For openers, if you think the best barbecue is usually found in the worse part of town, in a place with bars on the windows and just enough grease on the table to write your initials, then this isn't it. What this is, is a Georgia institution that likely is profiting (in a real sense) from its deep roots and tradition. What it is, is a sprawling family style, go through the line, eat at picnic tables with others, barbecue joint that has one of the most limited menus of any 'cue place the Brown Shoe Gourmet has visited (87 Yelp reviews as of this writing). What it also is, is the first of three Fresh Air locations with an 87 year history that's not nearly as good as one of the others in another location, and that is likely being run by another member of the same family. Fresh Air in Jackson is not exactly easily found, but the number of cars, pickups and vans on the lot the day we visited, speaks to the place's history and reputation, rather than its location and quality of its barbecue. The menu is simple: for meat you have your choice of chopped (not pulled as some reviewers have said) pork, or chopped (not pulled as some reviewers have said) pork. Sandwich or plate, chopped pork. That's it. The term "chopped" pork may be off the mark. Pulverized in too very small bits is a better description. Like the bark, the tiny pieces of the outside of the pork butt with a full flavored taste? Good luck finding any. Like a little fat mixed in to hold the smoke flavor?\ Good luck finding any. Like to see how Fresh Air does with ribs or chicken, try another Fresh Air. Sides? Brunswick stew and Cole slaw... both served in too small Styrofoam cups, but that's it, Brunswick Stew and coleslaw. Collars? You're out of luck. Fries with that? Mac 'n cheese? Try somewhere else. The sauce is a plus; a very good tomato and vinegar based combining the typical Carolina offering with that of Georgia. Their Brunswick Stew is good; a nice mix of all the things you've come to expect, sprinkle a few shakes of their sauce and you're good to go. The slaw is finely chopped (starting to see a trend?), sweet and if that's the kind you'll like, you'll love Fresh Air's slaw. We did. Rounding out their menu, potato chips. For a guy who's spent a lifetime in pursuit of the perfect barbecue, this didn't turn out to be it. In fact, the Fresh Air in Jackson, falls far short of another restaurant with the same name just a few miles down the road in Macon where the menu offers more, and the food carries the flavor of being cooked low and slow over a hickory fire. The prices at Fresh Air in Jackson are fair, the ladies at the counter are friendly with big smiles, the servings are small, the meat dry and almost pulverized and missing the smoky flavor of really good 'cue. Fresh Air in Jackson has become a tradition, but seems, based on a taste test, more interested in pumping people through the grade school like lunch line, and not enough interested in making sure the food they're putting on their picnic table is really good, or even as good as the Fresh Air in Macon which, believe it or not, is in a strip shopping center. So much for tradition. read more

Perhaps I was there on a slow day. The BBQ was OK but a bit dry and cold. I'm also not a fan of vinegar bbq sauce - they soaked the meat in it and it overpowered any flavor the meat may have had. Give me my sweet, tomato based sauce and let me put it on myself. I also tried the Macon location with a group from Church and everyone in my group had a similar reaction at that location. The Stew was excellent however. There were very few people in the dining room on a Sunday after church lunch - I wonder if the place is going downhill since most of the reviews dated 2011 and 2012? read more

Great prices, meh stew, meh $3 sandwich. Sauce meh. Amazing ambiance. Smoke so thick on the interior, it has colored everything in sight. read more

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Fresh Air BBQ is a Georgia landmark and for 86 years has served some of the best cue and stew in the South in the rustic roadside stand just a couple of miles from Indian Spring State Park. Do yourself a favor and make a "pit" stop at Fresh Air Barbecue and you won't be sorry. read more

Fresh Air Barbecue - BBQ sandwich is a masterpiece of this place - Barbeque Near Me - Jackson, Georgia

You ever want a great bowl of brunswick stew, do not get the small serving, you will lick the bowl clean. Be a true BBQ warrior, start with the pint.. Every time we pass this place we are stopping. Awesome stew, delicious bbq sandwich, and a great slaw... IMHO, one of the best places to have a GREAT bbq sandwich read more

So you have to click at least one star to give a review. Disclaimer. I am not a fan of boiled minced meat with vinegar so my review may not count. If this is the kind of BBQ you like then it may be ok. A very cool looking old shack with saw dust on the floor and a great old pit that should be able to bring flavor to anything. Walked in and the place had fantastic smoked wood smell. There was absolutely no smoked flavor to the meat at all. The meat had been completely minced, like they put it in a food processor to cut it. And then somebody had the bright idea to pour vinegar on it. Again if this is what you like, have at it. I'd love to introduce sometime to a nicer smoked brisket with a gorgeous bark and perfect smoke ring. Just don't put vinegar on it. Keep that for cleaning windows. The white bread was soft and fresh. read more

One of my favorite places to get BBQ. I love their stew! Very old fashioned feel. Great for family time. read more

Fresh Air Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Jackson, Georgia

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I'm one of those people that rarely meets a BBQ restaurant he doesn't like, and Fresh Air does not disappoint. I think the meat is good and smoky, but not so much so that all you taste is smoke. When I order the plate, the put some sauce on the meat but do not drown it. It's up to you to put on a little more or a little too much (and to soak it up with the white bread). The Brunswick Stew is well above average. It might be my favorite of the places in this area. For me the thing that sets Fresh Air apart from the rest is Location, Location, Location. It is still cool to me that a roadside restaurant that serves great BBQ exists. If this place were located in a strip mall somewhere, I'm not sure I would ever have given it a first look. It really is not too far out of the way, and once you find your way the first time you'll never get lost again. read more

The best BBQ in Georgia.This place has some great slaw too.As you enter you will be overwhelmed by the smoky smell of the establishment.Not much has changed much in this place over the years.The sauce is a heavy vinegar tomato base.The meat is real pit cooked like years gone by.A great place for real BBQ lovers. read more

Fresh Air Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Jackson, Georgia

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You have to visit this place at least once. The barbecue was good but it is the set up that makes this a spot to visit. Try it all while you are there. The brunswick stew was excellent. read more

Fresh Air is iconic and really really good. The Jackson location is nothing fancy -- chopped pork, stew and slaw -- but is out of this world pork, stew, and slaw. If you want classic Georgia BBQ, this is it. read more

I find the BBQ to be ok. Not the best not the worst. The place is clean and the staff helpful. It is not a bad place to eat if you are nearby. read more

Not a lot of choice here. Basic menu with BBQ, stew, coleslaw, chips and drinks. The BBQ, however, is fantastic. So is the vinegar based sauce. We'll be back. read more

Typical BBQ fare. Tasty food..the coleslaw was the prize of the plate. Prices were reasonable. The staff was pleasant. I had delux plate. Chopped pork slaw Brunswick stew and bread. Chips are extra..they dont serve French fries which was surprising. read more

Grew up in Alabama, so had my fair share of BBQ. First off the sauce is some of the best I have ever had. Simply an outstanding well balanced vinager based sauce. The pork was very tender and moist but was totally lacking the outer bark of the butt as well as the smoke. Sort of reminded me of one that I had done at home in a crockpot. The slaw was excellent! The Brunswick stew was some of the most plain jane I have ever had. I would definetly eat here again and recommend that everyone give it a try. However I simply cannot recommend the Brunswick stew as mentioned above. read more

I have been coming here for years. As a northerner, I never truly appreciated southern BBQ until I came here. There is a reason I am still coming back 20 years later... read more

This place was so-so at best. The food was edible and priced right, but that's about all that was good about it. I must've went on an off day, because I see all the high ratings here. There is much better BBQ out there. Still, it was kind of cool to eat at a spot that's been there since 1929. read more

Voted BEST IN THE STATE (GA) repeatedly!! A thin ketchup/vinegar sauce overnperfectly smoked pork butts!! read more

Mmmmhhhh.... Grew up coming here, so there's great memories to accompany the amazing pulled pork sandwiches. read more

Fresh Air Barbecue - Grew up coming here when we'd visit Indian Springs... - Barbeque Near Me - Jackson, Georgia

This is good bbq it's a huge place and their meat is amazing it's tender and smoky. The problem is they cover the meat in so much sauce you can't taste it. And their sauce isn't great. It's like drinking vinegar. I recommend getting the meat without any sauce if you go here read more

I may be missing something! Everyone seems to like this place. But we hated it... Very bad :-( It all simply tasted like it was soaked in vinegar. Grew up with Brunswick stew and this one doesn't, even look right, the color was all wrong! I do see pictures here and our stew didn;t look like that at all, Yes it was the best thing there but then Brunswick stew and pulled pork sandwiches is ALL they serve! OH and bags of chips. read more

Can't honestly see what the attraction is here, must just be all the locals who have lived here all their life and never had anything else. Meat finely chopped and vinegar sauce with no other options. Not much smoke flavor, no outside meat mixed in. Stew was finely ground as well. Sorry, not my cup of tea. Maybe they will cater to the locals for another 100 years. read more

Like all great things, you find them in the middle of nowhere. Much like fresh air barbecue, on the outskirts of Jackson... You will literally die from the flavor and deliciousness that is their barbecue. Been here dozens of times, sometimes I eat there other times I just get it to go. Either way there's not much of a wait, and the food never disappoints me. read more

This is an excellent BBQ restaurant that has been named best BBQ in Georgia many times. The restaurant opened in the 1920's and has been a family tradition since I was a kid. The staff is friendly and fast, the food is fresh everyday. No matter what 'style' of BBQ you like, if you're in the area stop by and try it. I can promise you an experience you won't forget. Disclaimer: this is for the Jackson restaurant only. I've never been to the Macon restaurant. read more

This spot has some classic barbecue. Home fries are perfectly crisp without being soggy. Rosemary Lemonade was a unique, and savory-sweet attribute to my meal. All around delicious food. One star off only because of the time it takes to place an order to receive it. Waiting can be tricky but in the end it's worth the great food. Always a great experience overall! read more

Best BBQ for miles!!! This place is a family tradition- Brunswick stew is best I've ever had, pork is delicious. Definitely worth the wait!!! read more

I have been stopping in at this place since I was a kid. Everything has remained the same. It is always just as good as I remembered it. The bbq sandwich and potatoe salad is pure heaven! Make sure to buy some bbq sauce to take home with you! You'll regret it if you don't. read more

The last time I ate here, I was a passenger, aged 10, in my Da's car, on the way to Waycross. I remember the Brunswick Stew as being delicious. So, 59 years later, I was pleased to see that the place was just as I remembered it. Went in and ordered chopped pork, Brunswick Stew, and cole slaw. Have to have cold iced tea with Southern food like this. I am not a fan of vinegar based BBQ sauce, but that's all they have. Nevertheless, the stew and the slaw were outstanding. Next time, I'll bring my own sauce, because the pork was moist, velvety soft, and deliciously smokey. Then, it will score 5 stars! read more

Some of my earliest memories in life include making stops at Fresh Air Barbecue. My family has gone there since Fresh Air opened in 1929. When I was in college back in the 1970's, I always drove past FA on the way back to Atlanta and picked up some food. I've had other good bbq over the years, but nothing comes close to Fresh Air. It is superb. And, as a side note - to eat your meal at Fresh Air - not doing takeout - is to be taken back several decades to a simpler time - picnic tables inside, floor covered in sawdust, screened in rooms. A great place, with great tradition. read more

I was introduced to this place years ago, and it's sooooo good that me and my wife are willing to make the journey, over an hour one way, just to get some good BBQ. This is a must eat!! read more

This wonderful homey restaurant is a reflection of how the real BBQ of the rural southern Georgia came to be. Please enjoy it for it's distinctive style and regional flavors. All of their food is prepared in time-honored ways, like it was 100 years ago. So if you're only looking for the modern commercialized food called BBQ, you don't want to waste your time here. Real BBQ tastes different all over the South, and it's best to sample it in many states and regions, because there isn't only one way to prepare it. Fresh Air smokes it right there in the big pit in the kitchen, the cooks prepare all the other sides. There's several sauces. The brunswick stew has the vinegary twang of South Georgia residents; so enjoy it for what it is. Authentic. read more

This definitely isn't the best BBQ by any means. They only have pulled pork and only have vinegar sauce so it's all vinegary tasting. The Brunswick stew is ok, but probably not what anyone who has had good BBQ would expect. The coleslaw was different and good. The people were kind and the place smelled great on the outside. I just wish the meat had been flavorful and that they didn't go ahead and just pour vinegar sauce on it. Nowhere near the best BBQ read more

First let me say it - I really hate barbecue. But...I was working in the area a few years ago and had forgotten to bring my lunch so I was forced to make a local choice. I decided to give Fresh Air a try and it was delicious! It remains the only barbecue I'll eat to this day - totally worth the drive! read more

I had 20 lbs of pulled pork there for my wedding and it was sooooooo good. .They were very very nice as well. I have also eaten in the restaurant and it was a great experience!! read more

I've literally eaten this BBQ every year since I could eat, so I'm biased. This is by far the best BBQ and Brunswick stew I've ever had. The restaurant looks just like a roadside stand would've looked years ago. If you're ever in the area, try it, you won't be disappointed. read more

Ok, I live between Macon and Jackson and eat at both Fresh Air locations. The barbecue is excellent and consistently good. The service at the Macon location is excellent and they are very friendly. The employees in Jackson are just plain rude. Our family met there today for lunch and they were very busy. The food didn't take too long and was delicious. The attitudes of the employees was off putting. Come on people, your barbecue is great and the employees at the Macon location are great but Jackson......hmm, not so much. read more

Step back into 1929 when this restaurant was founded. The brunswick stew is outstanding but the ambiance is one of a kind. We got off the beaten path on our way from tampa to augusta. Off I-75 north bound Took the forsyth monticello route 83 exit. End of exit ramp took a right. Drove into the country and took a left toward Indian Springs. 15 miles and it's on the left. Best BBQ in georgia! Yum! read more

I have lived in Covington for over 30 years and this was my first time here. This is where I'll be getting BBQ from now on! I love the vinegar base sauce. I was very pleased with the food the price and the atmosphere. Awesome experience! ! read more

Just passing thru and heard a lot of great things about this place so we thought we'd stop and give it a try. Worst bar-b-que ever. The meat was chopped till it was practically powder and it was dry as powder. The sauce was so sour it tasted "turned." The Brunswick stew was edible. We left hungry. Never going back. read more

Yum! If you like Georgia style you'll love this place, we stumbled upon it by driving by and boy what a find. Too bad and thank God it's 5 hours from home, if it was too close I'd be as big as the side of a barn in a hurry! read more