Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Honeysuckle

    3.5 (550 reviews)

    The Honeysuckle Photos

    Business Info

    THE HONEYSUCKLE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - The Honeysuckle

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Charcuterie board
    Telena B.

    My hubby and I went out for our anniversary weekend, and ended up at The Honeysuckle by accident. It turned out fabulous!! We began with the charcuterie board, and then both of us got steaks. Mine was so tender I could almost cut it with a fork, and my husband's was done on the salt block. He loved it! Erica was a top-notch server. Definitely recommend.

    Ana C.

    Let me start by saying it takes a really really good or bad experience for me to write a review. The Honeysuckle was such a poor experience, that here we are. The host told us there were no tables available, as we didn't have a reservation. Sure! No problem. We'll sit a high top. We sat for over an hour, in an almost empty restaurant, starting at five empty tables. They stayed empty the duration of our meal. Our table was so small, that I didn't have enough room for my plate so they sat it at the bar. The food - awful. They brought me out a potato with meat, although i am a vegetarian and asked for it to be left off. My fiancé got a medium rare steak - safe to say it came out well done. My mother in law ordered a glass of wine that didn't come until almost her meal was complete after i asked. Oh - i should mention that's when the potato with no meat came out as well. Overall, a frustrating experience and we won't be back. The prices for the food are too high to equate to poor customer service, and trash food. UPDATE: We tried to grab the manager to give him the feedback on our meal/the table issue. He was.... Short tempered and just said he would be back. He was clearly fed up with something. He removed our apps and the steak which was nice and gave us a quick apology. It was strange but i guess they did the right thing. Still will not be back. As i post 1/5 of the open tables are still empty.

    Charcuterie
    Matthew C.

    Got: Pork Shank ($36) Charcuterie board to share, duck fries to share Price: Expensive. Nearing fine dining prices. Appetizers were in the $10-20 range. Entrees ranged from $20-40. Value: 5/10. Decent portions. Food quality and enjoyment for the given cost were mediocre at best. Very beautiful interior with an old-time, high-end, semi-romantic ambiance. The servers were attentive and able to answer all my questions. A couple of coworkers and I went to Honey Suckle on a weekday evening. The duck fries left us wondering if there was any duck essence in the oil. Maybe our pallets weren't refined enough, but they tasted slightly underdone (which I like personally) normal burger fries on a fancy plate. The charcuterie board was average. Smoked gouda, pimento cheese spread, crackers, coarse ground mustard, roast beef, pickle, etc... A sweet item like berries, dried fruit, honey, or jam would have been a nice accent to round out the saltiness. The pork shank was on a bed of grits. I haven't had grits too often but the grits were... gritty? Slightly undercooked, starchy, gritty, and cool. The flavor was good. The pork shank was tender but slightly dry and lacked flavor. The brussel sprouts were the best thing on the plate. Crispy, in a sweet glaze, and flavorful. My coworkers ordered the salmon, duck, and steak. They were also not impressed. Overall, beautiful space with great service. The food was below average and the price did not justify the quality.

    Shrimp and grits with a side of collard greens
    Kirk B.

    The atmosphere is friendly and the ambience is great. My colleagues and I came here for dinner and we were seated immediately. Our server was extremely friendly and helpful. I'm not that impressed with the food, which is why I gave it a low rating. No season and I have no idea collard greens was made in a skillet and crunchy. Not a fan of the dish. I will come back and perhaps try something different.

    LiLian B.

    One of the best services we've had in Franklin. We were celebrating my son's bday and when we arrived they had a happy birthday sign on the table that brought smile to my son's face. The service from start to finish was impeccable. They even gave is free dessert and a birthday card that all the employees signed for my son. He was very very happy. You don't see this very often these days anymore. The food was pretty good too. We will be taking friends here and would not hesitate celebrating a special occasion here in the future.

    Unmet minimum $670
    Aubrey S.

    Update: The event coordinator did contact me and they refunded my card the $670 since they broke the contract by refusing to serve the amount of meals promised in our contract. The manager of course never reached out and I am not surprised but her lack of professionalism and knowledge as a manager is the determining factor that we will not host another party at the Honeysuckle. Original Post Yesterday was the third time that our company has rented space a for a private event. The event is to celebrate our clients birthdays that fall in that quarter; generally 30 - 50 guests which 98% have never been to The Honeysuckle. Although the last two times (before yesterday) we had some minor complaints, we were generally satisfied. Beautiful space and great servers. I will start out with saying that the intent is to host this event every quarter and to have it in the same restaurant so we can build a relationship with that business. The event coordinator has desire for this and we haven't even ever had a manager on duty ever come to just say "Hey, thanks for spending a couple grand with us". Again, annoying but things we have ignored. Yesterday, really felt like the nail in the coffin. We had a few clients cancel so we had about 30 guests. The minimum spend is $1500 for the party, I knew this. Before dessert came out, I asked the server since I knew we were WAY under that minimum, if we can just get meals packaged up to go and and we will give them to clients, we did this the last lunch and clients LOVED it. I was told there was a new general manager and she doesn't like to do that, the server did go check with the manager and came back very apologetic but the manager said no. The manager didn't bother to come talk to me herself and the restaurant was dead, they were not busy. So when I was given the bill, the unmet minimum was $670!!! I was trying to find a way to get something tangible for that money we were spending, I wasn't asking for a refund or making a stink, I just wanted to pay for food to get us to that minimum and give it to our clients. Most of our clients are retirees and I thought that this would really be a treat. I feel we were taken advantage of, they made no effort to let us pay for things to get to that minimum, they just took the money for nothing. Who gets that $670? I would really think twice about using them for a private party. They also only allow you one choice of dressing for salads which I still don't understand. They lost a partnership yesterday.

    To-go side of Mac and cheese
    Danielle S.

    Ordered my meal to-go but it was delicious! I got the Caesar salad, Mac and cheese (came with bacon on it), a crab cake and the honeysuckle pie... everything was great! The salad is full leaves though - I prefer it chopped but had good flavor. The crab cake was full of crab, little filling which is my favorite way to have it! Mac and cheese was super gooey and loved that it had bacon pieces on top, didn't realize that when I ordered it but pleasantly surprised. And the pie... oh my goodness... yum! Peanut butter pie is my favorite and this one did not disappoint!

    Blueberry Cobbler
    Joiliana L.

    I came here for a friend's birthday dinner so it was a selected menu. Not sure how much of that is on their regular menu. The service was great, the appetizer/shareables were all on the table when we arrived. They even comped all the desserts we got as a treat for the birthday girl. Loved the decor, the lighting was nice and soft which made the restaurant feel really cozy yet upscale. The mule I got was really good, nice and sweet how I like it. Can't remember the exact name of the mule. Hot Nashville Chicken Bites: 4.2/5. Really good. Could be a bit spicier. The sauce is a little strange to me but not bad. Also has a hit of a kick. It's on the happy hour/bar bites menu. Bruschetta: 5/5. No notes. Great balance of flavor. The feta on top was soft and creamy which was delicious. Filet Mignon: 4/5. The steak itself was really tasty. Cooked to perfection. The potato mash was good but as you can see, I only got like 4 asparagus stalks which was interesting. The chimichurri on the side was great! My first time having chimichurri and I really liked it. An unusual pairing for steak imo but I wasn't mad at it. Blueberry cobbler: 2.5/5. This was like 70% blueberry, 30% cobbler, and that's being generous. The flavor was ok but it wasn't very sweet. The ice cream helped but couldn't make up for the lack of topping. Also, it was definitely a crumble and not a cobbler. Wouldn't get this again. I would definitely come back here and try other menu items! I'd come back just for those Nashville hot chicken bites haha

    Book they bring check in
    Kristina B.

    This was such a unique restaurant. I loved how they put your check in an actual book that you can then sign. We had the fried green tomatoes and duck fries fm start with, delicious! The filet I ordered was cooked perfectly as well. The staff was great and did not rush us to leave. In fact we were the last table there. Highly recommend.

    French dip sandwich with brussel sprouts & Paloma
    MacKenzie S.

    I stopped by this restaurant on my way out of Franklin, and it was incredible. Both the hostess and our waiter were so helpful and kind (even when we tried to walk in the wrong front door hahaha). We both got the Paloma and it was so refreshing. For our meal, we both got the French dip sandwich with the honey sriracha artichoke brussel sprouts as the side. It was outstanding! The sandwich itself was so amazing, the meat was very tender and the bread was 10/10. The brussel sprouts were some of the best I've ever had (and I'm a brussel sprout snob)

    Steak frites
    Mark W.

    Ate here on a Saturday evening and walked right on. Nice atmosphere and had a fireplace in one room. Others have mentioned that they thought the restaurant was cold and my thought it was cold inside. Cosmo waited on us and was super pleasant and informative. I ordered the steak fries cooked medium. My son ordered the fried half chicken. My meal came out just as ordered. I did have to ask for the white sauce. My son's chicken was good but the cauliflower maah it was served on was cold. Overall ok experience

    Poor set up for a veggie plate . Insulting

    Pro: Beautifully decorated Fresh cucumber , pineapple melon juice Tasty broccoli cheese soup Cons: Food was mediocre and bland. Not a good mix and oysters not fresh. *Please fix your veggie plate it's very insulting to serve it the way you did . As if vegetarians have no palate. Separating veggies on a plate with no seasoning. Over priced

    See all

    Photo of Bailie M.
    42
    55
    17

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Joey F.

    Joey F.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    5 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Becky S.

    Becky S.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Y L.
    0
    54
    27

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Joey F.

    Joey F.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Joey F.

    Joey F.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jayson B.
    370
    19
    30

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Becky S.

    Becky S.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of M K.
    0
    30
    1

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Joey F.

    Joey F.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Deb A.
    40
    7
    4

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Robert A.
    9
    131
    79

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Latasha P.
    119
    37
    43

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Joey F.

    Joey F.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Joey F.

    Joey F.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Becky S.

    Becky S.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ashley R.
    65
    69
    136

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Becky S.

    Becky S.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of S W.
    0
    21
    3

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Joey F.

    Joey F.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Eden M.

    Eden M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Eden M.

    Eden M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Becky S.

    Becky S.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Becky S.

    Becky S.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Great steaks and fantastic old fashioned! Our server John Mark was knowledgeable and friendly.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sandi D.
    247
    32
    13

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Becky S.

    Becky S.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Becky S.

    Becky S.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ed C.
    0
    64
    27

    3 years ago

    Reservations required for lunch with at least a dozen empty tables. Pretentious is the only word that comes to mind. Pass!!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Joey F.

    Joey F.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Joey F.

    Joey F.

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Becky S.

    Becky S.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Adam M.

    Adam M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 2 of 14

    Ask the Community - The Honeysuckle

    Does anyone know if you can bring wine here and pay a cork fee? If so, how much? Thanks

    Yes.$20

    Do the offer a childrens menu?

    Yes

    What are their hours for brunch?

    Sat/ sun until 3

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    You might also consider

    Red Pony

    Red Pony

    4.3
    (617 reviews)
    4.2 mi
    $$$

    Very nice restaurant!…read more We had reservations at 7:45, checked in early and were seated on arrival. Upon entering the restaurant it seemed swamped but the staff was well prepared for the guests. Our server, was amazing! (I'm ashamed we didn't remember his name, Paul maybe). Nonetheless, he knew the menu, the specials, the drinks, and suggestions! We loved each and everyone of the suggestions and choices we made. Our dining experience started with the signature old fashion followed by a bottle of Heitz Cellars Cabernet! We ordered the lamb and brisket buns. Both were savory, delicious and well prepared. Followed by their Sushi Roll. It was described as "if you love sushi, you've never had anything like this." (I've had a ton of Sushi all over the world, and this was a spectacular Hamachi Roll.) we rounded out our meal with the Butternut Burrata and bread basket and a Beef Tenderloin. It was cooked to perfection and able to be cut with a fork. (I am salivating thinking about how perfectly it was prepared.) Just when we thought it couldn't be any better our server suggested we look at the dessert menu. He tempted me with a blood orange sorbet followed by a peanut butter chocolate pie. AMAZING! The fun thing was, I consumed the Heitz Cabernet throughout my entire meal - all the way through dessert. My high remarks to the chef and the staff because this team knows how to please and perform flawlessly!

    This was our "splurge" dinner on a trip to Franklin, TN. My friend we were visiting had been before…read moreand had raved about it, but even she agreed this visit just wasn't up to snuff. The place is beautiful, but we were seated in the least interesting area. My friend said it used to be an open patio and was renovated for more indoor seating, which makes sense, but it lacked any real atmosphere. When I am spending this kind of money I want a slow, leisurly pace, and this felt rushed. Yes, we probably could have asked the waiter to slow things down, but we didn't. I ordered a specialty cocktail - the Midnight Sun that was delish - it was layered and around $16. The waiter then brought out what ended up being the highlight of the meal, a little treat from the chef. It was a creamy gnocchi dish to share, about three pieces each, super rich and honestly I could have eaten 20 more. We also spilt the bread flight. The bread was good but I wasn't a fan of the spreads, I'm a BUTTER person, these were more like bean spreads. The brussels sprouts with pork were also really good. Hubby and I split a mixed green salad that was pretty mediocre, and the croutons were almost too hard to chew. Then came the pork, which was a dissapointment. It was so tough it actually got caught in my throat a couple times despite chewing it well. We didn't even finish it. For the price, it should have been tender and full of flavor, and it was neither. My friend ordered the duck pasta and said it had "weird pieces of meat" in it. Her husband got the filet and loved it, so at least someone at the table was happy. We skipped dessert after most of us had disappointing entrees. I guess the good news is they rotate the menu every few months, so maybe it would be a totally different experience next time.

    Photos
    Cool vibe
    Cool vibe
    Not sure what this was...
    Not sure what this was...
    Midnight Sun

    See all

    Midnight Sun
    The Loveless Cafe

    The Loveless Cafe

    4.3
    (3.4k reviews)
    10.4 mi
    $$

    Loveless now has to be a top 10 breakfast spot for me--maybe top 5. From the fresh biscuits with…read morefresh jams and jellies, to big honking breaded pork chops, to a superb hashbrown casserole--there's nothing I disliked here. Even sampling some of their famous country ham from Toby's plate was a memorable experience. I only wish I had a bigger stomach because the portions are just so massive here. The server couldn't have been nicer. He was even the one to suggest to us that he preferred the pork chops over the ham. That was such a good choice to me. Sadly, we didn't have coffee this morning because we had a long scenic drive and didn't want to make any more stops than necessary. But I bet he would've been right on the ball with those refills. The ambiance was great. It was such a nice layout and had interesting decor that made you feel you were a guest at their house. It also had that perfect occupancy where you could tell how popular they were but not so crowded you had to wait for a table. I'm definitely coming back here next time I'm in Tennessee because this place is a great find.

    This restaurant is about 25 minutes from Nashville, the drive was nice…read more I wanted to visit based on the history, the people stopping by for food and a place to stay. I was disappointed that none of the original hotel rooms were available for show. I did like walking around the property and seeing all the celebrity photos on the walls. I ordered the fried chicken meal with fried green tomato and extra pimento cheese to try, the food was decent, the fried green tomatoes were really greasy, the jams with the biscuit were good. We had great service in the restaurant; the outer building shops were cut but not very friendly staff . it was cool

    Photos
    One dining room
    One dining room
    Real Banana Puddin'
    Real Banana Puddin'
    The outside of the restaurant. It's been there since the 50's!

    See all

    The outside of the restaurant. It's been there since the 50's!
    Bishop's Meat and Three

    Bishop's Meat and Three

    4.0
    (361 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    Bishop's is my go to when craving a meat and 3 style lunch…read morein Franklin. Many of the other meat and three style places have unfortunately gone by the wayside (Cool Cafe and Dotson's just to name a few). Being Friday, I knew catfish was one of the meats offered and I always order it made hot (like hot chicken hot). Okra and mashed potatoes rounded out this meal. Everything was seasoned well and tasted very good. It's cafeteria style so you get to choose from many sides. I've been coming to Bishop's occasionally for the past 12 years and I can say it is consistently very solid. Oh and don't pass on the banana pudding, it's made the old fashioned way. The pudding is a vanilla custard made from scratch not this trendy short cut box jello crap or sweetened condensed milk stuff. This tastes like your grandmother made it, not your new neighbor down the street.

    Popular place and good food. Found they are part of the Hattie B's Hot Chicken franchise so that's…read morea bonus. This is another one of the meat + 3 places that show up on all the places to try when in the area. My wife had the mild chicken tenders with black eyed peas and mac & cheese. She loved her food and the black eyed peas preparation (traditional with pepper vinegar). I had the fried chicken and dressing with gravy and the green beans. I loved the fried chicken. Done right. I didn't like the dressing as it was bland and mushy. Not flavorful at all. The green beans were decent. Our counter server was surly and didn't seem happy to be there so they lose a star for that. I really wanted to like this place but they can do better.

    Photos
    Food Selection
    Food Selection
    Peach Cobbler yum
    Peach Cobbler yum
    Outside view from parking lot

    See all

    Outside view from parking lot
    Edley's Bar-B-Que

    Edley's Bar-B-Que

    3.6
    (70 reviews)
    3.5 mi

    The worst BBQ I've ever had! The staff was friendly and accommodating, but the restaurant and food…read morewere terrible. We arrived when they opened, sat down, and found the table wasn't clean. We switched spots. As we started eating, I noticed I was stuck to the back of the booth and seat. Old BBQ sauce was all over the booth, and I could literally stick napkins on it and it would stick! Yuck! I sat in that booth. For the food, I ordered the tuck special with brisket. The brisket was all fat, no meat at all. The burnt ends were also fatty and not burnt at all. I'm giving it one star because my toddler liked his chicken wings, but overall, I was disgusted by the cleanliness of the restaurant and the food. I wouldn't recommend it.

    Located in The Factory is a BBQ joint with a comprehensive menu. It's just slightly overpriced in…read moremy opinion, but I appreciated the wide variety of menu options. What we ordered: -Burnt Ends: Served atop grits, alongside cornbread, and a side of your choice. We got the banana pudding, and it was incredible- definitely some of the best I've ever had. -Basket of Fries: I asked for a side, but it was rung up as a basket. It was way more than I wanted. I didn't realize this until after we paid, and didn't want to reverse it over a $2 difference. Fries were good, though. -Southern Salad with pulled chicken: Croutons were not great for being advertised as homemade. This salad was okay, nothing spectacular. Not a lot of bacon either. All in all, this place was good but nothing extraordinary. They charge for a water cup, which is kinda ridiculous, but I also like that it de-incentivizes using single-use materials. Luckily, I bring a water bottle with me almost everywhere, so we were able to refill it.

    Photos
    Restaurant and Bar Interior
    Restaurant and Bar Interior
    Brisket Platter (Brisket 8.8/10) Left- Grits 9/10) Mac & Cheese 8.2/10) Cornbread 8/10)
    Brisket Platter (Brisket 8.8/10) Left- Grits 9/10) Mac & Cheese 8.2/10) Cornbread 8/10)
    Margarita

    See all

    Margarita
    Hogwood BBQ

    Hogwood BBQ

    4.3
    (549 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Stopped into Hogwood BBQ in Franklin for dinner after a long, exhausting day and it absolutely hit…read morethe spot. I went with the Hogwood Sampler which comes with chicken, sausage, ribs, brisket, and pulled pork, plus mac-n-cheese on the side. All in it was $27.89 plus tax, which feels like pretty fair market value for the amount and quality of food you're getting. The food itself was incredible. Way too many barbecue places lean way too hard on sauce to do the heavy lifting. That is not the case here. Every single meat had deep, legit smoky flavor on its own and honestly didn't even need sauce. That said, the sauces were also excellent. The Alabama white paired perfectly with the chicken, and the spicy tomato-based red sauce had a great kick without overpowering anything. Drink selection was another pleasant surprise. They've got Coke products and Tractor Organic Beverages. I mixed their unsweet tea with the Tractor mango and made myself a mango tea that worked way better than it had any right to. If I had to nitpick, the side selection is a little limited for my personal taste. I'm always hoping for fries or hush puppies, though to be fair that's not uncommon for BBQ joints around here. I also ran into a sticky spot on the table that clearly hadn't been fully wiped down from a previous guest. That said, the food was good enough that it still lands as a five-star experience for me. Hogwood BBQ is an excellent choice if you're looking for seriously good barbecue in Franklin.

    Wanted to love. Hoped I'd love it. I didn't love it. Actually, I didn't even like it…read more Went in hungry around 2:00. It's a counter service joint; you walk up, order, and then someone runs the food to your table. First off, they asked for a point of service tip; that bugs me when I'm ordering my own food at the counter and fetching my own drinks. The menu is fairly standard for a southern BBA joint; brisket, pulled pork, ribs, turkey, chicken. I am generally suspicious of any place that offers chopped brisket. Brisket is meant to be sliced and enjoyed as a slab of meat, not as a pile of hash. So, the chopped brisket sandwich was out for me. I asked if the brisket platter would be served as slices, and they assured me it was, so I ordered brisket with two sides. They recommended the beans and the Mac 'n cheese, so that's what I went with. They also asked me if I wanted the meat lean, marbled, or half and half; I took that as a good sign, and asked for marbled. They food came out in about 5 mins; just enough time for me to head to the soda fountain and fill my own cup. Maybe they should tip me? On the plus side, the portions were pretty large. I'm guessing that the served at least 6-8 ounces of brisket, and the individual sides were pretty large as well. On the other hand, whoever sliced the brisket simply didn't know what they were doing. They sliced it WITH the grain, producing slices full of stringy meat. Stringy meat that was hard to cut with the plastic cutlery provided. I find it hard to believe that anyone who regularly serves BBQ brisket doesn't know to cut the meat against the grain. The meat appeared to feature a nice bark; however, on further exploration, a) the bark was so tough that it couldn't be cut as all with the plastic cutlery, and b) when I tore into it with my fingers and ate a piece, it had no taste. Not even a basic Texas salt and pepper rub could be detected. A large portion of tasteless, poorly cut meat does no one any favors. The beans were a little underdone; IMHO, that's far better than mushy, overcooked beans. However, they, too, had no flavor. No spice, nada. The mac and cheese was shells in a white cheese sauce. Strike 3; zero flavor for the sauce. I don't know how you can make cheese sauce without flavor, but they managed to do so. I have never, ever thrown as much food away at a a BBQ joint than I did today. What a shame. Not recommended, not even a little bit. Try Martin's or Edley's; if you prefer a chain, Mission BBQ will do you much better than Hogwood.

    Photos
    Hogwood BBQ
    Brisket plate with Mac n cheese
    Brisket plate with Mac n cheese
    Hogwood BBQ

    See all

    The Honeysuckle - southern - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...