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Hours
Sun
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Mon
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Tue
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Wed
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Thu
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Fri
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Sat
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
Travellers' Choice 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Local cuisine, American, Barbecue, Gluten free options
Menu
Starters
Sausage & Cheese
$9.99
BBQ Nachos: Pork
Half Order
$5.75
Full Order
$10.25
BBQ Nachos: Chicken, Beef Or Turkey
Half Order
$6.25
Full Order
$10.99
Chips & Blue Cheese
$4.99
Hot Wings
Wet, Naked, Jerked, Dry Spice, Honey Gold
Half Order
$5.99
Full Order
$9.99
Salads
House
$4.99
BBQ Chef Smoked Pork
$9.5
Details
CUISINES
American, Barbecue
Special Diets
Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
FEATURES
Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Accepts Credit Cards, Live Music
Contribute
4.5
4,253 reviews
Excellent
2,532
Very good
1,119
Average
454
Poor
102
Terrible
46
jp184109
2 contributions
Oct 2020 • family
I'm a fan of Good Mythical Morning and after watching their episode on the best ribs in Memphis I knew I had to try Central Bbq on our trip. And trust me.... i was not let down.
My boyfriend had the ribs (wet) and they were perfect. Tender but not so much that they just fell apart.
I had the pulled pork and it was a huge amount for the $10.99 we paid.
My son had a sausage sandwich, my oldest daughter had the pulled chicken sandwich and my youngest had this massive pulled chicken salad.... and it only cost 9.99!!!!
I'm not a fan of turnip greens, i prefer collards, but CBQ's were surprisingly good!
Great food. Great value. Awesome service.
Will definitely be back.
Written 27 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beverley O
Memphis48 contributions
Jan 2020 • none
In a town with hundreds of barbecue restaurants, Central BBQ is among the best. Whether you order the pulled pork, brisket, ribs, or chicken, it will be cooked to perfection, The coleslaw is also excellent. The servings are large. If I had a complaInt, it would be that the cashiers are slow (you order at the counter and the food is brought to your table). There is usually a line waiting to order, and the cashiers don't seem to be in any hurry to take orders. Once you get past the order counter, it's pretty much smooth sailing. If you order takeout, your order is completed very quickly,
Written 19 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
binkley007
171 contributions
Jun 2020 • none
We haven't eaten here in 3 years and with Covid things are not easy. We took the food home to eat. It was a very good meal. We ordered both wet and dry ribs so we could compare. We prefer the wet ribs. We needed more sauce. Fortunately, we asked for extra containers as we were picking up our food or we would have been disappointed. We would have rated things higher but the bread was stale and the slaw not to our liking. The greens were good as were the BBQ beans. We ordered green beans which were not included.... one of the problems of take out rather than eating inside. That could have been solved quickly if eating in. The ribs were full of flavor and falling off the bone. Nice.
Written 8 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Whitewolf7
Fort Worth41 contributions
Feb 2020 • couples
Disappointed. While passing through Memphis we wanted some of their famous BBQ. My wife got the brisket- it came out cold and really thinly sliced. I ordered the ribs - they were overcooked and dry. The greens also came out lukewarm. On the other hand, the Mac and cheese was awesome! Great flavor and creaminess...and hot! We were really disappointed by getting below average BBQ after reading so many good reviews. Not worth the trip.
Written 13 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark S
Memphis1 contribution
Mar 2020 • couples
I’ve tried eating their ribs several times and they just have no flavor. The meat falls off the bone, which it should, but I would highly recommend other places to enjoy real Memphis BBQ. Even the baked beans had no seasoning and tasted like they were right out of a can.
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter D
Newton53 contributions
Mar 2020 • none
Central BBQ is the best.....great food, relatively inexpensive, in a funky dining room across the street from the Civil Rights Museum. Away from the tourist area, chock full of locals who know their Q. Not fancy is an understatement.
Written 9 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HeatherF475
Marion79 contributions
Mar 2021 • none
We waited to get in and then we waited for our food. Over 2 hours of waiting. When the food arrived, it was only 1/2 there and all the fries and onion rings were cold. Went back and found a really helpful man in the TOGO register and he hooked us up with the rest of our food and provided larger portions to be encouraging. There were a lot of disgruntled people waiting for food, but this guy made up for it by offering great customer service, the rest of the staff left much to be desired. Skip the onion rings and the fries are average.
Written 21 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pagambler
Birdsboro131 contributions
Jan 2020 • none
I had the dry rub rib combo. It included a half rack of ribs, chicken and turkey and 2 sides (fries and green beans). You order and pay for your food at the counter then find a seat and they bring you your food. It came out quick. There was so much on my plate and everything was very good!
Written 3 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
viscountesslily
California516 contributions
Aug 2022 • none
I went here because of the many reviews and blogs suggesting this place has the best BBQ. I may not be a BBQ expert, but I just thought the food was OK. I ordered the 3 smoked wings generously sauced (sweet heat, I think for $9, small order of baked beans (these were OK at $3-4), and iced tea ($2.50 just OK also). It also came with a sweet roll, which I like. There was a line when I arrived but it went very quick. Placing the order was quick and also receiving the food. I may want to try another BBQ place next time.
Written 10 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah H
Powell131 contributions
Oct 2021 • friends
Amazing food and service. We went to Central BBQ from a recommendation and it did not disappoint. Even with a long line of hungry customers, the staff was great and patient with all the questions we heaped on them about the bbq. A must stop location for everyone visiting Memphis
Written 4 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nigist T
11 contributions
May 2021 • none
The wait was insane. The bathroom was dirty with tissues overflowing from the waste paper baskets. The service was very poor. The staff had to be prompted to clear and sanitize the tables between use. Our food was also made “to-go” despite ordering it for dine-in and no one seemed to be able to correct it. Food was cold, overrated and average at best.
Written 8 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daffodil Girl
South Carolina6 contributions
Apr 2021 • family
My family of four ate at Central BBQ last week. We all agreed it was the best barbecue we have ever eaten! We are from SC and have delicious bbq at home, but this was soooooo good!!
My husband and I had the pulled pork plates. Our teenage sons had the brisket. We all loved it!!! Larry, the manager was very friendly and even recommended his favorite breakfast place (Sunrise Memphis - which we ate at a couple days later and realized that Larry knew his stuff!).
Written 12 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert B
2 contributions
Jan 2021 • none
Recently overnighted at the Bass Pro Shops in Memphis. I wanted Memphis style BBQ while in Memphis and all 5 staff at BPS that I asked, "Where should I go for good BBQ here in Memphis?" all immediately said, "Central BBQ". I went there and it was not a disappointment at all. Social distancing in place and plenty of space between parties. Staff immediately wiping down tables after patrons were done. The BBQ...out of this world! They didn't have Brisket, but, there is a nation wide shortage on it now. The Pig and Poultry were awesome! You won't be disappointed!
P.S. The Sweet Tea is friggin' great too!!!
Written 25 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike Edwards
Nashville1 contribution
Feb 2020 • none
I moved to Nashville a few years ago from the East Memphis area. Central BBQ was always a favorite. While back in Memphis, in February, on business I stopped in to grab lunch and was so disappointed. The quality of the food had diminished exponentially. Talking to a friend that is still in the area that informed me Central had sold out to a local private equity company. I guess it's more about the revenue than ever before. I hate to see great local spots ruined by greed and the need to squeeze every penny out of something. Sadly, That trip was my last to Central BBQ.
Written 22 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katie
Richmond75 contributions
Jun 2021 • none
Central BBQ was highly recommended online and I knew that I had to visit. We went to the location right next to the Lorraine Motel which was nice to be able to go see that at night as well. The line was long and we were worried that they would run out since they were about to close in 45 minutes. We were able to wait in line and they seemed to stay open well after closing and it didn't look like anyone was turned away at all. The pulled pork was great, but pretty average across the board. The brisket was delicious but it was very fatty. However, the ribs..... the ribs were the best ribs I have ever had in my life. They were absolutely amazing and fell right off the bone. I will never forget how good they were. I didn't love the BBQ sauce variety as I am allergic to honey and couldn't have one of them. I also don't love spicy food. I mainly ate things without sauce or with the vinegar sauce which definitely gave me heartburn. It was amazing, though and I will definitely go back if I am in town!
Written 7 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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