Dreamland Bar-B-Que

I’ve been to the original dreamland and thought the ribs were delicious, but this was not the case at this location. The ribs were so tough. I couldn’t believe this was their specialty and the ribs were so dry and tough. I would not go back to this location.

Ribs were dry and tough. Not good. The white loaf bread was good. It’s hard to screw up white loaf bread. Thankfully we finished on a high note with the banana pudding. But, you can’t save bad barbecue with banana pudding.

This location is a little bit more polished than the older restaurant in Tuscaloosa. Same food is served though. Our waitress was attentive and provided great service. I ordered ribs and banana pudding. Ribs are pretty good, a little tough, sauce is amazing. Banana pudding is some of the best I’ve ever had. I love going to dreamland when I visit Tuscaloosa.

AWFUL! Seriously some of the worse BBQ in town. Waste of money. The waitress was annoying, always trying to butt in our conversation and talk when we were just trying to enjoy a sunday meal. Some may call this being friendly, but no she went on and on. The BBQ wrap was basically a lunchable wrap with McRib meat from McDonalds. My boyfriend got a chicken sandwich that was more like pigeon meat. It was so bad!

Having moved to the Tuscaloosa area just over four years ago, I’d like to think that I’ve given this place more than enough opportunities to serve up a decent plate of their most well-​known offering: Ribs. After eight visits (the last three within the last 30 days), I am thoroughly convinced that the pit master doesn’t know how to cook ribs. I can get decent pulled pork/​chicken/​sausage just about anywhere in town, but the quintessential benchmark that becomes stuff of legend for any BBQ joint worth its salt is their take on the pork rib. It’s unfortunate that I write this but my review echoes the same sentiments as most of the other reviews found regarding Dreamland: the ribs are dry, tough and have more fat on them than meat. On top of it all, during my last three visits I have gone within the hour after they have opened, mid-​afternoon and during the dinner rush and their ribs have never failed to disappoint. But the greatest tragedy of all this relates back to when I first arrived in town & tried them for the first time… the ribs were tough back then too (in fact, I can’t remember a single time that I ever received a rib that was acceptable for consumption). And as far as dine-​in goes? No way! Service is awful & staff acts as if they’re doing you a favor by serving you. Everyone told me this was the place to go for BBQ upon relocation to Alabama; maybe the locals haven’t been to Dreamland in quite some time? Either way, spend your hard-​earned dollar at another BBQ joint that actually cares about the product they put out; the mystique & the lore of this place isn’t enough to save it! Having said all this, in my opinion their only saving grace is the sauce; now that is certainly worth a try.

The ribs are not the best, in fact I would rather have ribs from Publix. They are really fatty and taste undercooked. Been here twice and the service was awful both times. You will hear people say «Dreamland is a must visit when you’re in town». You can get better food and more culture at any other place in town. If you are wanting really good ribs. Go down the street to Archibald’s.

Service is poor. In April, we thought we had a bad waitress, but now I think it is a bad manager with poorly trained staff serving customers. Waited 45 minutes for food (never received) and left the restaurant. Waiter kept on telling us our food was coming up next, but every other customer that came into the restaurant after us was being served. After calling the manager on our way home, found out that the waiter either forgot to enter the order or it got lost in the kitchen. He re-​entered the order and did not tell us what was going on. Manager also blamed the long wait on a backup on pulled pork — when we saw butts being take to the kitchen from the pit. Manager must not know what is going on. Plenty of dirty tables. It really is a shame this is going on. Dreamland gets good reviews, but maybe because they go to the other locations.

The staff was good. I ordered half a slab it took them 20 mins to bring them out. The ribs were dried out and hard. I love the sauce but won’t go back again. I can make better ribs at home.

The barbecue is a one star at best. We had ribs and chicken wings which were a real let down. The banana pudding is the only positive item.

Great Staff! RIBS are the best you’ll ever have. Best BBQ of all time.
Ain’t Nothing Like Em Nowhere!

Hard to find and worth the hunt. Best bar-​b-​q I think I’ve ever had. Go on an empty stomach and a free weekend. You’ll stay up dreaming about the meat that just fell in love with your taste buds and hi jacked your thoughts.

Great ribs. Great sauce. Waiter roulette for slow service. The temperature of the meat depends speed of service. I’ve had cold ribs before.

This dreamland has a larger and newer space! The ribs and banana pudding and sausage are must haves! It will not disappoint you but not too much surprise you!

This is a must stop by. We stop every time through town. Consistently great! Ribs are to die for. Sauce is hot and perfect. Even makes a simple thing like white bread taste delicious. Banana pudding is the best I’ve ever had. No complaints here.

Dreamland is more of an experience that must be had if you’re in Tuscaloosa than necessarily the world’s greatest ribs. It’s kinda like going to Atlanta and not drinking a Coke — just doesn’t make any sense. Natives will recommend Archibalds and a handful of other – (are you sure this passed the health inspection?) holeindawall — places to have your pork fixings.
That being said, I don’t always eat pork but when I do I happen to be here.
I ordered a half slab and found the sauce to be delicious but have always though the ribs could be a little more tender (almost spelled this tinder, ha!).
The banana pudding is where it’s at and I haven’t been this close to diabetes in a long time thanks to their delicious sweet tea.
I always feel like I’m cheating on the original dreamland by visiting this one. The original dreamland is pretty far to drive though. This place is clean and I don’t think they have to payoff the health inspectors.
Try it, go. Get the experience under your belt and brag about being there the next time you see Bama whooping tale on your TV.

Unimpressive. From the sauce to mains to entrees it was disappointing. Based on the hype I heard from other travelers, Dreamland is supposedly the best that Tuscaloosa has to offer. The sauce is overly vinegared and spicy. It overpowers where it should compliment. The sides are not fresh-​made (bought in/​from box). Which, next to the meats, should be what any BBQ joint prides itself on. A nonexistent draught beer selection underlines the overall letdown that Dreamland offers. Recommend anywhere else to get their southern ‘Q fix.

Have been to Dreamland four or five times when visiting our daughter at UA. The ribs seem to have gone downhill, especially on the most recent visit. They seem to take a shortcut in preparing the ribs, maybe doing a parboil followed by a quick searing over an open flame. Whatever, the ribs were tough and grisly, not the same tender result that you get from slow cooking with smoke.
Everything else was great, especially the BBQ sauce!

consistent comfort food-​kids love
choose original location-​in sticks of tuscaloosa-​if want best

Big, meaty, succulent, ribs in a near-​perfect sauce, served by the half or full rack. My mouth is watering just from having typed that.
«Ribs». That’s Dreamland’s clarion call. Everything else is good, but those ribs are the must-​stop-​for item for our regular Alabama crossings to points east. In fact the original Dreamland, on a twisting backroad south of Tuscaloosa, serves only ribs. All of the other locations offer a broader menu with chicken, brisket, and pulled pork.
In addition to the outstanding ribs, two items deserve honorable mention: the sauce itself and the banana pudding. Other menu items are more in line with good bbq places across the south. The chicken reminds me of Sonny’s. For me, the sauce is best paired with the ribs, but others in my travel party look forward to that same sauce on the other meats and probably will bristle at my inclusion of «Sonny’s» in the same paragraph as «Dreamland.» As with Sonny’s, the racks of sauce jars for sale are testament that other customers feel this way.
The banana pudding reminds me and probably most baby-​boomer patrons of the treat our moms made from the Nilla recipe when we were children. The smallest serving is about the size of a golf ball, not much more than a taste. The larger servings are more satisfying but also add insult to dietary injury, though anyone who sets foot into Dreamland probably isn’t particularly worried about longevity.
One of my frequent Dreamland companions is challenging me on my four star rating. He asks, «what is it that they could improve? Why not a full five stars?» For those looking for ribs – and big wet-​style ribs, to be specific – Dreamland rates five stars. The rest of the menu is very good but not exceptional; for the non-​rib bbq fan, I give four stars. (He continues the argument, saying that the pulled pork is also worth five stars. «OK, then, go write your own review.»)

First, let me point out that I’ve never given southern BBQ fewer than four stars, and I fully expected Dreamland to be worthy of five. Here are the three strikes that dropped them to two, in my book… My pulled pork was way too fatty (sickeningly so), the sauce was way too vinegary, and the service wasn’t great.
If you’re not a vinegar & fat fan, go west into MS for five-​star BBQ. My favorites are in Hattiesburg & Natchez.