"Fat Matt's has the best BBQ in Atlanta; dude." Fat Newton loves Fat Matt's Rib Shack.
I did, however, receive an admission that Newton possibly compromised his taste buds by "over-beering" when he first acquired this love of Fat Matt's Rib Shack. He said something about Sigma Nu frat parties.
Barbecue needs smoke, and smoke needs wood. I did not see smoke stacks, nor smell any smoke, and (in my "gf" way of thinking) that is not a good thing. Their meats get roasted in "Shams" or ovens and then fired-up over a grill. However, not necessarily a wood-burning grill, as I did not smell wood burning. I sound like Toucan Sam with all of this talk of smelling. 
I admit that the ribs were "fall of the bone" tender. Matter of fact, Fat Matt's cooks all of their food to the "no teeth required" standard. The sauce is a comatose tomato blend. Hoping to find some redeeming quality in this sauce, like a sweet smokiness with a hint of pepper, I found my search futile. The chopped barbecue sandwich was over sauced and mushy. Non-spectacular sides decorated the plates. They looked overcooked as well, except for the Lay's Potato Chips. I noticed that the chips are not made with hydrogenated oils anymore, so I ate some.
I sat back and listened to a most-excellent blues-man playing a six string with a slide. This is what it is all about at Fat Matt's Rib Shack. Murals are on the walls, and pictures of barbecued chicken and simmering ribs gleam on the windows. Sit back; get a cold beer, and wash down some easy-to-chew barbecue. Soak in all of the uniqueness of the barbecue joint while eating. (One can also probably watch their sandwich buns soaking in the "uniqueness" of the chopped barbecue.) Extroverted cashiers and waiters one may not find at Fat Matt's, but the overall atmosphere is warm and inviting. This place feels like a barbecue joint. It does not smell like one, but it feels like one.
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| This is across the street from Fat Matt's. Seriously? |
Is Fat Matt's the best BBQ in Atlanta? Fat Newton thinks so. Maybe Fat Matt's is not the best, but I would bet that it is not the worst. There are only 487 more barbecue joints to try out in Atlanta to figure out which one is the best. It may take a minute to figure out which place is the "number one" barbecue joint in Atlanta.
Go check out Fat Matt's and report back on your findings (homework). The pecan pie may require an extra insulin shot (fyi).
Thanks for reading,
gf
