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16 Absolute Must-Try Barbecue Restaurants In Memphis

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Trying to find the best Memphis bbq restaurants?  I’ve got you covered! I am a Memphis native so I know where the locals go to get their bbq fix so I know where to find the best Memphis bbq restaurants.

If you’re visiting Memphis and looking to indulge in some world-famous slow-cooked barbecue you might as well start with my list of Memphis’s best BBQ restaurants.  

Memphis is considered one of the top culinary capitals in North America, Memphis is known all over the world for its slow-cooked barbecue. 

Memphians love BBQ and will barbecue anything that moves including beef, pork, chicken, sausage, and turkey.

My personal favorite is bbq bologna served between two pieces of white bread making this sample sandwich into something your tastebuds will thank you for later.

Both professional pitmasters and those who grill at home use a combination of logs and charcoal briquettes, which impart a distinctive juicy and mildly smoky flavor to the meat.

The bbq sauce in Memphis is thick, tangy, and reddish brown, and it can range from mild to hot.

Yellow mustard-laced slaw and sweet but savory beans are the standard side dishes, along with barbecue spaghetti—an eccentric combination of pasta, pork, and barbecue sauce found only in Memphis.

Pork ribs and shoulders are the main ingredients at any bbq restaurant in Memphis – they are slow-cooked and then topped with dry rub and a rich barbecue sauce.

The links in this post may be affiliate links.  That means that if you click them and make a purchase, this site makes a commission.  It will have no impact on the price you pay or the experience of your purchase.

Here are 16 of the best Memphis bbq restaurants – the big, small, hole-in-the-wall, well-known, and even the most underrated restaurants to try out in Memphis, Tennessee.

Memphis also hosts one of the world’s largest BBQ Festivals every May which brings pitmasters from all across the world to Memphis in hopes of taking home the coveted award of Best BBQ Pitmaster!

Keep reading for the list of the best Memphis bbq restaurants.

Best BBQ Restaurants in Memphis

How Did I Pick These Top 16 Barbecue Restaurants?

There are over 117 barbecue restaurants in Memphis so I had to limit the number of bbq restaurants to taste test for this review. 

I started my review of the best Memphis barbecue restaurants in downtown Memphis and then made my way out East so keep reading to find the best of the best Memphis barbecue.  

16 Absolute Must Try Barbecue Restaurants In Memphis

Trying to find the best Barbecue in Memphis? I've got the low down on how Memphis earned its title as Barbecue Capital of the World. Plus a few must-eat restaurants to try during your next visit to the Bluff City.

Rendezvous BBQ in Memphis

Memphis Barbecue is always cooked low and slow!

Authentic bbq in Memphis is cooked low and slow using indirect heat. 

Whether you call it barbecue, barbeque, ‘que, bbq, or bar-b-q if you are from Memphis, it means “fall off the bone” with ooey-gooey sticky molasses-based bbq sauce. 

The best bbq in Memphis will have you licking your fingers instead of using a napkin.  Because who uses a napkin when eating BBQ?

Pulled pork and ribs are what most Memphians order but I personally love brisket, especially the brisket from the one and only Cozy Corner Memphis BBQ!

Most Memphis restaurants include coleslaw, baked beans, and potato salad as the side dish.  

What is my favorite Memphis bbq restaurant?

This is almost an impossible question to answer but I am going to say it’s a tie between A & R bbq and Cozy Corner bbq.

Cozy Corner bbq was just recently inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremony took place on Saturday, September 19 during the 2020 American Royal World Series of Barbecue at the Kansas Speedway.

Click Here To Watch The Memphis In May BBQ Cook-Off 2019!

Memphis In May BBQ Festival

Memphis In May is one of the world’s most recognized and Prestigious Barbecue Contests. 

 The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is a four-day competition held in Tom Lee Park on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Memphis, TN.

Update: The 44th edition of the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest will be held May 17-20, 2023, at the Memphis Fairgrounds.

The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is the largest pork barbecue contest in the world and promises to be fiercely competitive in 2022, as teams vie for the World Championship crown, and the largest prize purse in the event’s history totaling over $145,000 in prize money.

Single-day advance, General Admission tickets are $13 each* 

VIP tickets are $495 each* ($595 each with parking*)  limited quantities are available

The World Championship will be somewhat different and smaller with capacity restrictions that may be in place at that time. 

Nearly 250 teams travel from around the world and across the U.S. to compete for the title of World Champion and a share of the more than $115,000 in prize money.

The Contest draws more than 75,000 attendees, including teams from twenty-six states and six countries, from as far away as Japan and the Czech Republic to compete in the championship. 

Categories include – Ribs, Shoulder, and Whole Hog, as well as the ancillary competitions of Hot Wings, Sauce, and “Anything But Pork.” 

If you are looking to enjoy Memphis BBQ make sure you check out the Memphis In May BBQ Festival.

Best BBQ In Memphis 

Conclusion of my top picks for the best Memphis barbecue.
 
Memphis’ style BBQ is unique because of its love of pork products (ribs, shoulders, hips, the whole gamut!), and slow cooking of the meat in a pit, known as “pit barbecue.”
 
In a town so beholden to smoky pork products, it’s hard to pick the best of the best. 
.
If you love perfectly-seasoned ribs, bbq spaghetti dishes, pulled pork sandwiches, mouth-watering bbq nachos, and bbq hot links make sure you visit Memphis for some of the best bbq in the world! 

WHAT TO SEE IN DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS

If you’re visiting downtown Memphis here is a list of things to do after you have devoured all of the BBQ in Memphis.

WHERE TO STAY IN MEMPHIS

Canopy by Hilton is the best hotel in downtown Memphis. Creative, atmospheric, and historically layered, Canopy Hotel is located in the oldest area in the city, and within walking distance lies America’s most iconic road, Beale Street.

You can walk everywhere during your stay at Canopy including Beale Street, I AM Man Plaza, MLK Reflection Park, Ernest Withers Museum, First Baptist Church, and many more attractions.

The hotel is located next to Autozone Park and a half-mile from FedEx Forum Arena. The Memphis Music Hall of Fame is five minutes away and they are under a mile from Mississippi River Park and the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum.

If you want to venture outside of downtown you can catch a taxi to anywhere in Memphis in under 20 minutes.

Canopy offers a clean stay program which means there is a seal on each and every door to ensure no one has entered the room prior to you checking in and you also have the option of digital check-in.

The rooms are AMAZING y’all!

Beautifully decorated in contemporary 70’s music themes that include rhythm and blues influences of the South.  

The rooms are locally inspired by the music that was created by legendary artists such as Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Johnny Cash, and many more.

They also included a cozy bathrobe, slippers, and a pair of colorful and branded socks to kick back and relax.

Canopy Memphis Downtown

Where to stay in Memphis

If you’re spending the weekend in Memphis check out these additional hotels in Memphis:


Ready to plan your trip, grab my FREE  Vacation Planner to help you plan your trip in the time it takes to watch your favorite TV show!

Travel Guide

I have come to the end of my ultimate Memphis barbecue guide!  

Hopefully, your mouth is watering and your taste buds are singing and dancing for some fall-off-the-bone ribs and savory pulled pork. 

What do you think about my list of the 16 best Memphis bbq restaurants?    

Additional Travel Articles

Slave Haven – Underground Railroad In Memphis

50 Fun Things To Do In Memphis with the Kiddos

Ultimate Amtrak Getaway – Memphis to New Orleans

What are your favorite BBQ restaurants in Memphis? Let me know in the comments, and I will update as needed. 

I would love to hear about any other barbecue restaurants I should check out in Memphis!  Leave me a comment on FacebookTwitter, or Instagram.

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68 Comments

  1. I totally agree with you, I’ve had a variety of good BBQ while in Memphis. This list is a total and complete hype. Now my mouth is watering and I want more BBQ, and I need to visit Memphis again.

  2. I totally agree with you, I’ve had a variety of good BBQ while in Memphis. This list is a total and complete hype. Now my mouth is watering and I want more BBQ, and I need to visit Memphis again.

  3. Memphis is on my list of cities to travel to! It’s not super far from Chicago and I have family that lives there. A bbq adventure sounds delicious!

    Kendro

  4. Memphis is on my list of cities to travel to! It’s not super far from Chicago and I have family that lives there. A bbq adventure sounds delicious!

    Kendro

  5. I used to live in TN, but I was a vegetarian then, and I remain one now so I haven’t heard of this spot. I will keep it in mind though because I have a lot of friends who would love to learn more about the best BBQ in Memphis.

  6. I used to live in TN, but I was a vegetarian then, and I remain one now so I haven’t heard of this spot. I will keep it in mind though because I have a lot of friends who would love to learn more about the best BBQ in Memphis.

  7. I need to make another trip to TN because Memphis was one of the best places I had BBQ! Maybe I will take a trip this year and keep these spots in mind!

  8. I need to make another trip to TN because Memphis was one of the best places I had BBQ! Maybe I will take a trip this year and keep these spots in mind!

  9. I needed to see this list. Planning a trip to Memphis soon. I’ll be going to some of these places.

  10. I needed to see this list. Planning a trip to Memphis soon. I’ll be going to some of these places.

  11. Oh I wish I had this list during my work trip to Tennessee last year. I ended up sitting in my hotel room every night eating bad take out and room service. LOL Great post!

  12. Oh I wish I had this list during my work trip to Tennessee last year. I ended up sitting in my hotel room every night eating bad take out and room service. LOL Great post!

  13. One of the main reasons I like to go to Memphis is for the BBQ periodt. Great post. Will def check some of these places out next time I go. I hadn’t heard of some of them.

  14. One of the main reasons I like to go to Memphis is for the BBQ periodt. Great post. Will def check some of these places out next time I go. I hadn’t heard of some of them.

  15. I have never been to Nashville, but we were in North Carolina 3 Summers ago. As someone from the North, I had no idea what real BBQ was until we were there. Now I have a few new places I will have to visit the next time we travel South!

  16. I have never been to Nashville, but we were in North Carolina 3 Summers ago. As someone from the North, I had no idea what real BBQ was until we were there. Now I have a few new places I will have to visit the next time we travel South!

  17. The racism in this article ruined anything of value you might have said. Anyway, I’ve been to 48 states, had more ‘que than you could wrap your head around. Germantown Commissary has the best flavor.

    1. What is actually racism in this article? The fact I called out Travel + Leisure or the fact I stated someone who puts raisins in their potato salad wrote it. I assume you put raisins in all of your food which is why you are pissed.

  18. The racism in this article ruined anything of value you might have said. Anyway, I’ve been to 48 states, had more ‘que than you could wrap your head around. Germantown Commissary has the best flavor.

    1. What is actually racism in this article? The fact I called out Travel + Leisure or the fact I stated someone who puts raisins in their potato salad wrote it. I assume you put raisins in all of your food which is why you are pissed.

  19. You need to try Smokin D’s in Millington. It’s not Memphis but still in Shelby County. Besides the barbecue you need to try the barbecue bologna. You can’t go wrong with anything you order. And super nice staff as well.

  20. You need to try Smokin D’s in Millington. It’s not Memphis but still in Shelby County. Besides the barbecue you need to try the barbecue bologna. You can’t go wrong with anything you order. And super nice staff as well.

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