There is an exceptionally long and interesting thread in a AJC blog, where for days people posted about what they thought were the best BBQ joints in Georgia. I have a text file where I have been writing down every BBQ place mentioned in that thread. I’m not even half way through. The highest ranked so far is Fresh Air, in Jackson and Macon Georgia. Others receiving more than 10 votes (so far) include Harolds of McDonough Boulevard, Sam and Dave’s BBQ1 in Marietta, and Fatt Matts’s, though Fatt Matt’s has about half as many people who dislike the food there.
What caught my eye while doing the rankings were the descriptions for some of the places. Paul’s BBQ in Lexington, GA, for one, is only open on Saturdays. And the reviews for a place called Mad Dog’s BBQ in Conyers emphasized the quality of the ribs, the richness of the smoking, the sheer BBQ smell of the place.
In years past we would have gone to Spiced Right in Lilburn, but the last two-three times we were there, the ribs were no longer smoked (Update: more recent visits to Spiced Right show they do smoke ribs these days). There was a Famous Dave’s down the road on highway 78, but it closed. After using MapQuest, we decided Mad Dog’s was about 45 minutes away by car. That’s a long ride, but as we would head south down 124 to I-20, then I-20 east to Highway 20 and 138, it was an easy 45 minutes (unlike, say, the gridlock of the Lenox Square area).
We went there and ordered a couple rib plates and a pulled pork plate. Compared to prices at Famous Dave’s, Mad Dog’s is a notable bargain. The restaurant is on the end of a strip mall and very unpretentious. And I can thankfully say that everything reviewers have said about their ribs is true. They are deeply, richly smoked. You can smell it and taste it in the meat. You could smell it on our fingers at least two hours after the fact. Fine ribs. I told the people working there it was worth every minute.
The sides are served in heaping portions and every side I tried was good. The pulled pork wasn’t as smoky, but it was exceptionally tender. They had two sauces that we tried, a mild and hot. The hot had a vinegar base, and wasn’t “burn your mouth out” hot, but had a reasonable bite.
I will note that on the way there, we passed at least two other BBQ places. There is a Smoky Bones at Stonecrest Mall (I do like Smoky Bones) and Jim and Nick’s is on the way down highway 138/20. I’ve not tried Jim and Nicks. But if the goal was to get my wife her “smoked to the very bones” ribs, Mad Dog’s more than amply succeeded.
March 11, 2009 at 7:35 am
[…] as reading the thread and finding restaurants that fit your personal style. my family found Mad Dog’s BBQ in Conyers by noting the raving people did over their smoked ribs. Although 50 people liked Fresh Air, you may […]
April 12, 2009 at 8:30 pm
[…] The food at Sticky Fingers was good. They have excellent sauces, their chicken fingers are more fist sized than finger sized. Sticky Finger’s ribs are tender but there really is little if any smoke in them. There are better ribs at Mad Dogs in Conyers. […]
July 10, 2009 at 8:04 am
[…] with barbecue this means they compete over a large radius, bumping up against places like Mad Dog’s or Fox’s. I like a lot of what I ate; this is a great little place to get an inexpensive […]
November 4, 2009 at 12:31 pm
You should have tried Pippin’s BBQ across
the street. Their ribs are much better. I live in Conyers, and have been eating ribs at Pippin’s for almost twenty years.
February 20, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Pippin’s is the best BBQ around, period! Their brunswick stew is a magical concoction that will have you oredering some to go! The only other BBQ sandwich in this league is Dean’s BBQ in Jonesboro.
July 13, 2012 at 3:03 pm
The BBQ was ok. Too smokey for my taste…bake beans tasted like they were canned and not homemade…the spicy bbq sauce was more like a hot sauce than a thick spicy bbq sauce. Overall, the food was edible and others might enjoy…the atmosphere was clean…However, still looking for that great BBQ in Conyers though.