“Ain’t nothin’ like 'em nowhere,” indeed.
If you thought Dreamland ribs belonged in a hall of fame, now they do.
The American Royal Association announced the 2019 class of inductees to the Barbecue Hall of Fame, and among them is late Dreamland Bar-B-Que founder John “Big Daddy” Bishop.
The induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, Sept. 14 during the 2019 American Royal World Series of Barbecue at the Kansas Speedway.
Other inductees include Wayne Monk of North Carolina and C.B. Stubblefield of Lubbock, Texas.
Each year, three individuals are awarded this honor and are recognized by the Barbecue Hall of Fame for their significant contributions to the barbecue community and demonstration of achievement in barbecue excellence.
“He’d be touched. My father was known as quiet and humble, but he always took pride anytime Dreamland received recognition. It would often bring him to tears,” said Bishop’s daughter Jeannette Bishop-Hall, according to a Dreamland release. “He believed the restaurant’s success was confirmation that God had a plan for him. He felt listening to the advice God gave him was the best decision he ever made.”
Bishop was born in Tuscaloosa in 1921 and spent much of his life working as a brick mason before pursuing his dream to open a restaurant. Dreamland opened in Jerusalem Heights neighborhood in 1958, when Bishop and his wife Miss Lillie’s hickory-smoked ribs quickly became a local favorite that made headlines beyond Alabama’s borders.
Soon, they’d only serve ribs, white bread and potato chips, quickly carving out a legacy as some of the best barbecue in the nation, let alone the South. They’ve since even added a few more sides.
Dreamland still uses the same techniques and recipes the Bishops employed 60-plus years ago, grilling their ribs on a bed of hickory coals for 45-55 minutes.
Bishop passed away in 1997.
The restaurant gained fame after becoming a popular dining spot among TV sports broadcasters in the 1970s and 1980s, with commentators often giving the restaurant shout-outs while on the air, a tradition that continues well into 2019 on networks like ESPN.
From Bob Carlton’s Alabama’s Best BBQ Ribs tour: “John ‘Big Daddy’ Bishop opened his Dreamland Café, as it was called back then, in Tuscaloosa’s Jerusalem Heights community in 1958. After Mr. Bishop passed away in 1997, his son, John Jr., and daughter, Jeanette, ran the business until Birmingham’s Dreamland Holding Company bought it in 2000. While a few side items have been added to Dreamland’s traditional menu of ribs, sauce and white bread, not much else has changed. Mr. Bishop’s big red chair, where he held court with customers for four decades, still sits against the back wall.”
The original Dreamland is located at 5535 15th Avenue in Tuscaloosa. There are also locations in Northport, Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Florida and Georgia.
From the American Royal Association website: "The Barbecue Hall of Fame exists not only to recognize, document and preserve the heritage of barbecue, but also to educate others by identifying and honoring its evolving history and traditions.
“The Barbecue Hall of Fame also serves to promote and encourage the growth and public support of barbecue by providing official recognition; honoring those individuals, who by extraordinary achievement and service, have made an outstanding impact on the world of barbecue.”
