Let's Have a Memphis Nacho Party

Let's Have a Memphis Nacho Party

Ed. Note: Check out this Memphis nacho roundup article from Stacey, Editor of Edible Memphis, updated in time for National Nacho Day 2019 with a few new recommendations, too. 

Menus are subject to change. Call ahead to confirm your nacho order. 


When people think of Memphis, they automatically think of barbeque. Well, I’m here to change that. Below are several fine examples of why we need to start promoting ourselves as a nacho town!

Autozone Park

Stacey G.

Let’s ease into this with a little barbeque talk. I think we can all agree that the Rendezvous BBQ Nachos at the Redbird’s games is what put us on the nacho map. Tortilla chips, Rendezvous bbq, cheese sauce, bbq sauce and jalapeños, if you like. Nothing goes better with a cold beer and a baseball game.

Rendezvous

Justin Fox Burks

Speaking of the Rendezvous nachos at Autozone Park, they’re also available in the restaurant, naturally, but did you know they also have a pretty fine vegetarian nacho too? Brainchild of the Chubby Vegetarian, the rice and beans nachos include Brim’s chips, red beans and rice, cheese dip, barbeque sauce, and jalapeños. You won’t miss the meat. Really.

Central BBQ

Stacey G.

C-BBQ takes BBQ nachos to the next level. They’ve got marinated slow-smoked pulled pork on a bed of tortilla chips topped with BBQ sauce, cheese sauce, shredded cheese (that’s right, TWO cheeses), jalapeños, and a light dusting of BBQ shake.

Adventurous diners can substitute barbeque potato chips for the tortillas, and those who don’t like pork can order them with sliced beef brisket, pulled chicken or sliced turkey breast. Go on vegetarians and vegans, ask for them with the grilled portabella. It’s cool. And for those watching your waistlines or pocketbooks, half orders are also available.

RP Tracks

The barbeque tofu (yes, tofu) nachos at RP Tracks are legendary. In Memphis we even barbeque (and fry) our tofu. Dang it’s good! Tossed atop freshly made tortilla chips, black bean chili, shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, sour cream and jalapeños, it satisfies vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Vegans may also order it dairy-free.

Ed. Note: These have been my favorite for a good long while.

Tops

The newcomer to the BBQ nacho party is Top’s, and they only have them at a few locations. There are two variations. The “loaded” comes with chips, beans, meat, sauce, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapeños and sour cream.

They also serve “regular” with just chips, cheese meat and sauce. I think the most exciting thing about these nachos is seeing what customers will do when given free reign. (Think cheeseburgers topped with barbeque meat.) I have already caught wind of a gal adding slaw. It is Memphis after all.

Sweet Grass Next Door

Stacey G.

Next up, the king of all nachos. The Badass Nachos started as a secret menu item that was only available when the chefs at Sweet Grass Next Door felt like braising briskets or when there were major sporting events. Not surprisingly, it quickly became a neighborhood favorite.

Sweet Grass now braises over 100 pounds of brisket per week. They cut and fry some corn tortillas from Tortilleria La Unica on Summer and cover them in red chili sauce (basically, an enchilada sauce), queso, sautéed onions and peppers, braised beef brisket, tomatoes, pickled jalapeños, sour cream, cilantro. Best off all? You can order them on a plate large enough to take a nap on!

Carolina Watershed

Another newcomer to the nacho scene, Carolina Watershed makes theirs with pork rinds, pulled pork, jalapeños, scallion cream, a provolone, mozzarella and parmesan cheese blend, and serves them with an egg on top – which basically means you can have them for breakfast.

Bleu

Bleu, inside the Westin Hotel, actually does serve breakfast nachos, at least on the weekends. Nachos Rancheros features eggs sunny side up, baked kidney beans, pico de gallo, sour cream, Monterey jack cheese sauce with jalapenos and homemade tortilla chips. Good morning!

Slider Inn

Slider Inn nachos are the gold standard in town, and really do taste better on the patio. They come in several varieties—chili, chicken or plain. Super thin and crispy chips are piled high with chicken or chili or both, black beans, shredded cheese, pico, sour cream and jalapeños. They are baked in the oven so the cheese gets a lil crispy, which is kind of the best thing ever.

Now, listen up. Take these nachos to the next level in any one of these ways and thank me later: 1. Add guacamole. 2. Substitute buffalo chicken for regular chicken. 3. Substitute steak 4. Substitute falafel, and 5. Substitute the same al pastor meat they use for Taco Tuesday (dressed with cilantro, onion, pineapple, and salsa). I’m not done wowing you—half orders are also available.

Tsunami

Let's move into some really fun territory. Asian nachos. Chef Ben Smith was inspired by longtime customer and friend, Margot McNeely, who came back from Puerto Rico raving about some seafood nachos she had.

He decided to do his own version with fried wontons, seared tuna, crema, Sriracha, scallions and jalapeños. They are the perfect bite and definitely the lightest and most refreshing nachos there ever were.

Wok’n in Memphis

The Wok’n in Memphis Mongolian Beef Nachos get their Asian flare from beef. Fried wonton chips are topped with shredded braised Mongolian beef, bell peppers and onions, and finished with Sambal mayo, fried garlic, sesame seeds, scallion and cilantro. Look for them at the Puck Food Hall. 

Maciel's

Don’t leave Maciel’s out of the nacho party. Theirs come with crispy chips, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, carrots, cilantro, jalapeno, sour cream, chipotle, cheese and your choice of spicy shrimp, pollo tinga, asada, pastor, or chorizo. (Spicy shrimp! Spicy shrimp!)

Ciao Bella

Ciao Bella makes an Italian version of nachos that is pretty spectacular. They include sun-dried tomatoes, Bolognese sauce, Alfredo sauce, mozzarella, black olives, banana peppers, red onion, and tomatoes over homemade tortilla chips.

Grecian Gourmet

The Greek nachos at Grecian Gourmet are in the current weekly rotation, and it seems they get better every time I try them. Pita chips are loaded with meat sauce, feta dip, lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, red onion and banana peppers. Also available to add to the party: gyro meat and chicken.

Chef Tam’s

Chef Tam has not one, but two (!) nacho options on her menu, and they are completely different. First up, the totchos. Seasoned fried tater tots are smothered with their Muddy Mac & Cheese, Applewood smoked bacon, pico and a drizzle of their signature sauce. (The Muddy Mac is already practically a meal in itself -- It’s loaded with crawfish, crab and shrimp.)

Second, the peach cobbler nachos--Chef Tam’s play on a Southern culture classic. Cinnamon sugar chips are topped with peach cobbler filling and cinnamon sugar dusted vanilla ice cream. Using the chips to scoop up the peaches, sauce and ice cream is like getting that perfect corner bite on a regular cobbler every.single.time.

Babalu

Babalu Tapas & Taco's has stepped into the ring with a dessert nacho of their own. Chocolate Nachos consist of cinnamon sugar dusted chips, topped with Nutella and fresh fruit. What’s not to like?


Adding a few more favorites...

Inspire Community Cafe

 

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Inspire Community Cafe in Binghampton offers comfort-food inspired home cooking with fresh ingredients. Go for their nachos with BBQ Chicken, black beans, roasted corn, veggies, and melty, cheesy goodness.

Half Shell

 

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The regulars at the Half Shell’s two Memphis locations swear by their giant plate of Baja Seafood Nachos, which pile shredded crab, blacked tilapia, shrimp, and melted cheese onto tortilla chips with all the fixings.

Celtic Crossing

Photo provided by Celtic Crossing

For lunch, brunch, or late night, order a pile of hand-cut fries topped with corned beef and cheese at Cooper Young's comfy Irish pub.

Stix

Stix serves up Asian fusion food, including a Japanese teppanyaki grill, sushi bar, and Mandarian menu. For their take on nachos, try these nachos with seared tuna, avocado, soy and spicy mayo. Stix has a location in the Collierville Carriage Crossing mall, and will open a location in downtown Memphis in late 2019 or early 2020.

Huey's

 

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We all know about Huey's and their burgers and loaded cheese fries, but what about classic nacho noshes? The casual chain serves up traditional beef nachos, when nothing but crisp chips, melted cheddar, ground beef and beans, and sour cream will do.


What beloved nachos did we leave off this holy list? No need to throw your plate of melted cheese and chips at us, just let us know in the comments and we'll check it out.

Published August 2018. Updated November 2019.


About The Author

Stacey Greenberg is a freelance writer who lives in Cooper Young with her two teenaged sons. She’s a contributor to Thrillist.com, Edible Memphis, I Love Memphis, and Memphis Travel. She’s also the author of the award winning blog, Dining with Monkeys (diningwithmonkeys.com). A lifelong Memphian, she loves the fact that she’s never met a stranger here.

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Heather Ashley
Huey’s Nachos!!!!! My FAVE! I always ask for a side of their delicious ranch to dip them in too!
August 8, 2018 2:36pm
Chris
The seafood nachos at Half Shell are amazing.
August 8, 2018 3:03pm
Ashley Griffin
Huey's Nachos!
August 8, 2018 4:26pm
Hope
Patrick's Barbeque Nachos
August 8, 2018 9:20pm
Clarisda
Great list! Can’t wait to try them all! You need to add El Mero Taco’s chilaquiles verdes with chorizo.
August 8, 2018 10:18pm
Nachoman
Definitely missed the seafood nachos at Half Shell.
August 10, 2018 1:36pm
Nicol
LOVE the Chilaquiles Verde or "nachos" at El Mero... get them with brisket! They are topped with a fried egg. Sooo good!
November 6, 2019 1:52pm
Holly Whitfield
A few years ago after I tried them for the first time, I described chilaquiles as "basically fried nachos", and I was shut down by a Latinx journalist. "They are not nachos, they are a traditional breakfast dish." I'm sure everyone has different opinions on that, but it was a learning opportunity for me. They're their own dish. I love chilaquiles, though. They may need their own post.
November 6, 2019 2:00pm