Home to barbecue, catfish, hushpuppies and more!
Long before Interstate 565, a two-lane road connected the main stretch between Â鶹´«Ã½ and Decatur: Old Highway 20. On a Friday night in the 1960s, drivers might be lucky enough to catch a bit of live entertainment if they passed Greenbrier Restaurant. Bands and other entertainers used to perform -- on top of the roof!
Old Greenbrier Restaurant sits at the intersection of Old Highway 20 and Greenbrier Road
Greenbrier started out as a drive-up only restaurant in 1952, so customers ate outside. They became known for having rooftop battle of the bands competitions.Â
Musicians and other entertainers used to perform on the roof of Old Greenbrier Restaurant.
"There’s still people that come in every once in a while that say, 'Yeah, I played in a band," said Jerry Evans, the restaurant's owner. "Even a comedian I talked to one time said they won $50."
Hush puppies remain one of the most popular items on the menu.
That's how many people in the Tennessee Valley came to know Greenbrier, and the rest come for the famous hush puppies.
In 1987, Evans and his mom purchased the restaurant, intent on keeping the beloved country recipes of the former owners.
Greenbrier was originally a drive-in only restaurant, similar to a Sonic.
Although they are perhaps best known for their hush puppies, they serve a wide variety of foods. Evans says their barbecued pork and fried catfish are their most popular dishes, but they serve everything from shrimp to hamburger steaks, and it's all homemade.Â
Owner Jerry Evans says the kitchen is constantly going through onions used to season the famous hush puppies.
Their corndogs are the only things that come frozen, everything else is hand-prepared including their pork skins and homemade sauces. This food keeps new customers coming in the door and old-timers coming back for more.
“We have a very diverse clientele, always have, but even more so now we still have a lot of the same people that have been coming here since the beginning of time," Evans said.
Serving customers on Old Highway 20 since 1952.
Old Greenbrier Restaurant is located at 27028 Old Highway 20, Madison, AL 35756.
When you visit, make sure to snap a picture and post it to your socials using #AmbersAlabama.
