Saucy Q Barbecue in Mobile, AL

I first heard about this barbecue restaurant in Mobile from my cab driver one day, and decided to find it and give it a try. We had enjoyed some of the other Mobile eateries we'd found so far, and we had a hankerin' for some ribs.

My pal Evan Hanna and I took a quick ride over to 1111 Government St. to Saucy Q Barbecue, which is located in what looks like it had been an old Western Steer chain restaurant. The placement of their smoker in the front of the restaurant gave me a reassurance that this might be worth the trip.

Upon entering the foyer I got another great whiff of wood smoke and pork. After scanning the MENU I elected to get an order or rib tips and "knuckles." The tips come from the bottom end of the ribs, I don't want to venture a guess where the "knuckles" come from. Although I do not like really "wet" barbecue, (I prefer applying any extra sauce by myself), the sauce was excellent and the ribs were tender and flavorful.

I also got a pork sandwich that was more ground than pulled. It had a tasty slaw on it and came with the sauce on the side. The meat was flavorful and smoky and was laid on generously. I was impressed.

My buddy Evan got a full rack of spare ribs, about a dozen big and meaty. The were also served with the sauce on the side. The meat came off pretty clean, and could have been a little more tender, but all in all were tasty and smoky. I will have them next time.

The sides were all excellent. Between Evan and myself we had the macaroni and cheese, collard greens, french fries and cornbread muffins. All tasted scratch made, (the collards were awesome) and all were done very well.

I met the owner Elbert Wingfield, and I told him our thoughts on the food, how we really enjoyed it. He was a very friendly man, you could tell he likes people. He is a barbecue aficionado, who evidently knows his craft. Most barbecue joints disappoint me with their sauce, some use an institutional sauce, but this was sweet like I like it, smoky, and did what it's supposed to do.

We got a couple of pictures and bid him farewell. One thing is we forgot to was ring the bell, indicating a satisfied customer. OK, sorry we forgot, but we had a great lunch, nice atmosphere, and a friendly and attentive staff. When hungry in Mobile, head on over the Saucy Q's Barbecue Restaurant for a great meal, and tell them RouxBDoo sent you!.