Shotgun Willie's BBQ

Shotgun Willie’s BBQ grows from Bill’s backyard smoking experiments in Houston in the early 1990s through a kolache bakery in Nashville in 2013, a food trailer in 2016 and a brick-and-mortar in 2019. Nashville Scene names its brisket “Best in Nashville” in 2017; the restaurant earns multiple “Best of Nashville” awards and Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn includes one of its trays among his top 20 BBQ trays eaten outside Texas in 2023. In May 2024 the operation relocates to a much larger Madison, TN space about four times the size, adding more smokers, more parking and expanded seating. The team offers full catering for roughly 10–100 guests, prepares a select amount of food each day with daily specials that may sell out, and requires advance notice and a deposit for larger orders. The Madison site is a sprawling, casual BBQ space with plenty more chairs and outdoor picnic-table seating. Guests may walk up for dine-in, dine-out at picnic tables, or takeout. A mechanical bull provides a playful feature. The kitchen serves Real Texas–style barbecue of smoked beef, pork and poultry presented with traditional sides and desserts. Specialties include smoked brisket and composed BBQ trays. Bulk meat a la carte orders are available. Brisket kolaches reflect the operation’s earlier Nashville bakery development, and classic barbecue sides and desserts round the offering.