Buster's Blogs

Smokin Gold BBQ, Dahlonega...New Location!

2011-12-20T06:13:00.001-08:00

Smokin Gold BBQ, Dahlonega, GA... New Location!!! Debbie and I had found the original Smokin Gold location a couple of years ago on one of our motorcycle rides through the mountains, but when we ran across the new SG location in downtown Dahlonega, we knew that bbq would be on our agenda for the day trip to Dahlonega. On the weekend before Christmas 2011, we had ventured north for a final opportunity to Christmas shop in beautiful downtown Dahlonega. Of course, shopping can really build up an appetite, so as long as I knew bbq was on my the schedule, I could keep a pretty good frame of mind while we shopped.

As pictured, up and running out in front of the new location were Dan Dieterle's Big Green Eggs that were really being used to smoke the bbq. The location is absolutely perfect for Dahlonega, and with a slight southern wind, the streets of Dahlonega will smell a bit like bbq being smoked. On my previous trip to SG, Dan had told me all about his great burnt end brisket, so that had been in the back of my mind. When we walked in the door, on their specials board was the traditional pulled pork sandwich special along with a burnt end brisket sandwich special. While the waitresses will bring you your food, you have to place your order at the counter. Debbie decided to go for the pork sandwich and Brunswick stew while I opted for the burnt end sandwich. We had barely gotten our drinks fixed when the waitress brought our meals. So while SG doesn't get bonus points for crushed ice, they do for quick service time.

Both sandwiches were very generously adorned with meat. Debbie's pork sandwich, though already lightly sauced was a great looking sandwich. We really like their touch in having lightly toasted the buns. My burnt end sandwich was DIVINE!!! The large, tender chunks of brisket were moist, flavorful, and easily pulled apart with just a gentle pull. The smoke ring was just about perfect. It was really a larger sandwich than it had to be, and we were both happy with our selections. Debbie tried the brisket (for perhaps the first time in her life), and she actually liked it better than the pulled pork. I tried her pork, and honestly, it would be a hard decision to rank one over the other. SG's Brunswick stew is ok, and I'd give it a middle of the road ranking. It was a bit disappointing that the temperature of the served product was less than preferred. I'm not sure if they were rushing or if the temperature had just not reached a sufficient warm up temperature. Overall, the taste and appearance was just between average and slightly above.

I am pulling for SG to be one of North Georgia's hottest bbq joints in due time. The location, friendly folks, and great food put this as a must do while in Dahlonega.

Southern Soul BBQ, St. Simons Island, GA.

2011-11-23T17:22:00.000-08:00

Southern Soul. "We're Smoking Supper." Never again do you have to feel like you have to do seafood when you go to St. Simons Island. Of course, some of the best seafood in GA can be found in Brunswick and St. Simons, but some of the best bbq can be found there as well. Southern Soul has only been in business about five years, but they have made their mark in both Georgia and on the national scene after being featured on "Diners, Drive-In's, and Dives." Southern Soul has been on my radar for a couple of years, but after about 3 years in business the joint burned. The owners opened back up in 2010, and everyone who had visited the joint had nothing but great things to say.

With my daughter having gotten married the previous weekend (Nov. 19), Debbie and I needed a get away. We slipped off to SSI with a couple of joints on our mind (Gnats Landing and Southern Soul). We got to Southern Soul a little after 1 pm on this day before Thanksgiving and the place was buzzing. Talking about a great location, and Southern Soul has it. Located just off the "roundabout" at Demere and Frederica Road, this is a truly great location. The place is done up in perfect bbq joint style with old car tags and car parts on the outside of the building. There are a few tables out front and a few seats at a bar along with a few (very few) tables to sit at on the inside. The menu at Southern Soul is perfectly bbq. Things like collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and fries to go along with pulled pork, ribs, and beef brisket, Southern Soul does it right. I ordered by typical first joint visit of a sandwich and stew. Debbie ordered the sandwich and collards. We sampled their four sauces being NC Vinegar, Sweet GA Soul, Hot and Spicy, and Low Country Soul Mustard. All of the sauces were truly excellent with the Sweet GA Soul being our favorite.

To the food.... The sandwiches were a heaping supply of attractive pulled pork. The bbq was clean with light barking and good moisture. The portion size even on the regular sandwich was quite generous. It's taste was "as good as it gets". Adding the sauce to it made for pure delight. The Brunswick stew was very appealing in appearance, smell, and taste. The ingredients appeared to include whole kernel corn, butterbeans, tomatoes, pork and chicken. Thankfully missing were chunks of potatoes. The stew was very good. I can't say it was the best I've ever had, but it was clearly quite good. Deb's collards were OMG good. Clearly apparent in the collards were the addition of sugar which made for some excellent tasting greens.

Southern Soul gets good ratings on its portion sizes of sweet tea! Though they don't use crushed ice, the glasses were large and the tea was sweet.

We left completely stuffed and totally impressed at this little joint that cooks it bbq out back on portable smokers on wheels. Overall, Southern Soul clearly gets a 4 plus on all entrees. I can't wait until my next trip to St. Simons for more outstanding bbq. Despite all of the great dining establishments on the island, Southern Soul and Gnats landing continue to rank among our two favorite joints as they are short on pretension and high on quality!!!

Buddy's bar-b-q. Athens, TN.

2011-10-09T07:19:00.000-07:00

Buddy's Bar-b-q, Athens, TN. To begin with, let me go ahead and say this is a chain that is based in Knoxville. Buddy's has 12 locations in Tennessee, and straight up front that it really doesn't qualify as a joint, or at least the Athens location doesn't. This Buddy's is more of a fast food bbq diner, but when the bbq itch strikes, you'll do most anything to scratch it. My son, Jed and I, were headed from Cumming, GA to Knoxville for the GA/TN football game on this absolutely beautiful October 8, 2011 fall day. We had already sort of scheduled our agenda to include a stop along the way to check out a bbq joint. After we got on the road, we both agreed that we would wait until we got to Tennessee before stopping to both break up our trip as well as to check out a new bbq adventure. I was pretty sure that I wanted to avoid the Chattanooga area, so we exited I-75 in Cleveland, TN to find some joint call the BBQ Shack. After getting let down by my GPS, I was a bit annoyed and decided to head back to the interstate to do something else. We used both Google and the GPS to see if we could find another option, and within a few minutes we'd identified Buddy's as an option. Hey, with a name like Buddy's, Bubba's, or Buster's, you must be headed in the right direction.

We got off I-75 and headed east for about a mile to where we spotted Buddy's. I could immediately tell it was a bit more like stopping at Hardees than a real joint, but by this stage in our journey, I wasn't willing to do anymore scouting.... Upon walking in Buddy's I was again reminded that we were walking into a diner that was more akin to fast food than I liked, but we scouted the menu behind the walk up counter. We both immediately noticed that the menu was absent of Brunswick stew, but hey, this was Tennessee, what could you expect? I should have recognized that with the letter's colored "Gosh Aweful Orange" my expectations should not have been too high!

Jed ordered a sandwich and slaw while I ordered a sandwich and bbq beans. The food was placed on the tray right at the counter, and we proceeded for our bbq review. Actually, friends, what we experienced was some really surprisingly pleasing bbq! The sandwiches came out with a dab of the mild sauce already on them, but the portion size was excellent. I started my tasting with the bbq beans. They were actually very good, but if there were any bbq in them I couldn't detect it. I then tasted the sauces. The mild was good and slightly tangy and marginally on the sweet side. The hot sauce lived up to its name. I went easy on the hot variety. To the bbq...good stuff! Given the "appearances" of the diner, the bbq actually was very good. The meat was moist, clean, and very tasty. There was enough moisture that the bbq held together well. Jed had the same opinion, and for both this father and son to totally agree with little debate was a tribute to Buddy's. Overall, I'd give the Buddy's bbq a 4 out of 5, but if you are looking for a joint with a back in time feel, this one doesn't fit the bill.

The overall trip was awesome. 15 hours of time with a grown son, bbq, and a UGA win over TN....Priceless!!!

http://buddysbarbq.com/

Jomax BBQ, Metter, GA

2011-10-06T16:54:00.000-07:00

Jomax BBQ, Metter, GA. Since the closing of Sweat's BBQ just off I-16 at the Soperton exit in the early 1990's, good Q joints between Macon and Savannah required that you get well off the interstate. Jomax in Metter solves that problem. Right up front, this is a stop that is worth scheduling your trip around. There's no need to try to hold your appetite at bay to make it all the way to Savannah. Jomax will put a smile on your face and leave you plenty of money in the pocket to spend on other things in Savannah.

Several friends had recommended Jomax, but I'd never been able to arrange a stop by this little joint until the last week of September 2011. My friend Jeff and I were on the way back from a meeting in Jekyll, and after a brief conversation, we easily decided to make it to Metter to try out Jomax. Jomax is less than a mile off I-16 immediately across the road from Waffle House. That is important as if you were not looking, you could drive right by.

The joint is quaintly decorated with somewhat of a southern theme. The menu is just right for a bbq joint. There's not a lot of "extra" offerings which is just what I like. We were quickly seated and promptly waited on by a couple of the nicest southern waitresses that you could ask for. My order was a sandwich and stew which it typically my order for a first trip stop. The food came out fairly quickly but nothing to get excited about. The sandwich was just about right in size with a sufficient helping of bbq. I'd already sampled the sauce and decided that both of the two offered sauces would be tried. One was sweet and the other was more typical, but both were of decent quality. The bbq itself was actually quite good. The texture was just about right with some bark and moist enough not to fall apart. Overall, the bbq ranked a fairly mediocre 3.5, but it did hit the spot. Regarding the stew, it actually had good flavor, but being how I strive for a low carb diet, I had to work around the diced potatoes in the stew.

I did notice that a number of the other plates of food that were being served were actually really awesome in appearance. Their "blooming onion" served to the patrons at the next table had my mouth watering. My partner in swine had more french fries than he could eat, and we left out leaving only $20 which included a double generous tip.

So, Jomax is worth the visit. You can kill a diet there if you wish, and based on the overall experience, I'd give it the best Q joint between Macon and Savannah that I have found that is less than a couple of miles of I-16.

Johnny's Barbecue, Gainesville, GA

2011-08-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

Johnny's Barbecue, Gainesville, GA. For quite some time I had been waiting to try out Johnny's. On at least two occasions they had been closed the day that I happened to be in Gainesville, so with Debbie and I having a Saturday outing just north of Gainesville, when lunch time got near, I plugged Johnny's into my GPS. Johnny's has a little bit of the "look" of a good bbq joint. It's nothing really fancy from the outside, has a gravel parking lot to the side, and the barbecue pit is located outback in a separate screened building. On the inside, Johnny's also has the appearance of a good little Q joint. There is sort of a mixture of formica and vinyl along with a section that is warm wood panelling. You order up at the counter and pick up your food there, so there's no real service as far as waitresses.

Debbie and I scoped out the menu which by my standards was clearly sufficient, but if you are looking for anything other than some form of barbecue pork, beef, or chicken, pass up on Johnny's. The prices at Johnny's are one of the two best things about the joint. We ordered up our typical sandwiches, stew, and fries and the whole bill was slightly over $12!!! Now that's my kind of meal tab!!! We hardly had time to turn around when our food was ready, so we found us a booth and began our eating and critiquing.

First, let me go ahead and report on the "second" best thing we found about Johnny's.....crushed ice! We both always find crushed ice, and I know that is such a little thing, a bonus! The sandwiches were well portioned, so you don't leave hungry. The quantity of (disappointingly previously frozen) french fries was borderline "heaping". I wanted to try the sauce before dressing my bbq, and it was a very good, sweet thick sauce that had just enough kick to it to make it interesting. There is only one sauce available, which must work for Johnny's but I'd have preferred to try another sauce or so with the bbq. The small cup of stew that I ordered with my sandwich was just decent. The color was a little on the dark side. The consistency was good, and the taste was alright. The stew gets little more than a 3 on the 5 point scale.

Pretty much the same ranking goes to Johnny's bbq. To their credit, again, portion size was good, and if you eat big, they also have a jumbo sandwich for just a little more. The barbecue was clean and relatively free of fat or bark. While my general preference is typically form my meet to be pulled and not finely chopped which is how Johnny's meat is prepared. On the negative side, it was actually a little on the dry side.

Overall, Johnny's just earned a 3 for the overall experience. There are at least 3 other bbq joints in Gainesville, so the chicken capital of world has good choices when it comes to bbq. At least on this visit, Johnny's doesn't get top billing.

Bar-B-Q Shack, Toccoa, GA

2011-06-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

Bar-B-Q Shack, Toccoa, GA. Once again, my south Georgia compadres may consider me a traitor with this proclamation, but with the finding of today's joint, it confirms my previous claims that there are more "good" bbq joints above the gnat line than below it in Georgia. The Shack is one more of those! Located on Highway 17 just on the outskirts of Toccoa is this somewhat of a "throwback" of a joint. If you want to get in on the Q action here, you've only got 3 days each week to try it: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The Shack's tee claim that "Herman Knows BBQ", and I have to agree.

Debbie and I had wandered up toward Toccoa to visit Toccoa Falls on this hot late Spring day, and of course, I had heard tell of The Shack some time back, so I Googled it and had it on the radar for the day. After a visit at one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Georgia and taking a minute to say a prayer in memory of those who died in the tragic dam breaking at Toccoa Falls College in 1977, we struck out for The Bar-B-Q Shack. Once finding it, it had all of the appearances of a potential winner! There were a couple of motorcycles mixed in with a few trucks and cars, and there was real wood smoke coming out of the pit area behind the dining area. Inside of the joint you do feel like you are stepping back into a joint that has been around for a while. It's warm wood finished interior and tables have the right things already on the table: paper towels, bbq sauce, and a huge pitcher of sweet tea. Debbie ordered her sandwich with cold slaw on it while I ordered the Pig Sandwich and a small bowl of Brunswick Stew. The very friendly waitress had our meal on our plates in no time flat even before I had sufficient time to taste the 3 sauces and study the patrons within the joint.

The sandwiches were piled high with good looking, clean barbecue chunks. I did get in a taste of the 3 sauces which were somewhat of a thin, vinegar based North Carolina style sauce. While one was marked "mild", we actually dubbed them hot, hotter, and hottest! The stew was of great portion sized and very good taste. The ingredients were finely ground and complimented the meal to a high level. Debbie remarked at how clean the barbecue was as it was free of both fat and heavy charring (despite the fact I can handle both without complaint).

This joint has a menu that is not cluttered with a lot of non-barbecue related food. You pretty much can choose between chopped bbq pork, chicken, and ribs. If you aren't into pretty standard bbq, you won't find a lot on the menu to serve as alternates.

I didn't get a lot of opportunity to get much history on The Bar-B-Q Shack, so I have a bit more work to do, but if you like barbecue and are in the Toccoa area on one of their 3 open days, I'd recommend choosing this place for dining. As far as bbq joints are concerned, it may be one of the best between Gainesville, GA and the North and South Carolina borders. As the shirt says, "Harold Know BBQ", and we could not agree more! The place gets a 5 on joint atmosphere and solid 4's on both the stew and bbq.

Satterfield's BBQ, Macon, GA

2011-04-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

Satterfield's BBQ, Macon, GA. Yall won't some boiled peanuts??? That's what you'll get asked when the waitress greets you at your table. I've had dried ones before at a bbq joint, but never boiled ones. As much as I love boiled peanuts, I was there for their bbq and stew. One of them didn't disappoint me.

We pulled up to Satterfields on New Stree in Macon just off Riverside Drive and merely a stone's throw from the"original" Krystal in Macon. The parking lot was well packed, but inside the joint was a good mix of business types, families, service workers, and little old ladies. Once inside you are surrounded by almost everything "pig". To be right downtown Macon, you'd think you could be in any small Georgia town.

We were greeted quickly by our waitress. Debbie and I both ordered a sandwich, and I added my small order of Brunswick Stew. In addition to these items, the sandwich came with a nice service of potato chips and there were a few really good pickles rounded out a very nice looking meal. There were but two sauces from which to choose- regular and hot. Both were good, and the hot really didn't set your soul on fire, and it turned out to be my choice.

The stew: The stew is among the best I've eaten. It was somewhat of a hash with small, whole kernels of corn. The stew had good appearance, smell, and taste.

The bbq: The bbq, though having had a good review from my son earlier, wasn't bad but didn't really excite you. I'm not sure how it is cooked at Satterfields, but it is pretty clear that it isn't open pit.

All in all, I can't complain. We got to try out this neat joint that I hadn't eaten at in perhaps 10 years. Frankly, though, next Macon trip is back to Fresh Air!

Smokejack BBQ, Cumming, GA

2011-04-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

Smokejack BBQ & Grill, Cumming, GA. My spring break would have not been complete without checking out a new BBQ joint, so my number 1 BBQ buddy (Debbie) and I decided to try out the Cumming location of Smokejack. We had tried out the Alpharetta location of Smokejack almost 2 years ago, and then sometime last year they opened their Forsyth County location located next to Midway Park.

The event started rather humorously when the hostess asked us when we walked in the door "are you going to dine with us today?" We sort of thought, "no, we've actually come to get our laundry done!" I actually had another thought but it will have to be left off this blog! We were seated in a booth in this neat and clean new joint. With ample seating and several large screen TV's, this is a great lunch or even evening entertainment spot. The menu at Smokejack has variety enough to suit even the non-Q lover. I ordered up my typical BBQ sandwich and Brunswick stew while Debbie opted for the sandwich and fries. The pricing of the menu is slightly on the high side, but hey, if they can't make a profit they can't stay in business.

The meals came out very quickly, so we give them high marks for that along with the fact that the tea and diet coke were both very good sized beverages. Both the sandwiches and the sides were very generous in portion sizes, so once again, things were on the positive side. Debbie's fries looked very good as they were nicely fried homemade steak fries. The BBQ sandwich is a very attractive looking pulled pork sandwich that has not been chopped to death. There are no sauces on the table. Rather your sandwich comes with a small container of sauce that highly resembles a South Carolina mustard based sauce. The stew was actually the highlight of my order. Though somewhat light on the meat base, the vegetables in the stew included potatoes, tomatoes, lima beans, and corn. Overall, they stew received a 4 out of 5.

The BBQ's best attribute was the appearance and texture. The pulled pork was clean with slight traces of bark. Perfect. The taste was somewhat disappointing as the one thing missing was the "smoke". Despite the name of the joint, the bbq lacked the desired "smokiness" of flavor. It is quite apparent that the cooking of the bbq is done in a commercial cooker that doesn't rely on wood as its primary source of heat. This type of bbq is typically consistent in quality, but its quality level will seldom reach the highest rating of 5.

We left full and content with the idea that I'd probably try the place again with guests. I sincerely wish Smokejack the best of success in Forsyth County. They do boast Saturday night live music of which I'll probably never dine late enough to experience, but given the expansive bar and big screen televisions, it could be a happening little place in this growth area of Forsyth County.

3 Lil' Pigs Bar-B-Q, Gainesville, GA

2011-02-21T11:45:00.000-08:00

3 Lil' Pigs Bar-B-Q, Gainesville, GA. "Something to Pig Out About!" Sometimes bbq is in your destiny. I guess it is one of those "sovereign" things for me. I guess it is a good thing I am Southern Baptist. While in Gainesville visiting and having lunch with a couple of my superintendent friends from the NE GA area, we happened upon this dive on day 1 of its official opening. We were actually headed to Johnny's BBQ which is located right across the road, but they are closed on Mondays. Having the developed ability to smell out and pick out a bbq joint, before we'd even pulled out of the parking lot of Johnny's, I eyed 3 Lil' Pigs. Today, February 21, 2011 was the first official day of operation for this joint, so Iwas a little skeptical but certainly willing. Located in what had previously been a Hall County night club with somewhat of a Tex-Mex theme, this joint has occupied about 1/3 of that building in an effort to make it on the highly competitive bbq joint scene. Up front, I want to go ahead and speculate that despite a lot of things going in its favor, it is going to be an uphill battle for 3 Lil' Pigs. The menu is a great menu. The food is good. I am sure the service will get better. Being right across the road from Johnny's is going to be a challenge.

We entered into the joint through double steel doors like we were going either into an industrial warehouse or a night club that wanted to keep out peering eyes. The spacious and well decorated place, mostly remnants from its days as a night club, had us walking past the dance floor up to a little counter where we had to wait in line a bit longer than we should have behind 4 other patrons. We studied the menu on the wall while waiting to order. The menu is truly a good looking menu with sufficient variety but with a clear flair toward smoked meat preparation. The offerings included pulled pork, ribs, brisket, and chicken. The sides were just right in number. Not too many to make it complicated but enough to give options. Best of all, the prices were "right". $3.25 for the regular pork sandwich. $2.50 for the stew, and pork skins were waiting on the table as an appetizer to nibble on while waiting for the food at no extra cost! Now that is an appetizer option that I've not run into in a while.

Like I said, this was day 1 of their operating for the public, so I am going to be easy on the fact that service was slow. Once the plates arrived, we were all into "pigging out". Will's ribs looked great. They were dry rubbed and reportedly close to "fall off the bone" tender. My pork was surprisingly good. It was well portioned. I tried 3 of their sauces: mild, NC vinegar based, and sweet. They actually have the NC vinegar based sauce down to perfection with my least favorite being the mild. The stew had a typical but unique (if that is possible) appeareance and texture. The taste was perhaps the unique part. It was slightly different, but had every indication of having multiple meats in it which I think adds character.

The menu offered some interesting choices. The owner brought us some of his Chicken Mull (soup). I passed on it for dietary reasons, but Paul checked it out and gave it good marks. I've never knowingly had mull...maybe another day in place of the stew. Other interesting items on the menu included a Thick Grill Bologna Sandwich for a whopping $2. You can also have such items from the vegetarian menu as a tomato sandwich, Hawaiian burger, or he Tropic Sandwich Delight.

On the bbq I'm giving this joint a 3.5. On the stew a 4. If they are still around in a year from now, I am sure my ranking on the Q will have to rise. Gainesville is a good cited town, but the jury is out to see if they support as many bbq joints as they do Mexican joints. I sure wish them the best of luck. Meanwhile, this is truly a "joint", and a joint worth visiting. 3 Lil' Pigs also has a heavy focus on catering. Located north of downtown Gainesville on the Cleveland Highway, its the newest place to "pig out" in Gainesville, GA!

Blind Pig BBQ, Jackson, GA

2011-01-29T16:19:00.001-08:00

Blind Pig BBQ. "Even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then!? Blind pig is an acorn worth searching for!!! There are signs all around Jackson, GA advertising the Blind Pig, but honestly, it can be a trick to find! Clearly, though, it is a joint worth searching for. If you are a with a lady, when you drive up to the Blind Pig, they'll probably say something like "so cute". It is a nice looking little joint that is very clean. The dozen or so cars there sported tags from all across Georgia, so it is a place that has been discovered across the state. It has even been rated in the top 5 in Georgia by Atlanta Magazine. I'm not going to be that generous by any stretch of the imagination, but it is worth trying as an alternative to Fresh Air. The Pig sits just a few miles away from Lake Jackson. As mentioned before, it is a clean little joint that gets extra consideration for that accomplishment. The interior decorations are rustic and accommodating including the big screen tv in the middle dining room that was featuring Adam Richman on Man vs. Food!!! Deb and I ordered up the bbq sandwich and I got a stew on the side. My total bill came to only $12.56 which ranks it among the best values in bbq dining in GA. While we waited for our food we took in the rather "cute" decorative atmosphere as well as enjoyed a few of the complimentary salted peanuts in the shell.

Our food came out rather quickly, and we had already lined up the sauces which were labeled rather crudely "regular", "hot", and "hurtin hot". I tried all three of the sauces but settled in on the "regular". The "hurtin" wasn't really that bad, so if you like the hot stuff, pour it on!!!

The bbq sandwiches were fairly portioned but nothing to write home about. The bbq was clean and very good, but once again, it wasn't a knock your socks off kind of experience. The stew was quite good with an adequate portion size, but it wasn't the best that I have ever had.

The Blind Pig is definitely worth a stop if you are in the Lake Jackson area. I still rank Flovillla's Fresh Air as the king of Butts County BBQ and perhaps the king of all joints from Monroe County up to South Atlanta, but for a pleasant bbq dining experience near the lake, The Blind Pig is worth a stop....if you can find it!!!

Bar-b-Que Wagon, Bryson City, NC

2010-12-30T15:49:00.000-08:00

Bar-b-Que Wagon, Bryson City, NC. By far most of my posts come from barbecue joints in the Peach State of Georgia. Snow had fallen earlier in the week throughout North Georgia and the mountains of North Carolina, so on this end of the year excursion through the Smoky Mountains, I was in search of good BBQ from the Tar heel state. Let me go ahead and say that Debbie and I were not disappointed. I had "googled" several joints around Murphy, Bryson City, and Dillsboro, so we would let the timing of the day and our location at that time stack up against the reviews we had read to determine which joint we'd hit today. Since we were heading east from Murphy over toward Cherokee (yes, to check out Harrah's) we decided on the Bar-b-Que Wagon in Bryson City.

First of all, this place isn't going to win any awards for five star service. It is located on the banks of the beautiful Tuckasegee River with even a couple of dining tables located where you can overlook the river. On this beautiful, snow covered winter's day, the little joint was even more picturesque. This is a "place your order at the counter and then have a seat" kind of joint, so don't expect to be waited on hand and foot, but the counter waitresses are true down to earth salt of the earth people. Appearance wise you can't help but but notice the wooden walls, ceilings, and floors as well as all of the "Elvis" memorabilia on the walls. It has charm and character that ranks up there with any of the joints we've hit.

We picked up bottles of each of the 5 sauces available and had a great time tasting each and trying to figure out which we'd like best. The 6 sauces they have available include: Vinegar, Hot and Spicey, Sweet, Honey, Gold, and Hot. Deb liked the Gold best which was really a semi-sweet honey mustard sauce. My favorite was the "Hot and Spicy".

You have to give the Wagon extra points for portion sized. I ordered a small sandwich which was more than adequate. Deb ordered a side of slaw and I ordered the Brunswick stew. The sides of stew and slaw were three times the sizes you get in many places including my previous day's stop at Georgia Bob's in Macon, GA. The stew actually was among the best I'd had in months though it's appearance didn't get the highest ranking. It's taste was superb with visible ingredients including butter beans, corn, and small cubes of potatoes. What we didn't try were the hush puppies which have received acclaim from several other reviewers.

The barbecue was finely chopped which typically doesn't suit my highest preference, but overall, this was some very good barbecue. It had good color, was clean, and wow, did I mention the portion size was more than adequate. Deb and I were both pushing the Wagon up into the higher ranking levels as we were halfway into the visit.

The Bar-b-Que Wagon get's at least a 4 out of 5 on our rating scale. I haven't any idea when or if I'll ever return to Bryson City, but if I do, the Wagon will be my dining preference! The menu at this joint offers many additional options that need to be reviewed including their ribs and hush puppies, so I guess that in the coming months we'll have to head north into the Smokies for another round with what I will rate as "some of North Carolina's best Q."

Georgia Bob's BBQ, Macon

2010-12-29T12:37:00.000-08:00

Georgia Bob's BBQ with locations in Warner Robins, Byron, and Macon. http://www.georgiabobs.com/.

Mid-twentieth century journalist Jonathan Daniels said it best….”Barbecue is the dish which binds together the taste of both the people of the big house and the poorest occupants of the back end of the broken-down barn" To barbecue is to truly “Cook American”!

A few of my friends and readers have been asking if I had every tried Georgia Bob's BBQ. I had tried Bob's original location in Warner Robins several years ago right after he progressed from a part time cooker at a convenience store to an inside dining room on the side of the store. I've kept up somewhat with Georgia Bob's as I've followed BBQ joints in Georgia, but I'd not been back to any of the locations until today. I had noticed that Bob had opened up a joint right across the road from the new North Macon Mall on North Riverside Drive. I'd asked my son who works within a couple of miles about it, and for whatever reason, he'd been there and wasn't impressed with the BBQ, but he'd later reported that he'd been back and had a cheeseburger that was good enough to rank in the "Scotts BBQ Cheeseburger Comparison" category....and for Jed Evans, that is up there. Interestingly, in 2007, macon.com held a barbecue voting contest over several weeks to try to identify the "Best of the Best" among middle Georgia barbecue joints. Some of the notables such as Fincher's, Fresh Air, Georgia Bob's, and Scott's were among the finalists with Scott's and Bob's making it to the final two joints. Bob's won out to the chagrin of the fans of the Cochran based Scott's fans. The point in going here, though, is that the Macon area has some of the best bbq joints imaginable within a 50 mile radius where you can get good barbecue on a budget.

A little bit of history about Georgia Bob's perhaps is in order. Georgia Bob's history dates back to at least the 1920's. Bob's grandfather, Robert Cherry Evans, apparently could fix up some pretty fine bbq. Following in his grandfather's tradition, Bob struck out on this entrepreneurial adventure several years ago. As indicated earlier, Bob started out about as small as you can get smoking bbq on the side of a Warner Robins convenience store to now having three locations.

I was thrilled today to be joining up with son Jed, his co-worker Brandon Ashley, and my long-time friend and former co-worker Jonathan Fordham who was meeting up the the Farm Bureau crowd in Macon. Jon was boning up on a national competition being held the next weekend after taking the state title in the Policy Discussions competition put on recently at Farm Bureau's state convention. I arrived early so this gave me a little time to "size the joint up". While I waited, I observed several good signs for a bbq joint. Patrons dressed in everything from service uniforms to business suits and everywhere in between were making their path to Georgia Bob's. Now it wasn't a big stand in your line crowd, but folks in North Macon have apparently found the joint and you can tell they are coming back for more.

I placed my order of a barbecue sandwich and Brunswick stew and the others got either barbecue or cheeseburgers. We found our table at the little quaint joint that is well decorated for a strip mall joint. While waiting for the food I checked out the 3 sauces available: Mild, Spicy, and Sweet. I tried out all 3 of them and found my favorite to be the sweet sauce. While Bob's doesn't get extra points for such things as crushed ice, I can tell you the food is clearly worth stopping by for. The pork sandwich was sufficient in size, and the meat was clean and did a good job scratching the barbecue itch. Bob's Brunswick stew is as good as you'll find. The consistency is something of a finer has rather than large, chunky pieces. Jed and Brandon gave the cheeseburgers a thumbs up, and with my suitable rating on the bbq, they'll be headed out to collect on a bet of some nature likely related to a college football game to again try out the Bob's Barbecue.

Overall, until I find a reason to rate downward, I'm giving Georgia Bob's a 4 out of 5 with the promise of going back for another sampling in the future. Now, I'm headed back to Cumming where I have a pocket full of gift cards from Jim 'n Nick's where my friend Brian Lyman is getting it right with quality and service that sets a new standard for BBQ!

Holcomb's in Greensboro, GA.

2010-11-14T17:07:00.000-08:00

Holcomb's Bar-b-Que, Greensboro. Debbie and I were enjoying a 32nd wedding anniversary weekend at Lake Oconee when I just "happened upon" Holcomb's. I did a u-turn in the funeral home next door and wheeled into the joint. A couple of folks had recommended Holcomb's, so I had it somewhere on the radar screen, so when I just happened upon the joint around lunch time I figured we needed to check it out despite just the previous day we had gone overboard at the fabulous Fox Brothers in Atlanta.

Holcomb's is not a high volume joint, but it is one of those places worth visiting at least once. Holcomb's is located in a converted gas station just west of quaint downtown Greensboro. You can order up two ways at Holcomb's. You can place your order at the walk up window or you can go inside and dine in what is the dining room converted from the auto repair bays that once saw oil changes and tune ups being the order.

Holcomb's menus is rather light, but the bbq is quite good and priced well below the metro area bbq joints. I ate a rather light lunch this day due to the previous day's pigging out at Fox Brothers, but I had to do a bbq sandwich. The sandwich was a pretty typical chopped bbq on a bun with the sauce on the side. There is only one sauce at Holcomb's, and it is a thin, vinegar based sauce typical of a North Carolina style. The dining area, was lightly decorated with some Bulldog and Georgia Tech memorabilia. When you dine there, you are most likely going to be joined by a few locals and deer hunter's dressed in camo if it is during the fall months.

Debbie really enjoyed the extra sweet pickles on the table while I sampled the really good barbecue that was clean and adequate in portion size. While I really can't give Holcomb's much more than a 3 on the 5 point scale, it is a good stop for a cheap lunch that will scratch the bbq itch. You can go down towards Lake Oconee and spend 10 times more on whatever you want to eat, but Holcomb's is the latest on the list of Georgia bbq joints that needs to be on everyone's "at least once" stops!

Rib Country, Blairsville, GA

2010-10-23T16:07:00.001-07:00

"So Good It'll Make You Squeal" is their slogan, and parts of this claim are true even if I had received at least one comment that was not particularly endearing for this location. This entry sort of has a funny story to it, so hang in there. Rib Country has four locations. Two in Georgia (Cleveland and Blairsville) and two in North Carolina (Murphy and Haynesville). I'd eaten a couple of times at the one in Cleveland, but on today's drive through the North Georgia mountains Blairsville was the stop. The place was buzzing on this beautiful October afternoon with leaf lookers from all over Georgia crawling through the mountains. Few counties in Georgia can match Union for its beauty in October. After a very short wait, Debbie and I were seated in this very well done little joint. Rib Country has their interior done just about right. They've got lots of folk art and relics of the past on the walls and throughout the joint. They've got paper towels on the table, and the placemats are paper grocery sacs like they used to have years ago!

Debbie ordered up the bbq sandwich, a side of fries, and a diet coke. I ordered the pork sandwich and cold slaw. The slaw was really good even if it was rather small in portion size. We both thought the bbq was good in both consistency, cleanness, and taste. We tried out two of their sauces. The sweet was good but highly akin to something that would come our of a Kraft bottle. Their "tangy mustard" (Lord forgive me) was actually pretty good.

This bbq joint does have a couple of downsides from our critical point of view, and it really has more to do with menu options as opposed to quality. Debbie claims the fries are mediocre in that its pretty sure they came out of a frozen bag. Secondly, their ice is cubed and not crushed. You always get extra points for crushed ice! While the menu is actually pretty good and sufficiently varied even for those who don't do pork, there are a few options that would make it better. First, they don't offer Brunswick stew...not good. Second, they don't offer turnips or other forms of "greens". That's such an easy one to fix as well as a great way to recycle pork and chicken trimmings.

As an overall comparison, Rib Country is probably the Blairsville area's best joint, it rates below some other options back down Highway 515 (Poole's). Now for the funny conclusion. As we were leaving, they were actually trying to decide to close the place for the afternoon. If you remember the Andy Griffith episode where Goober had bought the gas station along with Andy and Floyd, you'll remember that Goober ran out of gas on the opening day because he forgot to place the order for more. Ha ha!!! Same thing happened today at the Blairsville Rib Country. They ran out of gas and were telling customers they could not serve either french fries or ribs!!! That pretty well tells you that they don't cook over straight wood, and while most high volume joints do either I would guess, I'd say it is a pretty bad goof up to run out of gas in your bbq joint on an October afternoon in North Georgia!!!

Bill Miller Barbecue, San Antonio, TX

2010-10-20T18:36:00.000-07:00

Bill Miller Barbecue Joints in southern Texas are seemingly everywhere, but contrary to my typical "generous" blogs, this one doesn't get much of a rating. I'd actually been told that joints like Rudy's and County Line were pretty good picks, my location put me nearest a Bill Miller joint. They've got something like 60 joints in southern Texas. I'm really not going to waste my or your time on a complete review, but the joint fit more in line with a Waffle House for BBQ than anything else. The ribs were yesterday's leftovers, and if I couldn't do brisket any better, I would not bother. Oh well. Next time I'm in southern Texas, I'm doing Rudy's at whatever the cab fare.

'Cue Barbecue, Cumming, GA

2010-10-18T15:13:00.000-07:00

'Cue, Cumming.

Several weeks ago we were "thrilled" to learn that Cumming was getting its own 'Cue BBQ joint. The original location of 'Cue in Milton had already been critiqued, and my couple of visits to that location had been good visits. Having its original influence from "Swallow at the Hollow", 'Cue's fixings are some of the overall best you'll find. Everything you have at this joint, whether its the sauces, bread, or desserts are all homemade with their own recipes. Even the buns (more like big pieces of bread) are homemade right at the location, and you can tell it!!!

Today's visit was especially nice as I was getting to enjoy it with co-workers Joey and Valery. Sharing the BBQ joint experience with both family and friends far beats the solo experience, even though I won't turn that down if I get the chance.

On today's visit, I was suffering from a weekend full of doing my own bbq and attending a church homecoming at Big Creek Baptist Church in Coolidge, GA, so I was having to watch the intake. My order deviated from the normal as I ordered a pulled chicken bbq sandwich and a cup of their awesome Brunswick stew. Joey and Valery ordered pork sandwiches. Their reports of the bbq were great as you would expect 'Cue to be. This was my first bbq chicken from 'Cue and my first experience at the new Cumming location. Located on Highway 20 south of Cumming, 'Cue is easily accessible for a lunchtime break.

To the meal. The bbq chicken was really fantastic. The fairly good sized pulled chunks of pulled chicken made for a really good portion size. When piled on the thick sections of 'Cue's homemade bread, it was really out of this world. The meat comes seasoned with their awesome Kansas City styled sweet sauce. I had to try their outstanding South Carolina mustard bbq sauce, and they've really got it down. 'Cue also has as an option their thin, vinegar based North Carolina sauce. The Brunswick stew that 'Cue fixes up is quite good. The consistency is just about right. The visible vegetables include tomatoes, whole kernel corn, and a few butterbeans. The meat appears to be a mix of both pork and chicken which is alright by me.

All in all, 'Cue's got great food, and I am thrilled that they now have a Cumming location. They are located in an area that, though is very busy, has struggled to support a couple of other dining establishments. I do highly recommend this place and overall, it get's a 4+ on our 5 point scale. Special thanks to Valery and Joey for the treat!

JR's Loghouse, Norcross, GA

2010-09-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

JR's Loghouse, Norcross. JR's had been somewhere on the fringes of my bbq radar screen for a few weeks. I can't say that I was even familiar with JR's until a few weeks ago when they had catered a Johnny Isakson fundraiser that I attended. I thought the bbq and Brunswick stew I had were pretty good at the fundraiser, so Debbie and I thought we'd try it out on this beautiful late summer Saturday. JR's is really a quaint log building tucked in among some of the Northeast Atlanta area streets just off of I-285 on Peachtree Parkway. The inside of this place is quaint. You quickly figure out that in addition to bbq, they've got a reputation for great country style breakfasts. A little history on the joint is picked up from both their menu and off of their website www.jrsloghouse.com/:

JR's Loghouse first started serving great barbeque and breakfast in May 1983. However, JR's history goes back more than 55 years to when "JR," Jerry Romano, started cooking and serving "real pit cooked barbeque" as a young teenager with his family's restaurant. The recipes we serve today have been handed down from grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Many of them were originally part of The Old Hickory House Restaurants, which were an Atlanta institution for more than 50 years. Along with our great barbeque, we serve many different vegetables daily, all cooked fresh. We serve breakfast 7 days a week with the biggest biscuits and pancakes you've ever seen. Today, you can still see some of the same employees here who helped us open our doors in 1983.

We found the place not to busy when we went in, but a good sign was that there were several "service" type trucks in the parking lot giving indication that local service workers found this a good spot. We perused the menu that was adequate, and I ordered up my typical first visit order of a bbq sandwich and Brunswick stew. Debbie ordered her usual bbq pork salad. The order came out fast, but I was hit with a little bit of a "red flag" when my sandwich came wrapped in a foil wrapper. I've got to figure that one out. Once I got it out of the foil wrapper, it looked pretty good with a good portion of bbq on the bun. The stew had good appearance, so I took a few bites of it first. The presence of tomatoes, onion, and corn among the stew gave it great taste and appearance. The stew got a decent ranking. The bbq was pretty good in its course chopped texture. Rather than having sauce on the tables, it was lightly pre-applied to the bbq. Points are deducted for that fact, but otherwise, the bbq was good despite lacking sufficient smoked flavor.

Debbie was not impressed with the salad and further disappointed with the lack of "crushed" ice. Her salad lacked a variety of toppings. The sauce was heavily ketchup based, and while it was ok, it didn't really do anything for us. Her first two bites of bbq found both bone and fat.

Though we left adequately filled, we both agreed that a ranking of 3 out of 5 was about as good as we could offer. Perhaps the best part of the visit was one of the waitresses. As she walked by, I quickly told Debbie that "she looks a lot like Laura (our daughter)". We then struck up a quick conversation with her and found that she was just as sweet seeming as our daughter. With that kind of encounter, we left with a sense of delight having enjoyed meeting a nice young lady that reminded us much of our girl.

JR's seems to have an active catering business, and if you need someone to do catering, you can't go wrong with their choice as your provider; however, there are lots of great caterers in the area including my friends at Jim 'n Nicks, Dreamland, and Fox Brothers!!!

Now, if Georgia can just pull off a win against Arkansas!!!

Poppies Rib Shack, Blairsville, GA.

2010-09-11T15:50:00.001-07:00

Poppies Rib Shack, Blairsville. Union County is one of Georgia's true gems. It is home to Georgia's most beautiful mountains, a great lake, some fabulous parks, and the county seat of Blairsville is as quaint as can be found in the country. The antique stores and other wonderful shopping spots (like Alexanders) are worth at least a once a year visit if not more often. With all of this going for it, today seemed like a great day to head up and explore the bbq options. The blond chick pictured here and I cruised up through the mountains with one of a couple of options in mind. After a couple of sweeps through town, I couldn't find Rib Country. Poppies, though, is located just a block north of the town square, so we decided to give it a try as it had all of the promise of being one of those special bbq joints. The place has the appearance of a decent q joint. With lots of car tags on the wall and at least one framed printing of the "Ten Commandments", it has elements of being a place that ought to be a winner. The provision of a full roll of paper towels at each table helped confirm that when eating at Poppies, be prepared to do some damage. Deb and I sat in a booth giving me a view of the single flat screen tv so I could watch the Georgia game as the Dawgs were being kept in check by the Gamecocks. The menu is pretty expansive for a bbq joint. We could tell from the plates being delivered by the waitresses that food quantity wasn't going to be a question. The sandwiches were overrunning with chopped pork and the portion of home cut french fries on the sides assured us we would not leave hungry. We didn't.
Debbie ordered the chopped pork salad and I got the traditional first visit pork sandwich and Brunswick stew. The salad was a good one in size and makeup. Debbie nor I either one are overly thrilled when the bbq comes already sauced as this did. That's probably the biggest criticism. They actually have a pretty good house sauce which is relatively mild and sweet and does add flavor to the meat, but please let me do it myself. On the 1 to 5 scale, it ranked a 3. Pretty much the same could be said for the stew. It was edible with decent amounts of pork, corn, and a few lima beans visible. The bottom line is Poppies is a decent place, but it will probably not make anyone's list of top q joints. On the upside, you won't leave hungry. On the downside, the bbq and the stew is average. On the final upside, you can't leave Union County without saying, "wow, it was a great day."

The Whole Hog Pig Pickin'

2010-08-13T06:20:00.000-07:00

The Whole Hog Pig Pickin'. Lots of us can do good Boston butts and make some pretty good bbq. Pretty much it is "start with a good rub, do it low and slow for 8 hours or so, get it to about 195 degrees on the inside" and you've got a good start. Fewer folks can do "the whole hog" to perfection. One fellow who can is my friend Doug Kitchens of Scott's BBQ in Cochran, GA. I had lined Doug up to do us a whole hog for Jed and Shanna's wedding rehearsal dinner. Shanna wasn't overly thrilled with Jed's idea, but somehow he won her over. Doug did the thing to perfection, and I think everyone thoroughly enjoyed this twist. Here's a couple of pics, and yes, a week later, I'm still eating bbq!

JL's Barbecue, Macon, GA.

2010-07-27T17:35:00.000-07:00

JL's Barbecue, Macon. The barbecue itch had hit as it had been at least a couple of weeks since I'd last had any slow cooked pork. I had been wanting to try JL's in Macon for a couple of reasons. First, I am always looking for a barbecue place I haven't tried. Second, JL's is only a couple of miles away from where I grew up. Third, I'd driven by the place dozens of times over the past half a dozen years and had never eaten there.

JL's is located in what appears to be a converted Sonny's (not a plus in my book). It is conveniently located off of I-475 and Highway 80, and its customer base is a pretty representative noontime meal of blue collar workers, older couples who appear to be mostly travelers, and a few business types. The marquee on the outside does catch your eye. Located right next door to a Chick Fillet, their sign boasts something like "Save a Chicken, Eat Some Pork". Frankly, that may be the best thing about JL's. Another thing that JL's has going for it is it has three American flags out front. American flags and bbq joints are a good mix.

I joined a professional colleague on this HOT summer day. I got there a bit early, so I had time to thoroughly study the menu. The menus is another good thing going for JL's. While they don't try to serve everything, their variety of both meats and sides is impressive. With sides like Brunswick Stew, fried okra, slaw, bbq beans, mac and cheese, and fried sweet potatoes, they just about have everything except collard greens or turnips.

I ordered my typical first visit meal of a bbq sandwich and Brunswick stew. While the stew looked good, had a good aroma, and was of good portion size, the taste left something to be desired. It had all the right ingredients of potatoes, corn, green beens, and a generous and visible presence of pulled pork, but it really was not ranked somewhere around a 2 out of 5. The barbecue was better, but nothing to necessarily write home about. My friend and I ordered pulled pork. It had the appearance of having been "pre-sauced". The two sauces we tried were mild and honey. Both were actually pretty good sauces. The bun that came with the bbq sandwich also seemed rather stale.

Oh well. All in all I am glad that I tried JL's. My general recommendation would be that based on my visit here on this particular day, both Fresh Air and Pig In A Pit off of I-75 in the Riverside and Bass Road areas would be much better choices. Of course, if you want to visit Macon's seedier side, you can always try Fincher's...home of the First BBQ in outer space.

Aunt Bea's BBQ, Mt. Airy, NC

2010-07-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

Aunt Bea's BBQ, Mt. Airy, NC. Another bucket list experience. I always wanted to visit the hometown of Andy Griffith. I could not pass up Aunt Bea's BBQ. The place is more like a converted Dairy Queen, and they even serve ice cream! The BBQ tray consisted of some really fine bbq, bbq slaw, and the way they seem to do it in NC, with hush ... See Morepuppies. It wasn't that the bbq was really that awesome, but the moist meat topped with the vinegar based Aunt Bea's Hot and Spicy Sauce added joy to the trip. I don't know that Aunt Bea's is the best of Mt. Airy's 3 q joints, but it had to beat Goobers 52 Diner. Nonetheless, Mt. Airy is really a lot like you'd expect to find Mayberry some 50 years later. Tomorrow we'll do the Bluebird Diner.

Dreamland, Norcross, GA

2010-07-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

Dreamland BBQ, Norcross, GA. One of my favorite places to occasionally shop (actually to wait on Debbie while she shops!) is The Forum on 141 in Norcross. With a Trader Joes, Ted's Montana Grill on the premises and a Dreamland across the road, even I can find some joy in the trip.This Dreamland is located in what was an old bank. The BBQ pit sits where the drive in window used to be.Like the Roswell Dreamland, this is seriously fine BBQ. On this visit I departed from the usual pulled pork and went for baby back ribs. Oh my, were they forever good. Of course one of the neatest things about Dreamland is the open pits visible from the dining area. Every time I've been to DL I've enjoyed admiring the racks full of Boston butts and ribs being slow cooked over real wood with smoke circulating over the tops of the meat. Debbie ordered up one of their pulled pork salads. We were still eating off of that salad for the next 3 meals.All in all, Dreamland remains one of my favorite Atlanta area q joints. With six joints i Alabama and 2 in the Atlanta area, Dreamland ranks as one of my top 5 any way you slice it, pull it, or chop it up. Of course, one of the best things you can do on the way out the door is to pick up a jar of their sauce. "Ain't none like 'em nowhere!"

Johnny Harris, Savannah, GA

2010-07-06T08:11:00.000-07:00

Johnny Harris, Savannah, GA. Savannah has some of the best dining establishments in GA. With Johnny Harris now on the list I've got another one to recommend. JH is a little different place found on Victory Drive in Savannah. When Rick Gunn who grew up in Savannah was donning a "let's cook some butt" apron at the FCSS central office picnic a couple weeks ago it got it's first recommendation. Then Ray Jordan from Ashburn gave it a nod, I knew I had to hit it while in Savannah last week. Deb and I hit it on Friday on our way out of town. The place looks more like a cathedral or Shriners hall than a q joint. Once in you still sort of have a mix between one part that looks like a BBQ joint and the other side looking like a church auditorium.
Two thumbs up on the stew. It really was some of the best stew I've had. The appearance was good. It was thick with the only visible veggies being corn and tomatoes. The flavor was divine.
The BBQ sandwich is served on toasted white bread. Portion size was more than adequate. The bbq was very clean. Johnny Harris ia perhaps best known for it's sauces. I picked up a three pack of regular, mustard, and sweet and spicy.
Though seafood may be tops on my list while in Savannah, I'd suggest JH to anyone wanting bbq while in Savannah.

Sprayberry's BBQ, Newnan, GA

2010-04-13T12:10:00.000-07:00

Sprayberry's BBQ. This joint has been around since 1926, so that makes it something like 84 years, and it is one of the best in Georgia. It really isn't that the bbq is any better than some of the best bbq joints around, but this one's got charm, character, and nostalgia along with great food. Located in beautiful, historic Newnan, GA, the original location is a little harder to access from I-85 than the second location at exit 47, but you've got to go to the original joint at least once. The outside of the building is not much more than a shell of the orginal gas station that it once was many years ago. An old series of bbq pits sit out front, and when you walk in the door, you take a step back in time. You'll find yourself a seat at one of the red-topped formica tables that date clearly back to the 50's. It's a busy place with a number of tables. At those tables will be mix of folks dressed anywhere from blue jeans and work clothes to business suits.

I knew by reputation that Sprayberry's was supposed to have great sweet tea, so I ordered me one in a "to go" cup and was pleased to find that to cool, sweet tea was served over some of the finest crushed ice you can find. I looked over the menu since I had not been at this origiinal location before, and I passed up the Lewis Grizzard special (bbq sandwich, Brunswick stew, and onion rings) and stuck with the usual sandwich and stew. The order was on my table before I could fully take in the place, so I proceeded with the meal. The stew was noticeably thicker and clearly had the appearance of having been finely processed. While the ingredients were thus not clearly discernable, you could tell it contained the traditional kernel corn. The flavor was out of this world great.

The chopped barbecue sandwich was generous in size and served with a dab of sauce, so I asked for some more. It was brought in a small bowl all nice and warm. The sauce, and they only have one, is a thinner vinegar base that is just hot enough to make your head pop a sweat. The extra sauce was really needed as the chopped pork was a touch on the dry, flaky side, but the pork was as tasty as this style of barbecue gets The pickles served along with the sandwich, which is always a good thing, were a spicy sweet style rather than the run of the mill dill.

I picked up a couple of pints of barbecue sauce when I checked out...one for me and one for a friend...so I look forward to further enjoying Sprayberry's taste the next time I smoke a Boston Butt. I noticed as I left the building I was walking with somewhat of a satisfied swagger. I grinned and thought, must be the Lewis Grizzard effect. Here I am two hours later and still enjoying my stop by historic and world famous Sprayberry's BBQ. Put it on your list to visit if you've not been there.

Bub-Ba-Q, Jasper, GA.

2010-04-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

Bub-Ba-Q, Jasper, GA. Pickens County and Jasper, GA are trying to hang on to it's quiet somewhat rural past like a desperate housewife despite the fact that Atlanta and the northern suburbs continue to creep northward. For years such well known places as Jasper Jeep and The Bargain Barn were destination points Jasper. There's another place that is worth jumping off the Zell Miller Mountain Parkway for, and that is Bub-Ba-Q. A couple of folks including Steve Testerman had recommended Bub-Ba-Q, so I'd had this on the bbq radar screen for several weeks. After a truly fantastic 50 mile motorcycle ride on this Good Friday, we pulled up into the parking lot on Highway 53 West of Jasper.

They say you can tell a lot about a place by who eats there. When you pull up into the parking lot at this joint, by and large the predominant vehicles may well be motorcycles and service trucks. When you enter the joint and look around, you are likely to see a good mix in the joint from white collars to those wearing work uniforms. This is a busy little joint at lunch. It isn't a whole lot to look at from the outside, and the inside isn't exactly much either, but the barbecue and sides are awesome. They don't wait your tables at this little dive, you place your order at the counter when you walk in. Don't go far after you order cause in just a few minutes you'll have your order and you can either sit inside at one of the 14 or so tables.

Debbie and I were ordered right behind 5 other "old" motorcyclists like me. I quickly asserted that my meal would consist of a barbecue sandwich and Brunswick stew while Debbie ordered her barbecue salad (using the various barbecue sauces as dressing). While we waited the few minutes on our order, we tasted the various sauces they had including Hot and Spicy, Sweet, Vinegar, and Mustard based. All were very good, but our favorite was the Sweet sauce followed interestingly enough by the South Caroline style Mustard. The stew was excellent as well. It was somewhat of a thick stew containing pork bbq, tomato base along with a little corn. Debbie was well pleased with the salad as well.

Hickory Pig BBQ, Gainesville, GA

2010-03-06T16:16:00.001-08:00

Hickory Pig BBQ, Gainesville, GA. This place is a "trip". This Saturday found Debbie and I really struggling on where to strike out to. We'd considered downtown Atlanta where we'd thought about hitting DBA Barbecue, but the Gainesville/Dawsonville area won out. We made our way up 400 and then through beautiful north Hall County where you pass by beautiful homes on horse farm acreage as well as rusty old mobile homes that have little life left in search of Hickory Pig. I'd heard some good reviews on Hickory Pig, but I really didn't know what to expect. Well, when we got there, it was nothing short of a fun experience.
First, this place "aint Jim 'N Nicks for sure. The hodgepodge of what looks like three small storage buildings stuck together is hardly big enough to seat 10 people at the three tables that look like they were salvaged from Goodwill. This is a joint or a dive in the true sense of the words. You can tell right out the car door that the barbecue is cooked the old fashioned way through indirect smoking with hickory wood. We sort of chuckled when we got into the place and found that you had to fix your own drink with ice out of an ice chest and cokes from the can. We were cordially greeted by Phil and his sidekick "Littlebit". It didn't take us long to figure out what we wanted. Deb was going to stay vegetarian, so she ordered slaw and collard greens. I ordered my typical first visit order of a sandwich and Brunswick stew. The orders were out in no time flat. Immediately, Debbie was raving about the greens, and she's not really typically a big "raver". They were absolutely melt in your mouth awesome. She detected that the slaw had some form of secret ingredient. We know what it is, but if you can guess the ingredient when you go there, you get your entry free!
On the stew and barbecue. Old Phil Beaubian will never win the contest for quantity, but this little low volume dive is unbeat for quality. I started with a great small serving of stew. It really was great, but I don't know that it would top the list of the over 60 something q joints I've hit over the past couple of years. His barbecue, though, was top notch. Simply good, long stranded pulled pork gently topped with his Murrayville Barbecue Sauce which is sort of a North Carolina vinegar sauce. No real variety here, but it scratches the bbq itch for sure. Phil and Littlebit are two friendly folks for sure, so we struck up fairly deep conversation that turned into being downright comical. I finally told Phil what I was up to, and Oh My Gosh...that's when the fun begin. Phil and I visited the little kitchen, food prep area, and smoking pit. Aint much to write about, but dang it puts out some good food. When we got to talking about my reviewing bbq joints, he quickly fixed me up with some beef brisket....my friend forever. Phil had slow smoked this brisket to perfection. I love ribeye steak, but this brisket would top even a M&T Meats marinated ribeye!!!
If you haven't figured it out yet, Phil is quite a character. The next thing we had to do was to go to the shack outback where he opened up a cabinet and unveiled his kareoke machine. First we were serenaded by Littlebit as she did a Patsy Kline tune. Then Phil had to have his turn doing an Elvis tune.
Of all the bbq visits that I've ever done, this one was truly the most "interesting".
Despite the fact that I wouldn't recommend taking someone who you really wanted to impress to eat at this joint, Phil's Hickory Pig on Thompson Bridge Road north of Gainesville is a winner in our book.

Harry's Pig Shop, Athens, GA.

2010-02-02T16:36:00.000-08:00

Harry's Pig Shop, Athens, GA. I'm still looking for the best barbecue joint in Athens. I've had a couple of suggestions, and today I visited one. While it was good, I'm going to shoot straight and say it's got some ways to go to rank with Georgia's best joints. The best thing about doing bbq joints is that you get to sometimes enjoy the experience with friends. Today's Harry's visit found me with 5 FCSS colleagues including Candy and Joey pictured out front.

OK, the rundown on Harry's Pig Shop. First, it's a strip mall storefront located just off the Jefferson Road in the Homewood Shopping Center which doesn't earn it any points due to a lack of exterior charm or character. On the plus side, the interior is done nicely with a sort of retro decor with 50'ish looking tables and chairs. You also have to love the fact that there is a good amount of children's artwork with a framed poster saying "Artwork Compliments of Mr. Wilcox's Art Class South Jackson Elementary School. Now being a school person, you know I have to like that. Bonus points Harry.

The food at Harry's Pig Shop is actually pretty good or that was my experience on this day and confirmed by my friends. On the downside, when you walk in the door nor on the outside, do you get the overwhelming and intoxicating smell of hickory or oak smoked bbq. Harry's makes up for it though in other ways.

The bbq was a clean without excessive fat or bark. It was tasty, and in pieces that were almost a consistency between a chopped and pulled style. Harry's sauces earn the little joint some bonus points. We had as many as 5 different sauce options to include NC Vinegar, SC Mustard, Vidalia Onion Sweet, Hot, and then something named "Georgia Shack". Almost all of our party voted the SC Mustard (interestingly enough if you know my otherwise general preferences) the best overall sauce. Harry's understands the need for a dill pickle with bbq, so with the "Pig Sandwich" you get a pickle spear.

Members of our party had sides that included sweet potato fries, mac and cheese, house and memphis slaw among others. What's not on the menu is Brunswick stew bit, but my philosophy is that do what you do best and if it isn't stew, so what. Harry's does have some interesting things on the menu, and the most interesting to our party was "Brisket Spaghetti." To that I suggest that you should never waste good brisket!!!

A nice touch to Harry's dining experience was both the interior decor which they've broken up nicely for a strip mall joint and the Blues music playing in the background. I'll likely do Harry's Pig Shop again, but next time in Athens, I'll search out another joint to find the "best bbq joint in the Classic City."

PS. I am counting on the "dawg boys" to help me find Athens' best q joint!!!

High Falls BBQ

2009-12-30T16:47:00.000-08:00

Publish Post
High Falls BBQ. Talk about a pleasant surprise at truly a "q joint", High Falls BBQ is just that. As I travel up and down I-75 between Cumming and Cochran, I had seen the sign advertising this joint, and I'd had it on my "to do list" for some months. Most of the time I was too hurried to make the one mile detour down High Falls Road to check this joint out, but today (December 30, 2009) time was on my side. I'd been over a week without hitting a barbecue joint, and this one fit well in my time frame. I exited off I-75 and immediately was in what "the rest of Georgia" is like. The one mile trip off the interstate takes you through a nice mature stand of loblolly pines on each side of the road. About a mile down the road you approach High Falls and an area that is in some ways a "step back in time". When you pull up to this dive, you realize that life isn't always about glitz, glamour, and business. You can't help but to smile when you see the old rusty International tractor on the side of the joint along with the picnic tables out front.

Once inside, you walk right up to the counter and place your order. The menus is not expansive, but it is truly adequate and pretty much what you'd want to find at a small bbq joint. I got my first visit regular of a sandwich and Brunswick stew. I pre-tasted the two sauces available (Original and Carolina Red). Both were very good and similar in being deep red with a fairly thick consistency. My order came out rather quickly, and I first tasted the stew which was about as good as you'll find. It is thick, meaty, and not a form of vegetable soup. The barbecue was also right up there with any of the best joints I've covered. The meat was moist, clean, and quite full of pork flavor. The sauce really topped it off.

I struck up a conversation with a local living there at High Falls as he was having his 11:30 am Michelob Ultra, and he raved at how often he ate there and how much he liked it above even Fresh Air which is not too far away. The joint does not qualify as an icon or having a legendary status as it has only been opened for around 5 years or so. Run by Dean Huckabee and his wife, this is really a place that is worth visiting if you need a mental and physical departure from the hustle and bustle of the traditional dining establishments along I-75 or the metro Atlanta area. I can't wait to stop back by there so my bbq buddy and wife Debbie can join me for another pleasant visit to this somewhat quaint, retro joint that serves this little area quite well with good barbecue, friendly service, and a place to stretch and relax on our drives through Georgia. We'll give it a pretty good 4 out of 5 rating but frankly, you really won't find a lot of places doing a better job with their pulled pork bbq in Georgia.

'Cue Barbecue- Milton/Alpharetta

2009-12-12T14:29:00.000-08:00

'Cue in Milton. 'Cue Barbecue is a new joint having just opened in June of this year. 2009 was a tough year for people trying to open up a dining establishment, but if the quality of today's dining experience continues, this joint can be around for along time. We'd passed 'Cue a few times as we occasionally travel up and down Highway 9 between Cumming and Alpharetta and had seen 'Cue a few times. I still can't tell you where Milton begins and ends in relationship to Alpharetta, but I do know every barbecue joint from the mountains to downtown Atlanta! I'd gotten some pretty good recommendations on the place, so this afternoon led me and Debbie down to try this place out....and man, I am glad we did.

First, I've had to get over the bias against joints in "strip malls." 'Cue is located in a small strip mall, but once inside, you don't feel like you are in one. The joint is nicely decorated and even has a couple of televisions for watching sporting or other events. The place was really hopping, but we got in and were waited on by a very accommodating waitress named Jennifer. Jennifer gave us a good overview of the menu and knew the product quite well as she described the two sauces (one sweet and one thin and vinegar based) as well as the various meats and sides. Debbie decided on a pork salad and I got my traditional first visit order of a pork sandwich and brunswick stew. Now one thing that is unique about 'Cue is that EVERYTHING (except the cola's and other bottled beverages) is home made. Even the bread on my sandwich and the bread and butter pickles on the side were home made. Before getting to the barbecue review, I gotta tell you that the bread was to die for.

When our orders arrived in pretty quick time frame, we were pleased right off the bat. Debbie's pork salad was as beautiful of a salad as you would ever want to see. The barbecue on the top was well portioned, clean, pretty, and had just a slight mix of bark on a few pieces of the barbecue...just like we like it. He summation of the salad was that "it was the best bbq salad I've ever had (and she's had to have a number of them with me)." My barbecue sandwich was well portioned with barbecue between two pieces of home made bread (did I mention that it was to die for?). While I tend to like the pulled pork being not quite as chopped as this, the flavoring of the pork rivaled the best around!!! With the sauce being on the side (once again, just like we like), I was able to dress up my bbq to my liking. The brunswick stew was unique. A lot of folks' stew is similar to everyone elses, but there are a few places whose stew stands out as being different (like Scott's in Cochran). This stew was not a heavy tomato base but was more of a broth based that was very good. The meat base contained both pork and chicken (my philosophy too, throw in whatever ya got), and the vegetables in the mix included whole kernel corn and baby butterbeans. Insider information has it that the brunswick stew is made from a pork rib stock, and I will tell you, it is awesome. The stew with a piece of bread on a cold, rainy afternoon will leave you warmed all afternoon long!!! I really loved the stew, but next time I'm going to try out their collard greens which when described by Jennifer had me on the brink of wavering from my initial decision of a cup of stew.

All in all, I'm going to give 'Cue a great 4+ out of 5 rating. While I didn't get the opportunity to meet the owners/operators, I did learn a little about them which adds to the intrigue of 'Cue. 'Cue's half owners are former partners with Swallow at the Hollow just down the road in Roswell. With that in their background, you know these folks know a little about both barbecue and the restaurant business. You can find out more about 'Cue at their website at www.cuebarbecue.com/.

Blue Creek BBQ, Cleveland, GA

2009-11-21T17:25:00.000-08:00

Blue Creek BBQ, Cleveland, GA. What a wonderful surprise. After about 90 miles on North Georgia's most curvy mountain roads, Blue Creek was a fantastic respite from the cool North Georgia mountain air. I almost didn't stop here, but after passing by and seeing the sign ".99 cent 32 ounce iced tea", I figured it had to be a new addition to our collection. Deb and I gladly dismounted the Harley and went in to a join a combination of locals, tourists, and bikers looking for a good Q lunch. We were not disappointed. After ordering two drinks, a sandwich, stew, and a pork salad, I was only a little over 12 bucks lighter. The bbq sandwich was awesome both in size and taste. Blue Creek has but one sauce, and it is a fairly mid-range sauce that is pretty good in consistency and taste. The Brunswick Stew is really a pretty good stew. It isn't too thick nor is it too thin, but after a cool mountain ride, it sure hits the spot. The folks who work at Blue Creek are really hospitable, and unlike One Star BBQ in Alpharetta, you can fill your tea or coke glass up all you want for $.99...and yes, that makes a difference!!! So if you are headed to Helen or the Cleveland area, Blue Creek will not be a disappointment.

Mickey Pigg's, Alto, GA

2009-11-14T13:27:00.000-08:00

Mickey Pigg's BBQ, Alto, GA. When we started out this morning, I didn't have a clue which bbq joint I'd hit today, but I had it on my radar. We were headed up toward Mt. Airy, GA to pick up a new trailer to haul the Harley on, and I had Googled my projected route as well as searched my memory banks for possible joints. A q joint in Alto wasn't even on the radar. The only thing I knew about Alto was that there was a State Prison there, and that is one place I'd prefer to avoid!!!

After stopping and getting some apples at Jaemor, we headed on up GA Highway 365 toward Mt. Airy. We saw this joint on the right hand side of the road, and it had great curb appeal. After getting the trailer business taken care of, I asked the fellow who sold me the trailer if he could recommend a good bbq joint in the area. Mickey's was one of two he suggested.

MP's has been in business since around 1994. The Smith family, originally from New York, moved to Florida and then back up to the Helen area later on. That makes them "halfbacks" any way you look at it, but they recognized that being in GA, you gotta be a bbq lover.

When we got back down to Mickey Pigg's we headed up to the joint. They were doing some outside smoking probably for the luring effect, but the aroma was inviting. The ambiance of MP's is really cute. It isn't real big, but it has a good feel. It isn't anything like an old sawdust floor joint, but it does have a homey feel. Deb and I started off with some home fried potato chips, and they were very good. When our order came, and it came fairly quickly, Debbie's pork salad was very generous in portion size as was my bbq sandwich and cup of Brunswick stew.

The bbq was clean and somewhere between pulled and chipped, so it worked fine as far as consistency was concerned. The Brunswick stew was an interesting mix. It was a pork base which was not as tomato based as some stews which actually made it very good. They have two basic sauces: original and hot. The original is very much a good, smokey flavored sauce with good texture, taste, and consistency. The hot was very good as well.

One of the most impressive things about Mickey Pigg's is that they also have a thriving bakery. Their cakes are really beautifully decorated, and rumor has it that their cheesecake is about as good as you will ever have. While I can't put Mickey Pigg's into the "legendary" category yet, they are well on their way. If you are heading up toward Clayton, Dillard, or southern NC, don't be afraid to give MP's a try!!!

Killer Brunswick Stew

2009-11-08T15:00:00.001-08:00

Killer Brunswick Stew!!!

My ventures to Georgia's greatest bbq joints has me often sampling Brunswick stew along with the bbq. Some folks get it right, and some folks simply have something more akin to a vegetable stew claiming to be Brunswick stew. It is said that the origin of Brunswick stew is debated between Brunswick, Virginia and Brunswick, GA. Despite the fact that I am a Georgian by birth and residence, I find more credibility in the Brunswick, VA origin. Sampling the stews from all of these joints along with the regular smoking on my Green Egg has put me in the position of being not only a serious barbecuer but also one that has now learned to fix up a Brunswick stew that can rival the work of any of the 'q joints that I've hit. Just this evening, I've fixed up a bit pot of stew using the following recipe.

I start the Brunswick Stew process with a 12 quart pot which is large enough to handle all of whatever I decide to throw into the mix.

Begin the stew with one chopped onion in the pot cooking it down for about 15 minutes.
Next, pour in two cans of diced tomatoes. If you grow and can your own tomatoes, that is even better, but two cans from the store work just as well.
Add one cup of Heinz catsup.
Add one green pepper or you can use red peppers if you wish.
Add your Boston Butt, turkey, ground beef, venison, or whatever meat base you wish to use. My grandmothers would have probably thrown in a squirrel or two into the mix, but I think I'll pass on that addition. I typically prefer the Boston Butt for the meat base as it gives it the perfect fat consistency to really bring the best flavor to the stew. Tonight's stew has me using a good portion of turkey breast that I had smoked on the Green Egg. Cook these ingredients for about 30 minutes.
The balance of the ingredients is what makes preparing Brunswick stew fun. Frankly, I'll add some staples, but I'll also search both the pantry and refrigerator for any ingredients that I think will add to the mix. You can empty any partial bottles of bbq sauce, wing sauce, a little Dale's, or whatever.
One teaspoon vinegar.
One teaspoon sugar.
Salt and pepper.
One can of cut okra.
One can of lima (butterbeans) beans.
One can of corn.
Stir the ingredients for a while and then cook for another 30 minutes.

You may need to add a little salt and black pepper if you prefer, but after a little cooling down, you've got meals for the next few days. This stew is realistically as good as you'll find in any of the bbq joints' I've found. Once again, the fun thing about this is that you can literally add most any ingredient to your liking to this mix.

Pig-N-Chik on Windward Pkwy, Alpharetta

2009-11-01T15:35:00.000-08:00

Pig-N-Chik. I had been wanting to do a Pig-N-Chik location for months. The 3 joint chain kept popping up on my radar, but for various reasons, I'd hit some more traditional, if you will, joints before finally getting to Pig-N-Chik's location on Windward Parkway. Now Windward Parkway ain't exactly the strip that you expect to find a good bbq joint on, but don't be fooled. The GA 400/Highway 9 corridors are home to some of Georgia's finest bbq joints. The Windward Parkway location is a bit tough to find, but if you happen to be shopping or working in this area, Pig-N-Chik is a good option for barbecue. Of course, there are the other fast food joints like Moe's, Mellow Mushroom, etc., in this area, but if barbecue is one your mind, there's no need to fight traffic getting over to the Alpharetta proper area to fill the urge. When Debbie and I got out of the car, we could immediately smell smoked pork in progress. That is always a good sign (don't matter who you are). Since this was our first trip to a Chik joint, we had to study the menu just a minute to see what the options are. Though we'd come for bbq, the fact is, you could choose other options like wings, ribs, and salmon. Too the cue.....

Our food came out quick even though we were the first patrons of the day :-). The pulled pork was just that.....not chipped to smitherines, not smothered in sauce to hide something the pitmaster was ashamed of, but good old pulled pork. The barbecue was clean as you'll ever find. A little burned ends along with some nice, almost fat free strips of barbecue. You have a choice of three sauces at Pig-N-Chik: Gold Label is mustard based; Red Label is hot, vinegary NC style, and the Blue Label is a mild, sweet sauce. Their Brunswick stew is certainly adequate and has a good mix of pork for the meat base with butterbeans and corn as two of the distinguishable vegetables other than the tomato base. Their french fries are crinkle cut and most likely from a frozen bag, but Debbie made hers disappear without a complaint. Of course, the Chik gets it right as they have a big roll of paper towels right there on the table for you.

We are going to give the Pig-N-Chick a 4 out of 5 ranking for the first visit, but I am planning to hit the original Roswell location before going any further. The bottom line, if you are on the East side of 400 around the Alpharetta area, you've got a few choices. If you don't want to drive over toward Highway 9, give the Chik a chance.

Fresh Air Barbecue, Jackson, GA

2009-10-03T17:23:00.001-07:00

Fresh Air, Jackson, GA. THE ORIGINAL and STANDARD for Georgia BBQ joints. It had been a number of years since I'd been to the "original" Fresh Air in Jackson, but I cured that deficit today with Debbie and mother-in-law in tow! There is a sign outside of Cochran that says "Flovilla 77". Probably few Georgians know where in the heck Flovilla is, but if you travel up Highway 23 going North, you'll run into GA 42. This is one of the more beautiful stretches of rural highway in Georgia, so it is worth the trip. About halfway between Flovilla and Jackson is Fresh Air. OMG, truly a step back in time. Though it was 4 pm, folks were in abundance at Fresh Air this Saturday afternoon. You walk up to this joint, and you can't help but to smile. It is truly a "step back in time". The dirt floor underneath the front covered section has several well worn picnic tables that offer outside dining if you prefer. When you step in, don't expect any Merlots, Cabernets, or Chardoneys...just bbq and true southern drinks like iced tea and Coca Cola. When you drive up to Fresh Air, you smell what you came for....fresh barbecued pork. When you walk in, you step into a place that looks just like it did in the 1940s when opened by Jackson veterinarian, Dr. Joel Watkins. I'd venture to say that with the outside picnic tables, smaller front dining room, and then the large dining room on the side, Fresh Air may well have served more plates of bbq than any joint in Georgia. Regarding the bbq, what can I say? They claim to have been voted "The Best in Georgia". When you step into the place (which used to have sawdust covered floors but health department folks cut that out), you step right up to the counter and place you an order for one of the most economical meals in the State of GA. Heck, I fed my wife and mother in law and myself for less that $14.00, and we don't even need anything else for supper. I can't say they have the best sauce I have ever had, but it isn't bad. The pulled pork has absolutely perfect consistency and the taste is phenomenal. Their stew puts a smile on your face as it evokes some kind of positive chemical response from your taste buds. While we were there I'll have to be honest and tell you that I thought it was geriatric happy hour, but of course, I did have my 85 year old mother in law with me. I don't care where you live, I want to impress upon you how critical it is that at some point, you detour off of I-75 and visit Fresh Air. If you can't get to the Jackson location, the Macon place has great barbecue, but it just can't match the character of the original "Fresh Air."

Dogs and Hogs, Dawsonville, GA

2009-09-12T14:05:00.000-07:00

Dogs and Hogs, Dawsonville, GA. Bikinis, Bikers, & Barbecue! Dogs and Hogs is a long time Dawsonville favorite. Sitting right on the corner of where everything (if anything) is happening in Dawsonville, is this place that surely qualifies as a "joint". On my couple of trips there, yep, there were bikers and even diner in bikinis. I promise I didn't look (long) though! This is Dawson Counties traditional joint. Stepping into D & H is like stepping back in time 50 years. It really appears that the place looks much like it did when it opened years ago. You step up to the counter, place your order, and in a few minutes they'll be out with a great Q joint meal. Of course, you've also got to try the Dawsonville Pool Room though for some of the most fattening, greasy food you will ever eat complete with a museum of old time NASCAR memorabilia honoring the sport in this county and especially Awesome Bill! While dining in Dogs and Hogs, you are sure to be entertained. Sitting right on a busy corner, for some reason this is a hot spot for antique cars to pass by every weekend. Our weekend trip there was no exception. The barbecue here is well worth the money, mainly cause the prices are very reasonable and the pulled pork is good. The stew is really a nice mix. It's a nice balance between vegetables and meat. So, my suggestion is that if you are headed up to the mountains or the Georgia 400 Outlet Mall, Dogs and Hogs is at least a do it once kind of place. You'll enjoy the barbecue, and you'll enjoy being entertained in one of Georgia's towns that is reminiscent of Mayberry!

Spiced Right, Roswell.

2009-08-29T15:14:00.001-07:00

Spiced Right Ribhouse, Roswell. This is SRR's second location with the original site being in Lilburn. There is some good and mediocre about this joint, so here goes. The place has character inside and out. It's a little hard to get in and out off busy Highway 9, but once inside, it has character and charm as a good Q joint should. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights they do live blue's music, so I bet it can be fun. To the food. You get a good whiff of smoked pork when you walk in the door. I had a pulled pork sandwich and stew. They stew is honestly as good as anyone's I've had in Georgia. It is of perfect thickness, meatiness, and taste is superb. The pork was midrange. Great consistency, but I didn't get that oak or hickory taste or smell that I personally prefer, but the sauce was great. The sauce was thick and had a perfect sweetness. Debbie tried something a little different. She got the smoked turkey at the urging of the very nice and polite waitress (though you order at the counter). In all fairness, I am suspecting that SR focuses more on their ribs than their other dishes, but if you are downtown Roswell, want BBQ, and dont want to venture too far up 9 to a couple of other options, its a good visit. Additionally, being site number 2, I have sometimes found that the second and subsequent locations don't always live up to the reputation of their parent location. Meanwhile, this is this week's bbq review...until next time!

2009-08-22T15:04:00.000-07:00

Williamson Brothers Barbecue, Marietta. Wow. The friend who suggested Williamson Brothers was spot on. We journeyed across East Cobb following the GPS directed navigation to Williamson Brothers. When Debbie and I pulled into the parking lot (not the door, etc., we were greeted with the fabulous aroma of pork on a "REAL" smoking operation. I mean we had not even let the windows down or gotten out of the truck! Upon opening the doors and moving toward the joint, which it truly is, we were enveloped in an cloud of smoke filled with flavors of oak and pork. We walked in the rather dark but welcoming place and were quickly seated and then waited on by one of the nicest young waitresses ever. She seated us next to three bikers who were well leathered and weathered. I promise one of them looked like Charlie Daniels. We placed our orders from the expansive menu and I wandered off the men's room where I got to walk right by the open, stacked brick smoker where I saw some of the best looking pork shoulders in various stages of their fate. By the time I got back to the table, the food was already there. Now that was fast. The barbecue sandwich was of two meal size, and man it was good! It was pulled style pork lightly sauced with their famous sauce. I started first with the stew which was a great sized, well spiced, and sufficiently meaty stew that would have been enough for lunch, but the barbecue was tops. Deb's fries were just so so, but we both gave the barbecue 5 stars. When done, the Charlie Daniels looking biker (whose picture I took without finding myself thrown through a plate glass window) told the waitresss, "mam, that was the best barbecue sandwich I ever had." He aint far from the truth. I'd bet he's never been to some of of my other joints like Scott's or the Smokin' Pig, but I bet he's got a few under his leathers that I haven't hit either. Thanks Leigh Ann for recommending this place! I even have Christmas ideas for a couple of my best friends! Oh, I forgot to mention one of the great character additions to this joint is a wonderful collection of mounted animals including a full sized wild turkey, fox, and other creatures that put my mind deeply into the woods of South Central Georgia.

Battlefield Bar-B-Q, Chickamauga, GA

2009-08-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

Battlefield Bar-B-Q, Chickamauga, GA. "Oh I Wish I Were in the Land of Cotton....". There is a stretch of highway between Fort Oglethorpe, GA and Chickamauga, GA that every American should travel, and that is the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. That stretch of highway will put chill bumps all up and down your spine as you think about the loss of lives in the American Civit War. Just at the end of it in Chickamauga is Battlefield Bar-B-Q. Perhaps the best thing about this joint is the name. Of course, everything up there is named "Battlefield". The barbecue I had was actually surprisingly good. The joint is cute on the outside, but it really is not that impressive on the inside. The barbecue, though, is quite good with a good smokey, flavorful taste. The prices are great, and the menu contains enough even to suit the non-barbecue fanatic such as myself. Nonetheless, this gets me a good little joint posted in Georgia's Northwest corner. Visit the battlefield and feel your southern roots. Visit Battlefield Barbecue and feed your hunger. A great stop in this treasure spot of Northwest Georgia.

2009-08-09T17:06:00.000-07:00

Fresh Air Barbecue, Macon. The Rolling Stones sang, "you might not get what you want, but if you try, sometimes, you just might get what you need!" Well on Friday, August 7, 2009 I needed some "Fresh Air." I'd been wanting to do Fresh Air again for some months. Actually, I was hoping to do the Jackson (original) location, but time was pressing us to keep moving and to stop in Macon at their site on Riverside Drive. When you drive up to their joint there in the strip mall behind Longhorn Steakhouse, you are not impressed. It is a "characterless" corner of a strip mall with a little adornment letting you know it is a bbq joint. When you open the door, though, you get a good smell of what you came for. It gets better from there. Their barbecue, once voted best in Georgia, ranks right up there with anyone's. Its pulled pork with perhaps a touch of sauce. You get two choices of sauce on the tables. There is the mild which is pretty much a traditional sauce. Then, there is the hot, which will make your forehead break out in a good sweat. To fix that, though, is the fact that their drinks start with, oh yeah, crushed ice. Debbie likes that and I do too. Their barbecue sandwich is one that won't have you leaving the place hungry. It's not the largest ever had (Dreamland), but it does the job. Their stew is a pretty traditional stew. It is not too thin and not too thick. You kind of have to hunt for the meat in it, but you can taste it whether you can see it or not.

What leaves you impressed with Fresh Air in Macon is that the folks there are friendly. The barbecue leaves a very pleasant taste on your palate for hours to come. Conveniently located, if you are driving 75 south through Macon and want barbecue, you have two choices: Pig in a Pit and Fresh Air. My suggestion? Catch one going one way, and catch the other one going back. You won't be disappointed in either.

Rolling Bones, Atlanta

2009-07-24T18:15:00.001-07:00

Rolling Bones in Atlanta. Rolling Bones has character, charm, and good bbq. Located just east of downtown on Edgewood, RB's has been in business about 6 years and has just been purchased by a new company. The place is a nicely converted old gas station. Tried a wonderful bbq sandwich and mustard greens. Certain to leave you filled as its enough for two meals. The bbq is clean, tastes great, and is a great downtown place to eat. The menu, though not too broad, also has some good options including salmon, trout, and duck. Try it, you'll like it!

Porkers, Allentown

2009-07-24T18:13:00.001-07:00

Porkers in Allentown. Certainly off the beaten path is Porkers Barbecue Shack. Porkers has the makings to be a good joint cause its got some good things going for it, but honestly, the bbq is not our favored style. The good makings are the fact it has an outdoor cooking area, rolls of paper towels on the tables, and decorated very attractively with pig stuff and various collectibles a part of the decor. The fries were quite good, and the fried pickle spears were both good an unique in being length cut. The bbq, while generously served, seemed to be heavily sauce laced making the consistency and quality not as we particularly favor. Best of all was the great company with both kids and Shanna as a part of our Fathers Day Weekend.... Did I mention Debbie paid? :-)

Sowbellies, Hawkinsville, GA

2009-07-24T18:11:00.001-07:00

Sow Bellies in Hawkinsville. Sow Bellies hasn't been around real long, but Tony Floyd reached a fine level of bbq proficiency in barbecue competitions. The first (and last) time I had one of their Boston butts, I swore it was the best I had ever eaten. Honestly, order one up for the holidays, and you won't be disappointed. Today it was too hot to fish, too hot for golf, and too hot to cut grass by lunchtime, but it wasn't too hot for me and Larry B to ease down to have lunch at SB's. Hadn't been there in over a couple of years, and not much has changed. BS's bbq is good and smokey flavored, but if I were being picky, I'd say it was too finely chopped for one who really prefers pulled pork. The sauces were good, and the brunswick stew was adequate. LB got a a chili dog to go along with his bbq sandwich (he takes Lipitor I am pretty sure). Now this was one serious chili dog. While the food was pretty decent, sometimes the best part is catching up with friends....and that was today's bbq tip for the day.

Fox Brothers Barbecue, Atlanta

2009-07-24T18:10:00.001-07:00

Fox Brothers Barbecue, Atlanta. FOX Rocks...that's the quick version. Dropped DE off at the ATL airport this am and then plugged 1238 Dekalb Avenue in the GPS to explore a "new" bbq place. Fox has only been open for a couple of years, but this is one cool place with good food. The Fox Brothers got their start by doing the barbecue for Smith's Olde Bar in Atlanta (according to Mary Beth my waitress). The staff is a little bit metro trendy, but that's not all bad. My experience with the food went like this: the brunswick stew as good, but not the very "best" I've had. The fried okra was absolutely the best I've had. Cut lengthways you didn't have to chase the little circle cuts. Now the bbq? Well, I arrived early and got to sit outside a few and smell the smoke coming off the smokers. The pork was pulled (like I like it), and the sauce was on the side and slightly sweet (like I like it). Located in the Little Five Points area, it is a bit tough to find without my electronic friend, but I look forward to a return visit to try out the brisket...yep, one more place that gives you choices between pork, chicken, beef, etc.

Smokin Gold, Dahlonega

2009-07-24T18:08:00.000-07:00

Smokin Gold owned by Dan and Laurie Dieterle. I almost didn't go in and eat at Smokin Gold in Dahlonega, but I'm glad I did. Before heading out on a cycle ride in the mountains, I had Googled bbq joints around Dahlonega and picked Smokin Gold out cause I liked the name. When I pulled up to SG, I sort of was disappointed. It is located off one side of a convenience store in a mini strip mall, and that basically means the appearance has no "character". It may lack character in appearance, but seriously, this is the real deal. The barbecue is simply dang good. The sause is pretty near the perfect sweetness if you like it slightly sweet. The Brunswick stew can hold its own with about anyones. The stew has a great combination of meat, vegetables, and sauce to make it a winner. After meeting Dan, who is really a delight, and telling him what I was up to and that he'd be on my facebook page by nightfall, he invited me back in to taste his brisket. Yep, he's got that down right as well. The thing, though, that impressed me most is that Dan cooks everything, including the stew and baked beans, (except the butts that are cooked in an indoor smoker), on Green Eggs. Dan and Laurie, then, are accomplished eggheads that have a great place to stop in if you are in Dahlonega. If there is a negative, and you'll just have to get over it, is they don't do french fries. Deb had the cole slaw (which is a lot healthier), and she gave it fine ratings too. BTW, Dan does brisket "burnt ends" on Fridays and reports that he has folks lined up out the door.

Amos BBQ & Biscuits, Ball Ground

2009-07-24T18:06:00.000-07:00

Amos BBQ and Biscuits on 369 near Ball Ground. This Amos aint famous, but the visit won't be our last. Debbie and I eased up there on the Low Rider this pm to check it out. Here's the run down. The bowl of Brunswick stew that the waitress brought me first was as good as you'll find anywhere. I probably should have stopped with that, but of course, I had to do the bbq sandwich just to be able to critique the pork. The pulled pork was quite good, but I will say the sauce was a little on the sweet side. I'd rather have had the sauce on the side. Now the second sauce called "liquid fire" was exactly that. If you stop in, you'll have to at least dip your finger in the sauce and give it a taste. It will keep you remembering that you stopped there for at least the next couple of hours. Debbie said that the hand cut french fries ranked high on her list, and she's a pretty strong critic of french fries at out bbq places. Anyway, Amos' isn't really what you consider a dine in type of bbq joint, but if you are by that way and have the bbq craving, you'll enjoy visiting with these friendly folks.

Smoke Jack, Alpharetta, GA

2009-07-24T18:05:00.000-07:00

I never cease to be amazed that all throughout the metro Atlanta area, you can find some outstanding BBQ joints. Smoke Jack in Alpharetta is one of those. Great bbq right on Main Street. The place smells like a bbq joint from the street and when you walk in the door. The pulled pork has great flavor and consistency. The NC style sauce is good even if you are not a mustard base fan. I had collard greens as a side, and they are seasoned up good and have a little kick to them. I tried their "burnt ends" which are cubes of well done brisket...you gotta try them. The meal is advanced by a basket of corn kernel corn muffins which are fantastic. One warning, if you order baby back ribs, go ahead and get a take out box. The serving size is enough for 3 people. Thanks NGMR's for the experience.

Smoke Jack is also opening up a location on Post Road in western Forsyth County in 2009, and we can't wait!

Oinkers, Clayton, GA

2009-07-24T18:03:00.000-07:00

Oinkers in Clayton, GA was highly anticipated. Best thing about it was the friendly service by a great waitress. Honestly, the bbq was best described as OK (or at least that was my impression). The brunswick stew was very good and rates highly. Google the Youtube on Oinkers....love the statement that the owner, who is a former farrier, says "hams don't kick".

Hawg Wild BBQ & Catfish House, Clarkesville, GA

2009-07-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

Hawg Wild BBQ & Catfish in Clarkesville, GA's "got it right." The pulled pork is as good as you'll find in GA. The menu of sides are totally fantastic. They get you going with some of the most awesome hushpuppies you've ever had. Only being open since the first of the year, this is certainly a "must do" if you are in the Clarkesville area.

Smokin Pig, Valdosta

2009-07-24T17:59:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness. Folks, this gets my best rating for any bbq joint visited south of Macon at worst. The Smokin Pig is HOT, HOT, HOT!!! Located off I-75 outside of Valdosta, its pork is great. Their sides of stew, fries, okra (and others I didn't try) will leave you stuffed all the way back to Atlanta (if headed north). Anyway, got to do the SP after Laura's graduation from VSU. Truth is, anything would have been great on that day, but Smokin Pig Rocks, and I highly recommend it as your last great bbq joint headed south. BTW, pick up a good sized bottle of their bbq sauce for just $3.99. It's worth at least twice that. For Father's Day, daughter Laura brought me home a whole case of the sauce. Truly my favorite daughter!

Three Li'l Pigs, Pine Mountain

2009-07-24T17:58:00.001-07:00

Three Li'l Pigs in Pine Mountain. Did this one as a late lunch, and it was not a disappointment. The portion size was generous, the bbq and sauce ranked up with anyone's, and the price didn't leave you feeling you'd been hijacked. There is at least one other bbq joint in Pine Mountain. I'll get it next time.

AB's in Hawkinsville

2009-07-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

AB's in Hawkinsville. A great return after nearly 2 years. 2 "Big Smoky's", sides, and drinks for $10.81, now that is one thing I miss about middle GA! Would have taken pic of the outside but it was pouring rain. Great bbq in the Harness Racing City.

Dreamland, Roswell/Alpharetta

2009-07-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

D and I did Dreamland in Roswell today. OK, I really don't know where Roswell ends and Alpharetta starts, but one thing for sure, this is one more awesome bbq joint. The Big Daddy Sandwich is enough for 3 meals. As an added bonus, their indoor pit is totally observable from the dining area of the joint. You can see the pork being cooked right there while you eat. The pit has wood firing from the bottom and smoke pumped down from the top. Pick up a bottle of sauce when you leave for just $5 and get a plastic "to go" cup when you leave, and you can remember Dreamland for weeks and "dream of good bbq" without adding calories. It truly is one of Georgia's best bbq joints in the city.

OB's, McDonough, GA

2009-07-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

OB's in McDonough has been a long time favorite. I can't believe it took me this long to get it on there, but it had been a couple of years since going. The bbq is very good, and you get to put on the sauce you want. The brunswick stew ranks up there with anyone's. One of the real treats is they have some wonderful fried dill pickles and fried green tomatoes. This day (March 1, 2009) was a great day for a stop. It was 34 degrees and snowing heavily.

Davis Brothers, Jasper, GA

2009-07-24T17:48:00.000-07:00

The Bargain Barn isn't the only "must do" in Jasper, GA. Davis Brothers Bbq is a bit of a challenge to find (unless you stop and ask a local), but it is worth the stop. Really doesn't look like a bbq joint on the outside, but the inside is so neatly decorated. The bbq is good, but I suggest getting the sauce on the side. It is strong Worchestire. French fries rank right up there as good as any you will find. Debbie and I did this for Valentine's lunch...what a wife.

Rib Country, Cleveland, GA

2009-07-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

Rib Country with Paul Shaw and Will Schofield. Neat place just south of Cleveland, GA. Good typical bbq joint with the aura of old time bbq. Have to admit that I only did the salad with pulled pork on it, but if in the area it is a good choice.

Sticky Fingers, Macon, GA

2009-07-24T17:46:00.000-07:00

Sticky Fingers. 3 Different bbq joints in one week!!! May be a record. Sticky fingers is on OK franchise with a really good overall menu. I had to do salad and wings on this visit, but did have a taste of rib which was A+ as we celebrated Laura's 22'nd birthday. This location is in Macon. Still tough for a chain to have the character of an old, established joint.

Daddy DZ's, Atlanta

2009-07-24T17:42:00.000-07:00

Daddy DZ's. Their motto "we aint pretty...but we are good." Perfectly fits this description of the little joint just east of downtown Atlanta. Awesome bbq and very good, meaty brunswick stew. You could use a body guard or two, but the risk is worth the reward.

Pig In A Pit, Macon

2009-07-24T17:41:00.001-07:00

Pig in a Pit. Great bbq and the best french fries of all these bbq joints. Strip mall storefron bbq places lack character, but Pig In A Pit rivals any bbq resturant around. Located in Macon across from Bass Pro Shops...one more reason to exit I-75 at Bass Road. Jed and Brando got a meal on me...and it was worth it!

Jim 'n Nicks, Cumming, GA

2009-07-24T17:31:00.000-07:00

Had said before you couldn't franchise a good bbq joint. Jim "N Nicks has proved me wrong. Located at the Avenues south of Cumming, you won't leave hungry or disappointed as Debbie and Laura prove in the pic. While Jim 'N Nicks may be a bit on the pricey side as far as bbq joints are concerned, this place has class. Owner/Manager Brian is such an awesome guy. They start you off with cheese biscuits to die for. The portion size is good for a couple of folks. I've never been there when there wasn't a good crowd. Show up early and hungry for a best experience.

Swallow at the Hollow, Roswell, GA.

2009-07-24T17:30:00.000-07:00

Swallow at the Hollow in Roswell. My SGA buds will not believe that Atlanta has some great BBQ, but it does. Swallow has some really awesome bbq. The stew is OK, but what makes Swallow so cool is they bring in Nashville songwriters to perform top hits that they've written. Surely worth the stop if you are in the area. Skip the high dollar highbrow dining and stop off at Swallow at the Hollow. A canoe filled with whatever you want to drink (we had diet coke for the record), but you'll enjoy the stop.

Wolf Creek Canyon, Ellijay

2009-07-24T17:28:00.000-07:00

Very good bbq and brunswick stew. Great stop in if downtown Elljay. Not much inside but the bbq is as good as you'll find anywhere.

Pink Pig, Cherry Log, GA

2009-07-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

Holloway's Pink Pig in Cherry Log is worth the stop. Of course, Poole's is just down the highway in Ellijay, but Pink Pig has options Poole's just doesn't have. The fried green tomatoes, sweet potatoe fries, and other sides round out a great choice of bbq meats. The good collection of folk pottery makes the visit even more enjoyable.Holloway's Pink Pig in Cherry Log is worth the stop. Of course, Poole's is just down the highway in Ellijay, but Pink Pig has options Poole's just doesn't have. The fried green tomatoes, sweet potatoe fries, and other sides round out a great choice of bbq meats. The good collection of folk pottery makes the visit even more enjoyable. The story is that where Poole's down the road is a bastion of conservative republican politics, the Pink Pig is the joint where those of the more democratic persuasion hang out. To me, I can eat bbq with either Republicans or Conservative Southern Democrats...if there are any more of them.

Slopes, Cumming, GA

2009-07-24T17:20:00.000-07:00

Here is Slopes in Cumming. To me, the best thing about Slopes isn't the bbq. It is ok. It isn't the stew or fried okra, which are good enough. Best thing is location. It is just down the mountain from where we live. Convenient, but honestly, only ranks somewhere midways on the lists of bests. Frankly, though, I have to credit Slopes as being one of the things that helped us to transition into living in Cumming after 13 years living in Cochran. Scotts BBQ in Cochran had been a favorite, so finding a BBQ place to occasionally visit seemed sort of natural. During our first year in Cumming, we ate at Slopes quite frequently. Since I'm scoping out a number of other joints in Georgia, I don't get back to Slopes very often. It is very convenient, though, when I have visitors come in town and want to do lunch. There is also a Slopes down toward the north end of Alpharetta for those who don't venture up toward the base of Sawnee Mountain in Cumming.

One Star Ranch, Alpharetta

2009-07-24T17:17:00.000-07:00

One Star in Alpharetta is worth a stop. It features Texas Style BBQ with beef brisket being a menu option. You don't get that everywhere. I'll try that when I am not on "cutback". Meanwhile, the BBQ sandwich had there is honestly one of the best I"ve ever had. There is also a One Star in Buckhead, but I've never hit that joint. If it is as good as the Alpharetta location, my Atlanta friends should certainly put it on their list of places to dine.

Old South BBQ, Valdosta

2009-07-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

Old South Barbue on Highway 84 in Valdosta. Truly some great barbecue with traditional southern hospitality. Really good stew and they have awesome fried okra as one of their sides. Took Laura there when we were getting her settled in for Fall 08 semester.

Scott's BBQ, Cochran, GA

2009-07-24T17:09:00.000-07:00

Scott's BBQ in Cochran. I've eaten here more than any bbq joint. It is a family favorite. The bbq is great if you like vinegar based pork. If we spend more than 1 day in Cochran on our trips back "home", Scotts will get a visit. My favorite is when Doug has pulled pork available on Mondays and Thursdays. Best cheeseburgers anywhere. Debbie particularly loves Scotts because of their crushed ice. Let me also tell you about the tea. OMG!!! The sweetest tea in Georgia. The recipe for the Brunswick stew is a bit different than any I've found anywhere which makes it quite distinct. In the stew, you'll find an occasional spaghetti noodle in this quite creamy stew. Doug does up some mighty find ribs as well on this open pit joint. Folks in Cochran are loyal to no end to Scotts BBQ. Truly a central Georgia favorite among anyone who ever eats there once.

Two Brothers

2009-07-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

Two Brothers in Ball Ground is off the beaten path so it is easy to miss. Relics of the past including those of hunting, trout fishing, and rural artifacts make you feel like you've stepped back in time. The barbecue is good north Georgia bbq, and the folks there are friendly as can be. It takes a little effort to find Two Brothers as it is off the beaten path, but that's what makes it that much more special.

Poole's BBQ, East Ellijay

2009-07-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

Poole's in East Ellijay has the most awesome barbecue and is a museum of conservative Georgia politics. When you drive up to Poole's, you get a sense of the personality of Colonel Poole. There is the famous Pig Hill of Fame containing literally hundreds of wood cutouts of pigs. When you walk in the door, you place your order. Don't linger long or you'll hold up a line of folks who, like you, have made their way to Poole's. When you enter the place you'll begin to see pictures of all the many politicians who were salivating to have some bbq and to have their mug posted on the wall somewhere as they attempted to feed their egos while feeding their selves with some of Georgia's great bbq. More likely, though, you are sure to see a number of bikers navigating the mountains of Georgia mixed in with locals as well as tourists who've pulled off 515 to experience nostalgia at its best in North GA. No bbq lover should miss the experience. Lord willing, we'll be back at Poole's some day while antiquing North GA.

Harold's BBQ, Atlanta

2009-07-24T16:54:00.000-07:00

Harolds in Atlanta. An experience you should try. BBQ is really good but best brunswick stew of the bunch. That's Candy Norton pointing to the sign. Could not have found it without her! This joint is the only bbq place in Atlanta with an open bbq pit as they were grandfathered into local codes some years back. You can't ever tell who you might see in Harold's as politicians, state officials, and high powered corporate types may wonder through the otherwise transitioned section of town southeast of Turner field to dine in a truly great place. Doesn't matter what you get at Harold's, you'll get plenty of it and you won't leave the place hungry.

2009-07-24T16:50:00.000-07:00

Blue Ridge Mountain Barbecue, Blue Ridge, GA: We snaked up through north GA on the cycle up Old Federal Highway, throught Tate, Jasper, and Ellijay to wind up at BRMB. This was a buzzing little joint with a small dining room but rockers and tables on the front porch. It was a pretty easy selection as they had the daily special for $4.99 that included a sandwich, home fried chips, and a drink, but we both upgraded our sides to Brunswick stew and home cut fries. While you wait for just a short time, you can munch on a smoked chicken spread and crackers that is good enough for a meal if you wanted. The sandwich was one of those jumbo things with bbq spilling out all sides of an already oversized bun. The stew was a bit on the small side, and it was a good traditional stew that hit the spot. Debbie right off the bat gave 'em high marks for some of the best fries around, and they also gave you a pickle spear in the basket which is always a nice addition to a bbq lunch. The barbecue, once again generous in proportion was chipped, but not too finely which is about like we like it. We had to try out 3 of the sauces: mustard based, sweet, and hot. Having the sauce "on the side" gives us a good chance to taste the quality of the bbq before it gets smothered in sauce, and it was good even without the sauce. All of the sauces were winners. No telling how many folks came in while we were there. There were at least 5 other biker types, families, girly groups, and old guys (like Clyde) who came in and out while we were there. All in all, a good joint to visit sitting on East First Street right across from "Sue's Best Burger in Town." We highly encourage the stop, but frankly, you can eat BBQ all up Highway 515 from Jasper to Hiawassee. Haven't found a bad one on that stretch of road yet!

Shug's Barbecue, Eastman, GA

2009-07-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

Shug's BBQ in Eastman. We lived in Eastman for about 7 years, and I always wondered why there was no good bbq joint there. Tommy Green has fixed that problem. Tommy, like every bbq joint owner I know, is such a super guy, and he does up good bbq too barbecuing right there on Oak Street across from the Bank of Eastman. For a mere $4 you can get a sandwich, chips, and drink. Tommy will also cater for your event, and his bbq is quite good. Most of all, I am glad that Eastman finally has a good BBQplace. Not much to the overhead, but heck, for a $4 meal, this may be the value of this whole bbq review inventory. Best thing is, stop by and see Tommy, and you'll have a fine new frined!

2009-07-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

Twin Oaks in Brunswick, GA. You know this one is going to be special when you drive up to it. Don't think seafood is the only option on the coast, this long time establishment, nicely settled beneath the majestic, moss laden Live Oak trees on Norwich Street will fix your bbq craving. We arrived at 11 am, and early arrivers were already going in the door. Deb and I walked in and were greeted with the pleasant smell of smoked pork! This joint has been in business at this location since 1943. It's had several owners, and one thing that made this one so special is that for a time it was managed by our great friend Diane Giddens' father (John Studstill). Debbie was excited further after sitting down and could hear the distinct sound of "crushed" ice being scooped...and yes, it was "crushed". The drinks came out in "big old" glasses that nearly took two hands to hold. The pork sandwich was a good looking fixin, but the fries get the top billing just like John promised. These "batter dipped" fries are not matched in many places. I also had a side of bbq beans that had a nice mixture of pork in them. Oh my were they good. Honestly, the bbq was good, but I don't know that it get's but somewhere between a 3 and 4 on the q scale. It was clean and of good consistency, and it the sauce wasn't used to "hide" whatever the pork tasted like. No kidding, though, it was an ample sized meal brought to us by a waitress who had worked at this place for 34 years. Now that is loyalty. The character and historic content of the inside of the place was phenomenal. No doubt, there's been many a ton of smoked barbecue served in this great little joint deep in southeast Georgia.

Big D's Barbecue, Dawsonville, GA

2009-07-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

Big D's in Dawsonville. Though long time folks from Dawsonville will probably favor little joints like Dogs and Hogs and the Dawsonville Pool Room, Big D's just across 400 from the outlet mall give you a good quick bbq meal break away from shopping. Big D's is actually pretty good, and though I didn't try them, they have some of the best looking ribs you'll find anywhere! It's only marginally applealing in character as it is hooked to the side of Sanky's, but when you walk into the small place, you are greeted with the great smell of smoked bbq pork and chicken. You walk right up to the counter and place your order. Their "stimulus package" is a good buy, but I had the sandwich and stew. The sandwich was pretty good but not particularly distinctive in portion size, but you won't leave hungry! The stew, though on the small side (which is not bad for me these days), it is packed with flavor. The fries were good even if they did resemble something that came out of a frozen plastic bag. They do get good marks for having a variety of good sauces including Memphis Sweet, NC vinegar based, SC mustard based, and some hot stuff that friends like BM would savor. All in all, not a bad close stop if you are around the outlet mall area of 400 in Dawson County. BTW, they do have one of the better slogans on the wall and on their t-shirts: "Put Some South in Yo Mouth." We did and can recommend it as a place to try! If in Cumming though, you still can't beat my friends at Jim 'n Nicks!

Fat Matt's Rib Shack, Atlanta

2009-07-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

Fat Matt's is a "world famous" little bbq joint that rib lovers will love in particular. Debbie and I checked it out on July 5, 2009 on our way back to Cumming after a long weekend in middle Georgia. Fat Matt's is a small little joint with tons of character. Located on Piedmont Road right at the entrance to the historic Morningside area, you can either eat in the small dining room or out front getting a little bit of the magic of the neighborhood. Honestly, the ribs and chicken that I ordered were very good. Oh, the ribs were so tender. Dipping them in their sauce left me using up at least a half dozen napkins. I tried a bit of Debbie's bbq sandwich, and while good, I won't rank their pork sandwich among the best, but still quite good despite the fact that the good quality pork comes heavily adorned with their sauce. The sauce is good, and it is nicely enough priced you'll want to pick up a bottle or two for home use. Of additional appreciation is that their prices don't leave you departing feeling like you've been robbed by one of the Georgia Tech bandits that lurk just a few miles away.

Great BBQ Joints in Georgia

2009-07-04T19:58:00.001-07:00

Coming soon!!! I will be transferring all of my bbq joint reviews to this site for greater access.