Crazy Ron's BBQ (3/10) - 6187 E Ponce De Leon Ave, Stone Mountain, GA 30087

M-Tu: Closed
W-Th: 11a-8p
F-Sa: 12p-8p
Su: 11a-4pm
(p) 770.413.5900
http://www.crazyronsbbq.com/Site/Home.html
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When I randomly stumble upon barbecue, a sudden rush of adrenaline pumps through my body and I get nervous that my heart might skip a beat.  When that barbecue joint and its sign is in the shape of a of a choo-choo train and the place is named after some guy called Crazy Ron, I instinctively jerk the wheel, careening my car off the road in dramatic fashion so I don't miss the train.  Crazy Ron's BBQ epitomizes the side of the road barbecue shack -- a stand-alone trailer/train-car positioned directly in front of a large smoker and stack of wood .  Crazy Ron's has been in business for the past 10 years and I was hopeful that I'd be impressed with its product and "one bite (would) put me in rehab" just like its sign claimed it would.

Without much choice, I had to place my order to go, so I decided on a traditional pork sandwich and quarter dark chicken although Crazy Ron had a fairly large selection from which to choose.  By the time I unwrapped my sandwich, the bottom bun was a soggy mess after it had ample time to absorb a large proportion of the sauce slathered over the barbecued chopped pork. Ron might actually be crazy, because I believe he has figuratively pissed all over Ray Kroc's grave.  The barbecue sauce is literally identical to the sauce served on McDonald's McRib, and trust me, I love a McRib.  It's one of those forgotten and cherished items from my childhood that somehow vanished out of all our lives without much notice -- silly string, Planter's CheezBalls, Gak, StringRacer, and Mr. Wizard's World.  The sauce just didn't work on a slow smoked pork sandwich, and tasted slightly better on my quarter dark chicken.  The bird had a decently strong smoked flavor but could have used a bit more time on the smoker to soften up the poultry.

For those who love Crazy Ron's sticky and sweet McRib-tasting sauce smothered across their barbecue, Crazy Ron has opened up a more traditional and legitimate brick-and-mortar location off I-20 in Conyers, Georgia.  Just make sure you call ahead because it appears Crazy Ron is having difficulties hammering down his days and hours of operation.  Please let me know if the ribs are worth ordering, otherwise this might be my only experience at this joint.

Ron appears to be a very sincere and hospitable guy -- not so much crazy about him after all except when he tries to turn the interview on Taste of Newton's Irene Smith and has the audacity to ask that woman if she knows how to cook.