The Story

This eatery, with its slow-cooked BBQ and its elbows-on-the-table approach, has a story that gives the name "family restaurant" a deeper meaning.

Tim Thomas' son, Elliot, wanted to run his own restaurant. He planned on attending Johnson & Wales University and return to Matthews to manage a local chain-restaurant. Tim decided that he wanted to do something special for his son, so he began working on the concept for a barbecue restaurant.

A few months before the restaurant was to open, Elliot passed away, and Tim, along with his family changed the focus of their new establishment in order to memorialize their son.

The Atmosphere

Walking into Elliot's is like walking into a family member's house. You know, the one who always offers guests something to drink and always has plenty of food to share?

Tables are arranged in an open configuration. Thomas said that he wants customers to talk, not only to the people at their own table, but to the other customers.

"My goal was to get people to talk, laugh and have a good time," Thomas said.

When he's in the restaurant, Thomas greets every customer, furthering the down home atmosphere. "It's the little things that people see," Thomas said. From the low-set drink fountains that invite kids to serve themselves, to the big screen television, Elliot's BBQ offers up a great mix of good food and low frills, while still being comfortable.

The Food

BBQ is a personal thing for many people, as it is for Thomas. With no pre-prepared meat, Thomas said that the food at Elliot's is fresh, and the sliced brisket is smoked for 12 hours.

The sauces are right on the table, so if you like your chicken swimming in sweet and tangy sauce, you can fix it that way. If you're brave enough, ask for the hotter-than-hot sauce. It's kept behind the counter.

The actual BBQ is important, but so are the accompaniments. Elliot's offers slaw, macaroni and cheese and hush puppies. Follow up the meal with a dish of banana pudding, and your experience at Elliot's is complete.

Well, almost.

Don't forget the sweet tea. "That's the champagne of the South. If you're not drinking sweet tea, you're in trouble," Thomas said.