"GOTO" items on the menu is the smoked chicken, ribs, potato salad, and greens! Service awesome!

Saw this place on TikTok and I was immediately hooked when I saw Jell-O shots on the menu! I had no idea what to really expect here, but I think in hindsight there was a method to the madness. This is definitely a casual spot, a good place to stop and have a casual dinner before going out! Gene's gets pretty packed on the weekend and if you plan to come on a weekend there will be a line. However, they have a system to where you wait about 30 minutes in line (if it's packed) and while you're waiting you order your drink in line. I think this was smart and kind of helps pass the time while waiting. Once you get inside , you'll order at the counter! Unfortunately, they were out of some of the items I saw online that I was really excited to try, so I would probably get there earlier if there's something you're eyeing. My friends and I got the two meat plate. The ribs were the star of the show for me. I felt the Brisket could've had a little more flavor, but the sauce options are delicious! I wasn't super impressed with the sides, but they weren't bad! I liked the Macaroni & Cheese the most! I think the portions are good to share with someone else! The star of the show for me was this frozen drink called the "Buschwaker" , it was sweet and had a malt flavor. It was really good! read more

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This is no way a BBQ place and need to be fined for false advertisement. My half rack of ribs were boiled with no seasoning or flavor, had some kind of red flavorless sauce on it. The sauce options on the table are vinegar or a sweet chilli. I asked the waitress for BBQ sauce and she scoffed at me as if I insulted her mother. I'm sorry, but in the south, the meat is smoked, not boiled. And should be seasoned. She offered me honey mustard dipping sauce and ranch, and then followed up by saying they have a white bbq sauce. I'm not a barbecue food connoisseur, but I know ribs should be grilled or baked with seasoning and you should offer patrons a variation of a BBQ sauce. I attempted to mix the vinegar and sweet chilli sauces together to make something palatable yet couldn't finish two dried ribs. The coleslaw was made from purple cabbage which was creative, but also lacked flavor. The other parties at the table complained that the black colored collard greens were tasteless, fries over cooked and sandwhiches were bland. No one finished their food. Needless to say, the dog got a special meal that night from everyone's leftovers. We will not be returning nor recommend this establishment as a bbq spot. I'm assuming all of these positive reviews are from employees or friends because there was another large party behind us, complaining of the same issues. read more

Parking was hard to find, drink the bushwhacker! Friendly staff! They tray included all meats and all sides read more

Gene's - Interior decor - Barbeque Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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Great experience, quirky and eclectic decor, and yummy food! Found the place off an IG recommendation and was excited to try it out. I sense a NOLA theme and I love NOLA. Upon arriving, we saw them smoking some of the meats outside. Inside, we were greeted right away and seated. I ordered the burger and waffle fries and my bf had the platter with brisket, ribs, boudin, potato salad and macaroni. Loved my order! I got the single patty and it was quite filling. Waffle fries had crispy outside and super soft inside. Plus, they were well seasoned. I tasted the brisket and boudin. To me, the brisket was good but my bf thought it was a bit dry. I'm not a fan of boudin anyway, so didn't love that. The potato salad was a surprise. It was much different from what I'm used to, but it works. I really enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the mac. For dessert, they had two of my faves so we ordered both lol. We had the s'mores bread pudding and banana pudding. While both were great, the banana pudding absolutely stole the show...just as our waitress mentioned! The s'mores bread pudding was really rich, and I tasted more chocolate than anything. I would have preferred it be a bit more wet with distinct graham cracker flavor and marshmallow texture. Overall, still a great experience and I would definitely return! read more

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Came for Gene's first brunch! Sat at the bar, we had Chloe taking care of us. We ordered two bushwhackers with cold brew floats and two orders of the shrimp and grits. Both were amazing- the shrimp and grits came with 5 GIANT whole shrimps so delicious. The grits were perfect. The whole thing was a blessing upon the world . The ambiance is great as well- great music and great decor. We'll be coming back for dinner soon. read more

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An elevated BBQ spot.. So let's start with appearance. Walking in it is fun and very retro looking, staff gave a warm welcome and it smelled pretty good! Our server was very friendly and had good recommendations on the menu. We ordered a boudin egg roll, it was decent but fell a bit flat in seasoning. For dinner I ordered the 2 meat combo with brisket and ribs and sides of potato salad and greens. The brisket had good seasoning and flavor. The ribs tasted great but were undercooked and silver skin was still on them making each bite a chore. And why are you covering bbq with cilantro?! The sides were ok, nothing spectacular. Took banana pudding home and it was fairly average. A couple simple mistakes in the food (cook times/seasoning) that if fixed would make it incredible. read more

Gene's - Brisket, ribs, greens, potato salad. - Barbeque Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

The food and atmosphere was absolutely exceptional. There was an extremely long line to get in only for us to realize we didn't have to stand in that line and could have just walked up to the bar (thanks for the heads up /s). If you're going to serve toxic allergens like flour tortillas, at least you can list it on the menu before contaminating my entire meal. If you start offering corn tortillas and maybe suggest to the staff to offer bar seating for small parties in line, this review turns to 5 stars. read more

Gene's - Barbeque Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

My fiance and I really wanted to like this place and were excited to try it because of all the great reviews we'd been seeing, but we left pretty disappointed. They batch all of their cocktails and wouldn't make a drink (what we wanted was on the menu and only has three ingredients) when they had apparently run out pretty early in the evening (about 6:30 p.m.). Batching cocktails isn't the worst thing ever and it wasn't a deal breaker for me, but I wish they had made us the drink since it's a simple recipe and it's just the hospitable thing to do. The fish dip was good but for $17 it wasn't something we'd write home about. The seasoned crackers it came with were yummy! We had the pulled pork, brisket, mac n cheese and potato salad. The pulled pork and potato salad were good, but the brisket was dry, and the mac n cheese tasted like plastic or something left in the fridge for too long. The cheese was dumped on top of the mac instead of being mixed throughout, so it's like a pile of plastic on top of overcooked pasta. I could only take a couple bites. The sauces were good, but I wish there was a more classic flavor option. There was a thicker one that tasted like someone had been very thoughtful about including it as an option, with notes of coffee or chocolate. To me, it was more of a fun flavor to try for a few bites, but I definitely was craving a more classic BBQ sauce flavor. The vinegar sauce was a bit boring compared to the other sauce; it really just tasted like plain vinegar. The vibe is good inside, and the service wasn't bad. Overall, we won't be going back. For much better BBQ, try Georgia Boy down the street, where the brisket melts in your mouth, or Das BBQ for the best in town, in our opinion. read more

Gene's is the tits. I've loved this place since they started marketing prior to opening. Everything about it is welcoming. The staff, the vibe, the MUSIC and obviously the food. The food is excellent but what I most appreciate about Genes is the attention to detail that was paid to every aspect of your experience. From the walk in to the drinks to the trivia cards to the hanged man in the bathroom (iykyk) to the little crunchy bits on top of the mac, to the loud and proud personalities of every awesome person on the team. I cannot say enough great things. My husband and I went for dinner tonight with our 2 kiddos. We're moving soon and this is the place we're most bummed to leave behind. We've been going 'just one more time" more than a few times. It's my favorite place to eat, my favorite margarita and tbh the banana puds is so good it has altered my own personal recipe. It's kid friendly. My one yr old loves most of the menu too! I haven't had a dish I dislike yet. If I had to have a complaint it would be that they don't show a phone number-- which is actually pretty annoying but I get it. Anywayyyyy Id say definitely worth a journey and to Avery and the team-- keep up the good work- it doesn't go unnoticed. read more

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Loved this place so much. Don't worry about having a long wait - they come out and take drink orders while you're in line!! It made the line so fun. Once you step inside, the decor is phenomenal. The music is also great. And of course the BBQ was excellent as well. I will definitely be returning! read more

Gene's - They take drink orders and bring them to you in line! - Barbeque Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Our first visit was pretty good. We started with the sticky rib appetizer. That was definitely a 10/10. My husband ordered one of their specials which was gumbo. It was advertised to have had chicken, pork and andouille sausage. Unfortunately, when it was served, we went through the entire bowl to find there was exactly zero meat in it. Disappointing for $18 to say the least. My husband sent it back and ordered wings instead. The wings were great too 10/10. I had the pork Bahn Mi sandwich, it was excellent. 10/10. The manager I guess saw the gumbo being returned to the kitchen and she immediately took it off of our bill, and also gave us a complimentary banana pudding to go. The banana pudding was tasty, but waaayyyyy too sweet for us. One bite each was all we could eat. 6/10. Overall, we had a great time. The place reminds me of a 70's bar. The cocktails were good, and all of the staff we encountered were super sweet and helpful. We will definitely be back. The bbq platters looked very good. Oh, just a heads up: they open at 5pm. We got there at 5:15, and they were close to half full already, and this was on a Tuesday! On the weekends, we've seen lines out the door! We've tried to get in on 2 other occasions, but the parking lot was already full and no street parking for more than 3 blocks. I think it's going to be pretty successful. read more

Tasty food and drinks, the interior is very fun and they have a nice outdoor vibe as well. Plenty of parking and a very nice staff.

We love the food, drink, and atmosphere at Gene's! We go as often as we can and are never disappointed!

I love the vibe of this place! After reading some other reviews, it seems that I would have enjoyed the food more if I had a nice, strong drink from their menu last Saturday afternoon. The service was adequate. Let me say, I know that it is August & not the best time to order oysters. However, 2 nights ago, I had 6 decent sized oysters (sourced from VA.) at another establishment in town. That said-I ordered the 6 wood fired oysters for $22. The oysters were literally the smallest oysters that I had ever seen served anywhere. They were in between size of a nickel & a quarter (& I am being generous). They even added a 7th oyster, showing that they knew that the oysters were small! A nod to the kitchen for that. I think that I would have really liked this dish - if there was a decent sized oyster hidden under the yummy topping! Now on to the main course, I ordered a 2 meat combo plate ($28) which comes with 2 sides & a few tortillas: Brisket & ribs. There were 3 small-ish ribs - less than 5" long (again being generous) & 1 piece of brisket. The sides that I chose were turnip greens & Mac & cheese. The turnip green were probably the most interesting thing on the plate. The Mac & cheese reminded me of childhood - a tricked up Mac from the blue box, with about the same taste. I didn't mind the taste of either BBQ sauce, but nothing that I have to come back for...my dining partner had a pulled pork plate with decent sized portions slaw & something else that wasn't memorable, but nothing to write home about! We tried the "banana" pudding. It was good, but not one banana! I think the twist on this dish was that they put a Biscoff cookie along with the vanilla wafers! This is something that I would come back for! I love the mix of Vietnamese & American at another highly regarded BBQ place North ATL establishment. Bottom line: If you want a fun atmosphere to drink at & something in your stomach to soak up the alcohol - eat here! I REALLY wanted to like this place, but the oysters & 1 slice of brisket really threw me off! I'll probably wait a little longer to see if they get it together, before we go back. This place might have made me a BBQ purist & I consider myself an adventurous eater. I wish that I liked this place more. Great ambience & fun atmosphere, lacking on the food though. read more

So happy Gene's opened. We go Atleast once a week. Delicious food. The best ambience and feels like its a place thats been around forever. Avery and the staff are all top tier. Make sure and get some pudding even if its to go its worth it! read more

Loved this place! Really cool ambiance and a great bar. Bahn mi and Mac and cheese was to die for. Will be coming back! read more

Gene's - Crispy Pork Bahn Mi - Barbeque Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Awesome. Best bbq in Atlanta. Brisket was kick ass not too smokey. Ribs yum. Mac n cheese was ehhh. Not into velveta but everything else rocked. Great staff too and decor on point. read more

Fantastic bbq, even better drinks and the best vibes in town! We have tried most of what's on the menu and haven't been disappointed yet. Inventive menu and our favorite frozen cocktails! read more

I was excited to see a new "neighborhood spot" had opened next door to Poor Hendrix (probably the best low-key place in metro ATL). I was even more excited by the fact that the menu was BBQ-focused. It was also being hyped by the usual suspects (like Eater). And seeing that it was pretty packed since opening was a good sign. But alas another instance of the "trailer" (so to speak) being better than the real thing. For me, Gene's is a hard pass on the food. I tried a little bit from across the menu and nothing was particularly good, with multiple items being outright terrible. 1. Started with the fish dip. It was pre-packaged and served with "fancy crackers" that tasted, I guess, like kettle-style potato chips but with a pretzel-like texture. Not really sure what was "fancy" about them, but they didn't work at all. They were very oily and salty and broke too easily in the "dip" which made them rather pointless. Good fish dip comes with saltines or some great bread. Would've much preferred those as options than the "fancy" crackers. As for the dip itself, it was red snapper based but flavorless. I think the fish was smoked but it was just a hard pack of randomness. Such a disappointment. 1 out 5 stars for that dish. 2. Cup of turkey gumbo served over "potato salad." This was the lone dish worth having again. The roux was pretty good, as was the smoked turkey, but there wasn't much else in the gumbo. It was very pricey at 9 bucks for a small cup. Overall, it wasn't that bad. 3 out of 5 stars. 3. Two-meat sampler - pulled pork and brisket with the beets side and cole slaw side. This was just terrible. The brisket was intermittently dry, chewy, cold, and plain awful. I'm not sure how anyone could think that was good brisket. I'm not sure how it was smoked or prepared, but I've never had brisket that bad. The pulled pork gave it a run in terms of dryness and lack of flavor. For $28, this was truly terrible BBQ. I was expecting at least average or above average BBQ, but this was just overpriced, chewy, flavorless slop. The sides were a mixed bag. The cole slaw was not good. It was supposed to be mustard based, I guess (?), but it was mainly strips of cabbage. The beet salad was actually not bad, and I would eat that again. Overall 1.5/5 stars for the main course. The ambience was very much the pre-programmed, IG ready hipster/poser neighborhood/dive bar joint - very casual (but not price wise)l - and good match for the food and service they're trying to offer (and image they're trying to project). 3 out of 5 stars. The service was just OK. I sat at the bar, and the bartender was very busy. She seemed nice and was professional but offered mostly indifferent service (maybe because I just had water). Not quite up to the level I would expect for a place like this. 3 out of 5 stars. There's a good idea/concept behind Gene's but the execution was sorely lacking at all levels. Right now, it is far more style than substance. Just a really disappointing experience. (And whatever the supposed viet-cajun influence was totally lost on me, everything seemed pretty much conventional BBQ joint food and sides) read more

Gene's was a bit of dichotomy. On the one hand I want to give a lot of credit for doing texas style bbq in Atlanta, but on the other hand there are so many small things that could have made it better that are attributed to flat out laziness. This brisket pieces I got were from the back of the flat near where it joins the point and the amount of fat was ridiculously high. First, there was still 3/4" of fat on the top render from the flat which is just way too much to leave to your customers if you want them to enjoy the bark. Second the side fat where there should have been a trim down of the mohawk wasn't trimmed at all, so I got a huge 2" piece of white fat with all of my cuts. The overall result was just not really getting enough brisket for the money paid. If the brisket had been trimmed properly, not only would the bbq taste better, but the customer would be more satisfied as well. The customer was not getting satisfaction in this case. read more

We love genes! It's a great place for a casual dinner with great vibes. It's order at the counter and then your food gets delivered at your table. The food and drinks are really good. Their platter is our favorite. The music tends to be a little on the loud side - just something to think about if you have young kids. But overall, great service and great food! read more

Bland, unremarkable BBQ in a great atmosphere. I really want to love Gene's but the food is so bland. Ive been there four times and have had all the meats, sides and most of the starters. The food is very meh and the meat tastes very under seasoned. I don't expect this place to be at Franklin's level but something is very off with the brisket. It tastes like brisket with zero seasoning. I love the space and vibe. Servers are chill and had no problem with service. Just wish the BBQ tasted like BBQ. I might give it another shot down the road but given the other options, if I want BBQ I'll be headed elsewhere. 3 stars for good drinks, atmosphere and staff. read more

Great service. Cool ambiance. Brisket, Brussel sprouts & banana pudding were the highlight. Very tasty. Other food came out cold- Mac & cheese & corn , so that was bummer. Would give them another try. read more

If I'd just been a little more timely with this review I could've been first, but I guess I'll have to settle for lucky number three! There were also three people in our party when we checked out Gene's about a week or so after they opened, thinking that more people = more food we could all try. I'm very glad we did this, because I'd been panting after everything on the menu before they'd even opened, and Gene's did not disappoint. We got a three-meat platter with brisket, boudin, and ribs, with cucumber salad and beans for the sides, along with an order of boudin egg rolls and pickled crab claws. We spent most of the meal going back and forth about what we liked best, because this was a truly difficult call. The meats were delectable: tender, smoky, and expertly seasoned. I think I like the boudin best in egg roll form! Unfortunately we didn't take any pictures, but even if we'd tried the food disappeared so fast it might've been useless to attempt. We were a little confused about how to get service when we first arrived: we soon learned that you order food at the counter and drinks at another, though restaurant staff with their own credit card machines periodically check in on people waiting in the food line to place orders, so you can order a drink and have it brought to you while you wait. Then you snag the first seats that open, and staff checks up on you periodically so you can order more food and drink without having to go back to the counter. We were a bit skeptical about this model at first, but by the end of the meal I was sold on it; it's an effective way to manage the traffic flow in a fairly snug space. The staff are very attentive even though servers aren't assigned to individual tables, and this method made it easy to order more, which we gladly did. The tallow beans are fantastic--so porky and delicious--so we had to have more of those. We also ordered the Vietnamese sticky ribs, which prompted a round of debate about whether they were better than the more conventional ribs we'd had earlier (they're both fantastic but for my money the Viet ribs win!) I'm a sucker for a slushy drink so I had two: one was their Hurricane, which is simply perfect: arctic cold, pale purple, tartness and sweetness in total balance. I then ordered the Genesicle (after the lorge orange boi for whom the restaurant is named). I love Dreamsicles, and you can get this drink zero-proof if you just want an excellent orange, vanilla, and coconut slushy, but I got it spiked up with rum. I also love the ambiance--the warm red lights make the place feel like a more wholesome version of a dive bar. I'm so glad they're open at last; this just might be my new favorite restaurant in Atlanta! read more

Amazing!!! We drove by 1,000 times then finally came on the recommendation of a friend and I'm so glad we did! The starters were all amazing. The fish dip should not be skipped!!! Oysters were fantastic! Also I would be amiss if I didn't dote in the fabulous service! I appreciated our server being perfectly on point with the everything. 11/10 highly recommend! read more

A different kind of place, I suppose. Where is the bbq sauce? There was a bottle of some sauce that had a strange taste to it and a bottle of a "vinegar sauce". I didn't like either. My drink was like it was poured out of one of those premixed bottles you buy at the grocery store. I was not impressed at all. I would not return. Not for me. read more

We have waited patiently for genes to open and it absolutely exceeds expectation. The vibes are immaculate, the food tastes great, and the staff is friendly and helpful. The drinks were wonderful as well. Don't forget to grab a Jell-O shot! Parking is easy with a large shared parking lot in the back. read more

Gene's - 2 meats set with brisket and ribs, esquite corn dip, waffle fries, egg roll, lemon pepper wings - Barbeque Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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The food was awesome! I had the brisket sandwich, mac and cheese, and banana pudding. There was a little mix-up with one of my other side items but they did a great job ensuring I was taken care of. Thank you guys for bringing a fun and yummy restaurant to the neighborhood. read more

The food is overpriced and under-seasoned--really nothing to write home about. Save your money and go literally anywhere else. I can't stop thinking about all the better meals I could have had instead. The oysters were tiny, the chicken had barely any meat, and the mac and cheese was a sick joke. The salad was bone dry. The pulled pork lacked flavor unless drenched in barbecue sauce. The space is small, with only one person taking orders, so it backs up quickly. The service was a mixed bag. Our waitress, a bubbly sweet redhead, was great. However, the other waitress, with black hair, a tan claw clip, and what looked like a face full of filler, had a terrible attitude. I'm not sure if she woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but it was off-putting. We tried to order crab claws, which were listed on the overhead menu, but were informed they weren't available. As I started to mention that they were still listed, she shot me the meanest look, as if I'd asked them to make the crab claws just because they were listed (which wasn't at all what I meant). She cut me off with a curt "we'll handle it." If she had let me finish, she would have heard that I was only pointing it out so others wouldn't make the same mistake. I'm not sure if she misunderstood my intention or if she's always this sour, but the whole interaction was very off-putting. My mother and the people in line behind us witnessed it too and couldn't understand why she reacted that way. An hour later, the crab claws were still listed on the board. read more

The ambiance at Genes is so on point! It's such a cool place to hangout and the drinks looked really good. They really need to work on their food though. My husband and I got the supposedly vegetarian tofu bahn mi at the recommendation of the counter person taking our order and it was awful. It tasted fishy and actually turned my stomach for the rest of the evening. We also got the wedge salad which was yummy but had too much dressing so was super soggy which is gross. Their coleslaw is different but I liked it. My husband got the brisket which he said "didn't do anything for him" and the ribs which were incredibly tough and chewy- the exact opposite of what ribs should be. I wasn't a huge fan of their sauces. The sweet was too ketchupy and the vinegar based sauce needed more. Lastly their banana pudding didn't have any banana slices in it which is just offensive as a southerner! All in all- cool vibes but the food is mids at best and it is incredibly expensive for what you are getting. Also it is counter service which is always lame as all your food comes out at once. Probably wouldn't go back for food but maybe a drink. read more

Moved to Kirkwood about six months ago and so many people have recommended this and I cannot believe I waited so long to try it. I kept it simple since it was my first time, pulled pork sandwich with collard greens as my side, and I was so impressed that I regret not getting a plate. I was with two friends one got the half rack and the rub was so good that it didn't need sauce. The other friend got the brisket plate, it was a little fatty. I like that but she didn't so it's just a matter of preference, but heads up if you don't like fat. Everyone just kind of shared our sides so it was collards, waffle fries, beet salad, potato salad, and Cole slaw. Everything terrific. We had the bushwhacker frozen drinks and it was perfectly made. The servers were attentive and friendly. I'm just a few blocks away and think I just found my new spot. Great vibes, awesome food and drinks, stellar service. I can definitely understand why they're always so busy. read more