Fresh Air Barbecue

This place was so-​so at best. The food was edible and priced right, but that’s about all that was good about it.
I must’ve went on an off day, because I see all the high ratings here. There is much better BBQ out there.
Still, it was kind of cool to eat at a spot that’s been there since 1929.

Good old-​fashioned barbecue and very friendly service. Between us, we had a pulled pork sandwich, Brunswick stew, and coleslaw, and everything was good. It was also fun to be in a place with so much history.

Not that great to me at all. Prices are fair. The bbq was bland. I just don’t get the hype of people always telling folks to eat here. We have way better bbq in my little town of Zebulon.

Highly overrated fairly expensive very bland food not sure why people love this place. i guess they just don’t know any better

Good south GA BBQ. If you are heading through this part of GA this is a great place to stop. I’ve only eaten here once but enjoyed the pork plate. There homemade sauces were tasty.

I eat here every time I am in Jackson. I love the tangy vinegar-​based BBQ sauce. In fact, I bought some to take home.

Second time eating there in the past 2 months because we live in Atlanta but we make the trek down because it’s that good. They only do pulled pork and that’s fine with me. Everything is awesome– the pork, Brunswick stew, the coleslaw, etc! Get the deluxe plate! And grab a tshirt!

I am a BBQ fanatic so making me happy is hard but not impressed at all… have had better. Don’t like the slaw, sauce not good and tea taste nasty. Sorry… but you folks in Jackson do not know good BBQ. Go to Wallace BBQ in Austell, GA or Hudson;s BBQ in Douglasville, GA (now that’s good BBQ)

I have been eating here since I was a child. Growing up in Jackson, it was only one of the few places to eat back in the 70’s and 80’s. It hasn’t changed. Still, very good bbq and slaw, those are my tow favorites things here but honestly have never had anything bad here.

After living in the area for 25 years finally tried this landmark. Pork is the only choice and it was cooked well. Sauce is a little vinegar tangy, which I like, but some would not. Best Brunswick stew I have eaten, which I don’t usually like, but this was good. Liked the rustic atmosphere and staff was very friendly. Ice tea was great, but they must have been running low on ice. Will I return? Yes. Best Q in Georgia? Not in my opinion, but in my top 5.

Great pulled pork.
Nice smokey flavor is just right with the meat.
The vinegar-​based bbq sauce is some of the best I’ve had.
The Brunswick Stew was good.
Overall good value.
Quaint, rustic atmosphere.
Only drawback is a lack of other items on the menu for those in your party that don’t eat pork.

Great prices, meh stew, meh $ 3 sandwich. Sauce meh. Amazing ambiance. Smoke so thick on the interior, it has colored everything in sight.

Mmmmhhhh… Grew up coming here, so there’s great memories to accompany the amazing pulled pork sandwiches.

Grew up in Alabama, so had my fair share of BBQ.
First off the sauce is some of the best I have ever had. Simply an outstanding well balanced vinager based sauce. The pork was very tender and moist but was totally lacking the outer bark of the butt as well as the smoke. Sort of reminded me of one that I had done at home in a crockpot. The slaw was excellent! The Brunswick stew was some of the most plain jane I have ever had. I would definetly eat here again and recommend that everyone give it a try. However I simply cannot recommend the Brunswick stew as mentioned above.

Fresh Air BBQ is a Georgia landmark and for 86 years has served some of the best cue and stew in the South in the rustic roadside stand just a couple of miles from Indian Spring State Park. Do yourself a favor and make a «pit» stop at Fresh Air Barbecue and you won’t be sorry.

My wife says she has been going to Fresh Air Barbecue in Jackson (actually, it’s near Jackson) since she was 2 years old. I’ve only gone a few times, but like yesterday we stop by whenever we can, usually on trips to or from Florida.
Fresh Air is a classic barbecue joint, founded in 1929 and today run by the grandsons of one of the owners. I nominate it for the best name, best atmosphere and some of the tastiest basic «bar-​bee-​chew» of any BBQ place in the South.
We had a simple barbecue sandwich for lunch, with sweet tea, and took home a box full of pulled pork slaw, Brunswick stew, beans and an 8-​pack of Colonial hamburger buns. The price is right, and the food is as authentic as you’ll find anywhere in the Southeast. The barbecue sauce is the vinegar and tomato combination style that you’ll find in Georgia and some other areas in the South, and the pulled pork is slow-​roasted in a shack next door. No alcohol served.
My only disappointment was that they didn’t have any Fresh Air bird houses in stock — these are amazing pieces of Southern folk art.
By the way, Fresh Air has put up a new rail fence in front of the building, so any photo you have or see on their website does not reflect the «new look» though the main part of the restaurant remains the same inside and out.
There also are locations in Macon and Athens, run by «kin» of the Jackson owners, but I prefer the atmosphere and food at the Jackson location.

I have lived in Covington for over 30 years and this was my first time here. This is where I’ll be getting BBQ from now on! I love the vinegar base sauce. I was very pleased with the food the price and the atmosphere. Awesome experience! !

If you like vinegar based BBQ sauce then this is the place for you. As far as I’m concerned sweet BBQ sauce isn’t even food so of course I enjoy Fresh Air.
The menu is very limited but that’s not a problem for most people.
The meat and stew are both very good, but not exactly anything showstopping. It’s really all about the sauce. If you love it, you’ll love fresh air.

My hometown BBQ stand but I think this is a big tourist attraction for people passing by. This is my favorite BBQ and stew. By far. I love everything about it. It is vinegar base if that’s the kind of BBQ you like. BBQ meat, two slices of bread and stew! Hi can’t beat it!

The pork BBQ isn’t bad, but that’s literally all this place has to offer.
1. It’s in the middle of nowhere.
2. It serves nothing else. No other meats, no sides other than chips, slaw that tastes like they bought it in vats from KFC, and brunswick stew.
3. The service reminds me of a grade school lunch line. Not exactly customer-​friendly when we visited.
4. No décor to speak of. They don’t even have chairs. Picnic tables and wooden benches.
5. I suppose if you like country rustic and pork, it might be worth a visit, but otherwise I wouldn’t recommend it.