Review of Three BBQ Restaurants in Nashville, TN
I just love good barbecue, don’t you? The best barbecue I have ever had is just outside of Austin, Texas. It is called Salt Lick and I can tell you that there will be nothing left on your fingers once you lick all that deliciousness off!
Today I am reviewing three barbecue places in Nashville, Tennessee. Why? Because it gives me a bucket list of places to visit when I go to Nashville this October. I have a few girlfriends from high school that in our later years have decided we should do an annual trip together to celebrate our long-lasting friendships.
Charcoal Cowboys caught my eye because it is owned by two friends who have a passion for barbecue. They are located at 6917 Lenox Village Drive which is near Oasis Church with Pastor Danny Chambers.
It was in 2007 that Charcoal Cowboys got their start. They entered a barbecue contest and from there they were hooked. Traveling the barbecue circuit for the next ten years, they won several trophies and awards.
When they won first place for the perfect Brisket, they had three appearances on the television show BBQ Pitmasters. They won the top five overall in Season 6. For their All-Star season, they scored perfect for brisket and ribs then pork.
From there they knew they were going to have to put their money where their mouth is, and they opened Charcoal Cowboys. Today they have almost one hundred positive posts on the web and counting.
The Gambling Stick is currently located at Porter Road Butcher in East Nashville. Using only dry-aged grass-fed beef, they have a reputation of one of the finest briskets in the area. Their meats are dry rubbed then put in a smoker until juicy and tender.
The origin of “The Gambling Stick” came from hunters in the Appalachian Mountains. When hunters would kill a pig, they would use a limb from a tree to hang the pig by its heals in the hopes the stick would not break and they could get the pig home without dragging it through the woods.
Owner, Matt Russo, was trained as a chef in the CIA. He then moved on to work in fine dining kitchens to hone his cooking skills. The Gambling Stick is not your normal restaurant, it is a food truck with a tent for guests to sit and eat their amazing food.
They don’t have too many reviews online, but the ones they do are giving them about a four-point-five-star rating.
Drifters is located at the East End of Nashville, Tennessee. They opened their doors in 2009 and consider themselves a pivotal part of the five points area.
Drifters is tucked away in an alley near the five points intersection. Their outdoor patio hosts live, local bands and artists on their state. A favorite of locals, they are all about being kid and dog friendly.
Owner, Matthew Charette, was the son of a French gourmet chef. As the youngest of seven children, Matt has been in the food industry all of his life. He opened his first restaurant in 2003 and the second in 2006. After opening Drifters, he believe in giving back to the community and was awarded one of 2015’s East Nashvillians of the Year.
I can see why they have over four hundred reviews on the internet. Both Marsha Seraphine, the General Manager and Director of Operation, Josef Gutzmirtl are not afraid to get their hands dirty and can be seen working behind the bar and in the kitchen whenever the restaurant gets busy.