What Is the Best BBQ in Nashville, and How Does It Compare to Texas and Carolina?
- 3 sections
- 2 tables
- 5 sources cited
The Infatuation’s barbecue guide, updated October 14, 2026, names Shotgun Willie’s BBQ in Madison “our pick for the best barbecue in the Nashville area right now” (The Infatuation). Shotgun Willie’s cooks Texas-style barbecue: slow-smoked American wagyu brisket, Texas hill country sausage, and ribs. Inside city limits, the guide sends you to Edley’s in 12 South for ribs with a peppery dry rub. The comparison has a short answer: the guide says Nashville “doesn’t have a specific BBQ style, besides focusing on smoked pork”, unlike North Carolina and Texas. So Nashville borrows. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint smokes whole hogs, closer in cut to eastern North Carolina than to Texas. Martin’s calls its style West Tennessee whole hog, smoked over local hickory for up to 22 to 24 hours (Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint).
Nashville BBQ in the Guide
| Place | Address | What to order, per the guide |
|---|---|---|
| Shotgun Willie's BBQ | 1500 Gallatin Pike S, Madison | Texas-style wagyu brisket, sausage, ribs |
| Edley's Bar-B-Que | 2706 12th Ave S, 12 South | ribs with a peppery dry rub |
| Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint | 410 4th Ave S, Downtown | sliced brisket, pulled pork, hoecakes |
| Peg Leg Porker | 903 Gleaves St, The Gulch | pulled pork sandwich with slaw |
| Bringle's Smoking Oasis | 4901 Centennial Blvd, The Nations | from the Peg Leg Porker team; a sports-bar setting |
| Jack's Bar-B-Que | 334 W Trinity Ln | brisket and Tennessee pork shoulder; on Broadway since 1989 |
| Curry Boys BBQ | 1304 McGavock Pike | Texas barbecue with Thai flavors, from San Antonio |
| Joyce's Barbecue and Hot Chicken | 2012 Clarksville Pike, North Nashville | chicken and ribs |
| Stoke Haus | 948 Main St, East Nashville | smoked wings, pulled pork with gold sauce |
| Tex's World Famous Bar-B-Q | 1013 Foster Ave, South Nashville | brisket and pork ribs, cafeteria-style |
| Ooh Wee Bar-B-Q | 2008 Jefferson St | barbecue chicken legs from a food truck |
| Papa Turney's Old Fashioned BBQ | 3979 Bell Rd, Hermitage | hickory-smoked meats at the Nashville Shores marina |
Source: The Infatuation, October 14, 2026 (12 places).
How the Regional Styles Differ
| Style | Meat | Wood and seasoning | Sauce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Texas | beef brisket, pork ribs, sausage | salt and black pepper; pecan, post oak, or mesquite | "typically considered unnecessary"; may be served on the side |
| Eastern North Carolina | whole hog | pork cooked whole | vinegar and pepper, no tomato |
| Lexington (western) North Carolina | pork shoulder only | pork shoulder | red "dip" of vinegar, tomatoes, and red pepper |
| Memphis | ribs, "wet" or "dry", and pulled pork sandwiches | dry rub for dry ribs | brushed on wet ribs |
| Nashville | smoked pork, plus borrowed styles | varies by pitmaster | varies; sauce bottles on the table at Martin's |
Sources: Wikipedia, barbecue in Texas, barbecue in North Carolina, and barbecue in the United States for Memphis; The Infatuation for Nashville.
Eating It Your Way
- For Texas-style brisket: Shotgun Willie’s or Curry Boys.
- For whole hog: Martin’s, which cooks the same whole-hog cut as eastern North Carolina.
- For dry-rub ribs: Edley’s.
- Near Broadway: Martin’s on 4th Avenue South.
The guide warns that Martin’s brisket and Shotgun Willie’s ribs can sell out, so go early. A burger topped with Martin’s brisket is in the best burger in Nashville.