Golden Rule Bar-B-Q, the Irondale barbecue institution that traces its roots to 1891, has been closed since a kitchen fire broke out on Oct. 7, and the restaurant says it could stay shut for another four to six weeks. No one was injured in the blaze.
According to AL.com, the restaurant announced it would remain closed out of an abundance of caution following the fire. Long-time general manager Sammy Derzis said the restaurant had experienced miscalculations and was working through the situation, adding that the reopening would take some time but that Golden Rule would come back stronger than before.
Golden Rule provided a reopening update on social media on Oct. 15, eight days after the fire first erupted, though the restaurant has not given a firm date for when its doors will open again. For now, the closure leaves a gap in Irondale’s dining scene for a restaurant that has been serving pulled pork for well over a century.
A Restaurant With Deep Roots
The first Golden Rule opened its doors in 1891, and the business describes itself as the 16th oldest restaurant in the United States. Brian Kemp purchased the original Irondale location in March 2023, though the site itself, per the same outlet’s reporting, actually dates to the 1970s…