You may not know, but Marietta and Smyrna especially are home to some of the top-rated barbecue restaurants in the state. Here, you’ll find numerous establishments offering a variety of smoked meats and traditional Southern sides.
The Best Barbecue in Marietta
ATL Fusion BBQ
Founded in 2018 by Mark and Marcia Davis, formerly of Portrait on a Plate Catering, ATL Fusion BBQ crafts barbecue and Southern dishes with a Caribbean spin. The Black-owned barbecue restaurant includes dishes like traditional pulled pork, brisket, wings, and ribs plus glazed salmon. Creative sides include candied yams and pina colada coleslaw.
3801 Austell Road SW, Marietta
Dave Poe’s BBQ
Pitmaster Dave Poe opened his namesake restaurant, Dave Poe’s BBQ, just outside the Marietta Square. Over the last 30-plus years, he and his eatery have received countless awards and accolades, including nods from Zagat and the honor of being the first Grand Champion of the Georgia State BBQ Championship. The traditional pit-cooked barbecue is the big draw, but the restaurant also has dishes like “redneck lasagna,” which is macaroni and cheese topped with Brunswick stew.
660 Whitlock Avenue Southwest, Marietta Square
Righteous ‘Que
Opened in 2012 in an East Cobb strip mall, Righteous ‘Que specializes in slow-smoked meats and handcrafted sides, offering dishes like chopped brisket sandwiches and mac & cheese. Every meal should end with one of the homemade oatmeal cream pies. The restaurant also offers trivia weekly.
1050 East Piedmont Road, Marietta
Sam’s BBQ-1 East
Established in 2004 by pitmaster Sam Huff, the Marietta restaurant grew from a simple takeout operation only open on weekends to an acclaimed full-service restaurant for its fall-off-the-bone ribs and sides like mac and cheese and baked beans. Sam’s BBQ-1 has been named one of the city’s top restaurants by Atlanta Magazine and was featured by Southern Living. There’s also another location in Jasper and Huff offers barbecue cooking classes.
4958 Lower Roswell Road, East Cobb
Smitty’s Lockdown BBQ
The mural-covered Smitty’s Lockdown BBQ can be smelled before it’s seen, with smoky ribs and homemade barbecue sauce, including 20 varieties in total. The menu includes the usual, including pulled pork, beef brisket, and chopped chicken. But even the vegans aren’t left behind with a meat-free version made with jackfruit.
2900 Canton Road, Marietta
Williamson Brothers Bar-B-Q
Since its inception in 1990, Williamson Bros has been serving authentic barbecue dishes cooked over traditional wood-burning pits. The menu includes smoked chicken, Boston Butts, and classics like ribs and pulled pork. The dishes are often paired with steak fries and onion rings but save plenty of room for house-made key lime pie. The restaurant even appeared in the Netflix series Ozark and has another outpost in Canton.
1425 Roswell Road, Marietta
The Best Barbecue in Smyrna
C&B Barbecue
Formerly Thompson Brothers Barbecue, C&B Barbecue has been in operation since 2000, featuring Oklahoma, Memphis, and Kansas City-style barbecue. Alongside smoked ribs, brisket, salmon and smoked bologna, you’ll also Southern influences in the sweet barbecue sauce and Brunswick stew.
2445 Cobb Parkway SE, Smyrna
Old South Bar-B-Q
Established in 1968, Old South Bar-B-Q is one of the oldest restaurants in Smyrna. The menu includes pork, beef, chicken, and ribs cooked over hickory or oak wood served with Texas toast and sides like fried okra and hushpuppies. The restaurant has four house-made sauces and Kenny’s lemon pie.
601 Burbank Circle SE, Smyrna
Owens & Hull
Owens & Hull is run by famed pitmasters Robert Owens of Grand Champion BBQ and Bryan Hull of Secret Pint BBQ, combining methods of Texas and Carolina barbecue with the finest Georgia oak. The menu changes daily and guests can enjoy their meal with beer from Reformation Brewery, located just next door, with views of the river. The restaurant has been honored by the New York Times and Texas Monthly.
6255 Riverview Road, Building 4000, Suite 100, Smyrna
The Best Barbecue in Vinings
Fox Bros at The Battery
Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q at Blue Moon Taproom brings the best barbecue from the original Atlanta restaurant with beer from the Athens-based brewery. Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q was established by twin brothers Jonathan and Justin Fox, who originally hail from Texas. Featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” the menu includes brisket, pulled pork, and wings.
755 Battery Avenue SE, Atlanta
Heirloom Market BBQ
Heirloom Market Barbecue is a simple restaurant that shares space with a convenience store, mostly offering to-go orders. It has limited outdoor seating and a communal table inside, but that doesn’t stop the crowds from coming for the barbecue, which combines traditional Southern barbecue with Korean culinary influences. Dishes include Georgia pulled pork marinated with Gochujang and beloved sides like kimchi coleslaw, tempura sweet potatoes, and miso collard greens.
2243 Akers Mill Road SE, Atlanta
