Atlanta to New Orleans

[Waveprof]

We will be driving from Atlanta to New Orleans on a Tuesday in October, taking any of the following 1) 59 through Birmingham, 2) 20 and 65 through Montgomery and Mobile, or 3) rural roads somewhere in between........and would like to plan that drive around finding destination-worthy BBQ. The problem is, in spite of our vast travels around the south over the years, this is the region of BBQ we've had the least experience with, know the least about, and *think* we like the least. So I'd like advice.

We've had Bob Gibson's near Huntsville (not a fan, though I've liked higher end versions of white bbq sauce in new orleans), The Shed in Ocean Springs (meh), and a couple of small roadside places the name of which I don't remember across Bama/Mississippi. Nothing that has stood out.

our go to BBQ is whole hog SC and NC style, particularly Dukes in Orangeburg SC, or memphis ribs, particularly dry rub, particularly at the OG Central BBQ, Kozy Korner, and Germantown BBQ. We tend to not be huge on Texas BBQ, but did think Franklin was worth the line the three times we went. Have had a couple of other good Texas experiences.

We are open on style and meat and approach, but those are our go-tos, but looking for someone who knows West Georgia, Bama, or Southern Mississippi at least as well as we know the Carolinas or Memphis in order to guide us to where we should go. Any thoughts are helpful....

 

[Waveprof]

Starting to narrow down between Archibald's (near Tuscaloosa), Heirloom (suburban Atlanta), or Wood's Chapel (Atlanta). Thoughts between those? Or other places I should consider?

 

[Gore]

Wow, this is great! Our BBQ tastes do not mesh at all. That's ok. I love BBG and Texas BBQ and found Kozy Korner and Central BBQ meh. Central BBQ did have excellent onion rings though. The only comment I can really make is that I did stop at Archibald's and Dreamland a few months back. It was fun. Dreamland is quite well known for their sauce of course, but wasn't on your short list. I don't have any recommendations. I did start another thread that has a few pictures here so as not to hijack yours:

Some somewhat recent stops in Alabama, Archibald's and Dreamland

During the website transition, I made a few posts, but the merger hadn't occurred yet, so they seem to have disappeared. I will add one here to get it off my mind. A few months back, my wife and I were driving to Houston and stopped at a couple famous places in Alabama. The first was Dreamland...

www.bbq-brethren.com

 

[Waveprof]

Wow, this is great! Our BBQ tastes do not mesh at all. That's ok. I love BBG and Texas BBQ and found Kozy Korner and Central BBQ meh. Central BBQ did have excellent onion rings though. The only comment I can really make is that I did stop at Archibald's and Dreamland a few months back. It was fun. Dreamland is quite well known for their sauce of course, but wasn't on your short list. I don't have any recommendations. I did start another thread that has a few pictures here so as not to hijack yours:

Some somewhat recent stops in Alabama, Archibald's and Dreamland

During the website transition, I made a few posts, but the merger hadn't occurred yet, so they seem to have disappeared. I will add one here to get it off my mind. A few months back, my wife and I were driving to Houston and stopped at a couple famous places in Alabama. The first was Dreamland...

www.bbq-brethren.com

Thanks for all of this!

Dreamland wasn't on our list because absolutely nothing I've seen about it gives me good vibes based on BBQ experience. I'm 100% open to being wrong about that, but you describe the food as meh in your post, so that feels like further confirmation, correct?

Archibald's gave me hope because it's a shack, but your review wasn't glowing there either if I'm reading correctly. Starting to think Rib Shack might be the way to go.

FWIW on Central in Memphis btw, my love of it has always stemmed from the quality of the food at the original location, which has been closed for a year or two now. The other locations were never very good, and when we tried the downtown one this past January, downright bad. As for Texas, I like Texas BBQ, I just don't think it counts as "BBQ" (Ducks for cover!!!!!) LOL LOL

 

[Gore]

I wouldn't put Archibald's nor Dreamland in the must-stop category. I am glad I tried Dreamland sauce, however. It very much reminded me of SC mustard sauce, but with the addition of some tomato base. What I found interesting was that the BBQ I had in this area very much reminded me of my childhood, rather than the slow-cooked, extremely tender smoked meats. There was a certain nostalgic appeal to it, like spare ribs cooked on a backyard grill and then slathered in sauce after they were taken off. There were a few places that served food like this when I grew up, but they all closed shop decades ago and BBQ has evolved since then. It seems they are doing well in this part of the country, and good for them for keeping this alive. I'm curious what others offer. We were in a bit of a hurry, so we only tried a couple -- sometimes if we want to really sample, we'll eat lunch at 3 different places. Heck, we might not be back and you never know what you might find. The cost was about half what we'd pay in our neck of the woods, so that is not a factor at all. Let us know how Rib Shack is. Looks like a fun stop.

 

[Waveprof]

I wouldn't put Archibald's nor Dreamland in the must-stop category. I am glad I tried Dreamland sauce, however. It very much reminded me of SC mustard sauce, but with the addition of some tomato base. What I found interesting was that the BBQ I had in this area very much reminded me of my childhood, rather than the slow-cooked, extremely tender smoked meats. There was a certain nostalgic appeal to it, like spare ribs cooked on a backyard grill and then slathered in sauce after they were taken off. There were a few places that served food like this when I grew up, but they all closed shop decades ago and BBQ has evolved since then. It seems they are doing well in this part of the country, and good for them for keeping this alive. I'm curious what others offer. We were in a bit of a hurry, so we only tried a couple -- sometimes if we want to really sample, we'll eat lunch at 3 different places. Heck, we might not be back and you never know what you might find. The cost was about half what we'd pay in our neck of the woods, so that is not a factor at all. Let us know how Rib Shack is. Looks like a fun stop.

Thanks so much for the report. What you describe has been my experience with North Alabama+ Mississippi BBQ, and it's why I mostly avoid it. But driving right through it, it seems silly not to try somewhere new. But, for me, and only speaking for me, hard cooking ribs and slathering sauce on them is lazy BBQ, honestly good ribs/pork shouldn't even *need* sauce, a good sauce being laigniappe to put on some portions that I eat. So when I read lots of people talk about Dreamland's sauce wihtout mentioning their meats, it kind of just always fits into the category of North Bama/Mississippi bbq i typically skip

 

[Waveprof]

Bumping in case anyone missed this. Trip is a few days away....

 

[cholloway]

The only advice I can give is "Don't take restaurant BBQ too seriously".
Most of 'em are only in it to give the locals an alternative.

 

[Waveprof]

The only advice I can give is "Don't take restaurant BBQ too seriously".
Most of 'em are only in it to give the locals an alternative.

That is certainly the approach in much of Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. And it's partially why I've always thought that the Carolinas, Tennessee, Kansas City, and even Texas (even though it isn't my preferred style) are more serious BBQ cultures than the aforementioned. Those places wouldnt put up with BBQ joints that are subpar to at least the "avg" at home.

 

[Waveprof]

OK so we ended up eating at Heirloom BBQ in NW Atlanta. The ribs were fine, good by AL/GA/MS standards, not great by any standard. The brisket was a nope (but I don't go to BBQ for brisket anyway). That said, I'd definitely go back. While I'm not typically a sides and fixins guy (I see it as filler, that prevents me from eating more BBQ) the Korean inspiration is done perfectly, not overdone, and always complimentary. The sauces were great, the kim chi slaw was to die for. This made for a SUBLIME pulled pork with kim chi slaw sandwhich (and I typically don't like my pulled pork on a sandwhich). Their brunswick stew was also the BEST I've ever had that wasn't from someone's house. A really, really good experience.

 

[Waveprof]

OK so we ended up eating at Heirloom BBQ in NW Atlanta. The ribs were fine, good by AL/GA/MS standards, not great by any standard. The brisket was a nope (but I don't go to BBQ for brisket anyway). That said, I'd definitely go back. While I'm not typically a sides and fixins guy (I see it as filler, that prevents me from eating more BBQ) the Korean inspiration is done perfectly, not overdone, and always complimentary. The sauces were great, the kim chi slaw was to die for. This made for a SUBLIME pulled pork with kim chi slaw sandwhich (and I typically don't like my pulled pork on a sandwhich). Their brunswick stew was also the BEST I've ever had that wasn't from someone's house. A really, really good experience.

Found myself in Mobile for a day on Thursday, so decided to put some of the AL research I did to use to try another. Drove across town to go to Bay BBQ which I had quite high hopes for, only to find it recently went out of business. Bummer. Went to Meat Boss instead, got the ribs with the sweet and spicy sauce, and a side of potato salad. The ribs were fine, I guess, not great. The sauce was ok too, though also not amazing, and I wish it was clear what "their" sauce was......having 6 to choose from sounds like trying to be jack of all trades. Potato salad so bad I took one bite and tossed it. Wouldn't recommend. Wish Bay BBQ had been open, their erotic ribs sounded good!