1425 Roswell Road
Marietta, GA 30062
770-971-3201
http://www.williamsonbros.com/
I recently had the opportunity to visit one of suburban Atlanta's favorite BBQ joints for an offical GBH stop. I remember visiting Williamson Brothers when first moving to Georgia and sadly not being that impressed. I was interested to see if maybe it was just a bad barbecue day my first time around or if Williamson Brothers just happens to serve sub-par BBQ.
When you first arrive at Williamson Brothers, you'll notice the deliberately old, distressed, wooden exterior and interior. I happen to like/prefer this "BBQ Cracker Barrel" look, but have found more often than not that it's just used as a show to cover up below average food. When you walk in you're immediately greeted with an authentic partial-open pit inside the restaurant.
4944 Lower Roswell Road
Marietta, GA 30068-4321
770-977-3005
http://www.bbq1.net/
When Sam and Dave's BBQ opened up back in 2005 it seemed like a match made in heaven. Sam Huff and Dave Poe, both experienced circuit barbecue competitors for over thirty years, joined forces to open up two Sam and Dave's BBQ locations in Marietta, Georgia. Thought by most to be some of Georgia's best barbecue until the duo decided to go their seperate ways in 2009. Sam took over Sam and Dave's #1 which became Sam's BBQ 1, while Dave took over the second location which is now Dave Poe's BBQ. I decided it was time for the Georgia Barbecue Hunt to pay a visit to Sam's BBQ 1 in Marietta.
Located off Lower Roswell Road in Marietta, Sam's sits humbly on the corner of an old shopping center. When you first walk in you immediately notice the awards, trophies, and newspaper articles all paying respect to owner, Sam Huff. When we first arrived there was about a ten minute wait. This wasn't anything out of the ordinary since it was about 1pm on a Satruday afternoon. Once you arrive at the cash register, you order, pay, and then wait for the food to be brought out to you. I decided to go big with the combo plate that inluded pork back ribs, pulled pork, smoked chicken, brisket, and sausage. The fact that Sam's includes brisket and sausage on their menu puts them in a different category than most of your typical Georgia barbecue joints.
