The Swallow At the Hollow
- Hours:
Wed-Thu 11:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Wed-Thu 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sun 11:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sun 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Music: Live
- Best Nights: Mon, Fri, Sat
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
- Coat Check: No
21 Reviews for The Swallow At the Hollow
BBQ done right.
I'm actually ashamed to say that I live within a mile of this place and I've only been twice.
Texas toast is amazing. For a nice treat, sit outside and eat BBQ the way it should be done.
The canoe full of beer is the best part.
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Love it - we go here for lunch when we're feeling extravagant! The variety of sauces are delicious and the portions are so generous. I never eat the entire meal - I always take the leftovers home to my husband. Even the salads are good: huge salad with heaping mountain of delicious meat. Definitely get the platter and try the sides - they're just as good!
I really like the atmosphere as well - down home without feeling dirty or sketchy, as sometimes happens with hole-in-the-wall places. And they're good for groups, since we've had more than one team lunch here.
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yum. this place was delicious. it's the best i've tried so far.
First of all when you walk in you feel like you're going into some cool roadhouse in the woods. I had the beef sandwich. the meat was delicious tasting and what made it was the toasty, homemade texas toast. there's nothing like fresh homemade bread.
the sauce was good, i prefer it just a tad thicker and sweeter, but overall it had good flavor.
the potato salad was excellent. big chunks of tender potato with just enough mayo.
the salads are awesome. big salads with lots of veggies, homemade dressing and little chunks of eggs and smoked gouda.
the ribs were really tasty, nicely basted, not too fatty but just enough fat to keep them tender.
and the homemade pickles, i'm still craving them today!
i will definately keep coming back to try all of the yummy things on the menu.
it's a little pricier than other bbq joints, but you pay for quality.
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Was recommended to visit "The Swallow" from a friend, so went to check it out yesterday. The drive wasn't as long as I thought it may be, but then again, with a heavy foot and an empty stomach, you make things happen.
Walking up to this place, you see a bunch of families hanging outside. It is def a family spot. The smell of the food permeates out nicely, and we were hungry!!! Luckily, with a table for only Shelli and I, it wasn't a long wait.
First off, here was our order:
(2) Limeades
(1) Half-rack w/ Potato Salad & Mac n' Cheese
(1) Chopped Pork Plate w/ Fried Green Tomatoes & Mac n' Cheese
The limeades were way sweet... Like a kid took Kool-Aid and a bag of sugar kind of sweet... I got a beer shortly after tasting the drink, but we didn't come for the beverages anyway.
The ribs, Shelli's choice, were fall off the bone tender. The flavor was great, but the sauce was a tad on the sweeter side for both of us. The mac n' cheese was creamy as hell and the potato salad I was told was great!
The chopped pork plate, my choice, was beautiful. I huge helping w/ Texas Toast (literally the size of Texas) was very tasty. Again, ran into the same problem with the sauce being a little sweet for me, but the pork was just amazing. The fried green tomatoes were different from any other ones I have had before, but it was tasty nonetheless.
Amazing feel to this place, and the atmosphere is what helped bring it another star for me. Come hungry, cuz the portions are HUGE!!!
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Love this place.
Great atmosphere. Great service. Great Food.
This is definitely a go-to place in Roswell.
Alternatives: Smoke Jack in Alpharetta and Dreamland.
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I can't find one thing wrong with "The Swallow". Most Yelps state that the chopped pork is the thing but my party of 6 voted my ribs the best dish on the table and I'd have to agree. Do not miss the macaroni and cheese or the chocolate-chip banana pudding. Seriously.
All that is great but the music is really what you come for. I'm a native of Nashville and having been to the Bluebird Cafe several times it does not surprise me that the Swallow at the Hollow is affiliated. The Bluebird has a certain reverence around it in Nashville. It's known as THE place where songwriters make themselves known and sometimes very famous. It's so important to the Nashville music industry that the owner has entrusted the business to the Nashville Songwriters Association International. All of this to say you're not seeing some wishful wanna-be songwriters on the stage at The Swallow.
Last night we saw husband and wife team Mark Selby and Tia Sellers perform the hits they wrote, songs like "I Hope You Dance" from LeAnn Womack, "There's Your Trouble" from the Dixie Chicks, Kenny Wayne Shepherd's "Blue on Black", "That'll Be Alright" by Alan Jackson, among others. I mean this is a seriously talented duo. And even if the performance you are seeing includes fewer hits than this one, there's something really cool about hearing a songwriter sing their songs. The pitch may not be perfect, but they can make up for it in passion and the history to provide a one-of-a-kind experience. Check The Swallow's website to see who's on stage.
Know Before You Go: Call for a reservation, and when you do, they will take your CC#. There are no cancellations so if you don't show up, they will charge your card for the cover on the show (not for dinner, of course). When you do show up, they'll take the number of reservations and add the cover charge to the bill so you can split it up any way you want to. There are two unofficial seatings at the Swallow. One's for dinner and one's for dinner and the show. If you go for dinner and the show, then they'll tell you to be there at 8:30. But that's just an estimate. They know which table you'll be sitting at so they have to wait for the "just dinner" people to get up before you can sit down. But you can grab a beer from the bar and sit outside on the porch or under one of the big trees in the parking lot and just hang out. They'll get you in with plenty of time to eat before the show. When people get all pissy that they aren't seated when their reservation states, they should consider that this is the way this place works. Makes sense and if you'd just chill out and drink your beer, you'd realize that waiting for your table at the Swallow is a really nice atmosphere to relish.
You should also know that this is a listening room. So once the music starts, you shouldn't talk through it. Just listen and save what you had to say until the applause hit.
I went here for dinner last night and they have: the best pulled pork I have ever had, great sweet bbq sauce, delicious macaroni and cheese, fresh baked biscuits with honey, sweetwater 420 on draft, and live country music.
The atmosphere was great (we could see into the kitchen where they have huge containers of sweet tea just marinating to get all sugary and delicious), the waitstaff was friendly, and we had tons of leftovers.
Two minor disappointments: they were out of fried green tomatoes, and they initially brought us the wrong bill - but were very apologetic once they noticed.
Swallow (as the regulars call it) is the BEST BBQ in Atlanta. The key to their BBQ is the meat rather than sauce (which is also one of the best). While everything here is out of this world, the ribs take the cake. They are large, meaty, and tender. Not fatty or greasy! Just delicious.
The sides are all amazing too, with some great mac and cheese and occasionally they have a sweet potato souffle with mini marshmallows as a special.
Be forewarned, if you go on a weekend you will wait. Usually it doesn't take too long with a small group, but 6 or more be prepared. Additionally if you go on the night of a show (they have live music) and you are there while the bands are playing, they will tack a cover charge onto your bill!
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All of the hype drew me from Cartersville. About thirty miles each way. I went there with a party of eight for my birthday. We sat outside after a twenty minute wait. The fresh baked bread and biscuits are better than the BBQ. The ribs just did not deliver on the hype. The home made pickles were good. Maybe I'll give them another try.
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I am not a huge fan of barbeque, but Swallow at the Hollow offers good food in large portions. Plan to go with a huge appetite. Most people site at large picnic tables with bench seats, but if you are alone or a couple, you may get a table of your own.
They do have a vegetarian entree (portobello mushroom with smoked Gouda cheese) if you have a vegetarian in your group. One thing I like at the Swallow is they have beef barbeque, something almost impossible to find at most barbeque restaurants I've eaten at around Atlanta, and they have a nice selection of sides and sauces. Service is friendly.
On the down side, the place is very noisy. So if you want to have civil conversation, get take out.
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Wow! If you like bbq, this place rocks.
Great smoky flavor in the que and your choice of sauce. Huge portions. They even bake their own bread, huge loaves, to make the sandwiches larger! I ordered the pork sandwich plate and couldn't eat it all. You will NOT go away hungry.
A little hard to find if you are not familiar with the area. Make sure to take a map.
If you like good bbq or know someone who does, get up and go!
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I've finally got to try this place after hearing so much about it. It definitely met above and beyond my expectations for BBQ.
BBQ ribs were awesome. The meat was juicy and tender on the inside, by flavorful and smoky on the outside with just the right amount of sauce. Chopped beef was really good, too. It wasn't dry at all.
For sides, Brunswick stew was a little on the salty side for me. Cole slaw was refreshing. Texas toasts were done JUST right.
We finished with their chocolate banana pudding. It was a nice ending to our meal. The portion was big, so be sure to share.
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Yum, Fat Matt's still rules Atlanta but this Barbeque and atmosphere is worth the trip. I don't usually leave my small world in downtown but up in Roswell there is a roadhouse tucked away off the tiniest side street you've ever seen. Park the car and you can hear the tunes of original or cover music resonating through the wooden slats. The atmoshpere is very warm and fun. Depending on when and which day this can be a good place to hangout with family or friends. Give into your guilty pleasure admit that you're a southerner and kick back and listen to some good country music with some good country cookin'
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AWESOME BBQ ribs. Worth the 30 min. drive every time. Meat rolling off the bones and just the right amount of home-made BBQ sauce. Best ribs I've had in ATL so far. Can't beat the decor and ambiance. Old country barn with country music decor. Live country singers really add flavor to the whole experience. Difficulty of finding the place adds mystery and fun to the trip. Everyone must go at least once.
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Tucked away on some random side street in Roswell, you'll find Swallow at the Hollow in an unassuming wood cabin/barn like building. Step inside however and you'll think you were transported to Nashville if you happen to go on either Friday or Saturday night. On Friday and Saturday they have live shows (2 hours) of singer/song writers from Nashville performing their songs and telling the stories that were behind the songs.
Swallow at the Hollow serves pretty good food. I recently had the chopped (though it was really more like pulled) pork plate with beans and mac and cheese. The food was fairly good bbq and is served in HUGE portions. If you can finish an entire plate of pork and sides you have my respect. They have three different types of sauce that you can put on your meat; sweet, hot, and mustard. I tried them all and while none of them wow'ed me, they were all pretty decent.
The real reason you need to check this place out is the entertainment. I'm not a huge country fan but I listen to it a little. I was there last week and happened to catch 3 entertaining women; Stephanie Chapman, Lauren Lucas, and Kristy Jackson. While you may not have heard of these women there's a pretty decent change you're heard their music. Each had their own style of performing and writing, but all three women put on a great show.
I will definitely come back to Swallow at the Hollow, not only for the food but for the entertainment as well. If you like bbq and country, this is definitely your place. If you like one but not the other, you'll likely have a pretty good time too.
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Such a cool BBQ joint. http://www.theswallowa...
Went for my cuz's birthday bash! This is a charming place in a neat section of Roswell (lot of good dinning around here). The BBQ was excellent, and served wtih very large portions! The particular band we heard the night we were there came down from Nashville, and were great guitarists.. one particular guy from Australia really wailed. But it's not a place to gab once the music starts.. you pretty much just chill, eat and listen...
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Well I've eaten here twice, and wasn't impressed with the food either time. I do love the decor, and the location - for ambiance it really can't be beat. I plan on attending a concert here, it looks like for live music that it will rock.
But the food - just ain't good. I can't stand their BBQ. I've tried the pork, and it just doesn't cut it. Mind, I prefer my BBQ shredded, not chopped, thats probably part of it. But their Macaroni and Cheese - that stuff is extremely good.
For music, its probably worth while (I don't know yet). But better BBQ can be found just about everywhere else.
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Mmmm....
I usually get the chopped pork plate here. The brunswick stew and mac and cheese are great sides.
It's a lot of food and it's definitely not healthy but every now and then this is the place to go for tasty chopped pork and turkey.
The veggie sandwich here is fantastic. You could bring a veggie here if they are okay with watching you down some of the best bbq meat in town.
I don't think they have chicken here.
You won't have room for dessert for sure!
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Wow a lil hard to find the place.. you drive through a residential area first.. but wow worth the drive.. I don't even like potato salad and there's looked worthy of a try.. and mmmm I've been hooked ever since!! reasonable prices ... nice " southern down home" kinda feel to the place ( i hate those over commercialized BBQ places!) Big portions :) Yum!! looking forward to my next visit already!
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The absolute best casual dining experience on the Northside. Cheap, fast, fresh, and abundant. Plus, they have live music at night that just makes it that much more fun.
Great place, highly recommended.
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This is just about the best place to eat. Fun, good food and attention to detail. Live music on weekends. What else you lookin' for? Seriously, the side items are almost (almost) as good as the 'cue. Macaroni and cheese is a must have. Everything is fresh and you can't go wrong with any of the meats. Meat comes unsauced (except the ribs) so the quality of the cooking is right there before you put on your choice of sauces. Great place. A must in the north suburbs of Atlanta.
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