The Best BBQ in Nashville: A Local's Guide to Music City's Smoke
- Paul Whitten
- Aug 10
- 5 min read
By Paul Whitten, Founder of Nashville Adventures
Everybody comes to Nashville for hot chicken and honky tonks. Then they catch the smell of hickory smoke drifting down a side street and remember this is the South, and the South runs on barbecue.
Finding the best BBQ in Nashville is not as simple as picking the closest joint to Broadway. This town sits at a crossroads of smoking traditions, and the good stuff is worth a short drive.
I have eaten my way through most of it, on my own time and with hungry tour guests. So here is my honest local map of where to get real Nashville barbecue, and how to order once you are there.
What "Nashville BBQ" Actually Means
Before the list, a quick word on style, because it matters here.
Nashville is not a one-note barbecue town like Memphis or the Texas Hill Country. Middle Tennessee sits close enough to West Tennessee whole-hog country, Memphis rib tradition, and the wider Southern pork belt that our best joints borrow from all of it.
What ties it together is pork and patience. The temples here still cook low and slow over real wood, sometimes for the better part of a full day. When you find a pitmaster tending a fire overnight, you have found the real thing.
Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint: The Whole Hog Standard
If you make one barbecue stop in Nashville, I usually point people to Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint.
Pitmaster Pat Martin is one of the last folks in the region still cooking true West Tennessee whole hog, where an entire pig goes over hickory coals and smokes for the better part of a day before it is pulled by hand. He opened his first joint in Nolensville back in 2006 and has since become a national name, but the food never got fussy.
What I like most about Martin is that he refuses to act like barbecue is a secret club.
"You can't keep secrets in barbecue. Just make the best dadgum food you can and let the chips fall where they may." (via Tasting Table, quoting pitmaster Pat Martin)
Order the whole hog if it is on, get the redneck taco if you want the local move, and do not skip the sides. The SoBro location downtown is the easiest to reach on foot.
Peg Leg Porker: Ribs in the Gulch
For dry-rubbed ribs, the answer in this city is Peg Leg Porker in the Gulch.
Owner Carey Bringle is a Memphis-trained pitmaster, and his ribs are done the Memphis way: no sauce painted on, just a spice rub and smoke doing the heavy lifting. They have earned national attention, and the room stays packed for a reason.
It is one of the more convenient serious barbecue stops if you are staying downtown, sitting a short walk from the Gulch's shops and murals. Get the dry ribs, add the smoked wings, and if you drink, they even bottle their own Tennessee whiskey now.
Come early on weekends. The line is a compliment to the food, but it is a line.
Edley's Bar-B-Que: The Reliable All-Rounder
When someone wants great barbecue without a pilgrimage, I send them to Edley's Bar-B-Que.
Edley's has several locations around town, including 12South and East Nashville, which makes it the easiest name on this list to actually get to. The menu is broad and forgiving, so a table full of picky eaters can all leave happy.
The signature order is the Tuck Special, a smoked brisket sandwich topped with a fried egg, pickles, and hot sauce. Get the pimento mac while you are at it. It is the kind of neighborhood spot locals fold into a normal week, not just a special occasion.
Jack's Bar-B-Que: The Broadway Original
If you refuse to leave the honky tonks, you still have a solid option right on the strip. Jack's Bar-B-Que has anchored Lower Broadway for decades, long before the current tourist boom.
Jack's is fast, affordable, and consistent, which is no small thing on Broadway. You order at the counter, point at what you want, and eat well without blowing your budget. The Tennessee pork shoulder and the brisket are the safe bets.
It does not chase trends or headlines, and that is exactly why locals still respect it. Sometimes the stalwart that has been quietly nailing it for thirty years is the smartest order on the block.
A Few Ordering Tips From Someone Who Eats a Lot of It
Get the most out of a Nashville barbecue run with a few hard-earned rules.
Go early. The best joints cook a set amount and sell until it is gone. Show up at eleven, not two, if you want first pick.
Order the specialty. Each place here has a signature. Get the whole hog at Martin's, the dry ribs at Peg Leg, the Tuck Special at Edley's.
Respect the sides. In good Southern barbecue the mac, the beans, and the slaw are not afterthoughts. They tell you how much the kitchen cares.
Pace yourself if you are touring. Barbecue is heavy fuel. A big plate before a long afternoon on foot will slow you down.
Follow those and you will eat like a local instead of a tourist who wandered into the first place with a neon pig.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best BBQ in Nashville?
For most visitors, Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint is the top pick thanks to its authentic West Tennessee whole-hog barbecue. Peg Leg Porker leads for dry-rubbed ribs, Edley's is the most convenient all-rounder with several locations, and Jack's Bar-B-Que is the reliable original right on Lower Broadway.
Is Nashville known for barbecue?
Nashville is best known for hot chicken, but it has a deep barbecue scene shaped by its spot between West Tennessee whole-hog country and the Memphis rib tradition. Several nationally recognized pitmasters cook here, so the city rewards anyone willing to look past the Broadway strip.
What kind of BBQ is Nashville famous for?
Nashville barbecue leans on pork smoked low and slow over hickory, from whole hog to pulled shoulder to dry-rubbed ribs. Rather than one strict regional style, the best local joints blend West Tennessee, Memphis, and broader Southern traditions.
Where can I get BBQ near Broadway in Nashville?
Jack's Bar-B-Que sits right on Lower Broadway for a quick, affordable plate, and Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint has a SoBro location a short walk from downtown. Peg Leg Porker in the nearby Gulch is another easy option if you want serious ribs close to the action.
Eat Well, Then Walk It Off With Us
Here is my honest pitch. Nashville is a city best explored on a full stomach and on foot, and barbecue is the perfect fuel for a day of stories.
Pair a plate of the good stuff with our Welcome to Nashville pub crawl for a night of history and honky tonks, or walk off lunch on our Nashville walking tour, where two hundred years of Music City history unfold one block at a time. Want the whiskey to go with your smoke? Our Nashville distillery tour is the natural next stop.
Come hungry and curious. Browse all of our tours, find more ideas for what to do in Nashville, or reach out and we will help you plan a Music City day that fills your stomach and your camera roll.
