Harold's Barbecue

On Friday evening, June 20, 2008, Bill and I had the opportunity to eat at Harold's Barbecue in Atlanta. Harold's has been an Atlanta BBQ institution since 1947, and there's several old Lewis Grizzard articles that mention this beloved icon. Additionally, I've heard my old college roommate, Curtis, speak about it glowingly for years. Curtis has always said that Harold's had some of the best barbecue even though he also was quick to warn that it wasn't in the nicest part of town, what with being right next to the Federal Penitentiary and all.

Due to its history and all of the hoopla that goes along with Harold's, Bill and I decided to move it up to the top of the list of great barbecue places to visit. Luckily, it turned out that we could squeeze it into a shopping trip that we took with our wives, Tammy and April. It just goes to show that a good marriage is based upon compromise - the wives get to shop, we get to eat barbecue. Ain't life grand? But let me tell you, this was no easy bargain to strike on my end. My beautiful wife is NOT a fan of barbecue, but, bless her heart, she keeps on going to let me get my fix of this wonderful Southern treat.

With that being said, Harold's location and appearance did not win over either of our wives when we first approached the building. I have to admit, the bars on all of the windows does take you back a little when you first pull up. And the smoke that slaps you right in the face when you first walk in the door doesn't help matters either. Now, I realize that most BBQ joints will be somewhat smoky, but this was a little over the top. Luckily, we were able to sit in the back room where the cloud didn't seem to settle as heavily. All and all, the atmosphere of the place was just what one would expect from an old BBQ restaurant, so I thought we should be in for some good 'cue!

Our waitress was very friendly, and she said that she has been working at Harold's for about 14 years. She did explain that they were out of beef at that time, which also included hamburgers. Obviously, this wasn't a problem for those of us who came looking for barbecue, but it did put a damper on my wife's options (she had already noticed that Harold's does not have BBQ chicken on its menu). Without much delay, we all placed our orders, which included two chopped pork plates for Bill and myself while the wives ordered two sliced pork plates. Additionally, Bill ordered a side of french fries. When she returned with our drinks, she brought us back two bowls filled with regular potato chips, which was a great appetizer to hold us over until the food arrived. The sweet tea that she brought was a perfect example of Southern sweet tea - you know, the kind that only Southerners can really make - that was served in a glass containing crushed ice. Again, perfect!

Rather quickly, she returned with our plates. Each one looked exactly the same with the difference of either having chopped or sliced pork. The sides were cole slaw, Brunswick Stew, and cornbread. The meat was served without sauce, which was in two squeeze bottles on the table - one being the regular sauce and the other being their hot sauce. Surprisingly, the meat did not have a smoky flavor despite the heavy smell of smoke in the restaurant. As a matter of fact, I would go so far as to say that the meat was somewhat bland, although it was definitely good barbecue. Again, the meat was served without sauce, so it's up to the diner to add as much or as little as he or she desires. One of the first things that I noticed about Harold's sauce was its consistency. It is a thin sauce even though it is tomato-based. This is probably the point where I should point out that I am a fan of tomato-based sauces and not the greatest fan of vinegar-based barbecue sauces (hey, it's what I was raised on). Even though it is tomato-based, the thin consistency of Harold's sauce reminds one of a vinegar-based sauce and made the flavor seem a bit watered-down. Bill's wife, April, was the first to try the hot barbecue sauce and suggested that it tasted better than the regular. It did provide more of the traditional kick that one expects from a tomato-based BBQ sauce, so I would recommend patrons to go for the red squeeze bottle when applying the sauce. Ultimately, the meat and sauce were enjoyable, but I wouldn't necessarily put it at the top of my list.

The sides were a mix of great to okay. We'll start off with the great one - their Brunswick Stew. Harold's definitely has figured out how to make some great Brunswick Stew. With or without crumbled cornbread, it was a great mix of meat, vegetables, and spices. Sometimes Brunswick Stew can be a hit or miss, with the "misses" tasting rather bland. Not so with the stew at Harold's. As a matter of fact, I'll probably stick to just the Brunswick Stew the next time I eat at Harold's. I think they know that they have a winner with their stew because they've used it to create a rather unique menu item, the Stew Dog - a hot dog covered with Brunswick Stew. Now, we didn't try the Stew Dog, but I will definitely be giving it a go when I return. Do you get the idea that this is some good Brunswick Stew?

The next two sides were the cole slaw and the cornbread. The coleslaw appeared to be a blend of cabbage, carrots, mayo, and vinegar, with a good portion of the cabbage being the stalk. This creates a real crunch when eating the coleslaw, which makes this an enjoyable side. The mix of mayo and vinegar is appropriate, allowing for a nice blend of sweet and salty tastes. I was raised on mayo-only slaw, so too much vinegar is a no-no for me. But, again, Harold's has hit upon the right combination with its slaw ingredients, so you won't go wrong with this side. The cornbread, however, was a slight disappointment. Prior to our visit, I had also heard that Harold's has great cornbread, but I wasn't that impressed. They obviously fry up their cornbread in a large square pan and cut it into flat, square pieces that are a little bigger than a deck of cards. It was okay, but the pieces I ate weren't really great cornbread. Because it fries up into thin slices, it seems to soak in a little too much grease which makes for a heavy flavor. Now, a lot of folks might think it's great stuff, but maybe I've been spoiled by too much good cornbread at "dinner on the grounds" during revival.

All and all, I enjoyed our trip to Harold's, but probably more because it was the start of our great BBQ Quest and its such an Atlanta icon. The barbecue was good, but I don't think that I'll be placing it at the very top of my list. The Brunswick Stew was definitely worth the trip, and it will probably be the standard by which I compare all of the others that I sure we'll be sampling. I realize that long-time fans may think I'm off my rocker, and I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a food expert. But I am a fat country boy who has grown up eating some of the best food that any region of the U.S. can offer, and that's got to be worth something!

Bill will be adding his comments in a bit! Check back soon!!!

For a complete menu, directions, and phone number, visit Harold's Barbecue on the web at http://www.haroldsbarbecue.com/

~ Dave