Excell Bar-B-Q

It’s a hole-​in-​wall, greasy-​spoon, gas station diner. BUT-​the 5.0 rating is solely based on the BEST BBQ Clarksville has to offer. Down home, pit bar-​b-​que, smoked out back, with the smoke so thick it obscures vision on Hwy 12. Seriously, the pulled pork BBQ take-​out plate is the absolute best. Generous portion, bread/​bun, sauce, 2 sides, what a $ value. I hate driving by and not stopping. But it is the go-​to place for to go BBQ!

My wife’s grandfather used to live in Clarksville, and for the last 10 years I have heard her rave about the Bar-​be-​que he had when she went to visit. No matter where we tried it never measured up to what she remembered as true BBQ. Well recently while visiting Nashville we decided to make the trip out and pick some up for ourselves. It is AMAZING! The BBQ is full of flavor with or without the sauce! We got ours to go and brought it home — even re heated it still tastes wonderful. I now know why the memory of this food stuck with her for so long.
Like other reviewers have said — if you want a «fine Dining» experience, or are turned off by a restaurant in a gas station then go somewhere else. But if you want great BBQ this is the place.

Great BBQ for an excellent price. One of «those» places you would never guess had great BBQ. People constantly coming in for BBQ and there is a reason. You can’t beat the price for the huuuuuuge portions.

This place use to have the BEST BBQ. We just got some and I sadly have to say it’s the worse :(Taste as though it’s old. Bought a loaf of bread that’s at least 4 days old. Was a waste of $ 12.00 Terrible just terrible.

This is the kind of place that no doubt lives on word of mouth advertising. Anyone from Clarksville will most likely recommend this place to newcomers. To drive past, it really doesn’t look like much but you know that means all the love and care goes into the food! You would also be surprised by how far you can stretch a pound of bbq. I think with meat, buns, and a couple of sides I paid about $ 30 and that fed a family of 6! Awesome!

I’ve always loved the bbq here, it’s some of the best I’ve ever had. Yesterday we picked some up to bring home and also bought a chess pie. The bbq was great as usual but the pie was disgusting. It had a greenish tint, was bubbly inside and smelled like rotten eggs. When we called them to let them know, the girl’s response was «ok». No apologies or offers for our money back or to replace the pie. In my opinion, service is just as important as the food. So because if this we won’t be going back.

Locals know this is THE go-​to place for barbecue in the Sango area. It’s the best BBQ around. Don’t miss it if you are passing by.

Yummy but not worth the crazy diversion my husband insisted upon on our way home from Indiana. Bonus points for being quaint. It’s not every day I eat outside a gas station with a smokehouse behind me. The pork sandwich is a great deal!

Well it’s an experience for sure and the barbecue is amazing. This is a run down old gas station with a restaurant hid in the back. You can’t see it if you don’t ask! And ask we did to which the person at the counter yelled…“Someone’s comin back!” What the place lacks it atmosphere it makes up with the pork barbecue for sure! Slaw is tasty too!

This country store has the best pulled pork BBQ you are ever going to eat. Don’t let appearance deceive you this is an established local business. They do have a room in back if you want to eat there. Don’t pass this opportunity up if you are visiting Clarksville, TN.

I keep messing up this review. We found this place due to some other reviews on here and couldn’t resist. We love some great barbecue in this place did not disappoint. Nothing fancy but the food is good and it’s priced beyond perfect. And yes I admit I like to have in the building behind it where they were smoking all that yummy yummy barbecue. Of all the barbecue we’ve had in the past few days on this visit to this area of our beautiful country, this was among the best!

The barbecue in this place is so dang good, people will pile in here every day and buy every scrap they can serve up without regard to the appearance of the place or the dead flies lining the window sills. Nothing else matters– NOTHING– the barbecue is THAT GOOD.
If you need your barbecue served by sweet-​tempered ladies, in a pristine dining room, go somewhere else, but don’t plan on it being around for very long. Excell Barbecue (formerly Big Daddy’s) has been around a LONG time, despite dirty floors and surly service, because if you want the absolute best barbecue, this is where you get it.
FYI: If you feel the need to visit the restroom, don’t. Wait till you get home.

The name was shortened, I think. It really should be ‘Excellent Bar-​B-​Q’. I love this place. I love that it is a gas station and there is a pillar of smoke rising from behind the store. The pulled pork is insanely good. I can’t stop picking at it and I don’t like watching other people help themselves to it. It’s so flavorful — smokey and juicy — perfect. I can’t wait for our next trip to Clarksville.

So my dad and I decided to do a pilgrimage of BBQ in an around clarksville TN. This is the 5^th place we’ve been too and it’s definitely the best hands down. the price is unbeatable at $ 3 for a half pound of pork on a sandwich. At most places I order two sandwiches. Not necessary here. The coleslaw was awesome as well.

I was skeptical because of the run down gas station, but went ahead and bought some anyways. I figured at $ 2.99 for a good sized sandwich I wouldn’t be out much if it was gross… But it was some of the best BBQ I have ever had! Didn’t get any sides because they looked store bought, but the pulled pork was amazing!

I found this hidden, heavenly BBQ dispensary by chance while having my car worked on. There I sat when i find myself traveling quickly down the street like a werewolf following his nose for a fresh kill. Whats is this I see? An ordinary gas station with a small wooden shack that appears to have some sort of internal fire within. On further investigation I realize that this shack is not on fire, there is some sort of BBQ of titanic proportions going on within. Smoke is billowing out of every window and some cracks in the walls. Naturally I must further investigate this. With some clever detective work I quickly surmise that the heavenly BBQ can be purchased from within this ordinary looking Excel Gas Station. I quickly order the pork BBQ on wheat bread and the kind man asks if I would like anything else. Onions… YES, Pickles… YES… you get the idea. Next comes the BBQ sauce. Sweet BBQ, Spicy vinegar are my choices. As a connoisseur of BBQ sauce I find myself extremely satisfied with this masterful combination of spice, tang and sweet. I proceed to stuff my face with BBQ and retire from this hidden gem satisfied. How much does a superior BBQ sandwich like this cost you ask? A mere 2.99 will set you free into BBQ heaven.

As a native Tennessean from the Sango community, I have eaten lots of barbecue over the years, and as I’ve traveled and lived in different parts of the country, I’ve sampled the various styles of barbecue throughout the South, the Mid-​West, and the East Coast. I no longer live in Tennessee, but I’m back there visiting family very regularly, three to four times a year and of course family get-​togethers and meals are always part of the plan.
I’m happy to be able to say that Excell’s barbecue and sides are «as good as it gets» and I make it a point to stop by and pick some up for our family every time I’m visiting Tennessee. I think both the pork and the chicken are excellent; the pork barbecue is juicy with a wonderful barbecue flavor without being over-​cooked, the chicken is crisp, moist and fall-​off-​the-​bone succulent.
I prefer mine with Excell’s hot sauce but other family members love have «just plain BBQ!» Excell offers the traditional «sides» of cole slaw, baked beans, and potato salad, and each of these are delicious. Their whole pies, sold both whole and by the slice, are wonderful too and a real Southern cooking treat. In fact we often buy Excell in 10 pound orders for our larger family gatherings.
Because I no longer live in Tennessee, I can only comment on their carry-​out service, I have never eat-​in at Excell but a small side dining room is available. But we’ve never had any problems with our orders, either large or small, and the folks who work there have always been friendly and helpful.