They have the best barbecue and there brownies are good to eat at any time and they bb-q sandwiches r good too I love them

I've been to this place 3 times over the years and each time it was a disappointment. The place, from the road, looks great. This is the kind of place you think about when you think BBQ. It seems to have a strong local following and I'm a little mystified why. I'm not sure if this is the only BBQ place in town and, thus, the defacto best or if people were just raised on this stuff so they have fond memories of it or what. It may very well be a combination of the two. The place is clean. The staff is nice. The problem is their food: - They have finely chopped pork. You don't need teeth for this and not because it's super tender but because it's mush. - The ONLY have finely chopped pork. Ribs? No. Brisket? No. Your choice is limited to a "variety" of plate which equates to "finely chopped pork" or "finely chopped pork sandwich" - mix and match each of those with 1 or 2 sides. - They don't have good sauces. Their sauces are watery and don't bring much, if anything, to the party when you put them into your mush-pork. I get that different regions have different kinds of sauces ranging from ketchup based to mustard based to vinegar based and, in Texas, you get an "au jus" type sauce (I think it's literally just au jus). All of these bring something to the party. Maybe you prefer one to another or maybe you just don't like a particular kind - I get that. That's not what Fresh Air has. It's just this watery, almost tasteless (it's vinegar based) sauce that just disappears into the mediocre mush. Their "hot sauce" you can kind of taste on the meat. - The sides are OK. These aren't great sides. You know how you go to some places and you walk away thinking, "OMG! That was AMAZING mac & cheese!," or, "OMG! That was AMAZING collard greens!" You're not going to experience that here. You'll likely forget what sides you had later that day. The thing that kills me about this place is that it could be the most amazing BBQ in GA. It could be a place where people from all over the state think, "Oh, I'm driving near it - that's where we're eating! I don't care if it is 3 in the afternoon and we just had lunch at 12." They have everything else in order from the looks to the staff to the cleanliness. All the parts which, to me, would seem like the hard parts of running a restaurant are there. They even have a huge amount of seating both inside and outside which just adds to it's charm. They have what appears to be a pit in the kitchen which could have ribs, brisket, chicken, pulled pork, etc. being smoked in it for hours on end with a lot of variety hitting the plate. This could actually be the best BBQ place in GA (as their sign says but the date on that award is something like 1983) if they just upped their game on the food. They could be GA's Salt Lick (famous BBQ place in Austin, TX). They even have the local following which could help them kick-start this and spread the word. ...right now all they have is finely chopped pork mush. read more

The best bbq around!!! It never gets old, same taste different days , this is the real deal!

As a Kansas Citian traveling through the south, I haven't been disappointed with the barbecue yet. With regards to Fresh Air, I've had better, but it was still pretty good. The place sits just off the highway and pretty hard to miss. Plenty of parking and a large dining area, so unless they're just ridiculously packed, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a place to park or sit. There are long tables with plenty of chairs, so be social and share a table! The menu is really the only thing I was disappointed with. There isn't a whole lot of variety. When I think about barbecue, I think about brisket, ribs, pork, and burnt ends along with sides like fries, macaroni and cheese, and potato salad. But those aren't available here. Instead it's just pork, Brunswick stew and cole slaw. Good pork, but just pork. And it's not really shredded either, it's more minced and topped with a splash of their vinegary sauce. To me, it's good. Although I can see why some wouldn't like it. The smoked flavor is more nuanced than with most barbecue and the sauce has a heavy vinegar taste. But, for me, it worked - and I didn't even need the sliced bread that came on the side. The Brunswick stew was different than what I've had before and not as flavorful as I'd expected, but it decent. The cole slaw was pretty basic and frankly a bit forgettable, but I tried it just to get the full experience. It's also minced much like the pork was, which was a bit of surprise. I wasn't a fan, but I'm sure some enjoy it better this way. The brownies they had on the counter were delicious, though! Soft and kinda fudgy. YUM. Service was fast although not memorable. The woman who took my order wasn't rude or anything, but I can definitely tell she'd had enough of her job that day. Prices are surprisingly low, which is a definitely plus! Overall, the meal was good. I think there could be some improvements with flavor and knife skills, but if someone wanted to come back, I'd still join them. read more

Not what I remember from 20 years ago when it was voted best in Ga. There are too many great joints now in the ATL area that have excelled beyond this. All tastes well and I love the atmosphere, but the portioned amounts of slaw in a plastic cup and too-finely chopped pork on a small plate on top of the main plate takes away from the experience. I love a messy plate with various foods running into each other. There was not enough burnt ends (actually, none at all) and the sauce is too vinegary. Brunswick stew was ok but nothing special. The folks there were very friendly. Still a great place to visit if in the area but I would not go out of the way. read more

Best barbecue around! Perfect place to create some lasting memories at! Has always been around and I don't see it going anywhere, anytime soon. read more

I see all the rave reviews on this place and I honestly think they are living on past laurels. BBQ pulled pork was barely tolerable. Slaw simply boring but stew was pretty good although a tiny portion. To top it off, service is borderline at best. read more

Don't pay attention to the negative reviews. They are from people who need sticky sweet sauce and don't understand what pulled pork is. This place is what BBQ really is. Its actually a mustard and vinegar based sauce and is tangy, as real bbq is supposed to be. The pork meat is finely cut is never dry whenever we go there. Some people just don't like it, but you don't stay in business for 90 years serving crappy food. To each his own. read more

I've been coming to Fresh Air BBQ for years and years, it holds a very special place in my heart. I've thought about moving to Jackson just to be closer to it. We get the pork plate and the special with a side of slaw- mine comes with pork, slaw, stew, bread, crackers, and a pickle; hubby's comes with 2 pork sandwiches (which he tops with that side of slaw) and chips. 2 sweet teas. And it is EXACTLY the same every time we go. My heart and belly are happiest after that meal. The sauces (both hot and mild) are vinegary and exactly what this Georgia girl loves. The slaw is creamy and sweet- sweet like cabbage and onion, not sugar, which means it's real. The stew is meaty and smoky and sweet with corn- perfection. Y'all- even the pickle is better than most. The pork is great, but I've had better... except smothered in their sauce with slaw on top? Can't be beat. We all own t-shirts and load our coolers with party packs every time we're there. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. read more

I'm not a big fan of the style of BBQ nor the sauce, but my husband loves it. The Brunswick stew and cole slaw is VERY GOOD!

This is some of the best bar b q I've ever had .Use to eat here when we'd come up for the Mac Michael family reunions when i was a kid

Real good barbecue and stew spot on been around for years never changed a thing very good staff prices are worth the food higley recommend this place read more

Fast and reasonable straightforward BBQ. The coleslaw is homemade as is the Brunswick stew. This isn't your typical slathered with sugary bought sauce goo on tough simulated smoke flavored strings. Purely smoked, served sauceless with sides. Chopped fine, as is the consistency of the slaw, which is also chopped finely. The meat manages to taste juicy without being greasy, and although the sauce wasn't what was what one typically expects it was still tasty. My suggestion is to make a sandwich with the bread and meat and top it with the slaw and dip into the stew. Busy, out of the way place 30 miles outside of Macon, GA. Fresh food. read more

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I think the place is great. You know it's great barbecue when you step out of the car. Nothing fancy but my kind of place. The smell in the air says it all. The food is fantastic. I highly recommend if you're within 25 miles or on a weekend Drive. I travel 30 miles and passed many restaurants to get to this place. It's worth the adventure. read more

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Allegedly the best BBQ in GA. No, not even close. I would never tell my husband that though, because he talked about this to me for 3 years. Like it was the best. It's like a fast food shed with some mean old ladies and sad, dreadful atmosphere. I almost feel like I'm in a funeral, it's always quiet. Dark. Menu needs expanded. You have a choice of flavorless shredded pork or flavorless shredded pork on a bun. It's not bad for $3, but honestly I think Cook-Out serves a better sandwich. Your sides are a choice of chips, Cole slaw or ?brunswick stew? And But I'm from the north so maybe my opinion doesn't matter here. Where can I get $1 cheese slice? read more

the first time I went to Fresh Air was in the late 1960 or early 1970. The only thing that has changes was the loss of the wood shavings on the floor. The BBQ and Stew are amount the best to be found in Georgia read more

Fresh Air Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Jackson, Georgia

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Large Billboard says Voted Best Barbeque in Ga, looked tempting, as did the smoke coming from the stack, plus what seemed like a steady flow of cars parked out front- All good signs, end result just did not deliver for us- Disclaimer, we are world travelers (retired Army) and take our food, especially Barbeque pretty seriously, but try to take everything into consideration before making an opinion. First, they only offer Pulled Pork and Brunswick Stew, if you only have 2 items then you would think it would be the best (not even close), Stew was better than most we have had but the Pork was over the top with vinegar which is fine for some, but just to much for us- Portions was very small, to include the sides (Slaw was seriously green) which after tasting was not really a problem. I did combine the slaw with the pork (added extra sauce) which made a decent sandwich. After some research, saw that the actual win for best was in 1984, I think things have changed in 30 years for sure. read more

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Great food, fair prices and simple, casual atmosphere. Brunswick stew is especially good. Bbq sauce is tangy/vinegar based which I prefer. read more

Trust me and all the others who write about Fresh Air in Jackson. The comments here are spot on and no tour of Georgia BBQ joints can be complete until you've sat down in the dining room of Fresh Air. Some of the best barbeque you'll find in the Southeast is not an over-statement. I ordered the deluxe plate which is comprised of chopped pork with a dab of sauce on top, stew, slaw, a couple pickle spears, some crackers and some white bread. The pulled pork is enough to make any pig proud to have made the supreme sacrifice. The stew is heavenly with a wonderful smokey flavor. The slaw will knock your socks off and you may need a second serving. Someday I may try the ribs or chicken which I bet are good, too. Now as to the directions, they're wrong if you try Google maps. They are even wrong if you use the map on the Fresh Air website. Use Mapquest and you'll get the correct directions. Perhaps the easiest way to explain how to reach Fresh Air is to look for the Piggly Wiggly grocery store and take the road that runs around it (Macon Avenue). That eventually becomes Highway 42. If you drive further than 3 miles you've passed it. Coming from downtown Jackson, it will be on the right. read more

If you ever wondered what it would be like to be fed in a Russian Gulag ..this probably comes pretty close! On the way to Savannah via backroads I remembered that the town of Jackson had a famous BBQ place.. we asked around town and were directed to FRESH AIR. We smelled the smoke and had our mouths set for crispy smoky ribs and maybe chicken ...the original building has a rustic charm , with outdoor eating under a porch supported by hewn logs ...BUT inside it's a miserable Lunch Room ..no décor to speak of ..just formica and dirty looking tables with condiments One stands in line with Big bellied locals and the GO DAWGS crowd to order at a counter ..there is a rack of potato chips for appetizers ... - What you get when your order comes up, is a baseball sized WAD of some flavorless shreaded MEAT ..socked on to the most disgusting cheap white grocery store BUNs ( the , the , cheapest ) ...there is coleslaw ( which looked liquid..urrg ) and Brunswick stew ..which I find indigestible ( I would NOT TOUCH it ...traditionally made from Squirrel ) This MIGHT BE THE worst RESTAURANT ( I am hesitant to use the word ) in North America! just a horrible experience ( I am a native Georgian )and expect country restaurants outside cities to be a little rough around the edges ( BUT THIS WAS a Redneck Hillbilly experience of magnitude 10 ...JUST GROSS ...and it wasn't cheap! read more

This is the essence of Georgia BBQ. Which is largely undocumented, unlike NC, St. Louis, Texas, etc. You can essentially get three things here. Pulled pork, in pounds or sandwich form, cole slaw, and Brunswick stew. Georgia BBQ is always on a soft bun, not Texas toast. Slaw is fresh and tangy. Stew is meat, tomatoes, and corn. Usually chicken, pork, and beef. Back in the day, it might inlude squirrel and rabbit. Some of these ingredients arent used now, but thats the Georgia origin. Although I don't know exactly what was in this stew, regardless, it was delicious. Large dining area and friendly folks! Worth the trip from Atlanta to get the real deal! Only complaint, the sweet tea/unsweetened tea was a little off. Will be back!! Thanks for this great find coming home on a detour from Tybee! read more

Called in an order & my husband picked it up & brought it home & it was the wrong order. They have 3 things on the menu so not much to choose from & the barbecue itself was mushy & looked & tasted as if it was already chewed up & spit out. I'm not sure how you can mess up pulled pork but they sure can. The barbecue sauce was also very unique & I personally didn't like it either. Lastly, the woman who answered the phone to take my order sounded like she smoked a carton of cigarettes a day. Wasn't appealing from the start. read more

BBQ as good as it gets!! The menu is very basic but what they have, they do very well. Nothing fancy, just good food. The building is old, gravel lot in front, saw dust on the floor in the main room with tables. The back room is a little nicer. The directions on their web site and here are a little off, the restaurant is located just south (a mile or so) of Jackson, GA on Hwy 42/Us 23. Indian Springs SP and Dauset Trails (good mtn biking) is right around the corner. read more

I wanted to love this place. If you asked a slow-cooked meat enthusiast to draw a picture of barbecue nirvana, it would look very much like Fresh Air, all gravel parking, worn-in wood paneling, slamming screen door and the smell of hardwood smoke soaked into every surface. It obviously hasn't changed since it was built in the '20s. But I'm coining a term for places like this, and Georgia is rife with them: Barbecue Sauce Joint. You have your true barbecue joints, where the meat is the star, and then you have your Barbecue Sauce Joints, where you have nothing without the sauce. And at Fresh Air, I didn't even like the sauce. It's red and vinegary, and just not my thing, which would be okay if their meat didn't require it. The pulled pork (which is your only option, and you can have any side you want, as long as it's slaw or stew) is dry and without much flavor. It's just dry, chopped-up pork on a plate. Just add sauce. The simplicity of the menu is commendable; I figured if they only do pork, slaw and stew they must each be amazing. The slaw was the only thing I really enjoyed, which is why I put it on the pork to help things along. read more

I'm a big BBQ enthusiast, and this place is hands-down the best I've ever tasted. It's the benchmark by which all other BBQ sandwiches are measured - just be sure and ask for extra sauce. Theirs is a wonderful, vinegar-based blend. The brunswick stew is slap your mama good! read more

would not eat at Fresh air in Macon Ga, we use to always eat at this location, over the last couple of years the quality of the meat has really went down hill, ate there today and my wife found a big bone in the bbq meat read more

I have eaten at quite a few BBQ places throughout the South. I just think that Fresh Air is ok. I know they have been in business just about forever. I ordered the deluxe place and found the chopped pork to be bland. The sauce is in the top 20% of sauces. Stew was excellent. read more

I enjoyed the food and could tell the locals do too! Line was long when we walked in but service was quick. As a south Florida native, I'm used to the more sweet and sticky bbq sauces. This place definitely has more of a southern tang to their sauce. I went for the mild one but they also have hot. I had the BBQ sandwich which came with chips and a drink. Also added a side of slaw and LOVED it! My mom said the beans were delicious and dad loved the Brunswick stew as well. read more

I am guessing those who gave it 3 or more stars have not had much in the way of outstanding BBQ. If you are going to sell only one item, you better knock it out of the park, Fresh Air barely makes it a bunt. The pork was finely chopped with what tastes like a bit of a vinegar dressing. It was moist, almost spongey. Though the parking lot and building had a great smell of smoke, hickory or oak, it did not translate to the pork at all. The Brunswick stew was tomatoey and had a gelatin like texture with a couple of bits of corn tossed in. The pork in the stew was macerated to the point you could suck this stew thru a straw, not a way a stew should be. Again, if your menu consists of a handful of items, you should be killing it with each item. I will say I am not a fan of the chopped pork, seems like it has been pre-chewed to me, so that may taint this review. But with that said, the pork was only average. I want to be able have BBQ, when I eat out, that is better than I make at home on the Big Green Egg. This, sadly, is not the case. But local pickens are slim when it comes to choices in Jackson. I will say the building and old south vibe are outstanding, to bad that does not make for good Q. read more

This is the best bbq in ga. The stew is great the old building is priceless just good all around. A must stop if you are in the town of Jackson ga stop by. read more

If you like vinegar based BBQ sauce then this is the place for you. As far as I'm concerned sweet BBQ sauce isn't even food so of course I enjoy Fresh Air. The menu is very limited but that's not a problem for most people. The meat and stew are both very good, but not exactly anything showstopping. It's really all about the sauce. If you love it, you'll love fresh air. read more

The hubby and I stumbled upon this place while trying to avoid traffic on 75N. Luckily our gps routed us toward Fresh Air while our stomachs were growling or else we never would have stopped in. When I see a place that has only a few items on the menu I get really excited because that means that those items are going to be dee-lish. You see, when places start introducing 5 pages of options (ahem, Applebee's). Sorry, I had a cough. Anyhow, whats's the saying? Do a few things very well or do a bunch of stuff mediocre? Yeah, they do a few things really well. Pulled pork, cole slaw, and stew. All are very old school GA BBQ, including the sauce, which is rare nowadays given that ppl seem to want to add sausage and sweet potato fries to their menus. Since Harold's closed this is the closest remaining restaurant where you can get old school GA BBQ. read more

The pork BBQ isn't bad, but that's literally all this place has to offer. 1. It's in the middle of nowhere. 2. It serves nothing else. No other meats, no sides other than chips, slaw that tastes like they bought it in vats from KFC, and brunswick stew. 3. The service reminds me of a grade school lunch line. Not exactly customer-friendly when we visited. 4. No decor to speak of. They don't even have chairs. Picnic tables and wooden benches. 5. I suppose if you like country rustic and pork, it might be worth a visit, but otherwise I wouldn't recommend it. read more