I've been here several times. The are independent barbecue restaurant. Its very old-school. The staff is always pleasant. I ordered the rib and chicken combo. I started with the French onion soup. The croutons are good and the mozzarella cheese was creamy and bubbly. The ribs and chicken were great. I ordered the center cut ribs which were perfectly cooked. The were so tender and juicy. The chicken was not dry,but moist and flavorful. What makes the meal, is the sauce. The sauce is so amazing. It has that tart, tangy, rich vinegar and smoky flavor that puts tears in your eyes.
(4)
Edward P.
Upon driving to find a place to eat, I thought to stop here. The parking lot was packed, so I definitely thought the experience would be great. Well, I was wrong. We ordered the family feast -- BBQ ribs, bbq chicken, a few other amenities and a house salad. I had cauliflower and cheese soup. First, the customer service was what you would expect from a 1980s diner instead of restaurant competing with other restaurants 2014 by setting themselves apart with a superb customer experience. The tables were small, the family salad was just iceberg lettuce with just a few pieces of cucumber and tomato and there was very little focus on pleasing customers at the table. Oh yeah....that bbq chicken? Ummm....they brought broasted chicken and asked if we wanted that because the kitchen made a mistake. Well, we eventually received bbq chicken that didn't look all that pleasing. There were tables around us sending food back left and right. I don't see this place lasting too much longer, unfortunately. On a good note, the soup had great seasoning....just not much cauliflower.
(1)
Doc S.
Alexander the Great. Nope, Alexander the Overly-priced Mediocre is nearer to the truth. Basic fair, certainly nothing special on the menu, the broasted chicken had no flavour.
This is a place with a decent history in Westland yet hasn't done much to upgrade the interior of the restaurant nor the quality of the food. I ordered a full slab meal to go and was a bit surprised that unless you ask for napkins, forks, etc they will not place them in your carryout. That seems petty IMHO. The ribs? A bit on the tough side and burnt. There isn't enough BBQ sauce provided to use on the full slab either. It wasn't completely bad food yet I didn't feel like I had enjoyed it that much... I don't think I will go back. It is a shame that this place has allowed the 'new kid' (Famous Dave's) to come in and offer a much better slab of ribs (meatier too) and the response to the competition is to lower your prices. I think the quality has been lowered also.
(2)
Szcz M.
Love it here. We moved an hour away and still make the trek back 3 or 4 times a year just for these ribs! Sure, the decor is outdated, but the food is amazing. Great ribs, indulge in the delicious bread, and treat yourself to this hidden gem. Great value for price.
(5)
Debbie Z.
Me and my friend went to Alexander the Great - although don't know what is so great about it? We went on a Friday evening and there was a line, so we decided to sit at the bar and have dinner there. There was some sort of special ribs for two for like less than $20, so we decided to have that. When our bill came it was like $60 for this mediocre restaurant. Yeah, we did have a glass of wine (or two), but really? They don't offer bottles and we asked about a carafe of wine, but nada. The food is alright, nothing great, but okay. I don't think it was worth $30 per person though. The restaurant was semi clean considering it was quite busy. The owner and waitress was friendly. Nothing great, but good. Would I go back? I don't know to perfectly honest and if I do I would definitely leave the alcohol alone because it is extremely costly!!!!
(3)
Kimberly S.
The food was okay wont return the margarita wasn't a real margarita and every time you ask the waitress a question she say I don't know then why take my order the best thing was the chicken bean soup
(1)
Bruce F.
Alexander the Great has been in Westland as long as I can remember. We used to get the Movie/Dinner package at the Quo Vadis Theater and have enjoyed going there ever since. The latest visit was again driven by a $15.99 coupon for a slab of Ribs for 2. The Ribs were good, but a little chewy this time. Not up to the usual standards. The Barbecue was a little sweet for me. The Cole slaw was good with a hint of horseradish and the fries or home fries were both very tasty. All in all it was a good meal for the price. It doesn't look like they have made many improvements to the facility over the years, but it was clean and well maintained. I'm going with 3 stars and I'll be back... (with a coupon)
(3)
Gary A.
We stop by here for lunch over the weekend, this wasn't a destination, but it look interesting. A local place, not a chain are always worth trying. So the decor and oddly even the music was '70s. The decor was was inside bricks and Formica. The music was set on WOMC - it was very ironic. I agree it felt like another local rib joint, the Bone Yard, but Alexander the Great wasn't as dank. The menu was pretty large, but ribs are their specialty. We went with the BBQ 1/2 rack of ribs and 1/2 chicken for two. It was a generous offering, 6-7 ribs and chicken, with a choice of potato, coleslaw and Texas toast. There is BBQ sauce on the meat, and every table had its own additional bottle. The sauce is thin, vinegary, and more spices than sweet. I thought the chicken was better than the ribs and the wife thought the ribs were better. You go to this type of local place and you wonder how you can update and make into a "Westland" version of Slows. They do a decent job. Maybe cut the menu and focus more on the BBQ. Update the decor, open up the cooking area, and maybe introduce a couple of different sauces.
(3)
Shawn M.
I have now been here twice, Only had the Broasted Chicken but it is well worth the wait and much better then the Shack across the street.
(3)
Robert N.
Sorry to say we won't be back, ever! Manager wants to argue over an expiration date and not honor our certificate! Paid for movie tickets and two dinners and because we came in 3 weeks past the expiration date, they're going to charge us $10! Bad customer service!
(1)
Liz W.
I find the barbecue items here similar to Bone Yard's. The sauce is very similar indeed, thin and zesty. They sell bottles of it if you decide it's your thing. The menu is much bigger here though, with more to offer other than barbecue. The barbecue chicken here is nowhere as good but the meaty ribs are much more tender and considerably better. I definitely am happy with them and order them as my meal as a general rule. The broasted chicken and pasta salad are tasty and my dad likes to get a reuben occasionally when I am here with him. The texas toast here is nice and I stick with the regular fries. The salad is a much better option than coleslaw if given a choice of course. They run specials all the time if you know where to look and you can get a slab for two dirt cheap (under 15 bucks) with one of their coupons. Without it it runs 20 which is still a nice deal. They also run a dinner and a movie deal for 30 and have a two for one lunch deal available on retailmenot.com . There is never a wait when we stop in. It is clean if not terribly stylish inside. Service is very good, efficient and friendly. I always feel like we get good value for the money even if I am never totally wowed. A nice local business.
(3)
Anna M.
The three times I have gone, service has been good. The salad is basically watery lettuce with dressing. Ribs are incredibly dry and tough. Other things not as bad. Desserts are good. Expensive for the lack of quality. It doesn't really cater to kids so if you bring them PLEASE, bring something to entertain them.
(2)
Michael T.
This place is somewhat true to its name - I actually had ribs prepared by Alexander The Great, the King of Macedonia, from some time around 360 BC. Well at least they tasted that bad and old! Talk about charcoal and sauce - no tenderness in the ribs at all - Barely could cut through them with the serated knife. I take some blame for not sending these aweful ribs back - they were covered in sauce and we were starving so we ate a few bites off of the larger ribs. The place was crowded and didn't see the waitress for awhile, so we ate a little off of a few more - we were trying to be troupers as I checked the tables around us and they were also eating some dry charcoaled ribs. I eventually told our waitress that these were the worst ribs I have ever eaten - she looked at the three ribs left on the main plate that were just inedible and the five ribs that only had a bite out of them and said we should have complained earlier and agreed that these looked bad! Unfortunately, she did not do anything to correct the situation which was surprising as she was a good waitress in other respects. Truthfully, I already lost my appetite for any ribs at this point. Caesar "the cold" fryer was also working the fryer tonight as the french fries were cold and soggy. My boy loves fries and all he could do with these was try to eat a few - chewing them up and spitting them out looking like some type of Mc Nugget. He ate 2 bites of his hamburger and that was $5.95 down the drain. I did like the breadsticks served before dinner and the garlic bread was also good. I paid my bill and after the transaction was said and done I had to tell the owners daughter about the ribs I described to her as "horrible". She said we should have said something earlier as she recognizes that things like this "happen". Well Sh!t happens and I ate Sh!t tonight and paid $35 for it. - LOL! I could have pressed it, but we did eat a liitle off of 2/3rds of the ribs. I just left the place feeling horrible that I didn't make bigger deal earlier with the waitress. I have to give this place a Big Avoid just because you might be getting a meal that was prepared in 360 bc. If you do go there, be prepared to be embarrassed by having to send back your dry, old ribs and cold, soggy fries ASAP.
(1)
Kristina A.
My husband was a previous die-hard fan of Golden Feather. On a recommendation, we drove out to try the ribs here. We had the ribs for two special (have to buy 2 drinks), which was reasonably priced. Everything was fresh and served fairly quickly. As previous reviewers have mentioned the menu is pretty large. While the portion size is smaller than Golden Feather, the ribs were not fatty, my husband loved them! While it is true, the place is VERY quiet....I think we joined the early bird bunch....lol, it was definitely a winner for us.... you can even sign up on their online site and get coupons..... Everything was great!
(5)
Andria B.
MMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My husband and I came in for dinner this past Tuesday and received fast and friendly service. I had the ribs and he had the ribs and chicken combo. Both of our meals were delicious and we actually had enough food for twso or three additional meals. Their sauce is a great mix of tangy and sweet, and even the garlic bread was delicious. We will be back when we get our next BBQ craving : )
(5)
Cherry H.
Don't waste your appetite or money here! Ribs were tough and overcooked. Chicken was bland, no flavor.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Private Lot Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Garry B.
I've been here several times. The are independent barbecue restaurant. Its very old-school. The staff is always pleasant. I ordered the rib and chicken combo. I started with the French onion soup. The croutons are good and the mozzarella cheese was creamy and bubbly. The ribs and chicken were great. I ordered the center cut ribs which were perfectly cooked. The were so tender and juicy. The chicken was not dry,but moist and flavorful. What makes the meal, is the sauce. The sauce is so amazing. It has that tart, tangy, rich vinegar and smoky flavor that puts tears in your eyes.
(4)Edward P.
Upon driving to find a place to eat, I thought to stop here. The parking lot was packed, so I definitely thought the experience would be great. Well, I was wrong. We ordered the family feast -- BBQ ribs, bbq chicken, a few other amenities and a house salad. I had cauliflower and cheese soup. First, the customer service was what you would expect from a 1980s diner instead of restaurant competing with other restaurants 2014 by setting themselves apart with a superb customer experience. The tables were small, the family salad was just iceberg lettuce with just a few pieces of cucumber and tomato and there was very little focus on pleasing customers at the table. Oh yeah....that bbq chicken? Ummm....they brought broasted chicken and asked if we wanted that because the kitchen made a mistake. Well, we eventually received bbq chicken that didn't look all that pleasing. There were tables around us sending food back left and right. I don't see this place lasting too much longer, unfortunately. On a good note, the soup had great seasoning....just not much cauliflower.
(1)Doc S.
Alexander the Great. Nope, Alexander the Overly-priced Mediocre is nearer to the truth. Basic fair, certainly nothing special on the menu, the broasted chicken had no flavour.
(1)Lanita E.
I convinced my fiancé to eat at this restaurant after we accidentally passed the restaurant we intended to go to. Much regret. I don't know when this place went downhill. 4-5 years back, the place had pretty good ribs and chicken. Present day, the food is awful. I order the rib and chicken combo. Both were charred. The ribs were tough and dry. The chicken was charred and dry. Only good thing was the massive baked potato. My fiancé had the cod and chicken. He wanted broasted chicken, but was told there would be a 15-minute wait. He opted for the barbeque instead. His chicken was also charred. The wing was inedible. The fish was just 2-small pieces and was just okay. Very disappointed. smh
(1)Darryl J.
This is a place with a decent history in Westland yet hasn't done much to upgrade the interior of the restaurant nor the quality of the food. I ordered a full slab meal to go and was a bit surprised that unless you ask for napkins, forks, etc they will not place them in your carryout. That seems petty IMHO. The ribs? A bit on the tough side and burnt. There isn't enough BBQ sauce provided to use on the full slab either. It wasn't completely bad food yet I didn't feel like I had enjoyed it that much... I don't think I will go back. It is a shame that this place has allowed the 'new kid' (Famous Dave's) to come in and offer a much better slab of ribs (meatier too) and the response to the competition is to lower your prices. I think the quality has been lowered also.
(2)Szcz M.
Love it here. We moved an hour away and still make the trek back 3 or 4 times a year just for these ribs! Sure, the decor is outdated, but the food is amazing. Great ribs, indulge in the delicious bread, and treat yourself to this hidden gem. Great value for price.
(5)Debbie Z.
Me and my friend went to Alexander the Great - although don't know what is so great about it? We went on a Friday evening and there was a line, so we decided to sit at the bar and have dinner there. There was some sort of special ribs for two for like less than $20, so we decided to have that. When our bill came it was like $60 for this mediocre restaurant. Yeah, we did have a glass of wine (or two), but really? They don't offer bottles and we asked about a carafe of wine, but nada. The food is alright, nothing great, but okay. I don't think it was worth $30 per person though. The restaurant was semi clean considering it was quite busy. The owner and waitress was friendly. Nothing great, but good. Would I go back? I don't know to perfectly honest and if I do I would definitely leave the alcohol alone because it is extremely costly!!!!
(3)Kimberly S.
The food was okay wont return the margarita wasn't a real margarita and every time you ask the waitress a question she say I don't know then why take my order the best thing was the chicken bean soup
(1)Bruce F.
Alexander the Great has been in Westland as long as I can remember. We used to get the Movie/Dinner package at the Quo Vadis Theater and have enjoyed going there ever since. The latest visit was again driven by a $15.99 coupon for a slab of Ribs for 2. The Ribs were good, but a little chewy this time. Not up to the usual standards. The Barbecue was a little sweet for me. The Cole slaw was good with a hint of horseradish and the fries or home fries were both very tasty. All in all it was a good meal for the price. It doesn't look like they have made many improvements to the facility over the years, but it was clean and well maintained. I'm going with 3 stars and I'll be back... (with a coupon)
(3)Gary A.
We stop by here for lunch over the weekend, this wasn't a destination, but it look interesting. A local place, not a chain are always worth trying. So the decor and oddly even the music was '70s. The decor was was inside bricks and Formica. The music was set on WOMC - it was very ironic. I agree it felt like another local rib joint, the Bone Yard, but Alexander the Great wasn't as dank. The menu was pretty large, but ribs are their specialty. We went with the BBQ 1/2 rack of ribs and 1/2 chicken for two. It was a generous offering, 6-7 ribs and chicken, with a choice of potato, coleslaw and Texas toast. There is BBQ sauce on the meat, and every table had its own additional bottle. The sauce is thin, vinegary, and more spices than sweet. I thought the chicken was better than the ribs and the wife thought the ribs were better. You go to this type of local place and you wonder how you can update and make into a "Westland" version of Slows. They do a decent job. Maybe cut the menu and focus more on the BBQ. Update the decor, open up the cooking area, and maybe introduce a couple of different sauces.
(3)Shawn M.
I have now been here twice, Only had the Broasted Chicken but it is well worth the wait and much better then the Shack across the street.
(3)Robert N.
Sorry to say we won't be back, ever! Manager wants to argue over an expiration date and not honor our certificate! Paid for movie tickets and two dinners and because we came in 3 weeks past the expiration date, they're going to charge us $10! Bad customer service!
(1)Liz W.
I find the barbecue items here similar to Bone Yard's. The sauce is very similar indeed, thin and zesty. They sell bottles of it if you decide it's your thing. The menu is much bigger here though, with more to offer other than barbecue. The barbecue chicken here is nowhere as good but the meaty ribs are much more tender and considerably better. I definitely am happy with them and order them as my meal as a general rule. The broasted chicken and pasta salad are tasty and my dad likes to get a reuben occasionally when I am here with him. The texas toast here is nice and I stick with the regular fries. The salad is a much better option than coleslaw if given a choice of course. They run specials all the time if you know where to look and you can get a slab for two dirt cheap (under 15 bucks) with one of their coupons. Without it it runs 20 which is still a nice deal. They also run a dinner and a movie deal for 30 and have a two for one lunch deal available on retailmenot.com . There is never a wait when we stop in. It is clean if not terribly stylish inside. Service is very good, efficient and friendly. I always feel like we get good value for the money even if I am never totally wowed. A nice local business.
(3)Anna M.
The three times I have gone, service has been good. The salad is basically watery lettuce with dressing. Ribs are incredibly dry and tough. Other things not as bad. Desserts are good. Expensive for the lack of quality. It doesn't really cater to kids so if you bring them PLEASE, bring something to entertain them.
(2)Michael T.
This place is somewhat true to its name - I actually had ribs prepared by Alexander The Great, the King of Macedonia, from some time around 360 BC. Well at least they tasted that bad and old! Talk about charcoal and sauce - no tenderness in the ribs at all - Barely could cut through them with the serated knife. I take some blame for not sending these aweful ribs back - they were covered in sauce and we were starving so we ate a few bites off of the larger ribs. The place was crowded and didn't see the waitress for awhile, so we ate a little off of a few more - we were trying to be troupers as I checked the tables around us and they were also eating some dry charcoaled ribs. I eventually told our waitress that these were the worst ribs I have ever eaten - she looked at the three ribs left on the main plate that were just inedible and the five ribs that only had a bite out of them and said we should have complained earlier and agreed that these looked bad! Unfortunately, she did not do anything to correct the situation which was surprising as she was a good waitress in other respects. Truthfully, I already lost my appetite for any ribs at this point. Caesar "the cold" fryer was also working the fryer tonight as the french fries were cold and soggy. My boy loves fries and all he could do with these was try to eat a few - chewing them up and spitting them out looking like some type of Mc Nugget. He ate 2 bites of his hamburger and that was $5.95 down the drain. I did like the breadsticks served before dinner and the garlic bread was also good. I paid my bill and after the transaction was said and done I had to tell the owners daughter about the ribs I described to her as "horrible". She said we should have said something earlier as she recognizes that things like this "happen". Well Sh!t happens and I ate Sh!t tonight and paid $35 for it. - LOL! I could have pressed it, but we did eat a liitle off of 2/3rds of the ribs. I just left the place feeling horrible that I didn't make bigger deal earlier with the waitress. I have to give this place a Big Avoid just because you might be getting a meal that was prepared in 360 bc. If you do go there, be prepared to be embarrassed by having to send back your dry, old ribs and cold, soggy fries ASAP.
(1)Kristina A.
My husband was a previous die-hard fan of Golden Feather. On a recommendation, we drove out to try the ribs here. We had the ribs for two special (have to buy 2 drinks), which was reasonably priced. Everything was fresh and served fairly quickly. As previous reviewers have mentioned the menu is pretty large. While the portion size is smaller than Golden Feather, the ribs were not fatty, my husband loved them! While it is true, the place is VERY quiet....I think we joined the early bird bunch....lol, it was definitely a winner for us.... you can even sign up on their online site and get coupons..... Everything was great!
(5)Andria B.
MMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My husband and I came in for dinner this past Tuesday and received fast and friendly service. I had the ribs and he had the ribs and chicken combo. Both of our meals were delicious and we actually had enough food for twso or three additional meals. Their sauce is a great mix of tangy and sweet, and even the garlic bread was delicious. We will be back when we get our next BBQ craving : )
(5)Cherry H.
Don't waste your appetite or money here! Ribs were tough and overcooked. Chicken was bland, no flavor.
(1)