Restaurant Review: Edley's Bar-B-Que

Nov 21

Nov 21 Restaurant Review: Edley's Bar-B-Que

This year was my first trip to Nashville. I knew two things about the city: music and food. I was excited to get to experience a slice of both. I did my usual checks for restaurants, Guy Fieri’s Triple D show, and Trip Advisor’s top ranked. I knew I wanted to try Nashville BBQ as I have an on again, off again relationship with BBQ so far. This was how I found Edley’s Bar-B-Que.

Edley’s opened in 2011 in the 12 South location. It is still family owned and operated by the founders Will and Catherine Newman. They named the place for Will’s late Grandfather, George Edley Newman, who was born in a farming community in Tennessee. He left a legacy “of generosity, hard work, and Southern hospitality” for his descendants and Will and Catherine’s philosophy for Edley’s has that baked in. Their seal proudly asserts “A tribute to all things Southern” and on their About page you can read how it’s put into action in the restaurants. The kitchen takes no short cuts with low and slow smoke methods for their meats. All sides made scratch daily, and a mission statement that boasts Gutsy, Responsible, Impassioned, and Thoughtful.

Edley’s Bar-B-Que has grown from this first store to 6 locations, mostly in Nashville but also other places like Chattanooga. For four years (so far), they have been voted Best BBQ in Nashville by readers of the Nashville Scene, and have been featured in major publications like Southern Living and USA today. A mighty restaurant that values the experience its customers have and the food they serve.

The brisket sandwich with mac and cheese, potato salad, and cornbread sides.

Our first night in Nashville, we took a trip to the location on 12 South and we returned our last night as well so more friends could try the cuisine. The end cap of a block, the delicious smell of BBQ wafts all over the street and draws in any passerby. When we visited a different restaurant the next night, it almost brought us back. This was the cause for giving in that last night and returning. They have a very easy atmosphere from the moment you walk in. You choose your own seating, with a barrel of menus by the front door. When you’re ready, you can walk up and order to get a number. They do also offer take away and catering for those not able to eat on the scene.

The half chicken with a side salad, mac and cheese, and cornbread sides.

This location has a bar on the left of entering, and the dining was split into an inside and outside seating. The outside had a large fireplace and wide open doors that allowed the outdoor and indoor seating to feel blended together. A very south and western decor greeted us and kept the immersive feeling to go with our bbq.

The first night, we were a group of four and tried pretty different dishes, and that last night, we tried a few more to experience as much as possible. For my plate, I had a brisket sandwich, a side of chicken tortilla soup that was the daily special, a side of corn bread, potato salad, and mac and cheese. The chicken tortilla soup was delicately spiced, the tortilla strips nice and crispy, and the chicken was so tender and easy to eat. The corn bread had a nice crumble to it and did not skimp on portion size. The mac and cheese was a good ratio of cheese to noodle and creamy. The potato salad was cool and creamy as well. My brisket was tender, fell apart, and was so moist and flavorful. The sauce was not overpowering and drizzled on to accentuate the meat without stealing all the flavor.

A meat platter with green beans, mac and cheese, cornbread, and pickle sides.

My friends got things ranging from a brisket platter, wings, to a half chicken with a white bbq sauce. Everyone shared stories of tender and moist meat that fell easily off bones, and was wonderfully smoked. It kicked off a great week.

When I returned, I ordered the pulled pork loaded bbq nachos to share. They were overly generous with the toppings and the pulled pork was tender and well spiced. The cheese sauce. The cheese was so good and I don’t know the correct words for it. The nachos were a hit and even with three of us sharing, it still filled us up.

Edley’s Bar-B-Que has a lot to be proud of, and for this northerner, a welcoming place that showed me not just hospitality, but damn fine BBQ, that put us back together again in our relationship.