Great service, excellent food. We managed to get a table here on a Saturday night which I'm told is not easy. Everyone was super nice. The food was AMAZING. We had all the meats, the wet/dry ribs, and a bologna sandwich. Holy cow. This was some serious barbecue, and we're from TEXAS! Nice job Central BBQ. Delish. Also, our uber driver told us to go here instead of another place we were told to go. So thankful! read more

This was the first place my girlfriend and I visited during our trip to Memphis. The BBQ nachos definitely lived up to the hype! The seasoning they sprinkle on top...chile it makes the nachos 10x better!! read more

Central BBQ - BBQ Nachos - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

The ribs here were pretty good. They also had live entertainment when I went, which was nice. Great sweet tea too, and full rack was a decent portion. Pretty tasty. read more

The line was at the door when I entered, by time I finished eating the line was outside and around the corner. The food could've been better. We purchased a full rack of ribs - some more seasoning and hot food would be nice. The service was just ok as well. The runner and cleaners were more customer friendly than the person taking the orders. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

The four stars is for the banana pudding alone. Best I've ever had. So yummy. Not too overly sweet. I ordered the brisket and thought it was just ok. I regret that I didn't go with the ribs but I just had ribs at another restaurant earlier that day so I thought I'd try something different. I wished the brisket was juicier and more flavorful. I also wasn't a huge fan of the side dishes I ordered either. I got the same beans and slaw that I had been getting at other places but the ones here weren't quite as good. My friend got the dry rub and enjoyed it. So I'd go for the ribs when you find yourself here. And the banana pudding for sure! read more

I will admit I had very high hopes for Central but after hearing so much about Memphis bbq, I don't think Central is the best Memphis had to offer...so why 4 Stars, right? So let me tell you what I did like: I love the ordering style in TN. Order, pay now, find your own seat, we'll bring it to you. Considering there was a bus tour in front of us, this helped move the line pretty quickly. We didn't wait long for our meal. My husband and I split combo rib + 2 other meat platter and it was enough food for both of us. The dry rub ribs did not disappoint. Very tender, falling off the bone and more meat than fat. My husband hates fatty meat so he tends to stay away from ribs, OR he eats them and there is always stuff left on his bones. This time they were picked clean. The flavor of the rub was good but we both could have used a bit more...we didn't realize it was on the table until after we devoured it...oops. I expected a bit more of the smoked flavor but all in all pretty darn good. To me the chicken was dry but where it lacked moisture it made up for in flavor. The banana pudding...sweet baby Jesus, I should have bought 2!! Delicious! The young lady who took our order was super nice and patient. She allowed us to sample a few local brews and made great suggestions. What I didn't like: As I mentioned before...despite the flavor the chicken was a bit on the dry side (it was white meat). I could have doused it in sauce but the flavor was really good so I decided to deal. And also we had pulled pork. The pulled pork did nothing for me. It is pretty much a naked pork. Maybe the intent is for you to dress it the way you see fit since a vinegar sauce is available as well as a mustard bbq and a few reds. I know depending on the region you hail can effect how you eat your pulled pork, but even with that, I didn't taste smoke, charcoal, salt, pepper...anything. My husband devoured it but after adding mustard and vinegar bbq sauces and slaw. Which brings me to my next point...I wasn't a huge fan of the sides. We got slaw and green beans. In all honesty I am not a huge slaw fan. I only eat it on pulled pork...and considering how I felt about the pork the slaw needed to be stellar. And it just wasn't for me. But I dont put much weight on the sides. This trip is really all about the BBQ. With that said I think my positives out weighed anything I didnt like. Central is worth a visit. I saw many lips smacking and finger licking. I would go back and try the brisket and the chicken again, maybe dark will fare better. In the meantime I am still looking for that 5 star Memphis BBQ. read more

Central BBQ - Banana pudding!! Delicious! - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Hard to choose a BBQ place in Memphis but the fact there was some rave reviews on the banana pudding this was our choice. Order at the window or counter and get a number and your food is brought to you. Self serve drinks. We started with some BBQ chicken nachos. Meh. Underwhelming really. Not a whole lot of flavor on to my sandwich. Had to have the pig! A pulled pork sandwich with slaw. Pretty good stuff. Moist and flavorful. I liked that it was drenched in sauce and that you got to get your own to add. I am not a big sauce lover-minimal is just fine. It's the flavor of the meat I want and this was not smoky at all. A mild sandwich would be a good description. Lastly I had the banana pudding. Quite tasty. Mixed up with banana slices and what appeared to be sandies cookies (not vanilla wafers) gave it a sweetness. I couldn't finish it. read more

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Dropped in on a cross-country family road trip. Had the ribs (dry), wings (sweet BBQ), brisket, pork, beans, slaw, mac, greens, and chips. Enjoyed it all. Ribs, wings, and greens especially memorable. Service was friendly, and they were great handling our peanut, dairy, egg, & gluten allergies. read more

Yes. Central BBQ consistently brings delicious flavor in it's dishes. The food there makes me happy and I long for it if I haven't had it in awhile. I like the young staff.too. I do wish that the restaurant didn't have such loud music on the inside and that there was a nicer indoor seating area. The outside is okay but the road noise and heat in Summer don't make it ideal for outdoor dining often. read more

The food was delicious and the price was reasonable. The ribs were fall off the bone.

I had the bbq chicken salad, which was housed in a gigantic fried red shell, quite tasty if you're into crunchy tortilla like food. The pulled chicken was tasty piled up on a bed of Romaine lettuce. My hubby had a slab of ribs but said the meat was dry. They have a patio as well. The line was already long at noon on a Monday but it moved at a decent rate. The restaurant has another 3 locations in the city. read more

Central BBQ - BBQ Chicken salad - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Man did I have high expectations! That's the lesson there. Never have high expectations. We got there at 11:15 and soooo glad we did. We thought it was early and then within 5 mins cars were coming like it was a football game. It got mad packed within minutes. The service was excellent. Especially when you order at a window and they give you a number. I almost did 3 stars but didn't want to hate, it's good. I just didn't like the ribs. I had half a slab, dry. It was $30 (which is fine) but not a lot of meat and super charred. I wish is was more tender. What made it great is their sauce. Their sauce is on point. Especially the sweet hot. Sweet hot sauce is spicer than the hot lol. My wife got pulled pork and when I asked locals after we left, that's what they are great at is the pulled pork. The greens were bland which was shocking. The beans, potato salad were ok too. Wasn't overall blown away and I think the popularity just comes bc everyone says "go to central for bbq". Same reason why chili's is always busy. Sometimes it's just a fan favorite. read more

Central BBQ gets a 4 out of 5. The pulled pork has a deep, smokey flavor and wasn't over cooked. The quality of the meat definitely pushes my grade more towards a 5. However, I ordered a pulled pork sandwich and it came out flooded in sauce. I would suggest making the request that they ease up with the bbq sauce unless you plan on eating your sandwich with a fork. They have phenomenal smoked wings as well as great jalapeño and pork nachos. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with slaw and a side of Mac and cheese. It was delicious. I am not a BBQ aficionado, so I can't judge it against other joints, but I did enjoy myself. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

DELICIOUS pulled pork sandwich with vinegar sauce! Not smokey, so no after-dinner heartburn for me!!! The coleslaw, onion rings and homemade potato chips are also super tasty! Make sure to eat here when in Memphis and also don't miss The National Civil Rights Museum across the street!!!! read more

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Was a little disappointed... from Texas and I love BBQ. I will start with the positives... the BBQ sauce is delicious, the mustard sauce was a nice surprise, the turkey and sausage were good... and good, not delicious. The greens had zero flavor as did the slaw. The Mac and cheese was ok. The brisket was dry, my mom even commented that maybe it's frozen because it didn't smell like they were smoking meat at this location ‍ I was not impressed... meh read more

All in all the food was good, we got two full racks one was wet and one was dry. Both had great flavor and are worth trying. Everyone's style of taste buds are different so it's hard to say what you will enjoy the most. Their macaroni and cheese was flavorful and be a little cautious with their beans as they do have a bit of a spicy bite which you normally don't find, but is enjoyable and different for sure. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Delicious. I got the ribs - "half wet and half dry" - and was happy to see they had vinegar sauce (Carolina-ish) and BBQ sauce of different heat levels for dipping. Wonderful sides - though I found the greens just a tad sweet - but still good. I'd still get them a second time. Beers on tap, good for families and friends looking for tasty Memphis BBQ. And not as packed or touristy as other places around Memphis. read more

Ribs. If you're thinking about anything else, stop. I'm not even a huge rib person but the security guard (yes) rec ribs. They were outstanding! The Mac & cheese was also great. Baked beans were pretty good. Brisket and pulled pork were a bit dry. The pork bbq nachos were too doused in bbq sauce to like much. Never touched the bread (duh). Quick and friendly service. Definitely would go again for the ribs and Mac n cheese! read more

Everything was great, my husband also had the wings and they were cooked perfect, a little too spicy for me. Definitely will be going back. On top of great food, the highlight was the people. From the lady that took our order to Larry, the gentleman that brought our food, everyone was so kind. That goes so far in an eat place, our Uber driver says every central bbq has great staff. That goes a long way read more

Central BBQ - Rack of ribs for two with Mac and cheese, baked beans, onion rings and half a chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Multiple locals recommended it so we gave it a shot even though it seemed like a chain. The staff was friendly but the food was nothing special. Ribs were tender but the sides all tasted like it came from GFS or in a can. The nachos were ok but my wife asked for pork and got chicken read more

I have had sever trade meetings at this particular location. It is always like a mad house in there during lunch. Not that I had to worry much about this because my group used the meeting room. This does, however, impact the level of customer service. It seems like they don't have adequate staff to cover the lunch crowd. Now, I don't eat pork so I can't begin to swoon over their ribs like others. What I can tell you is that their turkey salad is BOMB (Do people still say that?) I actually love the shell the most. I have this salad twice and it was always fresh. The mac and cheese is pretty good. On my next visit I plan to try the brisket. Not everyone can make magic with that cut of meat. So, cross your fingers and toes for me. read more

The bbq sauces are great, but take out was a bit on the cool side. I thought the brisket had good flavor but wasn't the melt-in-your-mouth tender nor did the meat fall off the ribs. The latter took away the satisfaction of eating the ribs bone clean. Mac and cheese and greens were ok. It was good enough, but left something to be desired. read more

Generous portion of Pulled pork was stringy, bland and dried out. Expected much, much better quality. Slaw and greens were Ok but nothing special. Nashville has much better BBQ. read more

Always good food. Typical Memphis covid rules; wear a mask in, sit down, your covid exempt. Lol. Can't blame the restaurant though. Great location across from Loraine Motel. History! Got a few orders wrong on a large group. It happens, I guess. read more

When you want a meal based around vegetables, why would you go to a Memphis BBQ joint? Well, a great reason is to try the grilled portobello mushroom sandwich at Central BBQ. The mild BBQ sauce tastes great and the ambience brings you back to the heyday of blues and good barbecue. read more

I was really looking forward to some Memphis Barbeque but unfortunately I was highly disappointed. The ribs were ok at best. I thought the mild sauce was delicious though. The side dishes were absolutely terrible. Boxed Mac and cheese and frozen collards were not worth 15.99 alongside the mediocre ribs. I couldn't eat them, that's how disgusting it was. I'm still wondering how this place received 4 stars. read more

Central BBQ - 1/2 Slab wet ribs, Mac n' Cheese & Collards. - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

I thought the bbq was okay. I'm used to Texas bbq and wanted to see how different the Tennessee style bbq is. The ribs were very salty. The dry ribs were very flavorful but the salt content on the outside made it difficult to eat. I also had the wet ribs and they were pretty good but my rack on the edges were very dry, the rest of the rack was tender. The brisket was very dry and tough. The chicken was flavorful but not too moist. The turkey was very tasty. For sides we had the potato salad, baked beans, Mac and cheese, turnip geeens, chips, and Coleslaw. All the sides were lacking something. Not great just ok. We really liked tasting all the sauces. The vinegar and mild were our favorites. We ordered a pulled pork sandwich and if I had to rank the place only having tasted that I would give a 4 or 5 star review but the dry and sometimes salty meat plus the sides are why I gave it 3 stars. This place came highly recommended so we were looking forward to it but maybe it was an off day. read more

Pretty dang good bbq. I attempted to be healthy and order the pulled pork salad...and then I saw the wings and ordered a half order of those. Let's be honest, health went out the door when I walked in but ohhh was it so worth it!! Not much salad going on in the pork salad, mainly meat, but I was okay with that. Their house dressing is bbq sauce and ranch mixed, it was...different, maybe just not my style. I grabbed a side of plain bbq and drenched it- delish! The wings I ordered were the honey bbq and boy were they spicy!!! Really good though. Grabbed a Oktoberfest Memphis beer on draft . Paired perfectly. I'll have to run a few more miles than planned tomorrow...but totally worth it!! read more

Central BBQ - Pork salad and Oktoberfest beer - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Incredible ribs. Kick butt nachos (but the house chips can be slightly overseasoned for my taste). Fantastic pulled pork. And some of the best wings in town. Don't forget to buy a bottle of sauce to bring home. What more could you ask for in a Memphis BBQ legend? Great atmosphere during lunch, dinner, and late night. My biggest knock on central is the brisket I got at their downtown location. It was some of the driest, most bland brisket I've had... But luckily the rest of their meats easily make up for it! read more

This place is cool. We wanted the wet vs. dry rib experience so we visited here and Rendezvous. We had the following mains: - Beef brisket w/ mild sauce: our fave and more tender than Rendezvous. It comes in long strips and is perfect with the BBQ sauce - Wet ribs (small plate- 6-8 ribs): okay. Minimal meat but tender. Sides: - baked beans: pretty decent and tasty with a spicy Kick. Our personal fave - potato salad: bland . Mustard color with mayonnaise no eggs - home chips : not my fave. Didn't taste like much . Not a lot of salt - green beans: bland tasted canned and overcooked read more

It was good but not fantastic as so many reviews would lead you to believe. About 2pm, busy but small line, we arrived in Memphis and wanted Rendezvous but they were closed so we're at Central. I had a slab of ribs, mac & cheese, & baked beans. Ribs were overcooked dry, sides were generic. Ribs were tender but overcooked. Sauces were great as was dry rub. Daughter and wife had pulled chicken which was very good, not to dry. Fries were like styrofoam chips -terrible. This is an average joint at best and maybe not even that good if located in KC. read more

Central BBQ - Slab of ribs at Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Went to this place close to downtown as folks at the hotel and car rental place recommended it as the BBQ place they would go to, and we could walk from our hotel. It's an order at the counter place. Folks were friendly and the service was helpful and good. However - all the BBQ was very average to our tastes, as were the sides. We had ribs, brisket and pulled pork. The greens were good, Mac and cheese not. Apparently this is an old established BBQ place and does good business, but as Texans we were not impressed with the BBQ. It all was dry to our taste and the sauce was nothing special. read more

I received 3 recommendation for this place! Very popular with tourist and some locals. It was conveniently located near the museum and that's one of the pros. I liked the potato salad. The shredded chicken was good. The sausage was good. The jerk chicken wings were NoT good to me at all. They were more like a dry rub and very disappointing. They kindly replaced them for us with the traditional buffalo style. The ribs were...ok read more

We are visiting from Texas and had to try out Memphis bbq....and WHOA never again! We Had the rack combo plate...and all three meets were DRY and cold! Ribs tasted as if they were reheated, pork and chicken....extra dry! Sides were the best part of this plate!! read more

Now I'm from Texas so I have different expectations for bbq. With that being said this place has hit the mark but not from what you would think. My 5 star rating comes from the WINGS!!!! Omg the jerked wings are by far the best wings I've ever had. I had a lot as I travel the world but man let me tell you, this is worth the stop alone. The sausage are money too if your into pork. Conveniently located near the Lorraine Hotel. I hope to visit this place again in the near future. read more

Central BBQ - Entry menu - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Decent BBQ - I found the staff to be rude, if you asked for anything they seemed mad for no reason. - place is busy, and is a popular place -visit if you don't mind bad customer service read more

Great service. Thoughtful people taking your order. 10/10 experience. Just to highlight the service, i ordered a large order for pick up in 1 hour. The lady was so kind and patient with me. When i returned an hour later, she saw me and walked my pick up over to me! So thoughtful. Order the ribs w the dry rub. Delicious. And loved the pulled pork too. I think my favorite was the chicken wings. Never had wings like that before. Theyvwere outstanding. read more

In Memphis for my 36th family reunion this was on my list as a must visit. I had ribs and pulled pork the night before, cooked by a family friend. The ribs were ok, but tasted like they had been par boiled, the pulled pork was bland without any seasoning. After a tour of the National Civil Rights Museum, to hear that we were going to Central BBQ, made my day. I had ribs, pulled pork, pulled chicken, green beans and Mac and cheese. I have to say the ribs were off the chain. Being a person who makes Mac and cheese with eggs, milk and a least three different kind of cheeses, yes you guessed it from Scratch. I was very disappointed with the Mac and cheese, it was bland and tasted like the stuff from out of a box. The baked beans were ok, this was a must visit after reading the reviews on this site about how good Central Barbecue is. My favorite was the ribs and I recommend stopping by if you're in town. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Guy in the phone is awful couldn't even take a simple to go order... wow! Very disappointed would not recommend anyone trying to order online or through phone! It took 4 mins for him to spell the first name kept saying "huh" "not trying to pronounce or understand". Unprofessional and very rude. read more