Drawing BBQ Inspiration From Texas, Kansas City, And Beyond, Honey Fire BBQ Company Is Bringing A New Kind Of ‘Cue To Tennessee

When you are craving juicy, flavorful meats, mediocre barbecue just won’t do. You need the best of the best -- and you deserve the best of the best! Enter: Honey Fire BBQ. This unique restaurant in Nashville brings a twist to traditional barbecue. You’ll enjoy slow-smoked meats, perfectly seasoned sauces, and a dining experience that will leave you with a smile on your face. These are just a few reasons why Honey Fire BBQ is one of the best -- and tastiest! -- small businesses in Tennessee.

Welcome to Small Business Spotlight, our celebration of the ingenuity and innovation of small business owners across the country. From well-established restaurants to brand-new specialty stores and everything in between, these businesses -- and the hardworking proprietors at their helm -- are truly an inspiration.

Honey Fire BBQ is the type of place that you’ll find yourself craving and visiting over and over again. This Tennessee restaurant opened in 2018 by Ben Claybaker who was born in Texas and raised in Arkansas.

Claybaker's background allowed him to be influenced by the beef and pork side of the BBQ cuisine. He got his start at the age of 14 in a small mom-and-pop BBQ restaurant in Magnolia, Arkansas. He continued working in the food and hospitality industry for years. His experience ranges from working in food trucks to catering elegant wedding receptions and corporate events.

In 2018, with the help of friends and a whole lot of passion, Claybaker opened Honey Fire BBQ on Sawyer Brown Road. In 2023, he opened a second location in downtown Nashville in the Assembly Food Hall at 5055 Broadway Place.

“Honey Fire Barbeque Company has received many accolades. But for the Honey Fire team, the opinion of our own community means the most,” Claybaker says. “When someone walks in and has brought a friend to try out their favorite BBQ spot, it melts the heart of every team member. Awards are great but the smiles on the repeat customers' faces mean the world to us.”

And after you have visited this award-winning Tennessee BBQ joint, you’ll quickly see why it has become a local favorite. The meats are slowly cooked to perfection and the sauces and rubs are honey-based and homemade.

Lunch and dinner are served at this Nashville BBQ joint and you’ll find everything from sandwiches to meat plates featuring up to half a pound of your choice of hickory smoked pulled pork, smoked chicken, or smoked sausage.

And while you’ll love the meat, the sides are just as incredible. You’ll have options such as the cold pimento cheese macaroni salad, which is a family recipe. There is also white queso macaroni and cheese, Sidewinder fries, coleslaw, bourbon baked beans, sweet corn pudding, and so much more.

The food isn’t the only thing you’ll remember when you visit Honey Fire BBQ — it is hard to forget the welcoming atmosphere. Enjoy your meal in the fresh and fun dining room or sit outside on the wraparound covered patios for a little fresh air to complement your meal.

And while making his customers happy is certainly a priority, Claybaker enjoys “seeing employees loving their job so much that they don't feel like the hard work, tears, and sweat feels like actual work.”

“This makes for such an incredible place to work and the customers can feel the difference,” he says. “They may not know what makes Honey Fire special, but they can feel it.”

Many thanks to Honey Fire BBQ Owner Ben Claybaker for sharing the story of this small business. Learn more and support this delicious Tennessee restaurant by visiting the Honey Fire BBQ Company website and the Honey Fire BBQ Facebook page.

Of course, Honey Fire BBQ is one of many amazing businesses in Tennessee that’s doing great things in the state. If you have another business you’d like to see profiled on Only In Tennessee, please nominate them for a chance to be featured. And be sure to follow Only In Tennesee on Facebook and Instagram to stay in the know on the state’s events, restaurants, local businesses, and hidden gems.