The Gentleman does not claim a monopoly on the truth - here are some other people's reviews of barbecue restaurants. Please submit your own and we will be happy to consider posting them.
The bbq is pulled pork in a mild sauce. I like spicier, and just a touch of hot sauce made all the difference. Even mild, it was not too sweet. The texture was good, and no globs of fat (always appetizing) were encountered. It also reheats well. As for the cole slaw, it was tart, not sweet, and much less soupy than most restaurants'. I personally find cabbage a waste of the color green, but Robert actually made it palatable. The beans were excellent--a nice balance of flavors with a good texture. They reheated nicely, the sauce thickening just a touch in the microwave. Another thing that people may raise an eyebrow at in a review, particularly of a bbq place--the bathroom was exceptionally clean, especially considering how full the place was. This is a bbq RESTAURANT, not a bbq JOINT. The first stop was definitely worth a return visit to try other items on the menu. Please, anyone eating here, add to the review. Steve Miller
We went on a Friday night around 8:30 and had to wait for a seat. There was only one waiter for the ~ 35 people, who filled all of the tables. This place has NO atmosphere other than they serve excellent bbq (and it is served on styrofoam plates). The patrons are mostly blue collar mainstreamers and some families, even though it is in a predominately poor neighborhood. A blues band plays every Friday and Saturday nights on the deck.....be careful sitting out there, as it can be very loud. Note: a 15% gratuity is added to the bill of all who eat in after 5:00. Scott Irmeger
Dreamland Bar-B-Que
Before visiting Dreamland, I had high expectations which caused me to drive
30 miles to it's location. But my mind had changed quickly when my food came to the table. The menu is VERY limited, as stated above. I ordered the combo platter for $8.99 which included ribs, pork, and a 2 sides. It arrived to
our table within 3 minutes flat. The ribs were good, the stew was mediocre
and had a bland tomato flavor to me(Dusty's is my favorite for stew), the
baked beans were sweet with molasses and bland, and the pork bbq was very
disapointing (although a huge portion of it was received). No mention of
different sauces on the menu nor by the waitress. And the sauce received was
very bland, probably so the older folks who patronize this place wouldn't
get upset stomachs. Ribs and sandwiches alone are expensive, but the
platters are fairly priced for the amount of food received.
Dreamland has an excellent location and is filled with a crowd of upscale Alpharettans who will keep this place going. The food seems like it is geared towards the people who prefer Sonny's over the mom and pop places. It reminds me of a nasty word called franchise......one that is a curse among BBQ joints. These are my opinions and I am not taking anything away from any previous reviews. All bbq lovers have very different distinctive taste qualities and Dreamland did not satisfy me. I won't be back. Scott Irmeger
Dusty's Barbecue
If anyone likes the vinegar based North Carolina sauces, then try Dusty's on
Briarcliff Road. I swear by this place and they have the BEST Brunswick Stew
I have ever tasted. It's not the minced version that is like some kind of
pulp, but rather a chunky style stew with their pork and veggies (tomatoes,
lima beans, potatos, & corn) with just the right kick of spices. The pork
bbq sandwiches are my favorite too and top it off with 1 of their 4
different sauces. The chopped pork is slightly smokey and lightly marinated
with their signature sauce and very flavorful. I have had the ribs and they
were good, but not like the pork sandwich and stew. I always buy two bottles
of sauce to go - one hot and one regular.
Everyone has their own preference when it comes to BBQ and some folks take it seriously, as I do. I have been on a BBQ quest and have tried Fatt Matt's (awesome ribs), Pappy Reds (Cumming), Spiced Right (Lilburn), Holt Bros. (now closed in Norcross), Glenn's Open Pit (Lilburn), and Sonny's (not recommended). I always go back to Dusty's and often drive from Gwinnett Mall and back just for take out. The atmosphere is a quaint, no frills country style......but most BBQ joints are less than that. I have read mixed reviews about Dusty's lately but it is all relevant to one's preference of what BBQ should be. They have won the reader's choice award in the Creative Loafing for several years now. Scott Irmeger
Spiced Right Barbecue
I re-visited Spiced Right after several years of hiatus and I forgot how good their sauces were. I rank their sauces right up there with Dusty's.......and maybe even better. I like their hot tomato based sauce and I tried the vinegar based. It seems that the hot has a slightly sweet citrus flavor with a lot of spices floating around. And the vinegar is just that, pure vinegar with a sweet touch of honey, molasses, or something. Unlike Dusty's vinegar based sauces, there aren't many other spices in it. I actually mixed the hot and vinegar and came out with a pretty good concoction. I only had time for take out but will be back soon to catch their buffet. The pork bbq is still as good as it was years ago. Scott Irmeger
Swallow at the Hollow
If you want excellent bbq and home cooked side dishes, then this is your place. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, this wooden cabin serves up some of the finest baby back ribs that I have had anywhere. I had a half slab for $11.95 and could not finish them. The smokey flavor was just right along with the meat's texture which was tender. The sauce is what really makes these things special and the fact that it seems care is taken to ensure quality thoughout all of their food. The tomato based sauce is sweet with molasses and the mustard based sauce is better than the store bought Maurices. I also liked the vinegar based as well and all seemed to have that molasses sweetness.
As far as the side dishes go, the macaroni and cheese was SO GOOD! Just how good can mac-n-cheese be? Well, it was that good as I tried to hold back from devouring it. They were out of brunswick stew so I tried the three bean baked beans and they were homemade as well (very good) . The cabin is really cozy inside and you can buy a 40 oz. beer for $6 or a bucket of 6 beers for $15. They serve the beer in a bucket of ice, which is a great idea to keep it cold. All in all, this place is homecooking at it's finest and is owned by a local resaurant called Greenwood's, known for it's family style home cooked food. The kitchen is open to the dining room and is extremely clean. It was well worth the 30 miles one way that I drove and plan on going back when I need my bbq rib and mac-n-cheese fix. Scott Irmeger
