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Central BBQ

4.1 (1.8k reviews)
ModerateBarbeque
Closed 6:30 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 1 month ago

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CENTRAL BBQ ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Jessica D.

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!

Amanda V.

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.

Alan N.

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.

Group at lunch
Dianna S.

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.

Charon R.

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!

Racquel S.

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.

Reg. Pulled Chicken Sandwich, Mac N' Cheese, Green Beans!
Chauncey G.

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!

Andrew B.

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.

Amazing brisket nachos and a side of smoked turkey
RyanShelby C.

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.

Pulled pork sandwich with greens and Mac n cheese

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Central BBQ - BBQ pork sandwich with slaw

Central BBQ

(2.7k reviews)

$$

Downtown

We went to the main Central BBQ location which happens to be across the street from the Civil…read moreRights Museum which we visited before stopping in. This location is a large building with lots of seating options. I had to try Central as it keeps winning awards and is consistently mentioned as the top BBQ place in the Memphis area. Some of their awards were displayed at the entrance and on the walls. Lots of history. My wife ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich and had the slaw on the side so I could have it (she's not a slaw fan). I had the small order of ribs with 1/2 dry and 1/2 wet with sides of BBQ Beans and Mac n Cheese. I tried the pulled pork and it was tender and delicious. My ribs were pretty good with my favorite part being the wet ribs. The dry part was overcooked and really dry and chewy. This was a bit of a disappointment. The BBQ beans were flavorful but a bit mushy. The Mac n cheese also mushy a bit but tasted better than it looked. I love great BBQ so I like Central BBQ but may have caught them on a bad day. Oh, they were out of a lot of T Shirt options/size I wanted too. Darn. I wanted to buy one. I would return and try the brisket, pulled pork or poultry items next time.

First timers here and the service was friendly and attentive. The area was quiet enough that we…read morecould hold a conversation with lots of seating. A nice layout for sure. We had the ribs and pulled pork. The ribs were good and tender and the pulled pork was good but a bit on the dry side. I just used more bbq sauce. All in all it was a very nice place for lunch after visiting the National Civil Rights Museum just across the way.

Blues City Cafe - Ribs

Blues City Cafe

(2k reviews)

$$

Downtown

Muy buen servicio! 100% Recomendable! La comida muy rica y…read moreel ambiente es muy bueno!

We had a nice little meal here at this casual spot right along the western edge of Beale Street…read more Since we visited on a weekend evening, they had the whole road blocked off, so you had to enter from the north or west side to avoid entering the walkable area which requires you to pay a $5 entry. This entire restaurant is built on a slight slope, and they did not level the foundation when building out the restaurant, so if you're sitting at your table and the table is aligned north to south, you will see a slight lean to the flooring. Also, if you have any juices on your plate of food, the juices will flow toward Beale Street. I wanted to try their tamales but will have to do it on a subsequent visit. This visit we ordered the bowl of gumbo and the Memphis strip steak which is pre-cut for you. The gumbo is slightly salty but good. The strip steak was really good, filling and cooked to order. I chose new potatoes as my one side. Service here can be a little difficult depending how busy they are and how wild your fellow patrons in the restaurant can be. It took a long time to pay the bill here due to a large party coming in right when we were wanting to pay and our server was attending to them for about 15 mins while we were trying to flag him down. Other than that, we had no other problems. I would happily return the next time I'm in the downtown area and looking for food near Beale Street.

Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

(3.7k reviews)

$$

Downtown

Loved everything about Gus's! I avoid meat mostly, but I was…read morenot about to miss trying famous fried chicken! The restaurant is tucked away on a small, empty street. There is plenty of parking in a lot across the street. We went inside and found it to be pretty busy, but we got a table for 4 quickly. The place was clean and homey-feeling and I loved the fact that they used disposable plates, utensils and napkins! It is probably way easier on the crew to clean up, and it adds to the relaxed atmosphere. I had the corn nuggets to start, yum! We finished them easily, they were so good. Then the entree of my chicken tenders, beans, and Mac and cheese came out, along with my sweet tea. The sweet tea was perfect, I drank a whole one during my meal and they gave me another to go in the souvenir Gus's cup. The food was just great, chicken was juicy and perfectly crunchy on the outside. Beans and Mac and cheese, delicious! I ate all of it even though I was stuffed. I even went so far as to order a piece of pecan pie for dessert, but unfortunately our server came back out to tell us they were out of it! Guess it wasn't meant to be (this time)! Our server was really friendly during our whole meal, chatted with us a little and made sure we had a great experience! Bottom line.... Go to Gus's!

The place was a small building in downtown Memphis. Parking was limited in front of restaurant but…read morefree. The service was good. We were seated quickly and served quickly. The waiter was nice and attentive. He made sure we had what we needed and wanted. Seven is his name. The food was not world famous. The chicken was spicy and bland. No seasoning. The Mac and cheese tasted like boxed Mac and cheese with shredded cheese on top. The greens tasted like can greens not fresh. The best thing was the souvenir cup. I will not return. I gave it 2 stars because it was free parking in front of restaurant and the good service from seven.

Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous

Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous

(2.9k reviews)

$$

Downtown

Charlie Vergo's Rendevous has a speakeasy feel to it with the main entrance in an alleyway just off…read more2nd street and BB King Drive. It's been around for over 75 years (since 1948) and has great staying power. Inside is like a museum of signs, print articles, and lots of eclectic decor but it all seems to fit just right. The Rendevous shows up as a must-try place when in Memphis so, of course, we had to try it. My wife and I really enjoyed ourselves here and for what it might lack in some areas, the character and staff more than make up for it. We had a seat at a crossroads area where two in-restaurant walkways merged and there was no shortage of ongoing activity throughout our visit. We shared the perfect sized Pork Ribs and Brisket Combo with sides of beans and coleslaw. The meats are all charcoal grilled and tasted very good. They put a LOT of dry seasoning on the ribs. I liked the baked beans and mustard vinegar slaw as well. They were a nice compliment to our meats. The ribs were a bit dry but good with the added tangy BBQ sauce that is on every table. I even bought a bottle to take home. Our server was Mark F and was very seasoned and professional. He did a great job. I love these types of old school places with an "if these walls could talk" vibes. Also love their website name: HogsFly.com. Hilarious! Everyone needs to try this place at least once.

A Memphis staple! Anyone traveling through Memphis MUST make the pilgramage to "The Rendezvous."…read more I brought my son here during a recent visit and introduced him to the "Full Slab for Two," which we both eagerly inhaled. That, coupled with their incredibly-yummy corn slaw, made the vsiit very memorable. Ambiance is incredible!! Check out my pictures! Service was friendly and promot as usual.

New Wing Order

New Wing Order

(20 reviews)

Downtown

Coworker had heard of it and we were all impressed when we saw all the awards this place has…read moreearned. Also, the variety and types of flavors looked awesome so I was excited to try it out. When it came to which flavors to pick, I knew I had to try their award-winning flavor, Memphis Buffalo. I'm not a big wing person, so it was just ok to me. It was good, but didn't wow me. Also, I always get boneless, so I'm not sure if the flavor is different on regular wings- so take my review with a large grain of salt if you're a big wing person. The fries were really good but the flavored versions weren't that impressive so I'd rather just stick to the regular fries. The Pineapple Habanero was really good though. I really liked the flavor and the kick. It's one of the spicier things on the menu so I feel like I could handle the spiciest. I'd come back and try more flavors! Loved: - Dipping Sauce: Ranch - Side: Fries Classic - Side: Roll Liked: - Wings (Boneless): Pineapple Habanero Ok: - Dipping Sauce: Blue Cheese - Side: Fries Premium Parmesan - Wings (Boneless): Memphis Buffalo

Heard a million good things about this place so I had to try them out. They do a good job letting…read moreeveryone know where they will be and when. I like the face that they travel around Memphis so everyone can try the food. I ordered a couple of Buffalo Chicken Tacos, an avocado taco, and 18 wings with the flavors of honey gold, bourbon, and memphis buffalo. The tacos were great. I want to order some more. The wings are smoked with the sauce added later. The wings taste good but they are pretty expensive for what they are. People should try the wings but I prefer deep fried wings that hold the sauce better.

Itta Bena - Atlantic Salmon

Itta Bena

(539 reviews)

$$$

Downtown

We went here to celebrate a birthday. The appetizers were delicious from the shrimp to the bacon…read moredish and crab stuffed avocado (this was my least favorite of the apps). I will say that everyone' in my group enjoyed the food and experience. The ambiance is so nice, not overly loud, with the live piano. It's definitely a vibe. Unfortunately, my entree wasn't a hit for me - the shrimp & grits were vinegar-y, the Seabass was cooked well, but lacked flavor. Tried the braised ribs, not impressive at all and could use more oomph (seasoning). I've never returned so many entrees, so I just sucked it up and decided I would put my own touches on it. It was better the next day, but for the price point, I shouldn't have to do anything. The spicy margarita is a definite YES!! Stefan, our waiter was great, very accommodating! Overall, great experience, I'm sure we'll be back.

Pre-Valentine's date night for two at Itta Bena, and overall it was a mixed experience with some…read morereal highlights. First Impression The greeter, unfortunately, was not very sociable or welcoming. As the first point of contact, that role sets the tone and atmosphere. A warm smile and engaging greeting would have elevated the entrance experience. Ambiance & Decor Absolutely excellent. The ambiance is intimate, romantic, and perfect for a date night. The decor gives upscale speakeasy vibes -- very fitting for the concept. Service Our waiter was extraordinary. Attentive, professional, and genuinely concerned about our experience. When he noticed my lamb was not cooked to the requested medium-well, he immediately offered to have it corrected. His demeanor alone elevated the evening. Cocktails We ordered an Old Fashioned and an Apricot cocktail (Apricot Sidecar). Presentation and flavor were top-tier. Balanced, smooth, and beautifully garnished. Easily one of the best parts of the night. Appetizer They were out of crab cakes, which was disappointing. We ordered the bacon appetizer, which leaned heavily toward pork belly -- more fat than traditional bacon. The plating and accompaniments were visually stunning and paired nicely with the entrées, but the texture ratio was off. Entrée #1 - Short Ribs, Mash & Asparagus Plating: Excellent Portion size: Generous Flavor: Underwhelming While visually impressive, the dish lacked depth in seasoning and overall flavor. I would rate it . Entrée #2 - New Zealand Lamb & Risotto Requested medium-well; served closer to medium. The waiter graciously had it corrected. The lamb itself lacked strong seasoning -- for effort. The risotto, unfortunately, was overcooked and resembled mashed potatoes in texture. While it wasn't under-seasoned, the structure and execution were not there. Risotto is technical and requires precision. I would rate it . Side - Sweet Potato "Pecan Casserole" Now let's talk about this. I loved it. For someone who appreciates the simplicity of a fresh sweet potato without excessive sugar, marshmallows, or heavy additions -- this was perfect. It tasted like a beautifully mashed sweet potato topped with a pecan strudel. It wasn't a traditional casserole in the sugary Southern sense, but it was balanced and well executed. This was a win for me. Overall Ambiance: Service: Cocktails: Food Execution: - depending on dish Itta Bena shines in atmosphere, service, and bar program. The kitchen has strong presentation, but seasoning and technical consistency need refinement.

Central BBQ - bbq - Updated May 2026

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