Since 1996, the restaurant has been an institution in Tuscaloosa.
It is located just a few paces from Bryant-Denny Stadium, the home of the famed Alabama Crimson Tide, and has served as a pre-game for many Alabama fans over time.
Perhaps former Alabama coach Nick Saban, who recently retired, will pop by. Maybe.
In the most recent ESPN feature detailing Saban’s transformation from national championship-winning coach to the recently retired, Chris Low once again does an outstanding job of showcasing the coach’s laser-sharp focus throughout the last 17 years in Tuscaloosa.
Saban’s new office at the on-campus stadium is on the opposite side of his statue, but it overlooks Rama Jama’s, which has become as much a part of the game-day atmosphere as the song it is named after.
According to the anecdote, on the day Saban moved into his new office, Alabama head athletic trainer Jeff Allen pointed out the restaurant and stated, “Coach, you can now walk across the street and get yourself a hamburger for lunch.”
“Yeah, what is that place?” Saban asked. “Has it been there for a long time?”
“Yeah, Coach, for decades,” Allen laughed.
According to Low, Saban simply nodded and mentioned that he might try it sometime.
Rama Jama’s is well-known among Alabama residents, and the company just announced that a second facility would be opening in Tuscaloosa.
Gary Lewis established Rama Jama’s in Tuscaloosa in 1996. The breakfast and lunch restaurant on Bryant Drive is decorated with Alabama athletics memorabilia, including newspaper and magazine cutouts of Bama legends and prominent visitors. ESPN has broadcast from the restaurant multiple times, including Todd Blackledge’s “Taste of the Town” feature.
The restaurant made waves for its Rama Jama’s National Championship BLT.
It features a strip of bacon for each Crimson Tide national championship, which Alabama has won 18 times. The sandwich includes tomatoes, lettuce, and several slices of toasted white bread, all topped with a huge onion ring.
