Jack's Bar-B-Que

I like Jack's a lot because of all the choices they have in terms of meats and sauces and because you get a lot for your money. It's not the healthiest food around, but if you want good BBQ in Nashville, this is it. I've waited in long lines here before, also, but it actually goes pretty fast!

Pros: Great food, fast, affordable

Cons: Not any that would keep me from going here

Posted 05/20/09

My wife and I had the honor of visiting your store on Broadway this past weekend for the first time.

My wife had never been to Nashville, so for our 5th wedding anniversary we drove down from Kentucky without any real plans on what to do.

A cab driver suggested that we check out JACK?S BAR-B-QUE, and both of us loving the stuff took him up on it.

We ate lunch there and did not want to leave. We wanted to stay there until supper time so we could do it all over again.

We did leave, grudgingly, but not without buying some bottles of sauce to take back home. The wife says she is could even put it in her cereal.

The food was excellent and your staff was so helpful and eager to please.

So thank you for making our visit one to remember and we hope to be back soon.

Joe Effron
Frankfort, Ky.

Pros: Loved everything: meat,atmosphere & best sauce ever!

Cons: Nothing unfavorable to report

Posted 05/19/09

I am a huge fan of Southern Cooking. The barbeque is great and the Southern Style vegetables are outstanding. The cornbread is excellent with a hint of sweetness in taste. Overall a positive dining experience. I will recommend to friends, family and out of town guest.

Pros: Good service and food

Cons: none

Posted 05/03/09

I keep meaning to try something besides the pulled pork shoulder plate with refried beans and mac and cheese but its just too darn good. Wash it down with an ice cold sweet tea and you have a delicious and nutritious lunch. Okay, maybe not nutritious, but well worth it.

Pros: Best BBQ I've had in Nashville

Cons: The line can be long but its always worth the wait.

Posted 05/03/09

I've been to practically all of the bbq joints around Nashville and other parts of Tennessee. After trying a TON of other locations, Jack's is by far the best around. The meat is tender and delicious but the sauce is absolutely AMAZING. Is it socially acceptable to actually drink bbq sauce by the glass?? If so, then I am going to try it next time I go to Jack's. A must stop in Nashville -- DON'T GO TO RIPPY'S!!!

Pros: Pulled Pork is best I've eaten, ribs are fantastic

Cons: Skimping on sides lately

Posted 05/03/09

The best I have every had!

Posted 03/08/09

Bar none, the best BBQ in Nashville, suffice it to say on the planet. Came in here with my family during the company Xmas party, they did not miss a beat. The owner Jack typified a Southern Gentleman. Will definitely be back. Portions are big, service excellent and the food is magnificent.

Pros: Everything

Cons: Had to leave

Posted 01/04/09

I must have gone there on a good day or the guy below me doesn't know BBQ or has a different taste for BBQ because this is some of the best BBQ you'll have. I went with the fam. so we ordered the family plate that feeds 4. That included 4 slices of corn bread, 6 pieces of texas toast. a good portion of beef brisquet and 2 sides. We chose beans and something else. The beef brisquet just melted in your mouth it was that good! Loved the place! All of this for $16. If Jacks was where I lived I'd be eating there for dinner tonight. When your on Broadway, give Jack's a try. I think you'll be pleasantly delighted! (I re-read this and I hope the last sentence doesn't sound too gay, but it's the truth I think :/)

Pros: Go there if you want delicous BBQ

Posted 08/14/08

this place does not even rate a 1 star, the so called bbq was tastless and before wasting your money do not go to the trouble. The so bbq has not zing to it and if you wanted zing you could try the sauces except they were all empty. Seating was also a big problem and your would have a hard time finding friendly people, when asked to refill the sauce,the so called employee just pointed and told a customer we close in 15 minutes. If the people of nashville want bbq come to fort wayne,in at my house and i could do better w/o even charging so much.. However if you are even in FORT WORTH,TEXAS try the bbq at ANGELO'S it rates a 10 on the scale, ...

Pros: none

Cons: food,service,cost

Posted 07/16/08

I'm in town for a convention and decided to try Jack's after a bad experience at Neely's. The food here is better, but still not great. I had the combo, with pulled pork, ribs, and brisket. The pulled pork had decent flavor, but the portion was disappointing and the seem to chop a lot a time and leave it sit on the line. There was no bark and no smoke ring. The ribs were better. Nice color and smoke ring. These ribs were VERY smokey, almost to the point of overpowering. As I sit here three hours later, I'm still belching smoke flavor. The brisket was the worst of the lot. No smoke ring, no flavor, and very dry. Texans would be very disappointed with the brisket. The sides I had were beans and mac 'n cheese. They were good enough.

Pros: smokey ribs

Cons: mediocre bbq overall

Posted 06/19/08

My fiance and I are moving to Nashville next month and were very excited to try Jack's as it was highly recommended by friends and on TV programs. What a complete disappointment. As another reviewer stated, the meat was incredibly dry. Just awful. The flavor wasn't horrible but there was just no juice left in that meat! The sauces were tasty enough but had a horrible aftertaste. They were also full of high fructose corn syrup. Yuck! Who goes to a restaurant to eat processed food!? Gross. The side dishes were rather pathetic. Please tell me how you screw up baked beans? They were bland and dull. Useless dish. The mac and cheese was cheesy but mushy and completely overcooked. I tried the chess pie and didn't even finish it. I'm not someone who doesn't finish her desserts! It tasted like corn starch. Basically it all tasted like industrial cafeteria/army food. Nothing seemed to be made on the premises and certainly nothing was fresh. I was so looking forward to some good TN barbecue and was just shocked at how bloody awful the food was. I really don't recommend this place. This is not food made with love. We even saw a worker behind the counter dumping corn into the serving bin straight out of a plastic bag. Don't bother going. They must have shipped this food from Memphis and re-heated it a month later...

Posted 01/24/08

We recently visited Nashville for the weekend and road-trip football game. Having been to Tennessee and enjoyed their style of BBQ, we were all exciting about having "pulled pork" and "ribs"...Tennessee style. The reviews in CitySearch and local Nashville publications, as well as local recommendations, took us to Jacks. Out of the six of us, we tried the ribs, pork, corn, beans, cole slaw, mac and cheese, and their cornbread. One of the six was impressed with the food. The ribs were dry and over cooked; absolutely no moisture left in the meat which was sparse at best. The "pulled pork" was without a doubt the worst I've tasted, again very dry. The sides were better that the BBQ, but that?s not saying much. The place must be living off the glory days which have gone by. Please don?t judge Tennessee BBQ by what you?re served at Jack?s; it?s much much better. Fast food cusine at it's finest.

Pros: Location

Cons: Food, Service, BBQ Sauces

Posted 12/02/07

I had a brief amount of time in Nashville, so I chose to take the downtown walking tour. Jack's on Broadway is right in the middle of everything on that tour, so I was there when they opened at 10:30. Having read the reviews I took my time in ordering the 3 meat combo plate. I had brisket, pork ribs and pulled pork- which I thought would be a pretty good representation of real BBQ for a westerner. I wasn't disappointed. I was impressed by the very large ovens and foil wrapped meat that they started the day out with. This is an old location with picnic tables and geared to handle high tourist volume. I ordered a double portion of the coleslaw which was a wise move. It was the crisp form with vinegar style clear dressing and was very good. The rest of the side choices just seemed "steam table ordinary" to my eye. Brisket was very good and flavorful. The pork ribs, literally fell off the bone and the pulled pork was mildly spiced and moist. My caution would be in putting all the various BBQ sauces into side containers and dip and taste your way through them rather than pour them over the meat without sampling first. I fortunately got to taste all the meat without added sauces first. Once I smothered the pork with the hottest sauce my mouth was ruined for the remainder from the heat. The cornbread is very dense and almost like cake, which is good, a bit sweet, but not like Grandma's fluffy light yellow cornbread some reviewers expected. This was a good memorable meal for a one time tourist, and the prior reviews helped me lower my expectations. First time reviewer, and I wasn't hunting for the universe's best BBQ (which I'm not sure you ever find once you know how different they can be!) This was a meal of location convenience and good. The cashier let me wrap my leftovers sampling of food in styro and saranwrap, so I got to reenjoy the experience later that day on a cross country flight. Make sure you read the Ryman history across from the cashier.

Pros: Good touristy BBQ expereince. Location. Price OK. Coleslaw

Cons: Watch out for the hotter sauces- taste first - Hot means HOT

Posted 11/03/07

I had heard about this place because I work in a local hotel. I have a lot of guests asking about it. We finally went there recently, and it was a major disappointment. The smoked turkey was a giant hunk of lunchmeat that they sliced as I ordered it. The barbecued pork was just like any other I've had, definitely not slow roasted. The sauces were average. This place is a major tourist trap.

Pros: Location

Cons: Average food, rude staff.

Posted 10/12/07

A huge disappointment. After all the great reviews we heard/read it did not live up to even one. $20.95 for two meals - one plate of pressed/processed salty mystery meat which was listed on the menu as smoked turkey, limp tasteless canned green beans and potato salad that could've been better had it come from a chain grocery store and the other a plate of pulled pork which was very dry and mostly burnt, mac & cheese and lest I forget, nay, wishing I could forget the dry mini slices of cornbread included with both plates. Note: both meals were 'served' on styrofoam plates with plastic utensils and dirty styrofoam cups for beverages. Did I mention that for the ridiculous price of $20.95 this is cafeteria style and you get your own drink, your own utensils, and bus your own table? Don't let the line of people fool you - this is not any where near worth $10 a plate!

Pros: Picnic style tables

Cons: everything else - food, beverages, service, & especially the prices

Posted 06/29/07

I moved to Nashville a little over 3 years ago and Jack's has become one of my favorite places to go, and reccomend. The staff at both locations is awesome, and the food is consitantly GREAT. I had to live out of town for about a year, and made several trips back just to buy the 4-pack of Jack's BBQ sauce (with complimentary hand rub!). Everyone I've taken here has nothing but good things to say- generally with thier mouths full!

Pros: Real Nashville Ambience, Large Portions

Cons: Highly Addictive

Posted 03/21/07

I had the pork ribs one time and now I'm frustrated because if I can't get a downtown parking place or the line is too long, I can't taste those lucious ribs again! I don't care about anything else. Not the cornbread, not the pie; I just want those ribs! I probably finish 'em in the truck before I get home.
People who work there are warm and friendly. Only one has anger issues I think.

Pros: Half slab or pork ribs

Cons: Long lines sometimes

Posted 01/24/07

I've lived in Nashville all of my life and can't find better BBQ than Jack's. I love the choice of sauces, but the Kansas Style is my favorite. You get several different types of meats to choose from and also choices of bread and sides. The atmoshpere is good...the portion sizes are good. Going to the Broadway location you may have to wait a while if you go during lunch...there's usually a line out the door!

Pros: Great Barbecue

Cons: Sides aren't as good, but they'll do.

Posted 11/22/06

I only ate at the one on Trinity Lane and it was fabulous. I am very picky when it comes to bar-b-que; it must be lean, no fat at all and this lived up to my expectations. Their cafeteria foods, mac and cheese were also great. His sauce is so good you must buy a bottle to take home. The beef brisket is fantastic. Best bar-b-que I've ever had and best sauce.

Pros: It's a little high but you get what you pay for so it's worth it.

Cons: I gained 10 pounds because I ate there 5 straight days for lunch!

Posted 09/15/06

I'm a fan of good barbeque and have found some of the best to be north carolina style. Don't know what style Jack's is-- too bad to tell, but even worse were the sides--the green beans tasted straight from the can and had the flavor and consistnecy of soggy paper. Tne macaronic and cheese was flat and mealy tasting. Truly don't understand the high ratings of this establisment.

Pros: cafeteria style was a

Cons: bad food

Posted 11/12/05

Jack's has great "character'... it looks like it's been in operation for a hundred years, and the help are "down home", friendly folk. Not much on the menu (you order at the counter), but the prices are quite reasonable, the portions are generous, my pulled pork & the baked beans were tasty, and I thought the cornbread was delicious. Have fun experimenting with the 5 different kinds of BBQ sauces! After you decide on a favorite, buy a bottle to take back home.

Pros: inexpensive, old-time atmosphere, tasty food

Posted 03/01/04

The BBQ at Jack's was excellent! The atmosphere was fun. As a young family we were unable to enter many downtown restaurants b/c of our age and Jack's provided the best BBQ, we were so pleased with the friendly people and tasty food! You should try this spot out when you're in the Nashville area!

Pros: friendly workers, clean, good food

Posted 09/14/03

I am addicted to Jack's "Sweet and Hot" BBQ sauce. Next time you visit, try it. You'll want to bring a bottle home. It is the best! The baked beans are killer too, and the cole slaw is just right. A lot of food for your money, and if you're lucky enough to meet Jack, you'll realize a lot of love goes into his food. Yum.

Pros: great value, great taste, Sweet and Hot sauce

Cons: none

Posted 04/06/03

Get the combo platter with brisket, ribs, and pulled pork. The brisket (sans sauce) will fill you with smoky flavor, while the other two will allow you to try out the tasty sauces. Service can vary by day, but overall Jack's has been the best wet BBQ I've had in Nashville.

Pros: Brisket

Cons: NO parking

Posted 11/19/02

Jack's has some of the best bar-b-que in town. The flavor of the meat and the tenderness is superb! A great place to eat when you want bar-b-que!!

Pros: Taste is great!

Cons: I don't have any!

Posted 09/03/02

The best Bar-B-Q i have ever put in my mouth. Tender brisket, great beans, fantastic slaw, and plenty to eat. I took some home along with a bottle of the original sauce. If you're in Nashville, don't miss it!

Pros: Food

Cons: parking

Posted 08/29/02

Sorry but this place just didn't do it for us. I was down in Nashville for Fan Fair over the weekend and tried some of the local restaurants. I had many good experiences, unfortunately this wasn't one of them. I had a pulled pork sandwich that was very dry and lacked flavor, and that was the best part of the meal. Although a meal for two was fairly inexpensive, in this case, you get what you pay for. Live and learn!

Posted 06/17/02