Cheap Eats - Good ol’ boy ‘cue

Prepare to be called “honey” when you walk through the doors of Harold’s Barbecue. The sagging structure is one of those history-encrusted brick shanties reeking of smoked meat and Southern sweetness.

Located amid the tumbledown industrial yards south of Turner stadium, the restaurant’s mainstays of pork barbecue, Brunswick stew and cracklin’ cornbread keep the parking lot packed with good ol’ boys from downtown looking for a hearty lunch or dinner. Red-and-white checkered tablecloths, newspaper clippings and a charcoal pit in plain view are what you imagine Boss Hogg may have sidled up to when he wasn’t out chasing Uncle Jesse and the boys.

Wait time: During a busy lunch, a jumble of business casuals crowds the door, but we found a seat in no time flat after 1 p.m.

What we ate: A pork plate (regular $7.50, large $8.50) comes with sliced pork (you can request chopped), a large bowl of Brunswick stew, a side of coleslaw and cracklin’ cornbread — cornbread with cracklin’ thrown in. What is “cracklin’,” you ask? Why, it’s pork rind after the fat has been rendered — a crispity, crunchy Southern treat. I know, it sounds terrible, but the salty bread squares get an infusion of seasoning and crunch all at the same time, even if it is from animal skin.

The Brunswick stew contains thin pieces of pork, tomato chunks, corn and other seasonings. The substantial portion is served scalding hot. Two bottles of vinegar-based, ketchupy barbecue sauce on the table — one mild, one hot — perk up the somewhat dry pork pieces. The pork sandwich ($3.50) comes already sauced and ready to eat. If you don’t get into swine, there’s beef barbecue.

Service: Our server told us to sit wherever we wanted. “If it’s dirty, go ahead and sit and they’ll clean it, honey.” She sidled up next to us and took our order. With plenty of regulars coming through the door, she seemed ready to handle just about anyone or anything that might eat there.

Least expensive item: Get a plain hot dog for $1.50, or layer it with slaw for a quarter more. If you want it topped with a bit of stew, you’ll pay a grand total of $2.50.

Most expensive item: The pork ribs plate rings up at $13.50, but you get a rack of ribs, slaw, a big bowl of Brunswick stew and cornbread.

Who to take? Lewis Grizzard and his pals used to hang out here. Other notables like comedian Jeff Foxworthy have ordered the ‘cue. It’s just the place to get a real taste of the Old South.??