Yesss!!! Bring Nashville to the table!! First off the happy hour specials are great. Either a double well drink or 2 beers for 1. The service was so awesome. The gentleman that waited on us was on point and full of great suggestions. The food was tasty specifically the pulled brisket and pork. The coleslaw was done perfectly. The beans were delicious. I will be back. The place was the perfect price!! read more

Drifters BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Food was amazing. Could not have been happier. We came here around 8pm on a Thursday after spending the day brewery hopping and the patio was a great place to sit and relax. The live music was enjoyable and not too loud where you can't hear the person you're with. We ordered the hush puppies which were very good, but very filling so I definitely recommend if you have two or more people. I got the bbq plate with pork and it was AMAZING. The meat was juicy and the sauce was to die for. The fries -- don't even get me started. So crispy and crunchy and amazing. I cleaned my plate. I highly recommend Drifters if you want good bbq and a great atmosphere. read more

Drifters BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Went on Sunday to listening to a band. It was a beautiful day to sit outside under one of their umbrellas or canopies. They are dog friendly and unfortunately smoker friendly outside. Fortunately, the breeze kept the smoke down. A big storm blew in and our waitress informed us in time for our large group to get a table inside. We got served inside. We didn't care for the smoked wings. The dry rub ribs were tasty. The fries were nice and crispy and good. The hush puppies were very good. One person on our group got a salad. It was huge and a great variety of veggies, not just head lettuce. The two for one beer specials were an unexpected treat. Good variety to chose from. Super area of Nashville. Easy pay as you go parking lot. $5 for 2 hours. Lots of little shops to explore in the area. A bit of a dive bar but great vibe and fun atmosphere. Service was good and pleasant. read more

Brisket was good but the fries were not hot and a little overcooked. Service was excellent. Had the pulled pork chili as a started and it was good but the Brunswick stew was not good. Had the brisket dinner with 8oz of chopped beef brisket. It was tender, not stringy and had a good flavor even without any sauce. However the side were just so so. I would come back if for nothing else but to have the brisket. read more

Drifters BBQ - 8oz Brisket dinner with standard sides - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Drifter's was open where most airlines almost weren't. This was the first stop that I brought my friends to when we finally arrived in Nashville. It had been a while so I had to get the Drifter, which has changed a little, no more middle bun in between, because who needs more of that anyway? Other than that, the special was dollar Hi life bottles. Despite the shitty weather the staff was really friendly and my friends were happy with their first Nashville experience after having waited almost 14 hours to arrive. read more

I really expected more from Drifters just by the reviews I read so I was a little disappointed. The fries are delicious, the nachos are good the tortilla chips are just a little over cooked for my liking. That's preference though. Overall it's a decent place and being a bar it's open until 3am so if I ever need fries late, this place has my back. If you're into bbq definitely come and try theirs. That's obviously the biggest thing here, being a vegetarian I didn't try much, I'm also the worst pickiest person alive. My sisters boyfriend loved it and all the different bbq sauce options they have. The queso is really good I definitely recommend. Parking all around that's free or cheap. Would recommend eating outside because once it gets busy it's super cramped. read more

Drifters BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Just okay BBQ. Nothing to get excited about. Portions are huge if you find that impressive. Except for the sides they were about $4 each and super small. Service was subpar. We had to ask several times for another round of drinks, condiments, an extra plate and the bill. Our order was not correct and were overcharged, the server corrected our bill while standing at our table. It took several minutes to correct while we uncomfortablely sat there and awkwardly finished our drinks. We paid $50 for 4 beers, one dinner and three sides. Considering the service and food the cost was way out of line. read more

Best barbecue sauce selection I've ever had. The spicy jalapeño hot was my favorite. The meats were hickory smoked, juicy, and tender. The baby back ribs are #1. Definitely recommend Drifters! read more

Drifters BBQ - Trio of baby back ribs, sausage, brisket, cole slaw and beans. "Drifter's sampler" - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

The loaded brisket fries were delicious, but the best part was the amazing attitude and shining personality of the young man working register. He couldn't have been much older than 10, but he had such a good vibe and most certainly gives me hope for the future. read more

The best wings in Nashville without a doubt - a great selection of bbq/hot sauces - amazing burgers, too! The staff is fantastic (especially Sarah!); also, a dog friendly patio! Usually the live music is decent, as well.....highly recommended! read more

Drifters BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

While Drifters claims to be The BEST PATIO in Nashville it does not claim to be the BBQ in Nashville. The Patio is nice, the staff is friendly, the music is good. The BBQ Is terrible. Maybe it was just a bad night, but I was all ready to enjoy "The Drifter", but instead I found a soggy bun covered by tasteless brisket and pulled pork. The nearby "Sweet and Sour" BBQ Sauce helped this somewhat, but I still felt like I was putting Ketchup on a bad Steak. All I can recommend here is the live music on the patio. I'd come back for that, but that's all. read more

Drifters BBQ - "The Drifter" 4oz of brisket and 4oz of pulled pork piled high on a garlic butter toasted wheat bun. - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

One of my favorite places to eat bbq. Every place in Nashville so far has been overrated and not been that great. I enjoy the atmosphere, variety of sauces, and it's just quite delicious. read more

I came here for the first time a few nights ago with some visiting family. We were one of the first tables sat and a few more came in, which one server had to handle alone. She did a great job all things considered and isn't factored into my review!! I used to serve and I really sympathize. The food, however was far from good. The ribs were recommended but were dry and hard to chew. The sides are small portions unless you get fries. I'm not a fan of really wet slaw but their slaw was so dry it was inedible. The hush puppies were flavorless. The chicken was dry but not inedible- it just lacked any seasoning. Even the mac and cheese was disappointing. Pretty much the opposite of what you expect with a decently rated barbecue joint. Dry and flavorless are the top words that come to mind. We won't be coming back. read more

Fun bar with trivia on Monday nights and friendly bartenders. The bartender helped me save a drunk fly by putting it outside - how nice is that? Wasn't particularly impressed with the BBQ though, a bit dry. I liked that their menu had options for vegetarians as well. read more

Not bad, not bad at all! Drifters gets a major nod for being a BBQ joint with a dedicated vegetarian menu. Keep your expectations in check, though, after all it *is* a BBQ joint. No culinary wonders for those of us avoiding the offerings from the smoker (however, my guy is a BBQ fanatic and ordered the most monstrous plate of nachos with some kind of BBQ meat splayed across 'em. This looked like a delicious mess, which was confirmed), but utterly basic basics: tofu, which I'm a fan of + Morningstar Farm protein, which I'm not a fan of (and if you're vegan, know that Morningstar Farm is not). I ordered the Tofu Dinner w/o slaw, which also comes with fries and beans (not sure if that was meat swimming around with those beans so I didn't taste them. It sure looked like meat shreds). It's a generous portion and although I wasn't blown away by anything on the plate, I can see it being the perfect late night food (yes! they have late night hours!) and it sure did treat my lingering annual hangover right. As did the Bloody Mary. The staff is nice. The patio is sweet and the interior is the perfect dark, divey BBQ joint kind of atmosphere. I like this place a lot. And I'm just so appreciative of a BBQ place doing something cool for vegetarians that is truly unexpected. What's not to love about that? read more

Amazing food and great ambience. Was wanting good barbecue after a long flight from Los Angeles. My girl read some good reviews about Drifters and we set out GPS as soon as we landed. It was on the way to our hotel. We ordered the fried pickles, hush puppies, corn dog and the Hickory Smoked Sampler Platter (pork ribs, beef brisket, pulled chicken and French fries). The ribs are amazing. The meat pretty much falls off the bone. Some of the best barbecue I have ever had in my life! If this place was in LA, I would eat here every day. read more

Drifters BBQ - Hickory Smoked Sampler Platter - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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It's 11pm. I'm fresh off 30 hours of travel, including an interminable 6hr layover in LA, and the only thing that can save my life is meat. And not just any meat. BBQ meat, yo! King of all the meats, emperor of char-grilled protein. Enter the Yelp app. Hulloooooo Drifters, just 1 km away. Drive, Joshy. Drive like you've never driven before old sport. We're almost the only ones there. We get the chilli, the hush puppies, the 1/3 rack ribs, the brisket sliders, some more brisket, the house salad with brisket dressing. The chilli ain't the best I've had, but urrthang else is freaking sensational. Gobble gobble. Brisket on the chin. Forget it, keep eating, save it for later. Oh, and the best part? I haven't told you this yet - the house-made sauces. Good lord, the sauces! Atomic Fire, New Mexico, Drifter, Sweet Fire . . . there's about 8 of them, and they range from sweet and smoky to vinegar and garlic-laden fire. They need to bottle these and sell them. I'd buy them all. And then resell them in my own country under my own name and make billions, muhaha! read more

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Veg paradise! With several affordable vegetarian and vegan options on the menu that include a very tasty Vegan Burrito and BBQ Tofu Sandwich... this could be the place I go this Summer to nosh between cocktails! Patio is pet-friendly and the staff is always super duper nice. Gotta love it. Tip: An order of tortilla chips and salsa only sets you back $1.25! You'd pay more than that at Taco Bell, right? read more

I'm giving this place 2 stars because the fried pickles were delicious. I stopped here while driving cross country, and my famous last words were "It's a BBQ place in Nashville, how bad can it be?" It can be terrible, apparently. They should change their name to Drifters Fried Pickles because their BBQ is inedible. My boyfriend and I split the BBQ Platter with brisket, pulled pork and smoked sausage. The smoked sausage was covered in BBQ sauce, which I had never seen before and did not understand or enjoy, but that was the least of their offenses. The other meats tasted like they had been soaked in water. Literally. Each chew resulted in a spray of water into my mouth. Does that make you want to throw up too? I hope so because it's gross. And confusing. Neither of us are picky eaters or the type to send food back, but I couldn't eat it. At all. We debated for a good 10 minutes about what to do, and finally decided we should let the management know in case it was a fluke that they were selling awful, waterlogged BBQ. He apologized profusely (like it wasn't his first time, just sayin'), and took half off our check. But, I couldn't NOT review this place in case it wasn't a fluke at all. read more

Drifters BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

This bar restaurant had a great atmosphere. A variety of Tex mex and BBQ along with Vegan options. The portions were huge and more than generous. The BBQ was mediocre and did not have very much flavor. They had a vast selection of BBQ sauce which was helpful for helping out the meat. Our server was awesome and attentive. Just wish the BBQ has been better. read more

Drifters BBQ - Southwest salad with chicken. - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

My family of 5 went to Drifters when we traveled through town. We visited on a Friday night. We expected it to be busy but the wait inside was a bit over the top, so we sat outside. I do wish they had heat lamps outside. The food was quite delicious - especially their baked beans. My children loved all their food. The only negative is their parking and the fact the building is kind of hidden. I do know that it out of their control. This is quite a gem. If we are passing through again, we would definitely stop again. read more

Small place with great garage atmosphere and good barbeque, including vegetarian! It really is kid-friendly even though it sure looks like a bar (TN is that way, it seems). We also had a super awesome bartender/server. The hush puppies were especially tasty. The fried tofu wasn't mind-blowing or anything, but it was pretty exciting just to be able to go to a BBQ place with the carnivorous family and be able to eat something other than just sides. The coleslaw and black beans were also delicious, and I'm told the brisket and chicken were amazing. read more

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First off... the food is exquisite! I have never been disappointed by my time at drifters. Let me tell you who makes it extra special .... Marscha, Leslie and Marie are phenomenal at what they do. They care about each individual and their experience. I could come here everyday. read more

Drifters BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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We love this place, great place to stop for a cold draft beer and great bbq. Menu is not your typical southern bbq joint but everything we have tried has impressed us. The bbq nachos are amazing and the smoked bratwurst will leave you craving them over and over. The hot German style mustard served with the brats is awesome. Very friendly people and sitting in the deck listening to live music can't be beat. We have become regulars on weekends. Sunday's offer happy hour all day. Prices are very reasonable and the quantity of food on the menu is very plentiful. read more

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Good spot for a burger and happy hour is all day on Tuesdays so that is always a good thing. I love this place for staying non smoking so that is plus! read more

Ah, Drifters... No frills at it's finest! It's tucked right in the heart of five points, but doesn't feel "too" hip. You'll see all kinds here... Old, young, couples, families, dogs too! The food is consistently good. I always go for their BBQ pork sandwich, my man goes for the pulled chicken sandwich. It's one of my favorite places for BBQ in Nashville - and I'm the kind of person who has to sample BBQ everywhere I go. LOVE IT. So the food, it's good. The atmosphere is what keeps me coming back though. The staff is so friendly, the crowd is usually really chill, and the outdoor seating is the best! Especially when a local band is playing, which is often. For me, summer is Drifters season..... I'll be there quite a lot over the next few months. See you there! read more

Drifters BBQ - Pulled chicken sandwich and a Sweetwater 420 - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Learned about this restaurant in 5 points (Woodland St) on Yelp. They appear to serve later than several other restaurants in the area. The 1st thing that I noticed was the large outdoor patio - we sat outside as it was a nice evening. We mainly went to have a couple cocktails, but we also sampled the side salad, fries, and brunswick soup. All of the food was appetizing! Our cocktails were also well done. Our server was pleasant and it didn't take too long to get our orders. Nice spot to grab a drink in 5 points. Gotta sample the BBQ on my next visit. read more

Drifters BBQ - Drifter's menu - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

The day my group was here was during the trivia night, although it was fun a lot of their menu items were not available. So I just ordered the pulled pork burger and a pint of Guinness. Honestly, the atmosphere is not too shabby. Everyone I was observing seems like everyone was having a good time. The reason why I gave this review was the lack of food this establishment provided. read more

We waited two hours to get our food and some of our party was told they were sold out of their food 1.5 hours after they already ordered. The chicken was dry and the mac and cheese was disappointing. There was only one server and they did their best but the service was beyond disappointing as well as the food. read more

Today, I had the nicest surprise on my lunch burger... I ask that my bun be toasted and when it arrived, I saw a little garlic butter with garlic on my bun. What a treat! I like this place. read more

Great, local, inexpensive, good beer selection great BBQ, and veggie/vegan options. Friendly staff Lot of extra spicy sauces Good music Quick service Nice and air conditioned ! Would definitely recommend read more

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Arrived here late after our flight landed and we checked into our rental down the street. The wait staff was nice and brought our drinks promptly. It was a bit tough to get water refills, though. I had the catfish and the brisket. The catfish was done correctly, but the piece was really small. The brisket was tender but a bit too "mushy" for my taste - as though it had been sitting in water. I loved the "sauce bar" - lots of options, and all very flavorful. The hush puppies were the surprise-and-delight piece of my meal - the sweet onions and pickled jalapeno made for a super unique flavor, and the dipping sauce they came with was great. One side note: we were there for over 2 hours on a Friday night and there was no live music. A band was setting up as we were leaving, after 11pm. We had hoped based on the reviews that we would at least hear live music coming in from outside, but either there was some confusion or a scheduling error. read more

Looks a little shady but is actually a fun little place. Lots of good beer. Lots of good food. I had the pulled pork chimi and it was awesome! Corn hole in the back. Live music in the front. Within walking distance of a lot of places if you want to do a pub crawl. Nice place to hang outside in the summers. I keep hearing about the corndogs so I'll try that next time. read more

Drifters BBQ - Bbq pulled pork chimi - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Passing through Nashville on a recent x-country drive and I NEEDED ME SOME Q. Drifters provided ! Fellow yelpers steered me to this dive and IT WAS GREAT. We had the combo platter. Ribs slid off the bones, brisket & sausage were also perfectly smoked & prepared. Sides were tasty classic preparations. Service was Friendly and Quick. Food & Service were 5 star. 4 stars cause, although they had a full bar, they did not have any NA Beer. Doesn't matter, next time in town, I'll be back read more

Cat was very friendly and super helpful! A bit disappointed in the food though just for the BBQ. The fries were fucking great! I heard that Nashville is famous for there BBQ and I was highly disappointed on what we got. My friend and I both went, got BBQ sheared chicken but no sauce. So we had to choose our own and putting it on the sandwich and it ended up being super dry. Would go again - but for the beer! read more

This place was recommended to us by a local at the Hockey game last night. He was right. We went for lunch. There are 2 buildings at this location. The lower building had a line out the door 2 @ 11 AM and the upper building was empty when we got there. We paid ($6/2 hrs) to park in the adjacent lot, they only have a few spots available at the restaurant. My wife & I ordered a full rack of ribs that comes with fries, baked beans & cole slaw (sides can be substituted) and a bowl of chili. I am glad we split the meal. The ribs were cooked to perfection with a rub. At the table was a sweet & smoky BBQ sauce that was excellent. They also have a sauce bar that includes a Texas style sauce, a hot BBQ sauce (2nd favorite), a mustard sauce and a 4th that I didn't try. The baked beans are the best I have had. The cole slaw and fries were standard. The chili was interesting because it had corn in it. It had a very nice flavor. My wife thought it was a little spicy. Don't forget Happy Hour 11 AM till 7 PM. :) Definitely a place to return to the next time we are in town. read more

Quite a divey place for some beers and BBQ. 2 for 1 happy hour drinks was definitely a plus, but after eating all that fried hush puppies, fried green tomatoes and big platters of BBQ meat, I had no room for the 2nd beer. The above mentioned food was decent but nothing mind blowing as many other writers have said. read more

Drifters BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Marie is the best bartender to grace this planet. She takes care of everyone in a timely manner and makes the best drinks. Her music taste is impeccable and she looks out for everyone in her bar. Drifters has great food and a great happy hour! Cheers in East Nashville. read more

Went here on a Friday night and got right in. The happy hour drink specials were worth the trip alone! My husband and I split the sampler and all of the meat was tasty! We tried all of the bbq sauces and did have a favorite but can't remember its name. I also had the banana pudding, but I wasn't a fan. The staff was very friendly too! I'd come back if in the area. read more

I attended the tomato fest, was served drinks right away. Our food order was also put in right away and we never received any of the food. Tables who were seated after us were given food. It was not the servers fault whatsoever, the kitchen lost our ticket and never made our food. Extremely disappointing and unorganized, especially for a festival weekend. Provide more staff for a busy weekend would be my feedback. We also had mentioned that we had not yet received our order multiple times and there was no answer to the status of it. Compensation should have been offered but was not. read more