Rib Joints in Memphis?

Any thoughts on some of the best places to go in Memphis for ribs? I might be in Nashville and Memphis in a few weeks, and would love to find a couple of good rib joints, especially one or two that are places where locals tend to go (rather than tourists).

I passed thru Memphis recently and stopped at the Germantown Commissary on the recommendation of a stranger, and I thought they served a fine pulled pork sandwich and rib. I'm not one of the aficionados of BBQ on the board, but the ribs didn't seem meat jello-y to me. They also have hot links. I topped the meal off with an excellent wedge of lemon ice box pie...and had trouble taking deep breaths, I was so full.

Germantown Commissary
2290 Germantown Rd.
Germantown, TN 38138
http://www.commissarybbq.com/

Stay away from Corky's.

Here's a good thread, too.

I don't know about Memphis but if you're going to be in Nashville, don't miss Hog Heaven! You place your order at a window and there's only a couple of picnic tables under an awning for seating. If the weather is nice, you can go across the street to the park and plop down on the grass to eat. The bbq is incredible! The meat stands on its own, but both the white (yes, white) and red sauces are fantastic. Add a couple of side dishes and you definitely will be in Hog Heaven!

The standard-bearer for ribs in Memphis is The Rendezvous. Yes, it does get tourist traffic, but it really is good. No meat-jello here. I've been going to Memphis since I was in diapers, and I don't even feel like I've been there without an order of dry ribs, a sausage plate, and watery American draft beer. You can buy the sauce at the Jewel on Ashland between Oakdale and Wellington.

The Rendezvous
52 S. Second St (in the alley behind)
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 523-2746

Germantown Commissary is probably best-known for its baked beans. They published their recipe in the local paper about 20 years ago and it's still my family's baked-beans recipe. for barbecue (pulled-pork) sandwiches, Payne's is inconsistent, but when it's on, it's ON. Weird hours; call first. A more consistent (and maybe even better) sandwich is from the Tops Bar-B-Q (a link in a local chain) on Summer in East Memphis. Order a jumbo, the regular sandwich is tiny.

Payne's Bar-B-Q
1762 Lamar Ave (at Seattle)
Memphis, TN 38114
(901) 272-1523
Other branch: 1393 Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis, TN 38106, (901) 942-7433

Tops Bar-B-Q
4183 Summer Ave
Memphis, TN 38122
(901) 324-4325
Other branch: 1286 Union Ave, Memphis, TN 38104, (901) 725-7527

Don't leave Memphis without going to Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken in Mason, TN (about 35 minutes east of the city). If you can't make it all the way to Mason, the two franchise locations in Bartlett and downtown are 90% as good (recipe secrecy doesn't allow all the ingredients to be shared between Mason and the franchisees) .

Gus's Fried Chicken
520 U.S. 70
Mason, TN 38094
(901) 294-2028
Franchise: 2965 N. Germantown Rd, Bartlett, TN 38133, (901) 372-3252
310 S. Front St, Memphis, TN 38103, (901) 527-4877

Don't listen to anyone who tells you to go to Corky's, Central Bar-B-Q, or the Cozy Corner. All are inferior.

Agreed on Corky's, but Central BBQ has been consistently delicious each time we've visited. And Topps provided us with the worst pork sandwich I have ever eaten - and I have had BBQ in Berkeley. It wasn't just bland and mushy, it tasted very much like it had been soaked in the tears of a frustrated cook. It was...wet. Just vile.

In defense of Corky's and in the 'guilty pleasure" category, their BBQ Nachos were a great way to increase my caloric intake. Chips, Shredded Pork, BBQ Sauce and melted Cheese Product and a heaping of Jalapenos…man, that was good junk food!

I'm heading to Memphis tomorrow, accompanying my better half at a meeting she's attending (it's the first time there for both of us.) So thanks to alerting us to cross Corky's off the list -- we're staying downtown at the Peabody so we'll certainly visit Rendezvous. Also, Automatic Slim's -- go or avoid?
>>Brent

Slim's was a GO when I lived there about 5 years ago.

I would always hit the G'town Commissary when I would be in Memphis, though last time I went was 6 or so years ago. Assuming the quality is the same you won't go wrong.

Another place which MANY people really like but I just thought was okay (mainly due to my ribs coming in a PUDDLE of sauce) is Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ. I think that one thing skewed my opinion a bit, because other than that it was very good. I'd go back.

Jim Neely's Interstate Barbecue
2265 S. Third Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38109
901-775-2304 - Restaurant
901-775-3149 - Fax and Order by Fax

Interstate makes an excellent pulled-pork sandwich, but is not known for their ribs. The other two most famous dishes at Interstate are the barbecue bologna and the barbecue spaghetti, which you will have trouble finding anywhere else. If you're really, really hungry, you can get an Interstate sandwich at the airport. They're almost as good as the ones at the restaurant.

While regional food culture usually adheres pretty strongly to tradition, Memphis is the only place where I have seen a new local foodstuff become famous in the past decade. We're talking about barbecue nachos, which grew out of the city's love for Pancho's cheese dip (impossible to get outside the city) and barbecue. They were invented at AutoZone Park where the city's Triple-A baseball team plays, and have since spread to almost every barbecue joint in the city. By my estimation, the ballpark ones are still the best.

Just came back from two consecutive nights' rib dinners at Rendezvous. Must admit that I was a little off put by the strong paprika rub at first, but the more I ate the more I found myself hooked (and the mustard slaw was great!!) Went back the next night with my better half, and shared both ribs and brisket. However, only made it to Automatic Slim's for a carry-out lunch: we chose their sister midtown restaurant Beauty Shop for dinner on Saturday which was fantastic (especially when you get to sit underneath a beehive hair dryer that once dried the tresses of Priscilla herself.) They serve a mean pork chop with fennel seed dust, pear mustard seed chutney, grilled cauliflower and tempura blue cheese pepperoncini; wish I had taken a photo!

Beauty Shop
966 S. Cooper
Memphis, TN
(901) 272-7111

>>Brent

I think Central's ribs are some of the better I've had anywhere. I think Scott of DallasFood is right to critique their smokiness, but they have a great texture and flavor nonetheless. Corky's, OTOH, were some of the worst I've ever had, like BBQ jerky. If I were to return to Memphis, I'd get Central's ribs and then go over and get Payne's sandwich before I tried anything else.

Some links for you:

http://www.extramsg.com/modules.php?nam ... cle&sid=26

http://www.dallasfood.org/modules.php?n ... cle&sid=15

http://www.dallasfood.org/modules.php?n ... cle&sid=35

crrush wrote:I passed thru Memphis recently and stopped at the Germantown Commissary on the recommendation of a stranger, and I thought they served a fine pulled pork sandwich and rib.

Germantown Commissary
2290 Germantown Rd.
Germantown, TN 38138
http://www.commissarybbq.com/

..just got back from Memphis and was looking for somewhere on to eat BBQ on a Sunday... Rendezvous is the usual downtown choice we go to, but they are closed on Sunday. (According to the Barenaked Ladies, their hotel recommended Interstate BBQ as the best ...they took a cab there and it was closed.. then rendezvous and the same thing... They sang an improvised song "Jesus doesn't eat ribs on a Sunday" all about their quest to find BBQ on a Sunday in Memphis.. quite an entertaining concert.)

...Anyway, I looked up the choices and found this post about the Germantown Commissary... and turned out to be a very good choice. It wasn't one of those crazy busy places, we were seated right away... Apparently a commissary is a TN word for a "country store" type thing of the old days, and that's what it used to be.

They have a combo plate that lets you get 2, 3, or 4 meats... I didn't really want that much food but wanted to try both ribs and the pulled pork. Everyone else at my table just got BBQ Shoulder (pulled pork?) sandwiches (Btw, for lunch the "regular" were plenty big)... The ribs were good... They were dry but didn't have enough dry rub on them, sprinkling a little on (available at the table) made them a lot better. The pulled pork was very good as well. Way too much food.

They seem to serve cole slaw (just OK), bbq beans, and a deviled egg with just about everything... Deviled egg...craziness!

Their sausage/cheese plate is pretty decent (do it memphis style and sprinkle some of the dry rub seasoning on top of everything), but the pickles were regule ole sliced hamburger pickles, and they were a little skimpy on the sausage.


...BTW, northwest's magazine had a thing about Rendezvous in it this month. They said one of the best things there is BBQ shrimp... I've never had it and now I knew why: you have to apparently call the day before you go to pre-order it...

I just got back from a business trip in Memphis last week and decided to add my two cents. Was there from Sun night- Wed afternoon, with everything taking place around the Peabody (food show.) Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to try everything but I did hit up a few places. First of all, as others have mentioned, call before you venture places, because they keep weird hours.

I was thoroughly disappointed with the ribs at the rendezvous. I should first off say that I enjoy wet ribs more than dry, but am a fan of all meats. The ribs were actually pretty dry and (almost) rubbery. The rub was delicious, but the ribs as a whole were nothing to write home about. I believe someone had mentioned it before, but I think that I am just used to a more smoky bbq and these ribs definetly lacked smoked.

A place that I had not planned on going was the Blues City Cafe on Beale and 2nd...after learning that the rendezvous was closed for lunch I asked the concierge if there was any other decent place around and she pointed me here ("they are the best wet ribs on beale.") Although I was pretty skeptical (read: kitschy/touristy). The ribs were actually pretty delicious. They weren't the best I have ever had, but they were pretty damn good and I would definetly go there before the rendezvous if around there.

Next was a quick double lunch, first at Payne's for a chopped pulled pork, which I wholeheartedly suggest (order it chopped!)

I then hit up central for a rack of ribs and give this my full fledged endorsement of some of the best ribs I have ever had. Phenomenal bbq.

wickerparker wrote:Next was a quick double lunch, first at Payne's for a chopped pulled pork, which I wholeheartedly suggest (order it chopped!)

That sandwich at Payne's is unreal! Chopped pork is different from pulled pork, and I think Payne's has it both ways, but they shine with the chopped. So good...

And for ribs... Cozy Corner. I know someone uptop said they think this place is inferior, but it isn't. These are good ribs.

wickerparker wrote:I was thoroughly disappointed with the ribs at the rendezvous.

I am pretty ambivalent about the ribs here too. I also hate that the full order is not a full rack. Feels like a total ripoff to me.

BTW has anyone ever been to the Memphis in May cookoff? My wife and i went in 200l on a fluke and had a blast. I was intrigued by the grilled bologna sandwich with cole slaw. MMMmm

rendezvous seems to be getting more and more inconsistant.. i've had really great ribs there, and once or twice really mediocre and/or just plain lousy. one of my fav things there is the very simple sausage plate..

iblock9 wrote:BTW has anyone ever been to the Memphis in May cookoff? My wife and i went in 200l on a fluke and had a blast. I was intrigued by the grilled bologna sandwich with cole slaw. MMMmm

I was there last year 06.. (this year i went to memphis in may, but on the music fest weekend not the bbq fest weekend)... the bbq fest is/was a blast with one word of caution... it *really* helps to know people who live in memphis. basically there are hundreds of tents and vendors that have set up, and it operates more like a "friends inviting friends" into tents kinda thing than many might think ...you might think they were trying to sell the bbq, though nothing really is for sale, it's really a free for all. many of the tents are sponsored by large families or employers...

i shouldn't say nothing is for sale. there is a small row of trailers for a few bbq places where you can buy things..but i think those are kinda just there because they'd be there for pretty much any festival. the real reason people go to the bbq fest is to go to these private tents.

luckily my sisters both went to school in memphis and seem to know half the town.. if you didn't know half the town, you still could find at least a few tents to talk your way into...(find some sort of networking connection... go to the firefighters' tent if your great uncle joey was a firefighter, etc)... some of the tents are very particular and have doormen letting people in/out, others are kinda more liberal, and as the night wears on the barriers kinda go away... but if you find a good tent usually it's worth sticking around for a few hours to eat and drink... it's a very social event and people are friendly there it's just a matter of finding the right people. i suppose as a last resort you'd find someone willing to let you pay a few bucks just to get in to their tent..

I'll give an emphatic third (fourth?) on Central BBQ. Definitely order them dry, not wet. You gotta get the home made potato chips too.

Central BBQ
2249 Central
Memphis, TN

A&R BBQ is another good place for a chopped pork sandwich. It's a little bit down the road from Payne's, you might as well stop at both of them and do a sampling.

A&R Bar-B-Que
1802 Elvis Presley Blvd.
Memphis, TN

I was in Memphis over the holidays, and visited Germantown Commissary:



The ribs looked great, but we focused on the pulled pork.

Not particularly smoky, but a generous serving that wasn't dried out, as others I've had can be. Also, great sides - especially the beans, in a slightly spicy barbeque sauce, with some more of that pulled pork incorporated.

But the teens liked the pulled pork nachos.


Great, authentic old-timey atmosphere - the kind of thing so many cluttered-wall casual dining chains strive for and never achieve.

But a bit tough to find, even though it's right next to the railroad tracks.

Also, slightly off-topic, but we also visited a surprisingly good brewpub - Bosco's Squared, in Midtown. I had the sampler of 8 different brews, made on premises - mostly English styles, all were excellent examples for style. It's rare to find a brewpub with such a consistent range of offerings.

Germantown Commissary
2290 Germantown Rd.
Germantown, TN 38138

Bosco's Squared
2120 Madison Ave
Memphis, TN 38104