Best barbecue
A pulled pork sandwich with a side of collard greens at Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q on DeKalb Avenue in Atlanta. Photo: Becky Stein / Special
YOUR PICKS
1. Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q
You say, “Fox Bros. have no competition! If you think some other place is better I suggest you go try it!” and “There are a lot of great choices around here, but Fox Bros. has to be the best. Anyone who says they don’t like it is either a vegan or works for a different BBQ joint.”
2. Fat Matt’s Rib Shack
3. Pig-N-Chik
4. Community Q
5. Fresh Air Bar-B-Que
6. Swallow at the Hollow
The pork platter with sides of mac and cheese and baked beans at Swallow at the Hollow in Roswell. Photo: Phil Skinner / pskinner@ajc.com
OUR PICKS
1. The Swallow at the Hollow
Food and beverage writer Bob Townsend says, “Purists may sneer at the foodie barbecue Bill Green does at this weathered-wood cabin in Roswell. But like his Southern comfort cooking across the way at Greenwood’s, there’s no arguing with the quality or intention. Feast on smoky pork or beef, baby back ribs and house-made sausage, with terrific portobello mushrooms and fried green tomatoes, and freshly baked bread and pies.”
2. Garden Produce & Country Store
3. Sam’s BBQ 1
4. Dave Poe’s BBQ
5. Community Q BBQ
accessAtlanta Partner Sites
Sections
Advertise on accessAtlanta.com »
Reach the audience you want by advertising on accessAtlanta.com
Join the Access Atlanta Network »
Advertisers and Publishers, expand your reach by joining the Access Atlanta Network.
Tell us what you think about the site
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement | About our ads
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
517 comments Add your comment
Doozer
September 20th, 2010
10:15 pm
Hard to find really great BBQ in Atlanta, but Dreamland in Norcross is pretty good.
iron_eagle
September 20th, 2010
10:16 pm
fox brothers
rolling bones second
Mutt-Hater
September 20th, 2010
10:17 pm
Too many dawgtards on here.
John
September 20th, 2010
10:18 pm
Anyone that says Fat Matt’s and sonny’s ribs are best in the Atl need to try JJ’s Rib hack on Campbellton Rd. The ribs and chicken are what they do best. Fresh Air in Jackson used to be the best for pulled pork but they used wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too much vinegar.
J Who?
September 20th, 2010
10:23 pm
Old South BBQ in Smyrna is and has always been amazing.
Bama Bill
September 20th, 2010
10:23 pm
Williamson Brothers in Marietta has the best “outside pulled pork” on the market ! Eat it weekly and would not do without.
Rick
September 20th, 2010
10:23 pm
Pig N Chick in Chamblee! Bill and the crew serve up the best bbq pork (outside is best) and ribs. Mix the hot carolina and the sweet tomato based sauce. It don’t get no better than that!
jay blackwell
September 20th, 2010
10:23 pm
Enter your comments here
Pat Smith
September 20th, 2010
10:25 pm
JJ’s on Campbelton Road! now only if they can cut down on the extensive wait time will they become an official staple of Atlanta Barbeque at it’s best!
Moz Sas & SP
September 20th, 2010
10:26 pm
Community Q in Decatur (the Mac n cheese is amazing here!)
Pig N Chick in Sandy Springs
Need to make some time to get to Fat Matt’s and DBA… I hear great things.
tom
September 20th, 2010
10:27 pm
Fresh Air in Jackson. vinegar based sauce.
Mark
September 20th, 2010
10:29 pm
Big Shanty BBQ in Kennesaw, Bub-Ba-Q in Woodstock, JD’s BBQ in Woodstock. Both of the former Sam and Dave’s BBQ places have slipped slightly (Dave Poe’s in Marietta and Sam’s BBQ1 on Lower Roswell Rd.) Anybody who thinks Fat Matt’s is good is crazy. And if you nominate a chain such as Jim ‘N Nicks or Shanes you should never be allowed to eat of the swine ever again. And I love the person who nominated Champs in Smyrna…they were pretty good, but they’ve been closed for almost 2 years.
Steveo
September 20th, 2010
10:29 pm
Cue in Milton is great. Work downtown and haven’t seen any love for Daddy D’z yet. Always hits the spot. Also, love the Brunswick Stew at Slopes in Alpharetta.
Mike
September 20th, 2010
10:33 pm
Sam’s BBQ 1
Mike
September 20th, 2010
10:33 pm
Sam’s BBQ 1
KG
September 20th, 2010
10:33 pm
There are a lot of great choices around here, but Fox Bros. has to be the best. Anyone who says they don’t like is either a vegan or works for a different BBQ joint.
Duh
September 20th, 2010
10:33 pm
Don’t vote unless you’ve tried many different BBQ restaurants! I mean really! Some of these votes are so bogus!
Dave
September 20th, 2010
10:33 pm
Pig n’ Chik
jay blackwell
September 20th, 2010
10:41 pm
lets talk barbecue. I have been state to state, we all know that there is only one place that really got good down home barbecue and that is any where in south canrolina. there is this black man name tim jenkins. I will put up anything for him to see anyone that can out cook his barbecue,Fox Brother try me lets see is his the best I will pay anyone to cook out him or say thier is the best. By the way he is somewhere in atlanta ga, or covington ga, doing just that making house call cooking the best there ever been, if you from atlanta decater covington ga. ask about him , old black man tim jenkins
Max Zendejas
September 20th, 2010
10:47 pm
Cafe Pig
Old devil
September 20th, 2010
10:49 pm
My childhood friend, George Barber, won the lottery by birth. His grandfather founded Fresh Air BBQ in Jackson, GA. He inherited it. I was raised there, and that’s what mothers weaned their babies on, pulled pork and brunswick stew from Fresh Air. I was born in 1959, and they had already been doing it for thirty years. It is safe to say that it is the best bbq in the state of Georgia, and if you don’t agree, you either live in Atlanta, or you don’t understand what REAL BBQ is…
Bubba Grant
September 20th, 2010
10:52 pm
At my house. The meat is hand picked, the sauce is home made, and it’s cooked with loving care to eat, not to sell. Beats anything out there.
FM Fats
September 20th, 2010
10:52 pm
I love Fox Brothers but I’ve fallen head over heels for Community Q. We had them cater our silver wedding anniversary party and everyone was happy, even the damned vegans. Rolling Bones is pretty swell, too.
Fred "The Dorf" Dorfman
September 20th, 2010
11:17 pm
Hands down, it’s Cafe Pig down on the southside!!!
leigh
September 21st, 2010
12:40 am
I can tell you the worse,Sonnys, and Williamson Bros!!!!!!!!!!
Sonnys is the trailer park of Bar B Que!
ATLAS
September 21st, 2010
1:11 am
Thompson Brothers the Q and the hot sausage are so good
NC not GA
September 21st, 2010
8:10 am
BBQ purists and experts always mention several NC joints but never GA! Why is that?
bbqgeek
September 21st, 2010
8:20 am
Community Q
Cin Hen
September 21st, 2010
8:37 am
OK…. I agree, Fox Bros for Chicken Wings, Brisket and overall BBQ experience. But you have to try Community BBQ in Decatur. The Beef rib is so awesome. They use local produce and everything is made in house. Get the mac-n-cheese, you will not be disappointed.
Andy
September 21st, 2010
9:04 am
FOX Bros inside 285
Adam Trimble
September 21st, 2010
9:04 am
Our state senate knows what’s up. I’ve seen Perdue and Kasim at my favorite BBQ place ever: Daddy D’s. It’s on Memorial a little west of the Oakland Cemetery, close enough to the capital for state reps to make it a power lunch. If those two can agree on it you know it’s good.
Of course it looks like the shack is falling apart, but you’ll never get this kind of BBQ from Fox Bros. Although shame on the commenters who put Sonnys / Shanes anywhere in the league of Fox Bros / Daddy D’s.
If you haven’t tried it give it a whirl!
Elle
September 21st, 2010
9:05 am
I was a vegetarian when Fox Bros opened. However, my friends (who were also vegetarian) and I caved upon smelling tasting the pulled pork that they serve. If that wasn’t delicious enough, the savory ribs are amazing! My friend’s Italian uncle was picked up from the airport and one of the first things he requested was Fox Bros BBQ. My aunt from Minnesota- always request Fox Bros BBQ when she is in town. When people ask me where to go to eat in Atlanta- I always say Fox Bros BBQ
RazorCatchPrey
September 21st, 2010
9:06 am
Fox Brothers BBQ is the best in the state. I am a big fan of Texas barbecue, and their brisket is the only authentic one I’ve had here, but FB’s pulled pork is so good, I usually go for that. Their sides and apps are also beyond anything else I’ve had.
Southern BBQ
September 21st, 2010
9:24 am
Bubba-Q & Community. The biggest problem w/ Atlanta BBQ is no real sauce. Everyone uses that tomato based crap. What’s wrong with sonny’s? Nothing if massed produced chain restaurants with no real chef is what you like! If thats the case you should try the Baby-back-baby-back ribs at chili’s
Tigerfan 7
September 21st, 2010
9:27 am
Fox Brothers
regularfoodie
September 21st, 2010
9:31 am
I used to think it was Fox Brothers………before Community Q BBQ opened. They are fantastic! Fresh food and great service.
Swallow at the Hollow is also pretty great.
RL
September 21st, 2010
9:35 am
Community Q in Decatur!!!! Awesome beef ribs, brisket and sausage. They also have great sides, especially their mac and cheese and greens.
gr8ful g8or
September 21st, 2010
9:48 am
Fox Bro’s hands down! I travel the state and have been to almost every place mentioned here and nobody does it better. Very original specials and appetizers. The BBQ rolls and wings are unreal. Great Sides TOO!
Daniel A.
September 21st, 2010
10:03 am
I tried Pig N Chick in college while attending college right down the road. I have been going back ever since. The food is great! It is not a fancy joint but everything on the menu is cooked with care. Just what I am looking for when trying to find good barbeque.
Karen Garrison-Wainer
September 21st, 2010
10:17 am
There’s a place on Thornton Road between I-20 and Bankhead Hwy – I don’t know the name of it – When I eat there – I forget every where else. YUM
JT
September 21st, 2010
10:52 am
Fox Bros.
Dirty Gas Pumper
September 21st, 2010
11:01 am
No way. McDonalds McRib the best ever!!
Nob
September 21st, 2010
11:57 am
Community BBQ in Decatur is hands down the best bbq in the area. Fox Brothers is a close second.
g
September 21st, 2010
12:26 pm
Oinkers in Clayton, GA is very good. The main drawback is they are only open Thurs, Fri and Sat
jrp
September 21st, 2010
12:57 pm
@Karen Garrison-Wainer..I think the place that you are talking about is HHH BBQ..I know right where it is and yes they have great BBQ..
Cobb girl
September 21st, 2010
1:37 pm
Fatt Matt’s
BBQ Master
September 21st, 2010
1:50 pm
Community Q
Jadzia
September 21st, 2010
2:31 pm
You are missing out if you haven’t enjoyed great pork at Scott’s Walk-up Bar-b-q in Cartersville. They are all about the smoked pork/meats and Carolina style sauces. Its a simple, clean place with no gimmics or fancy decorations. Love their pork, even the beans have bits of smoked pork! Yum! We drive up and buy extra so we can enjoy it for a week. They even have a “sweet sauce” to appease those who insist on adding sweetness “Georgia style” to everything they eat.
For me it is either Scott’s, Harold’s, and for Texas style Fox’s.
Nick D
September 21st, 2010
2:35 pm
Sam’s in Marietta- try their pork with the NC sauce and their ribs are freakin awesome.
Community Q is a close 2nd
Mollie
September 21st, 2010
2:43 pm
Fresh Air BBQ~