Mary's Old Fashioned Pit Bar-B-Que

Worst bbq I've ever taste. Ribtips are extremely tough. The only had mild bbq sauce which looked like salsa. I went and got my own and still couldn't eat. Wasted $38. If you want to feel disgusting with your food than this is the place. Do not eat here.

I been all thru the southern states trying authentic bbq , this is the best place and most authentic bbq I ever had ! Staff is super friendly , incredibly authentic ! I can't say enough . Food was unreal ! I rarely give 5 stars but this was a no Brainer!

Mary's Bar B Q has been one of the best places to get a shoulder sandwich from. I hear that they are now closing for good and this saddens me because this place has serviced Nashville for many years and I hate to see them close. Blessings with your endeavors and thanks for the memories of your place of business.

Would rate a zero if possible. Ordered two white fish plates and I knew the second my boyfriend brought it to the truck that something wasn't right. It smelled HORRIBLE and I regret not sending it back immediately. That fish smelled like it had come straight from the Cumberland River 3 days ago and had been sitting out ever since. We were starving so tried to eat the sides but the turnip green juice watered down the potato salad so much that it was inedible as well. The fish was like rubber and even the mustard, hot sauce, onions and pickles just couldn't cover that smell or taste. I threw mine out but my boyfriend ate out of pure hunger and regretted it the rest of the night; details too hideous to share. Huge waste of $45.

My friends and I were referred to Mary's old fashion barbeque while we were visiting Nashville. We were looking for the back-alley hole in the wall restaurant with the best BBQ in town. Only one of those is true for Mary's. If you are looking for the slightly sketchy restaurant with a portrait of Barack Obama inside, Mary's is the place for you! I asked for a "rack" of ribs, but the lady taking my order quickly corrected me and asked if I wanted a "slab". I'm not sure what the difference is, but the ribs were so tough I only ate a few bites before throwing the rest out. Long story short, the food is terrible but the ambiance is perfect!

The pig feet always needs salt but it's still my favorite place to get it in Nashville.

I got a Rib sandwich and he got a fish plate. My ribs were okay. They were decently tender but not very seasoned. I got the spicy BBQ sauce, and it was just okay too. There was a lot of fish on the plate but missed on the seasoning. The greens were very bitter and flavorless and the slaw was not worth mentioning. My husband was so unsatisfied with his plate that he wanted something else to eat. We will not be returning. The lady and gentlemen were very nice but for 38 bucks it was 33 too much. Also, they didn't have the first 4 items that we wanted.

Got the BBQ plate with slaw and potato salad sides. Loved the sauces! Even the mild had a kick to it which I like. The potato salad and slaw were great! BBQ wasn't too dry but it did taste a little too charred or burned for my taste. Tasted great with the sauce so we still ate it all! Service was great, ladies were very nice. Got it very quick.

Macaroni and cheese is nasty and not seasoned. The greens are not seasoned and nasty. Rib tips are tough and the sauce has no taste with a spice to it. I'm from Atlanta this is not it.

Do it. Every city has its roots in food. Mary's will give you a lesson in good bbq and a taste that mingled with the city's earliest pork history. Yes, plenty of bbq in the Music City, but this is worth skipping most tour stops and bright lights. 9/10/2022

Great barbecue. Stopped on the way back to Ohio from Louisiana. Portions were huge. We had a short rib sandwich, regular rib sandwich, and a polish sausage. They only have a pick-up window, and I wanted to sit in the car and eat all my food before getting back on the highway. Would definitely go back if in town.

It's not the same as when I was growing up but just be sure to order early. But close to closing. I felt as though I ended up with the chicken from lunch time. It was pretty dry.

Full slab of ribs were extremely dry. I was unable to eat them. I wonder if they were trying to make jerky from the ribs. Pulled pork sandwich, same thing, so dry it was inedible. Potato salad very bland. Maybe add a touch of yellow mustard? Disappointed.

Just left here tonight getting a fish sandwich at least that's what I thought I was getting it was horrible it's not hard to put the fish in some cornmeal and fry y'all trying to do some fancy stuff and messed the whole fish sandwich up I'm so disappointed and will never again will I get one from there McDonald's was better than Mary's stick to what you have been cooking and that's not good either the rib tips is tuff yet img to cook the fish like Captain D's and they still have y'all beat if wasn't that's where I would've been at

Are you kidding me with this place, nothing short of a masterpiece! I came to have the 'Rib Sandwich', heard it was amazing. Well I heard right. Like the sign says, 'you had the rest, now try the best'!!! But I want to start out by saying the lady that took my order and gave me the food was so nice, it just felt like mom was getting my food. Love that. The 'Sandwich', calling it that makes me laugh because it was a rack of ribs, with two pieces of bread and some amazing pickles. I laugh because I don't know how one would bite through that, the bones are in there. But the ribs are so tender and fall of the bone, you can just take the bones out if you like. I ate at a few BBQ spot while I was in Nashville, the "legendary places". None of them could hold a candle to Mary's. These ribs were some of the best pork ribs I ever had (but that title belongs to Fat Matt's in Atlanta) but Mary's was OUTSTANDING. Oh and the sauce, the sauce was of the charts good. In Nashville DONT wet the bed, go to Mary's !!!

I ordered 2 lbs of pork and a 16 oz cole slaw. I got my pork and two 16 oz sauces BUT NO SLAW!! Then I tried to call the number provided and NO ANSWER!! I live an hour away so I'm pretty upset I don't have all my food especially with how much I paid!! I would have corrected this with a phone call if someone would have answered!! Now Im even more upswt!!

I got the 1 lb pork bbq with fried and hot sauce. The meet was pretty good and the hot sauce is great. I would definitely order these again. Service was quick and the staff was friendly. The issue is that there was a toothpick stuck in the middle of one of the fries. I only noticed it right before I bit in, could've been dangerous so I had to give two stars otherwise it was great.

Food was incredible and the service was great, I'd definitely recommend this to anyone looking for some classic Pit BBQ

Miss Mary would be very disappointed if she tried the ribs today. Use to be the BEST RIBS Tn middle Tn 70's 80's 90's and early 2000's but far from today. Perry BBQ in whitehouse Tn on Friday BLOW this place away! Sorry to sound so negative but sucks to talk about how something used to taste sooooo good :,,( That said, Miss Mary was an AMAZING lady and a pleasure to have met!!

Stopped today about 2pm got a rack of ribs to go, they were great. Very pleased will get these again.

Every time I come to Nashville, Mary's is a must stop by. The fish sandwich is amazing. My favorite must have are the ribs!!! 5stars all the way

We ordered ribs for two. They were dried out & 'mild' sauce was meh. Cole slaw was good. Do not bother ordering Corn Cakes, more like dried out pancakes.

The guy at the window was sooo friendly and smiled the whole time so let's start off by saying thanks for that. I've been living in the neighborhood and had never tried this restaurant. I got the pull pork sandwich and dark meat chicken. Both were good but the chicken was AMAZING. I've been missing out for sure. I'll definitely be back again.

Went here on our drive to Memphis based on review by Roger on the TV program Man Fire Food. We were not disappointed!! Ordered 2 slabs, greens, potato salad, corn cakes and fries. The ribs were very tender, juicy, and flavorful without sauce, had mild and sweet sauces on the sides, very good. The greens were delicious and tender. Potato salad, corn cakes and fries were very good. Ms Carrie was OUTSTANDING!! She greeted us with a beautiful smile, extremely welcoming and attentive. I wii definitely go back when I'm in the area again!

Baby back ribs have a rub which when slow smoked to perfection have a slight shiny glazed crust. They don't need any sauce to be appreciated but their distinctive orange tinted barbeque sauce of either the hot or mild variety is pretty amazing. Amazing as In "they should bottle this stuff and sell nationally" delicious. Pulled pork nothing super special, but just good, especially with the house made sauce. Cole slaw was chopped and refreshing. Baked beans tasted like the Heinz variety, sweet ketchupy. Mary's apparently has been in business since 1962. Real basic place decorated like a bare bones diner with a counter into the kitchen. Clientele was very local: let's just say that us Texas toast Silicon Valley types stuck out like a soar thumb. But everyone was very kind and accommodating in helping us make the right choices. The guys hanging out in the parking lot even moved their feet to the side when we parked out front. Dinner for 4 ended up a bit more expensive than expected. $20 for a slab of ribs (large enough for 2-1/2 people), $10 for a plate of pork shoulder and 2 sides, some extra sides and 3 sodas was over $40. Bathrooms looked brand new with hand sensor paper towel dispensers and all. Totally incongruous with the rest of the place.

As I approached this dive, which is a compliment in this context, my expectations sky-rocketed due to the claims of being the best were plastered all over the place. After consulting the man behind the counter, I ordered the short ribs sandwich." He said the short ribs fly out of here. I hesitate to use the term sandwich. It was a rack of ribs stuck between three slices of white bread. The ribs came with a fresh order of turnip greens, which were cooked in smoked turkey, not pork fat. The ribs were very good. They were cooked to fall-off-the-bone perfection. The rub formed a crusty, tasty surface layer -- only to be peeled away to reveal moist smokey meat. The hot BBQ sauce is more of a hot sauce than a BBQ sauce. The ribs stood alone without the sauce. They received three stars due to the lack of side choices and drink choices and the flavor of the ribs. All of their beverages were canned, which meant no sweet tea.

I'm not sure what it used to taste like but everything was gross and the customer service was poor as well. The fish was over cooked and chewy not to mention I was told I didn't need to look at my plate because everything was in there only to find that I wasn't given pickles or onions which are imperative to a good fish plate. The pork shoulder was also trash and tasted baked. The spaghetti tasted like it was poured out of a can and the fries seemed as though they were fried the the day before. The baked beans tasted like I was eating a spoon of cheap BBQ sauce and the potato salad was warm which is a food hazard. I should've known better when the restaurant was empty during rush hour. I defiantly won't be returning and wasting anymore money at this establishment. 98 percent of what I bought went in the trash.

I use to come here when I was a kid I use to look forward to coming here from California however that was years ago so years later under new ownership it was not as good as it use to be it use to be moist and full of flavor not anymore dry pull pork yuk what a disappointment

Some of the best ribs in town. Dry rubbed, smoky, delicious. I'm not as much of a fan of their pulled pork as what Pop's has, but it's still the real deal here. Those of you from out of town, don't be surprised when they try to give you half a loaf of wonderbread to go with your barbecue. That's how it's supposed to be done; it may not be good, but it is tradition.

I had the shoulder sandwich with pickles and hot sauce. It was so good that I'm still thinking about it a day later! Next time I'll get slaw on it- and there WILL be a next time!

Hate when "spicy" isn't at all spicy? Not a problem here. The barbecue is kickin' and so are the greens!

I had the pulled pork sandwich. He had the pork shoulder sandwich. They were good and the staff was very friendly and helpful. The cole slaw was yummy. She let us have a taste our first turnip greens. Thank you!

I got the chicken plate and my roommate got the ribs. Both were almost in edible because they were so dry! Sides were okay. Portions were kind of small for what we paid. The locals were ordering the pork shoulder so maybe we should've ordered that. Will probably not be returning as there are much better BBQ places in nashville.

Amazing local food. So nice to find something not tourist saturated. $60 fed 5 hungry men and we will be back. Highly recommended

As a Nashville native, I've been going to Mary's for over 20 years. Many a late night trip there for a shoulder on cornbread sandwich. But something has changed and that change is the sauce. Mary's was know for having a hot, thin, vinegary sauce. Now it barely tickles the taste bud meter. I know the original owner passed away and the new ones say the sauce is the same, but I can assure you, it is not. Please go back to the original sauce recipe.

Pretty good...not the best I've had. Staff was super friendly ! The potato was the best part of the meal and vole slaw was really good. They had Nehi Peach soda so I was sold at that point. If I were in the area I would check in but not a place I'd go out of the way for to eat BBQ.

Nice people but the area is pretty bad. Food wasn't that good either. Had high hopes for this place too!

We have been coming here for over 25 years with my parents. I moved to Colorado years ago and this is a must stop place every time we are in town. The ribs are the BEST, no place is better !!!!!

If you want great, no-frills, Memphis-style pork shoulder barbecue, excellent ribs, or a decent catfish platter, look no further. I had driven by Mary's almost every day on my way to work at a school off of D. B. Todd, and I finally had to stop in for lunch one day. I'm so glad that I finally did. Let me start with the service, about which I really can't say enough - the proprietor was right at the ordering window and made me feel instantly at home, even though I was only stopping in for carry-out. She was kind and gracious, and the rest of the staff was laughing, friendly, and constantly checked with me to ensure that I had already been helped. I got a pork shoulder sandwich, french fries, corn cakes. As for the pork shoulder sandwich, it came out very smokey (perfection!) tender, and flavorful: exactly what pork barbecue should look, taste, and smell like. The tangy orange-colored sauce wasn't what I was expecting for a Nashville barbecue restaurant, but boy, did it hit the spot. The french fries were glorious; hot, oily, and crispy. They had clearly just been fried when I got served up my extremely generous portion. The corn cakes were yet another wonderful surprise. I've always been a little suspicious of corn griddle cakes - simple skillet cornbread has always been the way to go for me - but these were phenomenal. That's not even to mention the fact that Miss Mary, the proprietor, gave me an extra corn cake free of charge simply for chatting with her! The cakes were well-done, savory, and chewy with a pleasingly gritty texture, just like Southern cornbread should be. I'll be back the next time I can. I already have this place marked off as my "hole-in-the-wall" restaurant in Nashville, and if you're ever on the lookout for great barbecue at an also-great price, look no further than Mary's Old Fashioned Pit Barbeque.

I struggled with the fifth star but the hot sauce is so good Mary's merits 5 stars. I had the ribs and they were meaty and succulent. I thought they were braised. If they were smoked then they were finished wet. Whatever it was it worked for me. The dining room is bright and clean, the service was fine, and the camaraderie was unexpected and enjoyable. Next time I'll try the pulled shoulder. Any excuse for more sauce.

Mary's has been around since before Yelp was even thought of...enough said! Old Community staple and always GOOD!!!

Well, we searched for BBQ and found this place...NOT what we were expecting. Yes we knew it was a no frills kind of place but we at least expected the food to be good. We had a slab of ribs that unfortunately was dry and had no real smoke taste. The sauce was not the best either. Needless to say WE won't be going back anytime soon.

Mary's serves a traditional Memphis-style pulled pork shoulder plate with a choice of hot or mild tangy barbecue sauce, along with two sides for $9. Canned drinks are a buck. It's reccomended that you just order the half-pound of shoulder and a single large side to split with someone else, because it is a better deal. This place is super authentic, and you will be the only white person there if you show up alone, and you are white to begin with. Glad I stopped by!

Mary's Bar b que lack in flavor and quality it's definitely at the bottom of my list for bar b que spot I thought as much smoke as you see coming from the pit it would be worth a try but once the smoke clears the taste of the food does to I can't tell the difference between the mild or hot bar b que sauce the meat was dry the sauce has no real flavor I tasted more of the onions in the sauce than anything I could probly get a better turn out if I tried to bar b que at home I guess the locals are used to nasty food or know no better so in their mind it's good but I guess there was a reason I hadn't been there in the 8 years since I been in Nashville but they don't have to worry about me going back the baked beans weren't done all the way and neither was the vegetables that they are suppose to sauté before they add nice people horrible food.

went by mary"s today for lunch no ribs so I got chicken sandwichs man I could not believe the way the food has gone down in taste just bad bad bad they should just close.

I had the chicken with the hot sauce and the chicken was dry even with all the sauce. The hot sauce had pretty good flavor but the chicken tasted like it had been sitting around for a while. The baked beans and potato salad were ok. My friend had the pork and it was terrible. I don't think I will be going back.

My brother never steers me wrong when it comes to good food at great prices. I ask where I could get some good southern stlye BBQ and without hesitation he suggested Mary's. His only warning was DO NOT get the hot chicken. Not because it taste bad because its so darn HOT!! I enjoyed my BBQ'd chicken (with mild sauce) and even ordered a side of wings! I was sad because the peach cobbler wasn't cooked and ready to be served. Customer Service was fantastic. It's a no frills type place with a HIGH FRILLS taste. I'll be back for sure on my next visit to Nashville, TN

Very disappointed the slabs were not freshly made and were like a cardboard. The only thing I liked was the wonder bread that came with it