While in Atlanta for some roller derby activities, a group of us went to Sweet Auburn Barbeque, simply because it was in close proximity to our hotel. Despite our large group, they pulled some tables together and seated us really quickly. Once we saw the menu, we knew it was going to be a tough decision to figure out what we wanted to eat.
Some of the people decided to not decide – they got the trio of tacos, each with different ingredients. D.Rough went with the Sweet Auburn BBQ Plate with pulled pork, with cornbread and mac and cheese. My decision was made simple after I saw a monstrosity go past – I wanted the Beef Rib (aka, the Dinosaur Bone). The sides were also difficult to decide on, but I ended up going with the jerk spiced collard greens. They also serve some sweet tea since we’re down south. This always reminds me of my niece and her daughter who sneaks sweet tea like an addict, even though she’s three years old.
The food was pretty quick. The tacos came out and everyone that got them raved about them. There was a BBQ taco-pulled pork taco with pear slaw in it. There was a Mexican Street Taco with smoked brisket, charred corn pico, and avocado crema. And, there was a Korean short rib taco with Asian slaw, sriracha aioli, and scallions. They all sound good, don’t they? From the sound of things, they were all pretty incredible.
D.Rough was pretty happy with her pulled pork plate (and toast slices). The meat was fantastic, especially with the added BBQ sauce. The corn bread was amazing and just the way I like it. The mac and cheese fell a little short and there were a few complaints of too much flour in the rue. Flavor-wise, it was good, but texture-wise, it wasn’t the best.
The Dinosaur Bone came out and was really impressive. I didn’t even use my knife on this slab of meat. I just forked the tender meat right off the bone. Not a lot of seasonings – just salt and pepper and smoke flavor (the god kind, not the liquid kind). I also didn’t even use the BBQ sauce on it until the very end since it tasted so good already. It truly didn’t need the sauce. Perfectly cooked meat. The jerk seasoned collard greens were great too. Not spicy at all, but had a great flavor to the seasoning. I really enjoyed this side and I’m glad I got it.
Accidentally great BBQ in the south. It was lucky, but it worked out well in our favor. I’m happy to recommend that place to anyone in the mood for good BBQ when in Atlanta. They’ve got a curbside location and a food truck, so you should be able to find this place when you need to.
Top 5 things about Sweet auburn Barbeque
1. Dinosaur Bone
2. Trio of Tacos
3. Corn Bread
4. Sweet Tea
5. Full Bar
Bottom 5 things
1. Mac and cheese texture
2. The place gets REALLY busy on the weekends
3. I wanted to order ALL of sides and ALL of the meats. They make it difficult to decide
4. Not a huge beer selection, but you’re there for BBQ aren’t you?
5. N/A
www.sweetauburnbbq.com