In town for the first time from Chicago. This place was fantastic. The food was awesome but the staff and management went out of their way to make our visit memorable! Thank you for a great evening! read more

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Plenty of food options, fun enviroment, great customer service, nice river view. Will visit again. read more

First time in a loongggg time I was able to order a burger because they have delicious gf buns! The smoked burger was phenomenal! Also our waitress was a doll. read more

Collins River BBQ & Cafe - Smoked burger on gf bun, green beans, sweet potato fries - Barbeque Near Me - McMinnville, Tennessee

This is one of our regular spots. Everything I've ordered here has been wonderful. If you like southern food, this is a place to try. read more

Collins River BBQ & Cafe - Pork belly burnt ends with super green and Crinkle Cut French Fries - Barbeque Near Me - McMinnville, Tennessee

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Driving through McMinnville and we stopped at this place just past the courthouse and it was great. Rustic interior with country music playing, we were greeted warmly and received excellent service. My GF got the pork sandwich and it was tasty! I tried the pork belly burnt ends with the coleslaw and cornbread salad! Gotta try that. Banana pudding wrapped up a fun and delicious meal. read more

Great service great food at a fair price. The environment is awesome and the people are friendly.

Dialed in. Order anything on the Special Board. The Owner, himself ,made sure our experience was positive. Everyone seemed to know everyone-such a nice vibe. Local beer and cider is yummy. read more

Fun little restaurant! I popped in for a quick lunch and ordered a Mary Beth salad with added pulled pork. It was the perfect blend of salad, black beans, baked potato chunks and pulled pork. Very filling! read more

Collins River BBQ & Cafe - Beef Brisket Wrap with one side - Barbeque Near Me - McMinnville, Tennessee

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The atmosphere was cool and retro. Great service and friendly staff! Barbecue was plentiful and the sides were generous!

Food was just ok, not a lot of flavor and brisket was not very tender. Order was incorrect. My husband did like the bbq wrap.

Good/Great service. The portion size is large enough for a man. Ribs, pulled pork, and brisket are tasty.

Based on a recommendation from a friend we tried this out last night. It was amazing. Tasty BBQ with equally tasty sides. The only thing better than the food was the service. We had a very attentive server but many other staff members also stopped by to see if we needed anything. I could understand extra attention if it was slow but they were very busy. Food was delivered piping hot. It was well worth the 30 minute drive. Well will be back for sure. read more

My wife order ribs, baked beans, & coke slaw. I ordered pork plate, fries, & coleslaw. The sides were nothing special, just good decent, exactly what you would expect at a BBQ place. Wife enjoyed the beans. I appreciated the coleslaw. The real treat was "the best ribs I've had since we got married." She was referring to sone ribs we had 16 years ago. My pork did not need sauce nor did it beed sides. If I had only ate the pork, the restaurant would have gotten 5 stars. The only mistake, on my part, was I did not try the white sauce. Now I have a reason to go back. We went at 5 pm and the place was packed due to an event in town. The staff was hustling! Service was excellent. read more

I normally dislike bbq but coming here has changed my opinion. Immediately you are greeted with warm friendly staff and tasteful music. We all enjoyed our meals that came out rather quickly and if we weren't from out of town this would be our new favorite for family dinner night out! read more

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Fantastic service and food. Fun environment, my daughter had a grilled cheese and I had the chicken wrap. Definitely will be back

This is a true local highlight! The food is some of the better BBQ I have had in TN and the service is so friendly!

I am VERY impressed with CRBC! I can say this without reservation, as I have some experience in this arena - great food! I have a comepetition BBQ team, Ive catered BBQ and I am a Master Certified Kansas City BBQ Judge. I got the ribs, and they were perfection. The texture was great and absolutley competition caliber, the sauces were both money and the hickory smoke on the ribs was dead on. LOVE it here and I would for sure come here again!! read more

If you are looking for a restaurant to book your next event Collins River BBQ is your place! We had our sons rehearsal dinner in the party room upstairs. The Owner Mr. Jim and the entire staff went above and beyond to meet every need and request. Our menu for the event was buffet style (2 meats, 3 sides and beverages) for 50+ people. The food was served hot and fresh. The entire buffet was absolutely delicious. Thank You Collins River BBQ for an amazing experience! Would recommend 1000%! read more

Collins River BBQ & Cafe - Barbeque Near Me - McMinnville, Tennessee

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From ca. we found this place driving from Nashville to Chattanooga. It was slightly off the path but I'm so glad we went! The ribs are an A+. The Mac and cheese was also a favorite. There's a spice that I couldn't put my finger on but it went great with the Mac . The cobbler is a must!!! read more

Collins River BBQ & Cafe - Blackberry cobbler - Barbeque Near Me - McMinnville, Tennessee

Good food, good atmosphere, and good service in downtown McMinnville. Our host called it Macminnvull. She was a super sweet lady and they all work together as a team. 3 different people making sure our drinks were full. Can't wait to go back and try other menu items. read more

Collins River BBQ & Cafe - Cuban, slaw, mac n cheese. - Barbeque Near Me - McMinnville, Tennessee

The food was excellent, service was good, . Loved the layout and the design of the restaurant.

Hey Yelpers, here is a place to try. Now if you don't like friendly service, quick refills, awesome tasting food, and a knowledgeable staff don't go here. Otherwise if you do then run here. Now I am very picky on my BBQ, not heavy on sauce but lots of flavor. Now we started with one of their best sellers the Redneck egg rolls. They are filled with pork, cabbage, jalapeño and onions. Now you know I am NOT an onion fan but these have just a hint of the onion flavor. The cabbage is crisp and the heat from the jalapeño is light. I had their version of a Cuban called the Tennessee Cuban where they sub brisket for the ham. Their spicy mustard is mild so definitely use their white bbq sauce for an additional flavor. Also notice how their brisket has a smoky hint to it. This makes the meat very tender and tasty. My sides were fried okra and of course French fries. This was a huge serving think 2 large sandwiches here. My wife had their version of smoked brisket and it came with 2 sides where she chose the Tennessee baked beans and coleslaw ( this is mayo based and not sweet) very tasty also. The beans had a bit of a bite with peppers. All and all very highly recommended and we will be going back. read more

Decent service, did have to wait a little long to order. The place was practically empty at the time. Had the Trio sample for main course, loaded nachos for appetizer. Loaded nachos were fantastic! The Trio had ribs, pulled pork and brisket with TN baked beans, fries and cornbread. The ribs had smoked flavor and was juicer than the pulled pork and ribs. Pulled pork had a mild moist, smoke flavor but the brisket was missing both. Forgive my honesty but a brisket should be tender, tasty and moist. It should be easily pulled apart and have a light pink color to it. None of that describes what was presented to us. Cornbread, fries and red bbq sauces were great, the TN baked beans were also decent but not a fan of the white BBQ sauce. read more

Had a Friday lunch here after an appointment and the place was hopping. The ambiance was great, the food selection was ample and our server, Lorie, was efficient, friendly, Tasmanian devil with the amount of coverage and tables she serviced! All of our food was delicious and I would highly recommend this establishment. Their take on the Cuban was very tasty and the panko onion rings were on point. read more

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service was great, order the half rank of ribs and they were the thickest ribs I've had, good flavor and clean off the bone. restaurant has plenty of seating and good decor. read more

Best place to eat in McMinnville! Jim has always been so kind to me and always down to chat. Hands down the best mac & cheese! I unfortunately had to move to Ohio, boy I miss the Collin's club and Mac & cheese! This is for smaller parties usually, can get kind of loud, but they do have a party section up stairs you can use I think! read more

This place is definitely worth going to. From the friendly and expedient service to the awesome food, it was a delightful experience. The walleye was outstanding as were the ribs. Try the loaded potato salad and baked beans, too. (Oh, and don't forget the fried pickles!). YUM! read more

During our stay in Dunlap, TN we wandered around downtown McMinnville and found Collins River BBQ. The first thing we noticed was how friendly everyone on staff was. Like seriously, every single person working greeted us and had a kind word. Next, the food was sooo good. Everything had amazing flavor and was seasoned perfectly. It was true, southern comfort foods. My mom ordered the Cuban and my sister got the chicken wings with a sweet chili dry rub and it was all great. The potato salad was also delicious - mom called it "decadent" twice Our only regret was not ordering the ribs. After tasting how well they did the pulled pork, we can only imagine how amazing the ribs probably are! read more

Collins River BBQ & Cafe - Pulled Pork Plate with fries and baked beans - Barbeque Near Me - McMinnville, Tennessee

Great lunch, we had brisket wrap and fried okra with a side salad, chicken tenders with fried okra and greens, and chicken wrap with fries. Peach cobbler to go. We were traveling back from Jamestown, we live in Shelbyville. Just looking for somewhere to eat lunch and we were happy to find Collins River BBQ, definitely worth the stop. All the food was amazing. The service was great too, people were very friendly and took good care of us. We will definitely come back. read more

The food was not only fantastic but the staff was phenomenal, I will forever be a customer and go out of my way to eat here. read more

Collins River BBQ & Cafe - The Tennessee Cuban, baked beans and classic waffle fries. - Barbeque Near Me - McMinnville, Tennessee

Came in town for for a wedding and looked up all the places near by to eat. Collin's was the highest review. Came in and seemed dead and quite skeptical. But once we sat down the service was amazing! Felicity was our server and definitely made us felt welcomed and answered our million questions on the menu. The food we ordered was all good not a single bad thing. Soo good we forgot to take photos of it. What impresses me the most is they have some much crap on the walls but no dust pile up you can tell they care when cleaning the restaurant. They also have a secret hot sauce they can give you called dead heat. Oh boy was that hot! Overall 10/10 would highly recommend. read more

Ribs We're very good. Service poor not busy at lunch 3 other customer. didn't ask if we wanted any refills on drinks, asked for butter never gave us any. Prices were high $$$ on everything, nothing under $15.00 Burgers were plain, cost to add cheese, Bacon. and fries. clea, nicely decorate. read more

Food is always great but the prices are higher than average for the portion size. The service is very welcoming and friendly.

I ate at Collin's a few times during my stay in the area. Their food is excellent, and my yak out order was ready both times in 20 minutes. Very nice people at the counter, and a great atmosphere for dining in. It was an excellent experience! read more

Really delicious BBQ at a good price. Old fashion taste that will bring back memories of picnics and get togethers of long ago. Food is fast, fresh and yummy. Service is on point too read more

I've had my eye on this place for quite some time, just never seemed to dedicate the time to head out there. This place has been around for 10 years...sadly this was my first but not last visit. The place is quaint and we were greeted by the manager who told us to grab a seat and make ourselves comfortable. Pursuing the menu and the specials board there are a lot of options here, and I was so tempted to try the Texas Cuban sandwich and wished we were there later to try the Prime Rib. Guess I'll need to come back again...soon. We did a lot of sharing here...the plates are good sized and you should not be hungry after dining here. The service...excellent. Our waitress Jesse took great care of us and made us feel very welcome. They do have beer here and I tried a Witbeer called Florida Cracker brewed by Cigar City Brewing...this is a solid beer with nice citrus base but not overpowering and the hint of vanilla gave it a nice finish. The food... Hickory Smoked Beef Brisket: When it comes to brisket my measure is the many places I have visited in Texas. For Collins River their brisket is a lean cut, but I was very impressed how moist and tender it was. The smoked flavor was very mild so using a little of their sweet BBQ sauce amped up the flavor. Personally I am more of a fan of brisket with a bit higher fat content, but this was still a solid offering and IMHO better used on a sandwich with slaw and BBQ sauce. Hickory Smoked Baby Back Ribs: Dayum Good!!! These ribs were absolutely incredible...thick, meaty, perfectly cooked, and fall off the bone tender. If you grabbed a bone, you came back with no meat...just bone. Must say...these are some of the best wet ribs I have had in a very long time! The sauce used on the ribs...perfectly complimented the flavors. Chicken Tenders: These had an unusual flavor, and I believe it is because they use the same style batter used for the catfish. Overall they are good chicken tenders and they offer a variety of sauces for dipping. Kids Pulled Pork Sliders: I don't normally comment on kids plates, but this is an exception. One of the things I will need to try is their pulled pork...it was delicious. The pork was so tender and had a tinge of sweetness (maybe honey) that really created an impressive kids plate. As for the numerous sides we had the TN Baked Beans and Crinkle Cut French Fries were top of the list. The baked beans had some of the ground beef from Willow Oak Farms and was very tasty. The Southern Coleslaw and Sweet Pepper Slaw on their own were good, but combining the two together was absolutely delicious with the combination of vinegar and mayo based slaw's. The Onion Rings, Cornbread Salad, and Sweet Potato Fries were just...OK. The cornbread muffins were a bit dry and something like a honey butter would have helped them. Dessert...if the Blackberry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream is any indication, having dessert here is a MUST!!! Hands down, probably the best cobbler I have ever enjoyed. The berries were perfectly sweet (especially blackberries which can be very tart) and the cake was INCREDIBLE. Overall...it was well worth the two-hour round-trip drive to enjoy this little gem in McMinnville, TN. read more

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This is what a southern BBQ place is supposed to be like. It has the right atmosphere, great food, great service and a good selection of food choices. This was our first time at Collins River BBQ for lunch. I had the pulled pork plate with fried okra and baked beans with a cornbread muffin. My wife ordered a catfish sandwich with a fried green tomato on it. The catfish sandwich listed on the menu does not have a fried green tomato on it but the waitress said they would make it happen. My wife was elated that they would accommodate her request. The chef even came out later to check on how she liked the sandwich. The food was great, and the customer service of the whole staff is unlike I have seen in years. Wonderful experiences in restaurants are rare now, but not at Collins River BBQ. I will be back again. read more

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We were visiting from Murfreesboro today and decided to stop in for a sit-down lunch based solely on #yelp reviews. Collins River did not disappoint! My wife got the chicken wrap while I tried the Collins River Club. Both were amazing, even though she said the chicken itself didn't have a ton of flavor. My smoked turkey club was perfect and hit the spot! Ironically, we did not try any BBQ this visit, but we would definitely try that at some point. Ambiance was what you'd typically expect at a family BBQ place, and the service was over-the-top friendly, welcoming, and accommodating. We were there early Saturday afternoon, and we could tell the crowds were on way that night. We will be back next time! read more

Collins River BBQ & Cafe - Collins River Club- smoked turkey, bacon... very good! Sweet potato fries! - Barbeque Near Me - McMinnville, Tennessee

Excellent BBQ! Amazing baked potato potato salad . Great orida crinkle fries and mm those baby backs! Fall off the bone. Great music and service. What's not to love about this spot! For sure a spot to try read more

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We've been here a couple times and have always had good results. Really good food on the menu and local craft beer selection. Located the historic downtown square of McMinnville, the ambiance is that of rustic charm. Many servers stopped by consistently asking if we needed anything-a team effort. Very good service. Try the smoked bourbon wings & fried okra. We had a regular cheeseburger, Cuban Brisket sandwich, catfish, kids corn dogs, and kids pulled pork sandwich. Both kids meals satisfied. The catfish was superb: however, the Cuban and burger were average. The brisket was supposedly smoked but upon further inspection anyone that smokes meat regularly can tell that it was either smoked too fast or was pre-bought (see pics). The wings are great as well is the okra! Great restaurant for a small town overall and one of the best places in around. read more

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