Aleck's Barbecue Heaven
783 Martin Luther
King, Jr. Drive, S.W.
Atlanta, Georgia
404-525-2062
According to our sources, the original Aleck's has been torn down. However, this legendary dive will almost certainly re-open somewhere, so this review will remain here until the new location is opened and tested.
Calling Aleck's a dump, a dive or a hole-in-the-wall would be an understatement for this place and an unfair association with places that those terms describe accurately. In business since 1959, Aleck's exists in a class of time-worn restaurants all its own. Aleck's has but one well-chosen modern amenity – air conditioning. A brass plaque outside proudly summarizes the history of this place and its famous patrons, including the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Renowned for its ribs (which are suprisingly pricey, considering the low overhead), Aleck's also has very good chunky chopped pork and beef. The fire and vinegar in the runny sauce make for a unique and appealing main course. The low points include the neighborhood, the Brunswick stew, and abysmal lunchtime service. On one random day at lunchtime, the "fresh" stew was cold, the tea had run out, the soda fountain did not work, all the ribs were gone, the boss was away getting bread, the cook (the only employee on the premises) was smoking behind the counter and about an hour elapsed between entering the restaurant and food being served. If you can overlook the serious shortcomings of this place, the main courses do live up to Aleck's impressive reputation. Just remember - don't eat the stew!
Du-Roc Cafe
115 Marquis Drive
Fayetteville, Georgia 30214-4156
770-719-1744 (719-#1 PIG)
"Duroc" is slang for a reddish breed of pig. Established in 1993, Du-Roc is a study in contrasts. High points include moist and smokey pork, sweet corn muffins and light french fries. A wide array of soft drinks includes both Coke/Diet Coke, and Pepsi/Diet Pepsi (for Yankees that don't know any better) as well as Yoo Hoo, Mountain Dew and several others. Edy's Ice Cream, is on the dessert menu. These and other positive factors explain the busy lunch crowd and devoted fans. On the other hand, the barbecue sauce, a spicey ketchup, tastes funny, as does the watery Brunswick stew. On review day, a child's corn dog came out almost black, but not before the child celebrated his next birthday. Even loyal Du-Roc fans have complaints. These problems explain the significant number of folks that refuse to eat there a second time. Let us know which side of the fence you fall on and why.
Factory's BBQ
428 Boulevard, S.E.
Atlanta, Georgia
404-627-8448
Established in the spring of 1999, Factory's (a family name) works out of a single-wide trailer in Grant Park. The tiny dining area has four two-person booths and a few stools at the counter. The meat comes prepared Oklahoma-style: hickory-smoked with no mops or rubs, and served with a small dollop of sauce resembling spaghetti sauce. The 75 year old family recipe barbecue sauce has a bland, sweet taste with unique seasoning that disappears on meat (Note: the yellow plastic bottles contain ketchup, not sauce). Sandwiches (pork, beef, ribs and chicken) come on Texas toast, and include a side item (potato chips, potato wedges, beans or slaw). Factory's serves Zapp's potato chips, including the legendary Cajun Crawtaters. No stew is on the menu. The meat is moist and tasty, but the sauce does little to enhance it in the prescribed amounts. Sides are acceptable to good, with the potato wedges topping the heap. The problem here: restaurants should smoke the meat, not the customers. On review day, smoke engulfed the interior and made a compelling case for eating on the patio (not necessarily the best idea in Grant Park) or getting take-out. Verdict - try this place for something good and different, but get extra sauce and don't plan on dining in.
Holt Bros. Bar-B-Q
6359 Jimmy Carter Boulevard
Norcross, Georgia 30071
(770) 242-3984
Holt Bros. has closed its doors, but just in case they change their mind, here's what we thought: Food is served in large portions. The stew looks like thick tomato-based gumbo, with large chunks of chewy meat floating in it. The unique taste is more like hot sauce that stew: **LOTS** of hot black pepper, plus plenty of vinegar and tomato. Although good, it is too rich and heavy for most people to eat an entire serving. Strain it and it would make a good hot sauce. The sandwich is nearly perfect: large chunks of moist inside and outside meat, with a wonderful sauce. The sauce combines pepper, tomato, vinegar and sweetness in harmonious balance, with no dominant taste. This sauce (which some reviewers said tasted similar to Kraft) would go great with any of the meats served pork, beef, turkey or chicken. The slaw looks covered with mayo, but is sweet, light and tasty, even for those that don't like much mayonnaise in their slaw. Service varies widely from transparently good to embarassingly bad. $7.95 "All You Can Eat" dining specials are offered every night (Yes, they're open seven days a week). The array of side dishes includes good quality food service items, like baked beans and macaroni and cheese, and fair-to-good homemade items like home fries (cut in long strips), fried okra, onion rings and green beans. To get there, take I-85 to Jimmy Carter Boulevard, turn west, and they are about a mile or so up on the right.
KC's The Flying Pig
856 Virginia Avenue
Hapeville, Georgia
404-559-1000
Named for its location near Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport, this hole-in-the-wall hides behind the neighborhood package store. The "KC" in the name is new, a result of new ownership. The dining area walls showcase attractively-framed Atlanta Journal/Constitution front pages from the glory days of the Braves and Falcons. The pork lacks taste or smell, but goes well with the "mild" sauce - a sweet, ketchup-tasting mixuture that packs a surprising amount of heat (Editor's Note: the reviewer may have received "hot" by mistake). Tip - try the mild before even considering the hot. Speaking of heat, the cornbread, heavy with cheese, jalapenos, and lard, can also singe tastebuds. Real tomatoes dominate the stew, which is otherwise forgettable. The Flying Pig may deserve a try, but not a special trip.
Rockin' Rob's B.B.Q.
1479 Scott Boulevard
Decatur, Georgia
404-378-6041
(Note: closed, re-opened as Maddy's)Rockin' Rob's (Established 1999) sits near the corner of Scott Boulevard and North Decatur Road in a former "Old Hickory House" building, complete with a permanent awning over the sign in front. Old rock-and-roll 45's cover the walls in the tiny foyer. An eclectic mix of rock-and-roll memorabilia, hunting trophies, old Rolling Stone Magazine covers, Marilyn Monroe pictures, and life-size stand-ups of the Lone Ranger and Tonto dress up the interior. The most interesting hunting trophy sits in a glass case in front of the cash register: an armadillo lying on his back, drinking a bottle of beer. How the hunter bagged him without breaking the bottle is a mystery. [Click here now] The only item in the kitchen recognizable from the dining area is a red embossed sign, reading, "Filter Grease Daily." The staff consists of polite, competent young gentlemen with long hair who look like they might only be serving barbecue until their band tours with R. E. M. The golden brown pork comes out sauce-free, with plenty of dark outside meat. It is moist, smokey and full of pork flavor. The smoke overwhelmed one reviewer, but delighted another. Three bold and distinctive sauces sit on the tables: the regular sauce has a tomato taste with heavy seasoning. The Hot Rocks sauce has a combination of vinegar and pepper with a serious bite. The Hot Mustard has considerable heat and a creamy, mayonnaise-like consistency. Although all three sauces have a reasonably complex and powerful taste that does not disappear in the meat, none of them really appealed to the reviewers. The stew, filled with large tomato pieces, and lots of corn, has a tangy, mostly tomato taste, with smokey aftertaste. Texas toast and buns are grilled. The baked beans contain cinnamon and nutmeg, an combination that provoked interest but did not earn a recommendation. Creamed corn is, at best, ordinary. If you like your meat smokey, buy a pound and some stew for take-out (any day of the week), and enjoy it at home with your favorite sauce.
U.S.A. Diner
7955 Tara Boulevard
Jonesboro, Georgia 30236
770-603-6963>
No barbecue here and hardly any pork, except for breakfast. This surprised our reviewer, so a report seemed appropriate. At this former Black Eyed Pea location, the staff is young, energetic and friendly; the patrons are old and fat. The decor is clean and new, with mirrors covering the walls. The menu is huge, with many large pages of breakfast and dinner selections available 24 hours. The food is heavy American fare, with a few fancy chicken and seafood dishes thrown in. Vegetables are an afterthought - none were apparent on the menu and the waiter had to check in order to name the three available choices at review time. The prices seem high – dinner combinations run $9.00 and up (way up). However, the gigantic entree portions take some sting out of the price. The ravenous reviewer, who never walks away full, ordered a brisket dinner (even without smoke or sauce, this was the closest thing to barbecue on the menu), including salad, vegetable, potato, and meat. Although the salad (good size, mostly iceberg lettuce) and corn (canned, small portion) sustained heavy damage, the baked potato retained its original shape, enough meat was left for at least half a sandwich, and the reviewer went into protein shock. Gluttons have a new 24/7 home in Jonesboro, but even they might need a doggie bag.
