Central BBQ Capitol View — Restaurant in Nashville-Davidson

We consider the original Central BBQ in Memphis to be the best BBQ in a city known for incredible BBQ--the kind you dream about and go out of your way on a roadtrip to enjoy...and skip meals before to have as much appetite as possible.

We were so excited to see that Nashville now has Central BBQ as well...but so disappointed when we went. The atmosphere and service leave a lot to be desired, and the portions on our favorite item (brisket nachos) were so disappointing.

We like to leave constructive criticisms in the hope that the location can be improved since we love Central BBQ:

1. Portion size: if you haven't tried the brisket nachos, you're missing out. But the portion here at this location is almost HALF the size of the portion at the Memphis locations despite the price being almost identical. Here, it's listed on the snack menu, and that's what it is: a snack, with so little meat. I have included a picture of the Nashville location nachos and the Memphis location nachos. The baskets in Memphis are gigantic.

I'd recommend having a meal size nacho platter even if you need to charge more, and not skimping on the meat. No one should leave a BBQ restaurant hungry.

2. Cleanliness: Even though the restaurant was almost empty the table and chairs were really sticky, and we had to wipe them down ourselves. Icky. I went to the bathroom to wash my hands afterwards and the bathroom sink doesn't turn on. Can't imagine how I'd feel having used the bathroom and not being able to wash my hands before using them to eat BBQ

3. Atmosphere: it was hot enough inside to make us sweat. The thermostat on the wall showed 76, but it was much hotter in the main sitting area and the areas near the glass walls. I'd estimate 80 degrees.

4. Character: please put up real menus on the wall. A BBQ place that has only electronic menus at a kiosk and take out style paper menus...that's not right. I didn't realize how much character matters until I walked in here and it didn't have any.

We ate at lunch time on a Sunday, and were the only ones there when we arrived. Two other small parties came during the whole time we were eating. I've never seen a Central BBQ not crowded regardless of the time of day. I think this location needs a...

4.5/5 Fast-Food Process with a Restaurant Vibe

Being put in charge with finding a restaurant to visit, I aimed for large portions with a quaint atmosphere. Parking was fairly easy, in which I utilized street parking. I can tell if it was during the weekend, it would have been more difficult.

Around 640pm, the restaurant was nearly empty, but the hospitality we received reassured me I made the right decision to eat here. One would think they would seat themselves, and it's true to an extent. You would need to place your order first, which gave me a fast-food vibe. I took adventure of the Wednesday deal, where you get nachos for 5 dollars. The menu was easy to read. Then, you can seat yourselves. The space was clean with soft background music. We were gathering our utensils and sauces, which I found on standby in an inconspicuous space, when our food was ready. It took less than 5 minutes for our food to be ready, which led us to inquire how the ribs were brought out so fast...so perhaps it was not cooked to order. This is why it gave us a fast-food feel, but it did not detract from the overall vibe. This may be subjective to the individual. The portion sizes were outstanding. My party ate a full rack of ribs, which the portion size was more than the usual commercialized restaurants (i.e. chili or applebees). They enjoyed it and definitely worth the price. The spices, sauces, and taste of the food outdid the food we had the night before, and we wondered why we didn't find this space sooner. Don't worry, if you don't finish your food, they have takeaway boxes at your disposal.

After eating, you would need to clean up your own mess, which I did happily. We were content enough to walk a mile or so to go to Broadway St and be uplifted by the rowdy crowd.

Overall, it was a great spot and I would come again whenever I visit downtown Nashville again!...

I recently visited Central BBQ and ordered the pulled pork sliders with fries and mac n’ cheese. The food was excellent—everything was hot, fresh, and flavorful. My meal came out in about 8 minutes, which I appreciated. The sliders were smoky and tender, the fries were crispy, and the mac n’ cheese was rich and satisfying.

However, the overall experience had a few rough edges. When I went to order, I was greeted by a young man who seemed unfamiliar with the register. He attempted to ring up my combo but needed help—twice. While I respect that everyone is learning, he could really benefit from proper training and coaching to help him feel confident and provide quicker service. What stood out more was the manager’s reaction when he came to assist. Instead of using it as a moment to guide and support, he seemed visibly annoyed and didn’t acknowledge me as a guest at all—not even a smile. With five team members in the back, there seemed to be ample opportunity for stronger leadership up front.

Additionally, one of the BOH team members came up front and openly vaped in the FOH while customers were present. That was off-putting, especially in a restaurant setting, and felt very unprofessional.

As for the environment, the food was great—but the space could have used some attention. The drink station needed a wipe-down, and the tables had a slightly sticky feel—maybe from the finish, but still noticeable. Given how quiet the store was at the time, I couldn’t help but think of the old saying: “If there’s time to lean, there’s time to clean.”

To sum it up: I’d come back for the food without question, but I hope to see improvements in hospitality, professionalism, and cleanliness so the full guest experience matches the...