Must Eat BBQ in Memphis

Let’s get right to the point with this one. Ball Hoggerz has  a smoked turkey leg sandwich. That’s right, everyone’s favorite food from the fair, turned into a delicious Memphis-style smoked sandwich. It’s piled high with tender meat and their to-die-for sauce. The best part? It’s only $8 and comes with two sides! The owner, Bailey, smokes the turkey for 14 hours before sliding the meat right off the bone and onto the bun. Whether you decide to go pork or turkey while you’re there, you surely won’t be disappointed.  They’ve really got a way with food over there, so don’t waste any more time before you try it for yourself.

Spaghetti as a side to barbecue? If that sounds weird to you, you probably aren’t from Memphis. The Bar-B-Q Shop doubled down on this Southern side to the pork we know and love, and combined them! Their famous Bar-B-Que Spaghetti Meal has kept customers coming back for four decades and counting. This unique dish isn’t the only thing distinctive to The Bar-B-Q Shop: their homemade sauce is so popular you can now buy it at your local Kroger. Next time you see Dancing Pigs Bar-B-Q sauce on the shelf, make sure to pick up a bottle for yourself!

You won’t be able to say “not enough hours in the day” when it comes to Blues City Cafe – this Beale Street hotspot is open from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. Featured multiple times on the Food Network, this joint is always jumpin’. The menu is sure to have you wrestling with yourself on what to get. Every item sounds so good, but they know that, and how nice of them; they’ve got you covered! When you can’t make up your mind, just try “The Best Meal on Beale Combination Platter'' to sample a half rack of their world-famous ribs and a catfish filet served with baked beans, coleslaw, new potatoes or steak fries, Texas toast, and tartar sauce. That will at least get you started, and tell whoever you’re with to order the Gumbo Cheese Fries! Start your night out here or end it; you’ll be satisfied either way.

Located off the beaten path in Bartlett, “near the tracks,” you’ll find Brad’s Bar-B-Q. They don’t just offer a regular barbecue sandwich… they offer a JUMBO one too! For only 80 cents more, you can super-size your sandwich, and when the choice is that good, you’ll be glad you did! Brad’s offers all the goods: banana pudding, ribs, party packs, chicken tenders, and more. A Midsouth tradition since 1973, Brad has kept his recipes the same for the last 45 years. Head to Bartlett soon to find out for yourself what all the hype is about, just don’t speed on your way there!

Texas-style barbecue is only good when it’s made in Memphis. Don’t fight us on this one. Bain opened in the Bluff City in 2021 and has been a huge success among the die-hard barbecue lovers in town ever since. When it’s served to you on a tray, you know it’s gonna be good. Try one of their popular Texas Twinkies, composed of brisket, pepper jack, and cream cheese stuffed in peppers, wrapped in bacon, and then smoked. Bain Barbecue is now in its new location in the heart of Cooper-Young, ready for you to come to see why your fellow Memphians are welcoming this Texas-style barbecue with open arms.

Memphis has cornered the market for chicken wings in the South and Central BBQ is no stranger to it. Their style is slow-smoked, resulting in tender, juicy meat across the board. Order your whole wings Wet, Naked, Jerked, Dry Spice, Honey Gold (a Memphis classic), or Sweet Heat.​​ Central BBQ has coined the term “Smoke is our Sauce” and you’ll know exactly what they mean when you bite into one of their wings. While you’re there, give their famous BBQ Nachos a try, offered with both pork and chicken, topped with sweet barbecue sauce, nacho cheese, and plenty of pickled Jalapenos.

You know ‘em, you love ‘em, you eat them during the holidays and you never have leftovers when this popular side dish is done correctly. If you appreciate a properly-prepared deviled egg as much as we do, you’re in luck. Commissary BBQ has mastered this savory treat, and they want you to enjoy it all year round. Get them as an app, a side, or a meal, but don’t get just one, because you’ll regret it! While you’re at one of their two locations in Germantown or Collierville, be sure to try their other specialty items such as the Hickory Smoked Ribs and BBQ Mac n’ Cheese.

Not only has Corky’s perfected their ribs and pulled pork, but they will also surprise you with their tasty hot tamales and chili. The Delta-style tamales are hand-rolled and filled with spicy beef, topped with cheddar cheese and jalapeno, and served on a bed of their homemade chili. This signature creation will leave your Southern mama wondering what their recipe is. One of the best things about Corky’s? The hearty party platters are filled with Corky’s favorites. They make it easy to skip the cooking at your next get-together – you’ll have more time to enjoy yourself and your guests will thank you!

This place… talk about the true Memphis experience! The food, the culture, the people, and especially the FOOD keep us coming back to Cozy Corner. If you’re looking for the best BBQ Cornish Hen in town, look no further. This succulent dish is covered in their signature dry rub, put in the pit for two hours minimum, and then glazed with their famous sauce. Try it and you’ll see why they sell at least a hundred of ‘em a week! The food here truly speaks for itself, but the lines of people ready to indulge there at all times of the day really backs it up. Pair any meal with some barbecue beans, cole slaw, and some good ole’ white bread, and thank us later!

Not everyone can pull off being located in a Lowe’s parking lot, staying busy, consistent, and delicious, but Elwood’s Shack can! Offering a huge menu with a ton of variety, this place has something for everyone. Go for the barbecue, and stay for the trout fish tacos. They’ve got a barbecue quesadilla, barbecue bologna, barbecue sliders, and our heart. Go as many times as you need to sample the whole menu. Bring a friend, your mom, your annoying neighbor, or anyone who is willing to share with you! Don’t just take our word for it though, you can check out their episode on The Food Network if you need further convincing.

Fried catfish dinners, hand-pattied burgers, award-winning pork, oh my! Fat Larry’s is a must when it comes to Memphis barbecue. Larry himself won the Memphis in May BBQ contest in 1999 and his restaurant has kept the integrity of his recipes ever since. When you go in for lunch or dinner make sure you don’t skip out on trying their homemade rolls. Located off highway 70, the restaurant is  conveniently located and ready for you to stop by for dine-in or take out. Although Larry sadly passed away in 2020, you’re likely to see his wife and daughter there committed to carrying on his BBQ legacy!

One of the oldest standing barbecue restaurants in Memphis, Leonard’s has had ample time to perfect their menu, and it shows! Taking the Memphis classic barbecue spaghetti for an even further twist, you can get barbecue Raviolis here. That’s right, now you don’t have to decide between Italian and barbecue for dinner. Make sure to try their crispy catfish while you’re there, and pair it with their bright yellow, tangy slaw! They put the slaw on their sandwiches, but we’d put it on anything, no judgment.  Don’t just wonder what Memphians have been enjoying since 1922, go see for yourself.

In 2022 guests of One and Only BBQ ate 8,000 half pans of their Bread Pudding. You hooked yet? One and Only BBQ has made a major footprint on Memphis’ barbecue scene since 2011, recognized as one of the top five joints in the city! Their meats are smoked for 15 to 24  hours on 100% hickory wood. They are known for their delicious sandwiches and ribs, but their twice baked potato salad is something to write home about, too. It was featured on Memphian’s Yelp page of “Top 100 Memphis dishes you must try before you die.” Don’t waste another minute getting to any three of their locations!

Serving up true Memphis barbecue, Payne’s prides itself not only on their food but their Southern hospitality as well. They cook all of their meat over wood chips for hours, until it is perfectly tender and ready to serve. Flora Payne has been in the industry for over 50 years and this year was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame. Go in, grab a barbecue sandwich topped with Payne’s famous spicy sauce, and tell her congratulations! Don’t wait too late in the day, though. When the restaurant has served up all the fresh meat for the day, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow for more. Never subbing quality for quantity, Payne’s is a Memphis staple.

Every barbecue restaurant in the city has a meat-and-cheese-plate variation, but the Rendezvous takes the Memphis-style cheese and sausage plate to the next level with the “Rendezvous Special.” Composed of ham, cheese, salami, sausage, pickles, and peppers, this platter has what you are craving. Located in Downtown Memphis, the Rendezvous has been a staple since 1948. They’ve got everything from an ambiance of true Memphis charm to mouth-watering charcoal-cooked ribs on the table. There’s something exciting about eating in one of the oldest and most famous restaurants in the city. Cozily tucked away, this restaurant feels like one of Memphis’s secret treasures, but all the locals know and love it. Most of the employees have been there for 20+ years, and when the food is that good, we don’t blame them.

Smoky City is one of the relatively newer barbecue options in the city, but don’t let that deter you from going. Their food is up there with the long standing barbecue veterans in the city. They offer pork, chicken, and fish; basically anything you want from a barbecue restaurant, they have! They derived their name from the active smokestacks of blacksmiths in the area. Like every good Memphis barbecue restaurant, they offer spaghetti as a side. Just to take it a little further though, you can also get chicken Alfredo here! Bring a friend, the family, your date, they’ve got something on the menu for everyone!

Memphians who’ve lived in the city their whole life are sure to have seen the come and go of many good restaurants. An East Memphis staple since 1989, Three Little Pigs has withstood the test of time and isn’t going anywhere! You can get lunch for one here, or cater for the whole party; either way, your taste buds are going to be blessed. The Memphis-style pork shoulder barbecue is hickory smoked for 20 hours before it’s served. Their tagline is “We serve no swine before its time,” which shows in their fall-off-the-bone meats. It’s always time for Three Little Pigs, so get on over to the corner of Quince and White Station and try it for yourself!

Have you had the chance to try the Rib Tips from Tom’s yet? Guy Fieri from Diners Drive-ins and Dives featured them on an episode and called them “mind blowing”. These “rib nuggets” are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. This way of enjoying rib meat might surprise you, but it definitely won’t disappoint you! Tom’s  marinates the meat for 24 hours before throwing it on a smokey grill. The whole menu is fantastic, but Fieri guarantees these will take you to Flavortown. Don’t just trust him, or us, go for yourself and have your mind blown.

Giving the commercial fast food industry a run for its money, this local drive-through barbecue spot is known for its famous barbecue sandwiches and cheeseburgers. You don’t even have to leave your car to enjoy some of the best barbecues in town. Recently, they added a new menu item: the Fire Braised Chicken Sandwich with Memphis White BBQ Sauce. YUM! Tops has been a Memphis staple since 1952 and it has everything to do with the generous portions, low prices, and delicious consistency.