Fat Toney?s Bar-b-que Scores Three Stars

1301 N. Garland Ave.

Fayetteville

We like the looks of Fat Toney’s flagship restaurant in Fayetteville. It’s unassuming, with red-and-white checkered tablecloths and vintage Razorback paraphernalia on the walls and shelves.

We also like ordering at the counter as soon as we walk in the door. It does away with all the pretentious stuff like waiters and wine lists (not to mention tips).

Inside, Fat Toney’s can seat about 20 people. There’s also a picnic table outside if you want to watch the traffic zip down Garland Avenue while eating your lunch.

The menu at Fat Toney’s is pretty much limited to the basics — barbecue beef, pork, ham, ribs, sausage and chicken either on sandwiches or just plopped onto your plate with a mess of hot sauce. But what else would you expect from a barbecue place? Baked beans and potato salad? Toney’s has that, too.

And if you’re into jalapenos, you don’t have to ask for them as a “special” item. They’re right there at the help- yourself counter to grab as you please.

We also liked the fact that Toney’s hot sauce is actually fairly warm, as opposed to what passes for hot barbecue sauce at many other restaurants.

On a recent lunch trip to Fat Toney’s, the three diners in our group chose three different meals. One picked the “Razorback pickin’s” pulled pork sandwich ($3.75 by itself or $5 with two side items). He said the sandwich was good, but nothing that would make him rear back and call the Hogs out loud in the middle of the restaurant. But it did make him snort.

Another diner had the pork plate ($5) with hot sauce, onions, jalapenos, baked beans, potato salad and a giant glass of good iced tea.

“I added extra hot sauce to make it just right,” he said. “The food was good, and no one can complain about the bang for your buck at Fat Toney’s. I got a heaping plate of food that I couldn’t even finish. It’s a great venue for college students hoping to turn one meal’s worth of money into a day’s worth of full belly.”

The third diner had the sausage sandwich basket ($5). The sausages were cut into long strips that hung well out of each side of the sandwich. “A bit sloppy to eat,” he said, “but then again, this is a barbecue place. There should be a sign that reads, ‘Wear a white shirt at your own risk.'” He also liked the casual atmosphere.

Fat Toney’s is a place every Razorback fan should try or revisit now and again even if just for the photo montage. You could be looking at great Hogs of the past while eating a great barbecued hog of your own.