Johnny’s Barbeque

I drive by Johnny’s almost every day and the parking lot is always full, and you can smell the smoke. I went in for a plate, got the pulled pork and it was edible but I have not been back. It was nice and smoky but very dry. It seems unseasoned and unsauced, so if you want some nice smoked pork (that’s really dry) to season and sauce up yourself I can see the appeal. The prices are good and the portions are good. Needs to be moist and tasty for me to pay someone for it.

Great. I’m a BBQ snob. Minimal burnt ends, with no burnt taste. Found no fat in BBQ. Everything was hot and fresh. Slaw was one of best. Staff was pleasant.

The best chopped chicken platter anywhere!
You’ll never find better Cole slaw anywhere in Georgia, the best!!!

This is our go-​to place for a great bbq sandwich. Meats for sandwiches are prepared fresh with sauces on the table to finish the taste. Great banana pudding and pecan pie too

I am a regular these days at Jonny’s. They have good BBQ at a good price. Can’t go wrong with the lunch specials when you have a craving for BBQ.
Pro:
Price (around $ 6 for the special)
Friendly staff
Fast service
Pork is good
Fries a yummy (crinkle cut fries)
Banana pudding (no like Grandmas but it will do)
Cons:
Parking (parking can be a pain, not to mention getting in and out of the parking lot)
Cole Slaw (It is not bad but not great either)
Sauce (The sauces are very sweet if not overly sweet. I know us southerners love sweet but on BBQ it is a bit over powering)
Tip: Get your pork pulled instead of the default which is chopped. Pulled it much most pleasing to the pallet.

WHO TURNS AWAY BUSINESS AFTER GUESTS CALL ON WAY? Johnny’s BBQ does! we were in town for a LAX tournament last weekend and brought 2 car loads of HUNGRY hi-​school, male, Athletes (READ REALLY BIG EATERS). We called on way as heard from a local that Johnny’s closes at 8:30. We said we would be there in 5 minutes and got an okey dokey. We arrived LITERALLY at 8:32. They said, «We put the food away because it took you longer than you said (read in twang).» REALLY? It’s SATURDAY NIGHT at 8:32. There were still people eating in the dining room (I use that term loosely btw). Funny thing, as we pulled out two more cars puIled in. I guess this place values a night off more than pleasing customers and making money. We headed to a restaurant close by, spent $ 90 per family and had a good olé’ time. Guess we weren’t in Atlanta any more, Johnny. ~SHD

Went here for lunch on a recommendation from a coworker. I drove there with the excitement of a 5 year old on the way to kindergarten. Pulled in and the lot was jammed… good sign!
Unfortunately thats where the Good ended! Immediately saw that they were chopping and not pulling the pork, bo Went o! Next I asked for Mac n Cheese, «Im sorry we dont serve Mac N Cheese» was the ladies response. After wiping off the Arnold Drummond «what you talkin’bou Went t Willis» look off my face I reluctantly ordered the fries, which were atleast crispy. I also had the slaw which was apparently dropped off by the KFC delivery truck on their daily route!
Now if you like dry chopped pork, maybe this is your place! Me, I’m looking for juicy pulled pork that I don’t have to drown in sauce!
The only reason I gave one star was for the $ 1 smoked wing and the fresh brewed sweet tea!
Needless to say, I won’t be returning to Johnnys!

I’m originally from Charlotte, but have spent past the three years in NYC. Having visited four BBQ places in The City (and subsequently being sick four times due to said BBQ) I was AMPED to try a true Southern BBQ joint.
I grabbed a lunch plate ($ 6.10) for my Mom as she was my test subject. I wound up eating half of it. They served Luzianne Sweet Tea (true staple only served south of the Mason-​Dixon) with the combo, along with a side of stellar beans and slaw. The BBQ itself was fall-​apart awesome and cooked to perfection. I’m a tomato based sauce girl (Western Style for me) while Mom is an Eastern Style (vinegar based sauce) kinda lady. Both sauces were fabulous!
Incredibly happy to find this little joint with odd days/​hours of operation (with sadly no beer) in Gainesville!

I really liked the pulled pork sandwhich! Loved the sauce. I don’t live anywhere near gainsville, but if I did, I’m sure I’d eat here again, not to say I wouldn’t try to find a better place… but that was tasty.
The fries are frozen and you could tell they had that old grease taste to them, but we did come around 3 p. m, so im sure it was left over from lunch, and they don’t feel the need to change it before dinner rush… though you should*
The coleslaw is good too. Put that on your sandwhich & ask for some pickles! I’m not sure why they werent on the sandwhich already or not on the side… oh also, the sandwhich could have used more sauce. my moms was kind of dry, mine had more but still needed it.
The girl who took our order was nice enough, but everyone else seemed ready to go home. Im sure they are the lunch crowd who leaves at 5… but we are still paying customers, i dont exactly want to have a waiter sitting at the table next to us watching t. v…who when we asked a question, seemed really irked that we bothered him.
Overall, it seemed like a real BBQ, family owned type place. nothing fancy– the way I like my bbq joints– Oh and they had a covered outside seating area. love that.
I’d have to come back to maybe give 4 – 5 stars, I’d try their pie, hope the service was better, and I’d come at an hour that wasnt’ inbetween lunch & dinner service.

Have eaten at Johnny’s literally dozens of times over the last 15 years. It is always some of the better pulled pork you’ll ever get anywhere. Just right level of smoke.
Love their sauces, and that the pork always has very little fat and is cooked exactly right. Some things never change, and shouldn’t be changed… this is definitely one of those.
The sides could be just a bit better, and that’s why only 4, not 5, stars. The fries are just the standard frozen type but are ok, and other sides are good but not excellent. The pulled pork though, is worth the trip.

I ate at several BBQ joints in my 2010 trip through the South, and this is the only one that impressed. Great value, great food for the value. Authentic southern stick to your ribs goodness.

My mom was so excited to take me here for lunch, proclaiming it the first barbecue she’s ever really liked. After trying a pork plate lunch special, I can see why.
The menu is pretty limited, and at lunch, the item to get is a lunch plate, which features a generous portion of finely chopped pork, half a hamburger bun, hot and salty crinkle cut fries, a scoop of coleslaw, and a drink for less than $ 7. This is a steal, and the flavor of the meat is really good, and the fries are the kind you tell yourself you’re only going to sample, before inhaling the whole portion. The meat in particular reminds me a lot of the old Pappy Red’s in Canton before it closed.
Overall, a fantastic value with solid food in a family-​run, community focused atmosphere. I’ll be back.

I had a beef sandwich today there as I do not eat pork. Beef is kind of hard to find so I decided to give it s a whirl. The sandwich was ample enough as I opened it meat came out all over the place which was cool. I took a bite and that ruined it. The meat was not smoked. The texture and taste were all wrong to be truly smoked meat. Very little smoked taste was a huge turn off. The sauce was definitely tomato based … almost like ketchup. Another turn off. I was NOT impressed whatsoever. I dunno if the pork is any better or chicken. I will not be going back to find out.

Excelling in mediocrity. I will not return. Not bad, but not good either.

Yummy! I luv the sauce here. More on the sweet side. Also fantastic Brunswick stew! I can get a gallon at a time. Much better than any other Barbecue place in any surrounding area!

WARNING, this is not a overpriced, watered down poser CHAIN STORE as Johnny’s is TRUE family run hometown BBQ!!! Nothing fancy, just very good Q! Read all the great reviews of Johnny’s Barbecue and believe them!
I have not had one bad item from Johnny’s Pit and Kitchen; everything was fresh and tasty! Yes, their sauce my be a bit bland to some, but not all Q is determined from sauce alone; prime meats and careful preparation are the keys to good Q and Johnny’s does it right! I could die happy if my last meal was from Johnny’s and to top it off, I would have extra change left in my pocket since Johnny’s doesn’t rip one off for a mere smidgen of meat like many other chains or BBQ establishments!

No nonsense BBQ… I usually get the pork plate which is a better deal than the BBQ sandwich with sides added. Very little fat if any in the pork. The brunswick stew is very good (depends on how finely cut you like it.) Banana pudding is like your mama’s :) Service with a smile.

This is a hometown favorite.
–The prices are around $ 6 per person
–The staff is always friendly
–It is very busy, so hard to say if clean… it always seems clean
–The meat is very plain with little fat (chopped meat)
–the sauce it plain also more on the sweet side
–It is not fancy, just plain BBQ

Johnny’s BBQ is the best BBQ in Gainesville and arguably Northeast Georgia. Located off of Cleveland Hwy (129) near Riverbend Baptist Church. Prices are very reasonable — a sandwich plate (pork or chicken, fries, drink) is $ 5.50 and a BBQ plate (pork or chicken, 2 sides, drink) is around $ 7.50. The Banana Pudding (85 cents for the small) is just like homemade and well worth it.
The pork has a good smoked taste, it is chopped with no fat. The standard sauce is a thick tomato base, not the greatest sauce I’ve ever had but not bad either. They also have a hot sauce available on the table.
I’ve been there 15 – 20 times (even though I live an hour+ away) and haven’t had a bad meal yet. I’m not a big fan of their brunswick stew but the pork, chicken, beans, and desserts are excellent.
If you’re in the Gainesville area looking for Q this is the place!

I had lunch here today. It was my first experience. It isn’t quite a hole-​in-​the-​wall, just a nice, friendly, small town barbecue joint where many of the patrons seem to know each other.
I had a pork lunch plate. It appeared to be chopped, although, they may refer to it as pulled (I wasn’t asked to specify). The meat was nice, not greasy, but not a strong smokey flavor. The sauce was only so-​so, kind of a thick tomato sauce base maybe?
The fries were the typical frozen, crinkle kind, but were hot, crispy and freshly cooked. The slaw was good (needed some vinegar and sugar…). The brunswick stew texture was similar to what I have had at many other places… kind of mealy or something… not my favorite… although the flavor was good. Good sweet tea and a $.95 piece of pecan pie I haven’t tasted, yet.
The meal was a good value. Bottom line… I’d eat there again, but wouldn’t go out of my way to get there.