Big Oak Bbq

Always good and the portions are generous. Best BBQ around. Oh and homemade cake for dessert :)

For openers, if you believe the best barbecue is usually found in the worst part of town, in a place with bars on the window and just enough grease on the table to write your initials, then this isn’t it.
If, on the oner hand, you’re looking for some good ‘cue just off the highway on a county road, heading into north Georgia, and in a shack GPS says is on the other side of the street, then Big Oak BBQ is it. Funny thing is that while they’ve been there for 10 years, they have (before today) only one review on Unilocal and that was what led us there.
Their menu runs the gamut from ribs, pork and chicken to wings and burgers, although we didn’t see anyone opting for the latter. Big Oak’s rib plate (two slides from a limited list plus chips and a couple slices of bread) consists of four St. Louis cut ribs for $ 8.95 — one heckuva bargain when you consider that most places sell a half rack, sans any sides at all (never mind the chips) for a lot more and a half rack is just two bones more.
The ribs were thick but a little too easy off the bone, suggesting something early on before the low and slow smoke… baked? Par boiled? Don’t know, but meat on ribs 100% barbecued don’t normally come off the bone that easily.
We opted for the Brunswick stew and slaw. The stew will remind you of the rest-​in-​peace Harold’s near the penitentiary in Atlanta if you’ve ever been, delicious, almost pureed meat, with a good flavor. The slaw was finely chopped and almostKFC like.
In facty, now that comes to mind, the owner reminded us of a rural Colonel Sanders — same white moustache, beard and welcoming smile.
The pulled pork plate (two sides, chips) for $ 7.50 was as good. Moist pork with enough flavor you know know t was cooked low and slow, but not so much that you enjoy it all over again and again for hours afterwards. The baked beans that crowded the plate were a little better than most, while the macaroni & cheese was just macaroni & cheese. No mention of brisket and didn’t ask.
Big Oak has two sauces: a Hot that really isn’t, and a Mild that is almost too sweet. Fairly good, but sweet
We were served by a friendly friend of the owner who double working in an Athens doctor’s office… couldn’t have been nicer, while the two other staffers (one waiting a table with a phone into her ear) could use a little cordiality training.
Couple of unusual things about Big Oak: order half and half tea (Ia southern thing) and then leave a pitcher of both on the table — no waiting for refills. Scarf up the stew? Our waitresses wanted to know if we’d like more. Credit cards? Nope, but they will take your check. They don’t advertise and unlike most restaurants, they don’t look to cater. This ramshackle restaurant with little ceramic pigs scattered about and a unisex restroom free of any graffiti, does well doing but one thing: making fairly good barbecue low and slow over a bed of hickory wit some pecan tossed in for that mellow flavor.
Bottom line, Big Oak is off the beaten path, does a good job getting flavor into the meat, serves up a couple exceptional sides (and two that aren’t) in fairly large helpings at some off the beaten path prices.
Hungry for some good barbecue and anywhere near Comnmerce, Georgia, then Big Oak is worth finding just across the road from where GPS says it should be but isn’t.

I live in Colorado and always search out good bar b q when I’m in ga. I had the rib plate with beans and stew. They were the best ribs I have ever had! The home made sauce was so good I bought some to mail back home. I finished off with a home made red devil cake. Holy cow it was so moist and delicious. The restaurant was packed a Nd had a steady stream of people going in and out. The place is kinda hard to find. Literally a hole in the wall off a long rural road. But if you can find it you will be treated to some amazing food!!!