For area carnivores looking for a local spot where they can go hog wild, check out Single Tree BBQ, a Murfreesboro eatery owned and operated by area native Charlie Eblen.
Highlights for this writer include the special house-made sausages, a meaty, dense combination of beef brisket, cheese and jalapeños, packed with flavor, some spice to it, but not outrageously hot.
“I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted [as far as a beef sausage],” Eblen said. So after much trial and error with recipes, and taste testing by customers, the restaurateur opted to produce his own.
He nailed it.
“The sausage set my tastebuds alight,” reported John Miller regarding the hickory-smoked links.
This customer also praised the pulled pork (“flavorful and moist”) and the restaurant’s “down-home ambience.”
“The baked beans were sweet, smoky, tangy and had a bit of honey on the back of it. The mac & cheese was creamy, and had a good pepper flavor on it,” Miller continued.
Many others have left positive comments on the sausage “perfectly smoked and very tasty . . . it paired well with the spicy sauce,” according to another Murfreesboro diner, Larry, saying he also like the onion, pickle and pickled jalapeños served with the Single Tree meat platters.
Even the critics seem to appreciate the sausage links.
One Yelper, who identifies as a “bbq snob,” had plenty of critiques otherwise, but said he really enjoyed the Single Tree sausage and the baked beans.
Definitely try the chicken wings as well; these are rocking—smoked for that fine barbecued taste and then flash-fried for some exterior crispiness.
Order these tossed in buffalo or barbecue sauce if you like, but these alone are great; paired with the white sauce that accompanies them, just incredible.
The sliced turkey was also quite good, smoky and about as moist as turkey can be.
While I generally wouldn’t order mashed potatoes out, the Single Tree garlic mashed potatoes, topped with some of the same rub used on the smoked meats, are delicious.
The brisket may require a little barbecue sauce, according to some reports.
“I ordered the brisket sandwich and it was a bit drier than I’d like, but the flavor was good and it tasted like quality meat,” said another Yelper, Rachelle. “The fried potato salad was exactly what it sounded like and had good flavor. I ordered a side salad and it was made fresh. They also had a nice beer selection and the server was attentive.”
Sure, you can get some salad with all of the meat (deep-fried potato salad!).
The 1/4 chicken, while tasty, was not quite at the level of the wings. The larger piece of the bird, and it not being fried crisp like the wings, resulted in a mushier texture, though some enjoy it, and call it “fall-off-the-bone.”
When seeking out Single Tree (located adjacent to fellow local staples So-Cali Tacos and All American Cafe), notice the large, beautiful smoker trailer in the Old Fort Parkway parking lot, just across from Kelton’s Hardware.
Inside, a large screen near the front of the restaurant had football on during one December day.
Towards the back, find a couple of free video games, placed low on the wall for youngsters. These are a big plus for families with young kids who may complete their meal rather quickly, get antsy, and instead of pestering mom and dad can entertain themselves for quite a while on the Pac-Man and Defender games, no quarters required!
Another plus for some, the place uses beef tallow to fry its wings, french fries and other deep-fried items. This is reportedly a healthier option than the seed oils used by many modern establishments.
Dining out these days can be a little costly—a Single Tree platter with two meats and two sides goes for $24.99, a full rack of ribs for $31.99—but really, that seems in line with market prices lately.
Single Tree does offer lunch specials Tuesday through Friday until 3 p.m. Grab a sandwich—pulled pork, smoked bologna, a slaw dog or a burger—along with fries and drink for $9.99 Tuesday through Friday. The spot also offers a special Wednesday hamburger deal for only $4.99.
Other Single Tree hits include the smoked, and then caramelized, bologna burnt ends and the deliciously juicy burgers, such as the Porch Burger, a grilled beef patty served on a freshly baked bun topped with brisket, smoked pepper cheese, the Single Tree hot BBQ sauce and jalapeños.
“The mac and cheese and beans were so good that I will go there just for them sometimes,” another customer, Shannon, posted.
Terry Goeckner raved about the large sampler that Single Tree BBQ offers, noting that it was “easily going to be a full lunch and full dinner for two people.”
This “Community Style Sampler” platter includes half a rack of spare ribs, pulled pork, sausage, brisket, beans, mac and cheese, coleslaw, jalapeños and BBQ sauce for $45.99.
“The quality of meats was excellent. The brisket was falling apart with tender juiciness and very flavorful. The ribs had a dry appearance but were also tender and easily removed from the bone. They were covered in a very tasty dry rub like none other I have ever had before,” Goeckner said. “The mac and cheese was some of the best I’ve ever had.”
Eblen began Single Tree in 2021 as a mobile operation, and in 2022 moved into the restaurant space.
After serving time in the Army, the Oakland High School graduate spent many years in the Murfreesboro food service industry, working at Shoeless Joe’s, Fuddruckers, Ruby Tuesday’s, Bar Louie and Chop House. In 2020, a year of major disruption in the restaurant industry, Eblen decided to launch his own brand.
As a kid, he remembered going to his grandfather’s farm in Bell Buckle and looking up at the ridgeline where there was one single tree that stood tall above all the others.
Charlie said he remembers his grandfather, Papa George, working hard in the garden, with the cattle or horses, fixing fences or whatever else needed to be done on Single Tree Farm, but mainly he recalls all of the laughter, love and stories around the dinner table and the outdoor fireplace.
When deciding to start his own brand, Eblen remembered his grandfather telling him that he had always wanted to start his own restaurant—and he knew the name of his restaurant would have to be Single Tree.
Operating a restaurant isn’t always easy, as with many other aspects of life and business, but “With focus, effort, enthusiasm, and discipline you can overcome anything,” Eblen said, a reference to a motto of his (“F.E.E.D.”).
Many local consumers appreciate his commitments to community and quality food. Eblen is very interactive with customers, in the restaurant and online, and seems genuinely interested in receiving feedback and constantly trying to improve.
Single Tree BBQ
2805 Old Fort Pkwy.
Tues.–Sat.: 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
615-307-0120
10 smoked wings: $13.99; Create your own platter (two meats and two sides): $24.99; Smoked bologna sandwich and curly fries: $8.99; The Porch Burger: $14.99; Ribs (6 Bones) and a side: $19.99; One pound of pulled pork or smoked sausage: $17.99
singletreebbq.com
