I was hoping for the pit or rub to flavor the brisket. Brisket kinda dry also but my son enjoyed the beef nachos. This place smelled soooo good and looked legit. I was excited to try some Memphis Bbq. We got a lb of brisket, a brisket sandwich and a large beef nachos. I can't say I liked the brisket. The sandwich was ok, maybe because the coke slaw helped it. And my son did enjoy the nachos. I do not usually use bbq, maybe that would help. But I do enjoy fatty and juicy smoked meats if that would be the case. Maybe I stopped by on a bad day during COVID. I think it was Halloween 2020. Was it a trick or a treat? Sorry but it was the former this day. read more

When in Memphis, you've got to do the 'que! After a long time drooling over the menu online, I called in take-out order for my large group. I had to repeat some things a few times and didn't feel confident the order would be right. But it was absolutely 100% right when we picked it up. The take-out window girl gave me a bottle of sauce to bring back to ATL :) Nice! The dry rub ribs were incredibly tender and full of flavor. My son's pulled pork plate was very moist and good. We liked their homemade potato chips - super crispy with a lot of bbq rub/seasoned salt. The sides were tasty but the portions are really, really small for $16 dinners. read more

The #1 bbq spot in Memphis! Easily the best wings and bbq nachos in Memphis!!! I always bring friends and family to this BBQ spot first, and recommend it to clients. Reasonable prices, awesome staff, and amazing bbq! read more

I came to Memphis for the weekend and decided to see what the BBQ hype was all about. When you walk in, it's an little crowded to order, but the line goes by fairly quickly. There are menus displayed above the cashier, as well as things to purchase for your at home BBQ needs. We ordered the half and half dry & sauced up ribs, a half order of jerk wings, and a half order of the pulled pork nachos. The service was really quick as we got our food no more than 15 mins of being seated. I loved loved LOVED the pulled Pork nachos, dry rub ribs, and the jerk chicken wings. Each time I took a bite it was a burst of all kinds of wonderful flavors. I can see why they say Memphis is known for their dry rub! Definitely will be back whenever I am in town again! read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Menu is hard to read if you've never been there. You gotta order like its fast food and people in the line expect you to hurry. I asked to sit down and look at the menu, and was told no but I could stand over there and look at a menu as people hit me with the door as I stood there. I wouldn't even give this 1 star. If you have never been to central BBQ and you have a family with small kids I greatly suggest going elsewhere read more

Central BBQ hardly needs more accolades, but I'm happy to pile on as another satisfied customer. I went on an off hour, so the wait to order and to receive food was minimal. In that respect, service was efficient and friendly. But this is all about the food, right? Although I went there for the BBQ, something about the Sausage and Cheese appetizer platter spoke to me. It's served with two kids of cheese, sliced sausage, several pickle spears, peperoncino and a cup of amazing honey mustard sauce. It's all covered with a dusting of pepper. It's definitely two meals for one person, so be prepared to share or take home leftovers. There's really nothing like bbq and a cold beer on these Memphis summer days. I can't wait to go back to Central BBQ for more. read more

Central BBQ - Sausage & Cheese platter - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

I have to say this pulled pork platter was dry and flavorless. The sauces had a metallic taste. Perhaps it's from the heated containers they're stored in. We left here feeling confused. How is this called BBQ? Where is the smoke ring and smokey flavor? I'll always wonder if I should have tried the ribs. read more

Central BBQ - Pulled Pork Plate with Coleslaw and Potato Salad - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Ribs are delicious. The sides were pretty bland. Wear coats because when it's crowded you sit in the outside area under an enclosed tent. On our night, only half the area was being heated. Fast service once you get thru the long line to order. read more

As old school as it gets here! The actual atmosphere is so chill and laid back. The employees make you feel like family and are more than happy to help with anything. We got a full rack of ribs half wet and half dry. A side of collard greens, Macaroni and cheese, some banana pudding, smoked wings and some potato salad. Everything was amazing and delicious. Memphis knows bar-b-q. read more

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I did not enjoy my sandwich at all. The brisket was not tender or smoked to my liking. I ordered the cole slaw on the side and added it to my sandwich, which is very unusual for me. The food was not prepared bad and my rating is mostly based on regional preferences. I am not from Memphis and grew up eating a different style of barbecue. I would not go back, but I would persuade other people to try the food. It's obvious people from Memphis and surrounding areas love it. read more

We headed to this restaurant based on the recommendation of some friends. I had the pulled pork sandwich which was delicious and the large portion was a decent size. My family had the turkey and sausage platter that didn't disappoint either. The Mac and cheese and collard greens were great sides. We tried several of their sauces: mild, hot, mustard and vinegar. Our favorites were the missed and hot. They have limited seating inside with a covered outdoor area for overflow seating. read more

Well. I had fairly high expectations when I saw the 4 1/2 out of 5 stars and I have to say, the RIBS are amazing! However, I was a little disappointed with the brisket and the home made chips. I had to trim every piece of the brisket, just too much fat for this Yankee. And who ever handed out the chips either has a Hulk grip (LOL) or I got the "bottom of the barrel." Not one normal sized chip, just crumbs that tasted ok but were just not appealing. Next time, RIBS BABY!!! I will just get the RIBS! read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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First time trying this place & I have mixed reviews. I got the dry rub ribs which were fall-off-the-bone and amazing, sauce was good too. For sides, I got onion rings, which were hot & delicious, and green beans, which were from a can and nothing special. Rolls were cold dollar rolls right out of the package. My friend's brisket & fries were cold. But my reason for removing a star was the service. They were short, unfriendly & when we asked a question about one of our sides (we ordered a double onion ring but it looked like a single) , we just kept getting a scripted response and she didn't even smile. Even as you're standing next in line, ready to give your order, the cashier yells "NEXT!" (I'm standing right here) We didn't encounter one friendly staff member in the whole place. In fact, these were some of the only unfriendly people we encountered during our entire stay in Memphis. No southern hospitality to be found here. read more

I've never been to Memphis before and I've never had Memphis style BBQ before, so take this with a grain of salt when I say, "This is the best Memphis BBQ I've ever had." I wanted to compare their pork to pork that I've had in Texas and that I've had back home in Florida. I also wanted to try the dry rub ribs because if you've watched enough Food Network shows about BBQ, you would know that Memphis dry rub barbecue ribs are supposed to be the bee's knees. We weren't hungry, but I'm a bit of a glutton, so I ordered both. As for the pork, don't even bother. They don't know what they're doing in Memphis when it comes to barbecue pork, in my opinion. It was dry, smokeless and tough. It was better in Houston and it's way better back home in Florida. However, the ribs are outstanding! I tried adding some of their barbecue sauces to the ribs to see if it enhanced them or took away from the flavor. Bottom line, don't do it! The flavor of the ribs are perfect the way they are, nice and dry. They're tender and the meat falls off the frickin bone. read more

Central BBQ - Pork. Average at best. - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Great food & atmosphere. Got the smoked bologna & coleslaw sandwich w/ baked beans. 10/10. Will be back.

wow the ribs & pork nachos are amazing. this is my new favorite bbq spot! super tasty and delicious!

Central BBQ in Memphis is a BBQ lover's dream, serving up smoky, flavorful dishes that will leave you craving more.

This place was considered the best BBQ in Memphis. Glad I got to try it. My first BBQ experience in Memphis was ok, but this place changed my view of Memphis BBQ. Memphis is known more for the pork than anything else, slow cooked pork that is. So of course, we had to get their award winning pulled pork sandwich and pork ribs in half wet and half dry. The pulled pork was very tender but I find that it tasted better with more BBQ sauces (vinegar, mustard, mild, and spicy). The pork ribs were good, and again I like the wet one better. Memphis BBQ is good but it needs the sauces to get there. Also, good mac and cheese but not so much on the cole slaw. read more

I was not expecting the salad to be this big but I'm not mad about it! It was so good! The nachos were amazing. I just wish I could load them up with lettuce, tomato and onion. read more

Central BBQ - BBQ Nachos Chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Passed by central bbq! And then realized that the restaurant was closed, like they are either going to sell, or give the building a totally makeover. And I love the food. Hopefully that's what they are doing. Is making over the building. read more

OMG, what an amazing place. I'm talking the kind of place that will make you smack your mamma! I came here wanting to experience Memphis BBQ at it's finest. OK, so maybe a colleague of mine came here before and highly recommended it. Still, I had to be convinced myself and boy was I. Having lived in Florida for the past seven years now, it's uncommon to find a good BBQ place that has really good beef brisket. Well, now that I've had Central's beef brisket the bar has been set end it's quite high. I also had the BBQ beans and Mac-n- cheese for sides. Absolutely amazing! A colleague of mine even took home like 4 bottles of their sauce. A must visit when in the greater Memphis area! read more

Great vibe!! Everyone that works there were very nice! Ribs were AMAZING! Mac n chz & green beans were great side choices as well. Crowd was just starting to come in, which made seating a little difficult...so get there before the crowd does! read more

I have been to several while in Memphis...never very impressed...THIS location was the bomb...from the waitstaff to the food, a solid 8. Ribs (half-n-half) were great...didn't care for the coleslaw...loved the fries...I would make a return performance here! read more

Their slogan is, "Smoke is our sauce". This is my favorite BBQ in Memphis, but I never stop looking. read more

Great ribs with yummy local craft beer on a dog friendly covered porch; what more could you ask for? Nothing really. My husband split the ribs for two; half dry rub half sauces. Both wonderful. Slaw is not sweet but not dry with just a taste of vinegar. Mustard potato salad nice but nothing too special. The beans were just a mimic of Bush's Beans but I personally like Bush's beans. Parking is small but doable. Definitely would come back. read more

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

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Fun atmosphere, food was good, wasn't great though. Not a restaurant like I was expecting, you order at the counter and they bring it to your table. Not much to rate on, lots of bbq sauces, but none hot. I think I might have enjoyed had there been more options on the menu. It's fast food bbq, if that's what your looking for it's great. But not a great restaurant. read more

Bomb a** food. Dry rub wings are the best. Get em. The nachos are also pretty good. All in all 9/10.

Came here via recommendations on Reddit for best Memphis BBQ. Can't say it's in the top ten of best barbecue I've ever had, but it definitely wasn't the worst. The employees are extremely friendly. I had the pulled pork with Mac and cheese and slaw. My first choice was brisket, but they were sold out. Maybe my experience would have been different if I got to try the brisket! read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Very good Memphis bbq. Really enjoyed the pulled pork sandwich and brisket plate. Baked Beans were good too. Worth the wait. read more

Got the pork sandwich . Was pretty legit but pork was not as moist as I'd hope. Needed extra sauce to moisten that thang. But that's alright. Service was fast. Little joint with nice outdoor seating. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Plain and simple, great BBQ. The ribs (dry) were the best I've ever had. Great selection in beer, kid friendly, casual atmosphere. Awesome live music playing in the patio "Hokum" with their vintage tunes. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Omg yum!!! If you're looking for some good bbq at a reasonable price, this is the place. When I say everything was good, that is not an under statement. I repeat everything was good. From the sides to the apps. The sauces, the meats, the desserts. You really cant go wrong. I ended up ordering the brisket sandwich, which was freaking huge. It comes with coleslaw on it btw. I also go how wings. Oh man the dry rub is heavenly. I would literally put that on everything. Anything. I might even buy as bottle just to sprinkle on my tongue. It's that good. The wings were falling off the bone, smoked to perfection. I had mac n cheese and greens. Both delicious. The portion sizes here are hefty. Keep that in mind when ordering. I highly recommend going in a group so you can try everything read more

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This place is what most people have called the best BBQ in Memphis. It is good...but I've had better. It all depends on what your preference is for ribs and how the meat is cooked, etc. When traveling to Memphis one week, I stopped by and got the rib plate for lunch and it was good. I like smoky or even gooey, fall off the bone ribs. These were not fall off the bone and you had to work at them a little. Still good flavor and decent sauce. The sides were what I really loved. The potato salad was extremely good and had seasoning mixed into it. The greens also had a great smoky flavor. The dessert was hands down the best out of all I ordered-get the Banana pudding. The lady at the counter recommended it after I asked what was best and it did not disappoint. There are even little bread crumbs sprinkled on it that add an extra flavor-do yourself a favor and try it. read more

Central BBQ - Rib plate with potato salad and greens. - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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I'm definitely going to receive some flack for this, but I thought Central BBQ was fine. I wouldn't exactly write home about it, but it served it's purpose. Here are my qualms: 1. The Texas toast was not Texas toast. If they had advertised it as toast, I would have been happier. 2. The green beans could have used more flavor. Here are my pluses: 1. The pulled pork was juicy and satisfying. 2. The potato salad was flavorful. Overall though, I felt like everything could have used more seasoning, even the pulled pork. Maybe they're being more reserved because they are trying to speak to a larger audience, maybe it was an off day. Either way, I didn't leave thinking, it's true, Memphis BBQ is the best in the state. Honestly, I'd rather take a trip to Edley's in Nashville. read more

The only thing you should order is the ribs! The ribs have great flavor. The mild BBQ sauce is good and the hot one has a nice original flavor. The pulled pork is dry and flavorless. The brisket is sliced too thin as if it were supposed to be on a sandwich. The brisket also has no flavor. If this is supposed to be great Memphis BBQ then I'd say never eat BBQ anywhere else and you might think so. Don't even try to make it at home because you might be tempted to season it. This is terrible BBQ and instead of choking it down I fed most of it to my dog. Then I left and found good BBQ for me to eat. The BBQ beans are great. The green beans are alright. read more

Central BBQ - Peanut butter pie! - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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I got the full slab with sides of green beans and Mac/cheese. You order/pay at the counter then pick any seat indoor or outdoor and the food comes out lightning fast. Memphis is known for dry rub but I got my slab half dry half wet. Being partial to bbq sauce I enjoyed the wet half more but what's really impressive about their ribs is the flavoring of the meat. All their ribs are marinated for 24 hours prior to being hickory and pecan smoked/slow cooked. I ended up taking 1/4 of the rack home, eating it the next day and it still tasted incredible. This place was special, I hope I get a chance to come back. read more

Central BBQ - Half wet half dry - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

I have been to a lot of BBQ joints being from Texas and this is must if you are ever in Memphis. I never had BBQ nachos and they are must try. Got to meet the owners and they are super friendly and the same with the staff. Tip is to get to the restaurant early because the lines can get long at lunch. read more

Central BBQ - Pulled pork nachos. - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

I did the rib plate combo and chose ribs brisket and shredded pork. The shredded pork and the brisket could've taken a little bit more seasoning the ribs were great for my sides I chose macaroni and cheese barbecue baked beans and potato salad and the potatoe salad was fairly good the barbecue baked beans were great the mac & cheese it was OK but the sweet tea oh Em Gee love it. The staff was nice and they also give you options for different barbecue sauces. I still do not think this is the best barbecue Memphis has to offer read more

Central BBQ - Ribs half-and-half macaroni cheese beef brisket shredded pork barbecue baked beans - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

This is the home of Central BBQ. There was nothing particular that stood out for us. When we got our drinks we also notified the servers that the main bbq sauce was empty...and we had a long wait for food and then started eating and just before we were done, they finally filled the sauce. All the food was just fine. read more

It was pretty good barbecue; I had the beef brisket and Mac and cheese with baked beans. There was a huge line to order but that's okay. The meat was cold when it came out, so that kinda ruined the experience a bit. The meat was cut like bacon strips which I've never seen before, but just my own observation - it didn't affect the quality or taste. The Mac and cheese was yummy, and so was the sweet tea. I've heard lots about this place being known for its barbecue and while it was good, I wasn't blown away. Overall I would come here again and give it another shot. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee