Memphis

My partner and I are considering a few days in Memphis in early November with various family members. We will be centrally located.

The big question is: where should we eat? I know there are so many great dining choices in Memphis, but I haven't been there for years, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

We can manage reasonable price for value, but we definitely aren't into the more la-de-da fancy joints.

Thanks.

[Robin Garr]

Jimmy, I told you elsewhere that I only remember barbecue and Elvis from my last long-ago trip to Memphis, but then I remembered a friend who used to go there loved Owen Brennan's - run by one of the New Orleans Brennan's family.
http://www.brennansmemphis.com

For casual, she also liked Soul Fish Cafe, which has several locations. She went to the one on Poplar.
https://soulfishcafe.com

And finally, I just remembered that I'm FB friends with Chef Wally Joe, whose restaurant ACRE is one of the current hot spots for chef-driven "southern cuisine with modern touches." Probably not to be missed if you're not on a tight budget.
http://acrememphis.com/

Jimmy. I have kept a list of restaurants I love in each town I have visited for decades, way before that usurper Andrew Zimmern created a TV show based on that premise. (but i took his advice when visiting Portland, OR and didn't regret it)

I had business interests in Memphis a long time. You mentioned no frou-frou joints, so here you are!
Hog and Hominy: Owned by the hottest restaurant group in Memphis today
Barbecue: Rendevous, Interstate and Payne's are all good, but different
The Four Way: Soul food
Gus's World famous Fried Chicken
Arcade
Dyers on Beale: The juiciest hamburgers on the planet and fried in 100 year old grease. There's a story there. Google it and see.

While there. You have to have a beer in the Peabody Bar. I love the Ducks and the floral arrangement is always stunning. It will be a pricey beer, but worth it.

Boy are you lucky! Memphis is a GREAT eating town. Keep in mind, there’s nothing healthy about food in Memphis so just go with it.

You’ll be on Beale St. I’m sure and you need to go to Miss Polly’s soul food. The place is coated floor to ceiling in grease; it’s the real deal. I get the chicken and waffles with collards. Then, fried pie. Ooohhhhh, stick of butter in a cast iron skillet, fried hostess-like pie and then ice cream. Bring your Lipitor.
I also liked the Blues City Cafe on the corner. Ribs and catfish - no wings, brisket or pulled anything. Their motto is “Put some South in your mouth!” We did and it was delicious.

As for BBQ, I’m a Corky’s fan. Lots of locations. All good.

Second on Gus’s fried chicken and, if you go to the East Memphis location, you can go across the street and get donuts from Gibson’s. Get the apple fritter-it’s life changing. I think Gus’s and Gibson’s might be the unofficial Memphis combo meal.

Finally, and honestly I have never been but always wanted to see it, there is Chow Time. It’s a local all you can eat place like Golden Corral. They had to start enforcing time limits on how long folks could eat there. They also had to start stocking double-sized chairs. My dad swears by their sushi. I mean, aren’t you at all curious too?

Would love to hear how it went.

I only know the BBQ there. Corky's is a local chain but excellent. I also always liked Three Little Pigs if they are still around. Have Fun!

Boy are you lucky! Memphis is a GREAT eating town. Would love to hear how it went.

Ditto.

Glad to see some love for Corky's! I don't understand why they aren't ranked up there with Rendezvous and Interstate; we always liked all three of those (Rendezvous for dry rub/mystique, Interstate for Southern atmosphere and great food, and Corky's for a neighborhood place with possibly the best Q of the three), but national papers seem to put in the BBQ-of-the-week and took them off the lists!

Y'all are the absolute best!! Thanks so much for these hot tips. I'm so excited now about this trip. Every one of these recommendations sounds terrific!

One word of warning . . . with a couple of exceptions, many of the places recommended would get ratings like "food - 10, decor - 1".

The downtown Gus's now has what appears to be a tiled floor, but when we were regulars (and living in Memphis) it had a pressed dirt floor in an old warehouse first floor. Mentions have been made about grease-lined walls and ceilings in other places. Just close your eyes if you have to, which will concentrate your taste buds to enjoy the food!

Glad to see some love for Corky's! I don't understand why they aren't ranked up there with Rendezvous and Interstate; we always liked all three of those (Rendezvous for dry rub/mystique, Interstate for Southern atmosphere and great food, and Corky's for a neighborhood place with possibly the best Q of the three), but national papers seem to put in the BBQ-of-the-week and took them off the lists!

Didn't make it to Interstate, but my wife and I were underwhelmed by the ribs at Rendezvous. It was kind of an off-time, I'm thinking mid-afternoon, and perhaps because of that the ones we were served were pretty tough and dried out. On the other hand, we were surprised by the ribs at Corky's (I believe we ate at the original one). Those were far superior to the ones at Rendezvous. Juicy, tender yet with just the right tooth to the bite.

Glad to see some love for Corky's! I don't understand why they aren't ranked up there with Rendezvous and Interstate; we always liked all three of those (Rendezvous for dry rub/mystique, Interstate for Southern atmosphere and great food, and Corky's for a neighborhood place with possibly the best Q of the three), but national papers seem to put in the BBQ-of-the-week and took them off the lists!

Didn't make it to Interstate, but my wife and I were underwhelmed by the ribs at Rendezvous. It was kind of an off-time, I'm thinking mid-afternoon, and perhaps because of that the ones we were served were pretty tough and dried out. On the other hand, we were surprised by the ribs at Corky's (I believe we ate at the original one). Those were far superior to the ones at Rendezvous. Juicy, tender yet with just the right tooth to the bite.

Last time I went to Rendezvous, it wasn't as good as I had remembered (but then again neither am I!). Still, instead of a 97 it was maybe an 93, still quite good. Dry ribs shouldn't happen regardless of the time of your visit, but maybe (as their ribs aren't sauced at all) the off-hour did hurt . . .

Yeah, I'm a backyard smoker, and I'm somewhat familiar with the various problems with ribs. Bottom line, ribs are finicky critters. It is so easy to dry baby back ribs out, let alone keep them fresh enough to serve on an as-ordered-basis. I remember talking to Eric Gould, the proprietor of the lamented Smoketown USA, about how he finished his ribs (those brontosaurus beef ribs were to die for), and he laid out the water bath technique, in which they would pull them off their initial smoke, soak and cover in a water bath, and then finish on the grill. It worked.