Don't not stop when you go through town. Their pit BBQ is good. The service is friendly. If you're there when it's busy, watch the kitchen staff. They get the meals out quick and work like clockwork back there. It's clean and the food is good. read more

Met some friends for lunch. I tried the pulled pork and ribs combo, with baked beans and onion rings as sides. I appreciate being able to choose onions rings as a side but my ribs were so-so, the beans bland ($23 with iced tea).. The others had chicken or pork sandwiches and even a fried pie to go. They were pleased. Service was good. Ambiance? Basically a large diner. read more

I had some very fond memories of this place growing up. I should have probably just let them remain distant memories though. My Dad used to stop here, it seemed like, every time we passed between Paris, TN and Memphis, TN when I was growing up. I do keep forgetting that my parents had the taste buds of the absolute whitest people on the planet. I should always consider this when revisiting a place from my childhood. C had stopped by here in a trip from Jackson a few months ago. The food kinda sucked that day, but I thought it was a fluke maybe. I had a trip to Nashville and decided to hop off the interstate and take a Bozo BBQ detour. I walked in and it was almost the same temperature inside as it was outside. This was the third week of July, with a high of 94. They explain to sit anywhere and I do. As soon as I sit down I am assaulted by the biggest, most aggressive, house flies I have ever seen. These were generational flies that had ancestors that dated back to the 60's and their families have never left Bozo's after all this time. These things were diabolical and one even bit me on the back of the neck. I mention this because I failed to read to reviews talking about the heat inside and the insane fly population for years prior to my last visit. Apparently, it's been a problem for a long time. It needs to be addressed by the owner, or the Health Department needs to come and make them do something. It's nasty in here plain and simple. Sweaty waitresses bitching about the heat with the customers, no telling how gross the cooks are in the kitchen. I could probably look past some of this if the food didn't suck out loud now. The menu is just one thing BBQ when I was there really. Pulled pork, sandwich or plate, which is really kind of the same thing anyway. Ribs are only on the weekends, which is weak as hell in my opinion. They have a bunch of catfish and burgers and shit, but this place is Bozo's BBQ! What the heck?!?! I had the pulled pork plate. I have pictures down there of it. No more bashing needs to happen, Adam. Two stars for the memories. It will be nothing but that going forward. '25 - 82/111 read more

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Ate here years ago and it was amazing. Detoured on the way to my place on at Tn River. Got a lb of pork and sauce. The meat had zero smoke flavor, I think it's simply baked. The sauce was killer. read more

Friendly staff and great ambience although the dining room was a little smoky although it didn't smell like smoke. The staff was great. We arrived late so our desired choice of ribs and catfish has sold out. My family of three got different items. The barbecue was not seasoned at all but I did enjoy the medium barbecue sauce. The green beans had bacon but otherwise unseasoned and needed salt and pepper. The baked beans were quite sweet which is not my personal preference. My husband got the blackened chicken and potatoes salad which is said were elementary also and finally my daughters got the country fried steak with gravy. With green beans and fries. I wish the food was a bit more seasoned. We enjoyed the conversation with the couple at the next table over. read more

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Not sure why everyone around here talks about bozos. The food came out cold. The pulled pork had no flavor and was dry. The ribs were cold and tasted old and tough. Will not go back read more

The food is excellent. The waiters are really nice. I love the dessert. Also the ambience is great. It's the place where a scene from the movie Walk the Line was filmed. read more

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All the service members were GREAT !!!!!!!!! Our waitress made our visit so relaxing and a visit as well as just a food stop... She was a younger lady, much experienced already as a natural communicater without any reason except that she enjoys her job... Walked into the restaurant and went back in time to the late 40s and 50s, however it was a real time, not the fake time put forward in so many establishments try for, yet fail to do so... Loved the feel it gave us as we sat and enjoyed our meals, which were taste-bud delicious !!! Every bit here just fits the picture of the time, the food you expected, and service of the past !!!! read more

The BBQ is good. The ribs (when they have them) are very good. Have had a few bad experiences. Chicken fingers were completely cooked. Steak was over cooked. Best food is ribs or pulled pork. Staff is very friendly attentive and helpful! read more

Bozo's dependable Memphis-style BBQ is served in an old school diner that really takes you back to the 50's and 60's. I'm not a fan of mayo-based slaw, but they also offer vinegar slaw, which paired well with the pork and medium sauce. Great service while I sat on a bar stool. read more

Bozo’s Hot Pit Bar-B-Q - Biggest size chopped pork sandwich with BBQ beans and sweet tea. - Barbeque Near Me - Mason, Tennessee

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July 5,2025 my husband and I ate here around 6pm. We live right down the road and eat often here. The past 3 times have been not so great. On July 5-it was really bad. Service was bad from beginning to end , hot -air not working good- flies galore and out of catfish ( which happens often ) ordered blackened chicken which was chicken very well done. Complained when checking out and got a pinch card . This place needs to step it up since you are the only place to eat in mason. good grief !!! read more

I've eaten a lot of BBQ over the years. Bozos is definitely one of the best. The decor is warm and inviting. The wait staff was friendly and efficient. Definitely going back next time I'm in the area. read more

Flies everywhere owner said I know don't know what to do, ribs had no seasoning just plain bbq pull pork just plain no flavor Cole slaw lik water best thing there bbq sauce really bad experience this time read more

Don't waste your time. This place is FULL of flies this time of year, so they'll be sharing your meal. Staff doesn't even ask if you enjoyed your meal or thank you for stopping in. This was my LAST trip dining at this establishment. read more

It was ok nothing made it amazing. I do have to say please do not order pie you can get a better one at Kroger. Service was eh and the is zero ambiance. It's very old school which is cool just wish it was better. read more

The best bbq pork outside Memphis! Excellent onion rings, grilled chicken salad, homemade pies, smiling waitresses providing with a hometown vibe. Expect to see a cross section of farmers, families, retirees and BlueOval employees. A bit divey like all the BEST bbq joints. Grandma agrees with all of the above and she worked the counter at Cozy Corner as a teenager so she would know. read more

Just stopped in on our way to check on some property and saw this Gem from the Highway. We ordered burgers and fries and also Fried Pies. The burgers were amazing nice and old fashion. The fries were well seasoned and hot...delicious The Cherry Fried Pie was Phenomenal! I've never had that before and I wished I ordered 2...Lol! This is a place you want to checkout and you will not be disappointed. read more

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Best restaurant ever. Small and cozy. Service good. The Chicken Tender plate is Bussin. We love Bozos!

Haven't had Bozo's in a while since our last experience was terrible, but wanted to try them again so my husband picked up a 6 pack in the way home from work. We live in the area and have eaten here numerous times in the past 30 years. I tried to call the number to place the order so he wouldn't have to wait, but it was just a message that said the number doesn't have voice mail. The pork looked and tasted dried out, very bland and couldn't drown it in enough sauce to get a decent taste. Beans were mediocre at best, pretty much straight from a can. The staff was not friendly to him and it took about 25 minutes to receive the to go order. Lesson learned, won't be back - lucky for us we have much better BBQ options in Tipton County. read more

We came here yesterday to eat. We ordered ribs and hamburger steak. The waitress came back to the table to let us know they were out of those items. So we both ordered the bbq plate. It wasn't good. The pork had no flavor. The bbq sauce was eh. The potato salad and baked beans were ok. We kept swatting at a fly while eating our food which made the experience even worse. The only thing good about our experience was the waitress. She was friendly. We won't be coming back. read more

I love this restaurant! I've been going here since I was a child. The food and service is always great!

Gotta post a little update. In this day and age of small businesses wanting community support, what some of those small businesses forget is that they (as well) need to support the community they are in. Today (March 12th, 2022) was a beautiful day. It snowed heavily last night, but by 8am the roads were cleared from the sun and early morning traffic. Just beautiful, scenic, snow on the fields surrounding the drive out to Mason to grab lunch. To my disappointment Bozos was closed. The owner (or a manager was there...their car was parked oddly out front). Strangely enough, the OPEN sign was on. No apologetic note out front explaining to the customers what was going on. Ironically, on the drive home my wife looked them up on Facebook and Bozos had posted "due to inclement weather, they would be closed today". No answering machine to explain that to someone who might have called first, no sign apologizing for the inconvenience, just a social media post. Mind you, there are plenty of people out there in that community who don't do social media. On top of that, Bozos is one of just a couple of places in Mason to get a bite to eat (worth eating). So they basically bailed on the community. I'm sorry if management reads this or the owner reads it and doesn't like what they read, but it's the truth. You estimated the weather to be inclement and it turned on you. Even the back roads were clear by 10am. Not to mention by the hour I drove up. You failed the community that day. Something I didn't see in previous years from Bozos. I'm afraid today's workforce is getting lazy. Don't get me wrong. If the roads are even slightly questionable...I'm not getting out on them. No job...almost nothing...is worth wrecking my means of transportation. But on this day...the roads were fine. Should have changed your decision and got a small crew in to open up and serve the community...not to mention, to earn a buck and pay the bills. You don't work, you don't make money. With restaurants...every day closed is a day losing money. Mason is too far out for the average diner to drive only to discover the restaurant is closed on a regular day. Long complaint/harsh review? Yes. But...honestly...I'm hoping they see this to take it to heart to not repeat this mistake again. To anyone else reading it. Now you know...if they don't answer the phone at all? ....don't waste the time. No matter how nice the day is and nice the weather looks. read more

Bozo’s Hot Pit Bar-B-Q - Take your pick of how you want to dress up that sandwich! - Barbeque Near Me - Mason, Tennessee

Food was great. BBQ shoulder will not disappoint. Need to grab a fried pie too. So nice to go to a nostalgic place such as this that has just been doing the same thing for years! Walk in the place and it feels like the 50's or 60's in decor. A scene from Johnny Cash's movie I Walk the Line was shot here. read more

If you're driving between Memphis and Nashville and you're in the mood for an old school diner that captures the essence of that quintessential small-town atmosphere, where locals chit chat, southern hospitality abounds, and delicious food is served up all day, this is the place. I wish the onion rings were crispier, the barbecue was smokier, and the fries weren't so bland. But let me tell you, there is something absolutely magical about that toasted bun, a heap of pulled pork, and a generous portion of their medium barbecue sauce, all available on the BBQ plate for a reasonable $10.35. I wish I had more bun to create a second or third sandwich with the liberal amount of pork that comes with this entree! The BBQ plate serves up a massive section of pulled pork, wrapped burrito style in aluminum foil, accompanied by one toasted bun and two sides. The sauce is a very unique combination of ingredients and absolutely makes the barbecue, part hot sauce, part vinegar-based BBQ sauce. If you save enough room for dessert, there is an impressive case filled with the most extensive selection of pies. The lime pie was very flavorful, very different from key lime pie, with a smooth texture and one of the most superior graham cracker crusts I have ever tasted. read more

I think I hyped myself up too much. Passing through on my lunch break I stopped by to see what the fuss is about. Small town, busy lot. Why not? It was a steady rainy day so I was ready to get out of the car. I walk in and I sit at the diner bar area. The waitress quickly settles me in and I order. The food came out quickly, BBQ plate, onion rings, and beans. Since I'm so used to my Memphis BBQ I felt like I should've waited a little longer for my bbq. The plate came with a satisfying portion of shredded meat, a few onion rings, and a small cup size of beans. The meat looked like it had no seasoning. I had to drown it in their signature sauce for flavor. Onion rings were mediocre. Beans I didn't eat much of because I felt like they were Bush's canned beans. Honestly I only went for the history part. I seemed busy for a super small town. I was pleased with the decor. BBQ wise? Please drive further to Memphis for some bbq. read more

Bozo’s Hot Pit Bar-B-Q - Barbeque Near Me - Mason, Tennessee

I love bozos!!! We have been visiting there for so many years. I usually get the Jumbo white-chopped bbq sandwich w slaw and onion rings. Their potato salad is great. Their catfish is great. I really love their bbq sauces- mild, Medium, hot. You can't go wrong w anything on the menu. The staff is super friendly. read more

Best Barbcue outside of Memphis since 1923 the pulled pork barbcue sandwich is to die for along with their homemade pecan pie. Will drive out here again to eat. To all those in the Memphis area it's worth the drive to eat at this barbcue restaurant (Fun fact a scene from walk the line was filmed in Bozo's Pit Barbcue) read more

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I've grown up eating Bozo's, and the food is great. Hot juicy cheeseburgers, delicious barbeque, attentive service, and a retro vibe make this place 5 stars for me. Don't forget to ask for a slice of the pie lady's famous pie, but if they're all out of that (it sells out really quickly so you never know), they usually have chocolate cheesecake that is also delicious. The only thing I wouldn't recommend is the steak. It's pretty chewy, but why would you order steak at a barbeque place anyway? Order the barbeque. Or if you're feeling adventurous, a cheeseburger. Not the steak. Stop that. Sidenote: Delicious breakfast is served funnily enough from 10:30-11 (not exaggerating) on Saturday mornings ONLY. read more

Bozo’s Hot Pit Bar-B-Q - BBQ and ribs combo plate with beans and slaw. - Barbeque Near Me - Mason, Tennessee

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Service was awful tonight. Been going here for several years and service has always been great. But for some reason the service has declined the past 3 months. read more

My husband and I go here every week at least a couple times a week and all the food is delicious! We love their hamburgers, their barbecue sandwiches and we especially their homemade cakes! read more

Great place in the absolute middle of nowhere. I was looking for local food and I'm from Los Angeles doing work in little small town of Covington TN. So this was super refreshing. I bought two bottles of there regular and medium bbq sauce. Definitely glad to bring some flavor to the west. read more

We drove all the way from Memphis called three times on the way out to make sure they were not closing due to the forecasted weather ice / snow. It poured RAIN all the way out pull up walk to the door in the pouring rain for the manager to slam the door in our face and lock the door yelling the owner told us to close. This is what's wrong with small businesses these days they close when it's raining outside. read more

Lived in Memphis since the 1970's. A fellow military veteran took me there for lunch. Wow. My new favorite. Jositorical building. Rustic decor, just how I like it. I got the jumbo sandwich with fries and rings. Perfect. The sauces are outstanding so I bought some to take home. Waitress was super friendly and service was really fast. I'll be back with friends. read more

Bozo’s Hot Pit Bar-B-Q - My lunch. Perfect. - Barbeque Near Me - Mason, Tennessee

This used to be my favorite restaurant. They have good food and used to have great service. The servers are still excellent, but the owners lack common sense and decency. Upon entering, they made a member of my party BUY a mask, so they could walk to a table 2' away. Although, he was covering his nose and mouth with a shirt. Once we were sitting, we looked up to see the entire kitchen staff NOT wearing masks. The owners were extremely rude during the encounter. Do NOT come here if you are looking for somewhere with common sense. read more

On one resent visit a customer asked the manager if she could help him with the q&r code ,he was trying to pull the menu up on his phone. she told him she didnt have time to show him how to do that,and turned and walked away. left him and his wife sitting there wondering what to do. I was sitting at the next table over,and herd her remark,I suggested he google the restaurant for a menu on there website. But I would have got up and walked out if she had treated me like that. On a different occasion I was accused of discussing langera with a waitress. IF I did that again ,I would be bard from the restaurant and not permitted to come back. I-Would never try to have a conversation of that matter with a waitress I was dumbfounded by the accusation. I don't no if I will be going back after all that,not for a will anyway read more

This cute little pit stop is the epitome of restaurants from years past. Right off of Highway 70, you can tell it was popular in its heyday before the new interstate arrived. Decor hasn't changed a bit, even the old stools at the counter still plump and ready to have a seat. We are regulars here. We LOVE the BBQ, and the burgers are to die for. The Blackened Chicken Sandwich was amazing. But their secret weapon is their desserts. Pecan Pie rules supreme but so many more homemade pies and cakes. But once they're sold out, they're out until dessert making day again. :) definitely off the beaten path, but worth the drive! read more

Bozo’s Hot Pit Bar-B-Q - Christmas Tree! - Barbeque Near Me - Mason, Tennessee

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Do not go there for bbq. Serving pulled pork only and ribs on certain days does not make you a bbq restaurant. Will not stop there again.

This is a locally famous barbecue dive in Mason, which is just north of Arlington and a bit of a hike for Memphians. But it's a great little road trip when you are in the mood to try some authentic southern barbecue with no wait and a relaxed, casual atmosphere. Bozo's has been around forever and a day, and has a really loyal fan base. I count myself among them. The pork sandwiches are wonderful, the meat slow smoked and tender. And I love their hot sauce here. An interesting little factoid - a scene from Walk the Line was shot here. read more

Bozo’s Hot Pit Bar-B-Q - Barbeque Near Me - Mason, Tennessee

I've been going to Bozo's since 1958 and it is a must whenever I get back to my family in Mason. My family has been going since it opened! Every time I visit I bring home pounds of their barbecue in my suitcase and at least six bottles of sweet sauce. This weekend TSA certainly inspected my bag with a dozen bottles of sauce and three pounds of BBQ in my checked bag! I'm lucky my prize made it home, everyone in Memphis knows Bozo's! :D The place has changed very little since I was a child, just a bit of sprucing up before Joaquin Phoenix filmed a scene there for Walk the Line. The staff will happily point out the new lights and a few other changes if you ask. For wonderful BBQ and an authentic COUNTRY (say that with a drawl: coun-TREE) experience, this rural Tennessee spot is not to be missed. And if you see my cousin Betty Lee, say Hey! read more

This place could be awesome. The catfish is hit or miss. Sometimes great, sometimes soggy. Besides that, the main reason we will NOT be going back is the older blonde lady that's always there, I assume the manager? She's ALWAYS RUDE. This last time was one time too many. REALLY wish somebody would replace her. She's bringing this restaurant down. And by reading the reviews, we aren't the only ones who feel this way. read more