Johnny Ray’s BBQ

I’m updating just to continue to sing the praises of this place. On a Friday evening after work, I wanted some of their potato salad, so I went by. The sign in front of the door said that their daily special was all you can eat catfish with slaw and fries for $ 14.99. I don’t like catfish, so I didn’t go for that, but it sounds like a good deal for those who do!
I went inside and since it was only about 5:30, it wasn’t really full, though there were a few large tables of people. Someone helped me immediately and took my drink order. I was ready and ordered the Brunswick Stew with a grilled cheese and a side of potato salad. The food came out quickly and didn’t disappoint. The grilled cheese was standard, but it paired well with the Brunswick Stew, which was SO good. A bit thinner than I’m used to, but the flavor was spot on. I would order that by the gallon! The potato salad was as good as the first time, though I ended up taking almost all of it with me.
I said it before and I’ll say it again, this place is GOOD. Good service, good food, good prices. After my first two visits, I honestly cannot find anything negative to say!

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, and I rarely leave positive reviews! I just came home from visiting Johnny Ray’s for the first time, and compared to other dining establishments in the Colonnade, this one seemed rather empty for 7 PM, which concerned me. That concern quickly went away. We were told to grab a table, had drink orders taken followed by some time to look over the menu. I decided on an appetizer for hush puppies, followed by a Texas patty melt. Drinks were refilled for everyone while we waited, without anyone ever asking for them.
When the hush puppies arrived, they were great. I would’ve liked a little more onion in these, but that’s just a personal preference. The meals arrived soon after. I’d never had a patty melt with Swiss cheese before, so that was new for me, plus this patty melt had two patties… much larger than I expected. The Swiss really helps the patty melt along, plus I don’t care for the typical patty melt with rye bread, so being served on Texas toast was definitely welcomed. The flavors blended together nicely. I rarely take food home from a restaurant, but I did on this night. I also rarely get refills for my drinks, but I did that too. The patty melt with fries, the side of hush puppies, and the drink, all for just under $ 15, and another meal for later??? I’ll definitely be back. Great job all around.

If you want to get fed, then Johnny Ray’s is perfect for you. The first thing I have to say I love about Johnny Ray’s is there is a sampler that comes with ribs, chicken, beef, and pork… and 3 sides so you can have a taste of it all. The ribs were impressive as they just fell off the bone. That’s a great start. The chicken was also fall off the bone. The beef and pork were chipped very fine, just the way I like, and both had a delicious smoky taste. Potato salad was mayo based with green onions mixed in. It really had a mild taste to it. Baked beans were wonderful and had meat mixed in. Cole slaw was really good too with a mild vinegar taste. Johnny Ray’s was also very nice and upscale like Jim and Nick’s except not as pricey and more food. Johnny Ray’s made sure I was fed. The one thing I really thought could have been better was the sauce. The sauce is ketchup based. It was unique and was easy on the tastebuds, but it really didn’t click with me. It was ok. There was also a white sauce but it tasted just like Arby’s horsey sauce. It only went well with the beef. But besides the preference in sauces, Johnny Ray’s was great, especially at the portion size.

Typical strip mall bbq. Edible but not much more. There is smoke in the air but I don’t think any of it made it near the meat. Grand daughter had a burger and we had to tell here it was supposed to be crispy like a big cookie. Sauce seemed like catsup with a little water added. This is the south – BBQ should not be like this!

Great BBQ and the pie was unbelievable. These folks really know how to make a great pie. We ended up taking a whole pie back home with us. Large portions for low prices. The BBQ ribs were very tender and juicy. I will definitely be back, whenever I am in Birmingham.

One of the most affordable places to get excellent spare ribs in all of Alabama. Their beans are among the best in this arena as well as their onion rings. I have had a lot of barbecue in several states and I would put Johnny Rays on the top part of the ledger when it comes to quality and value. There are better pulled pork at a few other places, but all in all I really love this place

Man this place hit the spot.
I found out they have a new daily lunch special that is a good deal. I got a big sandwich and two sides for 8 bucks.
I’m stuffed.

Awesome food and great BBQ sauce. Staff and customer service was great. It was nice to be in the south to get great customer service.

BBQ is like religion… there might be nothing wrong with it but if it’s not what you’re used to, you’re just not going to be happy there. That’s how I am with Johnny Ray’s. I went for a rib plate which was 5 generous pork ribs and three sides. The ribs were very tender but too greasy and covered in a WAY too sweet sauce. I prefer a bit of a char and a sauce with bite. I couldn’t add enough tobasco to cut through the sweetness. I went with mac and cheese which was very simple for my tastes with just velveta and noodles. Kids will love it but adults might walk away looking for a more grown up dish. I also had okra and green beans which were both great. My wife got a cheese burger that was reminiscent of a truck stop burger… thin, overcooked and salty. It went largely uneaten. Others at the table had a mix of bbq sandwiches, plates and salads.
My huge complaint was the service. We weren’t ¹⁄₃^rd of the way through our meal and the waitress started asking for desert orders. Halfway through the meal, the deserts showed up and the staff keeps repeatedly asking if they can take our plates despite the fact that we were still eating on them. The waitress and a busboy easily came 4 times and asked to take our plates as we ate. The staff also stood over our shoulder and loudly complained in the middle of the dining room about interpersonal issues over who got the next table, problems with co-​workers, etc. Yeah, it’s a BBQ joint but staff squabbles need to happen off the floor.
Some love Johnny Ray’s but it clearly isn’t my style of BBQ I enjoy or type of service that I find acceptable.

I may have just caught them in a bad day. It’s lunch hour and they weren’t packed but the staff seemed a bit flustered. I stood at the door a little while till I was seated. My waitress was nice but forgetful, which I soon learned was do to being short on staff. I ordered the Riblet plate with fries. It took a little while to get my food. Some of the ribs were fall off the bone tinder but some were hard to chew. The flavor was good. The fries were standard but ok. The portion was great for the cost and took home leftovers. I don’t think this bbq was bad, but it just didn’t stand out to me compared to other places. I think I would have given them a better score if circumstances had not fallen the way they did. Maybe next time will be better.

As a frequent biz traveler and foodie, I’m often disappointed in upscale suburban strip mall fare. Not so with Johnny Ray’s, a local chain around for 50+ years. I was very pleased with my meal and the service early on a Thursday evening. I asked for a substitution on a combo (swap chicken for pork) and my waitress happily asked her boss and got the OK. This was impressive given how rude some places can be when you want to customize your meal. I got an amply-​sized duo of pulled pork and ribs (4) and beware — everything comes with THREE sides! The pork was tender and juicy with the right amount of sauce. The ribs were fall-​off-​the-​bone good, with a little charring like I like ‘em. Also nicely sauced but not overboard. Mac-​n-​cheese was home-​like and Velveeta-​y. Fried okra was small cut and crisp, not mushy, a perfect texture. Baked beans had a little kick, but not too much. All this under $ 15! Others rave about the pie; it was rich and substantial but in my opinion (and for my palate), the chocolate cream slice I ordered was far, far, far too sweet to be enjoyable. The crust and whipped cream led me to believe other flavors might have been a better choice. (Disclaimer: I’m a northerner who also despises sweet tea.) I would definitely return to this restaurant on a future visit!

We went on a Friday night. I had gotten a recommendation to try the brisket. I got the brisket plate and my wife got the brisket sandwich. The brisket came out and had the flavor of roast beef. Both plates came out with something wrong. Mine had the sauce on the meat and not on the side as asked and my wife got baked beans instead of green beans. My plate had the same amount of meat and sides as my wife’s except that both halves of the bun were on the side with the meat on the plate. The difference in price was around $ 2 with mine being more expensive. The fried pickles and fried okra were the only redeeming qualities of this meal. They were very good and worth trying. All in all, this was a mediocre meal.

My son and I shared the «blonde“combo platter with ribs, pork, and chicken. We ordered the fried pickles, Mac and cheese, and the fried okra as our sides. The stars of meal were the chicken, the fried pickles and the service.

Very Consistently good BBQ Pork, Chicken, Veggies & Pies. Always accommodating service. One of my favorite BBQ Restaurants.

SO over-​priced for what it is. And yet they are really chintzy with even the amount of sauce you get on a take-​out order. What they refer to as a «pint» is nowhere near a pint… We asked for a pound of chopped chicken & a pound of chopped pork – only the chicken was chopped. And I don’t even think it was a pound of each. THAT with two sides and biscuits came to almost $ 60. The sauce was gone after we ate the chicken. They are so CHEAP with what they give you, but yet they grossly over-​price it. And then they get the order wrong… I eat it every few years with friends who suggest it, but it’s always the same. They’re cheap and it’s a rip-​off. Carlisle’s is better, over-​all, and Dreamland has a better sauce that they are not stingy with.

Ive eaten ate johnny rays across the state for me this is one of the most consistent you know what youre getting when you order and the flavor is the same the banana pie is still the best ive ever had

I live in the neighborhood and my visit to Johnny Ray’s tonight was a reminder of what’s good about it. Let’s get the good/​not great out of the way. The BBQ is good. It’s not the greatest. I mean that literally. It really is good but only the greatest is the greatest and I’m still looking for it (since the decline of Gridley’s in Memphis.)
Consistently nice people working there. I dropped in tonight… and tonight is July 4^th. Hadn’t called ahead. This is a large restaurant and it was packed both inside and outside on the patio. Employees running everywhere. I made my modest to-​go order and a very nice waitress had it in my hands in 5 minutes. Amazing.
Now, here’s what IS the greatest. The pies. Oh, the pies. I forget how many kind they make – chocolate, lemon, coconut and maybe more – because I always get one of those. Listen. Listen to me. Listen. The pies. If you are in Birmingham, eat at Johnny Ray’s or eat somewhere else, but get yourself to this store, or any of the locations in Birmingham, and have a piece of pie.

I agree that this place did have a «chainy» vibe to it. It still had that upscale bistro feel which I liked, even for being a BBQ place. The food itself was marginal, but you get ALOT of it. Definitely not the best BBQ I’ve ever had, but not the worst by any means. I got the ribs and they were pretty good. The BBQ sauce is pretty basic with little levels of flavoring you expect out of a sauce. The staff was really friendly and our waitress was one of the nicest servers I’ve had in a long while. If you’re looking for a decent BBQ joint, Johnny Ray’s is worth a try.

An absolute BBQ staple in this town.
My personal favorite is the open face pork sandwich (chopped, outside). It comes with a side of fries that covers the plate. A lot of times I’ll rotate the pork with dark meat (brunette) chicken. Too good.
No matter what you do, save room for the pie. Lemon Ice box, chocolate cream, Banana, or coconut cream… you can’t go wrong. Without question, these are the best pies in town!

Was looking for a good BBQ joint and this place was recommended by one of the locals (always listen to the locals!). The place is very clean and the servers were excellent (as were all of our servers in Birmingham!!). Our «local» contact recommended them for BBQ and for their burgers (he said they were the 3^rd best in Birmingham for burgers).
Got the sweet tea (excellent…with a BIG lemon wedge). Husband ordered the burger (he is not a true BBQ fan, although he indulges me in my quest for BBQ). The burger looked and smelled good and he loved it. He also loved the french fries. Although I went in intending to order the BBQ, I asked for a taste of the Brunswick stew… as mentioned in previous reviews, I have been on a quest for the Brunswick stew of my childhood for ages. They brought a generous taste and I was in love… veggies, chunks of meat and tomatoes, and a sharp vinegar taste. So instead of the Q, I ordered the stew and it was amazing. If I hadn’t been afraid of people staring, I would have licked the bowl. Big :) But… as I was sitting there eating and people watching… I noticed something you don’t see much any more… table after table after table were ordering pieces of pie. hhhmmmmm… let’s face it, most restaurant desserts are not worth the time, money or calories… but I have never, in the space of 45 minutes or so, seen so many people order dessert. So I caved… I looked at the menu and ordered pie… coconut cream pie. That was a test… it is REALLY hard to make a good coconut cream pie without it being gluey and overly sweet. However… THEY DID IT! It was a wonderful slice of coconut cream pie… it was amazing… if I lived in Birmingham, I would weigh 300 pounds. I immediately wanted to try the chocolate pie and the lemon pie… but, alas, had no room. Maybe on my next visit! oh yeah… I never did get to taste the BBQ here… so I don’t know if it’s good, bad, or indifferent!

Above average, if not good, BBQ at a great value.
To be fair, I am a bit biased because I grew up eating with my family at one of the original Johnny Ray’s locations. I grew up comparing pretty much every BBQ joint to Johnny Ray’s. So, I am a fan of the barbeque here. It is not the best, not even my favorite in B’ham, but Johnny Ray’s is good food, at good prices with typically good service. And, an important positive is: they are consistent. They are not going to wow you or win any BBQ competitions in Kansas City. But, you will definitely find some good food.
I’m a self-​proclaimed «Grill Master.» And, normally I would be outside with a cold drink cooking over my own hot flames or coals. Since I do not currently have access to my grills I wanted some good BBQ and I wanted it with convenience. We were really close to Johnny Ray’s at the Colonade so it was an easy choice.
Despite being very busy they did a great job of getting us seated right away, getting our server right over to us and taking care of us without making the crowd an issue. That’s a big plus-​1 to them for that. We had a couple BB Q sandwiches, one regular brunette chicken and one jumbo sliced pork, with fries and some fried pickles. It was all hot, it was all fresh and it was all cooked extremely well. That’s another round of applause from me. We did not have any pie, as we are both fairly health conscious these days and had already gone well beyond the planned calorie count, but take it from my past experiences… if you are a dessert eater have some of Honey’s Pies. Pick your favorite flavor and enjoy a slice of sweet, southern deliciousness. You’re welcome.

This is a three and a half star BBQ establishment in Birmingham. The BBQ is good (ribs, pork, and chicken), but has good and better days. The fries are excellent, onion rings are good to excellent, and the pies are a treat once you wade through the mound of cream on top of them. The sweet tea is delicious.
Avoid the potato salad, and don’t expect too much from the slaw. The salads, burgers and baked potatoes are all OK, but you have had better elsewhere.
One nice thing about this place is that the staff, though sometimes rushed at lunch, are generally very friendly, quick with refills, and glad to serve you.