Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q

Name: Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q
Address: 1724 9th Avenue North, Bessemer, AL, US
Telephone: (205) 426-1400

Bessemer · Bessemer

Also listed in: Birmingham BBQ Family Friendly Birmingham Over 50 Birmingham

Bob and Maxine Sykes started the business in 1957 as an ice cream and hamburger stand in Birmingham's Central Park area, where Bob built his first barbecue pit. Their son Van Sykes runs it today and is passing the pit to grandson Jason Jewell. Fresh pork shoulders cook over a natural fire of hickory coals, starting at 3 a.m. daily, and the pit is the first thing you see when you walk in. The Alabama Tourism Department inducted it into the Alabama Barbecue Hall of Fame, the pork sandwich made the state's '100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die', and Van Sykes was one of 50 founding members of the Southern Foodways Alliance. The restaurant's Bob Sykes BBQ & Blues Festival has funded Alabama charities since 2010 and drew its 15th edition to DeBardeleben Park on 25 April 2026.

Address: 1724 9th Avenue North, Bessemer, AL
Phone: (205) 426-1400
Website: bobsykes.com
Cuisine: bbq, southern
Good to know: Institution, Long Running, Family Owned, Founder Story, Gives Back, Community Partner
Verification: Details researched October 14, 2026. Hours and offerings change, so confirm with the venue before visiting.

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Street address on file: yes
Neighborhood assigned: yes
Phone number published: yes
Website on file: yes
Hours published: no Hours drive the most time-sensitive question in local search.
Cuisine or specialty described: yes
Photography on file: yes
Website reachable: pass HTTP 200
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Declares a business type: fail A Restaurant, BarOrPub, or LocalBusiness type is what puts a venue into local answer sets.
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Menu linked from the homepage: pass
Hours published on site: fail Hours are the most time-sensitive fact in local search and the most commonly stale.
Address published on site: pass
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Website checks last run October 15, 2026 against the venue's own site.

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