Brown Bag - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Update: I was there today, and it's just as wonderful! Love the folks who own it, such a kind family. Food is so good and fresh! I took a friend who had never been, she is already excited about coming back. Original review: Y'all. The BROWN BAG Restaurant in Northport AL is SO good. Catfish, ribs, fried green tomatoes, field peas, greens, lemon pie... everything is fresh and wonderful. And the owners are the best part! So friendly and welcoming. Old school cozy, calm southern historic charm. If you have never been-- give them a try! Feels a little like the Northport Community Center hosting the Waysider plus original Dreamland. 🥰👍👍 Highly recommend!

This is my favorite place to eat in Tuscaloosa...been coming here for 40+ years!! I love the family that owns it. I get fried catfish, fried okra, fried green tomatoes and turnip greens and cornbread and caramel cake. I've been all over the world and I'd still say Brown Bag is the best ever!! Rebecca LaMoreaux

This is the best soul food meat n' three in Tuscaloosa hands down, everything is made with love and happiness, you may be thrown off by the prices being a little expensive, but everything is fresh and homeade and not served from a can, The catfish is the best in town!

Great place, great food, great people! A hidden gem.

We walked in and everyone was so friendly and genuine! You can tell the restaurant is its own community full of love. Owned by a family with loyal customers for years. 💖 We got the ribs and catfish and it was phenomenal! Will be coming again!

I thought I was going to be super impressed by this whole-in-the-wall place since several locals recommended it, but I left hungry and unsatisfied. :( The food was just okay and the portion sizes were too small. I wanted to love this place, and I did love the server, but the food isn’t anything special. Wouldn’t recommend. I got the one meat, three sides (third side came out late so it isn’t show) and it definitely wasn’t enough food. Boyfriend got two meats and two sides. I could have eaten 2 1/2 of these meals before I would be full.

Soul Food was delicious friendly owner and workers. Expect a kind professional atmosphere ❣️

It has been years since I ate here. I was greeted when I came through the door. The food, the service, and the atmosphere were excellent!! I recommend the buttermilk pie. I will definitely be back soon!

The Ribs was Very delicious, Baked bean pefect spice to it, and fries Absolutely delicious👌. Recommend Anyone who loves Ribs to come try this Establishment👏😎

Best home cooking in the South.

Great place for southern home cooking.

Wow! A hidden gem and family restaurant. Great soul food, great prices and service. Food was hot and fresh. Definitely going to share with others and continue to support.

You can't get better catfish anywhere, cooked perfectly, absolutely the best. Catfish filets served during all operation hours, whole catfish served Friday and Saturday's.

I had a hamburger and it was wonderful! The service was exceptional .

FOOD AND SERVICE WAS BEYOND AMAZING!!!!!!

Brown bag is such special place. Its small very modest located off the beaten path with just a few people doing everything and serving everyday food BUT somehow its captured the hearts of everyone that has been there. I get so excited to go there for lunch it seems simple but it's better than most!

Best fried catfish around. There’s none better in Northport or Tuscaloosa. The ribs are good too. Friendly staff always make you feel welcome.

Good ole fashioned family bbq and food. Excellent price too

Guys this is what a Southern meat-and-3 / barbeque restaurant should be. Off the beaten path, family-owned and operated. Really, really good food, generous portions, reasonably priced. Did I say really good food ? Today I had the smoked half chicken...slow cooked at low temp so every bite was moist, tender and delicious....(if I could just do it like this with MY smoker...) very tasty mac and cheese, turnip greens, fried okra, fresh tomato and onion slices, hot corn bread...and a sweet/ spicy barbeque sauce that I wish they would bottle... and everything else on the extensive menu tastes just as good. To cap it off, the folks owning/ running the place are just really good, friendly, welcoming people. Grab somebody you like and take them to The Brown Bag. They will thank you for it...

Love the Brown Bag. Great food in a quaint setting. Really nice people.

Omg! If you like down-home, comfort food then this is the place. It is an old building that doesn't look like much, but don't let that deter you. The food was amazing, service was so genuinely kind and sweet. One doesn't find genuineness in today's society. Now, if you want super fast service then this isn't the place. The restaurant is family owned and run with good ole hospitality and tasty food. Take your time, have a meal, and chat with friends/family. We were a family of 6 with everyone getting different orders. There wasn't anything that wasn't liked. Yummy!!! Prices are ridiculously inexpensive - truthfully, I don't know how they can afford such low prices. Needless to say, it was an excellent stop and we'll definitely be back.

Really great food and a very laid back atmosphere. Suoer nice staff as well. A must try!!

Great soul food. Great service. Great BBQ. A must eat In Northport.

The atmosphere is very welcoming, the food is great and the customer service is amazing. I would recommend The Brown Bag to anyone looking for good food and great customer service. 10/10

Awesome food & people ! Highly recommend!

A hidden gem. Best soul food in Alabama!

Strait up. DRY CHICKEN very poor.🐔Ribs were good.

Today I allowed my son to decide where we were going to eat. And he chose the Brown Bag. Let me tell you, he made the right choice!!!! I ordered the catfish sandwich with a side order of fried green tomatoes. My son ordered chicken and dumplings with a side of macaroni and cheese. This place did not disappoint. Our server Ms. Phyllis was wonderful, kind, and patient. The food was served fresh and it was absolutely delectable. The prices were reasonable. I can't wait to visit again.

had the ribs & pork sandwich, both were great . the sauce is sweet and spicy , very good , & the 3 people working there were very kind ! will be back

Best BBQ around. Great family owners always give amazing service! Get the fried green tomatoes, slaw, and banana pudding! Though, everything on the menu is excellent!

Hole in the wall off the beaten path that was so yummy. BBQ was delicious, husband loved the meatloaf, kids loved the chicken n dumplings. Everyone cleaned their plate. It has the atmosphere of visiting your aunts house for dinner. It doesn't look like much but worth the good home cooking.

The food is in a world of it on very yummy you won't go wrong with it the ribs are out of this world 😂🌍

This is a family business. They are very friendly & their soul food is SO VERY GOOD! We try to go there at least 2 times a week. They are a good Christian family, & they treat you like family. We have been going there for several years.

The staff is really friendly and it feels as if you're visiting family. The food was excellent too. I will definitely be going back.

They are known for their ribs and fried catfish, and both hit the mark just right. It's a little out in the boonies, but don't let that discourage you from trying this soul food mecca. Service was five stars as well.

The food ... oh my goodness ... delish!!!

I have been going here for years. It is amazing, a must-eat, true soul food place. I’m wasting time trying to write a review. Words. Cannot. Describe. Mouth watering just thinking about it. I mean seriously, it’s that good. Fried green tomatoes, fried okra, greens, chicken and dumplings, barbecue, you name it, it is fantastic. Simply the best food and the best people. BAR NONE.

Great food and great people! The food is fresh and delicious, and the Browns are very nice and friendly people!

We visited the Brown Bag after being curious about it for quite some time. We had a lovely lunch there! You can smell the delicious smoke from outside the restaurant. It'll stick with you, too, after you leave. :) Walking in, the seating/ordering was a bit confusing. We stood around for 2-3 minutes wondering if we should order at the counter before being told we could sit anywhere we liked. The menus were brought to us shortly afterward. I think this place is mostly attended by regulars, so it's not surprising that the folks there would assume we knew what to do. My boyfriend and I had chicken and dumplings, lima beans, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, fried catfish, and fried okra, with sweet tea to drink. It sounds like a ton of food, but the portions and prices were reasonable. The lima beans were the bigger, mushier, brown kind, not the tender greener beans that I prefer, but these still had a nice meaty, oniony flavor. The macaroni and cheese was baked, I think; it had a bit of a crust to it, which I liked a lot. The sweet tea was diabetes-inducing, so I naturally loved it. Cornbread was savory but not too sandy or crumbly. The chicken and dumplings was just a little too mushy, but the flavors were very solid. The fried okra, though, was some of the best I've ever had. Fresh, crispy, and light (as fried food goes!). Catfish was also delicious -- even I liked it, and I usually won't touch fish! One of the highlights of our visit was the service. There was one particular man with a heavy beard who had one of the most genuine, kind smiles. He was absolutely lovely and it was a pleasure to get to speak with someone so friendly and positive. Check this place out when you're itching for a drive on a sunny day.

Excellent Food! Outstanding service

Off the beaten path. And worth it.

Can’t complain it’s so good must go if you stop here!

Great food, plenty of choices, wonderful staff!

Good food good people Good service.

This little, out of the way restaurant offers fabulous food! It was the best fried okra I've ever had in a restaurant.

What a great place for fantastic bbq! Home style food served with love from a very polite family.

Nice place to eat that's off the beaten path.Great food and employees

Food was wonderful best southern hospitality thanks

Loved the food & the family. It was like sitting @ the house, chilling with your fave game on. On our next trip to Tuscaloosa (t-town), we will make a point to stop by to get our bellys full. Thx Brown Bag. 👍💜

Very good food we were very pleased

Love the Family..The Food..The Location..Will Visit Again and Again!

That pulled pork! And those ribs?! My mouth is watering just thinking about 'em. When I have folks come in from out of town looking for bbq I'm taking them here. I hear the chocolate cake is next level, but i haven't tried it yet.

Great food for years and the most down to earth staff. Definitely a place to try

There ribs and potatoe salad and baked beans, will have u racing back for more.and the friendly serious .

It awesome to eat there it yummy

Do not leave Tuscaloosa without stopping at Brown Bag. Bring an appetite and extra cash to tip an outstanding and overly accommodating staff. Catfish, fried green tomatoes, and turnips left no room for dessert unfortunately. I also tried the chicken and dumplings and a rib or two. Hole in the wall and my kinda place.

Very friendly and good food. They were short on help so we had to wait awhile to be served.

Some of the best ribs I ha ever had.

We haven’t eaten there in several years. Actually thought they were closed. Ate there tonight. Best catfish in town. Great food!!! Best costumer service. The Browns good Christian people.

Down home delicious food served by delightful people.

Excellent home cooked soul food, love the green fried tomatoes, collard greens, meatloaf, fried fish and ribs, all of the vegetables are always delicious especially the mac n cheese, and superb service!

My girlfriend and I heard about Brown Bag last year and put off trying it out for a couple months because it's a pretty long drive from south of the river. One day we made it though, and we've gone almost every week since. The food is phenomenal, some of the best Southern food I've had anywhere, and I've lived in the South my entire life. Everything is great, but I'm particularly fond of the chicken and dumplings or the pulled/chopped pork. The sides are also amazing. Don't skip dessert. I usually don't eat sweets, but the desserts here are, like everything else, amazing. Last, but certainly not least, the service. The owners/workers are probably the nicest people I've met. Even Chick Fila workers look rude by comparison. After eating at nearly every restaurant in T-town, Brown Bag stands out as easily my absolute favorite.

We have been going there for years best barbecue around

Everything is good! I love to eat here! I love the people too.. they make you feel like family!

Great home cooked food. You have to eat here!

Great home cooked meals. Best ribs around. Friendly staff.

Went today and had the rib platter with double mac and cheese. Absolutely delicious!!! The ribs are incredible and probably the best mac and cheese I've ever had in my life. Not to mention probably the friendliest people you'll ever have the privilege of meeting. Keep doing what your doing guys!

Amazing! Best soul food in the northport/ Tuscaloosa area. The food is fantastic and everyone here is incredibly kind. I’ve been here many times and each time has been a delight.

This is absolutely one of the best comfort food places in Tuscaloosa for me.

Bf called to inquire about the menu so we could eat from there for dinner and someone hung up on him. We probably would've eaten from here nearly everyday as it was so close to our home.

Best food I've ever had. Best service as well.

Friendly, active service. Home style food tastes great.

Best ribs in town and great chicken and dumplings

This is an awesome little GM tucked away that a lot of people don't know about if you like barbecue and or fried fish or just southern cooking I highly recommend you try this place

Best home cooked meal in T town. Love this place

This place has the best home cooked meals! My grandparents have gone here for years, although they don't leave the house much anymore, they still have me pick up lunch every now and then. There catfish and macaroni can't be beat!

The food taste great! the only issue I have is the serving size could be more