Photo: Kaldari, Public domainCity guide · Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville Barbecue, Explained
Where critics and locals agree, by style and neighborhood, plus a one-day route, food trucks and sell-out tips.
West Tennessee whole hog · Downtown, Davidson County
Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint Downtown
West Tennessee whole hog over local hickory, a short walk from Lower Broadway.
Why go
The downtown Nashville Martin's was set to open Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016, after construction and permit delays. It's a double-decker spot with parallel upstairs and downstairs lines.11 Across the brand: Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint opened its first location in October 2006 in Nolensville, and it's independently owned, "still cooking whole hog the West Tennessee way."7
Founder Pat Martin first came to West Tennessee whole-hog barbecue as a college student in Henderson, TN.7 Across the brand, "We smoke our meats over local hickory wood, for up to 22 - 24 hours."7 Everything is made from scratch daily, with meats smoked up to 24 hours, so a few things do sell out. Order at the counter, then take it out to the beer garden, where there's live music Thursday through Sunday evenings.421
On these lists
What to order
Good to know
Live music
In the beer garden, Thursday to Sunday, 5pm to 9pm.1
What people are saying
Posts and videos from people who’ve eaten here, pulled from 5 platforms and linked to the original.
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 26, 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.
- Latest mention: the newest dated creator post or press piece on this page. Shown only when it is under 60 days old.
- Creators: distinct accounts behind the creator posts on this page.
- 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.
- Devour Power TVYouTubeView on YouTube ↗
- r/nashvilleReddit · Jan 2026View on Reddit ↗
- r/VisitingNashvilleReddit · Feb 2024View on Reddit ↗
- @Seb_BlogX · Aug 2026View on X ↗
- @tonycufoodtravelTikTok · Jan 2024View on TikTok ↗
- @pettyprincessaTikTok · May 2025View on TikTok ↗
- @dathecreatourTikTok · Oct 2025View on TikTok ↗
- @joeparyseatsTikTok · Dec 2025View on TikTok ↗
Tap a post to play it here. We never edit posts or pay for them.
See all 11 posts →In the press
- Oct 19, 2026The Tennessean · One wrecked trailer, twenty years of barbecue Paywall
- The Infatuation · The 12 Best BBQ Spots In Nashville
- Eater Nashville · The Best Barbecue Restaurants in Nashville
What we don’t know yet
We only publish what we can source. Here’s what’s missing.
- Prices
- Photos
- Cash or card
- The pitmaster
More barbecue nearby
Rippy's Honky Tonk
Lower Broadway · about 0.3 mi
429 Broadway
Redneck Riviera
Open dailyLower Broadway · about 0.4 mi
208 Broadway
Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ at Chief's
Open dailyLower Broadway · about 0.4 mi
200 Broadway
Nearest trail: Nashville in a Weekend.
Related guides
Photo: Kaldari, Public domain
Photo: Chun Yip So, CC BY 2.0Style guide · West Tennessee
West Tennessee Whole Hog Barbecue, Explained
History, how it's cooked, the pitmasters who kept it alive, and how it compares to Memphis, Texas and Carolina.
Best-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.
Researched by Erik Peterson, sources linked below.
Sources (11) · every fact on this page links to one
- Downtown Nashville location · Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint · Checked Oct 26, 2026
- The 12 Best BBQ Spots In Nashville · The Infatuation · published Oct 14, 2026 · checked Oct 26, 2026
- The Best Barbecue Restaurants in Nashville · Eater Nashville · checked Oct 26, 2026
- Menu · Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint · Checked Oct 26, 2026
- Best of Nashville 2026 readers' poll: Best Barbecue · Nashville Scene · published Oct 8, 2026 · checked Oct 26, 2026
- Best of Nashville 2026 readers' poll: Best Ribs · Nashville Scene · published Oct 8, 2026 · checked Oct 26, 2026
- Our story · Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint · checked Oct 26, 2026
- Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint review · The Infatuation · published Jan 5, 2026 · checked Oct 26, 2026
- Order online · Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint · Checked Oct 26, 2026
- Thanksgiving · Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint · Checked Oct 26, 2026
- Downtown Nashville opening · Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint · published Aug 2, 2016 · checked Oct 26, 2026