ken's hickory pit barbecue

i have been going to ken's bbq since i started work nearby in 1990. that's 32 years off and on. i can say because i know, the food has gotten worse every year since it was sold a few years back. i was willing to give it one more try today, even though the last few times i went it was sub-par from what i'm used to. sadly, this was the worst it has ever been. the mac and cheese was runny and kraft does better. i ordered inside cut and the meat had an off odor and taste. even the slaw was off. the only good thing i can say was that the portions were tiny so i didn't have to suffer long. 80% of the food went into the trash. get it together mike. you can do better than that.

none better. went there and got the most awsome breakfast last saturday ham, eggs, grits, gravy, biscuits. enough to share, and the smell of the bar b q made me go back for lunch for my cousin's birthday. get it to go so none goes to waste!!

the bbq doesn't have a smoke taste. the ribs were tender but tasted like they were boiled not grilled or smoked. my family had ribs and the pork sandwiches. probably won't eat here again. staff was friendly

simply great. live in fl now and go back every chance i get. modest family place that makes you feel at home. never disappointed. they might run out of something from time to time, but they cook fresh, not for the masses. keep in mind that you might think it's strange to run out of something early in the day, but it's locally so popular and many get large to go orders. i love the pork (inside cut) and my husband always wants some of the outside cut, since he likes bits of the char that true bbq has. making me want to take a road trip just thinking about it. we have actually gone hours out of the way on road trips time being there at lunch. only think i craved when pregnant and we lived 15 hours away. haven't been in a while and dying to get back.

i went by and got a pork plate to go. the first time i have been by in three or four years. i heard rick sold the place and the quality went down. not so. it was better than ever. a new ingredient seems to have been added to the baked beans and they were better than ever. i will be back soon

lunch today at kens. tried the triple combo today. a little pork, a little bbq chicken beast, a little sausage, beans, fries and tater salad. it was all good. the pork melted in your mouth. rick wheeler was even there. he owned or worked at kens nearly 40 years. he sold the place in 2010 and still eats there. that's got to be a good sign. i ordered the small plate and did not have room for dessert. the warm banana pudding is usually a must have. try it.

ken's is the best barbecue ever!. hello barbecue fans i am a real pinson, al native and have know ken's as the only household name in barbecue for well over 40 years. once you step inside ken's you will find things simple and down to earth with a big pit roasting/cooking the savory barbecue ken has served up for so long. (i can still remember the building was a very small gas station in it's day back whern hwy 79 was only two lanes). sliced, diced or even pulled pork your visit will be worth your time. ken is famous for his special sauce that sets the resturant ahead of all other barbecue resturants. sadly ole ken has passed, but not to worry the legend lives on with a fine staff that worked under his careful skilled direction. if you are near birmingham, al and you have the tast for real southern barbecue this is it!

i have learned that the breakfast here is the best in town. the choices of meat are plentiful and cooked on the flat top bringing all the wonderful flavors with it. the biscuits are homemade and the size of cat heads. they give you plenty of food for 2.

ken's has been a landmark for good bbq in birmingham for 40+ years. i always ate there when i was a teenager but now only get to enjoy their bbq when i happen to be in birmingham. their bbq and smoke sausage combo is what i always get and it can't be beat at any bbq joint anywhere. i stopped in today , the first time in over 6 years and brought back a family pack to have for supper. as always the bbq was great with just the right amount for hickory smoke flavor and the bbq baked beans and sauce are to die for! i only wish we lived closer or came to birmingham more often. maybe, ken's could start an overnight mail order program!

who serves riblet plate and does not put bbq sause on the meat only ken first and last time eating there no sause just dry dry dry...............................................

i had a lot of hope for this place since it's very close to home and usually packed. however, the ribs i got were undercooked! i had to throw them out, parts seemed raw.

breakfast was nothing special.. i got two sausage patties with eggs, grits, biscuits, and gravy. the sausage was good and my eggs were cooked perfectly. it seems that many restaurants have a problem cooking over medium eggs correctly. the rest of the stuff seemed very run-of-the-mill. my wife ordered scrambled eggs with hash browns. the eggs came out but the hash browns were quite delayed in arrival so that she could not eat the two together. the biscuits did not seem handmade and the hash browns were almost certainly previously frozen, cooked without onions or peppers. there were quite bland. the grits tasted like instant grits. not bad, but nothing special. we saw many other people having pulled pork in various ways for breakfast and it looked delicious. i will have to try that next time. overall, not a place i would come back to for breakfast, but i would come back to try their bbq.

best breakfast around. meet over at kens during motorcycle rides for breakfast. they have the best breakfast anywhere around the bham area. always quick service and food delicious...there is always a line !!!

little heaven on earth. this has been, and always will be, the best bbq in alabama. i remember eating breakfasts, lunch, and the take home plates when just sitting at home was best with a warm plate of ken's bbq!

i started eating there with my father back in 1971 or so and when i am back in birmingham, it is the first place i want to go!

there will never be enough "special" places like these in the usa. definitely a landmark for the area as well as in my heart mind & tummy :-)

great bbq place. the pulled pork and chicken are great, but in my opinion the ribs are the best.