![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
puppetmakerFat Matt’s Rib Shack
At 1811 Piedmont Ave in Atlanta Georgia there sits a restaurant that doesn’t look like much. It is between Midtown and Buckhead before Buford Highway but after Moreland Ave if you are coming from Midtown or Piedmont Park.
At night on weekends you can drive past and hear the music coming from the shack. It is blues in the true form of the blues along with some bluegrass and other southern styles of music. That hole in the wall BBQ joint holds a lot of tales within its walls.
It was my brother Sean who discovered it through another friend. He informed us about it and we became patrons of its fine BBQ and cold beer. If there was a festival in Piedmont park, we would expect to wait extra time for our food. It was, at the time, cash on the barrelhead. They only started taking credit cards within the past 7 years and they still prefer cash. There is no menu other than the big painted sign with all the menu items. Not the best place for vegetarians but if you are a serious BBQ coinsurer this is the place to be.
I have taken a number of people to Fat Matt’s over the years. The conversation usual starts with, “Do you know a good BBQ joint in the area?” and ended up at the Shack.
When Mr. Punch came out Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean did a limited tour of the US visiting certain comic book stores. The store I was working for got one of the tour stops. Since I knew both Neil and Dave, the owner of the store told me to take care of them while they were in Atlanta. They had a day off before they were flying off to Chicago for the next leg of their tour so they invited me to come along with them. We went to see Pulp Fiction, which was surreal enough without adding those two, and they wanted some BBQ. Off to Fat Matt’s we go and chow down on those smoky sweet but tangy ribs. They had their backs to the door but I had fun watching some of the double takes that were being done by the patrons.
The week I got married, Peter and the girls arrived a couple of days before the wedding. I had been down there the week before taking care of some of the details including the last fitting of my wedding dress. Harlan Ellison was Peter’s best man so he and Susan were arriving the Thursday before the Saturday wedding. Thursday evening Harlan wanted BBQ and when Harlan gets a hankering for something, you tend to get it for him. I had introduced Peter to Fat Matt’s early in our courtship so he knew that it would be the place to take Harlan. All the way to the Shack, Harlan was telling us about this incredible BBQ joint he had eaten at a couple of DragonCons ago but he couldn’t remember the name. We were regaled about how good this place was but Harlan couldn’t remember the name. We pulled up and parked. Harlan got out of the car and shouted, “THIS IS IT!” We had a very happy Harlan on our hands. We had an enjoyable afternoon of BBQ and conversation that I will always treasure.
Since then we have taken a lot of our friends there. Marv Wolfman threatens to kill me in the nicest way because after we introduced him to the sauce at Fat Matt’s, he started to get it shipped to him out in California because he had never tasted better. We took Brad and George there for lunch the year that they got married. They also had their backs to the door so I got to see the expressions of the patrons.
And a couple of years ago we started have Chicken and Rib night at DragonCon. It was a nice way to catch up with friends and get everyone a solid meal at a convention that can be short on solid meals. It is a nice mix of our friends. The selling point is Fat Matt’s BBQ which is very popular. We then watch the DragonCon Masquerade from the comfort of our room with our friends. I can remember a friend of mine almost hyperventilating because John De Lancie who had played Eugene in Days of Our lives among many roles was in the next room. We had Scott Porter show up and found a whole bunch of his Orlando buddies there who were friends of ours. George and Brad are regulars when they are at DragonCon. Matthew Lewis (of Harry Potter fame) came by with his girlfriend to try real southern BBQ. It is always an interesting mix of people that find common ground to talk about all kinds of things.
2009 the movie “Up In the Air” came out and had some serious Oscar Buzz attached to it. Peter and I watched the film and groaned at a throw away line. Clooney takes a phone call from a woman he has sort of hooked up with. She asks him for a good place to eat in Atlanta. Clooney says, “Fat Matt’s Rib Shack on Piedmont.” The next time we drove by the place, it was beyond packed with people and there wasn’t a festival going on in Piedmont Park. It had calmed down since then but more people know about it that they did before.
We are already planning our next visit to Fat Matt’s when we are in Atlanta. It is a touchstone for us with a lot of good memories. While writing this, I could almost taste that tangy BBQ sauce again in my mouth. I may make BBQ chicken this evening but it won’t quite be as good as what I could have gotten at Fat Matt’s.
At 1811 Piedmont Ave in Atlanta Georgia there sits a restaurant that doesn’t look like much. It is between Midtown and Buckhead before Buford Highway but after Moreland Ave if you are coming from Midtown or Piedmont Park.
At night on weekends you can drive past and hear the music coming from the shack. It is blues in the true form of the blues along with some bluegrass and other southern styles of music. That hole in the wall BBQ joint holds a lot of tales within its walls.
It was my brother Sean who discovered it through another friend. He informed us about it and we became patrons of its fine BBQ and cold beer. If there was a festival in Piedmont park, we would expect to wait extra time for our food. It was, at the time, cash on the barrelhead. They only started taking credit cards within the past 7 years and they still prefer cash. There is no menu other than the big painted sign with all the menu items. Not the best place for vegetarians but if you are a serious BBQ coinsurer this is the place to be.
I have taken a number of people to Fat Matt’s over the years. The conversation usual starts with, “Do you know a good BBQ joint in the area?” and ended up at the Shack.
When Mr. Punch came out Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean did a limited tour of the US visiting certain comic book stores. The store I was working for got one of the tour stops. Since I knew both Neil and Dave, the owner of the store told me to take care of them while they were in Atlanta. They had a day off before they were flying off to Chicago for the next leg of their tour so they invited me to come along with them. We went to see Pulp Fiction, which was surreal enough without adding those two, and they wanted some BBQ. Off to Fat Matt’s we go and chow down on those smoky sweet but tangy ribs. They had their backs to the door but I had fun watching some of the double takes that were being done by the patrons.
The week I got married, Peter and the girls arrived a couple of days before the wedding. I had been down there the week before taking care of some of the details including the last fitting of my wedding dress. Harlan Ellison was Peter’s best man so he and Susan were arriving the Thursday before the Saturday wedding. Thursday evening Harlan wanted BBQ and when Harlan gets a hankering for something, you tend to get it for him. I had introduced Peter to Fat Matt’s early in our courtship so he knew that it would be the place to take Harlan. All the way to the Shack, Harlan was telling us about this incredible BBQ joint he had eaten at a couple of DragonCons ago but he couldn’t remember the name. We were regaled about how good this place was but Harlan couldn’t remember the name. We pulled up and parked. Harlan got out of the car and shouted, “THIS IS IT!” We had a very happy Harlan on our hands. We had an enjoyable afternoon of BBQ and conversation that I will always treasure.
Since then we have taken a lot of our friends there. Marv Wolfman threatens to kill me in the nicest way because after we introduced him to the sauce at Fat Matt’s, he started to get it shipped to him out in California because he had never tasted better. We took Brad and George there for lunch the year that they got married. They also had their backs to the door so I got to see the expressions of the patrons.
And a couple of years ago we started have Chicken and Rib night at DragonCon. It was a nice way to catch up with friends and get everyone a solid meal at a convention that can be short on solid meals. It is a nice mix of our friends. The selling point is Fat Matt’s BBQ which is very popular. We then watch the DragonCon Masquerade from the comfort of our room with our friends. I can remember a friend of mine almost hyperventilating because John De Lancie who had played Eugene in Days of Our lives among many roles was in the next room. We had Scott Porter show up and found a whole bunch of his Orlando buddies there who were friends of ours. George and Brad are regulars when they are at DragonCon. Matthew Lewis (of Harry Potter fame) came by with his girlfriend to try real southern BBQ. It is always an interesting mix of people that find common ground to talk about all kinds of things.
2009 the movie “Up In the Air” came out and had some serious Oscar Buzz attached to it. Peter and I watched the film and groaned at a throw away line. Clooney takes a phone call from a woman he has sort of hooked up with. She asks him for a good place to eat in Atlanta. Clooney says, “Fat Matt’s Rib Shack on Piedmont.” The next time we drove by the place, it was beyond packed with people and there wasn’t a festival going on in Piedmont Park. It had calmed down since then but more people know about it that they did before.
We are already planning our next visit to Fat Matt’s when we are in Atlanta. It is a touchstone for us with a lot of good memories. While writing this, I could almost taste that tangy BBQ sauce again in my mouth. I may make BBQ chicken this evening but it won’t quite be as good as what I could have gotten at Fat Matt’s.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-03-14 08:47 pm (UTC)Enjoyed reading this.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-14 11:19 pm (UTC)Isn't it a shame when somewhere like that gets 'famous' though?
no subject
Date: 2011-03-14 11:46 pm (UTC)And I'd love to meet John De Lancie just because of Q:)
Great entry!
no subject
Date: 2011-03-15 01:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-15 01:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-15 06:27 am (UTC)Took him to Zingerman's. He approved of the rye having seeds, their serving Dr. Brown's soda, etc. His sandwich was so big he barely finished it and I got to eat most of his noodle kugel order. At the end of the meal, he said "OK, I don't know what the hell it's doing here, but you're right, it's worldclass deli."
The other notable food incident on that trip was when I picked him and Susan up at the airport, and we were trying to figure out a place to get dinner post 9 pm (at least at the time, restaurants in Ann Arbor tended to close early on weekdays). Remembering that Harlan was from the midwest and might be feeling nostalgic, I said something like "Don't know if you'd feel nostalgic for such, but I know there's none in LA, so maybe White Castle?" Harlan made an "mmm"/I'm considering it sound, and British Susan said "Is that like a hamburger place?" to which Harlan and I replied in unison "Not exactly...". (No, we didn't end up going there).
no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 03:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 07:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 07:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-17 08:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-18 12:55 am (UTC)But I do love having small, local places to go to and share with my friends.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-18 02:17 pm (UTC)I can well imagine! Always a little sad when suddenly everyone knows about "your" little place. Also, by golly am I hungry now.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-18 09:02 pm (UTC)Next time I'm in Atlanta I'll have to look Fat Matt's up.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-18 09:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-19 02:46 pm (UTC)... Memories...
Date: 2011-03-19 02:56 pm (UTC)Except I can't have any.
They closed up over a decade ago.
Enjoy it while you can....