Disappointed. I've visited the one in Midtown Memphis several time and it was 5 star. I was here on a Tuesday and the chips were soggy, the Turkey sandwich was tasteless and the remade chips tasted like they were covered in smoked paprika. The person that took my order could not have cared less that my original chips were soggy. Hopefully the Memphis restaurants are better because this one was a huge disappointment. read more

Top BBQ place in Nashville. Went here for the first time this past weekend and completely satisfied with the experience and food. The employees were very accommodating. I ended up getting a pulled pork plate with a side of onion rings and cooked pork rinds (basically chicharron). My partner got a full rack of ribs, half wet, half dry that includes four sides. The ribs were so tender and just fell right off the bone. The prices were not too bad either. If you are in Nashville near The Gulch, this is definitely a place you should check out if you're wanting some good Memphis Style BBQ. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Nice Rib. Order full slack of rib with french fry and pork beans as a side. Order at the counter, pay at the time of order, and they brought the food to us. Ordered full slack of rib half dry, half wet. The rib was fall off from the bone. Very tender and nice. Both side of rib was very tasty. The french fry was just fired, it was really hot and crispy nice. Also nice to be able to park car for free in parking. definitely the place for us to go again. read more

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Central BBQ never fails to hit the bullseye. Tucked into an upscale area of downtown Nashville is this fantastic BBQ joint. We were fortunate enough to find curb parking right in front but a parking garage is right next to the restaurant making parking fairly convenient. When you walk in, you order your food at the register and it is brought to your table. Their COVID procedures are a well oiled machine. They brought out a tray with silverware, napkins, sauce, and wet naps with the food. Everything is provided in individual containers. Anytime someone walked by they inquired if you needed anything. If you needed something in between times, they have a table by the register with everything ready to hand to you. The portion sizes are great. Everything is smoked to perfection. The sauce is tasty but not overpowering. The pulled pork was shredded nicely. The smoked Turkey was juicy. The potato salad did not have a strong mustard flavor like some BBQ places. The beans came with a small dollop of shredded meat on top which enhances the flavor. The coleslaw was a bit heavy on vinegar, but that may be more of a preference issue than a flavor problem. Normally I don't get into bathroom reviews, but we were there later in the evening (close to 9 pm) and the bathrooms were immaculately clean. We will not miss an opportunity to come back. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Delicious food and friendly staff! The pulled pork sandwiches and mac and cheese were my favorites!

Okay BBQ. I gave this place a try for lunch. The food was good and not the worst BBQ I've ever had. I got the brisket sandwich with a side of mac & cheese. Portions were good and my belly was full. They have a sign on the wall that says "smoke is our sauce". I did not find the meat to have an overly smokey flavor. I personally appreciate that as too many places over smoke their meat. But it didn't live up to the sign. Brisket slices were just the right thickness but it was a bit dry and tough. Sweet sauce was typical and nothing special. The mac & cheese had a good, creamy sauce that clung to the noodles. But the noodles were over cooked and mushy. They sprinkle rub over the top of the Mac which was a nice touch for a punch of flavor. So all in all edible but nothing to go out of the way for. read more

Love the place! Good food. Had a brisket w/fries and I killed it in 3mins. I rate it a 4 star because I wish they had TVs inside. It could be just 2 at least. My friends and I wish we were watching the game while we were eating. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

This Memphis BBQ joint finally made it to Nashville. It's worth the wait. A great BBQ joint should be know for their ribs or brisket, and in this case it's the ribs. We got them dry, and they were perfectly done with a little resistance when pulled from the bone (as it should be) and just a hint of smoky flavor. The ribs are worth coming for. Sides were solid with the potato salad featuring a little mustard punch, and the tangy baked beans were right on. The brisket was a little tough and lacking in flavor, the reason for the missing star. Staff was friendly and helpful and the dining area is new and clean. Another great option for BBQ in Nashville. read more

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I was surprised! The food portions were very big. Great stop for lunch. All we ordered was tasty. Tortilla salad bowl was big. The only thing I didn't like was the coleslaw. It was bland. I would go back! read more

The good: I love Edley's barbecue, but I think Central may be my new favorite! I had been to the one in Memphis and loved it so I knew I had to try the one in Nashville when it opened. From their pulled pork to their ribs and nachos, you really can't go wrong! It's all sooo good. I also love that you can pick your sauces and they have a station for sauces so you can try 'em all! I was a bit worried about parking, but there is a huge garage with ample FREE parking. I know, this is unheard of in downtown Nashville nowadays! The bad: If it weren't for the service I would give Central BBQ 5 stars. Typically when a new restaurant opens up you expect the service to be spotty, but it was worse than expected. When we arrived the line was out the door and was veryyyy slow. That was because they only had one person working the register at dinner time on a Saturday night. They also have a rule that you can't get a table until you've ordered your food, which means more people were standing in line and out in the cold (since the line was out the door). Second, the table next to me ask for a plate to split their food. Instead of offering to grab them one, the waitress pointed to a table where they could "go get" one. read more

Had to eat the car but ONG!!! So worth it. Bottom right bbq pulled chicken bottom left bbq turkey and onion rings. Delicious!!! A must try if you like Sweet and tangy bbq so sauce. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

One of the best BBQ places in Nashville. Very reasonably priced and large portions. It's in a great area of downtown. The service is quick and amazing customer service. Highly recommend! read more

MLK today and 5 friends wandered in to Central BBQ for lunch. It was frigid outside and took a few moments to get warm. The menu on the wall was not the easiest to negotiate. We all ordered, paid, and sat. The food did not come out the way the orders were placed but did all finally come out. The foot was good - BBQ nachos, ribs, bologna, large BBQ sandwiches, and some sides. The heated sauces over on the far wall was intriguing. Waitstaff courteous and constantly cleaning. Will go back for sure. read more

This place is a really great option for take-out and delivery during the pandemic. Hubby and I were craving some ribs and comfort food this past week and ended up stumbling on this through Uber Eats. We ordered the Ribs for Two (half wet/half dry), Onion Rings, and some Brisket. The ribs were DELICIOUS! They were so meaty (not those ones that leave you starving at the end) and the BBQ/seasoning was perfectly tangy. The onion rings were NEXT LEVEL. Sweat breading, crispy, and legit the best I've ever had. We may be ordering from here again very soon just for the onion rings. The only drawback was that they didn't send any sides with the onion rings - I think that would've been a nice addition. The brisket was sub-par. It lacked flavor and just wasn't up to the level of brisket at other Nashville BBQ spots. We also got fries and macaroni and cheese as sides with the ribs and those were ok. Nothing special. Just middle-of-the road. Overall, this was a really great place for ribs and onion rings! I truly believe this might be a 5-star worthy place if it wasn't for the delivery/takeout component which meant some of the food (macaroni, fries, brisket) were lukewarm/cold by the time we got it. read more

Loved the food!! It was quick and delicious!!! No pictures cuz we were starving. Haha. I didn't figure you all would appreciate an empty plate picture, but then again maybe that's better advertisement that says it was plate lick'n good!! read more

I got the full rack of ribs. It was huge! Like Fred Flintstone and the dinosaur ribs!!! Did the half and half, which is half dry rub and half dunked in sauce. Both were really good, but I like the wet better, so I went back and got some more sauce. BBQ beans and Mac n Cheese for my sides. Just way too much food! I'll go back, but it'll be the half rack next time. Easy walk to my hotel, so that was a bonus. Try it out!! read more

I ordered barbecue nachos and a slice of 5 layered chocolate cake. The chocolate cake tasted amazing, however, I rated 3 stars because of the quality of the nachos. The pulled pork and barbecue sauce tasted amazing, but the chips were stale. Far from fresh. They were soggy as well. Bad combination. Ruined the meal. I would recommend (for delivered orders) to separate the sauce and meat from the chips by putting them in portion size containers... Letting the customer put their own nachos together. This will avoid customer receiving soggy nachos. Also, make sure the chips fresh. read more

So yummy. Best banana pudding and potato salad. Pulled pork was yummy too!! Highly recommend

the pork sandwich was kinda bland and the only thing that saved it was the coleslaw. it was a nice, calm atmosphere though

SO GOOD! First time visiting Nashville and the ribs were perfectly done. The wings were so good. Mac&cheese was great. They are doing a great job with COVID restrictions as well. I felt safe and stuffed. read more

As a longtime veteran of the original Memphis locale on Central Ave, I was anxious to try the new expansion in Nashville. In short, good, not great -- improvements need to be made. Ribs: I ordered my ribs wet -- BBQ sauce was slapped rather haphazardly on top, rather than in a glaze fashion like the Memphis locations; good flavor, though. Baked Beans: NOT the same recipe as Memphis - these were very bland, without the garlic & red/white pepper blend that gives Central's baked beans a kick Potato salad: good! read more

Memphis style "wet" barbecue comes to Nashville. And with it, outstanding flavors, tastes and smells. Gone is the monotonous, dry, Texas style "barbecue," tantamount to smoked meat with sauce dumped on it as an afterthought. Once you bite into the wet barbecue baby backs at Central BBQ, you'll never be the same. The meat was completely devoid of gristle and fat, smothered in what is unequivocally the tastiest barbecue sauce I've ever savored. That smokey taste still penetrates the sauce, of course, making the experience unparalleled. I was especially impressed with the spice-flavor balance of the sauce. While it wasn't needed, they provided a small decanter of their house sauce. It had the perfect balance of kick and flavor and well embellished the overall taste explosion. I'd recommend this and perhaps a sampling of their spicy sauce, as well. The barbecue beans are the best I've ever had, lacking those annoying big chunks of fatty pork that BBQ places feel compelled to deposit into the mix. They were spectacular. The place is beautiful and unlike my co-Yelpers, I was all too happy to eat without a single TV set to be found. Parking is abundant. The staff is beyond dedicated, both passionate about barbecue and what's required to make it. The head chef, Chuck, came out and asked me my thoughts on the food. I reciprocated with a question or two and soon thereafter, he gave me the proverbial cook's tour. What a spectacular set up. The photos tell it all, but for the smells and marvelous tastes. Now onto Memphis! read more

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We were really impressed with our meal and will definitely be back!! They were out of brisket by 6 on a Saturday, for reference. It's fast casual, order at the counter. We had the turkey and chicken. Both were great! All the sides were great too! Fries were seasoned well but not overly so. Onion rings looked to be hand battered and were super good. Potato salad was great so was Mac n cheese and the greens too! Only thing missing was cornbread but everything else was so good it made up for it. Also, the location is really easy to get in and out of. Parking in garage for Publix is attached to the building and super convenient. Easy to get in and out of the city, without having to go alllll the way into downtown and that mess. It was also not crowded. On a Saturday night, but don't let that deter you, we actually prefer it! Will definitely be back. read more

Bbq here was fantastic. Thumbs up all the way. Everyone of us love the sausage. We ended up ordered more.

Best cold barbecue I've had in Nashville! This was my first time eating here. I ordered the brisket plate and when I was brought my food, it was cold. I was super excited to try Central BBQ but cannot risk spending another $20 on cold food where I only dreamed about the potential it had. 3 stars because I'm sure if it's not always like this and the sides were decent. Wouldn't go back because of other options in town that are better. read more

This place is great! Great value for your money. Got the pulled pork plate and chose mac n cheese and green beans as my side. It comes with a roll or bun too. I only ate about half of the meat and most of my sides and still was stuffed. Can't wait to eat the rest of it as a second meal! The desserts were great too! We got caramel 5 layer cake and it was delicious and big. Would definitely recommend for southern bbq. read more

I was really looking forward to eating at Central barbecue in Nashville aa I've had their menu items in Memphis Tennessee. The ribs were over cooked, barbecue beans were tasteless, and the mac & cheese was gross. read more

We were in Nashville for a small vacation. Found this restaurant and stopped in for lunch. The food was absolutely great and very tasty! I had the pulled pork plate and my wife had a barbecue chicken sandwich. The homemade potato chips were very tasty and good! The employees were extremely friendly and willing to help if anything was needed! I definitely will be a repeat customer next time I visit town! read more

I wasn't sure if I would like this place. But I do. I recently thought I would just grab a pound of turkey for thanksgiving. I came into central BBQ and saw the man in front of me get a smoked turkey. I figured they wouldn't have any more since the sign read that orders needed to be placed by the 22 and it was thanksgiving eve when I came in. To my surprise the cashier told me they may have one extra in the back. And they did !!! When I got it home I just wanted to try it. It was the best turkey I've ever had!!! No kidding. The BEST. I can't post any photos since we all at it to the bone. Thanks Central BBQ!!!! read more

Kinda came here on a whim, because it was one of my last days in Nashville and I felt that I needed to try the bbq so I went ahead and did and was greatly satisfied with that I got. Really grateful to be able to try something worth getting and able to get it delivered to my hotel room. Honestly, I was loving every bite and would recommend the ribs here. Good sides too. Actually everything I got was full of flavor. read more

Mixed reviews from our family. Cool location in a very part of town. We just had pick up, so limited experience with dining area, but looked fun. Hot dog and Mac n Cheese, were good. The pulled chicken sandwich was also good. I tried regular and spicy BBQ sauce, both pretty good-nothing too memorable. The pulled pork was not very good. It's flavor was, almost "gamey". It had a somewhat smokey flavor, but the texture was kinda slimy. Didn't finish it. Seems like a cool place to have a beer, if you wanted to go to that part of town. Most of the food was good, but for BBQ, it was forgettable, not really bad(except for the pulled pork) but not worth driving across town for. I would eat there again, if I was hungry and nearby. read more

I'm from Memphis, and this is still my first stop every time I go home. Dry ribs dipped in the hot BBQ sauce, with some slaw and beans... divine. read more

Delicious food, friendly and accommodating staff and great atmosphere. Stopped on a whim while passing through Nashville and couldn't be happier. read more

No no no! You can not bring a classic memphis BBQ place to Nashville and expect it to be anywhere as good as the originals. I have been to all 4 Memphis locations and they are very similar. This location misses the mark immensely! Sure those who have never had central bbq probably love this place. Also a great tourist trap. Sorry you are not Memphis or will ever be as good as the original! Do not come here if you have had Memphis Central BBQ! read more

Just fabulous. It was our first time there and they guided us through the menu and helped us make selections that enhanced our overall BBQ dining. Everything was cooked perfectly. It was close to closing and the ribs were still moist and falling off the bone. Definitely new Central BBQ fans! read more

A little taste of Memphis and Nashville. Not quite as good as the original location, but still a very good barbecue joint.

Several months ago, our family spent a few days in Memphis, eating so much BBQ. When we heard that this Memphis based BBQ joint was now in Nashville, we had to stop in. Location is great, with free parking in the Publix garage. Restaurant was new, clean, and spacious. They have the garage door windows that look like they would be fun for a pretty day. Tonight was a cold December evening, so not tonight! Staff was helpful, friendly and attentive..... and looked happy to be there, which I always love! My teenager and I shared a full order of BBQ nachos, and still have a whole container of meat as leftovers for tomorrow. They were SUPER generous with the meat and cheese. Husband got the wings and said they were really good. We'll definitely be back! Central BBQ, welcome to Nashville!!! read more

First time here and it's a really nice place, the prices are a bit high but it is central Nashville so pretty typical. Also the food, pork and salad are great portions and tasty, but there BBQ sauce is very spicy. Get the BBQ sauce on the side. read more

Good food, friendly service. Their mild bbq sauce was so good I bought a bottle to bring home. Mac and cheese was delicious. Staff was super friendly. read more

I go to this location pretty often. However, last week I went and the lady who took my order was on the phone and never greeted me. She also never repeated back my order. I wanted a Bolongna sandwhich. She ordered me the BBQ pork sandwhich. I received the bbq pork sandwhich. Bc she was so rude and on the phone the whole time, I decided not to press the issue. So I just left with the wrong order. read more