Went to Central while in Memphis. Wings and BBQ nachos were good. The BBQ plate was good. Mac n cheese is not homemade. Baked beans weren't great. BBQ chicken was overcooked. All in all a mediocre experience. Again, order at the register, food is delivered. That said, any restaurant that smells like a smoker is always welcome. I don't think I would make a point of going back when I'm in Memphis again. read more

Central BBQ I received a few recommendations of bbq places to try in Memphis and this was on the list. Lucky for us it was walking distance to where I was so we went work a big group of friends. The customer service was great from everyone! The line was a little long but you order at the front and then you seat yourself and there was plenty of seating for our big group. I ordered a full slab of ribs (with the sauce on it) and a combo platter with chicken and 2 orders of brisket. For my sides, I had the mac and cheese, beans and a salad. I also ordered a slice of cheesecake for dessert and the meal came with a roll. I have to be honest I was not impressed at all. The ribs were just okay. The brisket was not brisket-int the way brisket should brisket. They seemed like pre-packaged strips as opposed to cut from a whole brisket. We expected a chicken bird (as in like leg and thigh or breast) but we received shredded chicken and they didn't mention that to us up front that the combo would only allow for shredded chicken. The Mac and cheese didn't have much flavor to me and didn't seem baked. I didn't try the beans but my brother was not impressed. The only thing that was really good to me was the cheesecake and that could just be because I'm a sweets girl. Maybe I'm biased because I'm from Texas but I was pretty disappointed because the reviews I heard were very high! read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

very very very subpar bbq food. pretty disappointing and way over priced. please do not waste your time or money.

Great food, great service, great price. Family friendly, gracious staff, and hearty portions. Cool place on the inside to relax--quiet even for a Saturday dinner. read more

Central BBQ - BBQ chicken salad. You can't see it, but there is a solid bed of fresh salad greens on the bottom of this bowl. - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Yummmmmmm! Stopped on our way to the airport for dinner around 6pm. You order at the counter then all food is brought to your table by way of table number. Counter service was fast and easy. The restaurant itself is open seating style with option for indoor or outdoor seating. All seating is tight because they are a very busy place. More spacious options outside on the back patio. We had pulled pork sandwiches, pulled pork salad and sweet potato fries. It was so good! Pork is served "naked" with sauce bar available for your bbq sauce preference. I opted for the mild option which seemed to be the perfect blend of sweet/vinegar. For the salad you get an option of dressing to go along with it, go with the blue cheese! (Lord, still drooling over it). Salad is served in a giant edible taco shell bowl and is massive! We were told it was some of the best bbq in Memphis, I can stand behind that comment. So good! read more

See all

I have mixed feelings about central bbq, but overall i enjoyed it. first off, theres 2 lines. 1 for pick up and 1 to order. head to the counter, order and then sit. your food will be delivered. i loved that they had all 3 styles of their sauces off to the side for you to try or add onto your meat. very friendly and patient staff. the banana pudding is absolutey amazing, i highly suggest you get it. so many bananas, its thick, and i love the topping. the sides of potatoe salad was amazing. not too mayo forward, thick, nice size potatoes, and good flavor. the mac was okay, it was juicy and moist, but i wouldnt say it was the best side of mac i had. their 3 sauces are to die for. i loved the spicy one the most. to be honest, the sour one was up there too. i grabbed the plate of the half chicken. im glad i grabbed the sauces. to be honest, i felt it was kinda dry. i appreciated the skin, but overall i wouldnt come back for this chicken. i just dont think this style of BBQ is for me. like i said, im glad i grabbed the sauces since this isnt a dry rub or sauce forward style, but more of a slow smoke so they let the smoke do the work. read more

See all

Was in town for work and needed to try Memphis bbq, my coworker recommended this place and it did not disappoint! I got the half chicken plate with green beans and collard greens. I love that this place does sauce on the side!! Smoked chicken was fall off the bone tender, would definitely get again. Also love the souvenir tye-dye cup your get to take home when you order a soda! read more

We tried the brisket, ribs, and pulled pork, hoping for a solid barbecue experience, but overall, it was a letdown--especially for the price. The ribs were the only highlight: served wet, fall-off-the-bone tender, and packed with flavor. Unfortunately, everything else missed the mark. The brisket was dry and completely lacked any real flavor profile. The pulled pork was even worse--tough, dry, and almost chewy. For what we paid, we expected much better quality. The sides didn't help much. The mac and cheese was creamy, but the noodles were way overcooked and mushy. The fries came out bland with zero seasoning--not even salt--which made them pretty hard to eat. The onion rings were the only side we enjoyed: crispy and well-prepared. Ordering was quick--just walk up to the counter--but the food came out so fast, it felt rushed. The dining area wasn't great either. The restaurant felt dirty, and our table was sticky. It honestly needs a serious deep clean. For how much we spent, we expected a much better meal and a cleaner environment. Definitely not worth the price. read more

Central BBQ - 3 meat platter - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

One of our goals when I travel with my good friend from college is to hit up well known BBQ joints in the regions we visit. This year Memphis was on our itinerary so "Memphis Style BBQ" was on our list, and Central BBQ was one of the places we were determined to visit. On a beautiful Sunday afternoon we decided to visit the National Civil Rights Museum and go out for BBQ afterwards. When I fired up my Yelp App I was delighted to see that one of Central BBQ's locations was right next door to the museum -c so our itinerary for the day was set. (BTW -- the National Civil Rights Museum is excellent and I highly recommend it -- I reviewed it in another Yelp posting.) Fortunately we finished our visit to the museum and arrived before the Grizzly's playoff game ended so it wasn't too busy yet. You place your order at the counter, get a table number and when the food is ready a server brings it out. I ordered a half rack of ribs with sides and a local beer. The ribs could be ordered wet, dry, or half and half. Previously, I ordered traditional Memphis BBQ ribs with a dry rub at another local establishment and I was not that impressed. At Central BBQ I decided to order mine "wet," and I much preferred them l "wet" over "dry." That said, the underlying dry rub is an essential component of the overall flavor and I found that Central BBQs mixture really showcased the essence of a very good, paprika forward, Memphis BBQ. I also found their ribs a tad more unctuous and fall off the bone tender than elsewhere. Rating BBQ in places like Memphis (and comparing it to Kansas City BBQ, or Carolina BBQ, or Texas BBQ, Wild Turkey in Conover, WI, or Fette Sau in Brooklyn, NY) is kind of like rating pasties in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (near where I live). Everyone knows what they like and everyone thinks what they like is the best. So let me say, Central BBQ was my favorite in Memphis. As for you, go to some different places like we did and let us know what you think. Like me, you'll have a favorite, but also like me, you'll probably enjoy most, if not all the BBQ you eat in Memphis, just as much as I enjoyed the food at Central BBQ. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Food was decent. Sweet tea was delicious. Ambiance was definitely Memphis & southern style. The BBQ wasn't extremely flavorful, but the sauces were decent. The macaroni and cheese was my least favorite item, it had a fake cheese consistency and the flavor was just not there. I was disappointed because BBQ and macaroni and cheese are some of my favorite foods. Overall, the baked beans and sweet tea saved the meal. read more

See all

First time a month ago - got the best service and best food ever - had been looking and thought I had found a replacement for One and Only. Ordered again last Sunday: LOTS of burned meat on my pork shoulder sandwich and a pig knuckle or something(?) in the middle of it. What if a kid had that sandwich? They chopped burned meat, bones and everything and just threw it all on the sandwich. Never again. read more

The ribs were excellent!!!!! Very good and very enjoyable! Very close to the museum, so very convenient to stop after your visit. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

What a ripoff. I was excited to try this place because of the positive ratings on Yelp. From the outside the place looked great. Walking in, same thing. Cool, welcoming vibe, good menu, friendly cashier. Waiting for our food, we filled up cups of various sauces. Still excited. Then the food came out. Boring, bland, no seasoning whatsoever. I got the three meat plate with pulled pork, brisket and smoked chicken. No salt. No pepper. No smoke. Nothing. On any of them. The pork was tender, the brisket was dry and the chicken was cooked ok. But no flavor whatsoever. On top of that, the pork rind side dish must have come from a bag. When the best thing on a bbq plate is your onion rings, you've got problems. The family all said the same thing. Nothing had any seasoning at all except for the collard greens. A very disappointing visit and a complete waste of money. read more

Central BBQ - The most boring bland plate of bbq I've ever had. - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Great place to eat for real Memphis bbq. Friendly staff and convenient parking. Definitely recommend.

I wanted to love this..I really did. I mean, we were in Memphis..so I expected great things in BBQ. But this just didn't do it. The staff were very nice. They brought out water for my dog. And I'm not going to blame them for the sketchy neighborhood. The place was nice inside. But the BBQ itself was just nothing to write home about. Nothing particularly bad, but I've had way better at many places. read more

See all

Pulled pork was excellent!! We sat by window facing the street which was nice for the breeze but we had people come up outside trying to get money. Would definitely go back for take out read more

We're visiting Memphis and I insisted that we get some famous BBQ. I was so surprised that it was a mistake, at least at Central. I can live with the fact that my side dish (Mac & Cheese) was cold and uneatable. But, the ribs were luke warm and VERY tough. They were not good. read more

Great food, great service and a must try in Memphis. We ordered a rack of ribs and sides. The sides were pretty boring, but the ribs were delicious. So moist and tender. Would love to return in the future. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

I had really high hopes for Central BBQ after reading reviews and wanted to love it but I was pretty disappointed. I can see where you would love Central BBQ if you haven't had a lot of good barbecue but as a Texan, I have high expectations and this just didn't live up to the hype at all. We visited on a Friday night and had to wait outside for a few minutes which was to be expected... the security guard was nice and made conversation. However, the worker at the counter taking our order was not personable at all. You get prompted to leave a tip which seems a little ridiculous since the food is just being brought to your table... you get your own drinks, silverware, etc. (plus, you're asked to leave a tip before you even know how the "service" is). One item from the order came out quickly and the food runner took the number off our table but we had to explain that we were still waiting on two other items to be delivered. Rib Combo Plate (6/10) - We got the ribs dry, sausage as both of the meat choices, and mac n' cheese and potato salad as the sides. The ribs were very disappointing... they were definitely overcooked and pretty dry on the inside. The rub tasted burnt with minimal flavor. We had ribs earlier in the day at The Bar-B-Q Shop that were much better. The sausage isn't homemade and had the texture of a hot dog... not impressive by any means. The sides were rather small... the potato salad was pretty good (the best part of the plate) but the mac n' cheese tasted like Stouffer's (which isn't a compliment). The "rolls" are just King's Hawaiian Rolls from the store... they were good but the bread should never be better than the ribs or mac n' cheese from any barbecue place. Wings (9/10) - These were a throw in but ended up being our favorite item! We got an order of 6 and they were a great size. We ordered them dry and they were incredibly seasoned... probably a little TOO seasoned but it tasted amazing so I won't complain! They were super crispy on the outside but the chicken was moist and flavorful on the inside. I'd rank these within the top 5 wings I've ever had! Peanut Butter Pie (8/10) - We took this home with us and really enjoyed it! The base is similar to a chocolate cake consistency which is different than most pie bases that are crumbly. The filling had a great peanut butter flavor without being too sweet. Overall, I wouldn't recommend Central BBQ to others visiting Memphis... I've heard great things about Memphis barbecue and refuse to believe that this is their best. It was pretty average, especially for the price. I'd come back for the wings but that would be about it. read more

See all

My brother and I made the drive down from STL to Memphis to see a Grizzlies game and stopped by for some BBQ. Overall, we enjoyed our experience and the staff were very friendly and helpful. We ordered the slab for two, a half chicken, and a pound of brisket (fatty). They were out of the mac and cheese so we ordered green beans in addition to BBQ beans, fries, and potato salad as our sides. They bring the food to your table but it's otherwise self serve. The sauced ribs were very tasty and the brisket was nicely smoked as well, but the half chicken was pretty dry and bland. The green beans were especially disappointing and we agreed that we should've ordered more fries instead. The meal was pretty good but overall expensive and had some disappointing items that I wouldn't get again if I went back. If we're ever in Memphis again we may try another BBQ place in the area. read more

I was quite surprised that this place is so highly rated in Memphis for barbecue, because I thought it was mediocre. The main stars of the show, the ribs and brisket, were both dry! So disappointing. I've had my share of Texas bbq and I hate to compare, but it has to be said. The Central BBQ brisket was sliced thinly and didn't glisten with fat like I'm used to. The ribs didn't fall off the bone. The sides were mostly just fine, except for the pork rinds which were delicious. I'm not kidding, I bought some to go. But otherwise - Mac n cheese, nothing to write home about. Greens, just okay. Coleslaw, too bland. I didn't try the beans but I heard they were meh. Sorry Memphis! I'll come back for your music and history. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Pulled pork was excellent, as were the onion rings. Like how they keep the sauces warm and clearly labeled. Brisket was mediocre - stick to pig at this place. Good selection of local Memphis beers on tap. Portions large and a bit pricey. read more

We were in Memphis, staying near Beale St and walked over. The food was worth the walk. We had brisket and the portabella mushroom sandwich. Great Memphis BBQ. The National Civil Rights Museumm and Lorraine Motel is right around the corner so we had history and great BBQ! read more

After visiting the National Civil Rights Museum, I walked across the way to Central BBQ. The atmosphere was great for Sunday afternoon. I enjoyed all the signs and Knick knacks in this restaurant. Inside was clean and already busy! I ordered the three meat combo with Mac and cheese and slaw as sides. The pulled pork and brisket were awesome! I got the mild sauce on the side and it was great. There's plenty of parking on the street and not too far from other downtown areas in Memphis. Highly recommend if you are in the area! read more

What a great place to bring your out of town family and friends. This place had one of the best BBQ in town. Family and friends will that you for being them to some damn good BBQ that they will never forget. read more

My wife and I stopped in here Wednesday August 2nd, and I'm so glad we did. This place is solid. You order at the cash register, and find a seat, then they bring the foos to you. We stopped in around 7:30 and the place was packed. After we ordered we managed to grab two seats at the bar. We ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich and the Sausage & Cheese Plate. Both were very good. I really like the way they sliced the sausage into coin-size pieces and fried it on the flattop. I also liked the cheese. Service was great. I really like this place. It is conveniently located across the parking lot from the Lorraine Motel (where MLK was shot) and the National Civil Rights Museum. If you are in the area, you should give it a try. read more

See all

I've had a lot of bbq and this ranks in the top 3rd. We were fortunate enough to visit when it wasn't super busy. We were able to order and sit quickly. The food came out in 10ish minutes. It seemed appropriate. We had a sampling of the menu across our 5 orders. The ribs and greens were top notch. The half chicken was good - leg and thigh especially. The breast was a little dry but the vinegar sauce made up for it. The Mac and cheese was also quite good and worth mentioning. The banana pudding was also quite unique and good. It had way more cookie than I've ever had in banana pudding but it worked. The inside of the restaurant had a juke joint feel with lots of Memphis memorabilia. Would go back. read more

We came in the 28th at 4:45 The security lady at the front was seriously sweet as pie! The slim girl behind the counter with the long hair was also sweet as pie! In fact everyone that works here is lovely! The bbq is fantastic. The pulled pork was less fatty than I like but most people would disagree with me. The sausage is INSANELY good, in fact I've never ever liked sausage from bbq places, but this was soooo porky and juicy! Yum!! The onion rings are crispy The potato salad is rich and creamy It's a shame we live 3000 miles away or we would be here each week read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

What's drools, sweats, and whines in delicious agony? This guy after eating one of everything at Central BBQ. WOW this was a treat. Quick service, spectacular smoked meats, and good BBQ atmosphere. Hope to return when weather improves for a patio seat. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Central BBQ is an iconic Memphis, Tennessee destination for barbecue by both tourists and locals alike. The staff is extremely friendly and professional and I had my food in a relatively quick amount of time. The ordering process is pretty standard. You walk up to the cash register and order your food and they give you a number. You find a table and they bring you your food. I ordered the pulled pork with greens and baked beans. They brought me my food in a relatively quick amount of time and I tore into my meal. All in all, it was good. It was very good. I can see why people, both locals and tourists alike, love here. The food is good, it has a cool.vibe and the staff is friendly. Memphis, Tennessee is known for their barbecue and it is easy to see why when you try places like Central BBQ, it is easy to see why Memphis is known for their barbecue. read more

See all

The dry rub ribs were great. The sides were a little bland for me, nothing to write home about, but honestly we went for the Memphis ribs and I would go again just for those. Service was okay, you order up front then they bring you your food. The part where you first walk in was nice, but I went to the bathroom and there's a room back there, almost like a bar area, not so nice. But we weren't eating in there so it didn't bother me. If you're looking for good ribs, I recommend Central BBQ. read more

A little day trip landed me at Central BBQ in Memphis, TN. Overall it was an okay meal. I was expecting more. Ribs: Best meat on my plate. Very tender and the dry rub was great. I added a mixture of their hot BBQ sauce and vinegar sauce on it. Pulled pork I didn't like it as much. It was over cooked and a little mushy. Brisket The brisket was good and even better when I added some sauces to it. Baked beans I could taste the brown sugar in the beans (not how I like them) but they were still good. I also added some of their vinegar sauce to it. Greens Taste like a combo of collards and mustard greens (mixed greens). I didn't care for the greens because they were over cooked. It tastes just like Glory greens. #memphisfood #memphis #memphiseats #memphistennessee #greens #gratuityadded #memphistn #eatlocal #fyp #bealestreet #memphisfoodies #bbq #explorememphis #brisket #ribs #pulledpork #memphisstyle #clt #travelfood#barbecue #instafood #meat #bbqlife #bbqlovers #foodstagram #barbeque #brisket #ribs #foodblogger #meatlover read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all

The service was great, however I must have ordered the wrong thing. The brisket was very tough. The slaw and the sauce on the sandwich was great, though. Should have ordered the pork. I guess when there are pictures of pigs all over the walls, that's what you should order. read more

Visiting Memphis from Charleston SC & tried Central BBQ. Hands down THE BEST BBQ we've eaten! It tasted like those southern family reunions where the uncles smoked a whole hog all night. Wish we weren't leaving the same day we tried it bc I'd love to try the ribs & homemade layer cakes! Would it be wrong to come back to Memphis just for another meal at Central BBQ? read more

See all

The food is always on point. The service is always good. And the new location is nice. This was the first time I have been to the new building on Central. read more

The prices seemed rather high The service was okay. You order at the counter and collect your food. Basically you only deal with cashier. Plenty of seating and lots to look at plus they have tv's I didn't care for the food. My sandwich was dry. The food did come out quickly and the location is convenient to downtown. read more

Definitely biased from eating a lot of South Carolina BBQ and Texas BBQ but the BBQ here didn't hit like it usually does and pork ribs are my favorite. Got half sauced and have dry rubbed. Not the fall off the bone meat I was expecting and I found myself having to supplement with a lot of sauce to enjoy the meat which is never ideal. The meat should stand alone by itself. They do have several sauce options so I did enjoy the spicy and the vinegar based sauce. Sides were pretty good. I did try someone's pulled pork BBQ and also found it to be pretty good. Not standout as I was expecting. Wasn't too crowded and BBQ was pretty fast to the table after ordering. read more

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

Came here because I know the ribs are solid but they had ran out of ribs so I went for the brisket plate. I do not recommend...the brisket did not taste smoked at all, cut too thin, did not really have a smoke ring, really just tasted like it was boiled. I would recommend getting the ribs but the brisket is a hard pass. The sweet potato fries and onion rings were the highlight of the dish I ordered. You order first then find a table. The restaurant itself was spacious and had a lot of seating even for larger groups. read more

Central BBQ - Beef Brisket Plate - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Love the vibe and the easy ordering process and loved the smoked wings and ribs. The brisket I prefer is fattier so I could imagine this brisket served on nachos being better than the platter we got. The ribs were dry rubbed and you could get mild, hot, or vinegar sauce as much as you like Got a salad as a side but I didn't really Like the house dressing- too creamy and tangy for me. The potato egg salad was delicious ! Loved also the coconut cake but it was too sweet for my mom. Would return for easy good dining. read more

See all

I love to see a restaurant with a line out the door! When traveling to Memphis with a group, there is no getting out of trying BBQ. As a pescatarian, I didn't expect much. I expected to thrive off of a liquid lunch with downing beer and ordering some French fries. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they had a portabella mushroom sandwich (3/5). It was substance. Nothing amazing but their sauces here are amazing--I'd totally buy it and put it on EVERYTHING. Live music. Indoor and outdoor seating. Extensive beer and seltzer list. Safe area. *Bathrooms need some work. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

See all