Shotgun Willie's BBQ — Restaurant in Nashville-Davidson

Good Lord this was amazing food! I'll be dreaming of this brisket for a long time.

We had a whirlwind trip to Nashville to go up and see a show at the Ryman. One of my coworkers here in Georgia suggested we try out Shotgun Willie's for lunch. So glad she did because this was some of the best brisket I've ever eaten!

The restaurant is about 10 minutes outside of downtown Nashville. The owner and staff were so friendly and welcoming. Loved the homey, funky decor and the cold bottled Cokes.

We had the brisket, which was so tender and juicy. The plate option comes with a half pound of meat and two sides - Plus I added on a sausage and some cornbread because I wanted to try it all. I almost couldn't finish all of it, but no way it was I going to leave any behind!

That brisket was melt in your mouth perfection. My estimation of good barbecue is whether or not it needs sauce to be delicious. While Shotgun Willie's home barbecue sauce was really good, I just sampled a taste and ate the rest of the meat without. I wanted to savor all that tender, roasted, dry rubbed meat amazingness. My taste buds are firing just remembering it!!

And don't forget that sausage - plump with perfectly crisped skin and juicy meaty goodness on the inside

The queso mac and cheese was a creamy southwestern delight with the tang of green chiles and the "magic green beans" are not lying - they were seriously magical... Definitely not vegetarian veggies and so full of flavor.

Insider tip, we arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a Friday. There were just a couple of other people in the restaurant. By 11:50, the line was practically to the door so come early if you're in a hurry!

Now, if you live in Nashville and you haven't eaten here yet...what are you waiting for?!?!

If you are just traveling through Nashville and love barbecue, I promise this one is not...

Where Smoke Signals Mean Sweet, Sweet Love Listen up, meat enthusiasts and sauce aficionados - this joint is what happens when a pitmaster has a fever dream about perfect brisket and decides to make it reality.

The staff have the kind of authentic Southern charm that makes you want to call everyone "honey" and start saying "y'all" unironically. They'll guide you through the menu like friendly meat sherpas, complete with sampling offers that'll make you want to hug them (resist the urge - you're covered in sauce).

Holy smoked heaven. The brisket has a bark that could make a tree jealous, and it's so tender it practically files its own divorce papers when you look at it. The pulled pork has been smoking longer than most college relationships last. As for the ribs? They're not falling off the bone (that's for amateurs) - they've got that perfect bite that makes BBQ purists weep tears of joy. The mac and cheese is basically a religious experience with extra cheese Picture a BBQ joint that doesn't try too hard - rolls of paper towels on every table (you'll need them), country music at just the right volume, and the sweet smell of smoking meat that'll have you considering whether you can turn this into a cologne.

The picnic tables and metal trays keep it real - this ain't no white tablecloth establishment, and thank the BBQ gods for that.

Pro tip: Get there early - they serve until they're sold out, and trust me, that's not a "maybe later" situation you...

Stopped in here from out of town after doing some Google searches for Nashville BBQ. Arrived around noon and there was a line out the door.. great sign for BBQ. They had a person assigned to help keep the line tight and moving. Lots of local Nashville decor, stickers, pics, posters, etc on the walls with some humorous ones mixed in.

The first person I saw working the food counter was owner, Bill. Very polite and seemed excited to serve and help each person and gives off a vibe that makes you feel that he's happy you stopped in. I asked his preference on which hot link he preferred and I could tell he gave me his honest answer and wanted me to enjoy my experience.

The food is excellent.. the brisket had a well developed bark on it without drying out. The hot link was good. The pit smoked beans are great, they have a little bit of a mustard/vinegar tang that I really enjoyed, they're definitely not traditional baked beans if thats what you want. Green beans were good. The dill potato salad was awesome.

The cashier helped me get a T shirt and BBQ sauce to take home. Overall, I would recommend this place to anyone and i will return any time i come through Nashville. I had a sense that each staff member really cared about what they were doing and cared about the product. Everything was as advertised and I appreciate the...