Wallace Barbecue
When it comes to arguments over the best barbecue restaurants in Atlanta, Wallace Barbecue in Austell often gets overlooked. But since Gerald Wallace opened the original location in 1966, a loyal local following has celebrated this Mecca of bargain-priced smoked meat and Southern food. In 1972, Wallace's sister, Martha, and her husband, Mickey Taylor, took over. They built a new restaurant in 1988. And nowadays, sons Scott and Mark help run the friendly family business.
CARS AND COKE: Wallace handles the heavy volume of takeout and catering business with a separate entrance and order counter for that side of the operation. Inside the barn-size main dining room, a sprawling collection of booths and tables can accommodate small and large parties. The décor appears to have three main themes: cars, Coca-Cola memorabilia and the color red. So it isn't at all unusual to find yourself comfortably seated on some burgundy tuck-and-roll upholstery, staring at a vintage Coke machine.
BARBECUE AND BEYOND: The huge menu runs the gamut from hot dogs and hamburgers to steaks, and even chicken wings. But with good reason, most folks drive to Wallace for the hickory-smoked barbecue. At its best, the flavorful, wood-perfumed pulled pork displays a rosy ring and a moist tenderness. There's also beef, ribs and chicken, available in various configurations and price points. At $4.50, the beef or pork sandwich "Thrift Plate" is a great meal deal, served on a soft hamburger bun with slaw and skin-on fries. Another popular choice is the "Super Salad" or baked potato topped with barbecue. One warning: Unless you specify otherwise, everything on the barbecue menu comes from the kitchen drenched in a thin, ketchup-based sauce. It's OK. But the mustard-based "hot sauce" on the table is a whole lot better — so it's best to order sauce on the side and try them both.
SIDES GALORE: In keeping with the restaurant's more-is-more philosophy, the menu lists more than a dozen sides. The fork-thick Brunswick stew is the kind of meat-and-corn gruel that many aficionados consider classic. The shredded slaw is sweet and crispy. And a baked sweet potato makes a welcome healthy choice. But the best of the side show are certainly the crowd-pleasing onion rings, delivered hot and fresh — like a Krispy Kreme doughnut — with a crunchy brown batter.
HOURS: 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
CREDIT CARDS: MasterCard; Visa; American Express; Discover
PRICES: Plates, $4.50-$8.75; sandwiches, $1.85-$3.35; sides, $1.25-$4.50.
RESERVATIONS: No
RECOMMENDED DISHES: Barbecue pork; onion rings; Wallace hot sauce
PARKING: Lot parking
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
SMOKING POLICY: No
NOISE LEVEL: Moderate
TAKEOUT: Yes
VERDICT: A family-run Austell institution serving up bargain-priced barbecue since 1966.
