Zeigler's BBQ (Acworth, GA)

3451 Cobb Parkway NW
Acworth, GA 30101
770-529-5227
http://www.zeiglersbbq.com/

For our first post of the New Year, I decided to head down to Rolling Bones in Atlanta...until I found out that it's still closed due to the fire they had back in September. My backup plan would be a place that's not too far from me in nearby Acworth. I've been looking for another place close to me that serves decent BBQ as JD's in Kennesaw has been pretty disappointing lately. I've seen the "Zeigler" name at a couple competitions, but still had never set foot inside their shopping center home. Today that would change.

Zeigler's is a pretty small place with an interior that reminded me of Community Q in Decatur. I would guess it can hold about forty people max on their busiest day. There's a good smoky scent in the air when you walk in. Something a little different about Zeigler's is that they primarily use pecan wood as opposed to most places in Georgia that we've visited that use oak or hickory. They proudly display Bad Byron's Butt Rub at the front, which I was informed is used on most of their smoked meats.

The Zeiglers weren't around on our first visit, but the friendly staff recommended we try their brisket (twist my arm). They seemed to be pretty proud of it. I ordered some of the moist end brisket along with pulled pork, green beans, baked beans, and Brunswick stew. The prices here are fair with this meal for two ringing up just under $17. They were kind enough to split it up evenly for Jamie and I without us asking. Their apple-bourbon BBQ sauce comes on the meat ahead of time, so make sure you ask them to hold off unless you're into that sort of thing. Luckily, it's not a ton of sauce so we didn't mind too much on this day.

The brisket here when we went was fantastic. It was moist with nicely rendered fat. The thick, dark, salty crust was evidence that this meat had done some time in their pecan fueled Southern Pride smoker. The brisket went fast before we tried their pulled pork. The stringy pulled pork had nice pieces of bark, but not a lot of smoky flavor. I wasn't too impressed with pork by itself. It would've made a decent sandwich though.

The sides here weren't that notable. While I wouldn't rate a BBQ joint solely on their sides, too often they get neglected. Some of the best spots we've visited all pay their respects to making side dishes that complement their exceptional BBQ. The green beans were peppery with large petals of sweet onions and pieces of bacon. They could've used a little more salt. The baked beans were sweet and smoky, but nothing out of the ordinary. As for the Brunswick stew, the vinegar, pepper, and tomato flavors were a little too overwhelming to taste much of anything else in it.

Right now Zeigler's has replaced JD's as my go-to place for brisket close to me. The brisket was fantastic, but I wasn't too impressed with much else here. I've still yet to try their chicken and ribs though.