Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint
200 Crossings Ln,Ste 500, Mount Juliet, TN, 37122
Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Mount Juliet for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
200 Crossings Ln,Ste 500
Mount Juliet, TN, 37122 - Phone (615) 686-2066
- Website https://www.martinsbbqjoint.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Brunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Christa P.
I am surprised that this Martins BBQ only has 3 stars. Although its not the best bbq we have had, it is really great solid bbq every time we have visited. We have come several times for lunch and never have been disappointed - no issues with the food or the service. We normally always get the brisket plate or the brisket tacos. With mac & cheese (which is good but not excellent), fries or coleslaw. The hot bbq is awesome too!
(4)Jen B.
Great food and friendly service today. The brisket and dry ribs were on point. Pulled pork was moist with lots of tasty sauces to choose from. The redneck taco with sliced turkey was really good. My Mom said the hush puppies are some of the best she's ever had. My Dad says the mac and cheese was creamy and cheesy. The green beans are peppery and nice junks of pulled pork in them. Fries and coleslaw are solid too. I saw there have been service issues in the past but young man at register was friendly and greeted us as we walked in. Server checked on us several times too. We've been to all 3 current Middle Tennessee locations - great food and service always! We'll be back again!
(4)Mark S.
I follow Martin's on Twitter so I was excited to finally try their BBQ. I ordered the 2 'Que platter of brisket and sausage which was around $18. Portion size was extremely small. 4 slices of brisket that were 1 inch tall by 3 inches wide. The sausage slices was the size of 1/2 a tater tot of which I received a dozen. The meat was tasty. If I go back it will be for a $6 sandwich. The lady at the table ordered one and I feel it might have had more meat. Disappointed.
(2)Stephen B.
Saw the billboard for this place as me and some fellow VOL fans were heading into Nashville this past weekend for the opening game. We were hungry and decided to stop in. It's one of those bbq joints where you go through the line and pay and then they bring it out to you. They have a pretty decent beer selection, maybe 15 different beers. The two people I was with both got a pulled pork sandwich. They said it was good but lacked enough sauce. I got the "redneck taco" with pork. It's basically a cornbread tortilla with a choice of meat and slaw and sauce. Not bad, but not great. Pretty dry overall, and there was no sauce on the tables. The pictures on the walls were absolutely my favorite part. RASSLERS!!! All my favorite "rasslers" from my childhood. All in all, if you're a BBQ connoisseur don't come here. If you're just looking to get full and have a beer and enjoy some decent barbecue, then this place is worth a stop.
(3)Giuseppe A.
We were in town from New York we want to have one of the best barbecues in Tennessee we were told to come to Martin's I got the ribs with brisket and came with Texas toast, french fries also got as an appetizer chicken wings, The chicken wings were delicious now on to the ribs and the brisket.. The meat from the ribs fell right off the bone it was delicious the brisket was so tender and juicy it went very good on the Texas toast. The service there was awesome very nice people I would come back here again if I ever come back to Tennessee
(5)Katie U.
It was fine - nothing special. As many others have noted, the sides were definitely lackluster. The meat was just average, as were portion sizes. I have no plans to go back.
(2)Alex P.
Food was a solid 3 but service was a low 2. Strongly suggest holding the loud "Jerry Springer" cat fighting in the back. While serving a customer, its best to not be on cell phoe
(3)James M.
Okay, here's the deal. I love BBQ as much as anyone and really really enjoyed Martin's other location when I went there. The Mt. Juliet location just doesn't hold up to the original's expectations. It doesn't seem to have the same soul and love poured in to the food as the other location. I can't really quantify that because it's the same exact thing from location to location (I get the redneck taco usually) but this location just doesn't give me the same good, loved, southern, bbq-time feelings as the other. The food is good to great. I get the redneck taco and had it in brisket my most recent time through the restaurant. It was smoky brisket that was tasty but lacked the depth of flavor I've come to expect from Edley's or a reputable BBQ shack. I wasn't expecting anything close to Franklin BBQ brisket from Austin but they could certainly work on their product here. The redneck taco does make for a great lunch and you can get some of their super spicy BBQ sauce if you like hot things, like I do. They have a good selection of craft beers on the wall and you order at the counter. The service seemed lackadaisical but they do bring the food out to you while it's still nice and hot. As I said before, it's not that the structures for success aren't there. It's that they don't seem to care as much at this location as they do at the other Martin's or some of the other BBQ spots around town. Pros: Still good food and the redneck taco is unique. Cons: Weird atmosphere. Details above. Overall: This is my go-to lunch spot if I'm in Mt. Juliet around that time. I'll probably start eating at Taziki's or Chick-fil-A instead, though. Just haven't been overly impressed.
(2)Matthew G.
I've had more good experiences than bad here. The food is usually pretty good (redneck taco) but the Mac and cheese was just ok. If you have a bad experience ice threes another try, it's usually a pretty good place to eat
(4)Carrie H.
I love BBQ.... As a chef and fiancé of a chef, we fancy ourselves knowers of all things food, and since my fiancé is also fantastic at smoking some meat, we decided to give Martins a try. A for effort.... The pork was ok, decent enough, all sauces were pretty good but the hot sauce was just....hot, not much flavor. Taylor said his ribs were good enough but he thinks the pit master needs to season the cuts better before firing up the pit. Again, it was just ok. The Mac was bland and wayyyyy over cooked. The slaw was not seasoned and we weren't entirely sure it was dressed....Baked beans were very good, but it didn't make up for all the other stuff. I was sad at our experience because I had sampled the catering offering of Martins (the one in Nolensville and the one in the cool springs area) on at least two different occasions and enjoyed it a fair amount. Mt Juliet local just didn't live up.
(2)Marcie B.
Service is friendly but I have had better BBQ. There are many other spots that are a true BBQ spot
(2)Sally M.
Great atmosphere. Good food. I had the Redneck Taco well worth the try. Beans lacked something. I was happy to see they have a few IPA's on tap, impressed. But the bartender (server) wasn't so good, we waited for someone to come to the bar a good while and he served our beers with way Too much head.
(4)Lindsay N.
The meat had really good flavor, but the sides were just okay. We liked the slaw, but the Mac and cheese was super bland, and the fries weren't the best ever. I thought it was a little pricey for what it is. The staff was really great though! They do have a bar with a pretty nice selection of draft beer, which we enjoyed with our meal.
(3)Brecks H.
We are from Las Vegas here in Nashville for a concert. We ate at four of the top bbq places throughout our stay and Martins has the best in town. Get the big mama platter...it feeds 3-4 depending on how much you eat.
(5)Kelly Ann W.
I am soooooo over this place. Brisket is my thing when it comes to barbecue. And theirs is decent. But boy are they proud of it. I got the tacos tonight and I promise you there was A TABLESPOON of chopped brisket SCRAPS on each. I dumped both tablespoons on one tortilla and it was barely enough. All for $8.50 This is not even close to my first time there either. I've had the sandwich but I don't eat bread so it's not enough and the $12 platters which for one meat...is really worth about $8.50 I'm just done WAY overpaying for 'decent' barbecue.
(2)Emily C.
The redneck taco was really tasty. Good portion, good proportions of ingredients. Top it off with a sweet tea!
(5)Victoria B.
Love the wings tossed in the Alabama White sauce! The baked beans were excellent too! I wish they weren't out of mac & cheese when I went because I am sure it is delicious as well!
(5)Matt H.
Very good (not great) BBQ. It's pricey. You order at the counter. There's no sauce on the tables. The dry ribs were completely covered deep with dry rub. ENTIRELY too much. It was like that cinnamon eating challenge where everyone trying to do it starts coughing. After I scraped about half to 3/4 of it off, they were tasty. The full rack of spare ribs was HUGE. It's not the traditional trimmed Kansas City rack either, it includes the sternum meat portion. My son ordered the wings with the sweet sauce "Southern Belle" maybe? They were served with dry rub instead. Not a big deal, just get some sauce from the table and put on them right? Nope. No sauce on the table! BBQ restaurant fail! After getting some cups of sauce from the counter it turned out just as well since the sauce was a bit too sweet. I LOVE spicy food and spicy BBQ sauce is generally my goto sauce. Not here. Good god, why would anyone out that liquid pain on food? It's like that sauce they use for challenges at hot wrong restaurants! For my money, go with the Alabama white sauce for chicken and the vinegar sauce for the pork. The specialty of the house, the Redneck Taco is just so so. Nothing special despite what Guy Fieri might have said. My daughter had the chicken tenders which looked to have been hand breaded and were tasty and moist. Sides are just average. Music is to loud to carry on a decent conversation at a table of four. BOTTOM LINE: A good place for BBQ, nothing spectacular. But, there's nothing wrong with good BBQ. PRO TIP: Martin, put a bottle of all your sauces on the table! Let the customer actually be able to taste them all and decide what they want and how much they want. That is one of the best things about eating BBQ!
(3)Courtney A.
Great BBQ!!! They don't automatically add the BBQ sauce you add your own!!! Good portions & great kids menu choices & prices!!! Will definitely come back
(5)Brodie B.
Love it. The wings (dry rub) are fantastic. Can't go wrong here. Only issue is the cost. Little much, but I never leave hungry.
(4)Bradley S.
I hate that I like Martin's. Can I just be honest about that? I don't want to like it I feel like it's such a cliche thing to like if you live in or around Nashville, but I will admit that it's hard not to like. They seriously know how to prepare a pig. They keep it simple and I truly appreciate that. There ribs in my opinion are some of the best in the city (I'm not going to debate with you, I'm just right). There pulled pork is good, but the pig pickin' (whole hog, for the not so southern among us) is just.... Damn good. There sausage is one of the best as far as smoked sausages go,. They have great sauces to choose from, but the brisket is where they lose me a bit though. Regardless, I have left Nashville and come back and driven straight to Martin's for ribs (dry by the way, they must be dry with the rub). I don't have an all out love for any single BBQ place in this city and I don't think anyone should. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. The sides at Martin's need some work to me, never been a fan, but hey I'm there for how they prepare a pig and they truly put in some work on that. It is one of the best BBQ places in town where I direct new comers and tourist for sure, because they are just that good, even though I hate it sometimes.
(4)Scott B.
Yum! Brisket was great, dry ribs....awesome, pulled pork phenomenal. Potato Salad and Broccoli salad also wonderful. Southern transplant living in Yankee land. I don't get great bbq like this up north. I will be back!
(5)Megan K.
Martin's knows BBQ. (And I can say that, being a native Texan). I love this place--always smokily (?) reminiscent of a family cookout. All of their meats are flavorful--my biggest complaint is that they're often sold out of ____ (whichever meat we seem to be after--typically the smoked turkey). I get it, these types of establishments cook up all they've got of something for a day and when it's out, it's out (they even advertise this on the front door!), but it's still disappointing when the drive is about 15-20 minutes out of the way. My go-to order is typically a pulled pork sandwich, boyfriend gets smoked turkey with extra Alabama sauce (white sauce). He LOVES this place. Sides are great, love the sweet tea, it's always bustling with families and couples and singles, too. Great service and efficient experience. We go several times a month--especially in the summertime!
(4)Shan T.
Food has always been better than service but tonight EVERYTHING was a disappointment! Counted at least 10 people "working" but when we sat at bar, expecting to have some one wait on us like they have always done - we were told they were too busy and register behind bar wasn't reliable. Absolutely most frustrating dinning experience watching the "employees" hang out and have fun while we can't get a beer ordered. Cherry on top was that my grilled CHICKEN breast WASNT FULLY COOKED!!! Now that quality of food is as bad as the quality of service- I am done giving them another try. Only go here if you are ok watching high school kids have fun on the job, provide no service, food undercooked, & drinks never refilled.
(1)Jim W.
I have eaten here a few times. Food is good and servers are friendly. I like their brisket and the cornbread is very good. The selection of beer is impressive. The only thing that I see that needs improvement is they need to put barbecue sauces on the tables. I have never been to any other barbecue restaurant that does not put a variety of sauces on the table. You have to ask the server for it and they bring you a little plastic cup of it, and it's usually not enough. Next time, I will bring my own sauce. Other than that, it's a good spot for lunch and dinner.
(3)James C.
Best Bar-B-Que place in Nashville. The staff is always friendly & helpful. The food is outstanding. I bring all of my family, friends and anytime I have visiting business partners to this location. I eat here at least once a week and the manager, Jeff, ensures that we have the best service and experience every time. You can't go wrong with Martin's
(5)Jason R.
Great food. However, the poor service and friendliness of staff, plus the expensive menu may not bring me back. I've been five times in hopes it'll be different, but it's been the same story. Sad, cause the food is really good.
(2)Terry B.
Best than average BBQ. The ribs are good but the beef brisket is outstanding. Side dishes include mac n cheese, broccoli salad, pork n beans, etc... Good But a little small. Good selection of old time Pop/Soda and Beer. Priced fairly for what you get!
(3)Mark P.
We ate here April 12, on a Saturday night. The one positive note is that they serve local craft beer. They had taps with Fat Bottom, Yazoo, Good People, and others, though it appeared several were tapped out. They were busy, but not crazy busy. We ordered a slab of ribs, Cole slaw, ff, two waters and two beers from the register, took our number and took a seat. Our food showed up but no water or beer. I went back to the register to get water and asked for our beer and some BBQ sauce. Half way through with our meal and still no sauce and no beer. So I went to the bar with my receipt and got my beer. Meanwhile we waved down a wait staff and asked again for BBQ sauce. She brought it. Not once did anyone check on us. If we needed anything we had to take the initiative. The servers seemed nice enough, probably a training or management issue. The slaw and fries were good. The ribs were dry and the rub was too salty. I had a pulled pork sandwich a couple weeks previous and it was very good. In my opinion the prices are too high.
(2)Melanie R.
The service and the food at Martin's are both exceptional. We are never disappointed when we eat here at any of their locations, but this is the one we frequent most as we live in this area. The first time we went, we sat at the bar and were served by one of the managers. He let us have a few tastes of local brews so we could decide what we wanted, as we had never had most of what they offered. We always enjoy the experience of eating here as much as the food!
(5)Taylor B.
Disappointing. Just like every other bbq joint I've tried in Nashville. Ribs were dry and not very flavorful. They also did not remove the sinew from the back of the rack before cooking them. The pulled pork was not the worst I've ever had but certainly not great. The Mac and cheese was bland. The slaw didn't seem to have any dressing on it at all. The spicy bbq sauce was all spice no flavor. All around blah.
(2)Monica P.
First time at this place was wonderful. A friend gave us some "poker chips" to use at the drive-thru for a free sandwich, but we didn't know it was for the drive-thru. The person that rang us up was nice enough to still let us dine in. Employees were very friendly & welcoming. Their pulled pork was yummy & the different sauces they had to offer were finger-linckin-good. LOL They range from sweet to spicy. I left there having the smell of smoked bbq on my clothes lol. I would definitely be going back to this place!
(5)Curt S.
I love this place! The beef brisket is the best I have ever had! I have sampled all of the meats they offer, and haven't been disappointed yet. The service is great and prompt. They have a great selection of sides and pies for sale as well. They offer a great selection of southern made beers, but they are a bit pricey. That is the only complaint I have, they are just a bit more expensive than the average bbq place. Not way more, but a bit more. Still a great place overall, I would recommend to anyone!
(4)Scott J.
Food was ok. Positions were small and pricey. I just wanted to relax? Eat and have a beer. Hate the setup. No waitresses. I had to keep getting up and getting my beer. Won't go back.
(1)Anne M.
While I enjoyed my meal, I thought it was overpriced for what you got. Pros: pulled pork was very tender, fries were excellent, slaw was pretty tasty, waitstaff was friendly, fun decor, quick service once you ordered, but.... Cons: long time waiting in line to order, might be faster if there were simply servers during the dinner rush? Portions were small compared to the price; stingy on the sauce on the pulled pork (went to front counter to the waitress station and decided to fill up a cup of bbq sauce on my own); had to cut through order line to go to bathroom. Final verdict? I would return if it was not a dinner time rush.
(3)Trent B.
My Wife took me here for my birthday back in April. It's a very nice, clean place to stop for lunch or dinner. I got the rib plate and my wife always gets brisket at any BBQ place we go to. It was delicious the ribs were very tender ( fall off the bone) and very moist. I chose the southern wet style but they also have the Memphis dry style if that's how you like them. The brisket was very tender as well a tad on the fatty side but still very good!! Also, all the sides were amazing hand cut fries, BBQ beans and potato salad there was nothing left on either plate...the only regret was that we missed them putting in a whole hog on the smoker by like 5 minutes we saw it from our car backing out....
(4)T H.
Here's an overview for this restaurant I feel would be vital in choosing where to eat. Keep in mind I want to like this place as the atmosphere and the location is perfect for me and my family. If you get there earlier in the evening or Fridays, the restaurants' ability to move up the "star rating" will heighten. Reason? Poor food ordering due to management protecting their bottom line. After 4 times visiting this restaurant, they have forced us to call ahead and/or ask at the window "What are you out of?" Before even ordering. This is just a poor business strategy that will hurt more than hinder. If management is reading this.... This is not by accident, customer perception, embellishment on my behalf, timing, etc. Once was in the first week of business for this restaurant (understandable) and each other time has been 2-3 months after the previous trip. We'd eat here once a month easily if ordering can be improved. Food quality/experience/service- I grew up eating Memphis BBQ in eastern Arkansas. After 10 years of Texas living, this restaurant does a good job mixing in both styles. I genuinely like each main style BBQ dishes (brisket, ribs (I prefer their baby backs vs their suggestion to get the spare (possibly due to availability????), pulled pork, sausage). The employees don't do a good enough job for me acting like being out of half their menu is a good thing. If this is the strategy, force and prepare the team to sell the heck out of the available product! It will be vital for customer retention. You will not be disappointed with the food or the local flavor of beers available inside. However, you will be disappointed in what's available if you have tried any of the dishes and really liked them! I love baby back ribs and after 4 times being there, they have had them once. Wow. If I knew anything, I'd open up a BBQ restaurant on this side of town and rally my strategy around "always available" food and shut Martin's "good" BBQ out of business. This is good, not great BBQ regardless. Enjoy the cat and mouse game with management. Tends to be very one sided so far for this young business location....
(2)Cheryl M.
I will precursor this by saying of all the types of food out there to choose from, BBQ would come dead last for me. Having said that, this place was just mediocre for me. AND THEN, you go and throw in the a-la carte menu and ordering confusion up front...it's just a dang hassle and not really worth the calories. Sorry Martin's.
(3)Jeremy S.
This place is PRICEY for ok BBQ. 18 bucks for just my meal and a water.... seriously? I was going to get a beer but after the 18 bucks for food alone I was terrified to find out what they charged for beer. I ordered the 2 que combo. The portion size is decent but not 18 dollars decent. I was rather annoyed that they didn't have any sauces on the table. The BBQ is good, but I would rather go to Blue moon BBQ in Lebanon and get bigger portions, better BBQ, and it's much cheaper. Just saying... I will not be returning to Martins.
(2)Emily M.
Meh. I could have overlooked the small overpriced and overcooked portions, but they redid the menu and now only serve sliders as a kid's meal. It's now off the list and out of rotation. See ya!
(2)Adam R.
This place. My wife and I went in and were treated fantastically. We sat at the bar, and were waited on by one of the managers. They definitely wanted us to come back. They allowed us to try as many samples of their extensive (for the area) offerings of local beers, and allowed us to settle on which offering went best with our meal. It came out well prepared and we enjoyed every bite. We will definitely be back and frequent this place.
(5)Clayton M.
Started off with rude service "it's hot we don't make Brunswick stew when it's hot" isn't a proper reply to "do you have Brunswick stew?" I'd love to tell you about how the food is hot but it was delivered to my table without flatware and the server said she'd bring me a fork. 15 minutes later I went to the counter to get a fork and was met with rolled eyes from the angry cashier with the Brunswick stew attitude. If you want cold food an attitude go here; if not drive to Nashville.
(1)Judy C.
I have been to Martins several times. The BBQ brisket is moist and just the right amount of smoke flavor. Probably best in town. The problem is that they do not give enough meat. They are real stingy with the amount of food you get for the money.
(1)Tom D.
Lunch stop on our Tennessee vacation today. Ordered the Hickory-Smoked Wings as an appetizer ( Alabama White Sauce topping). Six for $5.50. Well, we only received 5 wings. The wings were very tasty, but I didn't bother to ask why we were shorted one wing. Also, our appetizer came out the same time the rest of our meal arrived. My fiancee ordered a Smoked Turkey sandwich, I went with a "Redneck Taco" (Smoked Chicken). Again, very tasty (Taco was quite spicy also), but to be honest, it lacked value -- the portion size for my Redneck Taco was small, at $10, felt it was a bit of a rip-off. Good, quality food, but we felt a bit short changed after spending over $29 for lunch (that was not counting the tip).
(3)Cynthia B.
The loaded baked potato wasn't loaded and extremely dry. I don't know what type of meat the brisket was meant to be. Ribs were good. The brisket tasted like roast beef. Don't order the brisket if you've had Texas brisket.
(2)Bob C.
My wife, son and I went to Martins and although the brisket was very tasty the portions were extremely small. My sandwich did not have enough brisket to cover the bread. The brisket tacos were also disappointing. I would call it a snack instead of a meal.
(2)Phil D.
I had the brisket plate and my wife had the chicken plate. The brisket was good but not enough to fill me up. The chicken was good but dry. The sides were not the best I ever had. The beans were heavy on sauce and the potato salad was a bit of a mishmash of ingredients. The corn bread was rather bland. The music was just a bit loud and the televisions were playing reality TV shows with no subtitles so it was impossible to tell what was going on on them (half the TVs had subtitles). Overall an odd experience. For the price I think we would've preferred Famous Dave's. We could also have saved some money and had a better meal by going to Whitt's or even Bar-B-Cutie.
(3)Wes F.
Loved the redneck taco and brisket tacos. Kids baby back ribs for $5.00 was a great value too. Baked beans and potato salad were tasty. No Mac n cheese option.
(5)Dylan M.
This is one of the best barbecue joints in the Nashville area, hands down. I've never had a bad thing from the menu, and love the ribs.
(5)Donnie W.
It's been 4 or 5 weeks since I've been back, so some of my issues may have been addressed already. Was excited to see this place open. First and second visit found the brisket sandwich portions lacking from their price point, kinda disappointing. Beans were good though, not good enough to bring me back anytime soon. Drinks need to be self served, without having to wait on an available counter person to refill you while your food gets colder. They need to figure out how better to offer their sauces than on a table by the register all unmarked to what is what. Would be nice if they had sauce caddies on all the tables so you can sample while you eat at the table. Like the "Big Ass Fans", and when they're smoking it really gets the area smelling great. But is too noisy/loud in there. Turn down the music so it's background music and you can still talk with your friends and not have to keep saying "what"? I'll give it a try in another couple months. Maybe they've worked out some opening kinks by then.
(2)Jack S.
My 2nd visit.. My 1st visit several months ago I enjoyed the food but the service was not lacking. This visit the service was great but the food lacked. I had 1/2 rack of baby back ribs. They were way overcooked and dry and super salty. However, coleslaw was great, brisket was pretty good too. My sons chicken tenders were the best, good fries too. I just think this time that the price did not reflect the quality. I'm sure I will be back though as it wasn't horrible...but I was disappointed.
(3)Darrell C.
Good BBQ . The Portions are just to small for the price you pay. Small BBQ pork sandwich $6.00 come on........
(3)Erik N.
I love BBQ. Im originally from St Louis and visit my favorite BBQ city in the world, Kansas City, quite often. Ive lived in Nashville awhile now and have ate most of places that serve BBQ in town and most have let me down. Martin's in Mt Juliet just opened up and I had been eagerly awaiting its opening. I went there last night (7/1) and they opened their doors on the 27th of June- so I was expecting some rough spots in service. Overall my experience with the staff was pretty good. The servers did their best to get the plates out quickly although they forgot our cake 3 separate times. They do not have a number system in place (perhaps it is coming later) so there was a bit of confusion on the servers part to get the food out. They would just walk through the room yelling out the numbers to find the appropriate person- while this worked fine, it definitely slowed down service. But... I didnt go there for service. Lets talk about the food. I love BBQ in all of its forms but my weak spot is actually turkey. I ordered the turkey plate with fries and baked beans (my favorite side), my girlfriend ordered the redneck taco. Both of the meats were exceptional. The baked beans were not my favorite ( I prefer brown sugar beans with bacon rather than onions/peppers). We also ordered the coconut cake and pecan pie , both of which were pretty awesome. Sauces- Generally I dont love thinner, vinegar based sauces. The sauces here were pretty good, their spiciest sauce had a nice kick to it. That said, most of the sauces had a very similar taste and did not provide enough of a difference for me to differentiate between them (all of them were a bit sweet, spicy, and tangy). While the food was fine, this restaurant is not without its downsides. There needs to be some sort of change when it comes to portion size to the cost of the meal. The food we ordered was about $36 for two people (including soda and dessert), which is fine price point but the portions were very small for that price. Id like to see either larger portions including or lower prices on some of the items.
(3)Jason D.
Really good Barbeque. The staff was friendly and the food was great. My kids love the place. They actually cook food in the restaurant, not just reheating meat cooked at a central location. The portions were normal sizes and the prices were fine. This isn't a roadside stand, its a restaurant with overhead. My family goes here twice a week almost.
(4)R R.
This place has become my fave BBQ place in town! It's so nice to have a great BBQ restaurant outside of downtown that's easy to get to. I've had the redneck taco, which is SO worth trying this place out for!
(5)Barley C.
I still don't get it. Second visit was like the first, average. Untrained staff serving ok food that requires sauces that aren't on the table. We can't use your sauces even after we bought your food? I was told this was because they wanted to be different. Well, dumb is different and it gotcha on tv.
(2)Jessica E.
I have been to Martins a total of four times since they opened and each time I leave upset. Not because of the food, but for the lack of manners of the waitstaff. Each time I have wanted to write this review, but wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt until yesterday. It was just one rude experience too many for me. I have been inside twice and to the drive-thru two times. Every time, I have ordered the pulled pork sandwich, potato salad and drink. I feel as if I need a rule book when I come to this place. The prices at the window are different from inside. According to the lady at the counter(older, grey-haired) everything inside is sold a la carte' while you can get the same thing at the window in a combo, for several dollars cheaper. So, I decided that from here on out I would go to the window because I don't really love smelling of pig when I leave anyhow. The window is another story completely, I went through yesterday and decided to get the turkey on my sandwich instead of the pork(they are under the same number) for $1 more. I checked my sandwich for the slaw that normally comes on the sandwich and it was missing. I asked the same grey-haired woman for my slaw and only then was I informed that you don't get slaw on the turkey. In a very rude manner. It wasn't listed on the menu that way, how was I to know?! The last time I went through the window they "accidentally" left the slaw off my pulled pork sandwich, however, happily gave it to me after I asked nicely for it. After a judgmental look and eye roll, of course. I will probably be back because I love the food, however, I think they could learn a lot about customer service from some of the other barbecue places in town. We are in the south, people are spending hard earned money on your food, treat them as such!
(2)Fritz S.
Food is tasty, a meat & three kind of place. A little on the expensive side, however, the quality is there. Nice to have options in Mt. Juliet other than Cracker Barrel. Chicken, pork & brisket all good flavor - plus sauces to sweeten or spice things up.
(3)Joshua P.
Delicious. I had the Brisket Redneck taco. Great brisket on a hoecake. I highly recommend.
(5)Karina M.
The food was really good. I loved the place and the decoration. I am glad to have this option in our town. I only give 4 stars because I think it's a little pricey but we enjoyed our visit
(4)Jonathan T.
First off let me state that the barbeque I ordered was good. I had the Redneck Taco Brisket plate, and it tasted great! I am from Kansas City and was in the area on business. The reason why I can only give the place three stars is for the reasons listed below. 1) Smoke in the restaurant. I love smoked barbeque and so my issue is not with the meat, it is with the eating environment. I am from Kansas City, a barbeque town, and have eaten barbeque from around the country, but I have never eaten in a barbeque joint that was this smokey. WARNING: If you eat here, you will come out smelling like you have been sitting by a campfire. This is unfortunate, because I know they are loosing a significant number of food dollars just due to the fact that many are not going to eat there on their lunch break or take dates there (I am not talking dates 1-3, but when you are comfortable with a person). People cannot go back to work smelling like smoke, or want to lean in for a kiss with their loved one, only to find out that they smell like a campfire. 2) The food is served on wax paper within a pie tin. The wax paper essentially disintegrates once you add slaw, moist meat, and barbeque sauce. This results in you eating the wax paper along with your barbeque. I don't know about you, but I prefer to enjoy the flavor of barbeque, and not have it tainted by the taste of wax paper. I found myself constantly looking over each bite to avoid the stuff, which was virtually impossible to do, and took the enjoyment out of eating. I always am in favor of more barbeque joints, so I hope this place succeeds. I would eat there again, but would like to see them resolve the issues I addressed above.
(3)Aubrey S.
Hail State! Damn fine BBQ and awesome atmosphere! Not sure what others may be talking about with the "rude staff" comments...they were incredibly friendly, even gave me a slice of pie to take back with me when I left. Absolutely get the ribs wet and make sure to try the sausage and brisket, AMAZING! Pulled pork was so so and beans weren't my fav style. All in all, great Q place, especially side it's owned by a MISS STATE ALUM...HAIL STATE!!!
(5)Lori H.
Great! Smokey smell tells you this us great food. Pulled pork is awesome. Try the Yazoo beer. Screened porch. Friendly staff.
(5)Jamie D.
I watched this strip mall being built and from day one, I noticed a chimney being built. I naturally assumed a barbeque joint of some kind was coming soon. Martin's took FOREVER to open, but once they did, I had to give it a try. I was a little surprised by the menu pricing, it seemed pretty steep for casual barbeque. The cheapest item they have is about $8 but most of their menu items are $10-13 per person. The food is good, the atmosphere is good...but it's just not worth the price. Martin's BBQ has great potential in the Mt. Juliet area, but they're likely going to alienate their customers if they don't lower the prices a bit.
(3)Jim J.
The food was pricier and the portions much smaller than other better BBQ joints in the area. You're better off going to one of the many other fine BBQ eateries.
(2)Sean S.
Took my co worker and daughter for lunch. My litmus test for a BBQ is always the brisket. My daughter got the baby back ribs. I though the brisket was very good, done properly with the fat left on so that it does not get dry. My sides were the cornbread pancake (excellent), and the pinto beans (a tad bland but nothing a dash of salt could not fix). My daughters ribs were good, and the fries and baked beans as well. As far as prices, perhaps a smidgeon on the high side, but overhead is high in this area. I don't mind paying a little extra to get decent BBQ and not have to drive downtown (and pay the same prices). There was a very nice representation of local craft beers, although 3 of them were out). Music was a tad loud. Overall I was very happy and will be back to try other things on the menu. However, my biggest beef is that there are no sauces at the table. You have to ask the servers for them, which I think is a big no no for a bbq joint. Either have them at the table or a condiment counter. Having to flag down a server for sauce at bbq joint doesn't quite jive.
(4)Brad W.
My wife and I went to the Martin's in Mt. Juliet last night. It was a huge let down. The smell at the front door was great and unfortunately that was the only positive. We got Memphis dry rubbed wings and ribs. The ribs were bones and fat! Some man looked at our plate and asked "what is that"? He said "I have never seen ribs look like that". We had not either. As far as the dry rub - someone needs to tell them that you are supposed to put the rub on before you smoke the meat. It looked and tasted like they went crazy with a shaker of seasoning after the food was cooked and right before they served. The service was OK I guess .... but then again it is pretty much self service for the most part. Will NOT be back!
(1)Lyndi G.
We saw Martin's featured on a big name TV food show and were excited to try it. First, yes, everything is a bit more expensive than some of the other top notch bbq joints in Nashville. But that's not what bothered me...what bothered me is that we went in at 8 pm to eat and they were out of 3 of their meats: NO brisket, NO ribs, and NO sausage. Now, I know BBQ takes a while to make and you can't "hurry up" good Q..but WHY would you be out of that many types of meat in the middle of your dinner rush on a Saturday night? If they had been out of just one type of meat...ok...I can understand that. Two? Well, ok. But THREE?!? To me, that's a clear sign that management is bad. And the girls at the counter thought it was funny that they were out of everything. When I asked them why they would be out of so many things, they stated "Well, we will have some tomorrow!" As if that made up for being out of over 1/2 of their menu. We left and went to eat somewhere else. You HAVE to actually HAVE the food you are trying to sell. I just don't understand this :(
(2)Jessica E.
I have been to Martins a total of four times since they opened and each time I leave upset. Not because of the food, but for the lack of manners of the waitstaff. Each time I have wanted to write this review, but wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt until yesterday. It was just one rude experience too many for me. I have been inside twice and to the drive-thru two times. Every time, I have ordered the pulled pork sandwich, potato salad and drink. I feel as if I need a rule book when I come to this place. The prices at the window are different from inside. According to the lady at the counter(older, grey-haired) everything inside is sold a la carte' while you can get the same thing at the window in a combo, for several dollars cheaper. So, I decided that from here on out I would go to the window because I don't really love smelling of pig when I leave anyhow. The window is another story completely, I went through yesterday and decided to get the turkey on my sandwich instead of the pork(they are under the same number) for $1 more. I checked my sandwich for the slaw that normally comes on the sandwich and it was missing. I asked the same grey-haired woman for my slaw and only then was I informed that you don't get slaw on the turkey. In a very rude manner. It wasn't listed on the menu that way, how was I to know?! The last time I went through the window they "accidentally" left the slaw off my pulled pork sandwich, however, happily gave it to me after I asked nicely for it. After a judgmental look and eye roll, of course. I will probably be back because I love the food, however, I think they could learn a lot about customer service from some of the other barbecue places in town. We are in the south, people are spending hard earned money on your food, treat them as such!
(2)Jonathan T.
First off let me state that the barbeque I ordered was good. I had the Redneck Taco Brisket plate, and it tasted great! I am from Kansas City and was in the area on business. The reason why I can only give the place three stars is for the reasons listed below. 1) Smoke in the restaurant. I love smoked barbeque and so my issue is not with the meat, it is with the eating environment. I am from Kansas City, a barbeque town, and have eaten barbeque from around the country, but I have never eaten in a barbeque joint that was this smokey. WARNING: If you eat here, you will come out smelling like you have been sitting by a campfire. This is unfortunate, because I know they are loosing a significant number of food dollars just due to the fact that many are not going to eat there on their lunch break or take dates there (I am not talking dates 1-3, but when you are comfortable with a person). People cannot go back to work smelling like smoke, or want to lean in for a kiss with their loved one, only to find out that they smell like a campfire. 2) The food is served on wax paper within a pie tin. The wax paper essentially disintegrates once you add slaw, moist meat, and barbeque sauce. This results in you eating the wax paper along with your barbeque. I don't know about you, but I prefer to enjoy the flavor of barbeque, and not have it tainted by the taste of wax paper. I found myself constantly looking over each bite to avoid the stuff, which was virtually impossible to do, and took the enjoyment out of eating. I always am in favor of more barbeque joints, so I hope this place succeeds. I would eat there again, but would like to see them resolve the issues I addressed above.
(3)Jim J.
The food was pricier and the portions much smaller than other better BBQ joints in the area. You're better off going to one of the many other fine BBQ eateries.
(2)Fritz S.
Food is tasty, a meat & three kind of place. A little on the expensive side, however, the quality is there. Nice to have options in Mt. Juliet other than Cracker Barrel. Chicken, pork & brisket all good flavor - plus sauces to sweeten or spice things up.
(3)Joshua P.
Delicious. I had the Brisket Redneck taco. Great brisket on a hoecake. I highly recommend.
(5)Karina M.
The food was really good. I loved the place and the decoration. I am glad to have this option in our town. I only give 4 stars because I think it's a little pricey but we enjoyed our visit
(4)Sean S.
Took my co worker and daughter for lunch. My litmus test for a BBQ is always the brisket. My daughter got the baby back ribs. I though the brisket was very good, done properly with the fat left on so that it does not get dry. My sides were the cornbread pancake (excellent), and the pinto beans (a tad bland but nothing a dash of salt could not fix). My daughters ribs were good, and the fries and baked beans as well. As far as prices, perhaps a smidgeon on the high side, but overhead is high in this area. I don't mind paying a little extra to get decent BBQ and not have to drive downtown (and pay the same prices). There was a very nice representation of local craft beers, although 3 of them were out). Music was a tad loud. Overall I was very happy and will be back to try other things on the menu. However, my biggest beef is that there are no sauces at the table. You have to ask the servers for them, which I think is a big no no for a bbq joint. Either have them at the table or a condiment counter. Having to flag down a server for sauce at bbq joint doesn't quite jive.
(4)Brad W.
My wife and I went to the Martin's in Mt. Juliet last night. It was a huge let down. The smell at the front door was great and unfortunately that was the only positive. We got Memphis dry rubbed wings and ribs. The ribs were bones and fat! Some man looked at our plate and asked "what is that"? He said "I have never seen ribs look like that". We had not either. As far as the dry rub - someone needs to tell them that you are supposed to put the rub on before you smoke the meat. It looked and tasted like they went crazy with a shaker of seasoning after the food was cooked and right before they served. The service was OK I guess .... but then again it is pretty much self service for the most part. Will NOT be back!
(1)Lyndi G.
We saw Martin's featured on a big name TV food show and were excited to try it. First, yes, everything is a bit more expensive than some of the other top notch bbq joints in Nashville. But that's not what bothered me...what bothered me is that we went in at 8 pm to eat and they were out of 3 of their meats: NO brisket, NO ribs, and NO sausage. Now, I know BBQ takes a while to make and you can't "hurry up" good Q..but WHY would you be out of that many types of meat in the middle of your dinner rush on a Saturday night? If they had been out of just one type of meat...ok...I can understand that. Two? Well, ok. But THREE?!? To me, that's a clear sign that management is bad. And the girls at the counter thought it was funny that they were out of everything. When I asked them why they would be out of so many things, they stated "Well, we will have some tomorrow!" As if that made up for being out of over 1/2 of their menu. We left and went to eat somewhere else. You HAVE to actually HAVE the food you are trying to sell. I just don't understand this :(
(2)Christa P.
I am surprised that this Martins BBQ only has 3 stars. Although its not the best bbq we have had, it is really great solid bbq every time we have visited. We have come several times for lunch and never have been disappointed - no issues with the food or the service. We normally always get the brisket plate or the brisket tacos. With mac & cheese (which is good but not excellent), fries or coleslaw. The hot bbq is awesome too!
(4)Jen B.
Great food and friendly service today. The brisket and dry ribs were on point. Pulled pork was moist with lots of tasty sauces to choose from. The redneck taco with sliced turkey was really good. My Mom said the hush puppies are some of the best she's ever had. My Dad says the mac and cheese was creamy and cheesy. The green beans are peppery and nice junks of pulled pork in them. Fries and coleslaw are solid too. I saw there have been service issues in the past but young man at register was friendly and greeted us as we walked in. Server checked on us several times too. We've been to all 3 current Middle Tennessee locations - great food and service always! We'll be back again!
(4)Mark S.
I follow Martin's on Twitter so I was excited to finally try their BBQ. I ordered the 2 'Que platter of brisket and sausage which was around $18. Portion size was extremely small. 4 slices of brisket that were 1 inch tall by 3 inches wide. The sausage slices was the size of 1/2 a tater tot of which I received a dozen. The meat was tasty. If I go back it will be for a $6 sandwich. The lady at the table ordered one and I feel it might have had more meat. Disappointed.
(2)Stephen B.
Saw the billboard for this place as me and some fellow VOL fans were heading into Nashville this past weekend for the opening game. We were hungry and decided to stop in. It's one of those bbq joints where you go through the line and pay and then they bring it out to you. They have a pretty decent beer selection, maybe 15 different beers. The two people I was with both got a pulled pork sandwich. They said it was good but lacked enough sauce. I got the "redneck taco" with pork. It's basically a cornbread tortilla with a choice of meat and slaw and sauce. Not bad, but not great. Pretty dry overall, and there was no sauce on the tables. The pictures on the walls were absolutely my favorite part. RASSLERS!!! All my favorite "rasslers" from my childhood. All in all, if you're a BBQ connoisseur don't come here. If you're just looking to get full and have a beer and enjoy some decent barbecue, then this place is worth a stop.
(3)Chilley H.
Delicious food! The only reason I gave four stars is because they ran out of pork, but the brisket was out of this world. A favorite every time friends and family come to town! Highly recommend!
(4)Giuseppe A.
We were in town from New York we want to have one of the best barbecues in Tennessee we were told to come to Martin's I got the ribs with brisket and came with Texas toast, french fries also got as an appetizer chicken wings, The chicken wings were delicious now on to the ribs and the brisket.. The meat from the ribs fell right off the bone it was delicious the brisket was so tender and juicy it went very good on the Texas toast. The service there was awesome very nice people I would come back here again if I ever come back to Tennessee
(5)Matthew G.
I've had more good experiences than bad here. The food is usually pretty good (redneck taco) but the Mac and cheese was just ok. If you have a bad experience ice threes another try, it's usually a pretty good place to eat
(4)Katie U.
It was fine - nothing special. As many others have noted, the sides were definitely lackluster. The meat was just average, as were portion sizes. I have no plans to go back.
(2)Alex P.
Food was a solid 3 but service was a low 2. Strongly suggest holding the loud "Jerry Springer" cat fighting in the back. While serving a customer, its best to not be on cell phoe
(3)Brecks H.
We are from Las Vegas here in Nashville for a concert. We ate at four of the top bbq places throughout our stay and Martins has the best in town. Get the big mama platter...it feeds 3-4 depending on how much you eat.
(5)Lindsay N.
The meat had really good flavor, but the sides were just okay. We liked the slaw, but the Mac and cheese was super bland, and the fries weren't the best ever. I thought it was a little pricey for what it is. The staff was really great though! They do have a bar with a pretty nice selection of draft beer, which we enjoyed with our meal.
(3)Kelly Ann W.
I am soooooo over this place. Brisket is my thing when it comes to barbecue. And theirs is decent. But boy are they proud of it. I got the tacos tonight and I promise you there was A TABLESPOON of chopped brisket SCRAPS on each. I dumped both tablespoons on one tortilla and it was barely enough. All for $8.50 This is not even close to my first time there either. I've had the sandwich but I don't eat bread so it's not enough and the $12 platters which for one meat...is really worth about $8.50 I'm just done WAY overpaying for 'decent' barbecue.
(2)Emily C.
The redneck taco was really tasty. Good portion, good proportions of ingredients. Top it off with a sweet tea!
(5)James M.
Okay, here's the deal. I love BBQ as much as anyone and really really enjoyed Martin's other location when I went there. The Mt. Juliet location just doesn't hold up to the original's expectations. It doesn't seem to have the same soul and love poured in to the food as the other location. I can't really quantify that because it's the same exact thing from location to location (I get the redneck taco usually) but this location just doesn't give me the same good, loved, southern, bbq-time feelings as the other. The food is good to great. I get the redneck taco and had it in brisket my most recent time through the restaurant. It was smoky brisket that was tasty but lacked the depth of flavor I've come to expect from Edley's or a reputable BBQ shack. I wasn't expecting anything close to Franklin BBQ brisket from Austin but they could certainly work on their product here. The redneck taco does make for a great lunch and you can get some of their super spicy BBQ sauce if you like hot things, like I do. They have a good selection of craft beers on the wall and you order at the counter. The service seemed lackadaisical but they do bring the food out to you while it's still nice and hot. As I said before, it's not that the structures for success aren't there. It's that they don't seem to care as much at this location as they do at the other Martin's or some of the other BBQ spots around town. Pros: Still good food and the redneck taco is unique. Cons: Weird atmosphere. Details above. Overall: This is my go-to lunch spot if I'm in Mt. Juliet around that time. I'll probably start eating at Taziki's or Chick-fil-A instead, though. Just haven't been overly impressed.
(2)Carrie H.
I love BBQ.... As a chef and fiancé of a chef, we fancy ourselves knowers of all things food, and since my fiancé is also fantastic at smoking some meat, we decided to give Martins a try. A for effort.... The pork was ok, decent enough, all sauces were pretty good but the hot sauce was just....hot, not much flavor. Taylor said his ribs were good enough but he thinks the pit master needs to season the cuts better before firing up the pit. Again, it was just ok. The Mac was bland and wayyyyy over cooked. The slaw was not seasoned and we weren't entirely sure it was dressed....Baked beans were very good, but it didn't make up for all the other stuff. I was sad at our experience because I had sampled the catering offering of Martins (the one in Nolensville and the one in the cool springs area) on at least two different occasions and enjoyed it a fair amount. Mt Juliet local just didn't live up.
(2)Marcie B.
Service is friendly but I have had better BBQ. There are many other spots that are a true BBQ spot
(2)Sally M.
Great atmosphere. Good food. I had the Redneck Taco well worth the try. Beans lacked something. I was happy to see they have a few IPA's on tap, impressed. But the bartender (server) wasn't so good, we waited for someone to come to the bar a good while and he served our beers with way Too much head.
(4)Victoria B.
Love the wings tossed in the Alabama White sauce! The baked beans were excellent too! I wish they weren't out of mac & cheese when I went because I am sure it is delicious as well!
(5)Courtney A.
Great BBQ!!! They don't automatically add the BBQ sauce you add your own!!! Good portions & great kids menu choices & prices!!! Will definitely come back
(5)Adam R.
This place. My wife and I went in and were treated fantastically. We sat at the bar, and were waited on by one of the managers. They definitely wanted us to come back. They allowed us to try as many samples of their extensive (for the area) offerings of local beers, and allowed us to settle on which offering went best with our meal. It came out well prepared and we enjoyed every bite. We will definitely be back and frequent this place.
(5)Clayton M.
Started off with rude service "it's hot we don't make Brunswick stew when it's hot" isn't a proper reply to "do you have Brunswick stew?" I'd love to tell you about how the food is hot but it was delivered to my table without flatware and the server said she'd bring me a fork. 15 minutes later I went to the counter to get a fork and was met with rolled eyes from the angry cashier with the Brunswick stew attitude. If you want cold food an attitude go here; if not drive to Nashville.
(1)Judy C.
I have been to Martins several times. The BBQ brisket is moist and just the right amount of smoke flavor. Probably best in town. The problem is that they do not give enough meat. They are real stingy with the amount of food you get for the money.
(1)Matt H.
Very good (not great) BBQ. It's pricey. You order at the counter. There's no sauce on the tables. The dry ribs were completely covered deep with dry rub. ENTIRELY too much. It was like that cinnamon eating challenge where everyone trying to do it starts coughing. After I scraped about half to 3/4 of it off, they were tasty. The full rack of spare ribs was HUGE. It's not the traditional trimmed Kansas City rack either, it includes the sternum meat portion. My son ordered the wings with the sweet sauce "Southern Belle" maybe? They were served with dry rub instead. Not a big deal, just get some sauce from the table and put on them right? Nope. No sauce on the table! BBQ restaurant fail! After getting some cups of sauce from the counter it turned out just as well since the sauce was a bit too sweet. I LOVE spicy food and spicy BBQ sauce is generally my goto sauce. Not here. Good god, why would anyone out that liquid pain on food? It's like that sauce they use for challenges at hot wrong restaurants! For my money, go with the Alabama white sauce for chicken and the vinegar sauce for the pork. The specialty of the house, the Redneck Taco is just so so. Nothing special despite what Guy Fieri might have said. My daughter had the chicken tenders which looked to have been hand breaded and were tasty and moist. Sides are just average. Music is to loud to carry on a decent conversation at a table of four. BOTTOM LINE: A good place for BBQ, nothing spectacular. But, there's nothing wrong with good BBQ. PRO TIP: Martin, put a bottle of all your sauces on the table! Let the customer actually be able to taste them all and decide what they want and how much they want. That is one of the best things about eating BBQ!
(3)Brodie B.
Love it. The wings (dry rub) are fantastic. Can't go wrong here. Only issue is the cost. Little much, but I never leave hungry.
(4)Jim W.
I have eaten here a few times. Food is good and servers are friendly. I like their brisket and the cornbread is very good. The selection of beer is impressive. The only thing that I see that needs improvement is they need to put barbecue sauces on the tables. I have never been to any other barbecue restaurant that does not put a variety of sauces on the table. You have to ask the server for it and they bring you a little plastic cup of it, and it's usually not enough. Next time, I will bring my own sauce. Other than that, it's a good spot for lunch and dinner.
(3)Cynthia B.
The loaded baked potato wasn't loaded and extremely dry. I don't know what type of meat the brisket was meant to be. Ribs were good. The brisket tasted like roast beef. Don't order the brisket if you've had Texas brisket.
(2)Taylor B.
Disappointing. Just like every other bbq joint I've tried in Nashville. Ribs were dry and not very flavorful. They also did not remove the sinew from the back of the rack before cooking them. The pulled pork was not the worst I've ever had but certainly not great. The Mac and cheese was bland. The slaw didn't seem to have any dressing on it at all. The spicy bbq sauce was all spice no flavor. All around blah.
(2)Bradley S.
I hate that I like Martin's. Can I just be honest about that? I don't want to like it I feel like it's such a cliche thing to like if you live in or around Nashville, but I will admit that it's hard not to like. They seriously know how to prepare a pig. They keep it simple and I truly appreciate that. There ribs in my opinion are some of the best in the city (I'm not going to debate with you, I'm just right). There pulled pork is good, but the pig pickin' (whole hog, for the not so southern among us) is just.... Damn good. There sausage is one of the best as far as smoked sausages go,. They have great sauces to choose from, but the brisket is where they lose me a bit though. Regardless, I have left Nashville and come back and driven straight to Martin's for ribs (dry by the way, they must be dry with the rub). I don't have an all out love for any single BBQ place in this city and I don't think anyone should. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. The sides at Martin's need some work to me, never been a fan, but hey I'm there for how they prepare a pig and they truly put in some work on that. It is one of the best BBQ places in town where I direct new comers and tourist for sure, because they are just that good, even though I hate it sometimes.
(4)Scott B.
Yum! Brisket was great, dry ribs....awesome, pulled pork phenomenal. Potato Salad and Broccoli salad also wonderful. Southern transplant living in Yankee land. I don't get great bbq like this up north. I will be back!
(5)Megan K.
Martin's knows BBQ. (And I can say that, being a native Texan). I love this place--always smokily (?) reminiscent of a family cookout. All of their meats are flavorful--my biggest complaint is that they're often sold out of ____ (whichever meat we seem to be after--typically the smoked turkey). I get it, these types of establishments cook up all they've got of something for a day and when it's out, it's out (they even advertise this on the front door!), but it's still disappointing when the drive is about 15-20 minutes out of the way. My go-to order is typically a pulled pork sandwich, boyfriend gets smoked turkey with extra Alabama sauce (white sauce). He LOVES this place. Sides are great, love the sweet tea, it's always bustling with families and couples and singles, too. Great service and efficient experience. We go several times a month--especially in the summertime!
(4)Shan T.
Food has always been better than service but tonight EVERYTHING was a disappointment! Counted at least 10 people "working" but when we sat at bar, expecting to have some one wait on us like they have always done - we were told they were too busy and register behind bar wasn't reliable. Absolutely most frustrating dinning experience watching the "employees" hang out and have fun while we can't get a beer ordered. Cherry on top was that my grilled CHICKEN breast WASNT FULLY COOKED!!! Now that quality of food is as bad as the quality of service- I am done giving them another try. Only go here if you are ok watching high school kids have fun on the job, provide no service, food undercooked, & drinks never refilled.
(1)Tom D.
Lunch stop on our Tennessee vacation today. Ordered the Hickory-Smoked Wings as an appetizer ( Alabama White Sauce topping). Six for $5.50. Well, we only received 5 wings. The wings were very tasty, but I didn't bother to ask why we were shorted one wing. Also, our appetizer came out the same time the rest of our meal arrived. My fiancee ordered a Smoked Turkey sandwich, I went with a "Redneck Taco" (Smoked Chicken). Again, very tasty (Taco was quite spicy also), but to be honest, it lacked value -- the portion size for my Redneck Taco was small, at $10, felt it was a bit of a rip-off. Good, quality food, but we felt a bit short changed after spending over $29 for lunch (that was not counting the tip).
(3)James C.
Best Bar-B-Que place in Nashville. The staff is always friendly & helpful. The food is outstanding. I bring all of my family, friends and anytime I have visiting business partners to this location. I eat here at least once a week and the manager, Jeff, ensures that we have the best service and experience every time. You can't go wrong with Martin's
(5)Jason R.
Great food. However, the poor service and friendliness of staff, plus the expensive menu may not bring me back. I've been five times in hopes it'll be different, but it's been the same story. Sad, cause the food is really good.
(2)Terry B.
Best than average BBQ. The ribs are good but the beef brisket is outstanding. Side dishes include mac n cheese, broccoli salad, pork n beans, etc... Good But a little small. Good selection of old time Pop/Soda and Beer. Priced fairly for what you get!
(3)Mark P.
We ate here April 12, on a Saturday night. The one positive note is that they serve local craft beer. They had taps with Fat Bottom, Yazoo, Good People, and others, though it appeared several were tapped out. They were busy, but not crazy busy. We ordered a slab of ribs, Cole slaw, ff, two waters and two beers from the register, took our number and took a seat. Our food showed up but no water or beer. I went back to the register to get water and asked for our beer and some BBQ sauce. Half way through with our meal and still no sauce and no beer. So I went to the bar with my receipt and got my beer. Meanwhile we waved down a wait staff and asked again for BBQ sauce. She brought it. Not once did anyone check on us. If we needed anything we had to take the initiative. The servers seemed nice enough, probably a training or management issue. The slaw and fries were good. The ribs were dry and the rub was too salty. I had a pulled pork sandwich a couple weeks previous and it was very good. In my opinion the prices are too high.
(2)Melanie R.
The service and the food at Martin's are both exceptional. We are never disappointed when we eat here at any of their locations, but this is the one we frequent most as we live in this area. The first time we went, we sat at the bar and were served by one of the managers. He let us have a few tastes of local brews so we could decide what we wanted, as we had never had most of what they offered. We always enjoy the experience of eating here as much as the food!
(5)Monica P.
First time at this place was wonderful. A friend gave us some "poker chips" to use at the drive-thru for a free sandwich, but we didn't know it was for the drive-thru. The person that rang us up was nice enough to still let us dine in. Employees were very friendly & welcoming. Their pulled pork was yummy & the different sauces they had to offer were finger-linckin-good. LOL They range from sweet to spicy. I left there having the smell of smoked bbq on my clothes lol. I would definitely be going back to this place!
(5)Curt S.
I love this place! The beef brisket is the best I have ever had! I have sampled all of the meats they offer, and haven't been disappointed yet. The service is great and prompt. They have a great selection of sides and pies for sale as well. They offer a great selection of southern made beers, but they are a bit pricey. That is the only complaint I have, they are just a bit more expensive than the average bbq place. Not way more, but a bit more. Still a great place overall, I would recommend to anyone!
(4)Scott J.
Food was ok. Positions were small and pricey. I just wanted to relax? Eat and have a beer. Hate the setup. No waitresses. I had to keep getting up and getting my beer. Won't go back.
(1)Anne M.
While I enjoyed my meal, I thought it was overpriced for what you got. Pros: pulled pork was very tender, fries were excellent, slaw was pretty tasty, waitstaff was friendly, fun decor, quick service once you ordered, but.... Cons: long time waiting in line to order, might be faster if there were simply servers during the dinner rush? Portions were small compared to the price; stingy on the sauce on the pulled pork (went to front counter to the waitress station and decided to fill up a cup of bbq sauce on my own); had to cut through order line to go to bathroom. Final verdict? I would return if it was not a dinner time rush.
(3)Trent B.
My Wife took me here for my birthday back in April. It's a very nice, clean place to stop for lunch or dinner. I got the rib plate and my wife always gets brisket at any BBQ place we go to. It was delicious the ribs were very tender ( fall off the bone) and very moist. I chose the southern wet style but they also have the Memphis dry style if that's how you like them. The brisket was very tender as well a tad on the fatty side but still very good!! Also, all the sides were amazing hand cut fries, BBQ beans and potato salad there was nothing left on either plate...the only regret was that we missed them putting in a whole hog on the smoker by like 5 minutes we saw it from our car backing out....
(4)Bob C.
My wife, son and I went to Martins and although the brisket was very tasty the portions were extremely small. My sandwich did not have enough brisket to cover the bread. The brisket tacos were also disappointing. I would call it a snack instead of a meal.
(2)Phil D.
I had the brisket plate and my wife had the chicken plate. The brisket was good but not enough to fill me up. The chicken was good but dry. The sides were not the best I ever had. The beans were heavy on sauce and the potato salad was a bit of a mishmash of ingredients. The corn bread was rather bland. The music was just a bit loud and the televisions were playing reality TV shows with no subtitles so it was impossible to tell what was going on on them (half the TVs had subtitles). Overall an odd experience. For the price I think we would've preferred Famous Dave's. We could also have saved some money and had a better meal by going to Whitt's or even Bar-B-Cutie.
(3)T H.
Here's an overview for this restaurant I feel would be vital in choosing where to eat. Keep in mind I want to like this place as the atmosphere and the location is perfect for me and my family. If you get there earlier in the evening or Fridays, the restaurants' ability to move up the "star rating" will heighten. Reason? Poor food ordering due to management protecting their bottom line. After 4 times visiting this restaurant, they have forced us to call ahead and/or ask at the window "What are you out of?" Before even ordering. This is just a poor business strategy that will hurt more than hinder. If management is reading this.... This is not by accident, customer perception, embellishment on my behalf, timing, etc. Once was in the first week of business for this restaurant (understandable) and each other time has been 2-3 months after the previous trip. We'd eat here once a month easily if ordering can be improved. Food quality/experience/service- I grew up eating Memphis BBQ in eastern Arkansas. After 10 years of Texas living, this restaurant does a good job mixing in both styles. I genuinely like each main style BBQ dishes (brisket, ribs (I prefer their baby backs vs their suggestion to get the spare (possibly due to availability????), pulled pork, sausage). The employees don't do a good enough job for me acting like being out of half their menu is a good thing. If this is the strategy, force and prepare the team to sell the heck out of the available product! It will be vital for customer retention. You will not be disappointed with the food or the local flavor of beers available inside. However, you will be disappointed in what's available if you have tried any of the dishes and really liked them! I love baby back ribs and after 4 times being there, they have had them once. Wow. If I knew anything, I'd open up a BBQ restaurant on this side of town and rally my strategy around "always available" food and shut Martin's "good" BBQ out of business. This is good, not great BBQ regardless. Enjoy the cat and mouse game with management. Tends to be very one sided so far for this young business location....
(2)Cheryl M.
I will precursor this by saying of all the types of food out there to choose from, BBQ would come dead last for me. Having said that, this place was just mediocre for me. AND THEN, you go and throw in the a-la carte menu and ordering confusion up front...it's just a dang hassle and not really worth the calories. Sorry Martin's.
(3)Jeremy S.
This place is PRICEY for ok BBQ. 18 bucks for just my meal and a water.... seriously? I was going to get a beer but after the 18 bucks for food alone I was terrified to find out what they charged for beer. I ordered the 2 que combo. The portion size is decent but not 18 dollars decent. I was rather annoyed that they didn't have any sauces on the table. The BBQ is good, but I would rather go to Blue moon BBQ in Lebanon and get bigger portions, better BBQ, and it's much cheaper. Just saying... I will not be returning to Martins.
(2)Emily M.
Meh. I could have overlooked the small overpriced and overcooked portions, but they redid the menu and now only serve sliders as a kid's meal. It's now off the list and out of rotation. See ya!
(2)Wes F.
Loved the redneck taco and brisket tacos. Kids baby back ribs for $5.00 was a great value too. Baked beans and potato salad were tasty. No Mac n cheese option.
(5)Dylan M.
This is one of the best barbecue joints in the Nashville area, hands down. I've never had a bad thing from the menu, and love the ribs.
(5)Donnie W.
It's been 4 or 5 weeks since I've been back, so some of my issues may have been addressed already. Was excited to see this place open. First and second visit found the brisket sandwich portions lacking from their price point, kinda disappointing. Beans were good though, not good enough to bring me back anytime soon. Drinks need to be self served, without having to wait on an available counter person to refill you while your food gets colder. They need to figure out how better to offer their sauces than on a table by the register all unmarked to what is what. Would be nice if they had sauce caddies on all the tables so you can sample while you eat at the table. Like the "Big Ass Fans", and when they're smoking it really gets the area smelling great. But is too noisy/loud in there. Turn down the music so it's background music and you can still talk with your friends and not have to keep saying "what"? I'll give it a try in another couple months. Maybe they've worked out some opening kinks by then.
(2)Erik N.
I love BBQ. Im originally from St Louis and visit my favorite BBQ city in the world, Kansas City, quite often. Ive lived in Nashville awhile now and have ate most of places that serve BBQ in town and most have let me down. Martin's in Mt Juliet just opened up and I had been eagerly awaiting its opening. I went there last night (7/1) and they opened their doors on the 27th of June- so I was expecting some rough spots in service. Overall my experience with the staff was pretty good. The servers did their best to get the plates out quickly although they forgot our cake 3 separate times. They do not have a number system in place (perhaps it is coming later) so there was a bit of confusion on the servers part to get the food out. They would just walk through the room yelling out the numbers to find the appropriate person- while this worked fine, it definitely slowed down service. But... I didnt go there for service. Lets talk about the food. I love BBQ in all of its forms but my weak spot is actually turkey. I ordered the turkey plate with fries and baked beans (my favorite side), my girlfriend ordered the redneck taco. Both of the meats were exceptional. The baked beans were not my favorite ( I prefer brown sugar beans with bacon rather than onions/peppers). We also ordered the coconut cake and pecan pie , both of which were pretty awesome. Sauces- Generally I dont love thinner, vinegar based sauces. The sauces here were pretty good, their spiciest sauce had a nice kick to it. That said, most of the sauces had a very similar taste and did not provide enough of a difference for me to differentiate between them (all of them were a bit sweet, spicy, and tangy). While the food was fine, this restaurant is not without its downsides. There needs to be some sort of change when it comes to portion size to the cost of the meal. The food we ordered was about $36 for two people (including soda and dessert), which is fine price point but the portions were very small for that price. Id like to see either larger portions including or lower prices on some of the items.
(3)Jason D.
Really good Barbeque. The staff was friendly and the food was great. My kids love the place. They actually cook food in the restaurant, not just reheating meat cooked at a central location. The portions were normal sizes and the prices were fine. This isn't a roadside stand, its a restaurant with overhead. My family goes here twice a week almost.
(4)R R.
This place has become my fave BBQ place in town! It's so nice to have a great BBQ restaurant outside of downtown that's easy to get to. I've had the redneck taco, which is SO worth trying this place out for!
(5)Barley C.
I still don't get it. Second visit was like the first, average. Untrained staff serving ok food that requires sauces that aren't on the table. We can't use your sauces even after we bought your food? I was told this was because they wanted to be different. Well, dumb is different and it gotcha on tv.
(2)Jack S.
My 2nd visit.. My 1st visit several months ago I enjoyed the food but the service was not lacking. This visit the service was great but the food lacked. I had 1/2 rack of baby back ribs. They were way overcooked and dry and super salty. However, coleslaw was great, brisket was pretty good too. My sons chicken tenders were the best, good fries too. I just think this time that the price did not reflect the quality. I'm sure I will be back though as it wasn't horrible...but I was disappointed.
(3)Darrell C.
Good BBQ . The Portions are just to small for the price you pay. Small BBQ pork sandwich $6.00 come on........
(3)Aubrey S.
Hail State! Damn fine BBQ and awesome atmosphere! Not sure what others may be talking about with the "rude staff" comments...they were incredibly friendly, even gave me a slice of pie to take back with me when I left. Absolutely get the ribs wet and make sure to try the sausage and brisket, AMAZING! Pulled pork was so so and beans weren't my fav style. All in all, great Q place, especially side it's owned by a MISS STATE ALUM...HAIL STATE!!!
(5)Lori H.
Great! Smokey smell tells you this us great food. Pulled pork is awesome. Try the Yazoo beer. Screened porch. Friendly staff.
(5)Jamie D.
I watched this strip mall being built and from day one, I noticed a chimney being built. I naturally assumed a barbeque joint of some kind was coming soon. Martin's took FOREVER to open, but once they did, I had to give it a try. I was a little surprised by the menu pricing, it seemed pretty steep for casual barbeque. The cheapest item they have is about $8 but most of their menu items are $10-13 per person. The food is good, the atmosphere is good...but it's just not worth the price. Martin's BBQ has great potential in the Mt. Juliet area, but they're likely going to alienate their customers if they don't lower the prices a bit.
(3)Tom D.
Lunch stop on our Tennessee vacation today. Ordered the Hickory-Smoked Wings as an appetizer ( Alabama White Sauce topping). Six for $5.50. Well, we only received 5 wings. The wings were very tasty, but I didn't bother to ask why we were shorted one wing. Also, our appetizer came out the same time the rest of our meal arrived. My fiancee ordered a Smoked Turkey sandwich, I went with a "Redneck Taco" (Smoked Chicken). Again, very tasty (Taco was quite spicy also), but to be honest, it lacked value -- the portion size for my Redneck Taco was small, at $10, felt it was a bit of a rip-off. Good, quality food, but we felt a bit short changed after spending over $29 for lunch (that was not counting the tip).
(3)James C.
Best Bar-B-Que place in Nashville. The staff is always friendly & helpful. The food is outstanding. I bring all of my family, friends and anytime I have visiting business partners to this location. I eat here at least once a week and the manager, Jeff, ensures that we have the best service and experience every time. You can't go wrong with Martin's
(5)Jason R.
Great food. However, the poor service and friendliness of staff, plus the expensive menu may not bring me back. I've been five times in hopes it'll be different, but it's been the same story. Sad, cause the food is really good.
(2)Terry B.
Best than average BBQ. The ribs are good but the beef brisket is outstanding. Side dishes include mac n cheese, broccoli salad, pork n beans, etc... Good But a little small. Good selection of old time Pop/Soda and Beer. Priced fairly for what you get!
(3)Mark P.
We ate here April 12, on a Saturday night. The one positive note is that they serve local craft beer. They had taps with Fat Bottom, Yazoo, Good People, and others, though it appeared several were tapped out. They were busy, but not crazy busy. We ordered a slab of ribs, Cole slaw, ff, two waters and two beers from the register, took our number and took a seat. Our food showed up but no water or beer. I went back to the register to get water and asked for our beer and some BBQ sauce. Half way through with our meal and still no sauce and no beer. So I went to the bar with my receipt and got my beer. Meanwhile we waved down a wait staff and asked again for BBQ sauce. She brought it. Not once did anyone check on us. If we needed anything we had to take the initiative. The servers seemed nice enough, probably a training or management issue. The slaw and fries were good. The ribs were dry and the rub was too salty. I had a pulled pork sandwich a couple weeks previous and it was very good. In my opinion the prices are too high.
(2)Melanie R.
The service and the food at Martin's are both exceptional. We are never disappointed when we eat here at any of their locations, but this is the one we frequent most as we live in this area. The first time we went, we sat at the bar and were served by one of the managers. He let us have a few tastes of local brews so we could decide what we wanted, as we had never had most of what they offered. We always enjoy the experience of eating here as much as the food!
(5)Giuseppe A.
We were in town from New York we want to have one of the best barbecues in Tennessee we were told to come to Martin's I got the ribs with brisket and came with Texas toast, french fries also got as an appetizer chicken wings, The chicken wings were delicious now on to the ribs and the brisket.. The meat from the ribs fell right off the bone it was delicious the brisket was so tender and juicy it went very good on the Texas toast. The service there was awesome very nice people I would come back here again if I ever come back to Tennessee
(5)Christa P.
I am surprised that this Martins BBQ only has 3 stars. Although its not the best bbq we have had, it is really great solid bbq every time we have visited. We have come several times for lunch and never have been disappointed - no issues with the food or the service. We normally always get the brisket plate or the brisket tacos. With mac & cheese (which is good but not excellent), fries or coleslaw. The hot bbq is awesome too!
(4)Jen B.
Great food and friendly service today. The brisket and dry ribs were on point. Pulled pork was moist with lots of tasty sauces to choose from. The redneck taco with sliced turkey was really good. My Mom said the hush puppies are some of the best she's ever had. My Dad says the mac and cheese was creamy and cheesy. The green beans are peppery and nice junks of pulled pork in them. Fries and coleslaw are solid too. I saw there have been service issues in the past but young man at register was friendly and greeted us as we walked in. Server checked on us several times too. We've been to all 3 current Middle Tennessee locations - great food and service always! We'll be back again!
(4)Mark S.
I follow Martin's on Twitter so I was excited to finally try their BBQ. I ordered the 2 'Que platter of brisket and sausage which was around $18. Portion size was extremely small. 4 slices of brisket that were 1 inch tall by 3 inches wide. The sausage slices was the size of 1/2 a tater tot of which I received a dozen. The meat was tasty. If I go back it will be for a $6 sandwich. The lady at the table ordered one and I feel it might have had more meat. Disappointed.
(2)Stephen B.
Saw the billboard for this place as me and some fellow VOL fans were heading into Nashville this past weekend for the opening game. We were hungry and decided to stop in. It's one of those bbq joints where you go through the line and pay and then they bring it out to you. They have a pretty decent beer selection, maybe 15 different beers. The two people I was with both got a pulled pork sandwich. They said it was good but lacked enough sauce. I got the "redneck taco" with pork. It's basically a cornbread tortilla with a choice of meat and slaw and sauce. Not bad, but not great. Pretty dry overall, and there was no sauce on the tables. The pictures on the walls were absolutely my favorite part. RASSLERS!!! All my favorite "rasslers" from my childhood. All in all, if you're a BBQ connoisseur don't come here. If you're just looking to get full and have a beer and enjoy some decent barbecue, then this place is worth a stop.
(3)Chilley H.
Delicious food! The only reason I gave four stars is because they ran out of pork, but the brisket was out of this world. A favorite every time friends and family come to town! Highly recommend!
(4)Lyndi G.
We saw Martin's featured on a big name TV food show and were excited to try it. First, yes, everything is a bit more expensive than some of the other top notch bbq joints in Nashville. But that's not what bothered me...what bothered me is that we went in at 8 pm to eat and they were out of 3 of their meats: NO brisket, NO ribs, and NO sausage. Now, I know BBQ takes a while to make and you can't "hurry up" good Q..but WHY would you be out of that many types of meat in the middle of your dinner rush on a Saturday night? If they had been out of just one type of meat...ok...I can understand that. Two? Well, ok. But THREE?!? To me, that's a clear sign that management is bad. And the girls at the counter thought it was funny that they were out of everything. When I asked them why they would be out of so many things, they stated "Well, we will have some tomorrow!" As if that made up for being out of over 1/2 of their menu. We left and went to eat somewhere else. You HAVE to actually HAVE the food you are trying to sell. I just don't understand this :(
(2)Matthew G.
I've had more good experiences than bad here. The food is usually pretty good (redneck taco) but the Mac and cheese was just ok. If you have a bad experience ice threes another try, it's usually a pretty good place to eat
(4)Katie U.
It was fine - nothing special. As many others have noted, the sides were definitely lackluster. The meat was just average, as were portion sizes. I have no plans to go back.
(2)Alex P.
Food was a solid 3 but service was a low 2. Strongly suggest holding the loud "Jerry Springer" cat fighting in the back. While serving a customer, its best to not be on cell phoe
(3)Brecks H.
We are from Las Vegas here in Nashville for a concert. We ate at four of the top bbq places throughout our stay and Martins has the best in town. Get the big mama platter...it feeds 3-4 depending on how much you eat.
(5)James M.
Okay, here's the deal. I love BBQ as much as anyone and really really enjoyed Martin's other location when I went there. The Mt. Juliet location just doesn't hold up to the original's expectations. It doesn't seem to have the same soul and love poured in to the food as the other location. I can't really quantify that because it's the same exact thing from location to location (I get the redneck taco usually) but this location just doesn't give me the same good, loved, southern, bbq-time feelings as the other. The food is good to great. I get the redneck taco and had it in brisket my most recent time through the restaurant. It was smoky brisket that was tasty but lacked the depth of flavor I've come to expect from Edley's or a reputable BBQ shack. I wasn't expecting anything close to Franklin BBQ brisket from Austin but they could certainly work on their product here. The redneck taco does make for a great lunch and you can get some of their super spicy BBQ sauce if you like hot things, like I do. They have a good selection of craft beers on the wall and you order at the counter. The service seemed lackadaisical but they do bring the food out to you while it's still nice and hot. As I said before, it's not that the structures for success aren't there. It's that they don't seem to care as much at this location as they do at the other Martin's or some of the other BBQ spots around town. Pros: Still good food and the redneck taco is unique. Cons: Weird atmosphere. Details above. Overall: This is my go-to lunch spot if I'm in Mt. Juliet around that time. I'll probably start eating at Taziki's or Chick-fil-A instead, though. Just haven't been overly impressed.
(2)Carrie H.
I love BBQ.... As a chef and fiancé of a chef, we fancy ourselves knowers of all things food, and since my fiancé is also fantastic at smoking some meat, we decided to give Martins a try. A for effort.... The pork was ok, decent enough, all sauces were pretty good but the hot sauce was just....hot, not much flavor. Taylor said his ribs were good enough but he thinks the pit master needs to season the cuts better before firing up the pit. Again, it was just ok. The Mac was bland and wayyyyy over cooked. The slaw was not seasoned and we weren't entirely sure it was dressed....Baked beans were very good, but it didn't make up for all the other stuff. I was sad at our experience because I had sampled the catering offering of Martins (the one in Nolensville and the one in the cool springs area) on at least two different occasions and enjoyed it a fair amount. Mt Juliet local just didn't live up.
(2)Marcie B.
Service is friendly but I have had better BBQ. There are many other spots that are a true BBQ spot
(2)Sally M.
Great atmosphere. Good food. I had the Redneck Taco well worth the try. Beans lacked something. I was happy to see they have a few IPA's on tap, impressed. But the bartender (server) wasn't so good, we waited for someone to come to the bar a good while and he served our beers with way Too much head.
(4)Lindsay N.
The meat had really good flavor, but the sides were just okay. We liked the slaw, but the Mac and cheese was super bland, and the fries weren't the best ever. I thought it was a little pricey for what it is. The staff was really great though! They do have a bar with a pretty nice selection of draft beer, which we enjoyed with our meal.
(3)Kelly Ann W.
I am soooooo over this place. Brisket is my thing when it comes to barbecue. And theirs is decent. But boy are they proud of it. I got the tacos tonight and I promise you there was A TABLESPOON of chopped brisket SCRAPS on each. I dumped both tablespoons on one tortilla and it was barely enough. All for $8.50 This is not even close to my first time there either. I've had the sandwich but I don't eat bread so it's not enough and the $12 platters which for one meat...is really worth about $8.50 I'm just done WAY overpaying for 'decent' barbecue.
(2)Emily C.
The redneck taco was really tasty. Good portion, good proportions of ingredients. Top it off with a sweet tea!
(5)Victoria B.
Love the wings tossed in the Alabama White sauce! The baked beans were excellent too! I wish they weren't out of mac & cheese when I went because I am sure it is delicious as well!
(5)Courtney A.
Great BBQ!!! They don't automatically add the BBQ sauce you add your own!!! Good portions & great kids menu choices & prices!!! Will definitely come back
(5)Judy C.
I have been to Martins several times. The BBQ brisket is moist and just the right amount of smoke flavor. Probably best in town. The problem is that they do not give enough meat. They are real stingy with the amount of food you get for the money.
(1)Cynthia B.
The loaded baked potato wasn't loaded and extremely dry. I don't know what type of meat the brisket was meant to be. Ribs were good. The brisket tasted like roast beef. Don't order the brisket if you've had Texas brisket.
(2)Matt H.
Very good (not great) BBQ. It's pricey. You order at the counter. There's no sauce on the tables. The dry ribs were completely covered deep with dry rub. ENTIRELY too much. It was like that cinnamon eating challenge where everyone trying to do it starts coughing. After I scraped about half to 3/4 of it off, they were tasty. The full rack of spare ribs was HUGE. It's not the traditional trimmed Kansas City rack either, it includes the sternum meat portion. My son ordered the wings with the sweet sauce "Southern Belle" maybe? They were served with dry rub instead. Not a big deal, just get some sauce from the table and put on them right? Nope. No sauce on the table! BBQ restaurant fail! After getting some cups of sauce from the counter it turned out just as well since the sauce was a bit too sweet. I LOVE spicy food and spicy BBQ sauce is generally my goto sauce. Not here. Good god, why would anyone out that liquid pain on food? It's like that sauce they use for challenges at hot wrong restaurants! For my money, go with the Alabama white sauce for chicken and the vinegar sauce for the pork. The specialty of the house, the Redneck Taco is just so so. Nothing special despite what Guy Fieri might have said. My daughter had the chicken tenders which looked to have been hand breaded and were tasty and moist. Sides are just average. Music is to loud to carry on a decent conversation at a table of four. BOTTOM LINE: A good place for BBQ, nothing spectacular. But, there's nothing wrong with good BBQ. PRO TIP: Martin, put a bottle of all your sauces on the table! Let the customer actually be able to taste them all and decide what they want and how much they want. That is one of the best things about eating BBQ!
(3)Brodie B.
Love it. The wings (dry rub) are fantastic. Can't go wrong here. Only issue is the cost. Little much, but I never leave hungry.
(4)Bradley S.
I hate that I like Martin's. Can I just be honest about that? I don't want to like it I feel like it's such a cliche thing to like if you live in or around Nashville, but I will admit that it's hard not to like. They seriously know how to prepare a pig. They keep it simple and I truly appreciate that. There ribs in my opinion are some of the best in the city (I'm not going to debate with you, I'm just right). There pulled pork is good, but the pig pickin' (whole hog, for the not so southern among us) is just.... Damn good. There sausage is one of the best as far as smoked sausages go,. They have great sauces to choose from, but the brisket is where they lose me a bit though. Regardless, I have left Nashville and come back and driven straight to Martin's for ribs (dry by the way, they must be dry with the rub). I don't have an all out love for any single BBQ place in this city and I don't think anyone should. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. The sides at Martin's need some work to me, never been a fan, but hey I'm there for how they prepare a pig and they truly put in some work on that. It is one of the best BBQ places in town where I direct new comers and tourist for sure, because they are just that good, even though I hate it sometimes.
(4)Scott B.
Yum! Brisket was great, dry ribs....awesome, pulled pork phenomenal. Potato Salad and Broccoli salad also wonderful. Southern transplant living in Yankee land. I don't get great bbq like this up north. I will be back!
(5)Megan K.
Martin's knows BBQ. (And I can say that, being a native Texan). I love this place--always smokily (?) reminiscent of a family cookout. All of their meats are flavorful--my biggest complaint is that they're often sold out of ____ (whichever meat we seem to be after--typically the smoked turkey). I get it, these types of establishments cook up all they've got of something for a day and when it's out, it's out (they even advertise this on the front door!), but it's still disappointing when the drive is about 15-20 minutes out of the way. My go-to order is typically a pulled pork sandwich, boyfriend gets smoked turkey with extra Alabama sauce (white sauce). He LOVES this place. Sides are great, love the sweet tea, it's always bustling with families and couples and singles, too. Great service and efficient experience. We go several times a month--especially in the summertime!
(4)Shan T.
Food has always been better than service but tonight EVERYTHING was a disappointment! Counted at least 10 people "working" but when we sat at bar, expecting to have some one wait on us like they have always done - we were told they were too busy and register behind bar wasn't reliable. Absolutely most frustrating dinning experience watching the "employees" hang out and have fun while we can't get a beer ordered. Cherry on top was that my grilled CHICKEN breast WASNT FULLY COOKED!!! Now that quality of food is as bad as the quality of service- I am done giving them another try. Only go here if you are ok watching high school kids have fun on the job, provide no service, food undercooked, & drinks never refilled.
(1)Jim W.
I have eaten here a few times. Food is good and servers are friendly. I like their brisket and the cornbread is very good. The selection of beer is impressive. The only thing that I see that needs improvement is they need to put barbecue sauces on the tables. I have never been to any other barbecue restaurant that does not put a variety of sauces on the table. You have to ask the server for it and they bring you a little plastic cup of it, and it's usually not enough. Next time, I will bring my own sauce. Other than that, it's a good spot for lunch and dinner.
(3)Adam R.
This place. My wife and I went in and were treated fantastically. We sat at the bar, and were waited on by one of the managers. They definitely wanted us to come back. They allowed us to try as many samples of their extensive (for the area) offerings of local beers, and allowed us to settle on which offering went best with our meal. It came out well prepared and we enjoyed every bite. We will definitely be back and frequent this place.
(5)Clayton M.
Started off with rude service "it's hot we don't make Brunswick stew when it's hot" isn't a proper reply to "do you have Brunswick stew?" I'd love to tell you about how the food is hot but it was delivered to my table without flatware and the server said she'd bring me a fork. 15 minutes later I went to the counter to get a fork and was met with rolled eyes from the angry cashier with the Brunswick stew attitude. If you want cold food an attitude go here; if not drive to Nashville.
(1)Taylor B.
Disappointing. Just like every other bbq joint I've tried in Nashville. Ribs were dry and not very flavorful. They also did not remove the sinew from the back of the rack before cooking them. The pulled pork was not the worst I've ever had but certainly not great. The Mac and cheese was bland. The slaw didn't seem to have any dressing on it at all. The spicy bbq sauce was all spice no flavor. All around blah.
(2)Monica P.
First time at this place was wonderful. A friend gave us some "poker chips" to use at the drive-thru for a free sandwich, but we didn't know it was for the drive-thru. The person that rang us up was nice enough to still let us dine in. Employees were very friendly & welcoming. Their pulled pork was yummy & the different sauces they had to offer were finger-linckin-good. LOL They range from sweet to spicy. I left there having the smell of smoked bbq on my clothes lol. I would definitely be going back to this place!
(5)Curt S.
I love this place! The beef brisket is the best I have ever had! I have sampled all of the meats they offer, and haven't been disappointed yet. The service is great and prompt. They have a great selection of sides and pies for sale as well. They offer a great selection of southern made beers, but they are a bit pricey. That is the only complaint I have, they are just a bit more expensive than the average bbq place. Not way more, but a bit more. Still a great place overall, I would recommend to anyone!
(4)Scott J.
Food was ok. Positions were small and pricey. I just wanted to relax? Eat and have a beer. Hate the setup. No waitresses. I had to keep getting up and getting my beer. Won't go back.
(1)Anne M.
While I enjoyed my meal, I thought it was overpriced for what you got. Pros: pulled pork was very tender, fries were excellent, slaw was pretty tasty, waitstaff was friendly, fun decor, quick service once you ordered, but.... Cons: long time waiting in line to order, might be faster if there were simply servers during the dinner rush? Portions were small compared to the price; stingy on the sauce on the pulled pork (went to front counter to the waitress station and decided to fill up a cup of bbq sauce on my own); had to cut through order line to go to bathroom. Final verdict? I would return if it was not a dinner time rush.
(3)Trent B.
My Wife took me here for my birthday back in April. It's a very nice, clean place to stop for lunch or dinner. I got the rib plate and my wife always gets brisket at any BBQ place we go to. It was delicious the ribs were very tender ( fall off the bone) and very moist. I chose the southern wet style but they also have the Memphis dry style if that's how you like them. The brisket was very tender as well a tad on the fatty side but still very good!! Also, all the sides were amazing hand cut fries, BBQ beans and potato salad there was nothing left on either plate...the only regret was that we missed them putting in a whole hog on the smoker by like 5 minutes we saw it from our car backing out....
(4)Bob C.
My wife, son and I went to Martins and although the brisket was very tasty the portions were extremely small. My sandwich did not have enough brisket to cover the bread. The brisket tacos were also disappointing. I would call it a snack instead of a meal.
(2)Phil D.
I had the brisket plate and my wife had the chicken plate. The brisket was good but not enough to fill me up. The chicken was good but dry. The sides were not the best I ever had. The beans were heavy on sauce and the potato salad was a bit of a mishmash of ingredients. The corn bread was rather bland. The music was just a bit loud and the televisions were playing reality TV shows with no subtitles so it was impossible to tell what was going on on them (half the TVs had subtitles). Overall an odd experience. For the price I think we would've preferred Famous Dave's. We could also have saved some money and had a better meal by going to Whitt's or even Bar-B-Cutie.
(3)T H.
Here's an overview for this restaurant I feel would be vital in choosing where to eat. Keep in mind I want to like this place as the atmosphere and the location is perfect for me and my family. If you get there earlier in the evening or Fridays, the restaurants' ability to move up the "star rating" will heighten. Reason? Poor food ordering due to management protecting their bottom line. After 4 times visiting this restaurant, they have forced us to call ahead and/or ask at the window "What are you out of?" Before even ordering. This is just a poor business strategy that will hurt more than hinder. If management is reading this.... This is not by accident, customer perception, embellishment on my behalf, timing, etc. Once was in the first week of business for this restaurant (understandable) and each other time has been 2-3 months after the previous trip. We'd eat here once a month easily if ordering can be improved. Food quality/experience/service- I grew up eating Memphis BBQ in eastern Arkansas. After 10 years of Texas living, this restaurant does a good job mixing in both styles. I genuinely like each main style BBQ dishes (brisket, ribs (I prefer their baby backs vs their suggestion to get the spare (possibly due to availability????), pulled pork, sausage). The employees don't do a good enough job for me acting like being out of half their menu is a good thing. If this is the strategy, force and prepare the team to sell the heck out of the available product! It will be vital for customer retention. You will not be disappointed with the food or the local flavor of beers available inside. However, you will be disappointed in what's available if you have tried any of the dishes and really liked them! I love baby back ribs and after 4 times being there, they have had them once. Wow. If I knew anything, I'd open up a BBQ restaurant on this side of town and rally my strategy around "always available" food and shut Martin's "good" BBQ out of business. This is good, not great BBQ regardless. Enjoy the cat and mouse game with management. Tends to be very one sided so far for this young business location....
(2)Cheryl M.
I will precursor this by saying of all the types of food out there to choose from, BBQ would come dead last for me. Having said that, this place was just mediocre for me. AND THEN, you go and throw in the a-la carte menu and ordering confusion up front...it's just a dang hassle and not really worth the calories. Sorry Martin's.
(3)Jeremy S.
This place is PRICEY for ok BBQ. 18 bucks for just my meal and a water.... seriously? I was going to get a beer but after the 18 bucks for food alone I was terrified to find out what they charged for beer. I ordered the 2 que combo. The portion size is decent but not 18 dollars decent. I was rather annoyed that they didn't have any sauces on the table. The BBQ is good, but I would rather go to Blue moon BBQ in Lebanon and get bigger portions, better BBQ, and it's much cheaper. Just saying... I will not be returning to Martins.
(2)Emily M.
Meh. I could have overlooked the small overpriced and overcooked portions, but they redid the menu and now only serve sliders as a kid's meal. It's now off the list and out of rotation. See ya!
(2)Wes F.
Loved the redneck taco and brisket tacos. Kids baby back ribs for $5.00 was a great value too. Baked beans and potato salad were tasty. No Mac n cheese option.
(5)Dylan M.
This is one of the best barbecue joints in the Nashville area, hands down. I've never had a bad thing from the menu, and love the ribs.
(5)Donnie W.
It's been 4 or 5 weeks since I've been back, so some of my issues may have been addressed already. Was excited to see this place open. First and second visit found the brisket sandwich portions lacking from their price point, kinda disappointing. Beans were good though, not good enough to bring me back anytime soon. Drinks need to be self served, without having to wait on an available counter person to refill you while your food gets colder. They need to figure out how better to offer their sauces than on a table by the register all unmarked to what is what. Would be nice if they had sauce caddies on all the tables so you can sample while you eat at the table. Like the "Big Ass Fans", and when they're smoking it really gets the area smelling great. But is too noisy/loud in there. Turn down the music so it's background music and you can still talk with your friends and not have to keep saying "what"? I'll give it a try in another couple months. Maybe they've worked out some opening kinks by then.
(2)Jack S.
My 2nd visit.. My 1st visit several months ago I enjoyed the food but the service was not lacking. This visit the service was great but the food lacked. I had 1/2 rack of baby back ribs. They were way overcooked and dry and super salty. However, coleslaw was great, brisket was pretty good too. My sons chicken tenders were the best, good fries too. I just think this time that the price did not reflect the quality. I'm sure I will be back though as it wasn't horrible...but I was disappointed.
(3)Darrell C.
Good BBQ . The Portions are just to small for the price you pay. Small BBQ pork sandwich $6.00 come on........
(3)Erik N.
I love BBQ. Im originally from St Louis and visit my favorite BBQ city in the world, Kansas City, quite often. Ive lived in Nashville awhile now and have ate most of places that serve BBQ in town and most have let me down. Martin's in Mt Juliet just opened up and I had been eagerly awaiting its opening. I went there last night (7/1) and they opened their doors on the 27th of June- so I was expecting some rough spots in service. Overall my experience with the staff was pretty good. The servers did their best to get the plates out quickly although they forgot our cake 3 separate times. They do not have a number system in place (perhaps it is coming later) so there was a bit of confusion on the servers part to get the food out. They would just walk through the room yelling out the numbers to find the appropriate person- while this worked fine, it definitely slowed down service. But... I didnt go there for service. Lets talk about the food. I love BBQ in all of its forms but my weak spot is actually turkey. I ordered the turkey plate with fries and baked beans (my favorite side), my girlfriend ordered the redneck taco. Both of the meats were exceptional. The baked beans were not my favorite ( I prefer brown sugar beans with bacon rather than onions/peppers). We also ordered the coconut cake and pecan pie , both of which were pretty awesome. Sauces- Generally I dont love thinner, vinegar based sauces. The sauces here were pretty good, their spiciest sauce had a nice kick to it. That said, most of the sauces had a very similar taste and did not provide enough of a difference for me to differentiate between them (all of them were a bit sweet, spicy, and tangy). While the food was fine, this restaurant is not without its downsides. There needs to be some sort of change when it comes to portion size to the cost of the meal. The food we ordered was about $36 for two people (including soda and dessert), which is fine price point but the portions were very small for that price. Id like to see either larger portions including or lower prices on some of the items.
(3)Jason D.
Really good Barbeque. The staff was friendly and the food was great. My kids love the place. They actually cook food in the restaurant, not just reheating meat cooked at a central location. The portions were normal sizes and the prices were fine. This isn't a roadside stand, its a restaurant with overhead. My family goes here twice a week almost.
(4)R R.
This place has become my fave BBQ place in town! It's so nice to have a great BBQ restaurant outside of downtown that's easy to get to. I've had the redneck taco, which is SO worth trying this place out for!
(5)Barley C.
I still don't get it. Second visit was like the first, average. Untrained staff serving ok food that requires sauces that aren't on the table. We can't use your sauces even after we bought your food? I was told this was because they wanted to be different. Well, dumb is different and it gotcha on tv.
(2)Aubrey S.
Hail State! Damn fine BBQ and awesome atmosphere! Not sure what others may be talking about with the "rude staff" comments...they were incredibly friendly, even gave me a slice of pie to take back with me when I left. Absolutely get the ribs wet and make sure to try the sausage and brisket, AMAZING! Pulled pork was so so and beans weren't my fav style. All in all, great Q place, especially side it's owned by a MISS STATE ALUM...HAIL STATE!!!
(5)Lori H.
Great! Smokey smell tells you this us great food. Pulled pork is awesome. Try the Yazoo beer. Screened porch. Friendly staff.
(5)Jamie D.
I watched this strip mall being built and from day one, I noticed a chimney being built. I naturally assumed a barbeque joint of some kind was coming soon. Martin's took FOREVER to open, but once they did, I had to give it a try. I was a little surprised by the menu pricing, it seemed pretty steep for casual barbeque. The cheapest item they have is about $8 but most of their menu items are $10-13 per person. The food is good, the atmosphere is good...but it's just not worth the price. Martin's BBQ has great potential in the Mt. Juliet area, but they're likely going to alienate their customers if they don't lower the prices a bit.
(3)Jessica E.
I have been to Martins a total of four times since they opened and each time I leave upset. Not because of the food, but for the lack of manners of the waitstaff. Each time I have wanted to write this review, but wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt until yesterday. It was just one rude experience too many for me. I have been inside twice and to the drive-thru two times. Every time, I have ordered the pulled pork sandwich, potato salad and drink. I feel as if I need a rule book when I come to this place. The prices at the window are different from inside. According to the lady at the counter(older, grey-haired) everything inside is sold a la carte' while you can get the same thing at the window in a combo, for several dollars cheaper. So, I decided that from here on out I would go to the window because I don't really love smelling of pig when I leave anyhow. The window is another story completely, I went through yesterday and decided to get the turkey on my sandwich instead of the pork(they are under the same number) for $1 more. I checked my sandwich for the slaw that normally comes on the sandwich and it was missing. I asked the same grey-haired woman for my slaw and only then was I informed that you don't get slaw on the turkey. In a very rude manner. It wasn't listed on the menu that way, how was I to know?! The last time I went through the window they "accidentally" left the slaw off my pulled pork sandwich, however, happily gave it to me after I asked nicely for it. After a judgmental look and eye roll, of course. I will probably be back because I love the food, however, I think they could learn a lot about customer service from some of the other barbecue places in town. We are in the south, people are spending hard earned money on your food, treat them as such!
(2)Jonathan T.
First off let me state that the barbeque I ordered was good. I had the Redneck Taco Brisket plate, and it tasted great! I am from Kansas City and was in the area on business. The reason why I can only give the place three stars is for the reasons listed below. 1) Smoke in the restaurant. I love smoked barbeque and so my issue is not with the meat, it is with the eating environment. I am from Kansas City, a barbeque town, and have eaten barbeque from around the country, but I have never eaten in a barbeque joint that was this smokey. WARNING: If you eat here, you will come out smelling like you have been sitting by a campfire. This is unfortunate, because I know they are loosing a significant number of food dollars just due to the fact that many are not going to eat there on their lunch break or take dates there (I am not talking dates 1-3, but when you are comfortable with a person). People cannot go back to work smelling like smoke, or want to lean in for a kiss with their loved one, only to find out that they smell like a campfire. 2) The food is served on wax paper within a pie tin. The wax paper essentially disintegrates once you add slaw, moist meat, and barbeque sauce. This results in you eating the wax paper along with your barbeque. I don't know about you, but I prefer to enjoy the flavor of barbeque, and not have it tainted by the taste of wax paper. I found myself constantly looking over each bite to avoid the stuff, which was virtually impossible to do, and took the enjoyment out of eating. I always am in favor of more barbeque joints, so I hope this place succeeds. I would eat there again, but would like to see them resolve the issues I addressed above.
(3)Jim J.
The food was pricier and the portions much smaller than other better BBQ joints in the area. You're better off going to one of the many other fine BBQ eateries.
(2)Fritz S.
Food is tasty, a meat & three kind of place. A little on the expensive side, however, the quality is there. Nice to have options in Mt. Juliet other than Cracker Barrel. Chicken, pork & brisket all good flavor - plus sauces to sweeten or spice things up.
(3)Joshua P.
Delicious. I had the Brisket Redneck taco. Great brisket on a hoecake. I highly recommend.
(5)Karina M.
The food was really good. I loved the place and the decoration. I am glad to have this option in our town. I only give 4 stars because I think it's a little pricey but we enjoyed our visit
(4)Sean S.
Took my co worker and daughter for lunch. My litmus test for a BBQ is always the brisket. My daughter got the baby back ribs. I though the brisket was very good, done properly with the fat left on so that it does not get dry. My sides were the cornbread pancake (excellent), and the pinto beans (a tad bland but nothing a dash of salt could not fix). My daughters ribs were good, and the fries and baked beans as well. As far as prices, perhaps a smidgeon on the high side, but overhead is high in this area. I don't mind paying a little extra to get decent BBQ and not have to drive downtown (and pay the same prices). There was a very nice representation of local craft beers, although 3 of them were out). Music was a tad loud. Overall I was very happy and will be back to try other things on the menu. However, my biggest beef is that there are no sauces at the table. You have to ask the servers for them, which I think is a big no no for a bbq joint. Either have them at the table or a condiment counter. Having to flag down a server for sauce at bbq joint doesn't quite jive.
(4)Brad W.
My wife and I went to the Martin's in Mt. Juliet last night. It was a huge let down. The smell at the front door was great and unfortunately that was the only positive. We got Memphis dry rubbed wings and ribs. The ribs were bones and fat! Some man looked at our plate and asked "what is that"? He said "I have never seen ribs look like that". We had not either. As far as the dry rub - someone needs to tell them that you are supposed to put the rub on before you smoke the meat. It looked and tasted like they went crazy with a shaker of seasoning after the food was cooked and right before they served. The service was OK I guess .... but then again it is pretty much self service for the most part. Will NOT be back!
(1)