It’s a young joint helmed by a classically trained chef, but the smoky atmosphere and no-frills ribs, pulled pork, and chicken are timeless.

The focus of Saw’s BBQ is simple – good ole Southern soul food. Pioneered by Mike Wilson, Saw’s has taken Birmingham by a smoky storm. First opening in a residential area of Homewood, the venue has expanded to three locations where they serve classic pulled pork, chicken smothered in a distinctive white sauce, and barbecue-topped baked potatoes. Dubbed an ‘upscale dive,’ this barbecue joint is one both family and friends will enjoy.

I’ve only visited a handful of the barbecue shacks in town [See: Jim ‘N Nick’s, Full Moon Bar-B-Que, and Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q], but Saw’s gets my vote for the best ambiance. I love eating in tightly packed quarters crammed with Crimson memorabilia and piggy paraphernalia.

The formula works, mostly because the barbecue Saw’s makes is very good. It’s the real deal, bold and smoky, including white-sauced chicken, pulled pork, and meat-heavy spare ribs. Side dishes are southern classics, too: mac ‘n’ cheese, clumpy sweet/tart greens, Brunswick stew, and, of course, banana pudding for dessert. Chicken is a best dish, the bird impossibly tender with burnished mahogany skin from its extended smoke bath. It comes adorned with Alabama white sauce — a thick mix of mayonnaise, vinegar, and pepper that is chicken’s best friend. (But not pork’s; for that, there is tangy red sauce.)

Alabama has a much-deserved good reputation for barbecue. Not only are there some classic stalwarts who laid the foundation for the state’s smoked meats traditions, one of the best barbecue joints in the nation was founded here. Saw’s BBQ, open since 2009, draws fans from across America, and last year Paula Deen Magazine called it the best barbecue in the country.

"Saw’s BBQ ‘cooks from the heart" — A.J. Johnson, Alabama Eats

Tossed in a spicy red sauce and then topped in a classic Alabama white sauce, these wings are major key.

At the recently opened Saw's Soul Kitchen in Birmingham's Avondale area, one dish has been flying off the chalkboard--Chef Brandon Cain's smoked pork on greens over cheese grits, topped with a nest of fried onion rings. The succulent meat, crunchy onions, sweet-tangy sauce, perfectly cooked greens, and creamy grits is a stellar combination of tastes and textures that guests can't get enough of.

For a more local flavor, try the excellent fried chicken that is brined in sweet tea and cooked to a succulent and crunchy perfection ($7.69) at Saw’s Soul Kitchen.