This Is It! BBQ & Seafood

Needed a caterer for a vow renewal ceremony for my parents. In June 2015, I reached out to the This Is It on Panola Road in Lithonia, GA. I called and left several messages — no response. I went to the store location in July, went over my budget with a catering manager that said that she would «put something (plan) together for me and email it» to me in a few days. A few days (a week) later — no email no and no call. I went on to book another caterer. All was fine until the other caterer cancelled at the last minute due to a tragic death of a family member. I reached out to This is It again — this time reaching the catering Corporate manager, Darren. He said that he would «put something (plan) together for me and email it» to me in a few days. No RESPONSE from him either. Called and put in a formal complaint to the corporate office. Spoke to a woman named Stephanie. She was kind and listened to my frustration and stressed the urgency because the event was the upcoming weekend. She said that the owner «may» contact me in a few days. NO RESPONSE! It took me 2 days but I ended up cooking the meal for 100 people in my own kitchen! Thank goodness I can cook. The event was this past Saturday. The food was great and a whole lot cheaper. I was willing to pay for convenience and was trying to support a local minority owned business but This ISN’T it! I will no longer patronize a business that does not do what they say they will, does NOT respect my time and apparently does not want my money. If you are trying to support a minority owned business, there are so many more to choose from — this one isn’t it

Absolutely awesome choice of a restaurant! The atmosphere is very inviting and the smell of smoked meat will capture your senses as soon as you walk through the door. The staff were very professional, kind, and helpful, especially the manager Aaron. He took the time to explain the restaurants history and gave us great advice on tourist attractions as we were visiting from NC. The food was the best southern style soul food you could ask for. The fried wings were cooked to perfection and were seasoned so well it made your mouth water. The Mac and Cheese was to die for. And we can’t forget the collard greens that were so tender and well seasoned! This was by far the best dining experience we’ve had in a long time. We will definitely be back!

Slow service, lack of care and/​or concern. I’m expressing what I want and I get well it don’t matter to me I still get paid. WOW.. . I need a new restaurant

Great clean atmosphere, very nice and the food is always delicious. I ordered the fish with Macaroni– YUM

Location has seriously dropped in service and standards. From dumping fresh food on top of old food to not having the proper # of staff on hand to run their operation smoothly.

The food is great staff is great environment is good just expensive to be a bbq spot this is the only restaurant i know that serve chitterlings everyday. My favorite location is memorisl drive. The new location on panola looks better but the staff on memorial are the best make u feel at home

Clean restaurant, polite staff and quick take out service. We liked the rib tips better than the pulled pork. The coleslaw is great. I’m not a fan of baked beans with meat mixed in, but my husband liked them. The macaroni & cheese is FANTASTIC. I feel like I didn’t have enough on my plate. I am not a fan of the BBQ sauce, my husband liked it well enough though. I am willing to go back and try the oxtails, I’ll update later.

BEST BBQ SAUCE EVER!!! Mac and cheese horrible very watery with fake cheese sauce, Need a new recipe ASAP. Although the vegetables good with alot of flavor.

I hate having to give bad reviews but there is ALWAYS an issue when I go here. I gave up on them a long time ago. However, since my family continues to patronize them, I have to by association. We mostly use them for big orders, when we’re having a family get together, the order is NEVER RIGHT! I go get the order, and something’s missing. I go get another order, and it’s not ready. Mind you, I don’t just walk in and demand a HUGE order, the day of. I order it at least 1 – 2 weeks in advance and specify what time I’m coming to get it. So with all this information how are things STILL not ready? These past two instances are pretty much what sent me over the top though. My brother ordered a slab of beef and a slab of pork ribs for mothers day. Since he lives in Grayson, he ordered them at this location and asked me to go get them and bring them when we come out there to celebrate for Mothers Day. I went to get them. They didn’t have all the beef ribs. They tried to make ME go to another location to get them. I told them no, YOU can go get them, I’ll be here when you get back. I had to sit there an HOUR pass the time I scheduled to pick them up for them to go get more beef ribs from their stonrcrest location. They gave us another slab of pork ribs for our trouble, but it’s my TIME I can’t get back. And since it’s not my idea to keep patronizing them anyway, that extra slab didn’t make a difference to me.
Yesterday, my mother decides to order ribs and sides for Fathers Day. She ordered them at least a week ago and set her pick up time for 10pm the night before Fathers Day. I didn’t like her going out that late to get them because panola road is so busy, but that’s the only time she could. I get a call t 10:15 from her saying that they MISTAKENLY sold our ribs and if I could go to the location on Memorial Drive ON FATHERS DAY to get another order, and they’ll give us another slab of pork ribs for our trouble. I asked why couldn’t we go to the stonecrest location? They’re not open on Sundays. So once again, I have to inconvenience myself and go to a location OUT MY WAY… ON FATHERS DAY, to get food that I ordered prior to this because of THEIR lack of professionalism! How you sell someone else’s order by mistake, I’ll never know! My mom was furious as well. If anything, I think someone from the panola location needs to go to memorial drive today and pick them up and deliver them to our house PERSONALLY since it’s their fault, because once again it’s my TIME that I have to take that I can’t get back! But that’s just my opinion. After this instance, I’m going to seriously work OVERTIME to convince my family NOT to support this place anymore! As expensive as the large orders are, the services needs to be on point and this place is FAR FROM IT.

This was our first time ever trying this. We didn’t know it was cafeteria style until we walked in. Took about 10 – 15 minutes in the line which would be cool if only it was cooler inside. However it looks nice. Lots of tv’s. Kinda of reminded me of a smaller bbq version of sweetie pie’s. The food how ever was really good! Got the beef ribs. Get the hot sauce when they ask which sauce :). Husband got the charbroiled wings. They were good as well. Greens were great! They don’t use pork in their string beans or collard greens. Appreciate that bc I don’t do pork. We would def return here and enjoy trying different things on the menu. And they have a different special every day :)

Great Rib tips. Great Grilled Tilapia over rice. Great Smothered Pork chops. I haven’t tried everything on the menu but everything I have has been really tasty. Good portion sizes. The prices seem to be climbing but other than that, I have no complaints.
Great place

This Is It! An Atlanta staple restaurant that has been apart of the community for many years. At this location I only came in because of the 2 for $ 25 meal deal and drink. I came here in the evening the line was long and the wait was very long over 20 mins. I didn’t understand why as most of the food people wanted is just ready to be spooned into a Styrofoam tray as its already prepared and hot in the warmer units. The restaurant is nice on the inside and the food is good. I will comeback but only for the meal deal, their regular prices for food is a little high for BBQ… I just don’t think it’s worth what they are asking for.

Overall things were great! We were a little disappointed that the sides that we really wanted weren’t available at the time we were there. (I believe they ran out) Past that, we had the rib tips, macaroni & cheese, and cabbage. It was delicious and they give you a lot of food for the money.

I go in to get a vegetable plate the girl behind the counter proceed to ignore and continue on fixing other customers plates as if I was not standing there that’s fine with me I will not beg you to take my money won’t be going back there again!!!

Been to this location several times. Very clean, food always appears fresh. You can tell this location is owned & operated by the original creators. Like any place, they have their off days. Some items can be a little pricey, not a fan $ 4 for a additional side item. But u get what u pay for
I can’t say the same about the Marietta/​Smyrna location!

I have been in this particular This is it on numerous occasions. However, lately seems like someone is dropping the ball. My last three visits have been horrifying! One of the orders, my barbeque chicken was not done. I called the restaurant, and they told me just to bring it back. The next day, I did just that, at which point, they offered to replace just the chicken. I explained to the server that I had driven all the way back here because of them, I deserved a full meal, so she goes over to talk to the rather large manager, who looks at me, and keeps doing what he’s doing. No one comes up to me at all. After 5 minutes, she comes over and says, mamn, he’ll be right with you. She goes back over to him who looks at me again comes back over to me, and says we’ll replace your meal. Wow! Really. Even after that, I decide to go back in. This time, the potato salad was horrible. Okay, what’s really going on at this location? New Cooks?
The last time 02/​24/​2015, get back to the office, the greens have absolutely no taste, the cabbage has absolutely no taste. The half of chicken mind you it cost 10.99, was so dry that I couldn’t swallow it. I’m done. Three strikes… you’re out This is it on Panola Rd. By the way… this team needs a class on customer service! No smiles… no thank you… nothing. All the way up to the manager.

Delicious and healthy options. Came here and the ribs and chicken melted. Tastiest collard greens.

Yay! Good food. I don’t eat red meat and have a choice of sides that are not drowned in pig fat drippings.

I’d have to say I’ve visited here a few times. in my opinion the food is sub par for the price. I did enjoy the deserts but its not a place I’d go to on a regular basis.

I loooove bbq. When my friend recommended to eat at This is it BBQ. I was all down for it. I originally looked online at the Stonecrest Mall location but my friend mentioned that it’s smaller. Therefore, we just went to the Lithonia location. It is right Panola Road exit off I-​20 on the left hand side. Walking inside, it’s spacey and it’s cafeteria style. I haven’t seen this style since college, lol. It’s one meat plus two veggie side dishes. I ordered the chicken wings with spicey bbq sauce in the side, collard greens, and green beans. My friend got the 3 ribs with regular bbq on the side, macaroni & cheese, and cabbage. Even though it was cafeteria style, a waiter brought the food to our table. Everything was just sooo yummy. I got the lemonade and she got the sweet tea. It’s free refills too! I would definitely come back again and try more dishes, especially the fried seafood!