While Nashville’s claim to fame is hot chicken, don’t skip out on the many tasty barbecue restaurants in and around Music City. Most of the eateries in town serve up Western Tennessee-style barbecue which includes dry-rubbed ribs, tender pulled pork, and juicy smoked chicken. With National Barbecue Day coming up on Thursday, May 16, 2024, let this be your go-to guide for the Best Barbecue in Nashville with a 4.4+ Google rating.
Best Barbecue in Nashville
Edley’s Bar-B-Que
Edley’s Bar-B-Que has been serving the Nashville community since 2011. With three Nashville locations and nine locations overall, you could say this BBQ joint is pretty popular. Each Nashville outpost has great patios, spacious seating, and a tasty menu featuring wings, platters, and ice-cold (boozy) Bushwackers.
- Neighborhood: 12 South | East Nashville | Sylvan Park
- Google Rating: 4.6 | 2,900+ reviews
Jack’s Bar-B-Que
Jack’s Bar-B-Que has two Music City locations with a third one situated outside of central Nashville. The first location opened in 1991 in Downtown Nashville overlooking Riverfront Park, which became the first casual restaurant on Broadway. In 1994, the Downtown eatery was relocated to 416 Broadway where it currently still operates. The menu features pork shoulder, beef brisket, turkey, ribs, smoked sausage, and smoked chicken.
- Neighborhood: Downtown | West End
- Google Rating: 4.5 | 4,100+ reviews
Martin’s Bar-B-Que
Martin’s Bar-B-Que has three Nashville locations with six Tennessee locations in total. You can also find Martin’s in South Carolina, Kentucky, and Alabama. The SoBro location has ample seating and a beer garden, which is great for larger groups. Expect time-honored dishes of West Tennessee-style BBQ paired with beloved Southern classics.
- Neighborhood: SoBro | Elliston Place | Belmont Blvd
- Google Rating: 4.5 | 9,300+ reviews
Peg Leg Porker
Peg Leg Porker is a family-owned and operated restaurant and catering company that opened in 2013. Tucked away in the Gulch neighborhood, you’ll find award-winning barbecue featuring nachos, dry-rubbed ribs, and delicious platters. They also pride themselves on having excellent customer service.
- Neighborhood: Gulch
- Google Rating: 4.5 | 3,300+ reviews
Puckett’s
Puckett’s perfects its Memphis-style barbecue through an 18-hour smoking process. Their Nashville location can be found a few streets up from Broadway in the Downtown neighborhood. What began as a small grocery store in Leiper’s Fork has now grown into a nationally recognized brand with locations throughout Tennessee and Alabama.
- Neighborhood: Downtown
- Google Rating: 4.4 | 7,200+ reviews
Central BBQ
Central BBQ is a Memphis barbecue spot that has two Nashville locales. The first Nashville location opened in Capitol View, situated in the Gulch neighborhood, followed by a Hillsboro Village outpost. Stop in for Memphis-style barbecue, fall-off-the-bone meat, Southern hospitality, and good times.
- Neighborhood: Gulch | Hillsboro Village
- Google Rating: 4.4 | 450+ reviews
Drifters Tennessee Barbecue
Drifters Tennessee Barbeque is a family-friendly neighborhood tavern known for its Hickory Smoked BBQ. In addition to having great barbecue dishes, expect live music, games on the back patio, and ice-cold beer. The Drifter sandwich with pork and brisket comes highly recommended.
- Neighborhood: East Nashville
- Google Rating: 4.4 | 870+ reviews
Smokin Thighs
Smokin Thighs is one of Nashville’s most popular smoked chicken places. With chicken being the main focus on the menu, guests can also find some delicious backyard-style barbecue options including tasty plates, sandwiches, and jumbo wings. Dress up your wings in any of their BBQ sauces that range from mild to medium to hot to hottest.
- Neighborhood: Wedgewood-Houston
- Google Rating: 4.4 | 1,900+ reviews
Butchertown Hall
Butchertown Hall is a modern barbecue restaurant inspired by the central Texas meat market culture. This stylish eatery serves great cocktails, Tex-Mex grub, and smoked meats by the pound. Some of their most popular dishes include the Double Brisket-Grind Burger, Smoked Pork Chop, and Wood-Fired Chicken Tacos.
- Neighborhood: Germantown
- Google Rating: 4.4 | 2,100+ reviews
OTHER GREAT Barbecue RESTAURANTS IN NASHVILLE
If you want to branch outside of the neighborhoods covered on Nashville Guru, some other popular places include:
- Whitt’s Barbecue
- The Loveless Cafe
- Ooh Wee! Bar-B-Q
- Corky’s Ribs & BBQ
- Judge Bean’s BBQ
- Fat Boys BBQ
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