Great Barbecue and Strong Community Spirit Bring Families to Moe’s Original BBQ

Born and raised in Peachtree Corners, Harris Carlock probably didn’t give much thought to Alabama-style barbecue. But he did while attending the University of Alabama.

There he became good friends with classmates who eventually founded Moe’s Original BBQ — Ben Gilbert and Jeff Kennedy.

According to Moe’s company history, another founder, Mike Fernandez learned to fire roast meats back in 1988 from Tuscaloosa legend Moses Day, whose distinct style makes up Moe’s original flavor of barbecue. 

Eventually the founding partners all relocated to Vail, Colo., where each refined their cooking skills, according to the Moe’s website. Together, they created something special by using fruit wood to smoke their meats and complementing them with two sauces — a classic red and an Alabama white.

The first Moe’s that’s part of the franchise is actually located in Vail, said Carlock. 

With a day job selling commercial real estate, Carlock said he always wanted to open a Moe’s in his hometown — in the spot where it is now. 

“I had been watching that particular location for years hoping that it would become available,” he said. “My hope is that it would be a really a big part of the community. I see it as a place for families to come after t-ball and soccer games.”

In 2021 his wish came true. He partnered with his cousin, Scott Carlock, who has an extensive restaurant background, as well as another Moe’s Original BBQ owner, Kyle McCarter.

“I live a mile from Moe’s and that’s really why we started it — to add to the local community,” said Harris Carlock. “I know the brand, because of my friends, but also, I know it’s a great product. Knowing that there are not a lot of other barbecue places in Peachtree Corners, I thought it would be a good fit.”

Family, food and fun

Harkening back to his youth, Harris Carlock reminisced about playing football on Norcross High’s offensive line. “On Thursdays, the coach would take us to Sonny’s BBQ and we would eat all we could eat. …That’s pretty neat,” he said. “I love that we’ve set up the same program with Norcross today. The Norcross offensive line comes every Thursday.”

Not to be outdone, Johns Creek has started the tradition this year.

“To me, that’s really what we’re about. That’s exactly what I want to do. You know, it’s not about making money. We do that at our cost, and it really makes us happy to see those kids out there. They love it; they come in and eat lots of wings and pork,” Harris Carlock said.

Moe’s isn’t just a one-sport spot, however.

“We also have a partnership with the Peachtree Corners Football Club, which is the soccer program that plays out of Jones Bridge Park,” he added. “We’re all about families coming in. We have ‘Kids eat free’ on Wednesday night.”

Keeping it fresh

Harris Carlock wants everyone to give Moe’s a try.

“Ribs are really what we’re famous for, but in addition to that, our smoked wings are probably our best seller. The other thing, I think, that sets us apart is we make our sides fresh daily from scratch,” he said. 

In addition to the side dish staples that are on the menu every day, there are specialty dishes — mainly vegetables — that rotate. On occasion, a customer may get perturbed because their favorite has run out and there’s not a vat of it in the back to scoop out.

“Our philosophy is that all our meats are smoked fresh every day — same with the vegetables. So when we’re out of them, we’re out,” he said. “We purposely don’t cook more than we think we’ll sell because we don’t want to reheat it the next day.”

That’s kind of a pet peeve, he said. 

“There are a lot of places where you can get good ‘cue, but then they’ve got potato salad that they just got from the deli or whatever, and they didn’t put that same kind of care into the sides,” he said.

It’s in the smoking and the sauces

The big thing that stands out is the Alabama-style of smoking the meat. Traditional barbecue in Alabama centers around pork cooked in open pits over hickory wood. Other hardwoods, such as oak and pecan, are also used.

Sauces vary by the proximity to other states — the closer to North Carolina, the more vinegar based; the closer to South Carolina, the more mustard based; the closer to Memphis the sweeter and more tomato-y.

But the white sauce — a mayonnaise-based concoction with vinegar, lemon juice, horseradish and cayenne pepper — is an Alabama tradition by itself.

McCarter, who’s actually a metro Atlanta native from Roswell, was trained under the original franchise owners in Vail and runs the day-to-day operations.

“Kyle smokes all the meat. He runs the restaurant. He’s the one responsible for the delicious food,” said Harris Carlock. 

Moe’s invites families and friends to trivia on Thursday nights and ‘Kids eat free’ on Wednesday nights. Everyone is welcome to watch the Braves or the Falcons or the Hawks on one of the eight TVs. 

Of course, there’s always the option to dine while sitting on the patio and enjoying being part of a great community.

Moe’s Original BBQ

5005 Peachtree Pkwy., Ste. 810, Peachtree Corners

770-696-2631

moesoriginalbbq.com

Photos by George Hunter