Yikes. Due to the overwhelming support and high praise posted in favor of the Old Hickory House on multiple message boards covering the Atlanta barbecue scene, I made some time over the past weekend to try the restaurant's barbecue. Although it was a little past noon, I overheard a few orders, none of which were for barbecue, and saw that most of the customers were indeed eating biscuits, gravy, eggs, and other breakfast items.
In my days since I started my attempt to tackle the nation's barbecue scene, I have yet to witness such blasphemy in a barbecue joint. The last time I was in Austin,
a group of friends and myself traveled over an hour to rural Lexington, Texas (Snow's Barbecue) to eat barbecue in the morning. We found ourselves in good familiar company with others who knew that barbecue consumption knows no time. So Old Hickory House was a barbecue joint, right? The open pit behind the counter lead me to believe so.
I found the combination plate of ribs, beef, and pork + 2 sides reasonably priced... well until I surveyed my plate. Oh where to start.... Perhaps I should just sum it all up: dry, miserable texture, flavorless, smokeless. This place reminded me of a Waffle House except I honestly think Waffle House could turn out better barbecue than what I was eating. Just a look at the picture of the pork to the right turns my stomach.
The ribs were decent at best and I thought the Brunswick Stew was average compared to what I have tried across the southeast US. I asked for a to-go box purely out of sensitivity towards my waitress's feelings but my leftovers went right into the trash. If you find yourself in a situation where you're stuck in the Old Hickory House, follow the locals' lead and try the breakfast. This was probably the worst barbecue meal I have tried over the past half-year. Anything that is in a close race with
Fincher's Pig Sandwich needs to reevaluate its product. The restaurant's lack of self-awareness shocks me. Old Hickory House would lose in a blind taste test with a boot. Any visitors who get tricked to "Put Some South In Your Mouth" might never come back.
Yikes. Due to the overwhelming support and high praise posted in favor of the Old Hickory House on multiple message boards covering the Atlanta barbecue scene, I made some time over the past weekend to try the restaurant's barbecue. Although it was a little past noon, I overheard a few orders, none of which were for barbecue, and saw that most of the customers were indeed eating biscuits, gravy, eggs, and other breakfast items. 
I found the combination plate of ribs, beef, and pork + 2 sides reasonably priced... well until I surveyed my plate. Oh where to start.... Perhaps I should just sum it all up: dry, miserable texture, flavorless, smokeless. This place reminded me of a Waffle House except I honestly think Waffle House could turn out better barbecue than what I was eating. Just a look at the picture of the pork to the right turns my stomach. 
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that's not old hickory pork or even baked beans
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