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.