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    Central BBQ

    4.1 (1.8k reviews)
    ModerateBarbeque
    Closed 6:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    CENTRAL BBQ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Jessica D.

    3.5/4's The ambiance of the place is just what you'd expect from Tennessee BBQ, definitely fitting with the theme. The service was okay, but it felt like the employees were a little standoff-ish. (Smile! It's a beautiful day to be alive!) Now the food: We got 2 Combo plates. The 1st had pulled pork, smoked turkey, and brisket with green beans and homemade pork rinds. The 2nd had the 1/2 chicken and pulled chicken with the Mac-n-cheese and fries. My husband tried all 4 flavors of their sauces (mild, hot, mustard, and vinegar) and he really enjoyed all of them! He ate the green beans (not my cup of tea) and he said they were good but spicy. He also said the pulled pork was good but the brisket was mediocre (to be fair, we're from Texas where smoked brisket is like religion and football...it reigns supreme lol) The pulled chicken was dry and hard to chew. The pork rinds and fries were good, definitely would order them again. The turkey and 1/2 chicken were DELICIOUS! So juicy and flavorful. Overall we liked this place, but there's always room for improvement!

    Amanda V.

    Honestly, I was extremely disappointed by this Central BBQ in Memphis. I had high hopes for Memphis BBQ, but sadly, this was not the spot for it. Staff were not as polite, and seemed very disinterested in being there. I also witnessed a staff member eat a fry off of a plate she was carrying over to a table. The food itself came out cold, and not much flavor. The restaurant was not very clean, with crumbs on almost every table and seat. I do not think I will go back here for BBQ in Memphis. Lots of room for improvement.

    Alan N.

    Not bad. Came here on a Sunday night at 7pm. Busy but no wait on line. Parking lot in the back with plenty of spots. The ribs were good... we got half wet half dry. The dry part was too dry because it got placed back in the oven to broil the sauce. The wet part was tender and saucy. The brisket was fine - not texas style so it wasn't as tender as that style. The pulled pork was... fine. It wasn't my favorite. I normally don't like pulled pork as well so it wasn't a hit with me. The greens were delicious. Green beans were fine. The salad... was completely covered in cheese. It was tough to eat - I would ask for less cheese or cheese on the side.

    Group at lunch
    Dianna S.

    This was lunch time in May. We had a good time at the newish Central BBQ on Central Avenue. My salad was very tasty. They have wonderful cream based salad dressings. There are no low cal dressings available. My salad was very hearty and it was massive. I ended up taking half of it home. You order your food as you enter the restaurant. The server will bring it to you when the order is fulfilled. You are given a number to place on your table. The service was great. The place is very neat and clean. It is very organized and open. There are booths and a tad limited in seating if you have a large group. We enjoyed ourselves and we had a good time.

    Charon R.

    Tell me you were starving without telling me you were starving---no pics of the food! We ordered two ribs for two plates for four of us and had such a variety and plenty to share! One wet and one dry order and truly, I could not say which was my fave. Ok, ok...the dry ribs...so moist and great flavor! We had 8 different sides and everything was great. The desserts, banana pudding and caramel cake, were not great but hey we came for bbq and all of that was Indoor or outdoor seating and great service!

    Andrew B.

    My go to spot when I visit for work. Central's the best! You can't go wrong ordering the nachos with any of the meats.

    Racquel S.

    I was told by several ppl prior to this Memphis trip to get the jerk smoked wings from here. Good recommendation but I had to add the bbq sauce to make it really pop. The jerk seasoning leans a little sweet behind the heat. Also, the seasoning is plentiful and went everywhere. Messy, but good! I liked the wings, but would probably get classic or bbq smoked wings next time. The potato salad was so good omg. I tried a bone/pork rib and it was ok. Someone got heavy handed with the cumin. I would stick with chicken on a return trip. Best smoked wings I've had at a restaurant, complete with a legit smoke ring. Service was excellent & the staff was kind.

    Combo plate pulled pork, pulled chicken and brisket with that mild bbq sauce

    This is were it's at my guys and gals. Legit bbq, awesome atmosphere, great employees and a definite hang spot with trivia and music bingo.

    Reg. Pulled Chicken Sandwich, Mac N' Cheese, Green Beans!
    Chauncey G.

    Pulled chicken sandwiches were FIRE! Definitely recommend them with the coleslaw. Sides were pretty standard, wasn't too big a fan of the mac n cheese, but the green beans were good!

    Amazing brisket nachos and a side of smoked turkey
    RyanShelby C.

    DELICIOUS BBQ! We brought our soccer team and their families here after our match and had a wonderful time. Excellent BBQ, top notch customer service, and they even opened up a special quiet room for us to gather in. We WILL be back next time we're in Memphis! Only con- was the soda machine was either mislabeled or there was another issue.

    Pulled pork sandwich with greens and Mac n cheese

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    Central BBQ - BBQ pork sandwich with slaw

    Central BBQ

    3.9(2.7k reviews)
    4.0 miDowntown
    $$

    We went to the main Central BBQ location which happens to be across the street from the Civil…read moreRights Museum which we visited before stopping in. This location is a large building with lots of seating options. I had to try Central as it keeps winning awards and is consistently mentioned as the top BBQ place in the Memphis area. Some of their awards were displayed at the entrance and on the walls. Lots of history. My wife ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich and had the slaw on the side so I could have it (she's not a slaw fan). I had the small order of ribs with 1/2 dry and 1/2 wet with sides of BBQ Beans and Mac n Cheese. I tried the pulled pork and it was tender and delicious. My ribs were pretty good with my favorite part being the wet ribs. The dry part was overcooked and really dry and chewy. This was a bit of a disappointment. The BBQ beans were flavorful but a bit mushy. The Mac n cheese also mushy a bit but tasted better than it looked. I love great BBQ so I like Central BBQ but may have caught them on a bad day. Oh, they were out of a lot of T Shirt options/size I wanted too. Darn. I wanted to buy one. I would return and try the brisket, pulled pork or poultry items next time.

    There was a time when Central barbecue was the only place I would eat barbecue in Memphis. But food…read moreand service has ruined that. I visited the downtown location on 5/24/26 at 6:15 PM. I ordered wings and two dry slabs of ribs. When my family and I finally decided to eat the ribs on Monday, they were disgusting. They had seasoning caked all on them, and they were overly salty. We wiped off the caked-on seasoning and tried to eat around the saltiness. I was praying the 2nd slab was not the same. When I opened them on 5/27 to see, they were the same. I was trying to avoid calling because I just didn't feel like being bothered. But I called. I left a message for the manager to return my call that morning because "he is in the middle of an interview." So I called back that afternoon and was transferred to Ethan. I explained the situation to him. As I was speaking, he kept making the noise un-huh. So, I stopped talking and asked him what it meant aside from it just being rude as hell. He went on to explain that they missed a step and did not rub in the seasoning and shake it off. I don't care. It's an internal quality issue that should be handled with the prep and cook staff. Not me. He asked if I had my receipt and, in a tone that suggested he was doing me a favor, advised me that he would replace the slab. No apologies for the inconvenience or anything.   After my long workday, I went all the way downtown to get the slab replaced. In person, Ethan is just as rude. I asked if he was going to replace both slabs. He could clearly see the quality was trash. He said no and that he would only replace one. Then went on to offer me sides and a slice of cake. No, thank you. I can afford sides and cake just like I did those trash slabs of ribs. Those slabs of ribs cost $62.40 before taxes. With taxes probably being another 5 or 6 dollars. Your mistakes and poor quality should not cost me. He had a young lady bring the replacement slab back out to me. She didn't say thank you or anything. One thing I know is that a white man or woman patronizing your business would not have been treated this way. As a result, moving forward I will spend my Black woman dollars elsewhere on barbeque and smoked chicken wings. Also, I removed you all from my company's approved catering list where we spend a nice amount with you all yearly. Tell Ethan, thanks for helping me see the light and not spend money where I'm not respected and where my customer experience isn't valued.

    Photos
    Central BBQ - View of the quasi-outdoor covered seating area

    View of the quasi-outdoor covered seating area

    Central BBQ - I am nkw aware that lean beef means different things.

    I am nkw aware that lean beef means different things.

    Central BBQ - Front ordering counter

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    Front ordering counter

    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

    4.5(3.7k reviews)
    4.1 miDowntown
    $$

    Loved everything about Gus's! I avoid meat mostly, but I was…read morenot about to miss trying famous fried chicken! The restaurant is tucked away on a small, empty street. There is plenty of parking in a lot across the street. We went inside and found it to be pretty busy, but we got a table for 4 quickly. The place was clean and homey-feeling and I loved the fact that they used disposable plates, utensils and napkins! It is probably way easier on the crew to clean up, and it adds to the relaxed atmosphere. I had the corn nuggets to start, yum! We finished them easily, they were so good. Then the entree of my chicken tenders, beans, and Mac and cheese came out, along with my sweet tea. The sweet tea was perfect, I drank a whole one during my meal and they gave me another to go in the souvenir Gus's cup. The food was just great, chicken was juicy and perfectly crunchy on the outside. Beans and Mac and cheese, delicious! I ate all of it even though I was stuffed. I even went so far as to order a piece of pecan pie for dessert, but unfortunately our server came back out to tell us they were out of it! Guess it wasn't meant to be (this time)! Our server was really friendly during our whole meal, chatted with us a little and made sure we had a great experience! Bottom line.... Go to Gus's!

    Gus's Fried Chicken was a solid 3 star experience overall. The chicken itself was crispy,…read moreflavorful, and definitely the highlight of the meal. The atmosphere was casual and welcoming, making it a comfortable spot to grab a bite. I wasn't really a fan of the mac and cheese, as it leaned way too heavily on the processed cheese flavor and ended up overly cheesy in a not-so-great way. The texture and taste reminded me more of melted processed cheese than a rich, homemade mac and cheese. However, the service was delightful and easily made up for some of the disappointment with the sides. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made us feel genuinely welcomed throughout the visit. While not everything hit the mark for me, the great service and tasty fried chicken make Gus's worth trying if you're in the mood for comfort food.

    Photos
    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken - View from our table

    View from our table

    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken - Up close leg

    Up close leg

    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken - Look for the chicken!

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    Look for the chicken!

    Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous

    Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous

    3.6(2.9k reviews)
    3.8 miDowntown
    $$

    The Fight Club of the BBQ ring, you'll navigate a short industrial looking alleyway between parking…read morelots enter under the orange marquee, down a flight of stairs into a dark, ornate with historic and kitsch memorabilia, bustling basement with several tables areas off the main bar drag, to meet your rack o rib match. Bring a sweater or ask for one of the side rooms where the icy chill won't kill those rib fighting knucks lol. We had to move into the far back Delta Map room and it was much comfier. Brisket Combo $27 comes atop bread, it was very soft in texture, oily, vs my preferred slab of smoked beef with grainy texture intact. The crispy burnt ends were delish tho accompanied by a rack with about 1/3? less ribs. Ribs $27.50 Lg order became more meaty as I made way to small end and leftovers tasted even better next day. Dry rub is excellent black pepper, onion garlic, baked beans tangy n bit sweet, while the BBQ sauce, Hot and Regular in squeeze bottles, along with a mustard yellow coleslaw in deep plastic solos, were more vinegar forward than I recall. It definitely gave me a pucker and took me to almost end of first sitting to acclimate to that level of tang. By the next day, you are almost craving it lol so it's a building up your sour puss or maybe that it tames and mellows out somewhat next day haha. Mesquite smoke permeates the air and the ribs and that's a good thing, yum! Traffic IPA 12oz draft, a local Crosstown Brewing West Coast paired well, crisp, hoppy, light head, citrus pine & mango notes, Award winning wow just $4.75?!! Mid Coast CA Parker Station is a $10-14 Pinot Noir. Good $10 pour, easy to sip, just ok 3/5 fruity vanilla spice and deep thick color akin to a merlot in taste and body. A bottled GF beer was tasty and v pleasing to our guest. Family reunion dinner for hubby, his brother, niece, & great nephews. Everyone left full and fulfilled in their nostalgia filled bites down Rendezvous lane. Robert Jr gave us excellent service, patient as our guests arrived very late and happy to take pictures, a welcome about face from a previous salty, no nonsense server ;D

    I'm a sucker for any restaurant regarded as a city institution. It's obviously a very popular spot…read morefor tourists, so it should be approached and assessed with that in mind. A very old school entrance down an alley, then down the stairs. Walls and ceiling filled with all manner of bric a brac. Service was a bit slow and perfunctory. There's not much reason to entice people to return since so many are visitors. We ordered the small ribs and a brisket plate. Both were heavily seasoned. The ribs were a little dry but made better with the table BBQ sauce which was nothing memorable. We did enjoy the small tarts, both the buttermilk chess and pecan were delicious.

    Photos
    Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous
    Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous
    Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous - The Sign.

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    The Sign.

    New Wing Order

    New Wing Order

    4.5(20 reviews)
    3.6 miDowntown

    Coworker had heard of it and we were all impressed when we saw all the awards this place has…read moreearned. Also, the variety and types of flavors looked awesome so I was excited to try it out. When it came to which flavors to pick, I knew I had to try their award-winning flavor, Memphis Buffalo. I'm not a big wing person, so it was just ok to me. It was good, but didn't wow me. Also, I always get boneless, so I'm not sure if the flavor is different on regular wings- so take my review with a large grain of salt if you're a big wing person. The fries were really good but the flavored versions weren't that impressive so I'd rather just stick to the regular fries. The Pineapple Habanero was really good though. I really liked the flavor and the kick. It's one of the spicier things on the menu so I feel like I could handle the spiciest. I'd come back and try more flavors! Loved: - Dipping Sauce: Ranch - Side: Fries Classic - Side: Roll Liked: - Wings (Boneless): Pineapple Habanero Ok: - Dipping Sauce: Blue Cheese - Side: Fries Premium Parmesan - Wings (Boneless): Memphis Buffalo

    Heard a million good things about this place so I had to try them out. They do a good job letting…read moreeveryone know where they will be and when. I like the face that they travel around Memphis so everyone can try the food. I ordered a couple of Buffalo Chicken Tacos, an avocado taco, and 18 wings with the flavors of honey gold, bourbon, and memphis buffalo. The tacos were great. I want to order some more. The wings are smoked with the sauce added later. The wings taste good but they are pretty expensive for what they are. People should try the wings but I prefer deep fried wings that hold the sauce better.

    Photos
    New Wing Order - Memphis Buffalo

    Memphis Buffalo

    New Wing Order - Menu. 4.20.19

    Menu. 4.20.19

    New Wing Order - Nachos!

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    Nachos!

    Central BBQ - bbq - Updated May 2026

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