Name: Bringle’s Smoking Oasis
Date: 2/19/22 and 3/5/22
Address: 4901 Centennial Blvd, Nashville, TN 37209
Order: Beef rib, smoked turkey, beef brisket, pork ribs, collard greens (link to menu)
Pricing: $$$

Speedy: As you dear readers know, Peg Leg Porker has been one of my favorite Nashville joints since I moved here in 2017. The ribs and wings are both some of the best you’ll find in Tennessee, but the menu limits itself to Tennessee style barbecue – basically all pork and chicken. So when owner Carey Bringle announced he was opening a Texas-style barbecue joint, well I was interested. Bringle’s Smoking Oasis opened in December 2021, but I had not had a chance to go try it until a friend visiting gave me the perfect excuse to head over for a Saturday lunch.

First things first – the space is awesome. Bringle’s Smoking Oasis is right in the heart of the Nations – an up-and-coming neighborhood in Nashville – as is walking distance to several breweries and other restaurants. For anyone planning a visit to Nashville, this is a popular Airbnb location, with lots of new “tall/skinny” houses popping up, and several condo complexes. In addition to being in a nice neighborhood, Bringle’s Smoking Oasis has a huge outdoor area with a large bar section. In the summertime, this will be the perfect spot to enjoy an outdoor beverage or two. The inside is small but functional – a cafeteria-style line and around a dozen four-person tables.

The cafeteria-style line works a little backwards, as you first grab dessert (I opted for apple pie), then hot sides, cold sides, and ended with the meat. I was initially planning to order some the brisket, but as I got to the meat station, I saw one lonely beef rib just calling my name. Usually reserved as a Sunday special, I was told that they had a couple extra beef ribs this week and made some for Saturday as well, and there was only one left. So of course, I had to go for it, along with a bit of turkey. Friend of the blog Nate ordered pulled pork, brisket, and pastrami (on recommendation from the slicer), so I knew I’d get to try most of the meats. One small complaint here – as someone who has been to a fair share of ‘cue joints in Texas, the line, in comparison, moved very slow, with the meat station generally slowing things up. Meat slicers in Texas are artists, and move with both grace and quickness. I’m hopeful this process will speed up in the future at the Smoking Oasis, but there was a bit of a backlog at times.

All that said, we were through the line and it was time to eat. I don’t want to bury the lede, so I’ll just say the beef rib was my favorite part of the meal. The cook on the rib was perfect – it was incredibly tender pulling right off the bone, and there was just the right amount of bark outside. There could potentially have been a little bit more seasoning (I’m a pepper fiend), but that’s nit picking. I’m glad I ordered the rib, though in reality it’s probably best to be shared with 3-4 people (the rib weighed in at 1.8 pounds, bone included). My turkey was also very flavorful with great smoke. It was just a tad dry, but I also got the end of the breast, so a cut off a freshly unwrapped cut would likely solve this. The flavor was great and I will be ordering this meat again.

As for the brisket and pastrami, I really feel like I didn’t get enough to judge, so I ended up taking a solo trip back two weeks later for another go. This time I went with brisket and pork ribs. The brisket ended up being better than I remembered, with good flavor and moistness; however, it was not as tender as the top briskets I’ve had and couple probably use a little more bark. Still, a fine effort and a meat I would order again. I expected the ribs to be exactly like the ones at peg leg porker, but they were instead also cooked Texas style. The flavor was excellent, and the meat was tender, so no complaints. Based on memory, I would give a slight nod to Peg Leg ribs because of the rub, but I plan to side by side them in the future. 

Overall, I can’t recommend Bringles Smoking Oasis enough, especially on a nice day where the outdoor space can be utilized. I had high expectations going in, but they were all exceeded and Bringles will be my go to spot to bring visitors and vaults to the top of the Nashville rankings.

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 5 hogs
Beef rib – 4.5 hogs
Brisket – 4.5 hogs
Turkey – 4 hogs
Pork ribs – 4.5 hogs
Sides – 4 hogs
Overall – 4.5 hogs