- Attraction: Slick Pig BBQ
- Location: 1920 E Main St, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
- Industry: Restaurant
- Website: https://slickpigbbq.com
Since firing up their smokers thirty years ago, the Robinson family has transformed a former neighborhood grocery store into one of Middle Tennessee’s most beloved barbecue destinations.
What started as a dream brought back from Georgia in 1995 has grown into a local institution where hickory smoke billows from five massive smokers working around the clock, turning out meats so tender they practically fall apart before you can get them to your table.
When you walk through the doors at 1920 East Main Street, you’re stepping into three decades of perfected recipes, homemade sides that taste like Sunday dinner at grandma’s house, and the kind of authentic Southern hospitality that keeps people coming back week after week.
The numbers tell part of the story—over 26 million smoked wings sold by 2021 alone—but what really sets this place apart is how they’ve managed to expand from a single location to a food truck and second restaurant without ever sacrificing the quality that made them famous.
You’ll find everything from slow-smoked brisket that’s been in the smoker for twelve hours to Brunswick stew made from their traditional family recipe, all served up in a laid-back atmosphere where the focus stays squarely on the food.
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Keep Exploring →The Smoky Stars of the Menu
Those Legendary Wings: These aren’t your average chicken wings. Marinated in a secret recipe and smoked over hickory wood, each wing develops a flavor profile that’s earned them their reputation across the entire region.
The meat stays moist and tender while the smoke penetrates deep, creating that perfect balance between juicy interior and slightly crispy exterior.
You can order them by the piece starting at just one wing, or go all-in with orders up to 200 wings—and with ranch or blue cheese included, they’re ready to devour the moment they hit your table.
Ribs That Pull Clean Off The Bone: The St. Louis cut ribs here are meaty, substantial, and cooked to absolute perfection. After hours in the smoker, these ribs achieve that ideal texture where the meat releases from the bone with barely a twist, yet still has enough structure to hold together.
The sauce adds the right touch of tangy sweetness without overpowering the hickory smoke that defines every bite. Whether you order a half rack or full rack with two large sides, you’re getting a generous portion that showcases exactly why locals send visitors straight here.
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Discover MoreBrisket With The Perfect Bark: Ten to twelve hours of patient smoking creates beef brisket with a gorgeous smoky bark on the outside and fork-tender meat inside.
Each slice reveals the care taken in the smoking process—that telltale pink smoke ring around the edges and beef that’s so flavorful it stands alone without needing much sauce.
The portions are substantial, and when you order it as a sandwich or plate, you’re tasting what happens when a restaurant refuses to rush perfection.
The Pulled Pork Standard: Slow-smoked Boston butt gets seasoned with their signature spice blend and vinegar sauce, resulting in pulled pork that’s both succulent and packed with flavor.
The meat pulls apart easily, maintaining moisture throughout, and the seasoning enhances rather than masks the natural pork and smoke flavors. It works beautifully piled high on cornbread or garlic toast, or simply enjoyed on its own with your choice of their sauces.
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Keep Exploring →Friday’s Catfish Special: While barbecue takes center stage most days, Friday brings fried catfish that draws its own devoted following. The boneless fillet gets battered and fried until golden, staying flaky and tender inside without any hint of greasiness.
It arrives with tartar sauce and hushpuppies, plus two sides of your choice—and you’ll want to get there by 3pm because the place fills up fast once word spreads that the catfish is ready.
The Sides That Steal The Show
That Famous Potato Salad: This homemade side has become one of the restaurant’s calling cards. Made fresh and perfectly seasoned, the potato salad achieves that elusive balance where you can taste both the potatoes and the creamy dressing without either overwhelming the other.
It’s become such a signature that it pairs wonderfully with just about any meat on the menu, and once you try it, you’ll understand the local obsession.
Brunswick Stew Worth The Trip: Thick, hearty, and brimming with pulled pork, chicken, beef, tomatoes, and corn, this Brunswick stew follows a traditional Southern recipe that sets it apart from thinner versions you might find elsewhere.
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Discover MoreEvery spoonful delivers multiple textures and flavors working together, creating a comfort food experience that lives up to its Southern heritage. This is the real deal—substantial enough to be a meal on its own.
Classic Southern Sides: The supporting cast includes sweet and creamy coleslaw made in-house, perfectly seasoned baked beans and white beans, mac and cheese with that ideal gooey consistency, crispy fried okra that avoids the common mistake of over-frying, and green beans cooked to tender perfection.
Each side receives the same attention to detail as the main meats, ensuring your entire plate delivers on flavor.
Specials & Unique Offerings
The Pig Pile: For something truly indulgent, try this loaded creation where slow-smoked pulled pork gets piled on top of cornbread, then topped with baked beans, cheese, and coleslaw. It’s messy, it’s substantial, and it perfectly represents the “more is more” philosophy of great Southern barbecue.
Smoked Turkey: Beyond the traditional pork and beef, you’ll find smoked bone-in turkey breast that’s pulled and seasoned with vinegar sauce. It offers a lighter alternative while still delivering that signature hickory smoke flavor, and it’s available both as a sandwich and by the pound for taking home.
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Keep Exploring →Fried Green Tomatoes: A nod to Southern tradition, these are sliced to the perfect thickness and coated in just the right ratio of cornmeal, flour, and seasonings before frying.
They arrive crispy on the outside and tender inside, maintaining the slight tang of green tomato while the breading adds satisfying crunch.
Sweet Tea & Fruit Tea: The beverage selection includes both traditional sweet tea and a fruit tea that’s become a local favorite. Both are brewed fresh and sweetened just right, providing the perfect complement to all that smoky, savory goodness on your plate.
Atmosphere & Setting
Historic Building Charm: The restaurant occupies what was once the East Main Market, an iconic neighborhood corner store that now serves as home to all that smoky goodness.
Recent renovations have updated the space while respecting its history, creating an environment where you can feel both the building’s past and the restaurant’s thirty-year legacy.
The Pig Parlor: This separate area handles quick carry-out service, streamlining the process for people grabbing food to go. It keeps the takeout crowd moving efficiently without disrupting the dine-in experience, showing thoughtful consideration for how people actually use the space.
Indoor & Outdoor Options: You’ll find comfortable seating throughout the dining room, which features that open, spacious layout typical of converted commercial buildings.
When weather permits, the patio provides an alternative where you can enjoy your meal in the fresh air. On select occasions, live music fills the space, adding another layer to the relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
Order-At-Counter Style: This is classic barbecue joint format—you order up front at the counter, they bring your food to the table, and the lack of pretension lets the food take center stage. It’s casual, efficient, and perfectly suited to the type of meal you’re here to enjoy.
Planning Your Visit
Generous Portions & Fair Pricing: The serving sizes tend toward the generous side, with plates that genuinely fill you up and family packs designed to feed groups without breaking the bank.
For the quality and quantity you receive, the pricing sits comfortably in the affordable-to-moderate range, making it accessible for everything from a quick weekday lunch to feeding a crowd.
The value proposition stands out particularly in the catering realm, where the prices remain reasonable even for larger events.
Timing Your Arrival: Operating Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 8pm (closed Sunday and Monday), the restaurant sees its busiest periods starting around 3pm and continuing through dinner.
If you’re aiming for Friday catfish, arriving earlier in that afternoon window increases your chances of getting everything fresh from the kitchen before the rush.
Parking & Accessibility: The location on East Main Street offers convenient parking access, and its position near downtown Murfreesboro makes it easy to combine with an afternoon walk down Main Street if you’re exploring the area.
Catering Excellence: The restaurant has built a strong reputation for catering events of all sizes, with particular strength in weddings and large gatherings.
The setup can range from casual buffet-style to more elegant presentations, and their experience shows in how smoothly these larger orders get executed. The affordability relative to other catering options makes them a popular choice for event planners working within a budget.
Takeout Efficiency: With the dedicated Pig Parlor for carry-out orders and availability through multiple delivery platforms, getting your barbecue fix to-go works smoothly whether you’re ordering for yourself or feeding a group at home.
Slick Pig BBQ
📍 1920 E Main St, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
