Saw's BBQ
Saw's BBQ is a chain of barbecue restaurants.
Mike Wilson opened the original Saw's in May 2009 in the former Broadway BBQ space at 1008 Oxmoor Road in Edgewood. Wilson was a North Carolina-born, Johnson & Wales trained chef who staffed the test kitchen for Cooking Light magazine. He began smoking meat and crafting sauces as a hobby. Saw's is an acronym for "Sorry Ass Wilson's".
The menu features Carolina style smoked pulled pork, chicken and ribs, served plain with bottles of three styles of sauce on the table. Sides include baked potatoes, beans, deviled eggs, macaroni and cheese, cole slaw and banana pudding. A popular dish combines grits, collard greens, onion straws, and pulled pork topped with house sauce.
In 2012, Wilson partnered with Doug Smith to open a second location of Saw's, called Saw's Soul Kitchen, headed by chef Brandon Cain, opened in the former Quick & Split Cafe at 215 41st Street South in Avondale. Faced with an oversupply of pork butts shortly after opening, Cain created one of the chain's signature dishes "Pork ’n’ greens", pulled pork and collard greens served over cheese grits and topped with onion rings. It was intended as a one-off special, but became a best seller, featured as one of "100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die" by the Alabama Department of Tourism.
On October 31, Wilson and Smith partnered with Taylor Hicks to open a third location, known as Saw's Juke Joint, in Crestline Park.
In 2014, the Homewood restaurant took the top spot in Cooking with Paula Deen magazine's "The Best Barbecue Across America". That same year Michael Brandon began operating the Saw's Street Kitchen food truck. Brandon later took over the former Fat Sam's Sub Station in Glen Iris, which opened as Saw's Southside in 2017, and serves as the commissary for the food truck.
In 2019 Saw's BBQ opened a franchising office at 3804 3rd Avenue South in Avondale.
Wilson passed away in September 2020 during the Coronavirus pandemic. Neil Patel opened a franchise location at the Riverchase Village Shopping Center in 2021.
| Preceded by: Broadway BBQ |
1008 Oxmoor Road 2009–present |
Succeeded by: current |
| Preceded by: Quick & Split Cafe |
215 41st Street South 2012–present |
Succeeded by: current |
| Preceded by: Ore Drink and Dine |
Shops at Crestline Park, 1115 Dunston Avenue 2012–present |
Succeeded by: current |
| Preceded by: Fat Sam's Sub Station |
1154 11th Ave South 2017-present |
Succeeded by: current |
| Preceded by: IronStone Pizza |
Riverchase Village Shopping Center 2021-present |
Succeeded by: current |
References
- Carlton, Bob (June 12, 2009) "Saw's BBQ the newest rage in Homewood." The Birmingham News
- Harvey, Fletcher (June 26, 2009) "Saw's BBQ in Homewood is an impressive contender." The Birmingham News
- Carlton, Bob (October 30, 2012) "Taylor Hicks partners with Saw's BBQ founder to open Saw's Juke Joint in former Ore location." The Birmingham News
- Carlton, Bob (June 19, 2014) "Saw's BBQ in Homewood is No. 1 on Paula Deen magazine's list of 10 best barbecue places in America." The Birmingham News
- Carlton, Bob (July 12, 2017) "Saw's BBQ opening its fourth Birmingham restaurant." The Birmingham News
- Van der Bijl, Hanno (May 13, 2019) "Saw's opens new corporate HQ in Avondale, eyes franchising growth." Birmingham Business Journal
- Carlton, Bob (February 20, 2020) "The story behind one of the most Alabama dishes ever." The Birmingham News
- Buttram, Scott (September 7, 2020) "Mike Wilson, owner of Saw’s BBQ, dead at 46." Trussville Tribune
- Rebman, Stephanie (August 30, 2021) "Saw's BBQ coming to Hoover's Riverchase Village." Birmingham Business Journal
External links
- Saw's BBQ website
- BBQ pitmaster Michael Wilson explains his technique at Saw's BBQ on YouTube.com