bbq

How does Owens and Hull compare to the best Texas barbecue I’ve tried this year?

/ Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment

Name: Owens and Hull
Date: 5/3/25
Address: 6255 Riverview Rd SE Building 4000 STE 100, Smyrna, GA 30126
Order: Whole beef cheek, half pound brisket, half pound turkey, cole slaw, cheese grits, mac and cheese, collards (link to menu)
Pricing: $$$

Monk: Gymnastics travels for the eldest Monkette recently brought us to the greater Atlanta area so the wheels started spinning when it came to a potential barbecue stop. Should I revisit the awesome Heirloom Market which I’ve only been to once but loved? Or take the family to the ever dependable Fox Bros? Perhaps revisit DAS BBQ or try and hit one of the old school spots still running like Old Brick Pit or Old Hickory House?

But referencing the United States of Texas Barbecue list of the best Texas barbecue outside of the state from last year, I realized there was a name I wasn’t familiar with at the number 3 spot located in the town of Smyrna outside of Atlanta: Owens and Hull. My plans were made.

After our gymnastics obligations were fulfilled, we made our way towards a newish mixed-use development in a an industrial area along the Chatahoochee River northwest of Atlanta proper. Owens and Hull is the brainchild of owners Robert Owens and Bryan Hull who rebranded what was formerly a Grand Champion BBQ (a restaurant that Owens owned) a few years back when Hull came on board. I can’t speak to the smoker setup before the switch but now they now have two rather large Primitive Pits offsets in the parking lot. By all accounts, the change in focus to Texas barbecue with Georgia wood and ingredients seems to be working.

The first thing that caught my eye was that they had beef cheek on the menu, an automatic order whenever I see it, and it was the standout of the proteins I tried that day and comparable to the beef cheek I had at Palmira Barbecue (#1 on the United States of Texas Barbecue list). My hope is that more places get on the beef cheeks train.

The brisket, a Friday and Saturday only offering, was not too far behind the beef cheek. Without asking, I was provided a mix of fatty and lean along with some burnt ends. This was probably the best of the true central Texas-style briskets I’ve tried in Atlanta over the years.

I opted for turkey instead of another protein like ribs or sausage, and boy was I glad that I did. Not only did it give me a respite from the heavier, fattier beef offerings but on its own merits it was rather good. Moist and juicy with a nice peppery bark, this was one of the better turkeys I’ve tried recently.

I did also get to try the pork from the sandwich of the youngest Monkette and it had a nice, smokey bark and was well smoked. As for the sides, the collards passed the Mrs. Monk test and the smoked macaroni was a winner.

For Owens and Hull, the more I think about it post-visit the more I am impressed. My initial impression was that the beef cheek was the standout by far but in hindsight the brisket and especially the turkey weren’t really all that far behind it. I really need to get back to Heirloom Market for a revisit soon (sadly that didn’t happen on this trip) to compare but for me, these two sit alone in the top tier of Atlanta barbecue (that I’ve tried).

As for how it compares to other places I’ve recently visited that are also on the United States of Texas Barbecue list like Matt’s BBQ in Portland, Shotgun Willie’s in Nashville, or Dampf Good BBQ in Cary? For me, its comparable with Dampf Good but a notch above Matt’s and Shotgun Willie’s. Certainly some of the best barbecue I’ve tried in 2025.

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 3 hogs
Beef Cheek – 4.5 hogs
Brisket – 4.5 hogs
Turkey – 4.5 hogs
Pork – 3.5 hogs
Sides – 3.5 hogs
Overall – 4.5 hogs

Southern Smoke’s Matt Register Joins the OG Podcast

/ Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment
Image via Register’s Facebook page

Matt Register of Southern Smoke in Garland, NC joined recently joined the OG Podcast to discuss among other things, barbecue and the Gettin’ Piggy With It Festival taking place in Raleigh on May 18th. But not before talking his allegiance to both NC State and Tennessee Volunteers (albeit in different ways). And in a few weeks, Southern Smoke will be opening for dinner on Fridays in addition to the current lunch service on Thursdays and Fridays.

In the below YouTube vid, Matt joins the podcast at roughly the 1:18 mark for a fun, informal chat.

Linkdown: The Belated April Edition

/ Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment
Photo taken by Joshua Boucher jboucher@thestate.com

Featured

Earlier this month, the James Beard Award finalists were announced. However, unlike in year’s past, the barbecue nominees were limited to just a couple of chefs in two separate categories – Best Chef: California and Best Chef: Southeast. Curiously, no Texas pitmasters received finalist nominations after Fasicka and Patrick Hicks at Smoke’N Ash BBQ in Arlington and Evan LeRoy of LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue in Austin were named semifinalists in January.

For the second year in a row, Robbie Robinson of City Limits Barbeque in West Columbia was nominated for Best Chef: Southeast. This is a major achievement and when he was named semifinalist in January it is believed that he is only the second barbecue pitmaster to be nominated for the same Chef category more than once. Surely, he is in even more limited company when it comes to finalist nominations. Additionally in Best Chef: California, Daniel Castillo of Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano was the other barbecue pitmaster nominated.

Robinson has received some well deserved local press in recent weeks:


The final winners in the restaurant and chef Awards categories will be celebrated on Monday, June 16, during a gala ceremony at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Good luck to all the finalists.

Native News

This Saturday, the BBQ Fest on the Neuse in Kinston is attempting to set a Guinness World Record for most barbecue sandwiches sold in 8 hours

Ben’s Backdraft Barbecue in Waynesville is having their grand opening celebration on May 31st featuring a whole hog pig pickin’ and live music

A second Lawrence Barbecue in Cary and a steak restaurant from Christopher Prieto in Durham are two of the most anticipated restaurants opening this year in the Carolinas this spring

Non-Native News

ICYMI, Elliott’s Barbecue opened in Florence earlier this month

Carolina Bar-B-Que in New Ellenton, SC is under new ownership and not only surviving, but thriving

Heirloom Market BBQ is still an essential restaurant in Atlanta

Some fire merch from Peg Leg Porker

Also ICYMI:

So you’ve made it to the Masters; should you get the barbecue sandwich?

So you’ve made it to the Masters; should you get the barbecue sandwich?

/ Barbecue Bros / 5 Comments

Monk: So you’ve won the literal lottery and have Master’s tickets. What’s the move when it comes to food?

At a price of $3, it would be very tempting to snag a barbecue sandwich in the concession line (which may look lengthy but in my experience always moves at a pretty quick pace). But should you?

In my experience…no, not really. That is, if you are expecting anything resembling true barbecue. There’s no semblance of smoke and it’s doused in a sweet sauce and while it’s a tasty enough snack, it’s really more akin to taking a pork shoulder cooked in a crockpot, adding some Sweet Baby Ray’s, and scooping it between a cheap burger bun.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that; it’s just not what I’m looking for in a pork barbecue sandwich and I assume the same for readers of this blog.

Instead of the barbecue, I’d recommend ordering the following. Quick power ranking of the other sandwiches I tried at the 2025 Masters go:

  1. Egg Salad Sandwich – alongside the pimento, the other classic Masters sandwich for the low, low price of $1.50. This was by far my favorite sandwich of the day.
  2. Chicken Salad Sandwich – this one also costs $3 same as the barbecue sandwich. Obviously, I liked it much more but it’s just a solid, solid sandwich.
  3. Pimento Cheese Sandwich – I think I got a dud of a sandwich because the bread to pimento cheese ratio was way off. That said, I don’t know if the pimento cheese itself was as good as I was expecting. I have heard stories of people combining the pimento cheese and barbecue sandwiches but to me that just sounds like mid + mid = mid.

If you’re at the Masters, you really can’t do wrong with buying any of them though. And thanks to their legendary pricing, you really can try it all and not be out more than a $10 bill.

And plus, you’re at the Masters! The food won’t make or break your day because you’re at a bucket list life event. Get whatever sandwich(es) you’re feeling, get a $6 beer, and eventually get a peach ice cream sandwich. You’re going to have a good day no matter what.