Absolutely the best barbeque I have ever eaten. When I was a kid, my parents used to make a stop in Macon to get Fresh Air bbq on our way from Atlanta to St. Simons. I later spent three years living in Macon and absolutely savored having Fresh Air down the street because my family has never found a place that compares to Fresh Air. (Slopes in the Atlanta area is the only thing that has come remotely close.) The pork is quality meat. You won't find any nasty chunks of gristle or charred slices. The mild sauce is so tangy that it will make your mouth water just thinking about it; it has the right combination of spices to give it enough kick without being overpowering. (Tip: You can even get a container of sauce to go.) I am not at all a coleslaw person but I will actually eat the slaw from Fresh Air, and the Brunswick stew is incredible. Do yourself a favor and stop by this great Macon establishment. read more

No nonsense; no frills; inexpensive; large servings; Georgia BBQ! In a time when reimagined BBQ in a more upscale setting is all the rage, Fresh Air is being true to the traditional Southern BBQ joint. Don't get me wrong I enjoy the new BBQ trend restaurants as well but there is nostalgia in a place like Fresh Air. Is it the best BBQ you've ever eaten? Probably not. Is it damn good BBQ none the less? You can bet on it! For those who only know the trendy BBQ spots give Fresh Air a try to see what paved the way for the journey of BBQ to become what it is today. read more

The place still rocks out for BBQ, There is a reason why everyone always comes back to the southern style homemade BBQ at its finest on Riverside Dr. I been coming here for as long as it's been open, 20 plus years read more

Fresh Air Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Macon, Georgia

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Mediocre bbq place. Portions are small, beans and bbq sauce taste store bought, not homemade, ribs and chopped pork taste so-so. Do yourself a favor and find another bbq place . read more

A must! Everything on the menu is delicious. Very friendly staff, some have been there for all long as I remember. It's a little packed in there at lunch time -a good sign, grab a table and sit down on a rickety chair and enjoy the smell of sweet molasses while you wait for your order. The pulled pork is just sooooo good, and the slaw. We stop in for lunch on the drive down to Hilton Head, and also take out enough for another 3-4 meals. Too bad we live so far. We're going again next week, yum. read more

I am very disappointed that I have to change my rating from a 4 star to a 2 star but something has happened to Fresh Air since I was there last. Maybe the economy has them cutting corners and thats too bad cause this use to be some really good Q. I ordered my typical two sandwich special (comes with chips and a drink). I barely made it through the first sandwich. The pork was dry and the sauce was weak. This is not the same Fresh Air I remember raving about. read more

Fresh Air Bar-B-Que - Store front - Barbeque Near Me - Macon, Georgia

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Eat here regularly. Their barbecue is as good as it gets. Sauce is perfect. Best Cole slaw in the country. Don't stray from the barbecue plate if it's your first time. Brunswick stew is decent but I prefer it chunky and smoky not pureed. Ribs are ok but I'm not a fall off the bone fan. Chicken is good but can be occasionally dry. Great place to get a party pack for a family meal. If you want really great chopped pork barbecue, delicious sauce and outstanding Cole slaw, this is your place. read more

Their Brunswick stew is soooooo good! I couldn't stop eating it lol. The only thing *I* didn't fancy was the pork being finely chopped and their bbq has a strong vinegar-y taste to it. But I still enjoyed it so much!! I got us a pound of bbq, pint of stew, and 6 buns which equaled to $17.05. Great deal! I ended up dipping my bread into the stew-- mmmmmm!!!! read more

I got the bbq pull pork sandwich and it was more meat then sauce barely bbq sauce but it was good . Also got the rib bbq plate the baked beans are really good ! ColeslaW I didn't like .. I really don't know what's this orange looking food is but it's good also with the crackers I'm guessing chilli ribs 4/10 not seasoned but sauce on top was good read more

Great BBQ. Outdoor picnic table options. Just come early - it's fresh and once it's out it's gone.

I was only in Macon for 45 minutes before I decided that I needed some bar-b-que, and boy-oh-boy am I thrilled that this is where I ended up. The tang of the sauce on the pulled pork is still making my mouth water, and the Brunswick stew actually caused a fight at the table over who would get the last bit of it. I'll definitely go back the next time that I'm in the 'Heart of Georgia'! read more

Made a stop here after a long day of tubing down the river. My husband had known of this little place and was in the mood for some BBQ. I unfortunately was not very impressed. When you walk in, if feels as though you've taken a step back in time with the wooden tables, wicker chairs, gumball machines, and gas station-esque decor on the walls. Even have jeopardy on TV for your viewing pleasure. While the aroma of the food does get your mouth watering, it did not satisfy my taste buds. Limited menu. If you're searching for any vegetables, there are none. I ordered a plain 'ole sandwich. While I did eat the meat and half the bun, no matter how much salt, pepper or hot sauce I added, I could not deter the vinegar taste. If you love drinking vinegar, you'll like the food. My husband ordered the rib plate. The brunswick stew was decent. Beans were vinegary. The coleslaw looked like baby food the way it had been ground down and was tasteless. But then again, my taste buds had probably shriveled up into nothing by the time I tried it. In my opinion, the food is served pic-nic style, meaning everything is served on paper plates, disposable cups and plastic silverware. I get it, it cuts down on dishes and is easy clean up. Will I return? Probably not. I can still taste the vinegar... read more

Fresh Air holds a very special place in my heart. I prefer the Jackson location, but Macon is usually more on our route. We always stop in! Pork plate with sweet tea can't be beat. The stew is my favorite- that which I compare all other brunswick stew. The slaw is my favorite- that which I compare all other cole slaw. The sauce too. Fresh sweet tea is a staple. I will say, I prefer Carolina and Lexington style BBQ, but Georgia BBQ is so similar, and adding brunswick stew that is smoky and sweet and warm- perfection. read more

Love this place. Great clasic barbecue, the slaw is to good. The chicken is so moist and tender it fals of the bone. Just thinking , if I was t say what my favorite was it would be the chicken read more

The pork sandwich was too sour.. the rib was pretty good. You can break the bone with your finger. It is south Carolina BBQ. Ok read more

I spent a few days in Macon and tried some barbeque places and this is the one I liked best. First off - they use excellent quality pork. In Macon, you can order your pulled pork "dry" . .I never heard of this in North Carolina, Virginia, Kansas City. .the region/styles I am familiar with but . .when in Rome . . . . I got my dry sandwich and tried both of the sauces on the table . .the mild and the hot. I preffered the Mild . .which was awesome and tangy and a little bit spicy. The hot version was hotter .. but less tangy. The slaw here is really good, too. Of course you can't really go wrong on BBQ in Macon . . .all of the places I tried kicked the crap out of any BBQ I ever had in the OC . . . but Fresh Air gets my vote for best pulled pork in Macon. read more

Simple old-fashioned Georgia* barbecue at its best. The menu at Fresh Air is pretty simple. I recommend the pork plate. It comes with a serving of chopped pork, coleslaw, brunswick stew, bread, and a pickle spear. Everything is pretty old-fashioned, like grandma used to make. (A "Special", two sandwiches and chips, is also a good choice. But add a side of slaw to go on the sandwiches) The Macon location offers ribs and chicken, not available at the original Jackson location. They are good, but not as good as the classic chopped pork. Their sauce is the best I have ever had. It is similar to a western North Carolina "Lexington" style sauce. Primarily it's a pepper and vinegar sauce, with a little tomato and sugar to round off the edges. If you like your barbecue sweet, Kansas City style, this might not be your thing. A cup of (extra sweet) sweet sweet tea complements the sauce perfectly. The pork is cooked in large pieces, so it's not especially smoky, but the fine chop helps mix in the outside pieces. The Brunswick stew is the best I have ever had and the competition isn't close. It's a simple but effective combination of tomatoes, corn, onions and meat. My grandmother once wrote a recipe for coleslaw, it read: cabbage, mayonnaise. Fresh Air heard that message. The coleslaw relies on the natural sweetness of the cabbage to play first chair and it works. My wife loves (LOVES) coleslaw, she says Fresh Air has the best. Why do I give Fresh Air five stars? Their coleslaw is the coleslaw against which I measure all others. Their Brunswick stew is the Brunswick stew against which I measure all others. Their sauce... and so on. To me, the barbecue at Fresh Air is the dictionary definition of the word barbecue. It's what comes to mind when I think of barbecue. Simple smoked pork with a simple tangy sauce. Fresh Air has been around since 1929 (the original in Jackson, not the Macon "outpost") Little to nothing about their food has changed in those years. It was the best in Georgia for 70+ years. There's something to be said for that. When I eat Fresh Air it just tastes "right". *Despite popular conception, Georgia does have it's own traditional barbecue style. It's closely related to Western North Carolina (Which it's usually lumped with) as both were brought down from Virginia along the Great Wagon Road by Scots-Irish immigrants to the Piedmont. Both favor chopped smoked pork with a vinegar-pepper-tomato sauce and chopped coleslaw. The biggest difference is the obligatory Brunswick (See Brunswick, GA) stew in Georgia. Fresh Air is the exemplar. read more

This is the place to stop when you're driving through Macon. You have to get the chicken and the pork so just load up. You can also take some to go. The Brunswick stew is top notch and the coleslaw is really good. read more

After reading some of the rave reviews on this place I went there. Well let me tell you about the bbq I was not impressed because the ribs were not smoked and not from the grill (big no-no) seems that they were cooked in the oven. The taste of the ribs were okay and they were tender, but I've had worse! I'll just keep trying or forget about bbq ribs all together. :-( read more

I consider myself a BBQ snob since I was raised less than 3 miles from Old Clinton BBQ in Gray, but Fresh Air has won me over. Their brunswick stew is hands over fist the best I have ever had. I always order extra so that I can take it home and eat it the next day. Their BBQ sandwich is average. I do favor their Mild sauce, but the Hot sauce is good too. If you are up for the road trip, go north of Highway 87 until you pass Indian Springs and the original Fresh Air will be on your left. It is worth the 30 minutes in the car. The BBQ is even better there!! read more

Best BBQ in Macon. I love the hot vinegar based sauce and the smokey meat is excellent. Not a lot of options available but the BBQ pork and chicken is very good. This is NOT Sonny's and it's not a chain BBQ place. It's great BBQ in a down home environment that hits the spot. When I was on the Atkins diet this was one of my mainstays. read more

This is authentic "carolina style" bbq. You should ignore negative reviews from those who might be unfamiliar with this style. read more

Fresh Air Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Macon, Georgia

I ordered 1/2 chicken. It was so dry it was hard to eat. I was so excited to eat here after driving buy often. So disappointed. It comes with bread wrapped up. When I unwrapped it a gnat flew out. So disgusting. Don't waste your money. read more

Been to Fresh Air a few times over the years when traveling to FL. Macon is a fun stop and Fresh Air seems to always make in on the list of places to stop. The place is not fancy at all, but the staff is consistently nice. I like their Brunswick stew but wish it wasn't served in styrofoam. For those that have issues with the BBQ - I wonder it they don't like the Carolina style vinegar based sauce? I think it is a reasonable example of the style in a basic no frills environment. Despite the other reviews, I like their BBQ and will continue to pop in when in the area as long as the food is consistently tasty! read more

I mean, do I even need to write a review? Just eat it. And when you're done, say thank you.

We went here because of reviews online. We were extremely disappointed. This is the worse bbq I've ever had. The brunswick stew was chopped, unappetizing! They were out of ribs, so we got the pork platter. The pork does not taste like bbq meat - It's tangy and chopped almost fine. The 1star is for the coleslaw, again its chopped, but it had a good flavor. The food actually reminded me of nursing home food. Will never go back. read more

I love Fresh Air. Their pork is good - although, admittedly, I prefer Fincher's more moist version. I think their ribs are excellent, contrary to what others may have written here. The real reason to come here? The Brunswick Stew. Hands down the finest in the world. It's not too greasy, it's not too meaty, it's not too peppery. When you eat it, you feel like you're eating food, not slop...it's perfect. It's the perfect balance...and I could eat it exclusively for the rest of my life. And no, I am not making this up. Try it. It's unbelievably wonderful. I promise! read more

While in Macon for a conference I went to Fresh Air with a fellow conferee who hails from Springfield, MO. I'd been very excited to sample Fresh Air's offerings because i read positive reviews and received several recommendations. My chum and i agree: WORST BARBECUE EVER. Really, the "chopped" pork lacked smoke flavor altogether, had the texture of boiled meat left out to dry, and was served with a small squirt of very thin sauce that proved reminiscent of cheap ketchup cut with white vinegar. the ribs similarly sported a boiled, gummy texture bereft of smoke flavor. The sauce on the ribs was palatable. the sweet tea wasn't even right. On the plus side, the cole slaw was VERY tasty. Brunswick Stew, not so much. I ordered: Barbecue Plate ($6.99)- serving of "chopped"pork and two sides 4 ribs sweet tea. my bill totaled $15.61. they ought to pay people to eat barbecue this bad. i expect bad barbecue in the deserts of New Mexico, but not in the South. and my Missouri acquaintance refuses to qualify the nastiness at Fresh Air as "barbecue" as doing so would insult any self-respecting fan of smoked meat. read more

Stopped in Macon to see a friend on the way from IN to FL, and of course had to seek out local cuisine. Given that we got to Fresh Air at 7:50pm on a Sunday (closing time 8:00), I heartily forgive the lukewarm half-slab. And you should too, or show up at a more reasonable hour! The meat was still quite good, with a not-too-tough leathery smoked crust and fall-off-the bone tenderness, and the sides (which WERE standard temp) were interesting: some maple/bourbon-ish flavored baked beans and Brunswick stew. I've not had Brunswick stew before, but if this is a representative example I dig it: thick brown meaty stew with a corn-based southern starch twist (I read that legumes/okra/etc. are also acceptable starches). Also, the BBQ sauce was unique: highly tangy and citrusy - almost a South Carolina-vinegar level of acidity - but solidly rooted in a saucy tomato base. I must note that the staff were SUPER gracious, encouraging us to eat in even as they were clearly packing up for the night. I've had better barbeque from the put-the-meat-in-your-mouth-and-savor standpoint, but overall this was a great real barbeque dinner and certainly represented Macon well! read more

HOW have I never given this place a review? Holy cow.. We have been eating at Fresh Air for years and years... it's a convenient "pit stop" on our way from Atlanta to Tybee Island. (In fact, a trip to the beach WITHOUT a stop at Fresh Air would seem incomplete...) The atmosphere.... I'd give it a 75 (it is vastly improved from what it used to be). The folks who work the counter are nothing special. Not terribly friendly, not rude, just very "run of the mill". But the BBQ sandwiches???.... Oh.My.Goodness... the BBQ sandwiches. (My mouth is literally watering as I'm typing this review...) The pork is chopped - nice and moist and smoky (the way BBQ pork should be). The sauce is a freaking MASTERPIECE. Spicy, vinegary, tangy... WOW. Honestly, this is my favorite BBQ anywhere. Caveat: I'm not a fan of Brunswick stew, nor a big fan of ribs, so I can't comment on those. But if you're craving a BBQ sandwich and you're ANYWHERE near Macon, you need to stop. (It's right off 75, on the access road, behind the Longhorn, in a non descript strip shopping center.) Go there. Your taste buds will be happy. :) read more

Not my cup of tea. Cole slow was puree. The Beans were sweet beyond imagination. The Pulled Pork wasn't half bad but stingy on the BBQ sauce. What really got me started was the sign in the window said they were open till 9 PM. We were told we had to order to go because they close at 8. I speak for about 30 Family members and myself who will never ever spend our hard earned money at this business. The Best BBQ in Macon? (I don't think so) read more

I was really looking forward to some good BBQ at Fresh Air in Macon. I had eaten here annually for the past three years while on business and it's been really good. But unfortunately I was sorely disappointed this time. BBQ plate special To-Go, the portions were ridiculously small, even the meat, and the Q was luke warm...ugh. Maybe it's me, but I like to feel welcome when I come in to a BBQ restaurant, but the staff at Fresh Air was unpleasant. Maybe it's better if you eat-in, but this time I was underwhelmed. (Sorry Matt H.) ;-) read more

Tried this while on vacation. It was okay and worthy of 3 from me. I've traveled the country tasting and smoking ribs. I used that experience in my opinion. I thought the menu was limited. The ribs appearance was not that well. The texture was good and the taste was okay. I'm more a fan of tomato and mustard based sauces instead of vinegar. This place has vinegar based sauces. Please keep in mind that every one has different taste so I recommend checking this place out for yourself. It definitely is worthy of a try. read more

Fresh Air Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Macon, Georgia

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The Brunswick stew is delicious, highly recommend! The baked beans were amazing too! The ribs....not the worst but I wouldn't order them again. I think they're possibly boiled first before smoked or grilled. The marrow and fat were gummy, definitely wasn't expecting that. I like vinegar based sauces so I thought it was wonderful but the gummy consistency definitely threw me off. I would definitely go back for the stew and beans though. read more

Just chopped pork, no pulled pork. Sauce has a nice little bite. Good beans. Ok let's get right down to it. If you know barbecue chopped porksmoothered in sauce is NOT barbecue. Barbecue comes from smoked meat that has taste and amazing flavor before you put the sauce on. Although I was told this was the #1 barbecue joint in Georgia, I found this far from that. read more

Very solid bbq. Sides need a little love, but the bbq and slaw, especially when combined into a sandwich, can't be beat. People were also super friendly and made it feel like you were really at a local bbq hint. read more

I grew up in Macon going to the original Jackson, GA Fresh Air BBQ first on my way to Atlanta on that two-way highway in the early 60s before I-75 existed, and then on my way back and forth to school at Oxford College and UGA in the 70s/80s. THE BEST classic GA ("pulled pork") BBQ, Brunswick stew, Cole slaw, chips, a Coke, etc. there ever was, is Fresh Air BBQ. The Macon store is NOT the classic original Jackson location. It's in a secluded corner of a dingy strip plaza, but the food is as amazing as the original old Jackson location. The people behind the counter are your friends when you come in, even if they never met you. Good people. But it's the food! If you don't like this BBQ, you won't like any BBQ. I just hope they will embrace and then takeover the new downtown trending Macon revival. Make your move Fresh Air! Take your place downtown! Yeehah! read more

Dropped by with a friend who grew up on it and describes it as "probably not amazing, but comfort food from when I was little." Have to agree with her. Pulled pork lacked flavour and the sauces were downright bland. I was surprised too because whenever I go to the Vietnamese place next door I think the scent of Fresh Air's smoker is the most delicious thing in the world. Ah well, if you're desperate for Bar-B-Que, this would do the trick, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it by any stretch. read more

I have always heard from folks how great of a local bbq place that fresh air bbq is. I happened to be driving through Macon last night and made a stop at fresh air. It is located in a shopping center just off I75 and near I16. They do have a drive thru if that interests you. The inside of the restaurant is clean and has many tables filling the front lobby. The restroom was very clean. This was around 830pm on a Friday night. There were maybe 5 or 6 tables filled. There were 3 ladies working behind the counter and they were all very friendly. They all carried on a fun conversation with me. They were knowledgeable of the menu and helped me choose. The bbq pork was chopped finely and had a nice smokey flavor. I had a sandwich only. The sauce was a vinegar based sauce that had a nice flavor to it. The bun was fresh and had lots of meat on it. Overall I was satisfies with the order. But this is a limited review because the sandwich is all I had. I plan to visit again to try some of the sides and may update at this point. read more

Drove an hour to eat here since website listed open until 9:00. At 8:03 we were turned away and their sign said closes at 8:00. Very poor customer service. Would give zero stars if we could! read more