This is were it's at my guys and gals. Legit bbq, awesome atmosphere, great employees and a definite hang spot with trivia and music bingo. read more

Central BBQ - Combo plate pulled pork, pulled chicken and brisket with that mild bbq sauce - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

MEAL: potato salad, sliced beef sandwich, chopped brisket sandwich w/t coleslaw PROS: orderly run business, pleasant atmosphere, vibrant easy menu board, warm bbq sauce options CONS: the food (based on my order)... it's not that good, during my Memphis visit I intentionally went to 3 different BBQ restaurants, including Central BBQ and unfortunately, this one falls in 3rd place. The problem is the food lacks flavor, the meat "barely" had a smoked/BBQ'd taste, the potato salad consisted of very firm cubed potatoes in a mayo/mustard blend with no seasoning (except for paprika on top). read more

See all

I came to Central BBQ Midtown excited to try what's supposed to be "true Memphis BBQ" -- this place came highly recommended, so my expectations were high. I ordered a pound of pulled pork to really get the full experience, and... honestly, it was underwhelming. The pork was more like steamed meat than smoked BBQ, very bland, and with almost no bark. There's no way you could "let the smoke and meat speak" here -- it barely whispered. And it cost $18. Eighteen dollars! For something I could easily make better in my own backyard. I left feeling disappointed and a little baffled. Maybe my BBQ really is that good... or maybe this place just missed the mark. read more

Central BBQ - Signage - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

3.5/4's The ambiance of the place is just what you'd expect from Tennessee BBQ, definitely fitting with the theme. The service was okay, but it felt like the employees were a little standoff-ish. (Smile! It's a beautiful day to be alive!) Now the food: We got 2 Combo plates. The 1st had pulled pork, smoked turkey, and brisket with green beans and homemade pork rinds. The 2nd had the 1/2 chicken and pulled chicken with the Mac-n-cheese and fries. My husband tried all 4 flavors of their sauces (mild, hot, mustard, and vinegar) and he really enjoyed all of them! He ate the green beans (not my cup of tea) and he said they were good but spicy. He also said the pulled pork was good but the brisket was mediocre (to be fair, we're from Texas where smoked brisket is like religion and football...it reigns supreme lol) The pulled chicken was dry and hard to chew. The pork rinds and fries were good, definitely would order them again. The turkey and 1/2 chicken were DELICIOUS! So juicy and flavorful. Overall we liked this place, but there's always room for improvement! read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

Great ribs, pulled pork and potato salad. I will never understand how a place this good serves fries that are pure trash. The crusted season fries should never be served anywhere. I won't go back just because of those fries. read more

Honestly, I was extremely disappointed by this Central BBQ in Memphis. I had high hopes for Memphis BBQ, but sadly, this was not the spot for it. Staff were not as polite, and seemed very disinterested in being there. I also witnessed a staff member eat a fry off of a plate she was carrying over to a table. The food itself came out cold, and not much flavor. The restaurant was not very clean, with crumbs on almost every table and seat. I do not think I will go back here for BBQ in Memphis. Lots of room for improvement. read more

See all

Not bad. Came here on a Sunday night at 7pm. Busy but no wait on line. Parking lot in the back with plenty of spots. The ribs were good... we got half wet half dry. The dry part was too dry because it got placed back in the oven to broil the sauce. The wet part was tender and saucy. The brisket was fine - not texas style so it wasn't as tender as that style. The pulled pork was... fine. It wasn't my favorite. I normally don't like pulled pork as well so it wasn't a hit with me. The greens were delicious. Green beans were fine. The salad... was completely covered in cheese. It was tough to eat - I would ask for less cheese or cheese on the side. read more

See all

This was lunch time in May. We had a good time at the newish Central BBQ on Central Avenue. My salad was very tasty. They have wonderful cream based salad dressings. There are no low cal dressings available. My salad was very hearty and it was massive. I ended up taking half of it home. You order your food as you enter the restaurant. The server will bring it to you when the order is fulfilled. You are given a number to place on your table. The service was great. The place is very neat and clean. It is very organized and open. There are booths and a tad limited in seating if you have a large group. We enjoyed ourselves and we had a good time. read more

See all

Tell me you were starving without telling me you were starving---no pics of the food! We ordered two ribs for two plates for four of us and had such a variety and plenty to share! One wet and one dry order and truly, I could not say which was my fave. Ok, ok...the dry ribs...so moist and great flavor! We had 8 different sides and everything was great. The desserts, banana pudding and caramel cake, were not great but hey we came for bbq and all of that was Indoor or outdoor seating and great service! read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

Let's start with the food, I'm a big fan of the bbq and all their sauces. If that was the only part to discuss, you'd probably see 5 stars from me. Unfortunately, there are ALWAYS flies and it seems that it may be due to their cleaning practices. The guys who walk around to clear tables are super friendly, but I've seen fairly poor customer service at the front, at least greet folks genuinely or put a friendlier person up front. I really want this place to do better because I know it can and deserves to, and the neighbors would better support the business. read more

It has been awhile since we have tried Central, our last experience at the Southaven location was not too great. The service today was good and we got our food pretty quickly. My Turkey BBQ Chefs Salad was more than a little disappointing. Much smaller than I remember and barely any tutkey on it. My daughters BBQ Nachos were also disappointing. Small serving of meat and a handful of shredded cheese. No melted cheese at all. The meat was tough and filled with Alot of fat. The good news is my wife's sandwich and fries was very good. I think it might be awhile before we try this place again. read more

I was told by several ppl prior to this Memphis trip to get the jerk smoked wings from here. Good recommendation but I had to add the bbq sauce to make it really pop. The jerk seasoning leans a little sweet behind the heat. Also, the seasoning is plentiful and went everywhere. Messy, but good! I liked the wings, but would probably get classic or bbq smoked wings next time. The potato salad was so good omg. I tried a bone/pork rib and it was ok. Someone got heavy handed with the cumin. I would stick with chicken on a return trip. Best smoked wings I've had at a restaurant, complete with a legit smoke ring. Service was excellent & the staff was kind. read more

See all

Pulled chicken sandwiches were FIRE! Definitely recommend them with the coleslaw. Sides were pretty standard, wasn't too big a fan of the mac n cheese, but the green beans were good! read more

Central BBQ - Reg. Pulled Chicken Sandwich, Mac N' Cheese, Green Beans! - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

Visitor/tourist Tried it because of all of the rage. Ribs above average and beans were good as was cocoanut cake but pulled pork was dry and nothing special. Banana pudding was oddly airy/whipped not really like pudding. Ribs were above average but nothing special however were good without and with sauce read more

Extremely disappointed last night with my meal. I won't go through the whole group of 5 but I ordered a slab of ribs and six whole wings and both were extremely dry. We were there at 7:00p on a Friday night so I would think everything would be fresh and at peak but no. I'm not extremely picky and I understand restaurants are not always perfect but both were a huge letdown. read more

My go to spot when I visit for work. Central's the best! You can't go wrong ordering the nachos with any of the meats. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

DELICIOUS BBQ! We brought our soccer team and their families here after our match and had a wonderful time. Excellent BBQ, top notch customer service, and they even opened up a special quiet room for us to gather in. We WILL be back next time we're in Memphis! Only con- was the soda machine was either mislabeled or there was another issue. read more

Central BBQ - Amazing brisket nachos and a side of smoked turkey - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

We were here for lunch. We ordered the wet ribs and some sides. It came out fast but we were disappointed with the overall experience. The ribs were lukewarm and dry out at the end. They were slightly chewy as well. The sides were lukewarm and just okay. I am not sure why that we receive bad customer services on the food. They need work on quality of their food. We will not be back. My recommendation is go down the road to Horn Lake, MS to Memphis Bbq. They are more consistent with their ribs. There ribs comes out hot, moist, fall off the bone and there sides are even hot, The customer services is so friendly and they come by to see if you doing okay. Bye Central Bbq. read more

Pro: quick ordering, savory pork, solid side options, good portions, free plastic drink cup Con: felt like their bbq sauce was just okay, expected more but still very tasty read more

Central BBQ - Pulled pork sandwich with greens and Mac n cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

The ribs were amazing. The baked beans were the best I've ever had and the potato salad was just like mom used to make. Loved every bite of everything read more

I wanted to try Baines(sp?) but they were sold out! So, I decided to travel around the corner to Central. The food was just okay. My least favorite was the deli shredded brisket. I was terribly disappointed because that's what I was looking forward to eating. I should've taken a look before leaving. If you're in a pinch and just want a little bbq, it's an okay place to go. I personally wouldn't order from there again. read more

Ugh you still stand in line to order. The new facility is bright and functional but after seeing it, I have to wonder why it took two and a half years to build it out. It is loud inside. BBQ is Central BBQ ok but nothing great. Flavor is lacking. Sides are excellent; homemade potato chips and onion rings very good. Based on Memphis restaurant pricing the sandwich combo is a real value. read more

This review is coming from a BBQ guy (who has his own smokers, etc...). Brought the family in for lunch on the way out of town. The food was so good (ribs, pork rinds, beans, Mac & cheese), that they got back in line and ordered two rib dinners to go, so they can have it when we get home from long drive. One of the better BBQ joints, I had a pleasure of visiting and deserves the full 5 (ribs) s rating!!! read more

Food and service was great totally recommend it. The ambiance is nice we went on a Sunday night but it seems like they do get traffic in during the weekend. Any occasion type of place. Loved the food. read more

We stopped for a quick bite before hitting the road. This place's decor is on point. Love all the booths. Kind service but she fersure recommended a funky beer to go with BBQ. We ordered ribs, brisket, pulled pork, sausage plate Mac & cheese, baked beans & banana pudding. Would honestly only recommend the Ribs here. Sausage plate was good but underwhelming. Asked for the meats to be covered in sauce and everything was way dry. Also, when picking a size for the banana pudding she said this would be good for two and it's easily enough for five people we ended up throwing at least half of it away. Would try a new spot next time we're in Memphis! read more

See all

We have been here at least 3 times if not 4 and it is ALWAYS DELICIOUS. The last time we came here was in June of 2021. When we arrived this evening it was a tad bit different and we thought that we were at the wrong location. Little did we know that they closed in 2022 and had just been reopened about 3 months. The parking is way better and it was absolutely gorgeous inside. As always, the food was phenomenal and we left stuffed. read more

See all

Not great BBQ. Not sure why they cut their meats like deli meat. Ordered brisket and it came out like a pile of Arby's roast beef. Dry brisket and mediocre sides. read more

Got BBQ to go. It was really good but they only gave us one BBQ sauce for two meals. I would say double check before you leave to make sure you have your sauce. read more

We always stop here on our way to Destin. I always get the pulled pork, ribs, and smoked sausage. The beans are fantastic with the hot sauce added. The fries were great. However, the banana pudding is off the chain. I really like the new look of the remodeled restaurant. The central midtown location is the best. Overall, just a great place to eat. We will be back definitely. read more

I was visiting Memphis and heard this is the best place to get pork ribs! I know bbq joints could get pricey and this 1/4 ribs with two sides (mac & cheese and fries) came to about $30+. My only qualm is they were only doing takeouts that day because they were shortstaffed. It is what it is but that takes away at least 70% of the experience for me (honestly.) Eating bbq at a restaurant while it's still hot and fresh with your bare hands and with all the sauces available just doesn't compare with eating it in to-go containers :( On a positive note, the ribs were fall-off-the-bones, juicy, and definitely huge for one person! read more

See all

First time in Memphis and people on plane said we needed to go here for bbq. Did not disappoint!! Was amazing!! I have food allergies and they were able to help me answer questions to help me with my order. We will be back for sure! Yum! read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Pulled chicken was a little dry but the full rib platter was amazing! Service was prompt. Ambiance was spacious and simple. read more

Central BBQ - Full slab of Ribs with a side of Mac N Cheese-and potato salad. Ribs were amazing! Sides were ok- fries might be good - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

Not great! Everything was overcooked and dry, sides were just ok. Greens were better at Gus's fried chicken. Definitely bummed we came here. Surprised for Memphis BBQ it wasn't any better. Sausage was salty, pulled chicken and the turkey was flavorless read more

Central BBQ - Pulled Pork (per pound) - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

9-13-25 First time we have been here since they rebuilt the new building. The place is okay but you would think they would have a better atmosphere for a new building. Cheap tables and chairs, they could definitely done better. The customer services was okay but they need to work on their smiles. The food came out fast but it was somewhat lukewarm. We did order slab of wet ribs. It is a hit or miss with the ends were dry out and the middle of the slab was very good. The sides were just okay. I don't think we will come back to this location. read more

Excellent BBQ. Glad we stopped in! The service is outstanding and friendly staff! The place is clean and nicely decorated. The rub and sauces are excellent too. read more

We were referred to this place by our Airbnb host. We drove here and didn't realize it was a food truck, but we didn't mind. We asked the young lady at the window what they were known best for. She said the ribs are really good. I asked for the ribs, Mac & cheese and bbq beans. Hubby ordered the ribs, slaw and onion rings. The rib meat did not fall off the bone. They meat was dry and there was no smoke flavor. The rib plate is $27.50. The mac & cheese looked great but were store bought and bland. The bbq beans were delicious! Hubby said the slaw was dry and bland. The onion rings were a 3.5 out of 5. We were full but disappointed in the product. read more

Central BBQ - Combo Rib Plate onion rings and Slaw - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

I was pretty excited to try this place, but I was not impressed. I don't like how their menu is set up. The plates don't give you much flexibility on trying different meats with ribs, unless you want to get a ton of food. I honestly just wanted to try the ribs and brisket with sides, but there is no way to do that. Ribs only come in full or half slabs. I ended up getting the ribs combo for $41. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. They bring the food to you but seat and serve yourself. Overall, all hype. Bar b q shop is better Ribs: good. Easily comes off the bone, good flavor Brisket: decent. Not super fatty and was tender enough Pulled pork: crap. It's dry as hell Coleslaw: decent. Dressing was not too heavy Mac and cheese: bad. Like from a box bad Bread roll: just basic bread read more

Central BBQ - Ribs combo ~$40 - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Took a trip with my 8th Grade class and frankly the service was amazing. Chicken tendies were great. This is totally an must stop place when visiting Tennessee. One problem is that the cups have a picture of my brother on them and I'm surprised they captured his likeness well. read more

Prices are decent, service is whatevers but I'm here for the ribs and the ribs were extremely underwhelming. Between all the people in our group we pretty much ordered everything on the menu. The wings and brisket were pretty good but both the dry and wet ribs were mediocre at best. Meat was dry in some parts and tough in other parts. Pretty disappointing considering all the rave reviews. read more

See all

Came to the food truck. We ordered a full rack of ribs. We originally ordered half rack with a couple sides and ended up changing our minds to the full rack because we saw the price is cheaper to do that than what we were doing. We told them to just keep the extra $ because of the change, but we were met with some sass from the employee, which we didn't appreciate. Not a lot of nearby places to sit unfortunately because of the construction. Despite all of this, the ribs were super delicious. I get the hype. The meat easily fell of the bone. Messy so you make sure you get enough napkins. read more