My wife makes me take the long way around going to our house from church on Sunday so I won’t drive by Sonny’s. She knows if I drive by I will pull in. There is no telling how often I eat at Sonny’s. It’s not that I am crazy about Sonny’s but it’s the closest BBQ place to my house.
There are several places within driving distance of my house that sells good BBQ. Fincher’s in Macon is known throughout Georgia. We have a local place called Georgia Bob’s that is actually in a convenience store located at a busy intersection in town. When that stuff is cooking it is hard not to turn in to get some.
I’m hoping we will get a Smokey Bones in our town. I have eaten there several times and ate at one of those the other day at lunch here. Not bad at all. I have even eaten at the original Dreamland in Tuscaloosa AL. You can’t even get an order of French fries there. It’s just BBQ and some sliced bread. And it’s good. Like real good.
BBQ restaurants are all over the place now. Some are better than others. But they are all modern restaurants. You have waitresses who take your order and bring the food to you. Sometimes the meat is cooked a day or two earlier.
When I was growing up in Reynolds, Cooney Warren (pictured on right at his establishment) had the only BBQ place in town. It was not a fancy place, but it was a real BBQ joint. The kind where they stayed up all night cooking it the night before.
They only served it on Friday. You didn’t have a waitress and they sure didn’t take a credit card. You didn’t get any sides and they didn’t serve iced tea. You never had to wait on a table because they had no tables. But it was BBQ at its best.
You just came in and bought it and took it home with you to eat. Sometimes you ate in in the car on the way home. And sometimes you had to stand in line but it was worth the wait. I can tell you Cooney sold a whole lot of it. And you could smell it cooking all over town.
When I look back on it I should have been his marketing guy. I can see Cooney Warren’s BBQ signs all over the United States.
All great restaurant chains begin with a great idea, great food and a great name.
Cooney Warren had all three.
2 comments:
The original Dreamland in Tuscaloosa does not have pulled or chopped pork, so if you are looking for that you will be disappointed. They only have ribs (not baby back), bbq sauce, loaf bread and iced tea.
george goddard
Boy have you brought back good memories. I too loved Conney's BBQ. I love good BBQ and I have to say that I think GA Bob's is the best in Warner Robins. Of course I won't turn down any and I think Sonny's has the best baby back ribs. My daddy also does pretty good BBQ.
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