Best In BBQ

You have asked for it, here are our current rankings:

Visit Date - Restaurant - Group Score
12/2/2009 - Fat Matts - 9
3/3/2010 - Smoke Jack - 8.5
4/15/2010 - Sam's BBQ1 - 8.5
10/14/2009 - Spiced Right - 8.17
3/10/2010 - 'Cue- 8
11/16/2009 - Old Brick Pit Barbeque - 7.83
12/9/2009 - Swallow At The Hollow - 7.8
1/6/2010 - Pig and Chick - 7.8
12/29/2009 - Fox Brothers - 7.5
5/19/2010 - Dreamland - 7.33
1/27/2010 - Shanes - 7.25
11/24/2009 - One Star Ranch - 7.13
1/20/2010 - Old Hickory House - 6.75
1/11/2010 - Slopes - 6.6
12/15/2009 - KC Pit - 6.5
10/27/2009 - Ribs Etc - 5
3/24/2010 - This is It BBQ - 2.67
12/9/2009 - Bennie's Barbecue - Closed


Still to come
Five Star Barbecue
Lowcountry Barbecue Restaurant
BBQ Corner 2
Woodys
Rolling Bones
Dusty's
Community BBQ
DBA Barbecue
Williamson Bros Bar-B-Q
Rib Ranch
PR Barbeque
Harold's Barbecue
Bobby & June Country Kitchen
Daddy D'z
Sam and Dave’s BBQ2
Hometown BBQ
Jim N’Nick
Old South BBQ

Fox Brothers

Date: 12/29/2009
Restaurant: Fox Brothers
Location: 1238 Dekalb Ave, Atlanta Ga 30307
URL: http://www.foxbrosbbq.com/
Recommended By: Peter Drive By, Guy at Poker

Score 7.5

At first glance Fox Brothers looks like a great dive BBQ joint. There is a separate smoke house next to the restaurant, old signage all over the walls and the menu looks like an 1800's news paper. While you are waiting for your food the Tomminator is a must. Tater Tots covered in thick Brunswick stew smothered with melted cheese. The fried pickles or jalapenos are really good as well.
The ribs come out with a slightly burnt sauce. Pretty good, but they were not very tender. The outer ones were more burnt an the inner ones were slightly tender. The beef was not very tender. The pulled pork had a strong bitter smoky flavor. The chicken wings are smoked wings, the meat has a good kick to in and they are covered in sauce. A nice sweet and spicy combo.
Over all, Fox Brothers has a great BBQ atmosphere and some of the best BBQ appetizers around. Their main dishes need a bit of work.

Beef Sand (1 Side) - $10
Beef Plate (2 Sides) - $13
1/2 Rack - $15
Combo 2 meats - $15
Half Tomminator - $4

Peter
Overall Score: 6.5
Main Dish Taste:
      Chicken Wings - 8
      Ribs - 6
Sauce: 7
Tenderness: 6
Sides Taste :
      Tomminator - 9
      Mac & Cheese - 6
      Collard Greens - 9
      Fried Pickles & Jalapenos - 8
Service: 8
Atmosphere: 9
Cost: 7
Comments: Fox Bros looks great from Dekalb Ave. When I walked up and saw the smoker house next door and then the menu, I was very intrigued and excited. I ordered the Tomminator to start. Tots piled high with cheese and Brunswick Stew. It was very good, but more bar fare than bbq. The ribs and chicken wings combo looked really good when set in front of me. But, it failed to impress where the rubber hit the road. The ribs were tough. The flavor was okay, but I could tell that Fox Bros. lost focus somewhere along the way when it comes to translating their original concept with ribs into the finished product. The current execution is poor. The wings were interesting looking. Smokey and spicy buffalo flavors present as well. The Collard Greens were also good, But I won't be planing to come back again. That would require some reason other than the food.

Matt
Overall Score:8.5
Main Dish Taste:
      Beef - 7
      Ribs - 8
Sauce:9.5
Tenderness:7
Sides Taste :
      Tomminator – 9.5
      Mac & Cheese - 6
      Brunswick Stew – 8
      Jalapeno Corn Bread - 8
      Fried Pickles & Jalapenos – 9.5
Service: 8
Atmosphere:9
Cost: 7
Comments: When I first walked into Fox Bros I got really excited. They have a smoke house next to the restaurant, the restaurant was packed and the menu looked like a western newspaper.
We started off with the Tomminator, fried Pickles and jalapeno cornbread. The Tomminator is one of the best side dished I have had, tater tots topped with thick Brunswick Stew smothered with melted cheese. Wow. The fried pickles and jalapenos were excellent too. The breading was perfect. The corn bread was not sweet, I prefer mine sweater.
For the main dish I got a combo beef and ribs. The beef was a bit dry and not the most tender. The sauce was great, sweat and spicy I picked up a bottle on my way out. The put the sauce on the ribs early in the process with gave it a burnt sauce taste, pretty good but they outer ribs were not that tender. As I worked my way in they got more tender. The Brunswick stew way nice and thick, with a sweater tomato flavor. The Mac and chees was very cafeteria style, just OK.
Overall I would say the atmosphere, sauce and sides are amazing. The meat was OK. It may have been excellent at one point, and I see the potential but not our day.

Mason
Overall Score:7.5
Main Dish Taste:
      Pulled Pork - 5
      Ribs - 7
Sauce:8.5
Tenderness:6
Sides Taste :
      Tomminator – 9.5
      Mac & Cheese – 3
      Brunswick Stew – 6.5
      Fried Pickles & Jalapenos – 9
Service: 8
Atmosphere:9
Cost: 7
Comments: There was a 15 minute wait for Fox Bros. It was packed and we couldn't find parking. There was a seperate smoke house on the side that had BBQ smoke puring out of it. During the wait we scoped the menu and it was very impressive. All kind of BBQ creations and different kinds of plates. We ordered some fried pickles and The Tomminator while waiting for our food. Wow it was all amazing. I was thinking that this could be the best BBQ yet....and then I got my plate. The ribs were ok, a little tough. The pulled pork had a very odd taste to it. Like some type of weird wood chips were used during smoking, and it didn't turn out well. The mac and cheese was very dry, I ate about a fourth of it. The brunswick stew was ok. Overall, they excell in the areas that don't really matter with BBQ. I would go back for the appetizers only. They need to revisit

Year End Review

We started the BI Bbq Group back in October. So far we have made it to 8 BBQ restaurants. Here is what we think so far.

Visit Date - Restaurant - Group Score
12/2/2009 Fat Matts - 9
10/14/2009 Spiced Right - 8.17
11/16/2009 Old Brick Pit Barbeque - 7.83
12/9/2009 Swallow At The Hollow - 7.83
12/29/2009 Fox Brothers (Review to come) - 7.5
11/24/2009 One Star Ranch - 7.13
12/15/2009 KC Pit - 6.5
10/27/2009 Ribs Etc - 5

Here are our individual favorites

Best In ___ (So Far....)	Mason	Dan	Matt	Peter
Overall BBQ	Spiced Right	Fat Matt's	Spiced Right	Fat Matt's
Ribs	Fat Matt's	Fat Matt's	Fat Matt's	Fat Matt's
Pork	Swallow At The Hollow	Fat Matt's	--	Fat Matt's
Beef	Spiced Right	--	Spiced Right	--
Brunswick Stew	One Star	--	One Star Ranch	One Star
Sauce	Swallow At The Hollow	One Star Ranch	One Star Ranch	Fat Matt's
Atmosphere	Swallow At The Hollow	Fat Matt's	Fat Matt's	Fat Matt's
Service	--	--	--	Fat Matt's
Side Dish	Fox Bros.	--	Fox Brothers	Fox Bros.

Yet to Visit
Dreamland
Slopes
Pig and Chick
JRs
BBQ1‎
Five Star Barbecue
Lowcountry Barbecue Restaurant
Shane’s Rib Shack
Old Hickory House
BBQ Corner 2
Smoke Jack
Woodys
Rolling Bones
Dusty's
Community BBQ
DBA Barbecue
Williamson Bros Bar-B-Q
Rib Ranch

KC Pit

Date: Thursday, December 17, 2009
Restaurant: KC Pit
Location: 6317 Roswell Road Atlanta, GA 30328
URL: http://www.kcpitbbq.com/

Score 6.5
KC Pit has recently changed locations. The new building made KC Pit change from a dive BBQ joint to an upscale dining experience. Jazz music, waterfall behind the hostess stand, fancy linens, BBQ sauce in mini silver containers…. If you are going on a nice date but still want to eat BBQ, then KC Pit is the place for you. Some may call it "GayC Pit".

Over all the food was pretty good but not the best. The beef was very good. Ribs and pork were good. None of the meat had a smoky flavor. And none of the meat came with sauce, so you can eat it without the mess. They all came platted fancy with garnishes. The sauces were both really good KC style sauces. One thick molasses (without the strong molasses flavor) and the other was a ketchup base with spices (without a strong ketchup taste).

Mac & Cheese was very good; it too was platted all pretty like. Brunswick stew extra meaty. Sweet potato fries were a nice touch.

Pork Sand (1 Side) - $5
Beef Sand (2 Sides) - $8
1/2 Rack - $13

Mason
Overall Score: 6.5
Main Dish Taste:
Pulled Pork - 7
Ribs – 6.5
Sauce: 7.5
Tenderness:7
Sides Taste :
Brunswick Stew - 7
Mac & Cheese – 8.5
Service: 7
Atmosphere:1
Cost: 8
Comments: This is the first time I have ever heard contemporary jazz being played at a BBQ joint. This was a very confusing place. Very contemporary atmosphere, even the menus. Then you open them up and everything looks the way it should at a BBQ joint, even the prices. The food came out and was good. After about 3 bites it just began to have this very chainy taste to it, as if it was not cooked with care. No smoked flavor in the pulled pork or ribs, which were about the same quality. The mac and cheese is the only item which I can say was worth the trip. I also must mention the fact that the BBQ sauce was served in a little silver pitcher-like container that looked like it would come out on a platter to some rich kid being served breakfast in bed. And we had to beg for it, our waiter had to bring more about 4 times due to the small amount. I do like that fact that this place is unique, even if it is not what I am looking for. Overall, I say pass unless you like eating BBQ with a silk shirt on.

Matt
Overall Score:7
Main Dish Taste:
Beef - 9
Ribs – 7.5
Sauce:8.5
Tenderness:
Beef – 9.5
Ribs – 7
Sides Taste :
Brunswick Stew – 7.5
Mac & Cheese – 8
Sweet Potato Fries – 9
Service: 8
Atmosphere:4
Cost: 8
Comments: This KC Pit BBQ is definitely not the same KC Pitt it was 2 years ago. I felt like I was walking into some hit midtown restaurant/bar. Even the menu screams, "we are fancy". The beef was very tender and tasty. It did not have any sauce on it, but it didn't need it. They served two sauces. One a thick KC style, sweet and thick, but it was not too sweet. The other was more tomatoes based with bits of species. The ribs were OK. They didn't have sauces either, but they needed some. Neither meat had a real smoky flavor, it seems they were both mostly cooked in the oven.
The stew was thick, but did not have much stew flavor. Most of the taste is the meat. The Mac & Cheese was very good. It is cafeteria style but much better. I also had some good sweet potato fries.

Dan
Overall Score:6
Main Dish Taste:
Pulled Pork – 6.5
Ribs - 7
Sauce:6.5
Tenderness:5
Sides Taste :
Fries - 8
Service: 7
Atmosphere:2
Cost: 8
Comments: The place was clean, the menus were very sturdy and well put together, the service was courteous and polite, and there was no chance of me getting dirty at all during my meal. This is NOT what I want from my BBQ experience. The restaurant was high scale but the food was low scale.
All in all, the food wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t memorable. The ribs were tasty, the pork was ok, and the fries were good. However, when the French fries are the best part of the meal, that’s not a good thing. We may need to try the "low class" KC Pit to give it a real chance.

Swallow At The Hollow

Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Restaurant: Swallow At The Hollow
Location: 1072 Green Street, Roswell, GA‎
URL: theswallowatthehollow.com
Recommended By: Mason

7.83

A trip to Swallow at the Hollow may give you the feeling that you are at a North Georgia hollow. The restaurant is off a small side road, gravel parking lot, and the building seems to be made of all old wood. Right in front of the open kitchen there is a large canoe filled with beer. There is also a stage, but no music during lunch.
Every table is set with three BBQ sauces (Carolina Vinegar, Carolina Mustard, Thick KC) plus additional hot sauces. Mixing the three together made for an excellent sauce. The baby back ribs are very tender and covered in the KC style sauce. The sauce is thick and has a strong molasses flavor, not everyone’s favorite. The chopped beef was tender but did not have any sauce, when sauce was added it was pretty good. The pulled pork was good – “some of the best I have every had”.
Each order came with a choice of homemade bread, Texas toast or biscuits. All were better than the average BBQ joint. The mac & cheese was outstanding, very creamy. The Brunswick stew was very soupy and had corn meal bits in it. They just threw the taste off. Fried Green tomatoes were too thick so they came out under cooked, and the breading was a little flakey, more like they were baked and not fried.
The biggest downside is the price. A plate with 2 sides is $13. A bit pricy for lunch, although it is enough for 2 people to share.


Mason
Overall Score: 8
Main Dish Taste:
      Pulled Pork – 9.5
      Ribs – 3.5 (I hate Baby Back Ribs)
Sauce:9.5
Tenderness:8
Sides Taste :
      Brunswick Stew - 6
      Mac & Cheese - 9
Service: 8.5
Atmosphere:9
Cost: 5
Comments: To get to Swallow at the Hollow you have to drive through some questionable streets. It feels like you are back in the woods. The entire building is made of wood except for the roof. Really cool atmosphere. The portions at this place are enormous. Two people could easily share a normal pork plate, which may explain the $14 i paid for lunch (without tip). The pulled pork was excellent, some of the best I have had. Great Smokey flavor. The sauce was awesome because you get three different kinds (sweet, spicy, mustard based) and mix away. The mac and cheese was excellent as well. The Brunswick stew had a good taste but an almost grainy texture, it was just too different so i have to say pass. Which leaves the ribs. They were the smallest ribs we have seen to date and absolutely caked with a dark thick sauce that resembled molasses. Not really my style of rib. Overall, great atmosphere, country style portions, great BBQ, not so much with the ribs, and expect to pay more.

Dan
Overall Score:7.5
Main Dish Taste:
      Pulled Pork – 8.5
      Ribs – 8.5
Sauce:8
Tenderness:8
Sides Taste :
      Fries – 7
      Biscuit - 7
Service: 8
Atmosphere:9
Cost: 4
Comments: Having been there recently, my expectation were extremely high. While it didn’t quite deliver up to my expectations, it was still a very solid experience. The atmosphere is exactly what you want out of a bbq place, a nice rustic feel. The number of different option on the sauce was fabulous, not to mention how good it was why you mixed the sauces together. The pork was good, but the ribs were better. Tasty and tender. The ribs were a little small, but that’s what you get with baby back ribs. My one main complaint with the place was the price. Definitely more expensive than the other places, and when you know it can be done well for cheaper, that what I expect. All in all though a very solid place and I would definitely go back.

Matt
Overall Score:8
Main Dish Taste:
      Beef - 8
      Ribs – 8.5
Sauce:8
Tenderness:8
Sides Taste :
      Brunswick Stew - 8
      Mac & Cheese – 9
      Fried Green Tomatoes - 7
      Texas Toast - 9
Service: 8
Atmosphere:9
Cost: 6
Comments: Pulling into Swallow at the Hollow, I had the feeling that I was up in the North GA Mountains. The building looks like an old country farm house. The inside is just as rustic. The menu was a bit pricy, especially for lunch. But the platter can easily be spit. I did like the number of options that you had. You can get the beef or pork, chopped or sliced; three types of bread, white, Texas toast, or biscuit (all homemade); Carolina, KC and Carolina Mustard sauces.
I got my beef chopped; fairly tender with a good smoky flavor. It did not come with any sauce. I ended up mixing all three, which came out very well. The ribs were very tender baby back ribs. There were smothered in the KC style sauce, a little too much for me, and I love sauce, plus the sauce had a bit too much of a molasses flavor. The mac & cheese was very creamy, very delicious. The Brunswick stew was more like a soup with bits of corn meal in it. It had a different taste to it. The fried green tomato was a little thick so it did not cook all the way and the breading with a little crumby.

Fat Matt's Rib Shack

Date: Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Restaurant: Fat Matt's Rib Shack
Location: 1811 Piedmont Ave, Atlanta, GA 30324
URL: http://www.fatmattsribshack.com
Recommended By: Dan (and everyone one we spoke to)

Score 9

If you are looking for a true BBQ experience in Atlanta, Fat Matt's is the place. The building looks like it hasn't changed since the 60's. It’s a small dining area with a walkup order counter. The whole BBQ dining experience was enhanced by a two man group, singing the blues. Most of the items come a la carte, but everything is so affordable that you can make your own meal and not break the bank
The Ribs are the best we have had so far. They were large tender spare ribs, full of flavor and a good meat to bone/gristle ratio. The pulled pork sandwich was near the top of the list. The chicken is a good smoked chicken with light sauce, fairly tender.
The sides were good to OK. The Brunswick stew is a bit soupy, the mac & cheese (new menu item) were cafeteria style, white bread is Wonder Bread, and the chips are out of the bag.

1/4 Chicken - $3.75
1/2 Chicken - $5.75
Rib Sand. - $5.20
1/2 Rack - $8.95
Stew - $2
Mac & Cheese - $2

Matt
Overall Score: 9
Main Dish Taste:
      Chicken - 8
      Ribs – 9.5
Sauce: 9
Tenderness: 9
Sides Taste :
      Brunswick Stew – 7.5
      Mac & Cheese - 6
Service: 8
Atmosphere: 9.5
Cost: 9
Comments: Fat Matt's Rib Shack had a lot of hype. Well it has lived up to its hype. The restaurant is a dive. I was very surprised that they had live music for lunch, on a Wednesday. You order at the counter; the waitress is a little rude.
Each meal is plated with a slice of wonder bread. The chicken was good, fairly tender. It came with light sauce with a bit of flavor. The extra BBQ sauce is top notch; thick and full of species. The ribs are definitely at the top of my list. They are tender with full smoky flavor. Each bit practically melts in your mouth. Good amount of meat.
The sides were nothing to write home about. The Brunswick stew was too soupy for my taste. It had good flavor but nothing special. The mac & cheese tasted like it came from a cafeteria.

Mason
Overall Score:9
Main Dish Taste:
      Pulled Pork - 9
      Ribs – 9.5
Sauce:8.5
Tenderness:9.5
Sides Taste :
      Brunswick Stew -7
Service: 7
Atmosphere:8
Cost: 7.5
Comments: I will start off by saying, it doesn't get much better than this. The pulled pork was amazing. But the ribs were some of the best I have ever had. As tender as ribs can get, with the best taste I have had in a while. Brunswick Stew was ok. There were only a few of very small negatives. The cashier was a little rude (she actually got mad at me for leaving a tip!?!?). The menu is set up in a way where you have to kind of put your meal together on your own, there is no plate with sides. And to me the live music was a little annoying, but it did add to the authenticity. But the food doesn't get any better. This is the type of place that you tell people they have to go to if they are in the area.

Dan
Overall Score:9
Main Dish Taste:
      Pulled Pork - 9
      Ribs – 9.5
Sauce:9
Tenderness:9
Sides Taste :
      Chips - 5
Service: 8
Atmosphere:9
Cost: 9
Comments:

Peter
Overall Score:9
Main Dish Taste:
      Ribs – 9.5
Sauce:9.5
Tenderness:9.5
Sides Taste :
      Brunswick Stew -8
Service: 8
Atmosphere:8
Cost: 9
Comments: Do believe the hype.

One Star Ranch

Date: Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Restaurant: One Star Ranch
Location: 25 Irby Ave NW, Atlanta, GA
URL: http://www.onestarranch.com
Recommended By: Matt

Score 7.13

If you decide to head to One Star Ranch, you will forget you are in the middle of Buckhead; instead you will think you were in a dive bar out in the country side. The walls are covered in old signed dollar bills, worn street signs and some bull horns.
We got a waitress on her first week, so our service was not the best. All the meat we received was pretty dry. The ribs are cut before they are smoked, which makes them even drier, but does give them a bit more flavor. We had to ask for sauce, once we got it, it was worth it. Both the regular and spicy had a great smoky taste.
They have a wide variety of sides. The stew rank one of the best so far. So thick you can eat it with a fork. The jalapeno cornbread was soft, slightly sweet and with a hint of spice.
Overall, if you are looking for a great atmosphere and some good sides, we have found your place. If you are looking for some good pork, beef and ribs, I hope you like them extra dry.

Lunch Sand - $7
Ribs (8) - $20
Plate 2 Sides - $11

Matt
Overall Score:7.5
Main Dish Taste:
      Beef - 7
      Ribs - 6
Sauce:9
Tenderness:5
Sides Taste :
     Brunswick Stew -9
     Jalapeno Cornbread – 8.5
Service: 6
Atmosphere:9
Cost: 8
Comments: As soon as you walk into One Star Ranch you feel like you have stumbled upon a dive bar in the middle of nowhere. There are signed dollar bills on every wall along with other country signs, and a set of bull horns. It was our waitress’s 1st week, so my meal had issues (for the 3rd BIBbq trip in a row). First she forgot my order. Then she brought me Pork instead of Beef. Luckily the Manager was there to bless my pork and make it Kosher. Actually the Manager was very friendly and did try and make us happy.
The Brunswick stew is one of the best that I have had, so thick you can eat it with a fork. The Jalapeno Cornbread had a hint of sweet and little kick, great combination. Once I got my beef, it was tasty but dry. We had to ask for extra sauce, because there was none on the table. Both the regular and spicy sauces were excellent. Thick with bold spices and a smoky flavor. The way I imagine BBQ sauce tastings. The ribs were also very dry. They were cut before they were cooked so they had full smoked taste, but also contributed to them being dry. My last piece was more like a piece of rib jerky.
Label: Dive BBQ

Mason
Overall Score: 6.5
Main Dish Taste:
      Pulled Pork - 7
      Ribs - 6
Sauce:9
Tenderness: 4.5
Sides Taste :
     Brunswick Stew - 9
     Fries - 8
Service:6
Atmosphere: 9.5
Cost: 7
Comments: It is a little shack type building that was hard to find parking for. When you walk in the first thing you notice is all of the one dollar bills on the walls. Really cool. The service was about the worst I have had, except for the fact that the owner kind of just stands around and checks on everyone. He ended up serving us half the time. The sauce was excellent. even though you have to ask for it (it is not sitting on the table) and it is not brought out by default. The ribs were very different. Not tender at all. Crunchy almost. The pulled pork was ok. The Brunswick stew was amazing. Some of the best i have had. So thick and full of goodness that I was able to finish it all with a fork. Bottom line is this: The worst part of the experience was the food, so therefore it is hard for me to give it a good score.

Dan
Overall Score: 7.5
Main Dish Taste:
      Pulled Pork - 6
      Ribs - 8
Sauce:9.5
Tenderness: 5
Sides Taste :
     Chips - 5
     Fries - 8
Service:
Atmosphere:
Cost: 7
Comments: The atmosphere is exactly what you want out of a BBQ place. The look, the smell, the signed dollar bills on the wall. It had everything you could want. The service, on the other hand, was terrible. They forgot an order, there was no sauce on the table and it wasn’t easy to get it from waitress. However, once we got the sauce, it was outstanding!! The best sauce we had yet. And the manager was nice helping out the waitress. The pork was ok, the ribs were better, especially with the sauce, but the tenderness wasn't great. The Ribs were definitely dry, but the taste was great. All in all, i liked the place and would definitely come back, despite its shortcomings.

Peter
Overall Score:7
Main Dish Taste:
      Sausage Sandwich - 5
      Ribs - 6
Sauce: 8
Tenderness: 5
Sides Taste :
     Brunswick Stew - 9
     Fries - 6
Service: 5
Atmosphere:9
Cost: 7
Comments:Good atmosphere, but service, though "perky", missed the mark. Pros: The Brunswick Stew....Cons: Dry Pork and beef. Won't be top on my list to visit in the future.

Old Brick Pit Barbeque

Date: Monday, November 16, 2009
Restaurant: Old Brick Pit Barbeque
Location:4805 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA‎
Recommended By: Matt

Score 7.83

When they say Old Brick Pit BBQ, they mean old brick pit BBQ. This place says dive BBQ as soon as you drive by. The main street sign just says "BAR-B-Q" and two wagon wheels propped against each other that say the same. The buiding looks like a BBQ shack. When you walk in, the menu is on the wall and you can see the BBQ pit behind the counter. The qhole place smelled like tastie BBQ smoke.
The menu is simple Pork, Ribs, Chicken. Slaw, Stew, Beans, or Chips. The prices are cheap. You can get a sandwich with chips for $3.20.
The food was pretty good, nothing to write home about. All the meat was a little dry.

     1 lbs Rib - $12
     1/2 Chicken meal - $6
     Pork Meal - $6
     Pork Sand - $2.50

Matt
Overall Score:7.5
Main Dish Taste:
      ½ Chicken - 7.5
      Ribs – 7.5
Sauce:7
Tenderness: 8
Sides Taste :
     Brunswick Stew - 7
     Baked Beans – 6.5
Service: 7
Atmosphere: 9
Cost: 9
Comments: From the outside Old Brick Pit BBQ looks like a dive BBQ joint. The main sign just says BBQ and the building looks like an old barn. When you walk in the resturant has the smell of BBQ smoke. There a large chaulk board with the menu. There is not a big selection, Pork, Ribs, Chicken, and No Beef. There side are just as simple: slaw, stew, beans, chips. The ladies behind the counter were not too happy when I asked if I could make a chicken combo to add a couple of ribs to my chicken dish.
The chicken had a great BBQ taste, faily tender, good sauce. It was a 1/2 chicken, not bad for $6. The Beans were standard BBQ beans. The stew was laking in flavor. I added some of thier carolina style BBQ sause to give it some taste. That bumped to just OK. The ribs had a great smokey flavor. They too were lacking in flavor. After adding a bit of sauce they were good. They could easily be pulled of the bone, but not fall off.
Overall it was good but not great.
Label: Dive BBQ

Mason
Overall Score:8
Main Dish Taste:
      Pulled Pork - 8
      Ribs – 7.5
Sauce:7
Tenderness:7.5
Sides Taste :
     Brunswick Stew -8
     Baked Beans - 8
Service: 4
Atmosphere:9
Cost: 9
Comments: The place has a sign in the front that says only "BAR-B-Q" and two wagon wheels propped against each other that say the same. The building is shaped kind of like a barn with big windows in the front with all kind of writing on it. We couldn't figure out the actual name of the place until after eating. Great atmosphere with all of the simplicities that you expect from a true BBQ joint. The service was exceptionally bad, from not even offering brisket to the lady behind the register rudely hurrying us through the motions. The pulled pork was very tender and tastey. Very good. The ribs seemed low quality but full of flavor. Very good seasoning and cooking, not too tender though. Altough the sides I had were very good, I have to mention how lacking the side selection was. Baked beans, stew, slaw and chips. That's it. Overall, it is a great place to stop by and get some good BBQ, but don't take your friends from out of town there bragging.

Dan
Overall Score:8
Main Dish Taste:
      Pulled Pork - 8
      Ribs - 8
Sauce:8
Tenderness:8
Sides Taste :
     Chips - 5
Service:6
Atmosphere:9
Cost: 10
Comments: Not a lot of choices, the help was a little rude and the food comes quickly, not much more I can ask for from a BBQ restaurant. It was a little confusing to order, but I think that makes it even better. You gotta know what you are doing there, so you can tell the regulars from the newbies. The pulled pork was wonderful, athough I could have used a little more food. However, for $3.20, i can't really complain. The ribs were solid as well. It had a great smokey flavor that sat in my mouth even 20 minutes after eating. The sauce was also a solid plus. The only complaint I would have would be the lack of choices on the sides (no fries), but all in all a good experience.

Ribs Etc

Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Restaurant: Ribs Etc
Location: 4233 Roswell Road Atlanta, Ga. 30342
URL: http://www.ribsetc.com/
Recommended By: Matt

Score 5

From the outside Ribs Etc may look like the ideal dive BBQ joint. The inside was extra shinny clean and had flat panel TVs everywhere, which gave it a vibe of a chain resturaunt. This may be a little confusing, but not as confusing as to why a BBQ resturant would have beef on thier menu and be sold out at 12 PM. For a place named Ribs Etc, you would expect them to have outstanding ribs. The only style of ribs they serve is baby back, although they come in many different flavors.
For the most part most of the food was OK. That about all that can be said.

Matt
Overall Score:5
Main Dish Taste:
     Beef - They ran out
     Ribs - 7
     Chicken - 5
Sauce:7
Tenderness:6
Sides Taste:
     Brunswick Stew - 6
     Mac & Cheese - 8
Service: 7
Atmosphere: 8
Cost:7
Comments: After I ordered the Beef plate I was informed that they were out of Beef. Poor Performance. I went with the Chicken Sandwich. The chicken was a bit dry. It was served on Texas toast with a spicy spread. I chose not to finish my plate. That was probably the best part. The ribs were baby back. A bit dry and not very tender but they had a good taste. The Brunswick stew was mediocre, at best. The Mac and Cheese was really good. Strong Cheddar flavor with a hint of spices. They had 2 sauces to choose from, 1 Carolina style and one basic. They were both OK. The sides you get with the sandwich were pretty small.
The outside of the restaurant is the most appealing part. Makes you think it is going to be a low down BBQ shack. Once you get inside the tables are nice and clean and they have brand new flat screen TVs everywhere. Nice addition.
Label: Dive BBQ / Chain


Mason
Overall Score:4
Main Dish Taste:
     Pulled Pork - 7
     Ribs - 3
Sauce:7
Tenderness:6
Sides Taste:
     Brunswick Stew - 6
     Mac & Cheese – 9
     Fries - 6
Service:8
Atmosphere:6
Cost: 5
Comments: Sorry but baby back ribs are just not my thing. Besides from being baby back ribs, they appeared to be baked. The taste wasn't awful but was less than acceptable. The sauces were not bad, two flavors (spicy and original). When mixed together they were pretty good. Pulled pork was good, tender. You did get your choice of Texas toast or regular bun with your sandwich which i felt deserved a note. The sides were average with the exception of the mac and cheese, it was amazing. Very unique twist to mac and cheese. I could almost give it a 10 but it was a little peppery. As for the price, there was a $4 difference in the bbq sandwich plate and the pulled pork plate. Not sure about that. The atmosphere was confusing. It looks like a biker bar from the outside (with the exception of the cool shape of the building), but has an almost chainish feel on the inside. My final word, good for a bbq sandwich and fries for lunch, but seek other options if you are looking for some real bbq.


Dan
Overall Score:6
Main Dish Taste:
     Pulled Pork – 6.5
     Ribs - 6
Sauce:7
Tenderness:6
Sides Taste:
Fries - 6
Service: 7
Atmosphere:8
Cost:6
Comments: It was good, but not memorable. Everything I had was enjoyable, but 3 days later, I really don’t even remember what I had. I usually have that aching desire to go back, but not here. I did enjoy everything though. The ribs were good and the pulled pork was even better. Nice and tender. The fries were tasty as well. The atmosphere, while clean, was a little too clean for a BBQ place. I felt more like I was in TGI Friday's instead of a BBQ place. I did like the TV's though. Overall good, but forgettable.

Moto

Go in with an open eye.
No Pre Judging
Every restaurant gets a clean slate when reviewing.

Our rating system

We have created a Google Doc to track each BBQ joint. We will evaluate the returant on the following scale.

9-10 = Excellent (I want this every meal)
7-8 = Good (Lets go back some time next month)
5-6 = Fair (Ehhh. Eatable.)
3-4 = Poor (I will go back only if necessary)
0-2 - Awful (Tastes like a boot)

Here is what we rate
Item Ordered
Main Dish Overall Taste
Sauce
Tenderness
Side Item Overall Taste
Service
Atmosphere
Cost
Overall Restaurant Score (This is a separate rating and is not calculated based on the other scores)

Recommendation List

This is our current list of places to visit

Spiced Right (Mason)
Ribs Etc (Matt)
Old Brick Pit Barbeque (Matt)
One Star Ranch (Matt)
Fat Matts (Dan)
Dreamland (Josh)
Slopes
Pig and Chick
KC Pit
JRs (Matt)
BBQ1 (Matt)
Five Star Barbecue (Google)
Lowcountry Barbecue Restaurant (Google)
Shanes Rib Shack
Old Hickery House (Matt)
Bennie's Barbecue (Google)
BBQ Corner 2 (Google)
Rib Ranch (Google)
Swallow At The Hollow (Mason)
Rolling Bones - Downtown (Peter)

Who Are We

Matt
My main dish of choice is Beef and Ribs. When beef is not available (why wouldn't it be) I will go with Chicken. I will always get the Brunswick stew. I prefer it thicker with chunks. I will also get a Mac and Cheese when available.

I love to try new food. I will try anything at least once. If I do not like a visit to a restaurant I tend to give it a second chance. I don't have a simple pallet, I like my foods to have flavor. If something is dull or bland I will find some hot sauce or condiment to spice it up.

Mason
I choose to go with the traditional pulled pork and ribs. I feel that you should be able to judge the character of a BBQ joint on these two things alone. I always get the Brunswick Stew as a side. I am from the south so I am personally offended when somebody gets BBQ wrong! If you don't know how to cook real BBQ then don't claim to be a BBQ resaurant. Just call yourself a neighborhood grill.

I do not believe in saying something is great or awful. There is a lot of grey area for me. Every restaurant has its strengths. I love cooking BBQ on my own as well, so I love to see the different ways that people come up with when cooking BBQ.

Dan
My dish of choice is pulled pork and ribs. If I had to choice between the two, I would typically pick ribs, but why pick when you can have both?

When it comes to pork, I prefer the chopped pork over the ticker chunks. When it comes to ribs, tenderness and flavor are the two top items needed and when a place can get both right, I am a happy man. I'm not big on the sides, but as long as a bbq places has fries or chips, I'm good.

At the end of November Peter joined the group
Peter

Weclome To The BIBbq

At work we have a group of guys that enjoy to go out to lunch every day. There had been several debate to which is Atlanta's best BBQ restaurant . We decided to hit up a different BBQ restaurant each week and rate several aspects of the experience to determine what is truly the Best In BBQ in Atlanta. Thus the BIBbq group was born.

Each week the group will visit a different BBQ restaurant. We are currently located near Perimeter Mall, so we are starting off with the restaurants within a 10 mile radius. We will rate the restaurant on the following categories: Main Dish Taste, Main Dish Tenderness, Sauce, Side Items, Service, Atmosphere, Cost and an Overall rating.

Suggest A BBQ Restaurant

Please leave us a comment with any BBQ resaurant that we have forgotten in the atlanta area. We will add it to the list and rate it.