Restaurant Review: Scott's Walk-up Bar-B-Q

There’s nothing fancy about located at 206 N. Tennessee St., and they’d be the first to admit it. There’s no wine list, cloth napkins or even glass plates, but they have really good barbeque, and that’s why people keep going back.

Scott’s specializes in traditional southern barbequed meat and side items, but the focus is on the meat. If you’re hungry and in a hurry, you can get a hearty and satisfying meal quickly while knowing it was prepared with time and attention. It’s like going to a family cookout where you know the food is really good any time you feel like it!  

The restaurant is called a “walk-up” because when you enter you literally have to walk-up to the counter to place your order, but you don’t have to make it to-go. You can eat inside or outside on the patio. The interior of the restaurant is clean and simple with a self-serve soda fountain and the patio is shaded but open on three sides, making it the perfect place to eat on a warm day with a light breeze.

There is a low-key, mellow vibe to Scott’s that makes you feel comfortable right away. In fact, when my family and I arrived for lunch on our inaugural visit, we were greeted by the owner, Scott Panter, who was relaxing at a table on the patio. He was wearing his apron and looked like he was enjoying a peaceful moment before the lunch rush. Later, he stopped by our table to see how we’d liked our meals and seemed genuinely interested in getting to know us. Individual attention like that is what makes small-town living so special, and what makes a person want to frequent their favorite local restaurants.  

Without further ado, let’s talk about the food! My husband and I both ordered plates. He selected chicken ($7.50) and I had a combo plate ($9.75) consisting of three baby back ribs and pulled pork. Plates normally come with your choice of two sides. We both asked for salads but other sides we could have chosen include Brunswick Stew, Bar-B-Q Beans, Coleslaw, Potato Salad, Collard Greens and Potato Chips.

I liked that the pulled pork was not drenched in sauce because it allowed me to add sauce when I wanted to, or I could leave it dry and get the true taste of the pork, which had a great smoky flavor. The meat was not as moist as I prefer but it was not overly dry either. The bark (outer layer) was delicious! The ribs had a mild, dry rub. They were not fall-off-the-bone ribs but they were still quite tender and succulent. The salad was plain but the vinegar sauce they put on the table (which was meant for the meat) was actually great on the salad! The plates also are served with a simple slice of white bread, pickles, Saltines and wet wipes. The presentation is not pretentious and at first I thought the slice of bread actually looked kind of sad on my plate, but as I started eating I decided that that’s probably intentional, in order to let the flavors of the meats shine through.  

There are three sauces available on every table: Scott's Original Georgia Style BBQ Sauce, North Carolina (vinegar) Style BBQ Sauce and Carolina (mustard) Style BBQ Sauce. My favorite was the Original because it had a nice balance of tangy and sweet.

My husband’s chicken was primarily white meat, smoked and plump. It looked a little small on the plate but he proceeded to pull the meat off the bone and shred it on top of his salad and there was actually a lot of it! He added some of the Original sauce and made a BBQ pulled chicken salad. The portions look humble but when you start eating you realize that they’re perfect for lunch, especially if you order richer side items, which we did not do on this visit.

Go to Scott's Walk-up Bar-B-Q when you want good grub fast. Expect an unassuming, clean and welcoming environment. I overheard a gentleman ordering at the counter while I was pouring my drink at the fountain. He was there with his kids and he was telling the woman taking his order that it was his daughter’s birthday. He had asked his daughter where she wanted to go and she picked Scott’s! I think that’s as good a recommendation as any to give it a try sometime soon!

Scott’s is open for lunch Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and for lunch and dinner Thursday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can dine-in, take-out and even order meat by the pound and sides by the gallon to feed large groups. Call ahead for pick-up at 770-382-1600. Visit its website for a menu and more information.