Sweet Auburn BBQ — Restaurant in Atlanta

I made the mistake of taking some out of town friends here because they had never experienced southern barbecue. The mistake occurred because now I might possibly have found my true love and it's this food!

Trying to show off a bit of southern charm with a level of sophisticated class for folks from Canadian, California and New Jersey was a tall order from the beginning! Sweet Auburn did not disappoint!

The atmosphere was just right! The place was definitely hopping! Love the decor right in the heart of a bustling neighborhood. The service was fantastic. Our server was not only helping us out at the table, but was also lending a hand behind the bar. She and everyone at Sweet Auburn was upbeat, knowledgeable, and passionate! It was obvious the workers we were able to interact with loved what they were doing and they were engaged with their customers. They most definitely knew their food!

And the food, well, of course the food was absolutely epic! We told them a little about ourselves and said surprise us! And did they ever! Everything seemed to balance the traditional southern barbecue with a surprising kick of Asian flair! Every bite was layered with flavors and spices, not just heat!

We started with cornbread and something they called Hog Toast! If I heard them correctly, apparently Sweet auburn raises their own hogs for this restaurant! Think of a huge chunk of bread with fantastically seasoned pork that melts in your mouth, surrounded by an assortment of flavorful greens and juicy tomatoes. The meat was so tender, I could have had this alone for my meal. Of course, the cornbread bucket was great...think southern sweet with a kick of heat! It was the true epitome of what it means to be southern!

For my main entrée I had the brisket plate and it was awesome. The meat fell apart as I tore into it, and it paired very well with the steak frites someone at my table was foolish enough to order and sit right next me. Obviously I had to take some for myself! Someone else got the pulled pork bowl, and it was phenomenal. Anyone can do cheese grits, but these cheese grits were so rich and creamy, the should count as my dessert, they were that good!

I also don't know how to brag on the food without mentioning the coffee flavored barbecue sauce they offered with a few other sauces I had no need to taste..because what I called the coffee sauce left me needing nothing else but to die happy. I hope they do NOT bottle this barbecue sauce, or I'm going to be in trouble! The side of green beans as well as the Brussel sprouts truly rounded out a great dinner!

Finally, everyone else in my group went with the Sangria, which they said was excel. Sadly, I do not even remember what my drink was, but it was too good I now only have the picture to taunt me until I get back for another shot at it. I also have to add we truly enjoyed asking the servers about the various food prep methods and the local farm to table ingredients and how they wrap this into good wholesome and delicious food! Again, they knew their stuff and they are definitely not your run of the mill restaurant team.

Everyone In our group had a fantastic time and Sweet Auburn Barbecue left quite an impression on my picky friends. I have to confess, I am now totally enraptured by Sweet Auburn that not only did I get back around to writing a review, I'm also already thinking about how soon I can get back there!

The food was spot one, the service was excellent and the atmosphere was perfect for an indulgent and unique take on southern barbecue!

And I'm truly in love with this restaurant. I hope we are soon going steady! Sweet...

Editing my previous 5-star review (2022) after sub-par food experiences under new management (2024)

It hurts me to write this, but this place is no longer the Sweet Auburn I knew when I moved to Atlanta in 2022. I suspect the changes have come after the arrival of new management a few months ago, but whatever the reason, last night was my last night for this restaurant. I’ll leave the sob-story details for why this breaks my heart below, but regarding the food I had last night:

The shrimp and grits were tasteless. I’m talking NO flavor. The grits were watery, the shrimp were undercooked— my once-favorite dish at this place was a shell of itself. The wagyu burger with brisket I ordered: TASTELESS. I could have thrown ground beef in a skillet with no seasoning and had the same result. The BRISKET was bland. How can such a great barbecue place have brisket that tastes like nothing? The barbecue plate was just a sad excuse for barbecue. Nothing else to say about it.

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To set the scene: this was the very first restaurant my wife and I ate at when we moved to Atlanta in 2022. We took my father-in-law and brother, as they had helped us move from Arizona, and the four of us were blown away. I’m from NC, so I know what good barbecue is, and this place had it. We tried literally everything on the menu over the next 2 years, from the tofu to the shrimp and grits. Our take-home message to friends that visited us? “Try anything you want— it’s all a 10/10.” The best part? It’s within minutes walking from our house, so it was always our first restaurant visited when people came to stay.

We came for the first time in 2024 in January when a friend visited from Denver. Naturally, we hyped up the place and went in talking about how great it was, etc. We had some ordering snafus, but no big deal— the manager came over and apologized, citing that the business was under new management and they were working through some new things. “Hey, these things happen— No worries” was my reply. The food seemed “off”, but it wasn’t NEARLY as bad as what I experienced last night. Our friend enjoyed it regardless, and that was important for us.

Last night (2 March) was just an embarrassment. The only thing recognizable was the cornbread. Everything was so bland and poorly made that I simply cannot justify giving this place any business, and that hurts considering how great this place was and considering we’ll have to go to Smyrna to get barbecue even remotely as good as this was.

I simply cannot conceived, new management or not, why anyone would mess with this menu. This place does SO WELL, and people adore the food. Why would you ever touch ANYTHING? My only guess is it’s to save money, and considering the waiters used to tell you about how it was farm-to-table and now they don’t, I’m probably...

Nom! So freaking good! First time in, so impressed!

Atmosphere was warm & inviting with music that compliments the space & vibe.

Brittany(server) was a prime example of hospitality! Warm & friendly, knowledgeable, communicated well, checked back often, and was a pleasure!

Best wings I've had in a long, long time! You can taste the smoke, but it wasn't too overwhelming. Flavor that ran throughout, and the Wu Tang sauce was complimentary to the entire flavor profile. Sweet, tangy, and spicy enough to let you know it's there. 10/10

Ribs: if you like supreme tenderness/fall off the bone, these are what you dream of. A kiss of smoke & a sweet house bbq sauce. I prefer ribs that have meat that hangs on longer, that you can sink your teeth into, but I can see why these are a house favorite. The sauce was too sweet for my taste, but good nonetheless. 7.5/10

Green Beans were fantastic! Very well seasoned, just absolutely flavorful. If only they were cooked with a little more heat so they would have a bit more texture, but that boils down to a personal preference. 9/10

Grits. This is how grits should be prepared...every. single. time. Perfect consistency & well seasoned. 10/10

Brisket Sandwich. The brisket was stellar. Fantastic flavor & cooked to perfection. The nim jam jaew(think Asian chimichurri) was a perfect condiment for the unctuous brisket...the acidity cut through the fat and added great flavor. The house pickles and red onions are a must! The bread choice needs a revisit. My top piece was too crunchy, near crouton-like. While the bottom soaked up all the juices and became very soggy + it was way too buttery. 8/10

Mac n cheese. Bravo. It's a heavier bechamel sauce & is very creamy. May not be everyone's cup of tea, but I inhaled it. 9/10

Cocktail was Don't Burn the House Down. Nicely executed. Well balanced & a perfect pairing for all that was consumed. 9/10

Banana Pudding. Very nice way to end such a rich & flavorful dinner as it was light and enjoyable. 8/10

Cannot wait to return! Do yourself a flavor, run, don't walk to this outstanding...