central bbq

yum. loved thedryrub wings! tried to go on a weekend but the line was out the door and well around the corner. so we ultimately went on a tuesday afternoon and had a great experience!

speaking first to savories, suffice it to say that much like other spots in memphis the reason to visit central is undoubtedly the pork, and although the pulled shoulder was slightly leaner than one sees in kansas city or north carolina the flavor was both moist and quite rich, a similar description applicable to the smoky mopped ribs, though far less so for both beef and chicken that was almost inediblydrywithout the addition of plenty of sauce.

not the best.. traveling from very northern wisconsin, i wanted to eat the best barbeque when i visited memphis in may. i heard so much about central bbq. i really disliked having to order everything at a service counter. even sitting at the bar, i had to go to the service counter to get a beer. their bbq hot wings were great. i thought their pulled pork wasdryand not special. not my favorite bbq in memphis.

the pulled pork is amazing. the ribs, however, weredryand not close to the best i've ever had. there's a reason they've one best bbq sandwich...get the pulled pork.

worst bbq ever. we read the review on urbanspoon it said it was one of the best bbq establishments in memphis. we are here on vacation from nebraska and we have a great bbq joint in omaha called swine dining. we were hoping to get a great barbeque experience here in memphis. the pulled pork and brisket weredryand had absolutely no flavor. the coleslaw was no different ( no flaavor). very disapointed.

the ribs, though, my god. i’ve never had ribs so good. the ribs were big and meaty, heavily rubbed, and cooked to perfection. i got an absolutely perfect bite every time, and loved the rub. you hear people talk about sweet heat with barbecue rubs all the time, but this is the first one i’ve had that really pulled it off. the sauce was also really good and balanced with the rib perfectly. if i had to choose, i’d say i preferred thedryribs, but it’s really personal preference. i can say without hesitation that these were the best ribs i ever had, and the only thing i finished on my massive plate of food. these are ribs that i’m going to dream about.

this was my second time eating here and not nearly as good as it was 2 years ago. we ordered the combo plate with pulled pork, turkey and chicken. french fries and green beans were the sides along with two dinner rolls. we own a bar- restaurant in north charleston, south carolina and i am a bbq pit master, after a 10 hour drive we were really hungry and were expecting a good meal. i was disappointed that all the meats were verydryand had very little smokey flavor. the french fries and green beans were cold. hopefully this bad meal was because we ordered it at 8:30 and they close at 9 but this is no excuse, your last order should be as good as the first order of the day. south carolina bbq is still better than what memphis has in my opinion.

we ordered the sampler platter with pulled pork, chicken , sausage, and  a slab ofdryribs. the pork, sausage,  and ribs were all excellent. the only negative was the chicken. it was superdryand did not have much smoke flavor. neither their tasty hot nor the vinegar sauce could save that poor yard bird. it came with 2 sides which were excellent. we chose the baked beans & greens plus got an order of delicious crispy onion rings. they also have a nice selection of  regional craft beer.

food: central's been spotlighted on shows like "pitmasters," "the best thing i ever ate," and "bbq with bobby flay." that attention is well deserved. fave: i hardly had the first rib to my lips when my mouth went into full-on, premature foodgasm - and i hadn't even laid on the sauce yet! so smoky those ribs were ... tender, meaty, juicy, with a slightly chewy exterior. i’ve sampled many of the items from their menu, but the half-slab ribs plate, $15.99, is my favorite. flat-out the best ribs i've ever had. juicy but not fatty. beautifully tender, but not completely falling apart. delectable. if you don't find yourself wanting to suck on the bones, i'll be surprised. a few other items worth mentioning: bbq beans (included with the meal). they look like very saucy pork-n-beans, but when you gobble up a spoonful - surprise! it's got a pronounced jalapeño kick, while at the same time, the sauce it pointedly sweet. a very interesting combination, and quite new to me. ghost river "riverbank red" irish-style red ale, $4.50. a local brew. mild, well-balanced, lightly sweet, lightly hoppy. excellent with the ribs. smoked hot wings, $9.99. marinated overnight, slow smoked, then finished in the deep fryer. serveddry(with hot rub). in a word: hot. bbq nachos, $10.25. pulled pork served atop a bed of tortilla chips, topped with bbq sauce, cheese sauce, shredded cheese, and jalapenos. finished off with a light dusting of bbq shake. service: order at the counter, take a seat, they’ll bring it to you. this place gets jam-packed crowded, and they do a great job keeping up. ambiance: everybody comes here, so it’s like a memphis microcosm: lots of diversity, southern overtones, and a thick veneer of low-brow funkiness. you should try: the mild bbq sauce. it’s perfect ... everything you'd ever dream of in a bbq sauce: balanced, sweet, tangy, slightly smoky. if they'd've let me, i'd've bathed in it.

central is content-ful. we joined some friend at central bar-b-q and all was really good.

we were mixed on the bbq nachos. barbq on chips with cheese just doesn’t appeal.

the main course was very good. we had a slab of ribs, halfdryand half wet. i really liked thedrybetter.
the sides were good. we especially liked the greens and the beans.

while central bbq was really good, i would try a few more on the long list of bbq joints in memphis.

friendly service, enjoyed the quarter slabdryrub ribs. just what i was expecting. beans though, were mmmm wow! busy! even at 1:45.

if this is the best of memphis, i'd rather stay home! i had brisket, it was tough and their ketchup bbq sauce is boring.

brisket is one meat you can have one good plate, and forever know how bad most people are at brisket. if your brisket still has fat on it, you failed. it was rather tough and fairlydryand flavorless, ever heard of keeping it in its own a jous? i tried the pulled pork, it was also dry. it wasn't anything spectacular, but at least it did vaguely have a smokey flavor.

i'm going to go ahead and say that their sauce tasted like it was from costco. totally boring, i've had better sauce almost every other time i eat bbq.

the sides. mac was fine, probably the best of what i ate. green beans were weak. anyone that grew up in the south should know these green beans aren't any good.

i wouldn't ever go back unless someone told me everything sucks besides something i didn't eat.

i'm not naming names, i'm not hating on this place because its the internet. i dislike central because i eat better bbq brisket, pork, and sauce on a regular basis. and not in memphis either.

overall, overpriced, under smoked, under seasoned, over appreciated for some of the most standard barbecue i've ever had.

i love the slab for 2- the ribs are meaty and yummy. i like thedryrub style a memphis tradition. they're big. french fries, onion rings, and slaw all good.the buns not so much. they could get better buns!
thedryrub hot wings are spicy and smokey and one-of-a-kind delicious. when my family comes to town they are a must have. i have to include the nacho's - cheesy, meaty, and with the right sauce spicy. the portabella mushroom sandwich is better than it sounds with a good smokey flav

i once considered central bbq (midtown) to be the best in memphis. i used to love their huge delicious jumbo pulled pork sandwiches anddryribs. but the last couple times, the food has been disappointing. on july 2nd, i ordered take-out. two pulled pork plate sandwiches for my parents and one plate for me. after i got home, it was obvious the pulled pork was several days old. we all thought it tasted awful. by that time, it was too late to return the bad food. i sent a polite complaint to central bbq via their facebook page. i received a quick and very professional response and a sincere apology. a few days later, they sent me $20 in central bbq piggy bucks (gift cards). last week i went back and ordered a pulled pork plate sandwich and a large order of bbq nachos to go. the pulled pork was better, thank goodness. but not as fresh as i come to expect from them. i've since discovered ty's smokehouse bbq, a new bbq restaurant on stage road between appling and summer ave. the pulled pork sandwiches at ty's are much better than central. unlike central, ty's pulled pork is tender and juicy. i love the homemade smoky and mild sauces, as well as their fried corn nuggets. i'm looking forward to trying ty's ribs and his iowa pork tenderloin sandwich. sorry central bbq of midtown. it was good while it lasted. ty's smokehouse bbq is now my favorite 'que restaurant.


-----02 feb, 2013-----

hands down the best bbq in memphis. excellent flavorful pulled pork sandwiches, awesome bbq nachos, and the ribs omg!! best ribs in memphis. juicy, tender, fall-off-the-bone delicious. rendezvous' ribs are a joke!!!!


-----23 oct, 2012-----

this past thursday, oct 18, my mother and i had a late lunch here. i wasn't in the mood for bbq, even though she was. once i set foot inside central bbq, the wonderful smells overwhelmed me. i hadn't eaten bbq in a very long time. probably over a year. my mouth was now watering for the best bbq in memphis. i ordered a large pulled pork sammich on texas toast. it was hot, juicy, tender and delicious. just the way i remember it. and their mild bbq sauce is always perfect. my mom enjoyed her lunch as well. will definitely be back again soon.


-----05 feb, 2010-----

the best memphis bbq, hands down!!. i've lived in memphis for 16 years. i've eaten at many bbq joints. some fair, some bad (top's, showboat) and some claiming to be the best and ending up being overrated and very disappointing (corky's, rendezvous). i lost total interest in bbq until i came across central. their pork bbq is the best i've ever eaten. tender and flavorful. their sweet tangy bbq sauce is wonderful. and they don't skimp on portions. i love theirdryribs. fall-off-the-bone tender. very smoky flavor with a little kick. my two favorites: jumbo pork sandwich, which has enough pork for two people, and their bbq pork nachos. absolutely huge. the owners and staff really care about their customers and the quality of the food. note: keep in mind that long lines tend to form outside during peak hours, but the wait is so well worth it. stay away from the overrated places and check out central bbq. you won't be disappointed.

try thedrywings,,, sooo good