Uncle Al's Barbeque - Best BBQ sandwiches on campus

Uncle Al's Barbeque Food Truck Review

Uncle Al's Instagram

Uncle Al's food truck in front of Sproul Hall

    As one of my favorite food trucks at UCLA, I always stop by Uncle Al's BBQ for a nice meal when they come around. I consider this food truck one of the best uses of a meal swipe at UCLA, where one swipe will give you a filling entree, a high-quality side, and a drink to go along with it. As far as barbeque sandwiches go, Uncle Al's certainly does not lower their quality for UCLA students. The entrees are full of flavor, care, and color, and the sides beautifully support the meal making it one of UCLA's finest food trucks. Here's what I had: 

UCLA Menu

Main Sandwiches

With two swipes, I got the "Little Piggies" and sweet corn (left) and the "Bad Wolves" with creamy potato salad (right). The "Little Piggies" is a BBQ pulled pork sandwich done right: a tangy barbeque sauce and a sweet/sour mustard sauce that brings out the pulled pork flavor beautifully. But perhaps what sets this sandwich apart from your standard pulled pork sandwich is the crispy onions. This little ingredient adds that crunchy texture that turns this sandwich from a good BBQ sandwich to an amazing one: a perfect combination of flavors and textures in a sandwich. The "Bad Wolves" is the sister sandwich to the piggies, with pulled beef, chipotle sauce, and coleslaw replacing the pork, mustard, and crispy onions. The chipotle sauce and BBQ sauce work in unison, just like the mustard, and the coleslaw adds a nice crunch and freshness to the sandwich. This sandwich is a great option for those who prefer beef and want a bit more veggies, but I think I have a slight preference for the pulled pork sandwich. 

Sides

While the sandwiches are clearly the stars of the show, the side dishes are the crucial supporting actors in this wonderful show of a meal. As the name suggests, the creamy potato salad was wonderfully creamy and had that slight sour tang that is so important in a nice potato salad. Uncle Al's potato salad is not something you should miss out on: cold, refreshing, and a perfect side to the heavier meat sandwiches you get with this meal. The street corn (esquites) topped with a nice sauce and cheese provides a different option for those who might not appreciate the potato salad. The corn was nice and sweet, the sauce complimented the corn very well, and the cheese on top finished the side off perfectly. While other food trucks might skimp out on the quality of the sides or might not offer any, but Uncle Al's sides are a powerhouse to be reckoned with. 

Overall

Uncle Al's provides a hearty meal to the UCLA student and is certainly worth a meal swipe, possibly one of the best uses of a meal swipe on campus. Their beautiful barbeque sandwiches hit the spot, and the sides might surprise you with their quality and taste. As one of my favorite food trucks that come to UCLA, I hope every student gives Uncle Al's a shot, and that they continue serving amazing barbeque sandwiches to the students.