Texas barbecueMadison$$$$
Shotgun Willie's BBQ
Central Texas-style brisket and ribs in Madison, about 15 minutes north of downtown.
#1 in Barbecue
What to get
- Salt-and-pepper pork ribs (they sell out often)
- American wagyu / USDA Prime brisket
- Texas hill country sausage
- Dill potato salad, baked beans, jalapeño cornbread, bourbon banana pudding
When to go
Get there close to 11 am, especially on weekends: lines stretch out the door and meats sell out (Infatuation; the official site warns it closes when sold out).
Insider tip
Check the daily specials board. There's a coin-operated mechanical bull kids can ride for a quarter (Infatuation). Owner Bill Laviolette is a Texas transplant who still roots for the Houston Oilers (Scene).
Heads up
Lunch only, five days a week, and in Madison, north of downtown.
Find it
- Phone
- (615) 942-9188
- Website
- sgwbbq.com
- Reservations
- walk-in only
Recognition
- Michelin Guide American South (inaugural, Nov 2025): Recommended
- Eater Nashville 38 Best Restaurants (2026)
- The Infatuation, The Best BBQ In Nashville: #1 (9.1), 'our pick for the best barbecue in the Nashville area right now'
- Nashville Scene 'Strip Mall Gems' (Apr 2026): 'magnum opus' of pitmaster Bill Laviolette
Checked Oct. 1, 2026. Ratings are a snapshot from Google and Yelp; ranks are ours (how we rank). Something out of date? Tell us.
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