Bbq Stops

[smokeys my pet]

I may be going to Atlanta Georgia next week and if I do I will be stopping in Clayton NC on the way down and back. Just looking for some good BBQ stops near the two towns. Thanks for the help!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[smokeys my pet]

JUST BUMPING!!!!!!!!!!! HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[zapper]

Harolds BBQ down by the old Penn, if it is still there, used to be a tradition, there is another in Jonesboro south of Atlanta. The Brunswick stew is what I always went for.


Athens GA and Jackson GA are home to Fresh Air BBQ (Voted best a few times by a few folks)

There is a new McGinns BBQ near me on SR 20 just off of interstate 75 south of Atl


There are Shanes Rib Shacks everywhere now (Gone big time chain) The original is also kind of in my neck of the woods south of ATL on 155. Shanes is not a true open pit type place, they are trying to clean up the image of the BBQ joint, but they ain't bad.


There is also an OBs Out Back pit at my exit (218) off of 75 (I think that they are slipping, the last two times I was there I tasted heavy creosote and I wish I would have said something to maybe help them correct the problem) They may still have a store a couple of exits south at Tanger outlet mall (Needs to be confirmed)



I don't know what kind of places there are on the north side of town except for the chains like Shanes and Old Hickory House or Sonnys.

BBQ joints and stands are everywhere until you want one and then they are all closed up it seems!



To be honest, I wouldn't consider taking freinds out to a BBQ joint for a supper just because there are too many different taste to satisfy. But If folks wanted to get together for what I would call a snack......Well then, I'll drive you pick. Unfortunatly BBQ seems to have gone politically correct for some folks. That is, like me, I would not want to suggest a joint for a group to go to just because somebody in the group will complain that some place else is better. I mean unless I am in fear of dying from food poisoning, I can eat almost anyplace, and keep quiet if the food is lousy just to keep everybody happy and enjoy the company.

Hey! I think that there is a place inside Stone Mountian Park that serves BBQ, or I might suggest a BBQ picnic at the park. The other tourist place that I might suggest is Calloway Gardens maybe two hours south of Atlanta. Now as for inside Atlanta, you are on your own, you will have to do a search and steer it towards your likes.


There are lots of BBQ places in GA and to each his own and the same is true for things to do.

 

[geek with fire]

If you're driving and going down 95, stop in Richmond Virginia. I saw on TV that Buzz and Ned's is suppose to be the cat's meow.

 

[smokeys my pet]

Thanks all I will be traveling I-95!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[packplantpath]

I live in Clayton and can give you a good run down. I'll assume you are going up/down I95. In clayton itself, the only Q joint is now gone at least temporarily. It was Mccalls. Small airplane decided to use the front door as a runway a while back. Didn't go well. Not missing much there though, decent but I think it was gas cooked. If you are willing to drive east ~ 3/4 hr there is what I consider the best overall consistent representation of eastern NC Q in Wilburs. There are better, but it's consistent. If you want directions, send me a PM, I'll help you out. There are also a few mom n pop places if you are willing to go in the country and drive maybe an hour east of 95.

On second thought, there is a smithfields chicken and bbq in clayton, but avoid it if you want good Q. If you go into Raleigh there is another decent place called old time bbq. In Garner, there is a place I've been to once called I think Carolina BBQ, pretty good the one time I went.

Maybe 45 minutes from clayton in another direction (somewhat north) in wilson is Parkers. I'm ashamed to admit that in all my years in NC, I've never made the short trek there. I hear great reviews though, and the locals swear it's the best in NC.

Check out this site for a good overview, but they do leave out a few of my favorites around greenville and Ayden.

http://www.ncbbqsociety.com/trail_map.html

EDIT: Actually email me at wrparks (AT) ncsu (DOT) edu and I may actually see it in time.

 

[payson]

Williams Brother's in Marietta GA is mighty good:

http://realpagessites.com/williamsonbros/

 

[camp_cookie]

I've not eaten at the original Fresh Air in Jackson, but I have eaten at both in Athens. The one on 78 has really fallen off and has very low sanitary inspection scores. It's only a few miles from me, but I never go there anymore. The other Athens location is on the other side of Athens. It is okay, and is more of a buffet style place with stuff other than barbecue available. It isn't worth the drive from Atlanta though.

Shane's is okay. I go there when I can't the real thing. They give big portions.

There is a place in Winder, Smokin' Po Boys, that has very good ribs, and the owner is very nice and will talk barbecue with you.


There are lots of barbecue places in the Atlanta area.
--------------

It's not barbecue per se, but if I were looking for something in Atlanta for something special, I'd hit this place:

http://www.fogodechao.com/locations/atlantaGA.htm

Lunch is half the price of supper. I'm aiming to take a trip there soon.

Atlanta also has several Ruth's Chris locations:

http://www.ruthschris.com/home.html

 

[smokeys my pet]

See this is why I LOVE this place, there is always wonderfull people lending a hand. Again THANKS TO ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bustedluckbarbq]

Hey Blake... If you go by my place or Gramason's on the way up the hill.... you could probably score a samich or taste a fatty on the way out...

 

[big tex]

If there is any left

 

[ds7662]

Worth the stop but not close to the interstate. Is also in downtown Richmond. Unless with someone familiar with the area I would not venture that far off the beaten path.

 

[krandy21784]

I think Parkers may not be open any longer but Carolina BBQ in Garner is the real deal and only a little way off the interstate. If you make the swing down I 85 to go to Atlanta you will go thru Greenville SC where there are a lot of Q joints.

 

[camp_cookie]

I don't know if you have made the trip yet or not, but I had to run over to Gwinnett County today, and I did a little scouting for you.

The Smokin' Po' Boys that I mentioned above is about 10 miles off of I-85. I'm not sure of the exit number, but if driving South on I-85, get of at the exit with highway 211 and drive towards Winder. Go all the way into town, and the joint will be on your left across from the court house. This place is one of my regular eats. The ribs are very good, and if I was going to order chicken at a barbecue joint, this would be the place I would order it.

If you were to get off at the same exit and head away towards Gainesville/Braselton for a few miles, there is a joint called Angie's Barbecue. I have not sampled it yet. It's in a strip mall type setting with some other stuff including a few sports bars and an ice-cream parlor.

Also just off of I-85, the first exit in Gwinnett County if heading South is Hamilton Mill Parkway, if you get off there and go to the right, there is a place called Log Cabin BBQ. It is also in a strip mall with a bunch of other eating establishments. It is very close to I-85. I ate there this evening and had the ribs and beef combo plate. It rated "above okay". I'd put it somewhere between somewhere like a Sonny's and the real deal. This appeared to be a family run joint and had a nice setting. The beef was better than the ribs. I'll probably give this place another shot at some point and try their pork and maybe the smoked sausage.

 

[camp_cookie]

I tried Angie's today, all in the spirit of trying to help a fellow forum member of course.

I had the pork plate. It had plenty of pork, but it was kind of dry and lacked smoke. Once I sauced it up it was okay. They close at 2:30 on Sunday afternoons, and I got in there at 2:10; so, I didn't exactly get the freshest stuff. It seemed like I got pork from two different cooks.

I'll rank this one in the "okay" rating, but I want to hit them at a peak time to make a more exact judgment. The service was good, and the menu had a lot of options.

 

[big tex]

Hey man have a good time and I will catch you when you get back be careful in atlanta

 

[fla-gypsy]

Another vote for Fresh Air BBQ in Jackson Ga, authentic Q and killer Brunswick stew.

 

[zapper]

One of the last times that I was there was maybe the same time that Indian Springs had a Pow Wow. At any rate we pulled in just after about 30 or more bikers had stopped in and the line was halfway thru the lower dinning room. I know that the staff was doing all they could, but it seemed to be taking for ever! And two young kids with me were in even worse shape than me.

Soooo, just as a joke, I said to my nine year old that he should go outside for a minute and then come running back inside saying that one of those motorcycles is smoking like it is on fire! And then everyone in frontof us would run out to see if it was their bike. The biker fella in front of me turned back and said "I don't care if they are all on fire, I ain't giving up my space in line!"

I doubt that I am 30 miles from the place, but it is hard to find time to make it there as often as I would like. The good news is that there is a McGhinns (SP) just down the road now. The bad news is that they have an abbriveated schedual for being open. Just a couple days a week or so. Why do some of the finer joints do that?