Description: Memphis may be Tennessee’s barbeque capital, but Nashville has one place that Memphis doesn’t, Jack’s BBQ. The restaurant located on Broadway St in what is commonly referred to as The District, draws tourists and locals alike. Jack’s BBQ got it start back in the seventies when owner, Jack Cawthon, realized that Nashville lacked a good barbeque establishment. He opened his restaurant at the end of Broadway St near the riverfront at a time when the area was in need of a major revitalization. He has been credited with helping revitalize the area. The original restaurant has since become a parking lot for Hard Rock Café, but Jack didn’t move far. He relocated a few blocks up on Broadway St with a second restaurant on West Trinity Lane, a short two miles from downtown.
Jack’s BBQ cooking process begins with dry rubbing the meat with spices and then slow cooks the meat for eighteen hours. The meat is sliced and cut in front of you as it is placed on the plate known as "Pit to Plate." The pink smoke ring on the meat is a signature characteristic of smoked barbeque. The menu consists of Tennessee Pork Shoulder, Texas Beef Brisket, Smoked Turkey Breast and Chicken, Smoked Texas Sausage, and St. Louis Style Pork Ribs. Any of the meats can be ordered as a sandwich or a plate or buy it by the pound to take home. If you can’t decide on just one meat, order the combo plate that consists of three different types of meats, your choice. The sandwich and dinner meals are served with two sides where you can choose from coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, green beans, corn, and potato chips. They also serve family meals that can serve 3-5 people.
If you think choosing what type of meat you want is difficult, wait until you are presented with the selection of sauces to accompany it. Jack’s BBQ offers six different sauces to choose from. The Kansas City Style is a sweet mild sauce while the tomato based Texas Sweet Hot sauce has a strong kick to it. The Tennessee Original is a vinegar based sauce and the Carolina Style has a mustard base. For those wanting something hotter, try the XXX-911 which is a combination of the Tennessee Original and the Texas Sweet Hot sauce, but with just a little more of a kick. For something unique, try the Music City White Sauce which is a mayo and horseradish based sauce which gives any meat a unique flavor. Any of their sauces can be purchased at the restaurant along with their dry rubs.
The prices are very reasonable with sandwich plates around $5 and dinner plates around $10. They are open until 9pm during the week and 10pm on the weekends with the Trinity location closing an hour earlier. If you are in Nashville and want some good barbeque, just look for the Pigs over Broadway iconic sign and enjoy some of the best food Nashville has to offer.
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