The Best BBQ Joints in Nashville to Eat Burnt Ends and Smoky Ribs

It may not be Memphis, but Nashville's barbecue scene is still worth a visit.

When it comes to barbecue, Nashville isn’t Memphis. There’s no prototypical “Nashville style” of barbecue, and that’s okay. But because of the three major interstates that cross within a mile of each other downtown, our BBQ scene is an eclectic one, featuring specialties that are native to the regions at each end of those highways. From St. Louis-style ribs to Alabama white sauce smoked chicken, here are the best barbecue spots in Nashville. 

Martin's BBQ Joint
Photo courtesy of Martin's BBQ Joint

BBQ Restaurants in Downtown Nashville

Downtown
Nashville’s godfather of barbecue, Jack Cawthon, opened this spot overlooking the riverfront on Broadway and 1st Avenue in 1976. It was one of the few successful restaurants on Lower Broad back when Demonbreun Street was nothing but wax museums. Today, there are three total locations, and the original now sits just a few blocks up next to Tootsies. Cawthon doesn’t discriminate on style, with a range of Tennessee pork shoulder, Texas brisket, smoked Boston turkey, and St. Louis ribs—and it's all delicious.

Downtown
Pat Martin’s downtown outpost of his growing barbecue empire is definitely his crown jewel. The massive building boasts a full-service restaurant on the ground floor, plus a huge beer garden upstairs with picnic tables, a stage for live music, two bars, games, and private dining space for up to 110 guests. Four whole hog pits contribute a hickory smoked incense that draws tourists and locals alike into the pitmaster playground. Order any of Martin’s meats on a corn cake (known as a Redneck taco) for a unique experience.

Buena Vista
The vibe at Mary’s still harkens back to the days when barbecue was a takeaway food, so step up to the window, and ask for extra napkins if you plan to eat in your car. The deliciously messy rib “sandwich” is basically a half rack of spares served with two pieces of white bread. The iconic spot has earned the right to stretch the definition of sandwich.

Downtown
Tucked behind the high rises of the Gulch, Peg Leg Porker has become a star on the Nashville barbecue scene since opening in 2013. An expanded second story offers even more drinking and dining space in the “Pig Pen.” A Nashville native, pitmaster Carey Bringle was raised on West Tennessee traditions, and he smokes his barbecue low and slow (as the pork gods intended) with a Memphis-style sauce on the side. To start, try the Memphis Sushi, a sausage and cheese platter served with saltines, or the decadent barbecue nachos, followed by the dry ribs, pulled pork platter, or the yardbird smothered in a tangy, white sauce with a Kool-Aid pickle on the side.

Jim 'N Nick's
Photo courtesy of Jim 'N Nick's

BBQ Restaurants in West Nashville

Nations
Peg Leg Porker pitmaster Carey Bringle turned his attention from West Tennessee to Texas at his latest smoked meat emporium. While you’ll still find pork on the menu, the selections are much beefier than at his original spot in the Gulch. From smoky brisket to massive beef ribs and smoked prime rib, it’s a carnivore’s delight. The expansive outdoor area has quickly become a popular neighborhood hang thanks to picnic tables for families, huge televisions for watching the big game, local craft brews, and frozen cocktails. If you’ve got a hankering for genuine burnt ends, this is the spot to head for something novel in this pork-centric town.

Hillsboro Village
This Memphis-based restaurant group arrived in Nashville with a splash, bringing its brand of Bluff City barbecue to the state capitol. Often considered one of the originators of barbecue nachos, a gooey plate of tortilla chips and smoked pulled pork or chicken topped with barbecue sauce, cheese sauce, shredded cheese, and jalapeños, Central isn’t exactly heart-healthy (but it sure is tasty). Make sure to dive into a plate of smoked hot wings, served with both the drummie and flat connected for a delicious handful of a wing. Central offers options like Wet, Naked, Jerked, Dry Spice, Honey Gold, or Sweet Heat to season the wings, and it might take a few return visits to pick a favorite.

Bellevue
While grocery store shelves are filled with dozens of different types of barbecue sauces, the vast majority of sales come from bottles filled with a nicely balanced sweet and heat flavor profile. At HoneyFire Barbeque Co. in Bellevue, the kitchen has embraced the crowd favorite with a combo of sweet and spice. Whether it's smoked chicken wings tossed in the sauce or smoky ribs slathered with sweet and sticky lacquer, it just works. HoneyFire also features over-the-top sandwiches like the Southern Shine, topped with pulled pork, fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, and candied bacon.

Bellevue
Like a Cracker Barrel, Jim ‘n Nick’s tends to locate restaurants near interstate exits and concentrates on a fanatical dedication to offering up consistent product from restaurant to restaurant. The cheese biscuits are legendary, and the nacho platter with jalapeño cheddar sausage is enough to make a meal. 

Bellevue
Beloved by tourists for its biscuits and fried chicken, locals know The Loveless Cafe as a reliable spot for quality barbecue. Just a mere 20 minutes from downtown, it’s worth the drive to sink your teeth into the pimento cheese and bacon burger or smoked pork loin with peach preserves glaze. 

Swett's Restaurant

McKissack Park
Mainly known for soul food and meat-and-three fare, Swett’s upped its barbecue game a few years back when it added a new serving line and a modern smokehouse exclusively dedicated to smoked meats including ribs, pulled pork, chicken, brisket, and pork chops. It also serves delicious rib tips, a specialized dish found more often in Chicago than in the South. To finish, grab one of Swett’s peach or blackberry cobblers.

Shotgun Willie's BBQ
Photo courtesy of Shotgun Willie's BBQ

BBQ Restaurants in East Nashville

Five Points
Edley’s perfectly combines barbecue and the Southern meat-and-three tradition by featuring both great smoked meats and excellent down-home side dishes at their five Nashville locations. Try the Tuck Special, a brisket sandwich with spicy house-made pimento cheese, an over-easy egg, and red and white sauce. Or order the pork tacos with sweet and tart slaw and pico de gallo. And for those who believe there’s nothing new left to discover in the world of barbecue, Edley’s is changing the game with its innovative Nashville Hot Barbecue, the barbecue version of spicy Nashville Hot Chicken. Each day the kitchen uses secret family recipes to prepare eight to 10 side options, like creamy mac n’ cheese and banana pudding (you read that correctly, banana pudding is a side) like Grandma made.

East Nashville
Beef brisket used to be an afterthought at Nashville barbecue joints, rarely attempted and basically just tolerated as a change of pace from the usual porktopia. Once Bill Laviolette started importing prime brisket and sausages from his home state of Texas and cooking them in his massive smoker, local barbecue lovers finally discovered what they had been missing. Now he’s the undisputed smoked beef king of Nashville. Order plates of meat “market-style” by the quarter pound, and he’ll keep piling it on your plate until you cry ‘uncle.’ Sides include a four-bean take on baked beans.

Butchertown Hall
Photo courtesy of Butchertown Hall

BBQ Restaurants in North Nashville

Germantown
You might not expect Butchertown Hall to rank as one of the best barbecue spots since their menu goes far beyond just grilled meats, but this eatery smokes some of the juiciest, German-inspired barbecue with a taste of Texas Hill Country. Brisket gets slow-cooked for 14 hours over white oak chips, charred to perfection, and served with either handmade tortillas, Texas toast, or on a sandwich. Go for the Texas Trinity, and sample the brisket with ribs and housemade sausage.

Tex's World Famous Bar-B-Q
Photo courtesy of Tex's World Famous Bar-B-Q

BBQ Restaurants in South Nashville

South Nashville
Since 1979, Tex’s has been kind of a novel combination of Texas-style smokehouse and meat-and-three, offering lunch-only service from a steam table piled high with your choice of meats including sausage, pulled pork, barbecue bologna, turkey, and beef brisket along with an array of Southern sides like mac ‘n cheese and turnip greens. Prices are reasonable, and you can’t beat the convenience. Depending on your appetite, you can order the Weight Watcher platter, which is a small portion of meat and two sides, or show up on Monday or Tuesday for the special Two Trips Buffet deal for just $14.75. 

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Chris Chamberlain is a food, drink, and travel writer. If Nashville was the Love Boat, he’d like to think he’d be Julie, your cruise director. In truth, he’s probably more of a Gopher. Join him on the Lido Deck on Twitter @CeeElCee.