Photo: Ichabod, CC BY-SA 3.0Area guide · Williamson County, Tennessee
BBQ in Franklin and Williamson County
Whole hog, Nashville hot, Memphis ribs and Texas brisket, from the Sizzle Awards and Visit Franklin.
Southern barbecue · Cool Springs, Williamson County
Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q
Alabama-born barbecue in Cool Springs, second in the 2026 Sizzle Awards.
- TodayHours not posted online
Why go
Jim 'N Nick's Franklin / Cool Springs is at 3068 Mallory Lane in Franklin.3 It had opened in Cool Springs by February 2013.4 Across the brand, Jim 'N Nick's began in 1985 in Birmingham, AL, inside an old pizza restaurant on Clairmont Avenue.5
Brand-wide, it describes "12-hour slow-smoked pork and beef" and "No freezers, no microwaves, and no shortcuts."5 Jim 'N Nick's in Cool Springs placed second for barbecue in Williamson County's 2026 Sizzle Awards, and FranklinIs notes the kitchen avoids freezers and microwaves.1
Visit Franklin credits the Alabama-born chain with real consistency across more than 60 locations.2
What to order
Good to know
Cheese biscuits
A must, per Visit Franklin.2
What people are saying
By the numbersHow we counted
We use AI-assisted search to find public posts and press about each spot, then check them by hand. We can’t see every post, so these numbers count what we found, not everything out there. Last updated Oct 27, 2026.
- Press mentions: articles and lists in the press list on this page, all free to read.
- Creator posts: TikTok, Instagram, X, YouTube and Facebook posts on this page dated in the last 12 months. YouTube videos without a stored date are not counted. Reddit threads are not counted as creator posts.
- Best-of lists: press pieces on this page that are "best of" roundups including this spot. We list them, we don't rank.
- Price: our own cost guide, not a ranking. We take the typical meal range from the spot's current menu and use its midpoint: $ under $12, $$ $12 to $20, $$$ $20 to $35, $$$$ over $35.
In the press
- May 18, 2026Visit Franklin · Top 10 Barbecue Joints in Franklin
- 2026FranklinIs · Dine With the Best: Guide to Williamson County's 2026 Sizzle Awards Winners
What we don’t know yet
We only publish what we can source. Here’s what’s missing.
- Prices
- Photos
- Wood and pits
- Cash or card
- The pitmaster
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Bar-B-Cutie
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Nearest trail: Franklin and Williamson County Trail.
Related guides
Photo: Ichabod, CC BY-SA 3.0Best-of lists · Tennessee
Tennessee Barbecue on the Best-of Lists
Spots named by The Infatuation, Eater, the Nashville Scene, Tennessee Tourism, Visit Franklin and Southern Living, each list credited and linked.
Road trip · Williamson County, Tennessee
Franklin and Williamson County Trail
Six spots from Franklin to Nolensville in one day.
Researched by Erik Peterson, sources linked below.
Sources (5) · every fact on this page links to one
- Dine With the Best: Guide to Williamson County's 2026 Sizzle Awards Winners · FranklinIs · published 2026 · checked Oct 27, 2026
- Top 10 Barbecue Joints in Franklin That Will Keep You Coming Back for Seconds · Visit Franklin · published May 18, 2026 · checked Oct 27, 2026
- 3068 mallory lane · jimnnicks.com · Checked Oct 28, 2026
- Whats new and improved in williamson county part v · williamsonsource.com · published 2013-02-22 · checked Oct 27, 2026
- Well tend to the bar b q · jimnnicks.com · Checked Oct 28, 2026