MEMPHIS!!!

Welcome aboard, Coltrane!

I've never been, so I can't suggest anything. I'm pretty sure someone will be along who can help, though.

Rob - TX Sandman

Welcome to the board Coltrane!

I am also not familiar with present day Memphis but will offer this advice:

Do a search on the forum (menu at the top of the page) and set it up like this:


You will get plenty of ideas.

Memphis has good ribs....so does KC....but ribs ain't "BBQ"....

bbq is eastern NC style pulled pork...preferably whole hog. everything else is just grilled food...

Welcome to the board jloh!

Don't limit yourself like that.

If a brisket and a pork butt are cooked at the same time with the same method, (did 2 of each this weekend in the same smoker) then they are both "grilled food" or they are both "Good BBQ".

And I like BBQ'd ribs too.

I cant believe this hasnt been said...

Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ

If you are in memphis, this is a must go. Google it for the website and address. Not the nicest of neighborhoods, but thats where the good Q is usually.

But that BB Kings BBQ does also make some good ribs especially for being such a tourist attraction.

But Neelys cant be beat. pulled pork w/ slaw... the best i have ever had

jimneva wrote:

Being an Army brat, I have lived in Memphis off and on my whole life, and continuously since 1987. I have fond memories of Coleman's Real Pit Barbecue at Yale and Raleigh Millington. Unfortunately, I think the closest Coleman's is now in Hernando, MS.

I found a Coleman's BBQ in Dyersburg, TN. From what I hear they are still scattered in small places around West Tennessee. I grew up with them, too.

born and raised in memphis...left at 18 in '67. living in NC which has some good 'que.

my memphis memories center around Leonard's Pit Barbeque, most famous being the location at 3rd and McLemore. friday nights after watching Southside Bulldogs play Central high Warriors, Christian Brothers, Catholic high, etc, at Crump stadium, or Memphis Chicks playing at Russwood park before the big fire, ride down the street and bingo Leonard's...best baked beans and slaw ever!! and the pit's were located both inside the resturant and outside in the parking lot, where you could park and order curbside.

But no one has compared to Leonard's, but Interstate was my next joint, and the Black owner knew my name, which made a young kid feel special. I could ride my bike to both places. Man, talk about the good ol' days. Kid could jump on the bike and ride to get some 'que, and feel free as the wind.

I work in Memphis and live in N MS... A&R BBQ has my favorite pulled pork. They do a good job of assuring the bark is distributed throughout...

Also, Showboat is good, just a mile or two north of A&R on Hickory Hill.

I drove by them this morning and the chimneys were smokin' at both places...

MMM...

Coltrane, Volgolfman, chesley, Swinebuck and jloh - welcome to the board!

I had the opportunity to attend the MIM compettion and since I was there I was not leaving without trying out some of the restaurants in Memphis that are listed in Steve's book. I stayed just off of Beale so there were a few real close restaurants. I had ribs at Blue's City Cafe the first night. Not impressed. As a matter of fact I was gun shy thinking that all the Que will be similar. Not the case at all. I then tried the rib's at Leonard's. It was way better. Then off to Cozy Corner. These were the best that I had in my short visit. I also had the Cornish Game Hen. A must have if visiting. The next night we ate at the Rendezvous. These were the bottom of the list. The ribs were dry, over cooked and basically not good at all. The line up was at least 75 deep. The business is a well oiled machined. Our wait was about 20 min not bad considering. Our last night we went to the BBQ Shop. If the Rendezvous was a well oiled machine this was a broken one. The food, once you got it, was mediochre at best. The service was decent but talking about confusion. They ran out of Ribs at 5PM! on a Fri night! This HAS to be bad for business. They ran out of buns for our pulled pork and told us that someone will be here shortly with buns. After a 30 min wait we decided to have no bun. So out of the places that I had to visit my ratings for ribs are as follows: First Place: Cozy Corner, Second Place: Leonard's, Third Place: Blues City Cafe, Fourth Place: Rendezvous, Fifth Place: The BBQ Shop.

BBQ'D Badger wrote:

I had the opportunity to attend the MIM compettion and since I was there I was not leaving without trying out some of the restaurants in Memphis.

You missed Corky's on Poplar... Other side of town, but ribs out of this world. That's my 'go-to' for ribs...

Also, a tip... If you don't like your slab of ribs, send 'em back for another rack. They're like water down here. Corky's at least will bring you another slab, no questions asked...

New member here. I've lived in Memphis for 30 years now. For awesome pulled-pork sammiches I have to throw in the name Tastee BBQ @ 1028 East Brooks Rd! I go there a couple times a month while I'm at work.

I'm gonna put my name in the CG club soon. I've had mine for a couple weeks.

jhigley wrote:

The best steak is a joint out in Arlingtons called Vinigar Jims..

Unfortunately, Vinegar Jim's burned down some years back . I think they rebuilt it. I haven't been there in a long time.

jloh wrote:

Memphis has good ribs....so does KC....but ribs ain't "BBQ"....

bbq is eastern NC style pulled pork...preferably whole hog. everything else is just grilled food...

Welcome jloh!

Unfortunately, most folks don't share our knowledge of barbecue being a noun meaning "Pork, usually whole-hog, chopped or pulled, slow roasted over coals, with a thin sauce on the meat to enhance the flavor".

Be it Eastern style or Lexington style, you just can't beat North Carolina for good Q!!!

Everything else is the verb (or adverb) "barbecued" or "grilled", but not the noun that we know and love!!!

Memphis can