BBQ Bandit

Fox Bros. BBQ Voted Best Barbecue on Access Atlanta

2011-01-21T12:27:00.002-05:00

Best of Barbecue by Access Atlanta & AJC

Fox Bros. BBQ continues to rack up the awards around town. In September, it was voted by the people as the Best Barbecue in Atlanta on Access Atlanta. Fox Bros.seems to be working its way up as the clear favorite for the citizens of Atlanta. I can't say I disagree, they have some of the best BBQ I've ever had.

The staffers at AJC/Access Atlanta disagree, their top pick was The Swallow at the Hollow in Roswell. This has long been one of my favorites since it's so close to where I live. The Swallow definitely has some of the most loyal customers I've seen. This place is always busy. I recommend trying their ribs for something different, these oven-cooked ribs are excellent. Also don't miss the mac n cheese, some of the best in the metro.

So who's right here? The people or the staff at AJC/Access Atlanta. It's tough to say. I think both restaurants offer excellent food and unique appeal. If you're looking for a trendy spot ITP then Fox Bros. is definitely you're place. If you're OTP and ready for some good food and live music, then The Swallow is the only option. Let us know what you think.

Find Today's Daily Deal on the Best in Atlanta!

JR's Loghouse (Norcross, GA) :: Review

2011-01-20T16:46:00.002-05:00

JR's Loghouse

6601 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
Norcross, GA 30071

Background
To make this simple, the good thing about JR's is the stew. If you come here make sure you get the stew, and make sure you don't get the ribs. That's pretty much all you need to know, but I'll go into a little more detail below.

The Restaurant
I will give this place props because its good for big groups. We came here with about 8 people and there were several very large tables to easily accommodate us. The wait staff was also very friendly and did a great job of refilling all of our drinks. The whole log cabin vibe is kind of fun and they had a huge flat screen TV for me to watch as I waited on my guests.

The Food
Fist off, the sweet tea meets the Southern standard. We tried the ribs and they were awful, sorry but they were. Tough, not much meat, I didn't eat more than one. The one thing I finished on my plate was the stew. This would be the place to go if you're in the mood for some tasty and hearty Brunswick stew. The macaroni and cheese was decent in my opinion too, I'd definitely order it again. Others in my party didn't like it though, so maybe it's more of a personal preference.

Two reasons to come: Stew and huge TVs.

Winner Announced: Citysearch Best of Atlanta - Barbeque

2010-09-19T18:25:00.002-04:00

and the winner is.....

Fox Bros. BBQ!

Since the Atlanta favorite has won the award, I will be treating myself to a meal here this coming week and providing feedback here. Look for reviews of their appetizer, the Tominator, pulled pork, and other Fox Bros. classics. If you'd like to check out Fox Bros. yourself make sure you visit their website, which is full of lots of information including upcoming events, newsletter signup, and a photo tour of the restaurant. Fox Bros. always has weekly specials, a great selection of beer, and outdoor patio seating, what more could you want?!

EVENT :: Cobb County Restaurant Week

2010-09-12T17:28:00.000-04:00

Details:

September 11-18, 2010

3 Course Prix Fixe Menus at Fine Cobb County Restaurants for $20.
Available for both lunch and dinner.
Reservations via OpenTable.
Some of the featured restaurants:

Cherokee Cattle Company
Aspens
Marietta Diner
Marlow's Tavern (Cumberland & Chastain)
Meehan's Public House
Noche
Soho
South City Kitchen (Vinings)
Ted's Montana Grill (select locations)

10 Days Left to Vote for Your Favorite BBQ in Atlanta

2010-08-17T13:59:00.001-04:00

Citysearch has long been home to one of the best recognized Best of polls. Many restaurants wear the Best of ___ stickers on their door very proudly. There are only 10 days left to vote in the Citysearch Best of Atlanta 2010 polls. Please take the time to vote for your favorite BBQ restaurant. Fox Bros currently holds a small lead over DBA Barbeque. It only takes a couple of minutes, make sure your favorite wins! Vote here

The nominees:
Fox Bros BBQ
DBA Barbeque
Williamson Bros. BBQ
Slope's BBQ
Daddy D'z
Fat Matt's Rib Shack
Pcheen
Community Q BBQ
The Swallow at the Hollow
Jim n Nick's BBQ
The Rib Ranch
Smokejack BBQ
BBQ1

BBQ Event Alert: Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival in Kennesaw, GA

2010-08-13T12:29:00.003-04:00

Location: Adams Park and the Ben Robertson Community Center, 2753 Watts Drive in Kennesaw, Georgia. There is a nice map at the website.

Times: Friday August 20, 5:00 pm -11:00 pm
Saturday August 21, 10:00 am -10:00 pm

Tickets: Admission is FREE!

Happenings: The festival will span two days with fresh BBQ, live music, tasty desserts, a professional BBQ contest, a famous dessert contest, and lots of vendors.

Check out the official website for full details and lots of great pictures. Make sure you 'Like' the facebook page so that you can participate in the giveaways. My personal favorite part to this festival is that admission is free! I will definitely be in attendance on Friday to take pictures and do a full write up.

For all current event information on this event and all events to come please check our "EVENTS" tab.

Drugs, Money, & BBQ: KC Pit Closed

2010-08-11T10:38:00.000-04:00

According to an Atlanta Journal Constitution article this morning, KC Pit BBQ is officially closed. While this is bad news to many, the real kicker is the reason why. The owners of the restaurant and several others have been indicted on drug and money laundering charges. The AJC says that the restaurant owner is now out on bond, but that the six other plaintiffs, including her husband are still in jail. So, there is no one to run the restaurant and thus no BBQ to be had from KC Pit. This is especially bad news for me, since I was actually planning on going there for the first time next week. Well, now there is room for a new BBQ joint in Sandy Springs, hopefully a nice clean restaurant will come along.

BBQ Event: 5 Seasons BeerBQ in Alpharetta, GA

2010-08-06T19:51:00.002-04:00

The 5 Seasons Alpharetta location is putting on a BBQ spread with 12 sauces and $3 beer pints. You've gotta shell out $25 at this point to get in, but really what more can you ask for on a Saturday in August. Beer, BBQ, and Rock n Roll.

Tickets: $25 (all you can eat BBQ); $3 pints
Live Music: Members of Blues Train, Driving & Crying & Georgia Satellites
BBQ:

GA Organic Riverview Farms Kurobuta Pork Ribs
Broken Arrow Ranch Wild Boar
Springer Mountain Chicken Wings
GA Organic White Oak Pastures Beef Brisket

(picture from 5 Season website)

Sides:

Fresh Peas, Slaw, Potato Salad, Corn, Tomatoes, Fries

Sauces:

Hop, Red Pepper, Blackberry, Orange, Smoked Tomato, Mustard, White Garlic, Chipotle , Poblano, Blueberry, Peach, Chocolate

Location:

5 Seasons North
3655 Old Milton Parkway
Alpharetta, GA 30005

The Ultimate Google Map: BBQ of Atlanta

2010-08-05T16:10:00.003-04:00

View BBQ of Atlanta in a larger map

We have created a Google Map of all of the BBQ Bandit Approved BBQ Restaurants in Atlanta. This list will grow, but here is where we start. The map helps create a nice visual of where the restaurants are located. We have done a good job of adding restaurants around the city, but we will be trying to add many more in the months to come.

BBQ Pitmasters on TLC, Season 2 Begins August 10th

2010-08-04T15:15:00.001-04:00

BBQ Pitmasters, on TLC, is back for its second season with a whole new format. The show, a reality adventure in barbeque competition cooking, will now feature head-to-head competition between the teams for a final grand prize. Season Two premieres on Thursday August 12 at 10 p.m. EST. The hosts include Kevin Roberts from Food Network's The Next Food Network Star and Art Smith, past personal chef to Oprah Winfrey. It's certainly great to see BBQ competitions getting publicity on TV and the food always looks amazingly delicious. Only problem, its impossible to watch without wanting some BBQ that instant. Keep BBQ handy while watching. Official Website here.

BBQ Bandits Facebook Page

2010-08-03T17:27:00.004-04:00

I'd like to formally introduce our Facebook Page! The Facebook page for BBQ Bandits is tied very closely with our blog entries, but on Facebook we will post more links to events and articles to share with our community. Please take a moment to Become a Fan of our page.

Atlanta Magazine Features BBQ (July Issue)

2010-07-30T22:09:00.001-04:00

Atlanta Magazine's Bill Addison did a great write up about BBQ in Atlanta (and its surrounding counties) in the July issue.. There is a Top 5 list and reviews of other BBQ restaurants by county. I definitely recommend checking it out and trying as many places as possible. According to the article, the Top 5 are:

Hickory Pig (Gainesville)
Sam's BBQ 1 (Marietta)
Swallow at the Hollow (Roswell)
P'cheen (Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta)
Blind Pig BBQ (Jackson)

Here's the link to the article. Note: You have to pay 99 cents to get access to the full article. You can always pick up a copy of the magazine at local newsstands too.

Smokin J's BBQ - Marietta, GA

2010-05-25T18:04:00.025-04:00

SMOKIN J'S BBQ

Open 7 days a week, 11am-9pm

(770) 973-1003

4125 Roswell Rd.

Marietta, GA 30062

Background

Smokin J's is a relatively new restaurant in the large East Lake Shopping Center. This shopping center is home to an eclectic mix of businesses that seem to drop like flies. I'm hoping this boy sticks around.

The Restaurant

The restaurant is easy to miss in the large shopping center. Although the restaurant exterior lacks curb appeal, it's got a large sign (picture right) to let you know you've arrived. Once you get in the door, you'll feel at home with the down home furnishings inside. I personally like the large booths that can very comfortably seat four or more. There is waiter service and our waitress was very friendly. She happily explained all of the menu items and her personal favorites (the brisket and the BBQ chicken pizza). The menu was quite large and included, SHOCKING, pizza! You can order all types of pizza from traditional to BBQ infused. They alsohave an extensive kids menu.

The Food

As far as meats go, you've got pork, ribs, chicken, brisket, or sausage to choose from. The pork here comes pulled, which is the proper way in my opinion, but you can also order a 'whole hog' sandwich that includes many cuts of pork. You've got the typical sandwich or plate format (2 sides). For families, you've also got the Family Style, which comes with enough meat and sides for the whole family for just $24.95, great deal!

The Breakdown:

Pulled pork: nice and tender, dark smoky meat with lots of flavor.

Sauces: There are four sauces to choose from, but I found that they all tasted similarly sweet. The Carolina sauce did not have that vinegar base of a real carolina sauce. It tasted almost like honey mustard. The other two sweet sauces, Hickory Sweet and Georgia Sweet, both tasted very similar and very sweet. The Spicy sauce, as its called, was indeed spicy and had a nice kick. I'd recommend mixing the Hickory Sweet and the Spicy.

Brunswick Stew: One word: fabulous. I love the rich tomato flavor and the hint of bell pepper. This is one of my favorite stews I've tried, which is definitely saying something.

BBQ Chicken Pizza: Trying to be adventurous, I ordered this. It comes with BBQ sauce, mozzarella cheese, chicken, and red onions. I'm not a fan of onions, so I nixed those. I was a bit worried when there were only going to be three ingredients on the pizza, but it came out fabulous. The dough was soft and sweet and the sauce was a delicious base for the dish. Being even more adventurous I topped one slice with what was left of my Brunswick Stew and landed in BBQ pizza heaven. This should seriously be a menu item, I dub thee Brunswick Pizza!

Fries: Waffle style. Creepily similar to Chick-fil-a fries. Equally as delicious.

Mac-n-Cheese: Just eh. I'd go for another side.

Sweet Tea Meter: Very Good

Don't Miss: Pineapple Express, Brunswick Stew

Skip: Macaroni & Cheese

Highlights: Nice large booths, BBQ pizza!

Rundown: If you're in the area, definitely stop by. A nice alternative to the nearby Williamson Bros. for lunch.

We're Back

2010-05-25T17:51:00.004-04:00

Hello everyone! We are back from a long break. We intend to pick this baby up right where we left off. After taking some time off for school, I'm ready to take this blog to the next level. With so much BBQ to eat, its time to get going.

Reviews soon to come:

Smokin J's BBQ

Swallow at the Hollow (Roswell, GA)

Slopes BBQ

BBQ 1 (Marietta, GA)

Fox Bros. BBQ (Atlanta, GA)

Dave Poe's BBQ

Harry's Pig Shop (Athens, GA)

and many more

A.M.

Smokejack Barbecue - Alpharetta, Georgia

2009-08-11T22:39:00.014-04:00

Greetings BBQ-Bandits readers!

This is the first (hopefully of many) entry to be made by JM, AM’s brother. We’ve grown up eating barbecue together, so I figured I’d join in on the fun. It’s appropriate for me to be writing this entry because I was the one who suggested that we eat at Smokejack last night.

Background

Driving up and down highway 9 through Roswell and Alpharetta, I’ve seen the place on the side of the road many times and really wanted to stop in. I also once read a favorable review of the place on Northside Food, but I’ve never happened to drive by it at a time when it was convenient to go.

Luckily, last night when AM and I were trying to decide on a place to eat dinner while perusing the internet, we found a coupon on atlantarestaurantcoupons.com for Smokejack. This reminded me of how much I had wanted to visit, and provided further incentive to go: a free appetizer or dessert.

The Restaurant

Smokejack is located on highway 9 in Alpharetta, in a cute little downtown-area set-up. There was parking available right out front when we went (which was late on a Tuesday), but not a lot of spaces. The website says there is more parking around back – we didn’t investigate.

The interior is warm and welcoming. The décor is a little upscale for a barbecue place – they even have cloth napkins, which I consider to be odd. There’s a full bar off to the left, and the main dining area sits to the right. On the wall there is a large chalkboard with specials and recommendations, which is easy to read and quite convenient.

The Service

When we first entered, I was disappointed in the response. There was no hostess at the podium and we had to stand there for a good 3-5 minutes before anyone addressed us, despite the fact that two waiters walked by and obviously saw us. They could have at least managed a “someone will be right with you” rather than walking by pretending they didn’t notice.

Once we got seated, the service improved. Our waiter ended up being very helpful and the food came out fast. We were in the place around 8:30pm – 9:30pm on a Tuesday with only two other parties present. Being so empty, and with a posted closing time of 10:00pm, I feel like the initial service could have been better. However, the service after being seated redeemed the place.

The Food

First, drinks. We both ordered sweet tea, which was very pleasant. Not too sweet like some barbecue places. The drink menu/bar seemed pretty ample, but I didn’t look at it in particular detail. I ordered a Sweetwater 420 on draft, which was satisfying.

As mentioned, we had a coupon for a free fried pickles app with purchase of one entrée. I’m a big fan of fried pickles, and always curious to see how each individual restaurant’s version will turn out. These were the best I’ve ever had. The batter was light and well-seasoned, with strong black pepper flavor. They were served with a spicy mayonnaise of sorts, which was really unremarkable. I’d skip the mayo and ask for a side of barbecue sauce to dip them in, as this was delicious, or just eat them solo. I’d definitely order these again, and getting them free was naturally a plus!

AM ordered a bowl of brunswick stew as an additional appetizer. It was very tasty and we ended up splitting it. It was the style I prefer - more or less blended, with small pieces of pork and vegetables rather than large chunks. We both approved.

We both ordered the pulled pork shoulder (boring, I know). Between the two of us we got these sides: baked beans, macaroni and cheese, and corn pudding. The pork had a very nice flavor to it, but it wasn’t exceptional. It comes lightly sauced so I couldn’t be totally sure of the flavor coming just from the meat. The sauce was interesting. By default it comes with a “Carolina mustard bbq sauce,” which was okay, but not great. It was applied conservatively, which helped. The sauce was mild, but had noticeable mustard and vinegar flavors. AM actually didn’t like the sauce, and asked for a side of the other one they offer, a “Kansas City style sauce.” This was your typical sweet, tomato-based sauce, but I liked it a lot. It had a nuanced flavor that wasn’t too sweet. Definitely an improvement over the mustard sauce, and next time I will be sure to request this one on my pork.

The sides were solid. The macaroni and cheese tasted fresh and homemade, with a nice baked crust on top. The baked beans were nice, and actually seemed to have fresh chiles in them, which is super unusual. I was pleased. The corn pudding was the standout. It was like a soufflé, made with cornbread. I thought the texture was wonderful, and there was a pretty strong sweetness to it. However, it also had green and red chiles in it, so there was some kick, adding another welcome layer of flavor. I suppose if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t like sweet cornbread, then you wouldn’t like this too much, but it really hit the spot.

In summary, I’m really glad we decided to hit this place up, and I’ll be returning as soon as it is feasible. I hope to try some of their other offerings in the way of meat, but I can’t resist ordering that corn pudding again. Definitely recommended.

Info:
Smokejack Barbecue
29 South Main Street
Alpharetta, GA 30004
770-410-7611

www.smokejackbbq.com

Our New Friend - Pilgrim the Pig

2009-07-23T22:36:00.003-04:00

Please welcome our new mascot, Pilgrim. He is a beautiful creature that represents the BBQ bandits well. While his graphic is still a bit amateur, his spirit is quite professional.

Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q - Marietta, Georgia

2009-07-08T21:30:00.005-04:00

Location: 1425 Roswell Rd, Marietta, GA‎ - (770) 971-3201‎

One of the first things I noticed about this place is the extensive menu. The menu is three fold out pages! That's a lot for a BBQ restaurant. Most have a one-sided sheet to hand you.

I also enjoyed the decor, particularly the stuffed rooster with a bandanna near the door. Unfortunately my photo of it came out poorly. The place has that country feel you seek in a BBQ joint. The deer heads and carved wooden chairs create the perfect atmosphere for eating some 'Q.

We ordered the Combo Platter for a nice sampling of chopped beef, chopped pork, pork ribs, and baked chicken. Sides included green beans, mac n cheese, and stew of course.

It was an adventure veering away from pork, which is what I usually strictly stick with. I've actually never tried chopped beef and I'd have to say it was quite delicious. The flavor is much stronger than the pork. The beef really picks up the smokey flavor, and it comes on strong. The beef also surprisingly had a nicer, softer texture. Not as many rough parts, which were a plenty in the pork. This is probably due to the way each was prepared but I would say the beef was executed better, which was disappointing. The ribs were good, not quite fall off the bone savory, but worth ordering. The chicken looked amazing, but I was disappointed to find that it was extremely dry and even when covered in sauce could not be rescued. Sadly most of it went uneaten.

Lets side step: Mac n cheese: Stouffers could easily top this recipe. Green beans: heavy on the garlic, mmmm. Stew: very sweet and soupy, tasted kind of like a BBQ sauce soup with some okra and tomatoes thrown in, not my favorite.

The strong point of this restaurant is the sauce. The Original Sauce, as they call it, is a great mix of sweet and spice. I'm typically not a fan of sweet sauces, but this had the perfect taste of sweetness. With peppercorn and red pepper mixed in, the sauce created an enjoyable kick in random bites. I'd completely recommend taking home a bottle (pre-packed and sold in restaurant) and putting it on your favorite BBQ dish.

We also journeyed into the land of desserts here. How could we not with this tempting dessert display? We tried the banana pie and it was great. The base is made of your typical banana pudding with a thick layer of homemade whipped cream on top. The pair was great with the crust beneath. Highly recommended.

Don't Miss: Sauce, try on your own cooking for best results.
Skip: Stew, sides, tea.
Highlights: Beer selection, decor including bandanna chicken

Rundown: Grab some dessert and a bottle of the sauce to take home and top on your best BBQ recipe.

Corky's Bar-B-Que: Gatlinburg, TN

2009-07-06T22:56:00.003-04:00

Location: 519 Parkway, Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738.

With pulled pork right in the middle of country town Tennessee, I'd expect nothing less than a superb taste from Corky's. I'm happy to say the pork was indeed that, superb. My favorite BBQ dish, the pulled pork platter, was great. Two sides, mac & cheese and sweet potatoes. The macaroni and cheese was homemade goodness with a rich cheese flavor that popped from between the noodles. If you want to know how to get to my heart, serve sweet potato fries, I've nearly never had a batch I didn't like. Funny because I despise mashed sweet potatoes, but anyway, Corky's version may actually fall into the few that don't make me crazy. It surprised me that it was very difficult to taste any sweet flavor. They are sweet potatoes after all. I give kudos to Corky's for offering these on their menu, but I would recommend that they cut the salt added in half. They are too salty and don't allow the beautiful sweetness of the potato to shine through.

The pork however was excellent. Pulled like it should be, mostly tender, and served with sauce on top. The pork did need the sauce it came with though. A little flavorless without adding the sauce from the table. While Corky's only serves up one sauce, it covers several different flavors all in one. It is smoky and not too sweet. Easy on the tongue, not much fire. The perfect sauce some may say. I personally like a little more heat. I recommend this dish completely, just ask for some hot sauce if you're looking for some heat.

My number one complaint about this joint is the service. The place was simply understaffed when we were there. Given it was 4th of July weekend, the service was simply short. I waited nearly 15 minutes to find out the price of merchandise at the front. The hostess could not handle the flow coming in and the bartender was blatantly unwilling to help. This is a rather large production for a BBQ restaurant with 2 stories and a wait list. We did not have to wait at dinner time but struggled to get the attention of our waiter. Don't expect great service, but once the food came my mind was definitely elsewhere.

Bottom Line: If you don't mind your sides being served in styrofoam, this place is a great stop-in at this popular vacation spot in the Smokies.

Posts Coming Soon

2009-07-06T01:05:00.001-04:00

Just getting this shindig started. Reviews, photos, and delicious comments about the best BBQ joints to come. Will focus on the Atlanta region initially due to travel restrictions. Stay tuned.