Atlanta area BBQ

I'm about to spend a week in Atlanta for Tday, and was wondering if anyone had suggestions for bbq in the areas near Alpharetta and Dacula and areas in between (or down toward 285). I've been to Fat Matt's many times, and Slope's, (and Sonny's). I will probably try Dreamland in Roswell to compare to the Montgomery Dreamland.

I lived in Vinings for a few months, but I wasn't into BBQ then.

I actually made a post some time ago about a trip I made to Atlanta here: http://www.barbecuebible.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=1507&highlight=atlanta. There are a lot of good suggestions. I would highly recommend Fogo de Chao. It is very expensive (it is half price at lunch) but worth it.

I went to a Brazilian place like that in Aruba.. it was good... and you have to be a good carnivore to make it through a meal there!

Swallow in the Hollow is one I planned on trying... most of the other restaurants I'm familiar with, as well as several others. My favorites in town are Blue Ridge Grill and Pappadeaux (the closest one to where I generally go). But I was looking more specifically to just BBQ... Fat Matt's is good, but saucy, and I really prefer pork to beef ribs, though I've been there more than twice!

My dad used to live near Lithohnia, and there was a real pit bbq there, but I never stopped because I was in a hurry to get to his place, then it burned down.

I was able to try a couple of bbq places I'd never been to in the Atlanta area last week.. The first was Swallow in the Hollow in Roswell. The chopped pork was VERY good. Ribs were not great.. no smoke flavor at all, but the sauce was good. Brunswick stew was also good. The worst part was the flood light that was right in our eyes while we ate, but I'd go back for the pork.

The other was a fast food sort of place in Dacula (also other locations) called the Cluckin Pig. Pork was decent, chicken and ribs were actually very good. Brunswick stew was also pretty decent. Decor wasn't much, but the food was worth it.

curt,
sorry I never called you, would have loved to try some atlanta bbq, however plans change and I didn't get to eat any bbq this trip. Would loved to eat the bbq and listen to the blues will try again latter bud.

jim

No worries, Jim. Friday night, we just stayed at my dad's and ate leftovers, then headed out early on Saturday... Nice, relaxing end to the visit.

I hope you had a great time in Atlanta... I never did make it to the Varsity or Fat Matt's, but got to Pappadeaux a couple of times for lunch.

There's supposed to be a new BBQ drive-thru/ up in downtown Atlanta called Rollin' Bones. Has received some good reviews in the (usually off kilter) Atlanta Journal Constitution. Was wondering if anyone's tried it out?

Also - has anyone tried the BBQ at Daddy D'z? It's down off of Boulevard... it looks like the original shack of shacks... but amazing Cue and side.

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2005 12:56 pm Post subject: Rollin' Bones

There's supposed to be a new BBQ drive-thru/ up in downtown Atlanta called Rollin' Bones. Has received some good reviews in the (usually off kilter) Atlanta Journal Constitution. Was wondering if anyone's tried it out?

I work a few blocks from this Rolling Bones place, and I must say I think their BBQ is excellent. It is hard to find a good brisket (or rather, it's hard to find anyone smoking brisket in Atlanta - pulled pork or ribs seems to be king). But, the brisket at Rolling Bones is worthy.

I've been going there for about a year or so now, and lately I have noticed that they are not as meticulous at trimming the fat off of the servings of brisket as they usewd to be. I enjoy brisket so much that I will be meticulous about cutting off the fat, becasue I want to eat more of the meat and a little less of the fat. The serving sizes are ample. I give it a 'thumbs up'.

The other day I tried the wings, and they were a pleasant surprise. They are the entire wing - 3 sections and two knuckles, which seems like a lot of meat of wing for the money. Especially when you consider that many establishments sell buffalo wings, and an order of 5 wings really means only 5 single sections - I calculate that out to be 2 and a half wings!

The sides there at Rolling Bones seem kind of pricey, especially the cobbler dessert, but then again, when I go I rarely get a dessert - or rather, my dessert is a hot link spike or an order of chicken wings!

Yum

Welcome to the forum d_smokin_b!

d_smokin_b wrote:

It is hard to find a good brisket (or rather, it's hard to find anyone smoking brisket in Atlanta

Not if you're around BBCue_Z's place. Stick around and join the fun.

There's a new place in the Alpharetta area; I'll have to get the name. However, the chef and owner toured competitions, etc., and are making good bbq from what I hear (a good friend that's very famililar with Texas bbq). They even make burnt ends, which isn't a common thing to see in the Atlanta area.

Daddy Z’s

Well, fellow smokesters, today (mostly because of the kudos here for DaddyZ’s), I went over to DaddyZ's and ordered up a couple of racks to go for lunch (yes, and for leftovers as well.)

I was underwhelmed.

I struck up a conversation with the cashier while waiting for my order, and when he realized that I was on my quest for the perfect rib, and had not been in DaddyZ's before, he told me to wait a minute, and he went back to get me a sample rib.

It was a good one, and I was looking forward to the 2 racks I was about to leave with. Unfortunately, the sample rib seems to have come out of a different batch (maybe even out of a different kitchen!) than the ones I actually paid my hard earned money for!

The sample was quite good, but the ‘to-go’ racks were a big disappointment. I have never seen a rib more fat-laden and greasy than these. One rib doesn’t even provide a couple of good bites. The smoke flavor is pretty good, but they were not exactly tender.

And, the packaging was poorly done. They packed the ‘sides’ and a couple of sauces in a bag, but the weight of the sides on top of the sauces broke the lids and there was sauce all over the place. It took me 15 minutes and the better part of a roll of paper towels to clean up the containers so that I could enjoy my lunch.

One would think that it is not rocket science to pack up a to-go-order so that it can survive a short drive (only a few blocks) and still be useable.

That I could probably get over, but the fact that these ribs have only one or two good bites on each one does not put a big smile on my face. I also am especially bothered by the fact that the sample rib could be so awesome but the purchased product be so marginal. Bait and switch?

I don’t think people should expect special treatment, just a consistent, fair product every time.

Maddie’s

Writing this up reminded me of another recent ‘to-go’ experience I had a few weeks ago. Maddie’s Rib Shack is on Scott Blvd in Decatur. I had eaten ribs there once before with a buddy, and it was pretty good as I recall. (Shared a rack of ribs, had a couple of beers, enjoyed some loud music.) But this time I got a couple of racks to go, and was again underwhelmed.

Their packaging was planned and implemented by someone who just didn’t care. They wrap up their bones in butcher paper, and they put bread slices in along with the bones in the butcher paper and put it in a paper bag. Yessir, that bread soaked up the grease. And any grease that the bread did not manage to not soak up filled up and soaked the paper bag. It was a mess by the time I got home. I was amazed when I unrolled the butcher paper – I truly thought that they had used some kind of grease absorbing mat or something (like the butchers put in the Styrofoam meat trays to soak up liquids) – but then I realized that the substance was ‘that formerly known as white bread.’

It was pretty inedible all in all.

And to top it off, these ribs were about the greasiest I have ever had. At the time, I thought they absolutely were the greasiest I ever had, but I think that DaddyZ’s takes that prize now.

Wyatt’s Country Rib Shack

I haven’t seen anyone post about this one. I drive by this place every day, and in the morning smoke is pouring out of his corrugated tin chimney.

This place is on Memorial Drive near I20 at Maynard Terrace. It sits in a parking lot with a used tire store, a car wash, and other entrepreneurial ventures.

These ribs are awesome. I’ll say it again. These ribs are awesome!

What else can I say.

Try it. Enjoy it. What do you think?

d.b

cmcadams wrote:

I'm about to spend a week in Atlanta for Tday, and was wondering if anyone had suggestions for bbq in the areas near Alpharetta and Dacula and areas in between (or down toward 285). I've been to Fat Matt's many times, and Slope's, (and Sonny's). I will probably try Dreamland in Roswell to compare to the Montgomery Dreamland.

I lived in Vinings for a few months, but I wasn't into BBQ then.

Dreamland(IMHO) is excellent! I too have been to the Dreamland in Bama' and I must say that the one in Conyers,Ga. is very good. I have eaten at this location twice and wish that they, Dreamland would open up a location in Loganville because of the insane Conyers traffic with it being close to 20.

Welcome to the forum SmokeDaDDy!

Fell free to join in the BBQ conversations with us.

Bob-BQN wrote:

Welcome to the forum SmokeDaDDy!

Fell free to join in the BBQ conversations with us.

Thanks! I can't wait until I get my new legs for my char-griller grill. The old legs collapsed because Lowes did not assemble it correctly, that I found out when it was to late to do anything about.

If you like chopped pork with a great hickory flavor, Speedi Pig in Fayetteville is I think the best. It is located on GA85 at the intersection with GA92 just south of the Fayetteville square. Bring cash, I believe it is the only form of payment they take.