Terrible. The tea was watered down, the onion rings were cold and greasy, the pork ribs were meatless, over cooked, dry, and tasteless. The bread was also dry. The only tasty item I had here was the teeny, tiny condiment container of potato salad. No brisket on the menu, whaaat? It's a staple at BBQ restaurants. Although, you are provided plenty of napkins. The place could use a good scrub and the female staff could exhibit at least a little bit of southern hospitality. read more

The pork sandwich is quite good, but overall, it's a tourist trap for the downtown crowd. Staff were indifferent, the order/delivery process is inefficient, and it's one step away from a BBQ Applebees. Check out Germantown Commissary or The BBQ Shop in Midtown for way better food and a better experience overall. read more

The food was great. The sauces were the among the best I've had in the country (having eaten at the top BBQ places in NoLa, STL, and Nashville in the last couple months). And the service was out of this world. I want to first say how great the people were. We had a nice conversation with the two young guys who rang up our order. I wanted to talk to the manager to talk about the place, as my friends and I had done a bit of traveling and were eating at BBQ places around the south. The manager not only explained the whole process of how they do what they do, but also gave us tips for our next few tour spots, and tossed us a couple bags of their home made chips and pork rinds for the road (loved the chips)! Very kind and thoughtful. The food: we just split a rack of ribs, half wet half dry. They were great, but the spicy BBQ sauce and their take on the vinegar sauce were my favorites!!! I am definitely going to order them back home in NJ. I liked my experience so much that I thought I'd check out the pulled pork on the way out - we ordered the pulled pork nachos and they were realll good. Love this place - thanks for great food and a great experience read more

I don't have a lot of BBQ experience, so I simply judge the food by how it tastes. The ribs were quite good, unfortunately we had a combo platter which included pulled pork and pulled chicken. Both was not very inspiring and rather dry. Maybe it's just not my kind of food, but we all weren't keen. French fries were ok, slaw was quite bland. Not too expensive, nice atmosphere, friendly people - but somehow just not that extra special thing I expected. read more

Not pleased with the food nor the staff. My mother is gluten-free due to health reasons and the menu they had showing wha was GF was not in fact true. We then ordered "no roll" with our pulled chicken platter, which was not followed through on, and had to be thrown out because it was continued. The manager went and got the correct order. Overall, I am not pleased with anything. I understand that this restaurant has grown over the years, but just as there is respect for those with other food allergies, I hope restaurants can follow through on getting quality food that is allergen-free. read more

The best slow smoked pork ribs and homemade banana pudding in Memphis. Meat falls right off the bone. The mac n cheese is a must order side. The slaw and beans are just average. Do try their hot BBQ sauce which has a terrific kick. Friendly and quick service can always be counted upon. And remember to order the banana pudding--no sharing allowed because it's too delicious. After your meal, walk next door to visit the National Civil Rights Museum and Lorraine Motel. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

The wet ribs were magical. Succulent and on the edges candied. How'd they do that? Yum. Great beans and mac and cheese.quick service too. A def go to! read more

Everything was delicious and moist. Mac n cheese was great. Turkey had great flavor and wasn't dry. Brisket was lean but wasn't dry, as well. The ribs were great and the sweet flavor of their rub add a unique flavor. The andouille sausage was some of the best I've had. Definitely would go back if I'm in Memphis again! read more

Super wonderful time at Central BBQ. There was a short line out the door when we went, but that seemed to go by pretty quickly. BIG FAN of the mac and cheese and the slab for two. It's location is ideal, being next to the Civil Rights museum. Great time overall, and some great Memphis BBQ! read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Some of the best bbq I've had, pulled pork and ribs are excellent! I did try the brisket and didn't care for it, but I'm not much of a brisket fan anyways so not judging them on it. The pulled pork nachos are a must try!! read more

Best BBQ I ever had in a restaurant. Seriously.. Get the wet ribs. You won't regret it! read more

Central BBQ - Ribs, onion rings and green beans = perfection! - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

I had the pulled pork sandwich and my husband has ribs- food came quickly - I recommend the vinegar sauce - so good! The slaw was great, mac n cheese was on point. Overall the experience was pleasant! I would recommend this place for someone to try southern BBQ! read more

Place lived up to the hype. Beat the lunch crown by getting there before noon on a Sunday. Wings dry and ribs also dry were oh so yummy. Mac n cheese wasn't great but it wasn't great at any bbq location we ate at. Great lunch after attending the civil rights museum read more

We love bbq. We love food. Our first time trying Memphis bbq...it was good, but it wasn't the, "I have to have it again!!!" good. Compared to my hometown BBQ joints like Joe's KC and Q39. Just didn't live up to the anticipation. We had the rib platter and chicken nachos. We ate most of it. If we had to choose, i'd go with wet ribs vs dry. Dry, was....well, just a little too dry and more like beef jerky. Would I go back??? probably not. Would I recommend to someone who hasn't tried it, why, yes. You have to try something at least once! Maybe it was just today..but it was just BBQ. read more

Central BBQ is probably one of the easiest to access BBQ joints in Memphis with one on Central Ave and another on Poplar, and you are unlikely to leave disappointed. The BBQ nachos are incredibly satisfying (be sure to get more than enough jalapenos on top) but nothing too terribly special. I will say though, the chips take a bit to get soggy, which is a huge plus in my book. You can also add as much BBQ sauce as you like! We love a customizable nacho experience. read more

Had a very bad experience here. Planned a rehearsal dinner for a Friday night in June. Started the process in the prior September. Had 105 people approximately $3000.00. The service was horrible. Ran out of silverware, food, dishes , glasses. No one there to even reach out to for help. A very big embarrassment to me hosting 105 people from out of town. I live in Colorado and have no reason to return. Sometimes you only have one chance to do something and this was my one time to host a rehearsal dinner for my son, friends and family. It was really awful and my responses from the management are we had another function going on. You may enjoy a meal here I wouldn't know as I never got to eat since I was trying to manage a banquet by myself with no support. By the way I hosted a brunch at the Madison hotel and it was unbelievably smooth. read more

I heard from the owner of Central Wednesday (Craig Blondis) and I'm just getting the chance to update my review. Craig was very candid about the problems we saw Sunday night and apologized to me for our experience. Since he was honest with me about the problems I must accept his apology and revise my stars to 3 and admit that I'll try Central again the next time I'm in Memphis. The only reason I gave only 3 stars is because I didn't actually eat Sunday night. The stars might be higher had I not been too frustrated to eat dinner. Again - my better half said the pulled pork sandwich was very tasty. It says a lot about an owner who admits flaws and takes the time to respond to a customer who had a bad experience. Kudos to you Craig for being honest about your issues. As I said to you in my email earlier tonight - a customer relationship is defined by how you treat your customers when you have problems. Well played Central! read more

I was born in Memphis, raised on Memphis bbq and have been away from the bbq mecca for 15 years. Central is my go to rib joint when I'm back in Memphis. Central is the only place I will take friends and business associates to have the Memphis bbq experience. I've been to both the original location and the downtown location and both are just as excellent. Ribs are spot on - meaty, has the right pull from the bone, just enough smoke to give flavor and if you get wet or dry it's still the same juicy ribs. The bbq nachos (wife's favorite) are a thing of beauty with sturdy chips and enough toppings to feed a table. The pulled pork sandwich is generous with meat and the side dish options are all excellent. Don't delay get you some Central today! read more

This is one of the best best places to get BBQ in Memphis. Great food and service! I go to the one downtown and midtown on Central Ave.

The ribs were fantastic. Definitely in my top 10 ever eaten. The pulled chicken was also outstanding. Was not a fan of the pulled pork (dry) or the cole slaw. Would highly recommend. read more

5 Stars for sure!! This is our first time to Memphis and it can be overwhelming with all of the bbq places around! Central BBQ is our absolute fave hands down!! Get the combo platter and go half and half on your ribs so you can try dry rub and with sauce!! We got pulled pork and sausage to complete that plate and then got a small pork bbq nachos. Yummmm!! Their bbq beans were delish, too!! Oh, and remember to order their amazing banana pudding....soooo good!! We will be back here on our next trip!! read more

Central BBQ - Combo Platter half and half with pork bbq and sausage, BBQ Nachos and another half of a slab of ribs! - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Always looking for the best wherever we go! So happy to have stopped here. We had the half slab of ribs (1/2 and 1/2) and the pork plate. Sauce and meat were delicious! We will stop here again the next time we come thru!! Yummy! read more

Central BBQ - Half slab, beans and slaw. - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Not as good as I expected. I prefer a smoked flavor. The pulled chicken was dry. The banana pudding was different but good. It was worth the try. read more

This place will give you life. Everything on the menu is delicious. You haven't seen Memphis if you haven't eaten at Central. read more

Great location and cool restaurant across from civil rights museum. Cool decor in casual atmosphere. Live music was awesome. Service was swift and friendly. Food was above average but not beat ever. Ribs were a bit saucy. Great beer list. Would definitely go again read more

The people were great but the food was not great. To be honest there is no way this is smoked meat. Nothing had smoke flavor at all. Chicken was plain and dry. Pulled pork same thing. The brisket was a major disappointment plain and tasted like it was boiled then in the oven, same as the ribs. The sides were all plain as well read more

We're from Austin Texas, and were looking for Memphis BBQ. Awesome place! Had wet ribs, green beans, slaw, and red ghost beer. read more

Central BBQ - Ordered wet slab for 2 with greenbeans and slaw. Added vinegar sauce to ribs. - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

This is the best BBQ in Memphis. This is what my family has decided after a lot of research. Today was our second trip here, and I tried the beef brisket at the advise of one of the horse and carriage drivers on Beale Street. What a great recommendation. It was the best brisket I've ever had. I also love the cole slaw. Now if you like cole slaw soggy and dripping with mayonnaise, this isn't for you. This cole slaw is crispy and fresh. It was a little dry for me, so I recommend adding a little of the vinegar sauce to it and it's perfect. We got the cheese and sausage appetizer plate and the sausage was delicious. I think it was kielbasa sausage. It was juicy, tender and had a great flavor with a really nice crust on the surface. The cheese was okay, pepper jack and cheddar. I like fancy French cheese, so this wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't bad. My son had the ribs and he said they were as good as Pappy's in St. Louis. This is the equivalent of a five star rating. He had the choice of getting wet ribs, dry ribs or half and half. He got the half and half and was very happy with it. The sauces are all very good. Don't be intimidated by the hot/spicy sauce, it was spicy, but the slow burn kind, not the kind that smacks you in the face. I would say the one negative is that the peanut butter pie is not as good as the Double J. It's all the same texture and I like layers in my peanut butter pie to break up the monotony, or maybe some ice cream. If you have a chance to, sit in the patio room and check out the beautiful mural on the wall. It's basically a giant map of all the landmarks in Memphis. read more

Quite possibly the best Memphis BBQ I've ever tasted. The ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork, sausage, and macaroni and cheese were exquisitely delicious. I've taken my family and friends from out-of-town to this location, and they've all left completely satisfied with how amazing the Memphis BBQ was. The restaurant is even dog friendly and provided a dog bowl, food, and water on the back patio for a family friend's pet dog. I'm extremely grateful for the kind and attentive service that Central BBQ has provided each and every time I've visited. I highly recommend Central BBQ to anyone wanting to experience true Memphis BBQ. I will definitely visit again. Thank you so much! read more

I was visiting Memphis, and of course, I had to try Memphis BBQ! When I asked people where to get the best bbq in Memphis, Central BBQ was a top choice. I went here with a group of friends, and we decided to get a little bit of everything and eat family-style so that we could try the different meats. We decided to to do two orders of the Combo Plates, one with ribs and one without. The plates each came with 3 meats, 2 side items, and rolls. We ordered brisket, chicken, pulled pork, ribs (wet and dry), and sausage. For our sides, we got fries, 2 orders of mac and cheese, and potato salad. They also have plenty of bbq and hot sauces to choose from. The bbq definitely lived up to all the hype! By far, our party's favorite were the ribs. The ribs were definitely worth the extra charge. You also MUST get the banana pudding for dessert! My friend ordered it and let me have a bite, and I have never had banana pudding or a dessert in general more delicious than Central BBQ's banana pudding! It was just the perfect ratio of just all sorts of goodness. I definitely recommend Central BBQ especially for tourists wanting to try Memphis BBQ! read more

Central BBQ - Brisket, chicken, pulled pork, ribs, sausage, mac and cheese, fries, potato salad, and rolls. Plus, a wide variety of bbq and hot sauces! - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Great BBQ. Very clean restaurant & friendly staff. Had BBQ platter that was excellent. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Great bbq place. The food is great, there is always a long line outside and that is probably one reason that keeps us from going more often.

Awesome ribs! The meat was soft but has a nice texture to it. I had wet/dry half and half. Both were great and super smoky.

We had the nachos with pulled chicken and homemade potato chips, brisket, ribs, and a kids meal. Everyone was very happy with their food although the winner was the pulled chicken nachos. read more

Central BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Not being a Texas homer. This BBQ was no bueno. It was all dry and relied on sauce to make it "moist". The smoked turkey was more tender than the ribs or pulled pork. Not impressed. At least we didn't wait too long to get in. read more

Had kind of a bad experience, guy that took our order was rude and unwelcoming and I didn't want to ask questions about the menu. Bought the regular Brisket sandwich for 7.49 that was on the menu and was charged 8.99. BBQ was ok and Mac n cheese was terrible. read more

Wow. This place is great. There was a line outside that almost scared us off, but it went through quickly. We got the bbq nachos. They are everything you would hope for. We got one with fries, the other with their in house chips. Both were great. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone that is in the area. We may stop back by on our way back through Memphis. Oh, yeah, prices are great, even for a cheapo like me. read more

The folks were very friendly. Great location. Fast service. The sauce was good but the ribs were too dry. Not juicy. The sides were good.

Had to come visit here from Wylie, TX and had the best ribs ever! Was well seasoned and perfect amount of smoke. Smoked sausage was good as well as my pulled pork sandwich. Brisket was good but I have had better. You also must have the Mac n cheese. read more

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DELICIOUS! Not what I expected in that you order at the cashier, are given a number, then they bring you your food, but the food was delicious! The servers and table bussers were friendly and attentive. Definitely recommend if you are in the area! read more