Jack Cawthon's BBQ absolutely delivers the kind of experience that reminds you why great barbecue is an art form. I ordered the three meat plate--ribs, brisket, and pulled pork--and every single bite was tender, smoky, and packed with flavor. The brisket was melt-in-your-mouth perfection, the ribs had just the right pull, and the pulled pork was juicy and seasoned to perfection. And let me say this clearly: you know it's good BBQ when no sauce is needed. This was that kind of meal. The sides held their own too--the sweet potatoes were rich and comforting, the baked beans had that perfect balance of sweet and savory, and the mustard greens brought a bold, soulful flavor that tied everything together. If you're looking for authentic, no-shortcuts barbecue done right, this place is a must. Five stars all day. read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - Three meat plates - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

They were open the day the sleet took out power for most of the city (Jan 25, 2026) and while the banana pudding might not have magically fixed that it sure did make a bad-stressful day a lot better. The staff were really nice even while they were slammed busy. Again HIGHLY recommend the banana pudding. You *can* get other stuff but they sell banana pudding by the pint or gallon so really do you need anything else? read more

Stayed at the Townplace Suites, across the street from the Charlotte Ave location and gave this place a try. It was seriously fantastic. I had the turkey plate dinner, with corn bread, mashed potatoes w/gravy and coleslaw. All tasted so good and fresh. Loved how the coleslaw had a crunch. The #5 hot bbq sauce was some good stuff. The place was very clean, nicely decorated and the staff was supper friendly and helpful. Coming back tonight!!! Well done!!! I came back tonight and it was just as great as the first night. Had beef brisket and all was great. Beef was falling off my fork read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - Turkey plate - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Just desserts review. Visiting Nashville, and as a pie-baking Southern gal, had to sample some local sweets. I ordered the Southern pie triumverate (pecan, chess and chocolate) plus banana pudding. The three pies were fresh and tasty, while the banana pudding was unremarkable. I enjoyed the depth of flavor in each pie filling and while the crust wasn't excellent, it did taste better than store bought. read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - Southern pie triumverate (pecan, chess and chocolate) + banana pudding.... all solid - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Mmmhmmm- Jack's BBQ was really good! We got the 2-meat plate which included 2 sides of your choice. You know we had to get the brisket and the ribs. Both were soooo juicy and fall of the bone (ribs). The portion size was definitely enough for sharing. Also came with 2 cornbread which was excellent! The sides we chose were the beans & the mac and cheese. Both really solid choices. Them beans were sweeeeeet and the mac was cheeeesy. Perfect combo! Also tasted the pecan pie, really good without being overly sweet. 5 star meal for sure! The place wasn't busy when we stopped by on a Friday afternoon. The place was clean and there were plenty of seating. All the employees were super nice and helpful. No complaints here! read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - 2 meat combo everything was 5/5! - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Friendly staff. Quick service. One of my go tos for bbq in Nashville. Its been a staple. I enjoy the pork sandwich but I must admit that brisket was looking juicy and tender. The sweet potatoes were delicious. The turnip greens lacked some flavor this time around. I may go with the green beans next time. But still a good meal. Quiet atmosphere read more

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The service at this bbq place was excellent. The beer was buy one get one and we don't think we were charged for all the food we got. I got two slices of cornbread I think because they didn't want me to just have the end piece of cornbread. It was the best cornbread I've ever eaten in my life. And the best thing between the two of us ordered. The coleslaw tasted like giardiena vinegary and crisp and was wonderful with the bbq. Beans tasted like the Kansas City bbq sauce which was my favorite of them. read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - Three veggie plate with beans cornbread, Mac and Mac & Cheese, and Cole Slaw. This is the best cornbread I have ever had in my life. - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Food was fabulous! Variety of sauces and sides were incredible!! Employees were friendly! A must do!

Enjoyed a recent lunch visit during the week. They have free parking available both behind the restaurant and across the street. Cafe style order and go. You can order a plate meal, sandwich and extras for sides. You also can choose a regular vs larger portion too. I ordered the regular pulled pork sandwich and enjoyed it. Size seemed just right with the amount of meat. They have plenty of sauces to choose from as well. The restaurant was clean with available seating. Overall good lunch spot with quick service. read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - Pulled pork regular sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

It is not hard to see why this place is a Nashville institution and how it has lasted so long. The meats are all excellent, with good flavor, perfect tenderness, and nice portion sizes. The sides were so-so but there are definitely some others I'd like to try. The cornbread though is an underrated rockstar. It reminds me a lot of a poundcake. Spongy, thick, and sweet. So good! read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - 3 meat Combo Plate with brisket, sausage, and ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Even to-go, Jack Cawthon's BBQ brings the kind of comfort and flavor that makes you feel like you're right at the family table. I ordered through Uber Eats, and it arrived fast and fresh -- I plated it myself and added a little of my own homemade sauce on top, but the meat didn't need much dressing up. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone delicious -- tender, smoky, and full of that slow-cooked soul you hope for in Tennessee BBQ. The potato salad was creamy and classic, just like Sunday best. The baked beans had that sweet, rich flavor that instantly brings to mind summertime cookouts and front porch conversations. The slaw was fresh with a nice crunch, though I'll admit I'm partial to a mayo-based version -- Bama roots run deep. The pickles and sliced onions on the side added that perfect final touch, bringing some brightness to the plate. This was the perfect way to spend the 4th of July -- simple, satisfying, and made with care. Whether you're dining in or taking it to-go, Jack Cawthon's delivers the kind of BBQ that reminds you why you love this city. read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

BBQ was very good pronounced smoke flavor without over powering the meat. Had 3 meat plate with two sides and banana pudding. Sides were baked beans and Mac and cheese both were good but not outstanding. Brisket, pork and sausage were the meats and they were outstanding. Decor was BBQ country very nice and was good for conversation. This a tray style BBQ with self serve drinks and sauces. read more

Had some great pulled pork and baked beans for a late lunch today. Excellent BBQ, and great atmosphere. Once we entered the parking lot, the smell of meat smoking in the pit drew us in. Highly recommended. read more

Tucked away in a nice location with parking. Smell of bbq lingered in the air. The gentleman behind the counter was sharp and tentative with healthy portions per order. Food tasted amazing, pull pork was a delight. Carolina bbq sauce was spot on read more

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Small well decorated dining area with a good atmosphere . Sausage is very meaty with little fat and a good flavor . Turkey was moist with a rich flavor and a hint of smoke . Brisket has a nice pad of fat cooked to perfection . Where this place shines is the sides . Green beans have an amazing flavor , baked beans are nice and hearty , sweet potatoes are smooth with a hint of butter and the stew is just the best , it is a meal in itself . read more

Absolutely amazing BBQ. Mac and Cheese, baked beans excellent. The sauce for the ribs is outstanding. I will be ordering exclusively from them read more

Stopped in last night with a couple of friends and I was thinking about the plate of beef brisket with two sides. The Man at the cutting board offered me a taste of the brisket that he had just pulled out. It was TENDER, BEEFY, FATTY, JUICY, SUCCULENT and DEEELICIOUS! The free sample made up my mind! For my two sides I chose the collard greens and macaroni and cheese. The collard greens were cooked properly and not wilted. The mac and cheese was cheesy and not too salty. Service is cafeteria style and everyone behind the counter was polite and helpful. The ambiance is family friendly, clean and hospitable. The portions are of a good size and I had leftover beef brisket and cornbread to take home for breakfast. Total after tax and tip was about $26. It was a good value for a dinner in these times of Bidenflation. read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - Beef Brisket plate with 2 sides and garnishes. OUTSTANDING! - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Easy to park, walk through the line and pick what you like. I happen to love the Brunswick Stew and a side of cornbread! Everyone liked their pork bbq and sides- home cooking at its finest. Male and female restrooms, one stall of the two was closed in the ladies room. Fun "flying pig" atmosphere as well as local photos to admire on the walls. We love it here for ourselves and when we have company who want a casual atmosphere. read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - A pint of Brunswick Stew with Cornbread and an iced tea- fabulously delicious combination! - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I ordered cream corn, sweet potatoes and the brisket sandwich. Sweet potato and corn was the best I've ever had. I love the way that you can pick a selection of different sauces to try. read more

The service here was really great. They allowed us to sample the sausage and it had a lot of flavor. I ordered the three meat platter with turkey, ribs, and brisket. Everything was perfectly seasoned and tender. I loved that the brisket wasn't too fatty and that the ends was perfectly caramelized. The turkey was so moist; I'm not sure I've had moister turkey before. The ribs were magnificent and again not too fatty. I got greens and a cucumbers for a side and they were also both perfectly seasoned and flavorful. Definitely got a huge portion. I was very very happy with our meal. And we were able to get our food quickly and we didn't have any trouble finding seating. read more

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The food is amazing. The service was great. It smells soooo good in there. Great value for fresh smoked meats.

Stopped in town and was looking for a bar-b-que spot and found Jack's. It's a serve-at-the-front and sit-down type of atmosphere, which I love because you get to see the meat and sides in front of you. The service was great, extremely helpful, and steered us in the right direction when it came to getting a little bit of everything without breaking the bank. Got the two meats, wet brisket and sausage, and a 1/4 of pulled pork. I could have done without the sausage, as it wasn't anything spectacular, and gone with more brisket (wow!!!) and pulled pork. The brisket had a charred outside but was exceptionally moist and tender inside. The pulled pork was also incredible. For the sides, we got mac and cheese, which lacked in flavor a bit, and their mashed potatoes and gravy, which hit a home run. I wasn't a fan of their cornbread, it was a bit dense and tasted more like a cake consistency. I also had a bit of my MIL half chicken, smokey and juicy. Overall, glad we stopped by and would definitely come back. read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - Two 2 Meat Combo Plate - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Jack's on Charlotte has become our go-to barbecue spot because the food is always so good. This restaurant does a great job delivering well cooked barbecue flavor in all its meats, and I've tried them all. The pork, brisket, and turkey are always moist. The ribs are meaty and the smoked sausage is super juicy. Please be aware that the chicken is moist and tasty but it is served on the bone, not pulled. Their Brunswick Stew is the best side dish in Nashville. I'll often order a pint as my entree with some of their delicious corn bread and some of their awesome vinegar slaw. They have a large variety of tasty sauces and a great dessert selection with several pies and some delicious banana pudding. The staff are friendly and helpful. Takeout is easy whether you order ahead or drive through. There are lots of cool pictures and decorations on the walls and they have a solid beer selection. read more

Nashville BBQ! My first taste if Nashville BBQ did not disappoint. I went ala Carter and had 4 oz each of their sausage and brisket. Two sudes: collards and mashed potatoes, filled out my order, along with unsweetened tea. I know, I know, that's a no-no down South, but hey, you gotta watch your carb intake. How were their meats? Juicy, smoky, and tender, just as I expected. Tasted like they use hickory or oak, but I failed to ask. The collards had a spicy twist to them, and the potatoes were creamy. We chose the location just outside of the city, and parking was ample. read more

Stopped by here for food yesterday after an afternoon of drinking bourbon. Best decision I made all day. I got a 3-meat plate with two sides and banana pudding for $50. Crazy good price. Ribs and brisket were so good here too. Service was quick. Highly recommend! read more

Food was delicious unfortunately I was starving so I didn't take any pictures of the food, service was good the individual's serving the food where nice and informative when I'm on this side of town I will be stopping y again great service indeed and ambiance it nice no one is hurrying anyone up and it's actually pretty inexpensive aswell read more

This is my favorite bbq in Nashville and really anywhere. It is consistently good. They have several bbq sauces to choose from. My favorite is the pulled pork and the chocolate fudge pie for dessert. We always make sure to grab some pie to bring back home to Illinois. Highly recommend you won't be disappointed. read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - Pulled pork, brisket, greens and Mac n cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Decent bbq and I wouldn't rate ambience or service since there really isn't any. They have good meat selections, sides, and sauces. I would go back if I wanted takeout or a fast sit down bbq meal. read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - Brisket sandwich (Mac and cheese not so good) - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

So good! Is a must when in town! I had pork, mashed potatoes and corn. With cornbread. Yum. Staff was nice.

This was our 2nd time to dine at Jack's BBQ on Charlotte Ave. The BBQ today was excellent it was at Lunch time so we had sandwiches, I had the Smoked Turkey and my wife had the BBQ Pork. Both were delicious. The sides were equally good also some of the best greens from a restaurant I have ever had!! The restaurant had a nice BBQ place vibe, with clean tables and serving areas. The staff, also great and courteous and fast. read more

Wonderful BBQ spot with ample parking. Ordered the 3 meat combo: brisket, sausage, and ribs. - brisket: kind of a disappointment, at least 30% were (inedible to me) burnt bark. Meat was on the dry side. - ribs and sausage: very, very good. Paired with their steaming hot sauces this was the best part of the meal. Sides: Mac and cheese is great, but the cole slaw is simply awesome - it's not the creamy type, and reminds me of the sweet sauerkraut I got in Germany, but the crisp and sweet slaw + meat was an unbeatable combo! Suggest skipping the cucumber salad. read more

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Location Just off 24/65 in the Haynes area of Nashville Atmosphere Casual country Seating Lots of tables, chairs, large booth Service Order at the counter-you can see the food to order Menu Variety of meats, sides, desserts. Fountain drinks and canned/ bottled beet. We had the brisket and pulled pork with greens. Really tasty! The corn bread looks like pound cake-buttery. Yum! Everyone was really happy with the food. Summary Local bar b que place with fantastic food-something for everyone! read more

I was travelling for business to Nashville TN and I ordered from Jack's via Uber Eats. I will preface by saying that I hate eating out, being a chef myself, there isn't much I can't make for myself that I like. I just wanted some simple roasted turkey, but I ended up getting some ribs and chicken as well. Here are my observations: *No gravy for the mashed potatoes? Maybe that's a TN thing, not sure. *Chicken was so dry it was inedible, although the smoke flavor on the skin was on point. *Mac and Cheese as decent *Ribs, they were ok, but nothing that would bring me back. *Turkey, again, nothing that would bring me back. Was a little dry. Now I will say, food is always better in the restaurant, but I don't think I can chalk up everything I wrote, to the food being delivered. read more

Yikes. This location needs some serious help with their BBQ skills. The meats I received on my last visit are *nothing* like the Broadway location. I've had brisket from the Broadway location that rivaled some of the greatest, juiciest brisket I've ever had in my lifetime - the kind of brisket that will absolutely redefine what brisket is in your mind. Unfortunately, what is happening in this kitchen on Charlotte Avenue cannot possibly be good for Jack's business. The pound of Brisket ($22.05) I received was carved fresh in front of me off of a new slab, and I watched as all of the juice ran out of the brisket as it was being sliced - not a good sign. Predictably, this serving of Brisket ended up being inedibly dry, tough, and gray - and unsalvageable with any amount of sauce. As a last effort, I even tried resuscitating it in a skillet with butter and broth to no avail. The uncut Whole Smoked Chicken ($15.80) I received was also dry and overcooked. It was also very small (about the size of an average hand with fingers spread out) and I weighed it on my kitchen scale - just under 1.5 lbs. The breast was mealy and dry and inedible, and even the dark meat was tough and not good at all. Both the Brisket and the Whole Chicken were beyond repurposing into taco meat, so I chucked both into the trash can. (Too bad I don't own a dog.) I expected more, much more. Who in their right mind is signing off on all of this overcooked protein? So disappointing, especially since my experiences at the Jack's BBQ on Broadway have been so consistently good - not to mention I talk up Jack's (and Peg Leg Porker, Tennfold, and Edley's) to all those from out of town who ask me about my favorite BBQ foods in town. Thankfully, the manager at this location on Charlotte was understanding and immediately refunded my credit card bill. For now I'll stick to the Broadway location, though. read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - Unacceptably dry brisket ($22.05). Overcooked and crumbly (in the worst way) as if all the juice ran completely out of it. - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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The food and service are fantastic here. We ordered the turkey and brisket platters with two sides each. GET THE STEW AS A SIDE! It had all kinds of goodies including corn, potatoes, all those little leftover pieces of chopped meats and who knows what other deliciousness. The cornbread is delicious as were the greens, slaw, and cucumber salad. Well done, Jack Cawthons. read more

Some really good BBQ right here!! The ribs are insane (on the drier side), the chicken is super tender, and the pulled pork was pretty good as well! The corn bread is not sweet like I thought it'd be...but I could believe that this is how cornbread was originally supposed to taste the Chess pie is meh, pecan pie is meh, and the banana pudding is pretty decent! The service was extremely fast, and this was an Uber Eats order so I didn't get a chance to see the ambiance. read more

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Great BBQ, The service was great and I would come back and visit. The ambiance was family friendly and great with friends. My only concern was the fries were Luke warm and not hot. read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - The chicken plate come with 2 side and we chose Mac n Cheese, and potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Top tier Bbq joint. This was our first meal after touching down in Nashville and it truly delivered on the value. We got seated fast and for the price it was delicious. The brisket was so tender and the ribs were falling off the bone. Mac and cheese and macaroni salad were good too. Ambiance was quintessential southern BBQ. It somewhat reminded me of Texas BBQ. Comparing it to North Carolina BBQ it was interesting because it had more of a tangy flavor which I tended to prefer. I'd def come here again! read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - Outside - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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We were originally trying to go to the Broadway location but our Uber dropped us here and honestly it was for the better. We didn't have to wait and were able to order food and find seating right away. Good thing because we were starving. There were plenty of options to choose from too. Loved the plate options with a base meat or all veggie options with sides and cornbread, bun, or toast. I had the chicken plate with green beans, sweet smashed potatoes, and corn bread. Absolutely all delicious and so much food! Easy to find seating inside as well. read more

Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que - Chicken Plate with green beans, sweet mashed potatoes, and corn bread - Barbeque Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Awesome barbecue away from the noise of Broadway. Ribs, brisket, pulled pork, all spectacular. Sauces were stellar as well. Will for sure go back. read more