mac-n-cheese. I travel all over the country and make it a point to search out local BBQ (a hobby of sorts). I believe very strongly that one should smell BBQ smoke when walking into any BBQ joint worth it's salt and, preferably, the smoke hits you when you open the car door. Didn't happen here. Food looked very good as I waited in line. Giant stuffed potatoes - "Bakers" - looked pretty good although not my thing. Ribs - very tender, little to no smoke flavor even at burnt ends. Boiled in the sauce maybe? Chicken - very tender, some smoke, white sauce was unique and very good although it had become mostly mixed with the other sauce. This was decent but I have had much better chicken. Pork - mushy, dark, skin and fat infused rubbish. Again, no smoke. Boiled in the sauce again? Baked Beans - Campbell's Pork and Beans Mac-n-cheese - excellent and homemade. Some of the best I have ever had. Got them 1 star. Service/Atmosphere - friendly and efficient, cool looking dive BBQ place which is usually a good sign (except for the lack of smoke). Conclusion - If your definition of BBQ includes slow smoked meats over wood coals, meat that can be enjoyed sans sauce and sauce served simply as a compliment to said slow smoked meat then look elsewhere. This was pretty disappointing. I can put down some serious BBQ but ate less than half. BLAH!

    (1)

  • Daniel G.

    get the pork and greens. it's nearly a religious experience

    (5)

  • Daina M.

    What can I say? Saw's is the real deal! They have the best hamburger around town. It's a messy pan fried burger topped with the usual veggies. So, so, so, so good. Every thing I have ordered from there has been delicious.

    (5)

  • Rebecca M.

    My first taste of true Southern BBQ! I am not sure what I would do if there were places like this in Pittsburgh because I would be tempted to each here every day. We ordered some sort of sampler that allowed us to try a lot of different options - my favorite were the ribs. I got the mac and cheese on the side - it was so cheesy and so delicious! All of this needed to be washed down with the sweet ice tea - i could have drank an entire gallon. I would recommend this place to both visitors and locals - it's a Birmingham staple.

    (4)

  • Annie A.

    The BBQ here is very good. It's a simple, order at the counter kind of place, with industrial looking rolls of paper towels on the table. I had the sampler plate with ribs, pork, and chicken with white sauce.... My favorite was the pork, although everything was good. Sides were mac and cheese and the greens. Not cheap, but portions were generous. Service was decent, food came out fast.

    (4)

  • Jay K.

    this place is not dine-in friendly as it is bit small and gets crowded quick... and thats a good thing. I got the Ribs and wife got the chicken...both were very very good. We had to take left overs home as they gave more than enough portions. I've chosen the Mac and Cheese and it appeared to be home made(cheeeeesy) Will return!

    (4)

  • Scott S.

    I couldn't possibly add anything to the praise already heaped on Saw's. My son and I were in town for a debate championship. Unfortunately he didn't make it to the finals but then if he had we might never have seen the Sloss Furnace down the street (a must see) and then stop here for what turned out to be the best meal I had of our brief stay. I had the pork plate which was amazingly tender roast pork on a bed of greens and polenta (I mean grits). Topped with shoestring onion rings if there is such a thing. PHE-NOM-INAL! Yes, there is a line but it moves quickly. Yes, it is tiny, hot and noisy inside. But hey, if you want to be served and sit at a table with silverware you can always go to a Chili's but then why would you? Seriously, I would consider moving to Birmingham just so I could eat here on a regular basis. It's that good.

    (5)

  • Amanda C.

    Fun, hole in the wall location with great atmosphere for a bbq joint. We left our initials on the wall and enjoyed the AL/MSU game with the crowd. We ordered the sampler platter to split. The chicken was tender and juicy. Not overly smoky flavored, but still good. The shredded pork and beef ribs were very good. I recommend the Mac & cheese and banana pudding. We didn't care for the potato salad at all, but the baked beans were decent. Overall we enjoyed it and would eat there again, but it isn't a "must visit" for every time we are in the area.

    (4)

  • Guilherme O.

    Best barbecue in the world!!!! Let me start by saying: my wife and I are foodies. With all the stereotypical connotations that come with it. We are one of those people capable of traveling hundreds of miles for a restaurant- especially a BBQ joint. For the last 10 years we have been on a quest to find the best barbecue in the US, and have followed the Texas barbecue trail, eaten ribs in Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and most of the southern States.That search came to an end today at the steps of Saw's. From the inebriating aroma of smoke at the door, to the friendly smile of the lady behind the counter, everything presaged a great experience. It was more than that. I had entered barbecue heaven. Everything about it was perfect- the smokiness, the tenderness of the ribs, the authenticity of the place and servers. And then there were the sauces. Forget all you know about BBQ sauces and meet the white sauce. Then try their red, mildly sweet, somewhat spicy, barbecue sauce with a delicious vinegar-ry finish. The chicken, the pulled pork, the sausages- all barbecued to perfection- just the right burn, juicy, incredibly flavorful. I hope you go- every barbecue lover should go and taste the best barbecue in the world.

    (5)

  • Laura J.

    The reason I give Saw's BBQ three stars is not because they are a bad BBQ place. I just prefer all of the other saw's to this one. I go to this one for the convenience of it being in Homewood and I live nearby, but I much prefer Saw's Soul Kitchen to this. I don't to go to Saw's BBQ unless i'm ok with smelling like a smoke pit afterwards. The food is good but there is limited seating and it's always crowded.

    (3)

  • Tim W.

    #2 Ribs in town #1 Chicken in town #2 Pulled pork in town #1 sides in town

    (5)

  • Phoebus Y.

    Found this place on yelp while passing through Birmingham, and yelp did not do us wrong. I had the pulled chicken sandwich with white BBQ sauce and collard greens. Came on a Styrofoam tray with a couple of ribs that were very tender. Everything was delicious.

    (5)

  • Tiffany L.

    Very good BBQ, but I hope they start serving the wings that they have at their Avondale location!

    (5)

  • Christian M.

    This place is great. Ever since I have moved from Bham I have craved saws the most. It is head and shoulders above the other multi location Q joints. This place is for real. Best Chicken and white sauce outside of the sholes. Please go, just don't tell me how awesome it was until I get back.

    (5)

  • Isabella C.

    This place is awesome! My husband and I were traveling and we did a quick stop in this place. Totally satisfied !

    (5)

  • Jennifer S.

    Visiting from Atlanta. Had the pork plate with Mac and cheese and greens. Everything was delicious but the greens were the winner! Delicious, flavorful, tender slow cooked greens the way my grandma made them. Minus 1 star for getting yelled at for not being so quick with our order. First time visitors and needed a second to figure out what we wanted and move around the large crowd.

    (4)

  • Scott S.

    You really can't get better than Saw's without going to Texas. The moment you enter the store you're hit in the face with the intoxicating and possibly carbon-monoxide laden smell produced by some sort of chemical reaction involved between oxygen, carbon, and what I assume is bad ass meat fit for the gods. The second thing you notice at Saw's is the never ending line of people and quite possibly the highest concentration per square mile of Roll Tide paraphernalia--both of which make for an awesome dining experience. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it seems like the niche with Alabama-style BBQ seems to be the amazing sauce/rub that they baptize their ribs of rack... I mean racks of ribs in. Whereas I usually much prefer the accentuation of natural flavors which is done masterfully by the Texan schools of BBQ, Alabama BBQ takes what Georgia BBQ somewhat fails at and turns it into an art form (or maybe I just haven't been to any great BBQ joints in Georgia yet) I had the Combo plate with the Smoked Chicken with White BBQ sauce and immediately doubted everything I know about Chicken. The texture of the chicken was so chewy yet juicy, it made me wonder if Saw's hadn't figured out a way to crossbreed a Chicken with a pig. A Chick-pig, or maybe a Picken. I'll stick with Chick-pig since Picken potentially has racist overtones. Nevertheless, my wonderfully sauced Chick-pig sandwich also came with what is quite possibly the best rib (yes, singular) I have ever gifted my stomach with my entire life; somewhere between the meat falliing clean right off the bone and (not to sound redundant yet again) but their amazing tangy yet chickory-like sauce, I've gained new respect for the state of Alabama. Oh, and Saw's has beer.

    (5)

  • Scott B.

    Had some time to kill so I found Saw's on Yelp! Great find! Small place so grab a table when you can. All though may seem like a greasy place, it is not...great quality and friendly folks and from the looks of all the locals eating there it's a fav...it's off the beaten track, but worth the drive!

    (4)

  • Colby K.

    Best place to eat hands down in birmingham. Great place to be. Great place to eat. The food is 5 stars hands down. The environment is awesome. The people who work there are very nice. The price of the food is very very reasonable.

    (5)

  • Ron G.

    Far and away the best bbq ribs I have ever eaten! However you DO have to tell them if you do not want a half gallon of sauce poured over them before serving so be careful. They probably will not win the best bbq award for Bham because most people don't know where they are and there is only 1 location that is a true bbq joint. Full Moons ribs have absolutely NO flavor so I don't see how they are even in the running. Golden Rule ALWAYS over cooks their meat and their sauce is very sweet. I do like Jim and Nicks but Saw's in Edgewood has the best in town!

    (5)

  • Brian K.

    I hadn't originally planned on visiting this place during a recent day trip that I made to Birmingham. However, after a surprisingly lackluster experience at a nearby competitor, I ventured to Saw's to resurrect my faith in Alabama barbecue. Fortunately, they rose to the occasion and delivered on most fronts. I'm not necessarily saying that it was the best barbecue to ever grace my esophagus, but compared to what I experienced earlier, it was borderline glorious. Food: Saw's is a locally owned restaurant specializing in classic Alabama barbecue. Menu options include traditional standards such as chicken, ribs, and pulled pork, but their famed "stuffed taters" are unlike anything you'll find elsewhere - the dish can be ordered with your choice of toppings, including everything from veggies and chili to pork and chicken. During my visit, I opted for the chicken tater (green onions, bacon, chicken, and barbecue sauce) and a side of mac n' cheese. The mac n' cheese was fairly average, but the chicken tater was excellent - the potato was massive, the ingredients were generously portioned, and the pulled barbecue chicken was perfectly moist and flavorful. Service: All orders are placed at the back counter and your food is brought out once it's ready - as such, the extent of employee interaction is minimal. Nonetheless, the gentleman who took our order was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. During our Saturday afternoon visit, it took approximately five minutes from order to delivery. Patrons are responsible for clearing their own tables, so don't leave your mess behind for someone else to deal with. Atmosphere: I've been in bathrooms larger than this place - unless you visit during non-peak dining hours, expect seats to be at a premium. The general vibe is very casual and the vast majority of patrons are locals. There are multiple televisions located throughout the restaurant. Cost: Inexpensive. Sandwiches are $5-$8, plates are $10-$11, ribs are $11/half slab or $20/whole slab, stuffed taters are $5-$9, hot dogs are $5, and sides are $1-$2. Other: Hours of operation are 11AM-7PM, Monday-Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sunday. A few parking space are available directly outside the restaurant - an alternative option is the lot on the corner of Oxmoor and St. Charles. All major credit cards are accepted. The restaurant does not have a bar, but a limited selection of beer and wine is available.

    (4)

  • Will B.

    Came in for dinner after work, place was not that busy, but that changed quickly. I was hungry and got the 3 meat special. BBQ chicken, two ribs, pork, 3 pieces of bread and two sides, I got beans and deviled eggs. This was alot of food as the pictures shows. I have been starting with my sides first for a few months and this was no exception, beans were really good and had plenty of pork in them for taste but not too much. Deviled eggs are one of my guilty pleasures, they can be great and can gross. These were a pleasant surprise, filling was not runny and really were good, could have used more than two, :). The Ribs were next, the bbq sauce Saw's uses is vinegar based and was very good. They were fall off the bone tender. Had the chicken leg and it was also very good, bbq sauce and cooked perfectly and not dry at all. Had a few pieces of the pork and it was great but I was stuffed. Lance the night manager was great and we chatted a bit but this place get busy. Will be back.

    (5)

  • Sandra M.

    We were driving back to Chicago from Florida and got hungry in Alabama. The state is known for their bbq, so I used Yelp to help me find a good place along our route. This place was a couple of miles from the highway, but well worth the drive. It's in a cute part of town, although I'm not sure if there's a bad. I'm from Chicago and will always check the neighborhood. We tried the pulled pork, ribs, and chicken, and they were all great. The mac and cheese, greens, baked potato, and cole slaw were awesome. The cole slaw had a green seasoning in it and the best I've ever had. The portions are huge and there were plenty of leftovers from our party. I didn't know what to expect from the "white" bbq sauce on the chicken, but it turned out to be very tasty...not at all how i thought it would be (like an Alfredo type sauce). It's more of a zesty sauce. Overall, don't drive thru Birmingham without stopping at Saw's. I certainly won't.

    (5)

  • Maggie S.

    This is a small hole-in-the-wall place with very limited seating, but we were struck by the delicious smoke smell as soon as we walked in. My fiancé and I both ordered the sampler which was a ton of food. While the ribs were a bit fatty for my taste, the chicken was delicious. But to me the star of the show was the pork. It was the best pulled pork I've ever eaten. It had an amazing buttery consistency and delicious smoky flavor. I also like their sauce: it was tangy without being too sweet. I'm not a huge fan of vinegar cole slaw, but the baked beans, potato salad and Mac and cheese were all good.

    (5)

  • Megan L.

    Unbelievable! I so wish I could still eat there! But I guess they haven't had anyone with a gluten problem close to home so to say to understand cross contamination. I really wish I could still have it!

    (5)

  • Boo L.

    We were lucky enough to arrive at a time when there was still plenty of seating available. That changed about 15 minutes after we arrived, it was jam packed! I enjoyed my rib dinner with Mac and cheese and cabbage. I'd return.

    (4)

  • Jason F.

    I ate here this past Saturday with my girlfriend for a later lunch. We got to the restaurant around 3 pm and the place was packed. The inside of this place has a great vibe with a bunch tables, some bar type seating near the windows and lots of articles about the saw restaurants hanging about. The way that it works is that it is a seat yourself joint where you order at the register and then hopefully find an open table and seat yourself. In the 45 minutes or so that we were there the volume of people never stopped and it wasn't even a lunch or dinner time! For our lunches my girlfriend and I decided to split a white BBQ pulled pork sandwich and also a pulled pork platter with a baker side. Whenever the food was brought out to us I was amazed at the size of the potato. It was easily twice the size of my fist and was probably the biggest potato I had ever been served. It was cooked perfectly all the way through too and topped with cheese. In order to give it a little more pizzazz, my girlfriend and I decided to dump some of the delicious BBQ sauce on it which made it perfect in my opinion. The pulled pork on both the platter and sandwich was good and tender. I also enjoyed the white BBQ sauce and am glad that I tasted but the real winner was the regular BBQ sauce. It was a vinegar based sauce that was both a little sour and also sweet with a slight kick at the end. The bottom line for me is that I would definitely head back here in the future. I loved everything that I ate here and also dug the whole vibe of the place.

    (5)

  • Dale W.

    4.5 stars, really. This may be the overall best-tasting BBQ place in town. I rarely eat chicken at BBQ places, but here, it's a favorite of mine. Also, I'm 58 years old, have always lived in the south, and these are the best greens I've ever had. I get a double order every time I go. Tiny location and at lunch, seating is always a problem which, you know, is a very good sign.

    (4)

  • Gordon K.

    We went in for lunch yesteday. I had the original pulled pork plate with two sides. First of all, I wonder about all the 5 star reviews. The pulled pork is a bit smoky, and, is therefore fairly good for pork barbeque. Having said that, pork barbeque is not very good barbeque compared to beef brisket, which they do not have. I had cole slaw and baked beans for my two sides. The cole slaw looked terrible and the taste was no better. Baked beans tasted like they were out of a can with a little hot sauce added. The signature barbeque sauce is too vinegar-laden. The white bread accompaniment is just out of a sack cheap white bread. Some house made bread would be nice. But hey, they do barbeque. As a people watching site, it is good. They have quite an assortment of people who come in and it was an okay lunch. I would go back, but I would not be in a hurry to do so.

    (3)

  • Eric C.

    Stuffed pork tater can feed a family. It's so large and delicious im sure you amount of calories is over 2000. Also, the BBQ sauce was delicious. The one thing I miss about visiting my girlfriend in the south is the lack of BBQ that is offered in the Bay Area.

    (5)

  • Jeremy B.

    Oh this place is crazy delicious! I have visited twice, once with a coworker & then I had to bring my wife! Loved the sweet tea fried chicken, onion rings are delicious, & I'll try more upon my third visit. I love the whole in the wall feel, but the food is sooooo good & worth it. Luckily I stumbled upon this restaurant by way of yelp!

    (5)

  • Tracy J.

    As a Birminghamian and BBQ fan, I'm embarrassed to say that today was my first time to try Saw's. Getting is to go was definitely the best option for me as the place clearly doesn't focus on atmosphere. What they do focus on is mouth-watering BBQ! I got the pork plate with sides of slaw and turnip greens. The turnip greens were good but the slaw was not my fave (although I am happy that it is vinegar based rather than creamy). But I didn't finish either because they gave such a generous serving of BBQ. When I first opened the to-go box I was disappointed that I had forgotten to specify "chopped, inside/outside." But after one bite I realized it didn't matter - the meat was so tender it shredded apart easily, and many pieces had just the right amount of char on the outside. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way! I am rather particular about sauce and I LOVE their sauce - not too sweet with a tad of acidity and spice. Also ordered a side of white BBQ sauce - so good and def tasted homemade. Can't wait to go back!

    (4)

  • Lin G.

    Supposedly, Alabama's got some good Southern food. Here we come Birmingham! Yup the rib plate was everything I expected and more. Four huge pieces of barbecue ribs, bread that I don't eat, and choice of two sides. I went with the deviled eggs (delicious) and the chicken and dumplings (no regrets there). The crowd was mostly families, and one little kid was dancing in the aisles all adorable like. A real relaxed atmosphere. Just get here early as they close as 7pm. The guy behind the register looked like he's in high school and was the friendliest. He joked around, explained what turnip greens were, and what chicken and dumplings were, and questioned my Southern roots, then offered to give me a free side of turnip greens, which didn't come out. But it's the thought that counts. Thank you kid! That was some great Southern food.

    (5)

  • J M.

    Been here twice so far. First time was AMAZING. I had the Saw's sampler, which has some ribs, pork, chicken, and two sides (about $17). All of it was amazingly delicious and tender. Sauce is not too tangy, spicy, or heavy in vinegar. The second time I got the same thing and it was all slightly not as good. Still, a wonderful place with delicious BBQ!

    (5)

  • John L.

    My wife and two of our closest friends took a road trip down to Orlando, FL this last August, and our drive took us past Birmingham. A goal of mine for this trip was to try to dine/imbibe at as many "local" places as possible, rather than eating at a slew of faceless chain restaurants (how many McDonald's can you go to on one road trip? GO!) so I was very pleased with our decision to get off of the highway and see why Yelp loves this place so much. Our first impression as we pulled up for lunch: Wow. Line out of the door -- this place must be incredible. Saw's looked like an archetypical BBQ diner out of a movie -- a host of good-ol'-boys-type patrons, extremely informal menu scrawled on the wall above the kitchen window, newspaper clippings and pictures of the 'Bama football team's various triumphs, and thousands of permanent marker-inscribed "ROLL TIDE"s written all over the walls. We immediately loved it. The food was incredible -- the best BBQ I've had. The vibe was fun and fitting. I would go back in a heartbeat (if it only meant I didn't have to drive twelve hours to get there). tl;dr -- GO HERE AND EAT THEIR FOOD.

    (5)

  • Diana W.

    Just Ok. Friendly staff fast service. You have to like vinegar pepper barbeque sauce because that's your only choice. I don't. They do have the largest baked potatoes I've ever seen.

    (3)

  • Christin K.

    The pulled pork sandwich is awesome. The meat is moist and they give you more than enough to fill you up on a sandwich and fries. The white sauce is just enough tangy--not too vinegar-y, not sweet, either. It's just right. The location is fantastic, in a great neighborhood. The sweet tea is not as sweet as I like it, but obviously that's a personal opinion. Overall, great lunch.

    (4)

  • Alyssa D.

    Barbecue chicken with white sauce is pretty darn good, as are the sweet potato fries. Boyfriend was not incredibly impressed with his pork plate, but agreed that the mac and cheese was to die for. In my opinion, Saw's is on par with Dreamland (gasp!), but there are many people who would beg to disagree. Both locations are cozy, friendly and always packed. I would definitely recommend Saw's to any Birmingham barbecue fans who dare to venture outside the cult of Dreamland. It's different, but it's definitely worth a try.

    (4)

  • Autumn S.

    Yum! Another winner for the non-BBQ girl. Perfectly smoked chicken with a nice tangy white sauce! The chicken plate was big enough for 2 to share-especially with the sides. Although they were out of Mac n cheese on the Saturday afternoon I showed up, the turnip greens and baked beans were fine side substitutes. . The turnip greens were expertly seasoned and did not need any additional vinegar, baked beans nice and peppery. Way better than other well know BBQ places I've been steered to in Alabama.

    (4)

  • Brittany T.

    This place was amazing! The only complaint that I would have is that the place is too small for how many people were stuffing their faces in there! People were really bumping into each other. My boyfriend and I both got loaded taters (baked potato with your choice of meat and toppings), his was chicken and mine was pork. The meat was tender and the sauce was a tad sweet with a little spicy kick. It had a good balance to me but it was a little sweet for his taste. I really couldn't eat it all but I managed to shove most of it down out of pure deliciousness. The tea was sweet too (that's a big deal for me...I love my tea "southern"). Also-- the service was great! Lance took our order and knew the menu like the back of his hand. He was very polite and even though we could have thrown away our own trash, he came to our table and picked it up for us. He was so friendly. Thanks for the great experience Lance!

    (4)

  • Ee Vonn Y.

    The stuffed pork tater is the most inhumanely giant baked potato I have ever seen in my life. It's so bloated, it oozes cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, and generous portions of hot shredded pork and BBQ sauce in all directions and can't be contained. This $8.95 was delicious. My only complaint was that there wasn't enough bacon but I never think anything has enough bacon.

    (5)

  • John H.

    Absolutely fantastic food. Smoked chicken sandwich with white BBQ sauce was delicious - be sure to get some extra sauce. Sweet potato fries were some of the best I've had in Birmingham. But the service was extraordinarily awful (this was at the Crestline location). We were with a group of about fifteen, seated around 12:45pm. Ordered sometime after 1 and waited nearly an hour for our food, with next to no attention from our server - lots of empty drink cups. When the food finally arrived, it was delicious and hot, no problems there. Forty-five minutes in, I did speak with a manager about the wait. He blamed it on several large parties, but honestly, if the same fifteen people had ordered at three separate tables, I can't see that the same wait would have occurred. When we ordered, we requested separate checks. No problem, said the server. However, after the long wait we requested our checks right away. She came back saying the manager told her they couldn't split the check into more than two for such a large party . That seems to be a piece of information a capable server would know and communicate to us when we ordered. Someone spoke with the manager about the policy and he wouldn't budge, leaving us with the burden of working out repayment to the one member of our party who got disgusted and whipped out her credit card to pay for the whole thing. Fifteen unhappy customers, and no attempt made to apologize or accommodate our request. That's some poor decision making. Go for the food - you'll love it. But, at least at the Crestline location, don't be in a hurry.

    (3)

  • Adam S.

    I feel like BBQ is kind of trendy right now. In other words, there are a lot of folks trying to do classic Southern cuisine in locations that wouldn't know a smoker from a lawn mower. Well, this place isn't "trying" to do anything. It is just damn good Southern BBQ. The mac n cheese is probably the best I've ever had. I mean that sincerely. It is peppery and gooey and the crust is amazing. The pulled chicken sandwich with white sauce is also superb. Every component is just perfect. I liked the deviled eggs, but they were my least favorite thing I ate here. This place doesn't have brisket and doesn't have a mustard sauce (normally I will ding a BBQ place for either), but the food is good enough to overlook those things. The sweet tea is also perfect. The locals will chat you up while you eat and you definitely feel like you are in Alabama with their great accents and hospitality. I would definitely suggest a trip here.

    (5)

  • Julie L.

    Ribs? Yum. Smoked sausage? Yum. Turnip greens? Yum. Beans? Temperature of the sun when you get them, but yum. Sauce? A little too much vinegar tang for my personal taste, but it's not so vinegar-y that I won't eat it.

    (4)

  • Matthew K.

    This place is BBQ heaven. The meat from the ribs come right off the bone and taste so freaking good! The white sauce on the smoked chicken is godly. As for sides, I always get the greens and mac and cheese. Both are amazing and have so much flavor. I love mixing the bbq pork with the greens. I havent tried the baker yet but that is on the agenda next.

    (5)

  • Madeline S.

    I can't believe we lived in Birmingham for a year before coming here. Oops! We stopped in on our lunch and got some pulled pork sandwiches. I got slaw on mine which turned out to be an excellent decision. It turned into a fork and knife situation pretty quickly. The slaw is mayo free (or at least vinegar based) and delightfully crunchy and zesty. I got potato salad which was pretty good and Man friend got Mac n cheese that looked amazing. It was busy but they were quick. We shall return!

    (4)

  • Defazeo F.

    Walked in and was hit in the face by a cloud of smoke so I could tell this place was legit. Get the Big Saw (one rib, a sandwich, an a drink). It was worth the $12. They have a white barbeque sauce which I am not used to so it was not Particularly good to me, but they also have a 'regular' sauce that was pretty good. I didn't care for the baked beans tho, they were too hot; both caliente and calor. Overall, nice meal.

    (4)

  • Rosalyn F.

    Pleasantly surprised the BBQ was very good. I had the ribs and pulled pork. My husband had the ribs and chicken.

    (4)

  • Keefer B.

    Amazing BBQ. A little bit pricy, but totally worth it. You can't always get food because they usually have a line out the door and once they are out of food, they close. I usually get the pulled pork sandwich, but the massive bakers are amazing.

    (5)

  • John L.

    Hands down one of the best BBQ joints. A nice seasoned dive atmosphere that makes you hope the food is as good as the place looks. It exceeded expectations. I had the BBQ combo with chicken and ribs. Both were outstanding. The white BBQ sauce was an excellent touch that I haven't send before. Just awesome. As sides, I had chili and Mac & Cheese. The chili was chock full of meat and had excellent flavor. Better than I expected. The Mac & Cheese couldn't have been cheesier. (The M&C could have been hotter though) Great work. Can't wait to come back.

    (5)

  • Michael W.

    Delicious BBQ. I strongly suggest this hole in the wall. My favorite is the loaded tater. It comes with their chicken and pulled pork. Staff is quick and friendly.

    (5)

  • Cliff S.

    Just a few days ago I left a review for Lil Dooey, a BBQ joint in Starkville Ms. Today we were traveling back home from Gatlinburg,TN and I had my wife search for the best BBQ in Birmingham area. She chose this place, due to the reviews on YELP. Let me tell you... It's worth the trip off of I59. First of all I'm a stickler for BBQ being done right. It must be served on paper and eaten with disposable cutlery. You must drink from styrofoam and use multiple Aq napkins due to the messiness of the meat. All of this takes place in a small smokey room. The menu is simple and delicious. My wife had the pulled chicken sandwich, son had pulled pork sandwich, and I had a plate with pork, brisket, beans and great tater salad! A tad bit pricey, but it is by far ( as said in the movie Fried Green Tomatoes) " THE BEST D&MN BBQ IN THE WHOLE STATE OF ALABAMA" I guess the secret is in the sauce????? But seriously. Y'all give them a shot. The lady behind the register is very nice.

    (5)

  • Joe R.

    Great BBQ, Ribs, chicken and pulled pork were excellent. Portions were huge and the banana pudding was very good, as well. There must have 40 people, or so, served or ordered in the short time we were there.

    (5)

  • Miriam W.

    I dined here for lunch and chose the junior sampler, which, with a chicken leg quarter, a pile of pulled pork and a large meaty rib, was plenty of food. You get one side with that (I chose turnip greens) and a slice of their cornbread. The chicken was good, nicely charred on the outside, juicy on the inside, with a squirt of their white sauce (it's an Alabama thing) to top it off. The ribs and pulled pork were tasty too...the smoke flavor was not very pronounced, but I liked the tangy sauce they make. The turnip greens were good too. Now you're probably wondering about the one star, aren't you? Well, the main reason for the low rating is that my husband espied a cockroach on the cola machine and pointed it out to me. While I spent too many years in the restaurant business to be freaked out by a cockroach, I know that the appearance of one in the dining room signals a larger problem, and that these folks probably have an infestation. The place did not look clean to me either, so they need to do some deep cleaning and hire an exterminator. It makes me squeamish enough that I won't be returning. There were also number 10 cans of baked beans, green beans and tomatoes lining one wall in the dining room, so I know not everything is homemade here. You only get one chance to wow us, and I was unimpressed with their level of responsibility to the public at this restaurant. Definitely moving on.

    (1)

  • Douglas W.

    I followed the Yelpers and the Alabama poster that said I could find one of the 100 best dishes here. This is a tough review to write. On the one hand, the BBQ was clearly 4 stars and on the other there are serious questions of food quality, safety and general responsibility. I ordered the Junior Sampler. 1 rib, 1/4 chicken dark and what looked like about 5oz of pork. It came with one side. I chose turnip greens. The rib was good, my least favorite of the meats. The pulled pork was very good. It was tender, juicy, smoky. The pork and ribs were doused with their well balanced tangy sauce. Thanks for not using preservatives or corn syrup. Really nice sauce for pork. The chicken was great. It came with a drizzle of white sauce and had a delicious rub. Moist, tender, perfect. The greens were good but too spicy. There's pepper sauce on the table for your customers, I don't need you to add it for me. Now for the reasons I can't return. There's a soda machine by the register where you order and a cockroach was crawling all over it. Where there's one, there are 100s. There's a rack of Sysco #10 cans of veggies in the dining room including tomatoes and sauce. They serve everything on/with styrofoam and don't recycle anything. Utensils are plastic. Happy to explain why any of this is a problem but won't do it here. This place needs to care a lot more about me and our community before I will support them.

    (2)

  • Cat S.

    Best BBQ in town. hands down. 3 locations: Homewood (original) - awesome lunch spot but since it's small it gets crowded fast and people hover over you. Avondale - even smaller than homewood. Crestline - best set up of them all but surprise, it's super crowded. expect a 1.5hr wait at any point in the day. also, really terribly slow service. park on the street. all of this is worth it. i promise.

    (4)

  • Craig M.

    Best BBQ I have had in Alabama. I prefer this over both dreamland and Archibalds in Tuscaloosa. Get the large sampler platter with chicken,ribs, and pork. You may not be able to eat it all but take it home because it tastes just as good later.

    (5)

  • Caroline C.

    I am living in birmingham for a year so trying to do a little exploring while I am here. I had heard good things about Saws so I thought I'd give it a try. My family owns a bbq restaurant so I am pretty particular about my bbq. This place was delicious! I have no idea what exactly the white sauce consists of, but it is life changing.

    (5)

  • Jenn P.

    We stopped at this place on a whim on the way home to Nashville from a quick trip to New Orleans. Not only was the girl who took our order a doll, but I had a smoked chicken sandwich that SERIOUSLY BLEW MY MIND. It was knee slappin' good. Like, my friends and I were stuffing our faces and looking at each other with disbelief at just how amazing it was. Now, remember I was on my way home from NEW ORLEANS. We had been eating like kings for days and still my sandwich was in my top ten all time best, and I have travelled and eaten tons and consider sandwiches a standalone food group. AH! I've been craving it since. In fact, I was so food-blissed I left my wallet in the bathroom while I washed all of the sauce off my hands. I felt like a chump. I live three hours away! I was pretty panicked but I called the next day and talked to the manager, Anna, who was oh-so-sweet. She kindly offered to send it to me using a ten spot I had in there and told me she's put my change and receipt in the package even though I didn't ask. She must have mailed it off that night because I got it two days later, just in time for another trip during which I hoped to rent a car and therefore needed my license... Anna didn't miss a beat in giving me the sweetest service. She didn't need to help me (especially since I live so far away and the mistake was my own), but her kindness made my day. I love businesses like this! Great product, clean and cool aesthetic and the right people in the right job. Thank you, Saw's! I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • John P.

    Great meat, the sides aren't that great. The sauces are amazing white and regular The Mac and cheese is over cooked and mushy, the collards to tangy not enough sweet. The sandwiches are perfect though

    (3)

  • Captain J.

    Great barbecue. Went there last wk loved their baby back ribs. Really it is almost too much to eat. Planning on going there again next wk. Don't eat any lunch...there won't be enough room for all the great food

    (4)

  • Mike F.

    Quite simply said----IT'S THE SHIT! This place has the best pulled pork i've ever had and especially the best in the city. I highly recommend the pulled pork plate and pretty much all of their sides are winners. The quality and flavor is what I am crazy about. The only drawback are the hours of operation. When I crave some of the good stuff I go here!

    (5)

  • Jessica M.

    Pretty crowded, but one of the best BBQ places in Birmingham by far. Love the atmosphere of the area and love the food here.

    (3)

  • Joseph R.

    I traveled to Birmingham, AL on business last week and when I asked a local where the best BBQ in Birmingham cold be found they said Saw's BBQ is it. I visited Saw's on a Wednesday evening and was surprised at how small the place was, and the line stretched through the restaurant and left me cramped to get the door closed behind me. Despite the long, slow line the smell of wood smoke and cooking meat was heavenly, people were friendly, and the atmosphere was fun. As for the food... Although I waited 20 minutes, the BBQ ribs, slaw, and cornbread was well worth the wait. I'd certainly come back, but will be sure not to come during peak dinner hours. Fantastic food!!

    (4)

  • Russ M.

    This is the former location of Broadway BBQ. The new owner has brought what I am CONVINCED is going to become a new landmark to this very cool edgewood area. At lunch my sweet wife and I shared the smoked chicken with white BBQ sauce. OMG it was awesome!!!!! The side of greens was totally delicious. We also had the potato salad which was not to our liking, but that is simply personal preference (too much sour cream, not the traditional mustard base). Next time we go, I have threatened to order the white bbq sauce and a straw... The owner told us that he has just gotten liscense to sell beer. At this point, the only reason I gave 4 stars is that I want to reserve the ability to move up to 5. We can't wait to go back...SOON I recommend that everybody give Saw's (stands for Sorry A@@ed Wilson's Sauce) a try while you can still get a seat without a big wait.

    (4)

  • Jessica W.

    Oh my goodness. Slap your mama!! Chicken with white sauce is the best I've ever had. I'm so glad we tried Saw's. We will be coming back- and we'll bring our Texas friends with us so they can experience real BBQ!

    (5)

  • Mark H.

    If you haven't eaten at Saw's, it is a must. Their chicken, pork, ribs, slaw, beans, salad...if it is on the menu, you can' t go wrong ordering it. I eat here and at their sister restaurant (Saw's Soul Kitchen) multiple times whenever I am in Birmingham. I travel extensively for work and I look forward to Saw's as much or more than any other restaurant I eat at of any type, class or category.

    (5)

  • Shelley M.

    We stopped here on our way out east after sampling some mighty fine BBQ in Texas and this place was pretty damn good! The ribs weren't quite as tender as I am used to and prefer, but the sauce was amazing...subtly spicy with a subdued sweetness and slight tang. If you find yourself in Birmingham and crave delicious BBQ, this is the place to stop!

    (4)

  • Scott N.

    The best bbq meat that I've had in Alabama. The pulled pork and andouille sausage are off the chain along with the sauce. The only critique I have is that the sides I've had: mac & cheese, chili, baked beans, and deviled eggs are just average.

    (5)

  • Alan G.

    Fantastic ribs and mouth-watering chicken with white sauce.

    (5)

  • Joey S.

    I've only eaten here once, but was pleasantly surprised. It takes skill for a new place to make an impression with BBQ down here in the South. But his Carolina-region influences and raw attitude really do help it stand out. Much of the menu is vinegar-based, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Just know that in case you're expecting creamy slaw or potato salad. Great food, simple and authentic atmosphere. Don't be surprised if you have to wait for a seat.

    (4)

  • Krash T.

    Let me say at the outset that I am not a barbecue fan. Growing up in the North, my family's idea of barbecued food was what Southerners refer to as "grilled". We would put barbecue sauce on chicken, head for a local park that offered grills, build a fire with hot coals, throw the chicken on, and call it a day. My cousin's mother made fall-off-the-bone ribs, but she did them in the oven, then just threw them onto her Weber for the finishing touch. So I've never enthused when Southern friends said "Let us take y'all for some real barbecue!", because usually I was treated to a soggy bun that featured a few slices of semi-sweet pickle, some runny and very milky-tasting cole slaw, and a bunch of undecipherable meat I was assured had to be pork. Even the ribs I've ordered at those joints were either tough, or falling off the bone but tasteless. I went to Saw's because I read about it on the Facebook page of someone whose taste I admire. And from the first bite, it was a revelation. So much so that when the three friends with me saw my expression, one anxiously asked whether I was all right. All right? I was having a Food Moment, that rarity where you realize you have never, ever tasted that particular food as it was truly meant to be, and your life will never be the same. Crowded. Yes. But not uncomfortable. The atmosphere was so friendly, the music so perfect (James Cotton, I believe, then B B King) that I could almost believe I was back in the older South of juke joint days. It was hot, but the fan cooled things down just enough. The ladies behind the counter were very patient with me as I asked a multitude of menu questions, trying to decide between all the sides until one of my friends finally interrupted and ordered for me. BBQ pork combo with a sparerib, cole slaw, baked beans, potato salad. Well. Let me say this. If Saw's was in my neighborhood, I would eat there at least weekly, bring everyone I'd ever met there for lunch, and weigh a million pounds. Coleslaw - not mayo based, for a change. Not runny. Just wet enough to seep into the meat when I put it on the sandwich, but not so wet that it made the bread soggy. Potato salad - wonderful wonderful wonderful. Sandwich - crunchy pickles and HUGE chunks of melt-in-your-mouth pork. Not the fatty pieces, the ones you try to avoid when you're on a diet, but the best parts; not too lean, not too fat, just right. Sauce - we had several choices. Whatever they used for marinade (and I believe they sell it, too), it was wonderful. Just a hint of spiciness left on the tongue, not enough to detract from the flavor. Bun - as normal, but tasted ten times better because of the quality between. Sparerib - OMG. Ridiculously good. Just absurd. Huge amounts of meat, literally falling into my mouth. I could almost slurp it up. The one item I could have done without was the baked beans, which were average. But really, who cared? The meal was stunning. As my friends, all of them Southerners, watched me chowing down in delight, they exchanged amused glances and occasionally murmured "Uh-huh. That's real barbecue, son" inbetween their smiles. I can't recommend this place highly enough. It changed my life. I will forever be in pursuit of barbecue as good, but I fear my quest will be doomed to failure. Worth driving out of your way for. Heck, worth staying overnight so you can eat lunch and dinner and then take some home the next day!!!

    (5)

  • Dustin J.

    Tasty BBQ sandwichs!!

    (5)

  • Ayon J. R.

    Good ribs, but even better chicken (especially with white sauce). The sides leave a lot to be desired. Tends to get very smoky/smelly inside.

    (3)

  • David M.

    I grew up in Georgia and have lived in the South most of my life. I am certainly qualified to give a review when it comes to BBQ! This place was OUTSTANDING. Some of the BEST pulled pork sandwich I've ever had. The BBQ sauces is what made the sandwich so spectacular. This place certainly qualifies as a hole in the wall BBQ joint. If I lived in this area, I would be a regular customer. It doesn't get much better then SAW'S BBQ. If you don't believe me....go try it!!

    (5)

  • Dr. E.

    This was the first and probably the only time I was going to be in Birmingham and I decided to try Saw's since the internet told me so. Thank goodness I did!! The cool person at the cashier recommended I try the plate and gave me a serving of pulled pork and bbq chicken with two sides. I didn't end up eating it till about 2 hours later on my drive to Atlanta. The pulled pork was pretty alright and I felt the sides were regular...but that chicken with the white bbq sauce?!?!!?!? Please give me a mass transporter so I can go eat that again. Summary: Pulled Pork: 3.3 Sides: 3 BBQ Chicken with White BBQ Sauce: 7!!!! Service: 5 (Please realize that my lower ratings of the first two could be based on the fact that I ate them two hours after they were made and they weren't warm anymore)

    (4)

  • Argot B.

    Best bbq we had in the south. We had pulled pork sammiches (best pulled pork I ever had but I'm just a yank) and chicken sammiches with white sauce and fried okra and it was all stellar. We were lucky because right after we got there like 10 people lined up in thirty seconds. This place was ridiculously good. Very impressive.

    (5)

  • Bryan H.

    Good BBQ. Expect to stand in line for awhile and if you get there at lunchtime on Saturday, expect to not have a table available...but the food is very good (ribs and pork).

    (4)

  • Chay O.

    My oh my!! Talking about Saw's BBQ make me salvate. Alabama is known for great BBQ so any BBQ places that can dwell better bring up their A-game. Fortunately, Saw's BBQ really dilvers one of the best BBQ I have eaten in the south! If you happen to drop by Birmingham, do make a stop at this little joint.

    (5)

  • Deb A.

    We stopped here for lunch on way home from vacation. GREAT experience and delicious food. You must try the white sauce on the chicken, the potato salad, and the mac & cheese.

    (5)

  • Joe H.

    You know as soon as you see the special mechanic's blue paper towels on the table that you're in the right place. Great-great, mom & pop BBQ. Simple menu, friendly service, and delicious food. I got the pulled pork sandwich but if I get to go again, I'm getting the ribs or one of their loaded potatoes. People sitting nearby had these and I drooled over them while I waited for my own food to come out.

    (5)

  • Nate C.

    Chicken sandwich w/ white BBQ sauce and ribs

    (4)

  • Amanda K.

    What stood out for me at saws was the collared greens and the Collared greens and the sauce. The only thing was the sauce was so good I wanted MORE of it on the pulled pork. Thank god the tables come with their own lil bottle so I could dunk on some more. It was melt in your mouth savor in your tummy goooooood. The collared greens were also amazing. Vinegary sweet with a slight bitterness. Mac n cheese was dry and not as yummy as everything else. Overall it's tasty BBQ and satisfies that finger lickin good craving but not super crazy amazing. But get those collared greens. If I could rate individual foods on a star scale that baby would get five.

    (3)

  • Brad S.

    Not having much experience with regional barbecue east of the Mississippi, I pined for the opportunity to try the famous white barbecue sauce of northern Alabama. Turns out, not only did I get to try a master of the white sauce, but a pair of other regional sauces, as well as some killer pulled pork. Pulled pork as a dish is probably one of the easier dishes to accomplish in the world of barbecue, but there can be a world of difference in the quality of those who get it right and those who get it wrong. Sitting there, literally getting chills from how good this simple pork butt had become, there was no question that this was some killer barbecue.

    (5)

  • John S.

    Because of the reviews on YELP, we ate at Saw's BBQ, and it's true. This place is unbelievably good. The food is to die for. The best 'que I've ever experienced in my life. The ribs...oh my goodness. The pulled pork, the chicken with the white BBQ sauce, the mac-n-cheese, collared greens are all worth the trip. And if you're still hungry (which I seriously doubt), the banana pudding will put you over the top. The southern hospitality displayed from the time we walked in the door to the moment we left made me feel like I've lived here all of my life. I can't wait for my next trip to Birmingham. Before I forget, this place is cheap, an incredible value for what you get. Put it this way, the locals were lined up to the door with takeouts on a cold, midweek night. This is always a good sign.

    (5)

  • Elliott W.

    Saws is easily the beat BBQ in Birmingham. As a competitive cookery, I've had some of the best Que in the world. Saw's is consistently among the the best restaurant fare I've had. I thought the pork was good until it was topped by the chicken. SAW's white sauce on chicken is the bomb and a winner every time. Homemade sides and banana pudding perfect the menu. Be warned, there is a wait and it might be a little more pricey than the competition, but its worth it.

    (5)

  • Cynthia B.

    First trip from California to the South. First truly authentic BBQ. Nothing like starting at the top. This place is dope! The smell, the vibe, the music and, OMG, the food. If I ate like that everyday, I'd be the fat lady who sings but this 'once in a lifetime' day, it was superb. We paid for and forgot to take our caramel cake. We almost cried when realized we had gotten home without it. This was so much more than a restaurant, it was a new reality.

    (5)

  • Byoung Kyu S.

    I figured Birmingham should have some decent BBQ places and after a quick search on Yelp, I decided to give Saw's a try. I opted for the Sandwich Combo (sandwich, one side, and drink) for $8.00. I chose the Pulled Pork Sandwich with Slaw (extra 0.75), deviled eggs as my side, and s fountain soda. The sandwich was EXCELLENT. The pork was smokey but very meaty and moist. I tasted a slight "tang" (probably from vinegar?) which went perfect with the sauce already on the sandwich. The slaw gave the sandwich an extra sweetness to balance out the pickles. Possibly the finest pulled pork sandwich I've tasted. I liked how the sandwich was not drenched with BBQ sauce. The deviled egg was also EXCELLENT. You get one egg (2 half pieces). Moist and flavorful. The only small complaint could be (some may not care) that the smokiness of the place will definitely get on your clothing. While the smokey aroma livens up the senses, I doubt it's a fragrance you'll want lingering on your clothes. On my next trip to Birmingham, I plan on trying the meat plate combo so I can try some of the other meats.

    (4)

  • B C.

    I've eaten at some incredible BBQ places in the South and Saw's definitely rates right near the top as the best. First of all, the portions are huge here. I had no idea and ordered half a rack of ribs with the pork plate. I had driven over from Atlanta and was really hungry, but couldn't come close to finishing it all off. The portions at Saw's were truly impressive, especially considering the high quality. I polished off the remaining ribs the next day and they were still incredible. The pork was definitely some of the best I have ever had. My fiance had the pulled pork stuffed potato and it was also tremendously good. The place feels like a true BBQ joint and is a must stop if you're in the area.

    (5)

  • Curtis B.

    I was in Birmingham last October visiting family and I was really craving BBQ. I had some from Jim N' Nick's, but chain restaurant 'que just doesn't do it for me. Fortunately Yelp helped. Coming from out in the suburbs it was nice to come into the little neighborhood that Saw's is in. Nice little shops along a main street filled with people walking around. This was the type of area I wanted to see. NOT the 6 lane highways with outback steakhouses and chick fil' a's. Walking in your surrounded by all the memorabilia on the wall. The tons of crimson tide stuff here. It's not really my style, but it was well done. Nothing looks run down or crappy. You then walk up to order at the counter. Pulled pork for me please! Then sit down and wait. Service was prompt and friendly. The sauce is a little vinegary, too much Carolina for me, but it was still pretty darn good. My dad's from Memphis and makes some great baby backs with a Memphis style sauce which is excellent. After my dad's sauce i would say Saw's is #2 or #3 on my list. The experience was pretty good to that point, then the owner comes out and sits to talk with us. We told him how we were down to visit from Oregon and just chit chatted. That's the type of thing I really like when I go out to a cool local place to eat. I was going to give Saw's 4 stars, but that just put them over the top. Hopefully I make it back in the future to get another pulled pork.

    (5)

  • Marla T.

    WAY OVERRATED. Barbecue was very underdone. Charred on the outside and pink underneath. I don't understand the hype. I think it's more the location and hole-in-the wall allure. I was afraid to eat my ribs (and didn't). I had a carry-out so I couldn't send them back. People love a story and have fallen for the owner's story. It's all marketing people. I will say, the sauce is pretty tasty and somewhat original. I just can't see the appeal of the ribs. I've even gone back, thinking it was a fluke, but after seeing the food on the plates of some diners (and how undercooked it looked) I promptly turned around and left. In addition, the service seems to be lacking and the Health rating is not stellar. Proceed with caution.

    (1)

  • Fat K.

    Best BBQ in Birmingham - can get uncomfortably crowded because of limited seating great sauce and sides and who doesn't like to get sauced??

    (4)

  • Matt O.

    This is a hole in the wall small place with about 10 tables. It's mildy chaotic but I don't count either of these things as negatives. This place is what it is and doesn't pretend to be anything it's not. Had the roasted chicken with white BBQ sauce and the wife had the pulled pork stuffed baker so we could try both the famous pork and the white sauce. Both were delicious and more importantly, delicious together! The chicken dish pretty much requires an extra side of sauce for dunking and the potatoe is HUGE with a generous amount of pork on top. They don't have the biggest variety on the planet, but what they do have is superb. The sides were good, but certainly not trying to upstage the main attraction: amazing BBQ!!

    (4)

  • Chris L.

    Excellent food, friendly service. After spending some time talking with the young man at the counter, he made up a combo with all my BBQ hopes and desires. Pure heaven!

    (5)

  • Joie Campeaux Smith S.

    My honey and I loved this place. Small "hole in the wall" with fabulous BBQ. My favorite is the white BBQ sauce. Everyone needs to eat here at LEAST once if you are in Birmingham, AL!

    (5)

  • Ryan L.

    Best BBQ in Birmingham! everything they offer is top notch.

    (5)

  • Jean W.

    The homemade onion rings are great! The fresh cut fries are great too. The burger is one of the best I have had. The also have great onion rings. The BBQ however is a little lacking. The pork sandwich I had, the meat was overlooked, tough and dry. It did have a good smoke flavor as well as a nice smoke ring. (I am a KCBS BBQ judge so I am very critical on pork.) The sauce had good flavor, however, I prefer my sauce thicker. Oh, did I mention how great the onion rings were? I will eat there again, just not the pork.

    (4)

  • Hammer T.

    BEST BBQ in BHAM! Saw's is my favorite BBQ in Birmingham and one of the best BBQ joints in Alabama, if not THE best. The ribs are exceptional. So is the chopped chicken sandwich with white BBQ sauce. The mac & cheese is the egg-style that is super creamy. The banana pudding is the simple cold version and it is very refreshing on a hot summer day. If you are in Bham - head to Homewood/edgewood and try out this great place. It's small, so if you have a large party to feed you may want to order TO GO. Have a good one!

    (5)

  • Roll T.

    5 solid stars. Saw's is absolutely fantastic BBQ. The moistness of the pulled pork must be tried to be believed, the BBQ sauce was just the right notes of vinegar, and the smoked chicken with "Alabama white sauce" quite possibly is the best rendition of BBQ chicken I have ever had in my life. I wouldn't really bother with the ribs here which is not to say that they aren't very good. They just aren't on the level of the pulled pork and the smoked chicken. I wasn't a fan at all of their mac-n-cheese, but they did good things with green beans. Also, this place was full of hot girls EATING BBQ!!! Where else does that happen? (Answer: only the Deep South) Add in the fact that I got to watch the Crimson Tide put an ass whooping on the hated Vols in college basketball, and you have all the makings of pretty much a perfect meal. I haven't tried Miss Myra's, but I have a hard time believing you can find better BBQ in the city.

    (5)

  • Colin S.

    Absolutely amazing BBQ in the middle of the Edgewood neighborhood in Homewood, AL. The pulled pork is mouthwatering as are the ribs. The atmosphere is great and the staff friendly and helpful. Really great place for the family to get some quality southern BBQ.

    (5)

  • Philip L.

    Freakin' fantastic ribs, great sauce, awesome tater salad. Quick turnaround on the order, but crowded and small. Go early, snag a table before ordering, and enjoy. Heard good things about the chicken and white sauce plate. Only downside? Owner is a Alabummer Homer so you have to put up with all the "Roll Tide" garbage. But, it's no reason not to fill yourself with absolutely terrific BBQ!

    (4)

  • Stephen B.

    This is the first restaurant I tried based on yelp and the reviews were spot on. The ribs are the BEST I have ever eaten. I have since been back twice and it never fails to deliver. The white sauce is a must try as well. If you want the best barbeque in Birmingham then Saws is the place to go.

    (5)

  • Laura P.

    I must be in the minority. What others describe as "juicy", we found the pulled pork to be wet, ropy and almost flavorless. I ordered a pulled pork plate to go, but upon inspection we received a mix of pork and chicken. Chicken was okay, but a little mealy (there was no white sauce added to my chicken). Mac and cheese was mushy and bland. My husbands baked potato was good, but how hard is it to bake a potato? I felt really let down after all the good reviews I've read online.

    (3)

  • Josh A.

    Amazing BBQ. This place is small and a bit divey, but the staff is super friendly and the food is incredible. I got the ribs, chicken and pulled pork combo because a staff member recommended it... and it was perfect. The ribs fell right off the bone and the chicken and pulled pork were simply fantastic. If I am ever in B'Ham again, I will return.

    (5)

  • Nolen G.

    This place is superb. I usually find myself disappointed with restaurant ribs and bbq but SAWs never does. It is truly awesome. The white BBQ sauce is unreal. I suggest the ribs and the chicken at the same time and pay that extra .50 for the white sauce!

    (5)

  • Nicole F.

    Wasn't crazy about the place. After reading the reviews I was expecting the best BBQ I'd ever had. My husband got the chopped pork plate that wasn't really chopped & was sort of dry. I got the ribs that were good but drowning in sauce. We both got the slaw & mac/cheese. We barely touched our slaw & the Mac/cheese was alright after you ate around the huge globs of cheese. The slaw had a strange taste I just couldn't put my finger on... It wasn't horrible but I prefer Moe's over Saws any day. I would try it again & order differently next time.

    (3)

  • Jayson S.

    Great southern barbecue; don't be intimidated by the long line. The service is quick and the BBQ is tasty. We had the pulled pork, the boudin sausage, the Mac and Cheese, and the baked beans. Will definitely come back next time I am in town.

    (4)

  • Denise C.

    So much flavor it's addicting

    (5)

  • Melanie N.

    Oh my Golly!! You cannot go to Birmingham without trying Saw's. Its is located in adorable Downtown Homewood where there are many other great businesses (try the creamery after your BBQ). I shared the chicken and rib lunch with my sister and it was more than enough food for a small price. The only problem would have to be the seat (which there is almost none). So, go on a cool day and sit outside!!

    (4)

  • Janice N.

    Took the family here based on the yelp reviews. It's very small most people were taking it to go. I had the chicken with macaroni and cheese and turnip green. Loved it! The white bbq sauce was tasty and an interesting alternative to traditional bbq sauce. The macaroni and cheese was amazing and the turnip the best I ever had. The 3 stars are because my husband didn't like his pulled pork sandwich he said it was just average so we met in the middle for the star rating.

    (3)

  • Holly G.

    Great place! Fried okra and smoked wings are a must! Everything we had was good, don't think you could go wrong

    (5)

  • Thuy P.

    Found this place on Yelp on our way to Tennessee. Unfortunately the ribs were out by the time we stopped by for lunch because there were so many phoned in orders for it. Otherwise I might have given it 5 stars if I got a chance to try the ribs. The shredded pork and smoked chicken were the only meats left. They both were very tender and flavorful. Their BBQ sauce is not your typical thick sauce and had a slight sourness to it but went well with their "white" BBQ sauce. Their mac & cheese was ok, the kids didn't care for it. The corn was a bit bland despite some tasty paprika-type seasoning on top. The loaded baked potatoes looked delicious. The banana pudding was on point. It's a very small dining area so I would recommend calling in your order to go. I would definitely eat there again if we pass this way again.

    (4)

  • Abby P.

    Try the pulled pork loaded baked potato.....so delicious!!! The ribs were also very good. I've had better sides but not complaining. The restaurant was crowded but had a great vibe. Will definitely visit again when I'm in the area.

    (5)

  • Jessica M.

    When it comes to ribs, all other BBQ places should just throw in the towel. This place is THE place to get ribs. They are incredible. My second favorite thing at this location is their mac and cheese. It's better than my homemade, and I think I make pretty good mac and cheese. Lately, I've gotten their combo meal which comes with a pulled chicken (or pork) sammy, and one giant rib, and a side (guess which one I get...). It's a great sampler if you're new to the Saw's original location, as you can only get ribs here. If you've got a big appetite they've got a sampler that has ribs, chicken, and pork. It's a ton of food and you could easily share. If you've got somewhere nice to go afterwards, bring a change of clothes, because you'll smell like smoke! You can watch them work their magic in the kitchen if you get a table in the middle. Make sure you avoid peak lunch hours on the weekend or you'll be out of luck getting a seat!

    (4)

  • dawn t.

    Finally made it to Saw's BBQ after 25 years in B'ham. I had the #2 special sampler plate. It was a great move. It came with 1/4 saw's chicken with white sauce, 2 ribs, and some pulled pork and two sides. I chose the greens and potato salad. It was a perfect meal. This dish can be shared by two people. I would recommend it unless you are just a really hungry person! Beer was cold and had a large selection. We had a late lunch, but the line was out the door and a consistent flow the entire time. Young lady running the place was sharing the history of Saw's BBQ. I caught that she said Saw's stand for "Sorry Ass______? but I didn't catch the last word due to the roar within the place. It's eclectic with collected memorabilia on the walls. Great antique shop next door. Worth the drive into town and we WILL return! I have to rate it better than Dreamland. I love living in Dixie where the BBQ is so great in multi corners of my state! Saw, you're doing it right. Weekend after next, it will be a trip off to your soul kitchen! : )

    (4)

  • Scott H.

    Awesome BBQ. It literally melts in your mouth. If you come to the Magic City, you must try this delicious food. I highly recommend it.

    (4)

  • Brian H.

    Get there early, because this place gets crowded ... for very good reason. The meal was phenomenal. Pulled pork and mac 'n cheese were both top notch. Make sure to try a side of sausage with your meal. You won't regret it.

    (5)

  • Jessica H.

    I could smell the smoker before I even turned the corner to make my way toward SAW's. With my untouched Jim 'N Nicks in the car (I was doing a comparison between the places), my stomach growled in anticipation. The nose knows. The stomach followed. This was going to be authentic. I rushed inside. Now, when you walk into a bbq joint and it looks like this, you know it's gonna be delicious. This is the real deal folks. Probably not as clean as it should be, definitely not as pretty, but the service was great, the smell AMAZING and you know they focused on the most important thing...the food. After gathering up my bbq contenders, I headed to The Vulcan - a Birmingham landmark, so I could enjoy my little picnic with a great view of the city. I ended up with a half pork/half beef salad and two Jim 'N Nicks cheesy biscuits and a smoke chicken sandwich smothered in white bbq sauce. The verdict? If we could have one bbq joint that had that amazing white sauce and those amazing biscuits, it would save me from having to run all around town, BUT the trips are and would be worth it. If I would have known how yummy that sauce was going to be I woulda taken extra! The chicken was a bit dry, but the sauce more than made up for it. And I'm not a saucy person (er, well, I'm saucy but not into sauces?!?) Despite being dry, the smoky flavors were good. I think next time I'll just forgo Jim 'N Nick's meat, get the biscuits, and head to SAW's for more of that white sauce and to try more of there meats.

    (4)

  • Kelly C.

    One of my absolute favorite Birmingham restaurants. This location is the original and they are consistent in really fabulous food. I usually get the chicken baker, sometimes with broccoli, (and to get both white and red sauce you can say you want a roll tide chicken baker). The bakers are a bit pricey for lunch ($10-11), but it's a lot of food so a lot of people I know split it or take some home. I love it too much to share. I also love the pork sandwich and the southern style sides are delicious, I especially love the mac and cheese, the greens, and banana pudding. A sweet tea is almost a must. While the folks that take your order might be a little brusk (it helps to know what you want in advance, especially during a busy lunch rush), I've found they warm up when they start to recognize you and especially if you tip well (I'm a former server so it's hard not to). Saws often has a line by 11am for lunch so get there early or come after 1:30 if you don't want a long wait.

    (5)

  • Akira R.

    Lived up to the hype, it was worth the drive and wait in line. Hotdog for the toddler was a bit salty, but we didn't go there for hot dogs. Price was not too steep, but next time we'll probably go for the family meal instead of individual plates to save a few bucks. Go hungry and expect a crowd!

    (5)

  • Carol B.

    So you're in 'Bama searching Yelp for the go-to eateries. Search no further. Saw's is the place you MUST VISIT for some of the most delicious BBQ that you'll ever sink your teeth into. This location has minimal seating inside, but tons of outdoor seating. We tried their BBQ chicken and a full rack of ribs, along with a serving of the macaroni and cheese. After a few minutes, our tray of steaming hot heavenly goodness was plopped down in front of us with nearly a quarter loaf of white bread along with it. Before me was more meat than I usually eat in a week, and we were about to devour it in one sitting. Just a note: a full rack of ribs is way too much for two people. The chicken was delicious. It was so moist and juicy! I don't usually get chicken at a BBQ place, but I'm glad that we gave this a try. And the white sauce is like icing on poultry cake! The ribs were just insane. So freakin' good. They were smoky and doused in BBQ sauce. For a BBQ joint, the bathroom was amazingly clean. There's also an ice cream place a few doors down (not that you'll have room for dessert). Seriously though, if you try one place in Birmingham, it has to be Saw's!

    (5)

  • Keith E.

    Solid BBQ... Had chicken plate with white sauce and will give that an A++. My wife had pulled pork sandwich and loved it. Beans were ok. Slaw was awesome. Small place and I kind of liked that part of it. Service is order... Sit down... Eat and leave due to size. Will be back.

    (4)

  • David C.

    This was the real deal. I had smoked chicken with white sauce, a "baker" and a side of slaw. Such a cool environment, memorabilia all over the walls. Open kitchen where you can see the smoking magic happen. The chicken was amazing, the slaw was vinegar based and just perfect. The baked potato was huge and perfectly cooked. Add a few pickle slices and white bread and this was an awesome meal. Don't pass up the opportunity to try this place. Service was fast and friendly.

    (5)

  • Marcellus E.

    My favorite has to be the chicken sandwich with white bqq sauce. This sauce it to die for I could eat in on anything. The deviled eggs are delicious also, the egg yolk filling is creamy and has a tangy bite. The line is often long when you enter the restaurant, but if you look on the right or left when you walk in the front door you should she menus laying on a ledge so you can decide what you're going to have by the time reach the front to order.

    (5)

  • Angel S.

    Hands down the BEST bbq I've ever had. If it wasn't so far from my hotel I would've eaten there everyday! I had the sampler pulled pork, ribs, chicken. With Mac n cheese and deviled eggs. AMAZING! The gentleman that helped us was very nice and helpful. The lady not so much. But I didn't let her mess up my experience the food was great! I would recommend to anyone that loves bbq! Thanks yall!

    (5)

  • Corey A.

    I have been eating here for years, best BBQ hands down in Birmingham. The roll Tide with white and red BBQ is by far the best.

    (5)

  • Jason L.

    Had the combo plate and it was spectacular. Only bad part was I couldn't decide what was my favorite to order next time. This place will most likely have a long line and possibly no tables so don't be angry when you have to wait in line or eat outside it will be worth it.

    (5)

  • Justin H.

    This is one of the greatest restaurants in Birmingham. I keep coming back and the quality is consistent. They have a great list of food items and I would consider this to be the best bar-be-que restaurant Birmingham has to offer. I lived in Memphis for a year and have seen my share of great bar-be-que places, but I seriously believe this is the best quality food I have had. This is a must have if you are in Birmingham. It's only a matter of time before the food network or some TV show find out about this place and visits!

    (5)

  • Kim M.

    This is the standard by which I judge all BBQ joints. I cannot get enough of Saw's. My absolute favorite is the chicken with white BBQ sauce. Their ribs are to die for as well. My kids rave about the pork BBQ sandwich, and my son literally inhales their baked beans. Only thing my husband grumbles about is they don't have fries, but that doesn't bother me at all. The sister location, Saw's Soul Kitchen, has burgers and fries, so if you must have those, then go to that location.

    (5)

  • Jackie B.

    Recently went on a 9 day road trip of the South East. We ate BBQ in every state we stopped in. Saw's was my favorite on the whole trip of all of the South. You're literally hit with a cloud of smoke when you walk in, it's not fancy at all, simple menu. The Ribs, chicken with white sauce, and pulled pork were to DIE for. We ate in silence. The sides were nothing out of the ordinary- but also good.

    (5)

  • Nick O.

    I ate here about a month ago and I'm still dreaming about it. I had the sampler - it came with chicken, ribs and pork. I started with the pork and couldn't move on the the ribs because it was so delicious. One I demolished that I moved on to the ribs and couldn't wipe the grin off my face. I left the chicken for last as I am not a huge chicken fan however it was among the best chicken I've ever had. The write sauce was out of control. Insane. There are two reasons I am not rating this 5 stars - a cup of water is not free (as it is almost everywhere else) and it is such a small venue that me, me wife, and our two elementary schoolers were pretty uncomfortable eating inside. Still can't wait to get back.

    (4)

  • David B.

    You know it's a happening spot when you see 10 people waiting outside for the doors to open at 11. Let's just say Saw's didn't disappoint. It was by far some of the best BBQ I've ever had. The seating is tight so if it's crowded, you may want to get it to go or eat outside.

    (5)

  • Massimo F.

    I was told that in this place they kwon how to BBQ, and I can confirm they do! Ambience is poor, small, and you pay at the counter. Food selection is good, you can find several kind of cuts, greens, and backed beans. Drink selection is good enough, more then 5 beer choices, tea, and some more. Their BBQed food is just perfect. Melting in the mouth, not too heavy sauced or salty, but just greatly balanced. A must go in town.

    (5)

  • Boo L.

    We were lucky enough to arrive at a time when there was still plenty of seating available. That changed about 15 minutes after we arrived, it was jam packed! I enjoyed my rib dinner with Mac and cheese and cabbage. I'd return.

    (4)

  • Ron G.

    Far and away the best bbq ribs I have ever eaten! However you DO have to tell them if you do not want a half gallon of sauce poured over them before serving so be careful. They probably will not win the best bbq award for Bham because most people don't know where they are and there is only 1 location that is a true bbq joint. Full Moons ribs have absolutely NO flavor so I don't see how they are even in the running. Golden Rule ALWAYS over cooks their meat and their sauce is very sweet. I do like Jim and Nicks but Saw's in Edgewood has the best in town!

    (5)

  • Brian K.

    I hadn't originally planned on visiting this place during a recent day trip that I made to Birmingham. However, after a surprisingly lackluster experience at a nearby competitor, I ventured to Saw's to resurrect my faith in Alabama barbecue. Fortunately, they rose to the occasion and delivered on most fronts. I'm not necessarily saying that it was the best barbecue to ever grace my esophagus, but compared to what I experienced earlier, it was borderline glorious. Food: Saw's is a locally owned restaurant specializing in classic Alabama barbecue. Menu options include traditional standards such as chicken, ribs, and pulled pork, but their famed "stuffed taters" are unlike anything you'll find elsewhere - the dish can be ordered with your choice of toppings, including everything from veggies and chili to pork and chicken. During my visit, I opted for the chicken tater (green onions, bacon, chicken, and barbecue sauce) and a side of mac n' cheese. The mac n' cheese was fairly average, but the chicken tater was excellent - the potato was massive, the ingredients were generously portioned, and the pulled barbecue chicken was perfectly moist and flavorful. Service: All orders are placed at the back counter and your food is brought out once it's ready - as such, the extent of employee interaction is minimal. Nonetheless, the gentleman who took our order was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. During our Saturday afternoon visit, it took approximately five minutes from order to delivery. Patrons are responsible for clearing their own tables, so don't leave your mess behind for someone else to deal with. Atmosphere: I've been in bathrooms larger than this place - unless you visit during non-peak dining hours, expect seats to be at a premium. The general vibe is very casual and the vast majority of patrons are locals. There are multiple televisions located throughout the restaurant. Cost: Inexpensive. Sandwiches are $5-$8, plates are $10-$11, ribs are $11/half slab or $20/whole slab, stuffed taters are $5-$9, hot dogs are $5, and sides are $1-$2. Other: Hours of operation are 11AM-7PM, Monday-Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sunday. A few parking space are available directly outside the restaurant - an alternative option is the lot on the corner of Oxmoor and St. Charles. All major credit cards are accepted. The restaurant does not have a bar, but a limited selection of beer and wine is available.

    (4)

  • Will B.

    Came in for dinner after work, place was not that busy, but that changed quickly. I was hungry and got the 3 meat special. BBQ chicken, two ribs, pork, 3 pieces of bread and two sides, I got beans and deviled eggs. This was alot of food as the pictures shows. I have been starting with my sides first for a few months and this was no exception, beans were really good and had plenty of pork in them for taste but not too much. Deviled eggs are one of my guilty pleasures, they can be great and can gross. These were a pleasant surprise, filling was not runny and really were good, could have used more than two, :). The Ribs were next, the bbq sauce Saw's uses is vinegar based and was very good. They were fall off the bone tender. Had the chicken leg and it was also very good, bbq sauce and cooked perfectly and not dry at all. Had a few pieces of the pork and it was great but I was stuffed. Lance the night manager was great and we chatted a bit but this place get busy. Will be back.

    (5)

  • Sandra M.

    We were driving back to Chicago from Florida and got hungry in Alabama. The state is known for their bbq, so I used Yelp to help me find a good place along our route. This place was a couple of miles from the highway, but well worth the drive. It's in a cute part of town, although I'm not sure if there's a bad. I'm from Chicago and will always check the neighborhood. We tried the pulled pork, ribs, and chicken, and they were all great. The mac and cheese, greens, baked potato, and cole slaw were awesome. The cole slaw had a green seasoning in it and the best I've ever had. The portions are huge and there were plenty of leftovers from our party. I didn't know what to expect from the "white" bbq sauce on the chicken, but it turned out to be very tasty...not at all how i thought it would be (like an Alfredo type sauce). It's more of a zesty sauce. Overall, don't drive thru Birmingham without stopping at Saw's. I certainly won't.

    (5)

  • Maggie S.

    This is a small hole-in-the-wall place with very limited seating, but we were struck by the delicious smoke smell as soon as we walked in. My fiancé and I both ordered the sampler which was a ton of food. While the ribs were a bit fatty for my taste, the chicken was delicious. But to me the star of the show was the pork. It was the best pulled pork I've ever eaten. It had an amazing buttery consistency and delicious smoky flavor. I also like their sauce: it was tangy without being too sweet. I'm not a huge fan of vinegar cole slaw, but the baked beans, potato salad and Mac and cheese were all good.

    (5)

  • Megan L.

    Unbelievable! I so wish I could still eat there! But I guess they haven't had anyone with a gluten problem close to home so to say to understand cross contamination. I really wish I could still have it!

    (5)

  • Laura J.

    The reason I give Saw's BBQ three stars is not because they are a bad BBQ place. I just prefer all of the other saw's to this one. I go to this one for the convenience of it being in Homewood and I live nearby, but I much prefer Saw's Soul Kitchen to this. I don't to go to Saw's BBQ unless i'm ok with smelling like a smoke pit afterwards. The food is good but there is limited seating and it's always crowded.

    (3)

  • Tim W.

    #2 Ribs in town #1 Chicken in town #2 Pulled pork in town #1 sides in town

    (5)

  • Phoebus Y.

    Found this place on yelp while passing through Birmingham, and yelp did not do us wrong. I had the pulled chicken sandwich with white BBQ sauce and collard greens. Came on a Styrofoam tray with a couple of ribs that were very tender. Everything was delicious.

    (5)

  • Scott S.

    You really can't get better than Saw's without going to Texas. The moment you enter the store you're hit in the face with the intoxicating and possibly carbon-monoxide laden smell produced by some sort of chemical reaction involved between oxygen, carbon, and what I assume is bad ass meat fit for the gods. The second thing you notice at Saw's is the never ending line of people and quite possibly the highest concentration per square mile of Roll Tide paraphernalia--both of which make for an awesome dining experience. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it seems like the niche with Alabama-style BBQ seems to be the amazing sauce/rub that they baptize their ribs of rack... I mean racks of ribs in. Whereas I usually much prefer the accentuation of natural flavors which is done masterfully by the Texan schools of BBQ, Alabama BBQ takes what Georgia BBQ somewhat fails at and turns it into an art form (or maybe I just haven't been to any great BBQ joints in Georgia yet) I had the Combo plate with the Smoked Chicken with White BBQ sauce and immediately doubted everything I know about Chicken. The texture of the chicken was so chewy yet juicy, it made me wonder if Saw's hadn't figured out a way to crossbreed a Chicken with a pig. A Chick-pig, or maybe a Picken. I'll stick with Chick-pig since Picken potentially has racist overtones. Nevertheless, my wonderfully sauced Chick-pig sandwich also came with what is quite possibly the best rib (yes, singular) I have ever gifted my stomach with my entire life; somewhere between the meat falliing clean right off the bone and (not to sound redundant yet again) but their amazing tangy yet chickory-like sauce, I've gained new respect for the state of Alabama. Oh, and Saw's has beer.

    (5)

  • Scott B.

    Had some time to kill so I found Saw's on Yelp! Great find! Small place so grab a table when you can. All though may seem like a greasy place, it is not...great quality and friendly folks and from the looks of all the locals eating there it's a fav...it's off the beaten track, but worth the drive!

    (4)

  • Colby K.

    Best place to eat hands down in birmingham. Great place to be. Great place to eat. The food is 5 stars hands down. The environment is awesome. The people who work there are very nice. The price of the food is very very reasonable.

    (5)

  • Rebecca M.

    My first taste of true Southern BBQ! I am not sure what I would do if there were places like this in Pittsburgh because I would be tempted to each here every day. We ordered some sort of sampler that allowed us to try a lot of different options - my favorite were the ribs. I got the mac and cheese on the side - it was so cheesy and so delicious! All of this needed to be washed down with the sweet ice tea - i could have drank an entire gallon. I would recommend this place to both visitors and locals - it's a Birmingham staple.

    (4)

  • Annie A.

    The BBQ here is very good. It's a simple, order at the counter kind of place, with industrial looking rolls of paper towels on the table. I had the sampler plate with ribs, pork, and chicken with white sauce.... My favorite was the pork, although everything was good. Sides were mac and cheese and the greens. Not cheap, but portions were generous. Service was decent, food came out fast.

    (4)

  • Jay K.

    this place is not dine-in friendly as it is bit small and gets crowded quick... and thats a good thing. I got the Ribs and wife got the chicken...both were very very good. We had to take left overs home as they gave more than enough portions. I've chosen the Mac and Cheese and it appeared to be home made(cheeeeesy) Will return!

    (4)

  • Scott S.

    I couldn't possibly add anything to the praise already heaped on Saw's. My son and I were in town for a debate championship. Unfortunately he didn't make it to the finals but then if he had we might never have seen the Sloss Furnace down the street (a must see) and then stop here for what turned out to be the best meal I had of our brief stay. I had the pork plate which was amazingly tender roast pork on a bed of greens and polenta (I mean grits). Topped with shoestring onion rings if there is such a thing. PHE-NOM-INAL! Yes, there is a line but it moves quickly. Yes, it is tiny, hot and noisy inside. But hey, if you want to be served and sit at a table with silverware you can always go to a Chili's but then why would you? Seriously, I would consider moving to Birmingham just so I could eat here on a regular basis. It's that good.

    (5)

  • Amanda C.

    Fun, hole in the wall location with great atmosphere for a bbq joint. We left our initials on the wall and enjoyed the AL/MSU game with the crowd. We ordered the sampler platter to split. The chicken was tender and juicy. Not overly smoky flavored, but still good. The shredded pork and beef ribs were very good. I recommend the Mac & cheese and banana pudding. We didn't care for the potato salad at all, but the baked beans were decent. Overall we enjoyed it and would eat there again, but it isn't a "must visit" for every time we are in the area.

    (4)

  • Guilherme O.

    Best barbecue in the world!!!! Let me start by saying: my wife and I are foodies. With all the stereotypical connotations that come with it. We are one of those people capable of traveling hundreds of miles for a restaurant- especially a BBQ joint. For the last 10 years we have been on a quest to find the best barbecue in the US, and have followed the Texas barbecue trail, eaten ribs in Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and most of the southern States.That search came to an end today at the steps of Saw's. From the inebriating aroma of smoke at the door, to the friendly smile of the lady behind the counter, everything presaged a great experience. It was more than that. I had entered barbecue heaven. Everything about it was perfect- the smokiness, the tenderness of the ribs, the authenticity of the place and servers. And then there were the sauces. Forget all you know about BBQ sauces and meet the white sauce. Then try their red, mildly sweet, somewhat spicy, barbecue sauce with a delicious vinegar-ry finish. The chicken, the pulled pork, the sausages- all barbecued to perfection- just the right burn, juicy, incredibly flavorful. I hope you go- every barbecue lover should go and taste the best barbecue in the world.

    (5)

  • Dennis F.

    Small place and seating is at a premium at meal times, looks like a dive, and your fingers stick together when you leave. I think you should all stay away so I can get a seat. Seriously, this place is the BEST the sauces are great, the meat is perfect and the portions huge. As for french fries, they have none so I get the delicious potato salad. Well I guess they aren't good for me anyway...

    (5)

  • Ashley W.

    When you're born and raised in the South, you more than likely love BBQ. You might go two days or two months without BBQ but when the craving hits, you know you have to get it as soon as possible. My BBQ craving hit on a rainy Friday night and the craving decided to try Saw's. I am so glad that we fought nature and made it down to Saw's BBQ for delicious porky goodness. The sauce that adorns the BBQ is my favorite kind (vinegar based) and the pork itself is so melt in your mouth. I got the platter which came with a good amount of pork and two sides. The potato salad was amazing - the potatoes seemed to be finely shredded and perfectly coated with a mixture of mayo and other appropriate spices. The baked beans were pretty basic, but I never have high expectations when it comes to beans. My husband enjoyed his BBQ pork sandwich but neither of us were impressed with the mac and cheese. This Saw's location is rather small for such a popular place and the line we witnessed was out the door. If people are willing to wait in the rain (under an awning, but still) for this BBQ, then it's definitely worth the trip.

    (4)

  • Lee G.

    Outstanding!!! Got the combo- pull pork sandwich with coke slaw, baked beans and sweet tea. 2 thumbs up

    (5)

  • Dan W.

    OVERRATED! Had the sampler - ribs, chicken and pork with baked beans and mac-n-cheese. I travel all over the country and make it a point to search out local BBQ (a hobby of sorts). I believe very strongly that one should smell BBQ smoke when walking into any BBQ joint worth it's salt and, preferably, the smoke hits you when you open the car door. Didn't happen here. Food looked very good as I waited in line. Giant stuffed potatoes - "Bakers" - looked pretty good although not my thing. Ribs - very tender, little to no smoke flavor even at burnt ends. Boiled in the sauce maybe? Chicken - very tender, some smoke, white sauce was unique and very good although it had become mostly mixed with the other sauce. This was decent but I have had much better chicken. Pork - mushy, dark, skin and fat infused rubbish. Again, no smoke. Boiled in the sauce again? Baked Beans - Campbell's Pork and Beans Mac-n-cheese - excellent and homemade. Some of the best I have ever had. Got them 1 star. Service/Atmosphere - friendly and efficient, cool looking dive BBQ place which is usually a good sign (except for the lack of smoke). Conclusion - If your definition of BBQ includes slow smoked meats over wood coals, meat that can be enjoyed sans sauce and sauce served simply as a compliment to said slow smoked meat then look elsewhere. This was pretty disappointing. I can put down some serious BBQ but ate less than half. BLAH!

    (1)

  • Daniel G.

    get the pork and greens. it's nearly a religious experience

    (5)

  • Daina M.

    What can I say? Saw's is the real deal! They have the best hamburger around town. It's a messy pan fried burger topped with the usual veggies. So, so, so, so good. Every thing I have ordered from there has been delicious.

    (5)

  • insang s.

    Food is absolutely amazing. Ribs may be a bit over cooked and tough on the outside but the meat just falls off the bone. Chicken with the white sauce is fab. Cucumber salad is dope! Cole slaw was not. Get it to go as place is small and gets crowded quick.

    (5)

  • Garrett I.

    Update - almost all of my family members know that Saw's is a must whenever visiting Bham. Original - This is definitely my favorite BBQ place...ever. Texas and KC have nothing on this perfect Bama BBQ. My favorite thing is eating the pulled pork with the thicker red sauce and bread with the thinner red sauce. Turnip greens and mac & cheese are my favorite sides and I have enjoyed the deviled eggs too. If you want a little of everything, get one of the combo platters because it is all good. The line may be out the door but it moves fast and the line is a sign of the love Bham has for Saw's. Recently a must get for me is a side of boudin. Enjoy the blues music and smell like a smoke pit for the rest of the day...its well worth it!

    (5)

  • Fergie F.

    On the outside, it doesn't look like much. On the inside...it still doesn't look like much. So I put my order in for the shrimp sandwich and a side of sweet potato fries. That ran me about $14. That price was a little hard to swallow. But when I bit into that sandwich and shoved those sweet potato yumminess into my mouth...what frickin' $14? I was too busy chomping away. Yeah, this is a must-go place. Just don't go around noon during the weekday, or you'll have to get your food to go. You won't have a place to sit.

    (4)

  • Blake H.

    What a neat bbq place. Had the bbq pork sandwich and mac-n-cheese. The pork was excellent. Their house sauce is a hint of sweet and a lot of tangy- very good. Had some chicken with their white sauce which was very different but totally delicious!! Husband had a baked potato filled with bbq pork and some toppings. Huge hit! The restaurant is very small, about 10 tables, but we never saw anyone waiting for a table- people get in, eat, and make room for the next group to enjoy this great food!

    (4)

  • Max M.

    I give them lots of credit because they are one of the rare bbq places i've found that can do good pulled chicken. Most bbq places do weird bbq chicken, i don't know why... i wish it could actually be "pulled" like the pork is. The chicken here isn't pulled either... it's just like chunks of chicken pulled from the bone, but at least it's good. Also the turnip greens were phenomenal... seasoned perfectly! Probably the best greens i've gotten from a bbq joint ever. My first complaint is the mac and cheese because i hate any kind of creamy mac... i like only real stringy gooey cheese in my mac, nothing soft and mushy. My other complaint was that the bread on the pulled chicken sandwich wasn't toasted at all. But overall, i give them 4 stars because some things were better than most equivalent places. And the things i disliked were somewhat personal preferences.

    (4)

  • Becky A.

    My family and I traveling from California met a friend here. Tiny little place. Look for the picture of the pig in the frying pan because you might miss it! You wouldn't think by the looks of the place that it would be so good. Our orders included BBQ pork. One order with red sauce, other with white sauce and another on a baked potato. My son said, "it was bomb!" They each say 4-1/2 stars. My order was sweet tea chicken & sweet potato fries and I loved it! We also had some good fried okra to share. Next time we'll try fried green tomatoes. You'll first walk in to a few tables, check the chalk board for what to order at the counter and they'll call out your order & walk it over to you. Delicious, courteous service & worth a visit!

    (4)

  • Lynn B.

    I'm a fan of almost any BBQ. I'm fortunate that I get to go to Kansas City fairly oftern and eat some great BBQ. Saw's is ok, they have a good smoke flavor. The people are nice and it's a good BBQ atmosphere. It's worth a visit.

    (4)

  • Will L.

    I just have to post a quick update to my last review. My entire family ordered ribs last week for a party. More than ever, I was blown away by how good they were. By far the most tender ribs I've ever had. Ridiculous.

    (5)

  • N H.

    It was a dive but we love dives. The bathroom looked recently remodeled but they remodeled it over 30 years of urine. It stank really, really bad. But, food reviews were so good we gave it a try anyway. They were out of pork barbecue....a barbecue place out of pork barbecue. The chicken everyone raves about was super dried out with ranch sauce on top. I gave it 3 stars because the ribs were very good. The sauce is a more vinegar based North Carolina sauce.

    (3)

  • Tracy M.

    Great BBQ! It's very rare that I find ribs that measure up! The ribs, pulled pork, stew, everything was awesome

    (5)

  • Ken K.

    I have been travelling through the southeast for over thirty-five years. I have eaten BBQ in Memphis, Birmingham, the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. Birmingham has been one of my favorite towns for food. I always eat at Niki's and used to eat at John's seafood downtown. For BBQ, it was Jim n' Nicks for a decade. Well, now that is changed. Saw is a grungy, fun, tasty, memorable joint in Homewood. The place is not fancy. The walls are decorated with memorabilia ranging from antique signs to BBQ inspired plaques. I am not a rib man. To me, the rib has always been too fatty a cut. I love beef ribs, but pork ribs aren't my favorite. I prefer outside sliced pork to enjoy the crusty, smoky, goodness of the pork. I first went to Saw when I was looking on Yelp for highly recommended restaurants. We were in town for a convention, and would need to have some delicious places to dine. We always went to the Bright Star in Bessemer the first night. We also fell in love with GianMarco's Italian (also in Homewood). We have now added Saw to our must eat at list. Back to Saw... My friends who dined with me are from New Jersey. I am responsible for taking them to cool places. We went to Saw and everyone was thrilled with the meal and the experience. They all had BBQ sauce stains to prove it! The ribs were unbelievable! We tried the devilled eggs first and they were scrumptious! All the sides, from Collards, Beans, Okra, mac n' cheese, cole slaw, etc. were great. The pulled pork was good but not as good as the ribs. When you order a full rack, it is enough for 4 people. I order a rack and bring it home for my family. When I reheat the ribs in my oven, I have to lock the dogs outside because they go crazy! So do I! Go to Saw. You can't help but fall in love with the grunge!

    (5)

  • Mark M.

    This is the best BBQ in Birmingham, hands down. I get take out from here on my way home from work often, and am always happy. I almost always get one of there combo platters so I don't have to decide what to get. The only thing that I have gotten there that I was not happy with was the baked beans. They were straight out of a can, but everything else tastes like it is hand made from scratch. This one of the places that deserves all the hype and accolades. Hopefully all the attention does not hurt their quality!

    (5)

  • Steven P.

    Great barbecue, great service, reasonable prices - I highly recommend Saw's. My wife and I split a sampler platter containing a chicken quarter, 2 (huge) ribs, pork, bread and two sides. It was plenty of food for us and everything was very good.

    (5)

  • Mark E.

    GREAT BBQ joint! I would recommend this place to anybody in the area. I was staying in Hoover and made the trip up to Saws based on a recommendation. Parking is a bit hard to come by. I would recommend parking in large lot at the corner of Oxmoor and St Charles. The place isn't very big, so get there early to avoid the lunch rush and grab a seat. The food is very yummy and the service is super fast!. I will be returning to Saws if I ever make my way back to AL.

    (4)

  • Lori J.

    Very good unadulterated barbeque! Smoked chicken sandwich with white sauce and mac & cheese was total comfort food experience. Husband also really enjoyed the pork sandwich and potato salad. We even bought a bottle of sauce for the road!

    (5)

  • Shay A.

    Nice!

    (4)

  • Michael N.

    Saw's is a hidden treasure in Homewood. You can get all the standard BBQ fare such as the BBQ Potatos, BBQ Sandwich or Plates. The Ribs are by far the best in town. As for sides you have to try the Mac & Cheese. I'd get there around 11:30am to avoid lunch crowds because this place stays busy.

    (5)

  • John C.

    Simply the best BBQ joint you will find anywhere. The white sauce is especially good so if you go make sure you order some. Goes great mixed with their traditional sauce and especially the chicken. All the food is vinegar based so if you're not into that then you'll be disappointed. Only drawback to this place is that they do run out of meat and then your out of luck. Oh yeah, if you eat inside, be prepared to smell like BBQ the rest of the day. Well worth it though!

    (5)

  • Kenny F.

    This is by far my favorite BBQ pulled pork sandwich in the greater Birmingham area. I've also tried the chicken sandwich with white sauce. It's also very good.

    (5)

  • Madison J.

    Always SO good. Best BBQ in Birmingham. I was recently flying Delta and pulled out the Delta catalogue. There is a 20 page feature on Alabama, featuring Saw's as the best BBQ in Bham. I 100% agree! I dont even like barbecue!

    (5)

  • Maggie E.

    When you enter into Saw's for lunch the first thing you see is what appears to be an ever-lasting line forming much out if the way out of the door. And for good reason to I say! This place is, in short, a carnivores paradise. The smell of meat slowly cooking on the smoker for hours is a sure sign that this will be a good meal. With few, however don't let that discourage you, of the goodness of the sides. The barbecue offered at this location is of a great quality of meat that you may never have again. However if you are a vegetarian this is not a place that I would recommend rather than those who love meat, and even as a well deserved treat for those on a diet after, or perhaps just starting, a grand vacation.

    (4)

  • Justin W.

    This place is absolutely delicious! When an out-of-towner comes in and needs to be taken to a local spot this is an easy go to. Maybe followed by Dreamland or Jim-N-Nick's. Barbeque is a must in Birmingham, and Saw's does it good.

    (5)

  • Jonathan M.

    Best BBQ place in birmingham. It is well worth the hype. The potatoes are huge and the sandwiches are great. It is hard to say what is not to like about this place. It is small so at lunch time, seating can be a premium. It also sometimes gets a little smokey in the place since they cook not far from where you sit. The chicken and pork are both outstanding. You can't go wrong with anything here.

    (5)

  • Sherie W.

    A sign on the door stated "Closing at 6:30pm". I arrived at 6:10pm and the door was locked. The person working there looked at me, I pointed to the sign, and then he turned away ignoring me. I came from downtown to dine here, because I was told the food was great. I may now never know. That really wasn't cool.

    (1)

  • ben h.

    Good BBQ but incredibly small. Go early or late if you want a seat. Nice variety of choices, but expect to share a table with "friends". There Crestwood location is much larger, has great food and a bar.

    (3)

  • Laura A.

    Food was good but we sat in the bar right next to the tv. We asked for them to turn off the volume and they wouldn't. No one was listening to the tv...It was extremely loud and unpleasant. We won't come back because of that experience. The right response would have been to realize no one was listening to the tv and make the customer happy = turn off volume!!!

    (2)

  • Taylor D.

    Saws BBQ Pork and Chicken is the BEST in Birmingham. Ribs are delicious as well. You just can't go wrong eating here.

    (5)

  • T U.

    Closed at 7Pm on Saturday nioght???? Come on...seriously. Not sure what to say...

    (3)

  • Trevvor C.

    Saw's has lived up to its hype after multiple visits. The sandwiches are heaped with moist, tender meat, and the cups for the sides are crammed full of cole slaw, mac 'n' cheese, baked beans, or whatever else strikes your fancy. The platters are equally generous and accompanied by a pair of sides. If chicken is your meat of choice rather than pork, Saw's has you covered there to - and covers the chicken in a delicious white barbecue sauce. The chicken is truly melt-in-your-mouth good. Typical of the best barbecue joints around, the walls are plastered with football paraphernalia, local flair, the odd vanity license plate, and the signoffs of prior patrons. The place is very cozy (and I've heard Saw's Soul Kitchen runs even smaller...?!) and when the place gets full and a line starts forming, you'd better not be claustrophobic!

    (5)

  • Srinivas B.

    Goto place for BBQ

    (4)

  • Reese S.

    Saw's' will become one of the landmarks in Alabama for BBQ. Without a doubt some of the best BBQ I've had in the state (and in the country). I am a proud representative of North Alabama, and we do chicken and white sauce up here. It's not so often you see it south of Birmingham. So, when I saw it on the menu at Saw's I had to try it (I try it anywhere that has it). Wow! Incredible. It would please any Northern Alabamian. The chicken sandwich was deliciously smoked and juicy and cut in thick slices (reminded me of post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich meat). I like it better this way. Too often in North Alabama the chicken is pulled then chopped. I think it's too small that way. The thicker slices are better. The white sauce was so good, too. It wasn't too lemony or too vinegary or too sweet (the three things that make or break white sauce). It was just right with plenty of black pepper. So, well done Saw's for achieving an excellent white sauce that would make Bib Bob Gibson proud. Their pork sandwich was killer. I love their BBQ sauce. It's that reddish brown vinegary stuff we love so much down here in Alabama, but it was packed with black pepper and just a tad sweet. It is my second favorite sauce next to Piggshack's. The sides were great and big enough. How lame is it when you go to a BBQ joint and they skimp on the sides? Lame. Not at Saw's. You get plenty. The Mac 'n Cheese was divine and the BBQ beans were out of this world, the best I've had. They were cooked in the same sauce that's on the pork and packed with little bits of green peppers and shreds of pork. Mmm! Can't beat it. Now, what ultimately makes or breaks a BBQ joint in Alabama is its sweet tea - the nectar of the south! (Although, an argument could be made for banana pudding being the deciding factor too). But, go ahead and get their sweet tea. Heaven. Go to Saw's. You won't regret it. Pig Heaven.

    (5)

  • Ee Vonn Y.

    The stuffed pork tater is the most inhumanely giant baked potato I have ever seen in my life. It's so bloated, it oozes cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, and generous portions of hot shredded pork and BBQ sauce in all directions and can't be contained. This $8.95 was delicious. My only complaint was that there wasn't enough bacon but I never think anything has enough bacon.

    (5)

  • Evan D.

    I have had BBQ all over the South and that was phenomenal, right there with the best I've ever had. I ordered the pulled pork plate with green beans an baked beans. Pork was cooked to perfection, and the beans, maybe best ever! I've been in BHam 5 months and disappointed I'm just making it to Saws. That I sure to change going forward.

    (5)

  • Stephen B.

    This is the first restaurant I tried based on yelp and the reviews were spot on. The ribs are the BEST I have ever eaten. I have since been back twice and it never fails to deliver. The white sauce is a must try as well. If you want the best barbeque in Birmingham then Saws is the place to go.

    (5)

  • John H.

    Absolutely fantastic food. Smoked chicken sandwich with white BBQ sauce was delicious - be sure to get some extra sauce. Sweet potato fries were some of the best I've had in Birmingham. But the service was extraordinarily awful (this was at the Crestline location). We were with a group of about fifteen, seated around 12:45pm. Ordered sometime after 1 and waited nearly an hour for our food, with next to no attention from our server - lots of empty drink cups. When the food finally arrived, it was delicious and hot, no problems there. Forty-five minutes in, I did speak with a manager about the wait. He blamed it on several large parties, but honestly, if the same fifteen people had ordered at three separate tables, I can't see that the same wait would have occurred. When we ordered, we requested separate checks. No problem, said the server. However, after the long wait we requested our checks right away. She came back saying the manager told her they couldn't split the check into more than two for such a large party . That seems to be a piece of information a capable server would know and communicate to us when we ordered. Someone spoke with the manager about the policy and he wouldn't budge, leaving us with the burden of working out repayment to the one member of our party who got disgusted and whipped out her credit card to pay for the whole thing. Fifteen unhappy customers, and no attempt made to apologize or accommodate our request. That's some poor decision making. Go for the food - you'll love it. But, at least at the Crestline location, don't be in a hurry.

    (3)

  • Adam S.

    I feel like BBQ is kind of trendy right now. In other words, there are a lot of folks trying to do classic Southern cuisine in locations that wouldn't know a smoker from a lawn mower. Well, this place isn't "trying" to do anything. It is just damn good Southern BBQ. The mac n cheese is probably the best I've ever had. I mean that sincerely. It is peppery and gooey and the crust is amazing. The pulled chicken sandwich with white sauce is also superb. Every component is just perfect. I liked the deviled eggs, but they were my least favorite thing I ate here. This place doesn't have brisket and doesn't have a mustard sauce (normally I will ding a BBQ place for either), but the food is good enough to overlook those things. The sweet tea is also perfect. The locals will chat you up while you eat and you definitely feel like you are in Alabama with their great accents and hospitality. I would definitely suggest a trip here.

    (5)

  • Julie L.

    Ribs? Yum. Smoked sausage? Yum. Turnip greens? Yum. Beans? Temperature of the sun when you get them, but yum. Sauce? A little too much vinegar tang for my personal taste, but it's not so vinegar-y that I won't eat it.

    (4)

  • Matthew K.

    This place is BBQ heaven. The meat from the ribs come right off the bone and taste so freaking good! The white sauce on the smoked chicken is godly. As for sides, I always get the greens and mac and cheese. Both are amazing and have so much flavor. I love mixing the bbq pork with the greens. I havent tried the baker yet but that is on the agenda next.

    (5)

  • John L.

    My wife and two of our closest friends took a road trip down to Orlando, FL this last August, and our drive took us past Birmingham. A goal of mine for this trip was to try to dine/imbibe at as many "local" places as possible, rather than eating at a slew of faceless chain restaurants (how many McDonald's can you go to on one road trip? GO!) so I was very pleased with our decision to get off of the highway and see why Yelp loves this place so much. Our first impression as we pulled up for lunch: Wow. Line out of the door -- this place must be incredible. Saw's looked like an archetypical BBQ diner out of a movie -- a host of good-ol'-boys-type patrons, extremely informal menu scrawled on the wall above the kitchen window, newspaper clippings and pictures of the 'Bama football team's various triumphs, and thousands of permanent marker-inscribed "ROLL TIDE"s written all over the walls. We immediately loved it. The food was incredible -- the best BBQ I've had. The vibe was fun and fitting. I would go back in a heartbeat (if it only meant I didn't have to drive twelve hours to get there). tl;dr -- GO HERE AND EAT THEIR FOOD.

    (5)

  • Diana W.

    Just Ok. Friendly staff fast service. You have to like vinegar pepper barbeque sauce because that's your only choice. I don't. They do have the largest baked potatoes I've ever seen.

    (3)

  • Christin K.

    The pulled pork sandwich is awesome. The meat is moist and they give you more than enough to fill you up on a sandwich and fries. The white sauce is just enough tangy--not too vinegar-y, not sweet, either. It's just right. The location is fantastic, in a great neighborhood. The sweet tea is not as sweet as I like it, but obviously that's a personal opinion. Overall, great lunch.

    (4)

  • Alyssa D.

    Barbecue chicken with white sauce is pretty darn good, as are the sweet potato fries. Boyfriend was not incredibly impressed with his pork plate, but agreed that the mac and cheese was to die for. In my opinion, Saw's is on par with Dreamland (gasp!), but there are many people who would beg to disagree. Both locations are cozy, friendly and always packed. I would definitely recommend Saw's to any Birmingham barbecue fans who dare to venture outside the cult of Dreamland. It's different, but it's definitely worth a try.

    (4)

  • Autumn S.

    Yum! Another winner for the non-BBQ girl. Perfectly smoked chicken with a nice tangy white sauce! The chicken plate was big enough for 2 to share-especially with the sides. Although they were out of Mac n cheese on the Saturday afternoon I showed up, the turnip greens and baked beans were fine side substitutes. . The turnip greens were expertly seasoned and did not need any additional vinegar, baked beans nice and peppery. Way better than other well know BBQ places I've been steered to in Alabama.

    (4)

  • Brittany T.

    This place was amazing! The only complaint that I would have is that the place is too small for how many people were stuffing their faces in there! People were really bumping into each other. My boyfriend and I both got loaded taters (baked potato with your choice of meat and toppings), his was chicken and mine was pork. The meat was tender and the sauce was a tad sweet with a little spicy kick. It had a good balance to me but it was a little sweet for his taste. I really couldn't eat it all but I managed to shove most of it down out of pure deliciousness. The tea was sweet too (that's a big deal for me...I love my tea "southern"). Also-- the service was great! Lance took our order and knew the menu like the back of his hand. He was very polite and even though we could have thrown away our own trash, he came to our table and picked it up for us. He was so friendly. Thanks for the great experience Lance!

    (4)

  • Christian M.

    This place is great. Ever since I have moved from Bham I have craved saws the most. It is head and shoulders above the other multi location Q joints. This place is for real. Best Chicken and white sauce outside of the sholes. Please go, just don't tell me how awesome it was until I get back.

    (5)

  • Isabella C.

    This place is awesome! My husband and I were traveling and we did a quick stop in this place. Totally satisfied !

    (5)

  • Jennifer S.

    Visiting from Atlanta. Had the pork plate with Mac and cheese and greens. Everything was delicious but the greens were the winner! Delicious, flavorful, tender slow cooked greens the way my grandma made them. Minus 1 star for getting yelled at for not being so quick with our order. First time visitors and needed a second to figure out what we wanted and move around the large crowd.

    (4)

  • Tracy J.

    As a Birminghamian and BBQ fan, I'm embarrassed to say that today was my first time to try Saw's. Getting is to go was definitely the best option for me as the place clearly doesn't focus on atmosphere. What they do focus on is mouth-watering BBQ! I got the pork plate with sides of slaw and turnip greens. The turnip greens were good but the slaw was not my fave (although I am happy that it is vinegar based rather than creamy). But I didn't finish either because they gave such a generous serving of BBQ. When I first opened the to-go box I was disappointed that I had forgotten to specify "chopped, inside/outside." But after one bite I realized it didn't matter - the meat was so tender it shredded apart easily, and many pieces had just the right amount of char on the outside. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way! I am rather particular about sauce and I LOVE their sauce - not too sweet with a tad of acidity and spice. Also ordered a side of white BBQ sauce - so good and def tasted homemade. Can't wait to go back!

    (4)

  • Lin G.

    Supposedly, Alabama's got some good Southern food. Here we come Birmingham! Yup the rib plate was everything I expected and more. Four huge pieces of barbecue ribs, bread that I don't eat, and choice of two sides. I went with the deviled eggs (delicious) and the chicken and dumplings (no regrets there). The crowd was mostly families, and one little kid was dancing in the aisles all adorable like. A real relaxed atmosphere. Just get here early as they close as 7pm. The guy behind the register looked like he's in high school and was the friendliest. He joked around, explained what turnip greens were, and what chicken and dumplings were, and questioned my Southern roots, then offered to give me a free side of turnip greens, which didn't come out. But it's the thought that counts. Thank you kid! That was some great Southern food.

    (5)

  • J M.

    Been here twice so far. First time was AMAZING. I had the Saw's sampler, which has some ribs, pork, chicken, and two sides (about $17). All of it was amazingly delicious and tender. Sauce is not too tangy, spicy, or heavy in vinegar. The second time I got the same thing and it was all slightly not as good. Still, a wonderful place with delicious BBQ!

    (5)

  • Carolyn M.

    This review is long overdue.... I first had Saws when I was working at Jim N Nicks. Cheating you think? Not at all, two totally different and both amazing places. I will suggest Saws just as fast, if not faster than my old stomping ground. Why? It is so completely original and different that one can't help but love it! My first meal was a loaded baker. My SO had grits, greens and pork. Holy Pig was it good. I had had grits and pork before, but never with the greens. It added a tanginess that was to die for. Another time I had the pimento cheese and fried pickle sandwich, because why not? While it wasn't for me, I truly respected the effort and wanted to love it. Honestly, there's not a bad thing about the place. Even the limited seating is endearing to me. Sure, of course I want to sit with a neighbor!

    (5)

  • B. H.

    Growing up in Birmingham I was taught Dreamland was the place to go for ribs. That is wrong, go here. The ribs are so full of meat, and their sauces are great.

    (5)

  • lin h.

    Got the smoked chicken with white bbq sauce sandwich combo. Added the slaw and got mac n cheese as a side. Not a rip off at $10.50, but def not cheap. The smoked chicken was great. Really tender and flavorful. The white sauce was very good, but I expected just a little bit more. The mac n cheese was average. Can't wait to try their pulled pork and ribs. Good sandwich, but nowhere near most of the sandwiches at Paesano's in Philadelphia.

    (4)

  • Bryan Z.

    Yeah this place is as good as advertised. Not sure if living right around the corner is a blessing or a curse. Would be awesome if they had brisket and a few more options for sides but I get it, keep it simple. Their bbq sandwich with slaw is amazing and ample size for a strong lunch. Best bbq I've ever had.

    (5)

  • Jane D.

    We were on our way back home from Atlanta, GA going through Alabama and thought we would try out a bar-b-q place. The toss up was Dreamland and Saw's. We decided we would try a dfferent place. According to the ratings on Yelp and Urbanspoon Saw's was the place to go. Although it was not on "the way home" away from the interstate as Dreamland would have been, we are SO glad we discovered Saw's. The restaurant itself is VERY small, but quaint. It was very busy when we got there and there was a line, but not so much so that we wanted to turn around and leave. We got the specials of the day which consisted of ribs, chicken and pulled pork. O-M-G...the pulled pork was THE best I had ever tasted! And believe me I come from a bar-b-q town. The ribs were also good (not baby back, but still awesome!) The mac-n-cheese was also REALLY good...not too cheese -- which I like. If you ever go through Birmingham, AL give them a try...you won't be sorry you did!

    (5)

  • David M.

    This is truly the best BBQ in B'ham. My go-to is the pulled pork sandwich. Every time I've gotten it, it's been succulent and flavorful with a generous pink smoke ring around the edges. Often BBQ joints have great pork, but if allowed to sit for a bit before going out to customers it can dry out quickly. This is not the case at Saw's. Juicy. Every. Time. They serve a proprietary vinegar-based sauce that's well balanced--not too sweet, not too tangy, with a heavy pepper presence. My only complaint is the odd hours. They close at 7 pm. They used to close earlier, but apparently stretched their hours based on demand. Nonetheless strange to shut down midway through dinner service.

    (5)

  • Roll T.

    5 solid stars. Saw's is absolutely fantastic BBQ. The moistness of the pulled pork must be tried to be believed, the BBQ sauce was just the right notes of vinegar, and the smoked chicken with "Alabama white sauce" quite possibly is the best rendition of BBQ chicken I have ever had in my life. I wouldn't really bother with the ribs here which is not to say that they aren't very good. They just aren't on the level of the pulled pork and the smoked chicken. I wasn't a fan at all of their mac-n-cheese, but they did good things with green beans. Also, this place was full of hot girls EATING BBQ!!! Where else does that happen? (Answer: only the Deep South) Add in the fact that I got to watch the Crimson Tide put an ass whooping on the hated Vols in college basketball, and you have all the makings of pretty much a perfect meal. I haven't tried Miss Myra's, but I have a hard time believing you can find better BBQ in the city.

    (5)

  • Colin S.

    Absolutely amazing BBQ in the middle of the Edgewood neighborhood in Homewood, AL. The pulled pork is mouthwatering as are the ribs. The atmosphere is great and the staff friendly and helpful. Really great place for the family to get some quality southern BBQ.

    (5)

  • Philip L.

    Freakin' fantastic ribs, great sauce, awesome tater salad. Quick turnaround on the order, but crowded and small. Go early, snag a table before ordering, and enjoy. Heard good things about the chicken and white sauce plate. Only downside? Owner is a Alabummer Homer so you have to put up with all the "Roll Tide" garbage. But, it's no reason not to fill yourself with absolutely terrific BBQ!

    (4)

  • Carlton S.

    I have eaten 'cue all over the South, and this is truly some of the most unique barbecue anywhere, and a contender for some of the best Birmingham barbecue (in a town that's super saturated with competition). For me personally, with barbecue, it's all about the details. For example, I love the fact that Saw's BBQ serves its pulled pork plate "wet" - i.e. with the Carolina-style sauce drenched on top. I think the sides are fantastic: to-die-for mac cheese, slap-yo-mama potato salad, and solid turnip greens. However, my favorite order is without a doubt the smoked chicken sandwich (with slaw added). The combination of the slaw with the vinegar-tanged white sauce is fantastic! I have also had one of the pulled pork "bakers" - it's a football-sized baked potato drowned in sour cream, butter, pulled pork, cheese, and scallions. The owner of SAW's BBQ, Mike Wilson, used to work in the test kitchens for Cooking Light magazine AND he's from Carolina, so he's truly a professional.

    (5)

  • John L.

    If you don't eat at Saw's when you're in Homewood, then you're a fool. Chicken white bbq, mac and cheese, banana pudding, and pabst are a must.

    (5)

  • Matt O.

    This is a hole in the wall small place with about 10 tables. It's mildy chaotic but I don't count either of these things as negatives. This place is what it is and doesn't pretend to be anything it's not. Had the roasted chicken with white BBQ sauce and the wife had the pulled pork stuffed baker so we could try both the famous pork and the white sauce. Both were delicious and more importantly, delicious together! The chicken dish pretty much requires an extra side of sauce for dunking and the potatoe is HUGE with a generous amount of pork on top. They don't have the biggest variety on the planet, but what they do have is superb. The sides were good, but certainly not trying to upstage the main attraction: amazing BBQ!!

    (4)

  • Chris L.

    Excellent food, friendly service. After spending some time talking with the young man at the counter, he made up a combo with all my BBQ hopes and desires. Pure heaven!

    (5)

  • Joie Campeaux Smith S.

    My honey and I loved this place. Small "hole in the wall" with fabulous BBQ. My favorite is the white BBQ sauce. Everyone needs to eat here at LEAST once if you are in Birmingham, AL!

    (5)

  • Ryan L.

    Best BBQ in Birmingham! everything they offer is top notch.

    (5)

  • Jean W.

    The homemade onion rings are great! The fresh cut fries are great too. The burger is one of the best I have had. The also have great onion rings. The BBQ however is a little lacking. The pork sandwich I had, the meat was overlooked, tough and dry. It did have a good smoke flavor as well as a nice smoke ring. (I am a KCBS BBQ judge so I am very critical on pork.) The sauce had good flavor, however, I prefer my sauce thicker. Oh, did I mention how great the onion rings were? I will eat there again, just not the pork.

    (4)

  • Hammer T.

    BEST BBQ in BHAM! Saw's is my favorite BBQ in Birmingham and one of the best BBQ joints in Alabama, if not THE best. The ribs are exceptional. So is the chopped chicken sandwich with white BBQ sauce. The mac & cheese is the egg-style that is super creamy. The banana pudding is the simple cold version and it is very refreshing on a hot summer day. If you are in Bham - head to Homewood/edgewood and try out this great place. It's small, so if you have a large party to feed you may want to order TO GO. Have a good one!

    (5)

  • Byoung Kyu S.

    I figured Birmingham should have some decent BBQ places and after a quick search on Yelp, I decided to give Saw's a try. I opted for the Sandwich Combo (sandwich, one side, and drink) for $8.00. I chose the Pulled Pork Sandwich with Slaw (extra 0.75), deviled eggs as my side, and s fountain soda. The sandwich was EXCELLENT. The pork was smokey but very meaty and moist. I tasted a slight "tang" (probably from vinegar?) which went perfect with the sauce already on the sandwich. The slaw gave the sandwich an extra sweetness to balance out the pickles. Possibly the finest pulled pork sandwich I've tasted. I liked how the sandwich was not drenched with BBQ sauce. The deviled egg was also EXCELLENT. You get one egg (2 half pieces). Moist and flavorful. The only small complaint could be (some may not care) that the smokiness of the place will definitely get on your clothing. While the smokey aroma livens up the senses, I doubt it's a fragrance you'll want lingering on your clothes. On my next trip to Birmingham, I plan on trying the meat plate combo so I can try some of the other meats.

    (4)

  • B C.

    I've eaten at some incredible BBQ places in the South and Saw's definitely rates right near the top as the best. First of all, the portions are huge here. I had no idea and ordered half a rack of ribs with the pork plate. I had driven over from Atlanta and was really hungry, but couldn't come close to finishing it all off. The portions at Saw's were truly impressive, especially considering the high quality. I polished off the remaining ribs the next day and they were still incredible. The pork was definitely some of the best I have ever had. My fiance had the pulled pork stuffed potato and it was also tremendously good. The place feels like a true BBQ joint and is a must stop if you're in the area.

    (5)

  • Amanda K.

    What stood out for me at saws was the collared greens and the Collared greens and the sauce. The only thing was the sauce was so good I wanted MORE of it on the pulled pork. Thank god the tables come with their own lil bottle so I could dunk on some more. It was melt in your mouth savor in your tummy goooooood. The collared greens were also amazing. Vinegary sweet with a slight bitterness. Mac n cheese was dry and not as yummy as everything else. Overall it's tasty BBQ and satisfies that finger lickin good craving but not super crazy amazing. But get those collared greens. If I could rate individual foods on a star scale that baby would get five.

    (3)

  • Curtis B.

    I was in Birmingham last October visiting family and I was really craving BBQ. I had some from Jim N' Nick's, but chain restaurant 'que just doesn't do it for me. Fortunately Yelp helped. Coming from out in the suburbs it was nice to come into the little neighborhood that Saw's is in. Nice little shops along a main street filled with people walking around. This was the type of area I wanted to see. NOT the 6 lane highways with outback steakhouses and chick fil' a's. Walking in your surrounded by all the memorabilia on the wall. The tons of crimson tide stuff here. It's not really my style, but it was well done. Nothing looks run down or crappy. You then walk up to order at the counter. Pulled pork for me please! Then sit down and wait. Service was prompt and friendly. The sauce is a little vinegary, too much Carolina for me, but it was still pretty darn good. My dad's from Memphis and makes some great baby backs with a Memphis style sauce which is excellent. After my dad's sauce i would say Saw's is #2 or #3 on my list. The experience was pretty good to that point, then the owner comes out and sits to talk with us. We told him how we were down to visit from Oregon and just chit chatted. That's the type of thing I really like when I go out to a cool local place to eat. I was going to give Saw's 4 stars, but that just put them over the top. Hopefully I make it back in the future to get another pulled pork.

    (5)

  • Cynthia B.

    First trip from California to the South. First truly authentic BBQ. Nothing like starting at the top. This place is dope! The smell, the vibe, the music and, OMG, the food. If I ate like that everyday, I'd be the fat lady who sings but this 'once in a lifetime' day, it was superb. We paid for and forgot to take our caramel cake. We almost cried when realized we had gotten home without it. This was so much more than a restaurant, it was a new reality.

    (5)

  • Marla T.

    WAY OVERRATED. Barbecue was very underdone. Charred on the outside and pink underneath. I don't understand the hype. I think it's more the location and hole-in-the wall allure. I was afraid to eat my ribs (and didn't). I had a carry-out so I couldn't send them back. People love a story and have fallen for the owner's story. It's all marketing people. I will say, the sauce is pretty tasty and somewhat original. I just can't see the appeal of the ribs. I've even gone back, thinking it was a fluke, but after seeing the food on the plates of some diners (and how undercooked it looked) I promptly turned around and left. In addition, the service seems to be lacking and the Health rating is not stellar. Proceed with caution.

    (1)

  • Fat K.

    Best BBQ in Birmingham - can get uncomfortably crowded because of limited seating great sauce and sides and who doesn't like to get sauced??

    (4)

  • Joe H.

    You know as soon as you see the special mechanic's blue paper towels on the table that you're in the right place. Great-great, mom & pop BBQ. Simple menu, friendly service, and delicious food. I got the pulled pork sandwich but if I get to go again, I'm getting the ribs or one of their loaded potatoes. People sitting nearby had these and I drooled over them while I waited for my own food to come out.

    (5)

  • Nate C.

    Chicken sandwich w/ white BBQ sauce and ribs

    (4)

  • Brad S.

    Not having much experience with regional barbecue east of the Mississippi, I pined for the opportunity to try the famous white barbecue sauce of northern Alabama. Turns out, not only did I get to try a master of the white sauce, but a pair of other regional sauces, as well as some killer pulled pork. Pulled pork as a dish is probably one of the easier dishes to accomplish in the world of barbecue, but there can be a world of difference in the quality of those who get it right and those who get it wrong. Sitting there, literally getting chills from how good this simple pork butt had become, there was no question that this was some killer barbecue.

    (5)

  • John S.

    Because of the reviews on YELP, we ate at Saw's BBQ, and it's true. This place is unbelievably good. The food is to die for. The best 'que I've ever experienced in my life. The ribs...oh my goodness. The pulled pork, the chicken with the white BBQ sauce, the mac-n-cheese, collared greens are all worth the trip. And if you're still hungry (which I seriously doubt), the banana pudding will put you over the top. The southern hospitality displayed from the time we walked in the door to the moment we left made me feel like I've lived here all of my life. I can't wait for my next trip to Birmingham. Before I forget, this place is cheap, an incredible value for what you get. Put it this way, the locals were lined up to the door with takeouts on a cold, midweek night. This is always a good sign.

    (5)

  • Elliott W.

    Saws is easily the beat BBQ in Birmingham. As a competitive cookery, I've had some of the best Que in the world. Saw's is consistently among the the best restaurant fare I've had. I thought the pork was good until it was topped by the chicken. SAW's white sauce on chicken is the bomb and a winner every time. Homemade sides and banana pudding perfect the menu. Be warned, there is a wait and it might be a little more pricey than the competition, but its worth it.

    (5)

  • David M.

    I grew up in Georgia and have lived in the South most of my life. I am certainly qualified to give a review when it comes to BBQ! This place was OUTSTANDING. Some of the BEST pulled pork sandwich I've ever had. The BBQ sauces is what made the sandwich so spectacular. This place certainly qualifies as a hole in the wall BBQ joint. If I lived in this area, I would be a regular customer. It doesn't get much better then SAW'S BBQ. If you don't believe me....go try it!!

    (5)

  • Dr. E.

    This was the first and probably the only time I was going to be in Birmingham and I decided to try Saw's since the internet told me so. Thank goodness I did!! The cool person at the cashier recommended I try the plate and gave me a serving of pulled pork and bbq chicken with two sides. I didn't end up eating it till about 2 hours later on my drive to Atlanta. The pulled pork was pretty alright and I felt the sides were regular...but that chicken with the white bbq sauce?!?!!?!? Please give me a mass transporter so I can go eat that again. Summary: Pulled Pork: 3.3 Sides: 3 BBQ Chicken with White BBQ Sauce: 7!!!! Service: 5 (Please realize that my lower ratings of the first two could be based on the fact that I ate them two hours after they were made and they weren't warm anymore)

    (4)

  • Argot B.

    Best bbq we had in the south. We had pulled pork sammiches (best pulled pork I ever had but I'm just a yank) and chicken sammiches with white sauce and fried okra and it was all stellar. We were lucky because right after we got there like 10 people lined up in thirty seconds. This place was ridiculously good. Very impressive.

    (5)

  • Bryan H.

    Good BBQ. Expect to stand in line for awhile and if you get there at lunchtime on Saturday, expect to not have a table available...but the food is very good (ribs and pork).

    (4)

  • Chay O.

    My oh my!! Talking about Saw's BBQ make me salvate. Alabama is known for great BBQ so any BBQ places that can dwell better bring up their A-game. Fortunately, Saw's BBQ really dilvers one of the best BBQ I have eaten in the south! If you happen to drop by Birmingham, do make a stop at this little joint.

    (5)

  • Deb A.

    We stopped here for lunch on way home from vacation. GREAT experience and delicious food. You must try the white sauce on the chicken, the potato salad, and the mac & cheese.

    (5)

  • Scott N.

    The best bbq meat that I've had in Alabama. The pulled pork and andouille sausage are off the chain along with the sauce. The only critique I have is that the sides I've had: mac & cheese, chili, baked beans, and deviled eggs are just average.

    (5)

  • Alan G.

    Fantastic ribs and mouth-watering chicken with white sauce.

    (5)

  • Joey S.

    I've only eaten here once, but was pleasantly surprised. It takes skill for a new place to make an impression with BBQ down here in the South. But his Carolina-region influences and raw attitude really do help it stand out. Much of the menu is vinegar-based, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Just know that in case you're expecting creamy slaw or potato salad. Great food, simple and authentic atmosphere. Don't be surprised if you have to wait for a seat.

    (4)

  • John R.

    Better than full moon and better than Jim and nicks. Mac and cheese was soo delicious and when you get done there is a cup cake bakery right next store to take some treats home for later.

    (5)

  • Richard Y.

    This is simply awesome BBQ. Being from TX, I'd never seen Alabama white sauce, but it was really good (I spent an hour googling if I could find it in Dallas afterwards, that's how much I liked it). I've been twice now out of 4 trips to Birmingham, and the only reason it hasn't been 4 out of 4 is because of schedule. I've had the ribs, the chicken with white sauce, and the sausage. All were super delicious and tender. You will leave drenched in BBQ smell. Which just made me hungry later on smelling myself.

    (5)

  • Krash T.

    Let me say at the outset that I am not a barbecue fan. Growing up in the North, my family's idea of barbecued food was what Southerners refer to as "grilled". We would put barbecue sauce on chicken, head for a local park that offered grills, build a fire with hot coals, throw the chicken on, and call it a day. My cousin's mother made fall-off-the-bone ribs, but she did them in the oven, then just threw them onto her Weber for the finishing touch. So I've never enthused when Southern friends said "Let us take y'all for some real barbecue!", because usually I was treated to a soggy bun that featured a few slices of semi-sweet pickle, some runny and very milky-tasting cole slaw, and a bunch of undecipherable meat I was assured had to be pork. Even the ribs I've ordered at those joints were either tough, or falling off the bone but tasteless. I went to Saw's because I read about it on the Facebook page of someone whose taste I admire. And from the first bite, it was a revelation. So much so that when the three friends with me saw my expression, one anxiously asked whether I was all right. All right? I was having a Food Moment, that rarity where you realize you have never, ever tasted that particular food as it was truly meant to be, and your life will never be the same. Crowded. Yes. But not uncomfortable. The atmosphere was so friendly, the music so perfect (James Cotton, I believe, then B B King) that I could almost believe I was back in the older South of juke joint days. It was hot, but the fan cooled things down just enough. The ladies behind the counter were very patient with me as I asked a multitude of menu questions, trying to decide between all the sides until one of my friends finally interrupted and ordered for me. BBQ pork combo with a sparerib, cole slaw, baked beans, potato salad. Well. Let me say this. If Saw's was in my neighborhood, I would eat there at least weekly, bring everyone I'd ever met there for lunch, and weigh a million pounds. Coleslaw - not mayo based, for a change. Not runny. Just wet enough to seep into the meat when I put it on the sandwich, but not so wet that it made the bread soggy. Potato salad - wonderful wonderful wonderful. Sandwich - crunchy pickles and HUGE chunks of melt-in-your-mouth pork. Not the fatty pieces, the ones you try to avoid when you're on a diet, but the best parts; not too lean, not too fat, just right. Sauce - we had several choices. Whatever they used for marinade (and I believe they sell it, too), it was wonderful. Just a hint of spiciness left on the tongue, not enough to detract from the flavor. Bun - as normal, but tasted ten times better because of the quality between. Sparerib - OMG. Ridiculously good. Just absurd. Huge amounts of meat, literally falling into my mouth. I could almost slurp it up. The one item I could have done without was the baked beans, which were average. But really, who cared? The meal was stunning. As my friends, all of them Southerners, watched me chowing down in delight, they exchanged amused glances and occasionally murmured "Uh-huh. That's real barbecue, son" inbetween their smiles. I can't recommend this place highly enough. It changed my life. I will forever be in pursuit of barbecue as good, but I fear my quest will be doomed to failure. Worth driving out of your way for. Heck, worth staying overnight so you can eat lunch and dinner and then take some home the next day!!!

    (5)

  • Dustin J.

    Tasty BBQ sandwichs!!

    (5)

  • Ayon J. R.

    Good ribs, but even better chicken (especially with white sauce). The sides leave a lot to be desired. Tends to get very smoky/smelly inside.

    (3)

  • Russ M.

    This is the former location of Broadway BBQ. The new owner has brought what I am CONVINCED is going to become a new landmark to this very cool edgewood area. At lunch my sweet wife and I shared the smoked chicken with white BBQ sauce. OMG it was awesome!!!!! The side of greens was totally delicious. We also had the potato salad which was not to our liking, but that is simply personal preference (too much sour cream, not the traditional mustard base). Next time we go, I have threatened to order the white bbq sauce and a straw... The owner told us that he has just gotten liscense to sell beer. At this point, the only reason I gave 4 stars is that I want to reserve the ability to move up to 5. We can't wait to go back...SOON I recommend that everybody give Saw's (stands for Sorry A@@ed Wilson's Sauce) a try while you can still get a seat without a big wait.

    (4)

  • Jessica W.

    Oh my goodness. Slap your mama!! Chicken with white sauce is the best I've ever had. I'm so glad we tried Saw's. We will be coming back- and we'll bring our Texas friends with us so they can experience real BBQ!

    (5)

  • Mark H.

    If you haven't eaten at Saw's, it is a must. Their chicken, pork, ribs, slaw, beans, salad...if it is on the menu, you can' t go wrong ordering it. I eat here and at their sister restaurant (Saw's Soul Kitchen) multiple times whenever I am in Birmingham. I travel extensively for work and I look forward to Saw's as much or more than any other restaurant I eat at of any type, class or category.

    (5)

  • Shelley M.

    We stopped here on our way out east after sampling some mighty fine BBQ in Texas and this place was pretty damn good! The ribs weren't quite as tender as I am used to and prefer, but the sauce was amazing...subtly spicy with a subdued sweetness and slight tang. If you find yourself in Birmingham and crave delicious BBQ, this is the place to stop!

    (4)

  • Jenn P.

    We stopped at this place on a whim on the way home to Nashville from a quick trip to New Orleans. Not only was the girl who took our order a doll, but I had a smoked chicken sandwich that SERIOUSLY BLEW MY MIND. It was knee slappin' good. Like, my friends and I were stuffing our faces and looking at each other with disbelief at just how amazing it was. Now, remember I was on my way home from NEW ORLEANS. We had been eating like kings for days and still my sandwich was in my top ten all time best, and I have travelled and eaten tons and consider sandwiches a standalone food group. AH! I've been craving it since. In fact, I was so food-blissed I left my wallet in the bathroom while I washed all of the sauce off my hands. I felt like a chump. I live three hours away! I was pretty panicked but I called the next day and talked to the manager, Anna, who was oh-so-sweet. She kindly offered to send it to me using a ten spot I had in there and told me she's put my change and receipt in the package even though I didn't ask. She must have mailed it off that night because I got it two days later, just in time for another trip during which I hoped to rent a car and therefore needed my license... Anna didn't miss a beat in giving me the sweetest service. She didn't need to help me (especially since I live so far away and the mistake was my own), but her kindness made my day. I love businesses like this! Great product, clean and cool aesthetic and the right people in the right job. Thank you, Saw's! I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • John P.

    Great meat, the sides aren't that great. The sauces are amazing white and regular The Mac and cheese is over cooked and mushy, the collards to tangy not enough sweet. The sandwiches are perfect though

    (3)

  • Captain J.

    Great barbecue. Went there last wk loved their baby back ribs. Really it is almost too much to eat. Planning on going there again next wk. Don't eat any lunch...there won't be enough room for all the great food

    (4)

  • Mike F.

    Quite simply said----IT'S THE SHIT! This place has the best pulled pork i've ever had and especially the best in the city. I highly recommend the pulled pork plate and pretty much all of their sides are winners. The quality and flavor is what I am crazy about. The only drawback are the hours of operation. When I crave some of the good stuff I go here!

    (5)

  • Jessica M.

    Pretty crowded, but one of the best BBQ places in Birmingham by far. Love the atmosphere of the area and love the food here.

    (3)

  • Joseph R.

    I traveled to Birmingham, AL on business last week and when I asked a local where the best BBQ in Birmingham cold be found they said Saw's BBQ is it. I visited Saw's on a Wednesday evening and was surprised at how small the place was, and the line stretched through the restaurant and left me cramped to get the door closed behind me. Despite the long, slow line the smell of wood smoke and cooking meat was heavenly, people were friendly, and the atmosphere was fun. As for the food... Although I waited 20 minutes, the BBQ ribs, slaw, and cornbread was well worth the wait. I'd certainly come back, but will be sure not to come during peak dinner hours. Fantastic food!!

    (4)

  • Brandon C.

    The BBQ is delicious. For an extra fifty cents, you can order the white sauce, which is a nice compliment to the BBQ. The sides are inconsistent. The slaw is not very good at all. Other sides are hit-or-miss. If they have macaroni or black-eyed peas, these are usually great options. Parking is bad and a long line can form at the height of the lunch rush. You must refill your ice behind the cashier, which is kind of odd, but so is the place in general. That being said, go for the BBQ. It is great.

    (4)

  • Chris O.

    A service flop w/ total disrespect! *Thumbs Down* I walked in at 7:05pm oblivious to their hours. So excited in anticipation that I couldn't handle it. A police officer stood in front of me placing his order and the guy working looked at me and said "were closed". I looked at him with a blank stare, looked around at 6-7 people eating and said "REALLY!" He replied "Yup" Did I mention that I was standing in the establishment watching others eat right in front of me?!? In utter disbelief I turned and humbly walked outside and took a seat on their patio chair. After careful deliberation I decided to walk back in to the unlocked restaurant as the police officer exited and the guy immediately says "What do you want dude?" with complete disrespect. (Ah hell no!) At this point I said "look, I flew out from CA to eat here (ok, a little over the top) and you tell me your closed, I'm a little disappointed." He then stated they close at 7:00pm every night. Regardless, lock the door dum@$$! Clearly his parents didn't teach him unconditional respect. To his defense he asked me to come in. HOWEVER at this point, I WAS NOT going to let this punk kid treat a customer like this and feel as though he saved the day. As far as I'm concerned... This is the kind of thing that KILLS business. Disrespecting customers. Being that I went 20 minutes out of my way from my hotel to eat here, says something about their food. But service like that, I have no desire to return 20 minutes out of my way next time. Oh by the way... You should know they are proud to be Yelped! Kudos! Saw's broke my heat tonight and now I will go cry myself to sleep *tear*sniffle*sniffle*finger* O

    (1)

  • Madyson F.

    Not a huge BBQ fan, but I am a fan of Saw's. Their ribs are PERFECT. You can't beat the Mac and cheese either. It's a must try!

    (5)

  • Jeffrey A.

    Hands down the best pulled pork sandwich I've ever had. Mac and cheese is nothing special. The seating area is small, although they do have some outdoor seating, so if you arrive at peak times you're going to have a long wait for a table. Definitely worth the wait though!!

    (4)

  • Nicole N.

    Not too bad, just wish there was more help!

    (3)

  • Leslie T.

    I am 90% vegetarian....EXCEPT when it comes to Saw's. I can't get enough meat when I'm in there. If I could take a bath in their BBQ sauce...I would. I took my brother here while he was visiting from NYC, and I think he almost moved down here after the experience. Plus, the Edgewood neighborhood is a wonderful spot to eat some Q.

    (5)

  • Tai F.

    I'm so glad Yelp sent me in the direction of Saw's for lunch. It was quite the Alabama experience. Feeling like I needed to get a taste of everything I got a sampler plate and it was FAR too much food. Probably best to be shared between two. For about $25 tax and tip I got some chicken, pork, 2 ribs, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, deviled eggs and banana pudding. I washed it all down with some sweet tea (and they use the good ice!). Here's what I would pass on next time: macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs & cornbread. Here's what I would probably get but not definitely: chicken. Here's what I would never miss out on not once: pork, ribs, banana pudding and sweet tea. The macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs and cornbread were all pretty bland. Plus the cornbread was cold. They definitely weren't bringing out the big guns when they made these. The chicken was pretty good. I'm not as big a fan of the white sauce as I was their standard bbq sauce but the chicken was sufficiently moist and delicious. ohmygoodness the pork was fracking to die for. So tender, so tasty, so moist. I wish I could eat some every day. It was perfectly prepared and really the star of this show. The ribs were HUGE and very meaty. It wasn't fall off the bone tender but it was still very delicious. I was sad that I started eating those last as I could barely fit any food in my stomach. Ending with the banana pudding was a real treat. It's just one of the most classic desserts and you shouldn't leave here without it. It was so good I didn't even regret that I couldn't eat any ice cream at the parlor next door. Seriously, that good. Saw's is a must stop in Birmingham. I'm so glad that I was able to find this place and experience this incredible lunch. Next time I'll try the bigger place that has such delicacies as cheese grits. yum!

    (4)

  • Jason F.

    I ate here this past Saturday with my girlfriend for a later lunch. We got to the restaurant around 3 pm and the place was packed. The inside of this place has a great vibe with a bunch tables, some bar type seating near the windows and lots of articles about the saw restaurants hanging about. The way that it works is that it is a seat yourself joint where you order at the register and then hopefully find an open table and seat yourself. In the 45 minutes or so that we were there the volume of people never stopped and it wasn't even a lunch or dinner time! For our lunches my girlfriend and I decided to split a white BBQ pulled pork sandwich and also a pulled pork platter with a baker side. Whenever the food was brought out to us I was amazed at the size of the potato. It was easily twice the size of my fist and was probably the biggest potato I had ever been served. It was cooked perfectly all the way through too and topped with cheese. In order to give it a little more pizzazz, my girlfriend and I decided to dump some of the delicious BBQ sauce on it which made it perfect in my opinion. The pulled pork on both the platter and sandwich was good and tender. I also enjoyed the white BBQ sauce and am glad that I tasted but the real winner was the regular BBQ sauce. It was a vinegar based sauce that was both a little sour and also sweet with a slight kick at the end. The bottom line for me is that I would definitely head back here in the future. I loved everything that I ate here and also dug the whole vibe of the place.

    (5)

  • Dale W.

    4.5 stars, really. This may be the overall best-tasting BBQ place in town. I rarely eat chicken at BBQ places, but here, it's a favorite of mine. Also, I'm 58 years old, have always lived in the south, and these are the best greens I've ever had. I get a double order every time I go. Tiny location and at lunch, seating is always a problem which, you know, is a very good sign.

    (4)

  • Gordon K.

    We went in for lunch yesteday. I had the original pulled pork plate with two sides. First of all, I wonder about all the 5 star reviews. The pulled pork is a bit smoky, and, is therefore fairly good for pork barbeque. Having said that, pork barbeque is not very good barbeque compared to beef brisket, which they do not have. I had cole slaw and baked beans for my two sides. The cole slaw looked terrible and the taste was no better. Baked beans tasted like they were out of a can with a little hot sauce added. The signature barbeque sauce is too vinegar-laden. The white bread accompaniment is just out of a sack cheap white bread. Some house made bread would be nice. But hey, they do barbeque. As a people watching site, it is good. They have quite an assortment of people who come in and it was an okay lunch. I would go back, but I would not be in a hurry to do so.

    (3)

  • Eric C.

    Stuffed pork tater can feed a family. It's so large and delicious im sure you amount of calories is over 2000. Also, the BBQ sauce was delicious. The one thing I miss about visiting my girlfriend in the south is the lack of BBQ that is offered in the Bay Area.

    (5)

  • Jeremy B.

    Oh this place is crazy delicious! I have visited twice, once with a coworker & then I had to bring my wife! Loved the sweet tea fried chicken, onion rings are delicious, & I'll try more upon my third visit. I love the whole in the wall feel, but the food is sooooo good & worth it. Luckily I stumbled upon this restaurant by way of yelp!

    (5)

  • Tiffany L.

    Very good BBQ, but I hope they start serving the wings that they have at their Avondale location!

    (5)

  • emily p.

    Off the charts food. YUM chicken, mac and cheese and coleslaw. Fun for visiting the SOUTH for sure!!

    (5)

  • Aleem A.

    The food in Saw's BBQ was the TRUTH! I've been craving some ribs for a very long time and I made my way to Birmingham to the restaurant and I am certainly glad that I did. The meat falls off the bone and the baked potatoes with meat will make you want to go back for more. The service was quick and the restaurant has a great, small time, hometown feel. This was my first visit and it certainly will not be my last.

    (5)

  • Jeff D.

    Great BBQ - want to try different sides next time. Slaw not my favorite. Definitely worth stopping while driving through Birmingham.

    (4)

  • Anne W.

    Great pork or chicken, excellent burger also. Sides are always good--love the fried pickles!

    (5)

  • John S.

    This is definitely the best pork BBQ I've ever tasted! Well worth the drive. The potato salad rocks too.

    (4)

  • Chris N.

    Amongst the flurry of chain restaurants that continually try to produce revenue by shorting the customer on food quality, I am happy to see there are still small business owners that pride themselves on making an amazing product in hopes that they can pay the bills at the end of a business day and keep the customer relationship personal and keep them happy.. Well SAW BBQ does ALL of that.. Its a no nonsense place.. You want ribs? chicken? pulled pork? or all three? The BBQ sauce (for me) was PERFECT!!! Just at the border of being hot enough to have a in your mouth sensation of zest yet not spicy enough for me to pad my tounge with napkins. Speaking of napkins, THIS PLACE OFFERS YOU MECHANICS PAPERTOWELS!! Not the cheap crap.. Real heavy duty paper towels that will help you remove all of that yumminess from your hands.. Now onto the ribs.. BOMB AS HELL Smoked Chicken.. Juicy and you can taste that brick over goodness Pulled Pork... Absolutely full of flavor and delicious You cant go wrong at a place like this.. they even turned all the tv and the surround sound stereo system for the Kings stanley cup game.. The charm of this place screams homey and I can't wait to get back here again..

    (5)

  • Brad H.

    I've been meaning to try Saw's, and finally did. Wow. Best pulled pork in town, and that I've ever tried. It was so tender, moist and flavorful. Made the out the door order line worth it. Would give 5 stars if there was more seating and space, but the food was incredible. Will be back to try the smoked chicken with white sauce, I hear it's the best in town as well.

    (4)

  • Pam D.

    This was a bit of a let down. This is a quick-service place, where you order at the front then find yourself a table and wait for the food to come out. When we came in there was a long line, and it took us a while to figure out the flow of things. I ordered pulled pork, and the meat was tough and sauce was extra vinegar-y. I was not too impressed with my baked potato side... it's just a potato! BF got the ribs, he was also not too impressed. It was disappointing for us, since seeing all the great reviews (and the fact it was BUSY) gave us high expectations. We'll have to try somewhere else next time we're in BHM.

    (2)

  • Mary Y.

    This was my 1st time eating in Alabama. Saw great reviews and decided my husband and I had to try it. I was dying for real ''southern'' food. When you walk in, you can immediately smell the BBQ. (In fact when you walk out, you'll probably smell like it too) We ordered a BBQ Chicken combo that included two sides. I got the mac n cheese and potato salad. I went with a reviewer about the ''white sauce'' for the chicken and I'm glad I did. I don't know how to describe it but it definitely adds flavor to the chicken. The portion was just right for 2 people and the sweet tea was delish!! Free refills too. The only problem here, is the bathroom. Not the cleanest.

    (4)

  • Bryan B.

    I'm a sucker for BBQ. I came to the Birm for quick work trip, and one look at Yelp told me where to go for my BBQ fix. The reviews all rave about the chicken, but for my money, pulled pork is the way to go. Back in California, we try. We have pulled pork, and some places it's even good. But it is nothing like this. The pork was moist and impossible to stop shoveling into my waiting mouth. The sauce was a perfect compliment. Saw's gets really busy, but any wait is 100% worth it. There may be better BBQ in Birmingham, but I havent had it.

    (4)

  • Adam S.

    The smoked chicken sandwich with White sauce is extremely tender. We also got the ribs which were "fall off the bone" tender. I think the sauce is well balanced between spicy, acidic and sweet. Pulled pork sandwich was also really good. Would definitely reorder anything we got.

    (4)

  • Bruno T.

    Visiting from KCMO deep into BBQ territory it was good. Loved the smoked taste on the ribs and the chicken was moist and tender.

    (4)

  • Kelly H.

    My husband and I drove over from Atlanta to try this BBQ. When we got there there was a line outside waiting to get in. Totally worth the two hour drive. I had the smoked chicken sandwich with white bbq sauce. Delicious!! The Mac and cheese and deviled eggs are out of this world. My husband really enjoyed the sampler too. Everything was fantastic! We'll definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Matthew M.

    Found this on yelp while in town for work and had time for lunch. Classic southern BBQ spot. Shared a table for my sandwich combo, since it was too cold to use outside tables. Get the beans! Maybe the best I've tasted.

    (5)

  • Joe R.

    Great BBQ, Ribs, chicken and pulled pork were excellent. Portions were huge and the banana pudding was very good, as well. There must have 40 people, or so, served or ordered in the short time we were there.

    (5)

  • William T.

    Want bbq? Bbq its what's for lunch. While my business guest and I walked out smelling of delicious bbq it was still a great lunch spot. This was my first visit to saws so I went for the full package. The large sampler so I could get a taste of everything. This plate is not something one simply eats. This is a feast for even the most champion of eaters. Pulled pork, chicken, ribs, and two sides. Absolutely some of the best BBQ I have ever had the pleasure of eating. Tables were a hot commodity but we didn't have to wait long. Sound level was loud and probably not the best for a business meeting or lunch with a long lost friend. But if you want to sit there in silence and stuff your face with mouth watering BBQ this is your place.

    (5)

  • Sam N.

    No other barbecue in the region compares. Always consistent, always excellent, and always leaving you filled and craving more, Saw's is undoubtedly a legend in Alabama barbecue and an undeniable force to be reckoned with.

    (5)

  • Noah P.

    I visit Birmingham on a regular basis and have always enjoyed the bbq. I was told to try Saws bbq and it was honestly the best bbq I have ever had. My only complaint is that I haven't found out about this place sooner. I had the #2 daily special and it was enough to feed two people. Tip, get a side of the white BBQ sauce for the chicken and pulled pork.

    (5)

  • Been B.

    Saw's had some good tasting food but less than stellar service. The potatoes were what stuck out to me most. They were good for all those that ordered them. Here are the scores: Loaded baked potato: 8/10 Ribs: 7/10 Mac and cheese: 8/10 Cornbread: 6/10

    (4)

  • Francis P.

    This place is really good I went there during June on a road trip to Atlanta the pulled pork was on the a bit dry side but really smoky and good. The ribs was yummy smoky moist and not too dry the best thing I like there is the sausage pork that had rice inside really good soft texture.

    (5)

  • Jacob W.

    Amazing food, and the best BBQ in Birmingham. The only problem is this place isn't Saw's Soul Food Kitchen. The latter serves several items which aren't included at this location, like the Sweet Tea Chicken Sandwich. I'd drive across town for that.

    (4)

  • Raye F.

    No pork for me! With that being said....I was really impressed with the pulled chicken sandwich. It was rather awesome! The white sauce added something I've never experienced with a chicken que- the pickle & even the bread was good! I had the mac & cheese side- which is all I suggest! This would be my pick on a easy breezy/good weathered afternoon. Good for friends, family or a small group. Be aware- you will encounter a small amount of smoke inhalation. It's a BBQ pit! happy eats (minus the oink-oink)!

    (4)

  • Sean H.

    Good stuff, good people, good time!

    (4)

  • Miriam W.

    I dined here for lunch and chose the junior sampler, which, with a chicken leg quarter, a pile of pulled pork and a large meaty rib, was plenty of food. You get one side with that (I chose turnip greens) and a slice of their cornbread. The chicken was good, nicely charred on the outside, juicy on the inside, with a squirt of their white sauce (it's an Alabama thing) to top it off. The ribs and pulled pork were tasty too...the smoke flavor was not very pronounced, but I liked the tangy sauce they make. The turnip greens were good too. Now you're probably wondering about the one star, aren't you? Well, the main reason for the low rating is that my husband espied a cockroach on the cola machine and pointed it out to me. While I spent too many years in the restaurant business to be freaked out by a cockroach, I know that the appearance of one in the dining room signals a larger problem, and that these folks probably have an infestation. The place did not look clean to me either, so they need to do some deep cleaning and hire an exterminator. It makes me squeamish enough that I won't be returning. There were also number 10 cans of baked beans, green beans and tomatoes lining one wall in the dining room, so I know not everything is homemade here. You only get one chance to wow us, and I was unimpressed with their level of responsibility to the public at this restaurant. Definitely moving on.

    (1)

  • Douglas W.

    I followed the Yelpers and the Alabama poster that said I could find one of the 100 best dishes here. This is a tough review to write. On the one hand, the BBQ was clearly 4 stars and on the other there are serious questions of food quality, safety and general responsibility. I ordered the Junior Sampler. 1 rib, 1/4 chicken dark and what looked like about 5oz of pork. It came with one side. I chose turnip greens. The rib was good, my least favorite of the meats. The pulled pork was very good. It was tender, juicy, smoky. The pork and ribs were doused with their well balanced tangy sauce. Thanks for not using preservatives or corn syrup. Really nice sauce for pork. The chicken was great. It came with a drizzle of white sauce and had a delicious rub. Moist, tender, perfect. The greens were good but too spicy. There's pepper sauce on the table for your customers, I don't need you to add it for me. Now for the reasons I can't return. There's a soda machine by the register where you order and a cockroach was crawling all over it. Where there's one, there are 100s. There's a rack of Sysco #10 cans of veggies in the dining room including tomatoes and sauce. They serve everything on/with styrofoam and don't recycle anything. Utensils are plastic. Happy to explain why any of this is a problem but won't do it here. This place needs to care a lot more about me and our community before I will support them.

    (2)

  • Cat S.

    Best BBQ in town. hands down. 3 locations: Homewood (original) - awesome lunch spot but since it's small it gets crowded fast and people hover over you. Avondale - even smaller than homewood. Crestline - best set up of them all but surprise, it's super crowded. expect a 1.5hr wait at any point in the day. also, really terribly slow service. park on the street. all of this is worth it. i promise.

    (4)

  • Craig M.

    Best BBQ I have had in Alabama. I prefer this over both dreamland and Archibalds in Tuscaloosa. Get the large sampler platter with chicken,ribs, and pork. You may not be able to eat it all but take it home because it tastes just as good later.

    (5)

  • Caroline C.

    I am living in birmingham for a year so trying to do a little exploring while I am here. I had heard good things about Saws so I thought I'd give it a try. My family owns a bbq restaurant so I am pretty particular about my bbq. This place was delicious! I have no idea what exactly the white sauce consists of, but it is life changing.

    (5)

  • Defazeo F.

    Walked in and was hit in the face by a cloud of smoke so I could tell this place was legit. Get the Big Saw (one rib, a sandwich, an a drink). It was worth the $12. They have a white barbeque sauce which I am not used to so it was not Particularly good to me, but they also have a 'regular' sauce that was pretty good. I didn't care for the baked beans tho, they were too hot; both caliente and calor. Overall, nice meal.

    (4)

  • Rosalyn F.

    Pleasantly surprised the BBQ was very good. I had the ribs and pulled pork. My husband had the ribs and chicken.

    (4)

  • Keefer B.

    Amazing BBQ. A little bit pricy, but totally worth it. You can't always get food because they usually have a line out the door and once they are out of food, they close. I usually get the pulled pork sandwich, but the massive bakers are amazing.

    (5)

  • John L.

    Hands down one of the best BBQ joints. A nice seasoned dive atmosphere that makes you hope the food is as good as the place looks. It exceeded expectations. I had the BBQ combo with chicken and ribs. Both were outstanding. The white BBQ sauce was an excellent touch that I haven't send before. Just awesome. As sides, I had chili and Mac & Cheese. The chili was chock full of meat and had excellent flavor. Better than I expected. The Mac & Cheese couldn't have been cheesier. (The M&C could have been hotter though) Great work. Can't wait to come back.

    (5)

  • Michael W.

    Delicious BBQ. I strongly suggest this hole in the wall. My favorite is the loaded tater. It comes with their chicken and pulled pork. Staff is quick and friendly.

    (5)

  • Cliff S.

    Just a few days ago I left a review for Lil Dooey, a BBQ joint in Starkville Ms. Today we were traveling back home from Gatlinburg,TN and I had my wife search for the best BBQ in Birmingham area. She chose this place, due to the reviews on YELP. Let me tell you... It's worth the trip off of I59. First of all I'm a stickler for BBQ being done right. It must be served on paper and eaten with disposable cutlery. You must drink from styrofoam and use multiple Aq napkins due to the messiness of the meat. All of this takes place in a small smokey room. The menu is simple and delicious. My wife had the pulled chicken sandwich, son had pulled pork sandwich, and I had a plate with pork, brisket, beans and great tater salad! A tad bit pricey, but it is by far ( as said in the movie Fried Green Tomatoes) " THE BEST D&MN BBQ IN THE WHOLE STATE OF ALABAMA" I guess the secret is in the sauce????? But seriously. Y'all give them a shot. The lady behind the register is very nice.

    (5)

  • Steve K.

    Their BBQ is astoundingly good. Oh, and the banana pudding is pretty good too--not too sugary. Sometimes short reviews suffice--this is the best BBQ I've tasted.

    (5)

  • Drina B.

    Definitely one of the places that I take my friends from out of town. The banana pudding is my favorite dessert here. I don't consume pork or beef, so I always get the chicken. The white sauce is my personal favorite, but the normal BBQ is alright, as well. I prefer the Homewood location simply because I think it is a bit more spacious. The one in Avondale I like when I want to enjoy the food outdoors.

    (5)

  • Shuja D.

    Half chicken with the white bbq sauce is good. Their Cole slaw seems to be pickled so it is really interesting. Food served on paper plates like other bbq restaurants. Fried okra was good and not too oily. I prefer dreamlands banana pudding over saws. Not much seating inside but there are some picnic tables outside.

    (3)

  • Dean S.

    What a find! Smoked chicken, pulled pork and killer slaw and potato salad. No frills just excellent food. Also feature fresh vegetable sides.

    (5)

  • Matty C.

    my favorite spot in birmingham, hands down

    (5)

  • Madeline S.

    I can't believe we lived in Birmingham for a year before coming here. Oops! We stopped in on our lunch and got some pulled pork sandwiches. I got slaw on mine which turned out to be an excellent decision. It turned into a fork and knife situation pretty quickly. The slaw is mayo free (or at least vinegar based) and delightfully crunchy and zesty. I got potato salad which was pretty good and Man friend got Mac n cheese that looked amazing. It was busy but they were quick. We shall return!

    (4)

  • Michelle H.

    We went here because we were told it was the BEST BBQ in Alabama. Given that this is my first visit to the South I was very excited. I ordered the ribs which would have been good had they not been slathered in the BBQ sauce. My husband got the pulled pork which he wasn't impressed by. I think the meat would taste best without the sauce, it was too vinaigry (is that a word?) for me. I wouldn't say the flavor of the meat was bad at all. Once I wiped off the sauce I found the meat to taste quite good. Could just be a taste preference. The potato salad and coleslaw was not good at all but the mac n cheese was good tasting. I wouldn't call it the best in Alabama yet...Not to mention the woman that took our order had the blandest personality ever. Hoping to try a hole in the wall BBQ spot on the side of the road to really get a better perspective on Alabama BBQ.

    (3)

  • Brandon H.

    This place is fantastic! I read some reviews and was hoping that it would hold up to my expectations. It did and then some. Had the two rib, chicken leg quarter and pulled pork sampler with mac & cheese and turnip greens. The greens were some of the best I've ever had. Do yourself a favor and hit this place up!

    (5)

  • Jason B.

    Bring a respirator if you sit inside or you will have lung cancer from the pit smoke but the reward of charred meat is worth that for sure.

    (5)

  • Amy S.

    Great BBQ. The pork sandwich is way better than the ribs. I enjoyed the pickles they put in the sandwich.

    (5)

  • Joshua K.

    just a quick note: the ribs. most BBQ places are either too saucy and so the meats gets soft or too dry but has a good bark. this place has both! so good. pull pork was great, the stuffed taters are awesome, but that bark on the ribs, SOOOOO GOOOD. I took a picture, but you know they mean business when instead of napkins, they provide auto shop towels, like the ones you use when you change your car oil.

    (5)

  • Bret R.

    This has to be the best BBQ I've had. The pulled pork was moist and tasted great. The mac'n'cheese was really good and the baked beans were good as well. My wife had a loaded potato and I was jealous that I didn't order one after I tasted it. If I ever pass through Birmingham again I'll be stopping by Saw's BBQ.

    (5)

  • SYRENS H.

    the best barbeque in the world! I live in California (unfortunately) but I promise to always have saws sauce in my kitchen. whenever I'm in bama it's a must stop! if your close go there. I recommend the fully loaded pulled pork potatoe.

    (5)

  • Josh S.

    Visiting from out of town for work and trusted all the yelp reviews. Definitely glad we stopped in. Great pulled pork sandwiches and the beef rib was probably the best beef rib I've had. Add the sauce in the mix and Saw's knocked it out of the park. The baked beans were good as well, the Mac and cheese was better though!

    (5)

  • mon b.

    I'm not sure if the people who review this were paid or what.. Ate at hundreds of barbeque joints across the south.. saw the reviews on this.. thought we would try it.. .and we did twice... This is not good food.. tough dry pulled pork.. a little to tangy sauce.. more of the vinegar type. It was better than that dump Sweet Bones...it is just at best what I call a barbeque dive without great food.

    (1)

  • Trey S.

    BBQ Sandwich with white BBQ sauce is awesome. Potato salad is one of my favorite sides with baked beans a close second. Get there early, once they run out of meat and sides for the day, that's it. Great place to pick up dinner to go as well if you don't feel like eating there.

    (5)

  • Emily R.

    Get the Tator Baker! Baked Potato loaded with bbq pork or chicken or both! Amazing! Small, simple place, order at counter, sit down and they bring it to you.

    (4)

  • Ramon L.

    Hands down the best BBQ in town, you can't go wrong !! The ribs,pulled~pork or smoked chicken with white sauce are smash hits. The sides are Great as well. I mean this place just totally kick a$$. All dinner plates are less than $10.00. This is one of the best secrets in Bham...........Prices are above $10.00 now but the food is still great

    (4)

  • Pat W.

    Great food, vibe and hospitality! Plus the prices don't break the wallet. Great deal for the dollar!

    (5)

  • Brian G.

    This is the type of small BBQ place that you look for when you travel. I don't remember what I had but it was great I a bought a bottle of sauce to bring home. If your in town you should try it.

    (4)

  • Laura P.

    I must be in the minority. What others describe as "juicy", we found the pulled pork to be wet, ropy and almost flavorless. I ordered a pulled pork plate to go, but upon inspection we received a mix of pork and chicken. Chicken was okay, but a little mealy (there was no white sauce added to my chicken). Mac and cheese was mushy and bland. My husbands baked potato was good, but how hard is it to bake a potato? I felt really let down after all the good reviews I've read online.

    (3)

  • Bill C.

    Lives up to the reputation in every respect. Great BBQ, excellent sides, hole in the wall atmosphere, friendly staff - even free parking. The chicken with the regionally based white sauce was surprisingly good. The collard greens were Grade A - smokey-tart flavor was memorable. Potato Salad appeared to have too much mayonnaise, but it was actually a slightly tart sauce that was perfect. Ribs and pork were also excellent. A fun place, high quality BBQ.

    (4)

  • Ashley M.

    This is absolutely the best BBQ I have ever had. My husband and I frequent this place, and you can be sure that it will be packed at lunch. I love the chicken sandwich with white sauce. It is a generous portion, and I can't help but eat all of it. The banana pudding is also wonderful!

    (5)

  • BBQ B.

    The chicken is the best I've ever had hands down. This place is awesome. Dreamland has nothing on Saws.

    (5)

  • Paul N.

    I grew up in a family that knows how to BBQ , so a lot of times when someone suggests a BBQ joint, I'm a little skeptical. This place IS the real deal!

    (5)

  • Chris W.

    Incredibly consistent barbecue. The pulled pork, rib, and chicken plates are all moist, tender, and juicy. Even the chicken, which I generally avoid at most bbq joints because I often find it to be too dry, is fantastic at Saw's. The sauces are distinct and delicious. The sides I've tried are also all generally excellent. This small mom-and-pop joint is truly some of the better barbecue I've consumed.

    (5)

  • Len W.

    Got pork, chicken and ribs. Wife got pork sandwich. Absolutely no bbq flavor. Pork tasted like it was boiled. Oven roasting meat and putting bbq sauce on it does not make it bbq. Yuck.

    (1)

  • Mike M.

    My flight home got cancelled today which meant I had to spend another night here in Birmingham. I had Saw bookmarked and was glad that I was going to be able to eat there before I left. I went in today at about 6 pm and there were only 3-4 other people in there. I ordered the chicken plate with the BBQ white sauce along with baked beans and potato salad for $11.95. It came out about 5 minutes later and looked a little weird with that white sauce all other that big 1/2 chicken. Weird turned into very good. First of all I am not sure the white sauce tastes like regular BBQ sauce but I enjoyed it a lot. Also the bird was big, moist and flavorful (4). The beans had pulled pork in them so that won points for it. I enjoyed them (4). The potato salad was mayo based and had very small potato pieces that made it look almost like grits. I thought it tasted great (4.5). With this meal having the white sauce and the almost creamy potato salad being different than what you normally get at a BBQ joint all I can say is being different here is very good. This is a quality BBQ place to eat at. By the time I left almost 30 minutes later, the place was full. I now understand why.

    (4)

  • John S.

    A co-worker new in town wanted to go here for lunch after reviews on Yelp and having previously tried the Avondale location. While seating is somewhat limited at the Homewood location (I didn't even realize was here) it is expansive in comparison to Avondale. I had the BBQ Pork sandwich, added slaw on top, with macaroni and cheese side. BBQ was moist and flavorful, no added sauce needed. I did anyway - original style (not too sweet and not too spicy). Quantity was more than ample. Macaroni and cheese was good but nothing to write home about. Now that I know it is this close, I will be sure to be back.

    (4)

  • Jim M.

    Very good BBQ!!!!! have eaten here a few times. Yes this does not look like a place that would have great BBQ as it reminds you of a whole in the wall joint. We had the pull pork sandwiches that were spot on, good portions for the money. We tried the fried pickles and the banana pudding, both were really good. All in all you cannot go wrong with Saw's, it is by far the best BBQ in town...

    (4)

  • Debbie C.

    Got bbq here with my Fiancee when he was in town. I think we orered enough food to feed a small army. Atmosphere: 3/5 Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 We ordered our food to-go, but from what we saw while waiting in the store...there were quite a few flies hovering around. Luckily I'm not too squeamish about that. Service was fast and excellent even though the line was out the door, literally! I will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Will B.

    I have now completed the trio of Birmingham Saw's locations. And this one did not disappoint. My first experience with this location was the catering side. Although, going in the location, very similar to the others. It has the charm of the Juke Joint and the size of the Avondale location (maybe slightly bigger). But the Que, even in mass quantity, was the same quality you expect from Saw's. And that white sauce... OH the white sauce. Good on everything. I didn't put it on the banana pudding... Enter the Will B inner dialogue - Bad Conscience - Wait, should I have put it on the banana pudding? Good Conscience - No the pudding is great by itself. BC - But could it be better? GC - White sauce on banana pudding is crazy. BC - But that white sauce is crazy good. GC -That seem excessive and unhealthy. BC - That settles it... I'm trying it next time. Did I mention I love Saw's White Sauce?

    (5)

  • Spencer P.

    Absolutely superb. If you are in Birmingham, you need to stop at Saw's BBQ. If I could afford it, I would eat here everyday. My advice is to get the chicken wings. They are excellent. (Make sure you get the white BBQ sauce) If you are starving, get the platter. I will say this, nothing is bad on the menu. But, if I had to choose my sides, it would be baked beans and green beans! EXCELLENT! GO SAWS!

    (5)

  • Kristian D.

    I had to drive a bit to find this place near Birmingham, but I was glad to do so on my last trip to the South. Saw's BBQ was recommended as a good place to try Alabama style BBQ with the unique white sauce. The restaurant is textbook barbecue joint on a classic Main Street in Homewood. I had to walk a bit to find a parking space, but it was fun to see the rest of the businesses on Oxmoor along the way. I had the chicken with white sauce and a baked potato. The chicken was cooked perfectly with a great rub, but the sauce was a real treat. It tasted like the dressing for cole slaw with a kick and really complimented the chicken. The baked potato was a great side dish and is recommended. Plus, you have to have some iced tea! I was fortunate to try several different styles of barbecue in the South, and I can definitely recommend Saw's for anyone wanting good Alabama barbecue!

    (4)

  • Mike R.

    There's nothing on this menu I don't love. There's rarely a place to sit, but that should tell you something about the quality of their food. Get a big sampler to go and have a picnic in Homewood park.

    (5)

  • John S.

    Best barbecue I've had in Alabama.. And I believe Alabama is thee BBQ Capital of the Known Universe. Saw's is just amazing. The sides, the pork, the chicken, the sauces..... when I visit this is the first place I want to go....and that place used to be Moe's, but sadly no longer. Saw's is the first BBQ joint I never minded waiting in line for 45 minutes to order...my son cautioned me to stay calm and that I would be rewarded for my patience and I WAS! This place is great, put it on your Bucket List. I was visiting my kids from Florida, and my son talked me out of going to Moe's so we wandered down to Saw's on Saturday for lunch. The line was out the door for over an hour, but man was it worth the wait. The pulled pork was smokiley delicious and moist and very tender..... same with the chicken. And WOW, that white sauce is fantastic. The sides were great too, especially the potato salad and beans. And the BBQ sauce is fantastic, a perfect compliment to the pork. I also got a look at the ribs and the stuffed potatoes have to be seen to be believed, they are monstrous in size! Anyway, will have to say goodbye to Moe's on future trips, and they are superb, but Saw's is the King of the whole damn state IMO. And yes, I understand that is a strong statement.

    (5)

  • Denton J.

    Terrible experience. So I call ahead for a pick up lunch order and I get put on hold for at least 10 minutes. Normally I would have hung the phone up yet I wanted a bbq sandwich. I arrive to pick my order up and the lady at the register is rude and has an attitude. Now my idea of a good bbq sandwich is Memphis style-lean pulled pork with bbq sauce, slaw & pickles. Saws version was dry pork that is burnt, no bbq sauce at all, small teaspoon amount of slaw, 1 small pickle and cost $6.72 for a sandwich only. I should have checked the sandwich before I left but thought that a bbq place that gets good ratings and reviews in the Homewood area could get a simple order of pulled pork sandwich,add slaw, bbq sauce and pickles correct. I will go to Jim N Nicks from now on who always gets my order right. Jim N Nicks is hands down better bbq!

    (1)

  • Matt C.

    The best smoked chicken I've ever eaten! I've gotten the saws sampler each time I've gone, and I don't see any reason to change my order any time soon. Great smoked meats, outstanding sauces, good sides, and genuine southern pit BBQ ambiance.

    (5)

  • Jerry M.

    Love a "local" place to eat and per Yelp had to try it. It was also recommended by people I work with. Would agree with them (and Yelp rating). Really great chicken and pulled pork. Very tender. Love the sauce on the chicken. Think their prices are moving from $$ to $$$. Spent $25 for 3 sandwiches and extra coleslaw. Pulled pork sandwich was $5.75 with nothing else. Not a big sandwich. With that said, excellent barbecue. Limited seating.

    (4)

  • Sir Funky P.

    Really unimpressed. Cold bun, soggy from all the sauce they dumped on it. Dry ribs that you had to yank off the bone. Cold pork on the sandwich that was dryer than hell. Maybe it was because it was the day after Christmas things weren't on par? But I don't get the hype. The best part was the collard greens - they were some of the best greens I've ever had. I'd go back just for those.

    (2)

  • Judy D.

    Come hungry as the portions are huge! Smoked chicken with white sauce is great! Baker (baked potato) was old and dry. Come for the BBQ, not the sides.

    (4)

  • David L.

    Birmingham is just brimming with barbecue. Nestled in the suburban Homewood neighborhood and behind a well-kept brick storefront, alongside a cafe and a cupcake shop, lies SAW's barbecue. It's only five years old, but because SAW took over a previous operation, the space already has character, copious wall decoration, and of course the pervasive, sweet smell of barbecue. The small space doubles as a pantry and not in the trendy way. The owner hails from North Carolina, and he brought with him not only license plates but an excellent pulled pork and a well-crafted (Western) vinegar and tomato sauce. He also does superb smoked chicken with an Alabama white sauce. Even the turnip greens receive the attention they need.

    (5)

  • Jarinda W.

    Consistently Great food! The barbecue chicken with white sauce is great and I'm not a huge white sauce fan. Ribs are great too. Yummy banana pudding

    (5)

  • Min M.

    We went to the little joint in Avondale and loved the pork and greens special. Big hunks of beautiful smoky pork over greens and cheese grits crowned with onion rings. Will be hard to branch out and try something else on the menu. The dish had a nice spicy bite. Sauce a little too sweet and light on the vinegar. Enjoyed the bluesy music. Go at off times so you don't have to wait. Worth your time.

    (4)

  • Caysal L.

    Great BBQ and sides. Turnip greens sweet and spicy. Staff was friendly and helpful. Will be back.

    (5)

  • Jeremy K.

    Man this place is crowded. Maybe try it at off peak times, but the food was great. While visiting from FL we stopped in for some local BBQ based on other yelp reviews. We have several different really good places where I live but this was good and unique! My only suggestion would be to hire someone to help you organize and better use the space, unless you like that of course as part of the experience.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 8:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : No
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : No
    Caters : Yes

Saw’s BBQ

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