I worked across the street from them for two decades and ate their food regularly. Their BBQ is good, but the best were their very sloppy but very delicious burgers. Haven't eaten there in a couple of years though. Hope it's still the same. read more

I'm from Kansas City, and was on my way to New Orleans. I had to stop in Memphis for some dry-rub ribs. I was so glad to have stopped in to this place, and the ability of the pit master inspired my own take on Memphis dry. The meat is tender, and the rub is smoky, sweet, and flavor rich. All that we tried was the ribs, so that's all I can comment on; but they were worth the detour. The restaurant owner doesn't put a whole lot into the dining area, and it feels like a family runs this place. Nevertheless, it's really good food, and that's what they're doing there anyway. It reminded me of the barbecue joints around Kansas City, like a low-rent gates barbecue, or Arthur Bryants - you can taste an older element of generational smoking in the ribs. Try it if you haven't had Memphis Dry - it's a contender for ideal dry, and I am a shrewd judge of barbecue! read more

Place could definitely use a little pick me up on both the inside and the outside, but aside from that the food was actually really good. Customer service was nice and the food was a reasonable cost. Highly recommend getting the ribs. read more

Spent two months working in Memphis on a project. Ate here *multiple* times (and even got my wife to break lent for this place when she came out to visit). They could use a better grade of meat (or maybe just trim it better), but what they do with that meat is awesome. Great sauce that goes even better with heat. Great desserts (liked the banana pudding, a lot). It's in a crappy location, so, as an out-of-towner at night, it feels a bit sketchy, but so worth it. read more

Hailing from Chitown I'M very choosy abt my bbq! Yeah,I know all abt how Memphis is suppossed to be THE place for que but I've been coming to the Bluff ever since I was a teen and until this weekend I had yet to experience good que in Memphis! Oh,I'm sure you say did you go here? Did you go there? The answer is yes yes and HELL YES! Been there-done that! But let me get to the point(yes I do have one) A&R has the best damn rib tips south of the south side of Chicago! Meat was tender-sauce was excellent and one thing I haven't found in Chicago but trust me I will be looking for was freakin fried pickles! WTH? Ummmm. Friendly staff damn good food what more can a girl ask for..... read more

Love this place. One of the top BBQ restaurants in Memphis. Love the rub. Some of the very best in the business. Get the BBQ sandwich. It is excellent! Classic Memphis BBQ. I go here as often as I can, but not as often as I would like. EAT HERE! read more

When passing through Memphis, skip Graceland, maybe even Stax Records, but DO NOT MISS A&R BAR-B-Q! The bluish hickory streamer wafting from the smokehouse out back hints at the pleasures which await you. Inside, the motto on the wall tells it all: "Anyone can put the heat 2 the meat. But very few can bar-b-q.". The baked beans are marvelous , the coleslaw traditionally sweet. The main event, though, is the meat, as you might expect. And you won't be disappointed. If you're from the Southwest as we are, be sure to ask for the hot, rather than mild, barbeque sauce. You'll still find it thoroughly unhot, though still very flavorful. The Pork Shoulder Plate was moist, tender, perfectly smoked, and yummy. And they know how to treat a chicken here, too. Again, the balance of smoke and barbeque flavors was perfect. Finally, a note about portion sizes: On the way from the counter to the table, I was certain that we would be looking for ice packs to keep the left-overs cold. But as it turned out, we looked deep within and managed to make room. Groaning and shifting uncomfortably later was a small price to pay. read more

A&R Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Rude service, cashier didn't even acknowledge us. One cashier was just looking at her screen. Other lady had to come from back to help us. Than she just looked like she hated her life as well. Shitty place to go. read more

The food is yummy.... however, my boyfriends ribs were served in sooo much grease. I had the pulled pork sandwich, it was delicious. Very very heavy lol so come ready to eat. read more

Next time I won't get the smoked sausage.I've not been there in years so I decided to stop by. I remembered their pulled sandwiches were excellent but decided to go with something different. I got a smoked sausage and was scared to eat it when I got home. It was VERY done on the outside but the inside was extremely wet, dripping with oil and what looked like water and was too pink. I paid $10.00 for my meal which included a drink, onion rings and fried apple pie. I probably won't go back any time soon....if I do I'll just stick with the beef pulled bbq sandwich. read more

A hole in the wall restaurant that was absolutely delicious! This restaurant has some of the best tasting BBQ I have ever had. Not to mention the equally delicious sides: beans, potato salad, slaw, and fried pickles. read more

We wanted try some local BBQ while visiting Graceland. We found this great BBQ just down Elvis Presley Blvd. For two people we had a full rack of ribs, two sides, two sodas and for $22. Even tried fried pickles for the first time....tastes better then it sounds! Ribs so tender and flavorful! While enjoying our lunch in the modest dining area, a mailman, FedEx driver, business man and 2 different law enforcement officers came in for take out. Locals must love it too! read more

A&R Bar-B-Que - Dining room at A&R - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Driving from Dallas Tx. to Crossville,Tn, stopped off for lunch. The best bbq I have ever had. Ordered the bbq beef sandwich with hot sauce , it delivered! The fried okra was not greasy. Great food, great prices. Would definetly return! read more

The staff was outstanding and friendly. I loved the food it was the best by far that I have had in Memphis. I am from New Orleans and love great food. This place is a winner. Will be back regularly. read more

Looking for the bbq joint in Memphis? Look no further than A&R BBQ. If you're looking for ambiance this ain't the place. Yes I said ain't. It's a joint. I have found the best food in joints. Well this is no exception. The food was off the charts. We were on Beale Street getting ready to order when I explained to the server I have not been to find a place that has wowed me. He recommended A&R. Needless to say we drank our sweet tea, I left a 10 spot and we headed to this place. I ordered the rib plate with potato salad and slaw. My wife got the pork plate with beans and slaw. Finally I can say "WOW". The ribs were tender with an awesome sauce. The pork was very very good. The sides were excellent. Go to Beale Street for the music. Go to A&R for the BBQ. read more

During a total Elvis wallow (we stayed across from Graceland at the Heartbreak Hotel) we were looking for some great BBQ not that far away. A & R looked a bit questionable when we drove up, and while the smoke was pouring out of the back (good sign) the parking lot had only one other car (bad sign). We ordered, and while we waited, a steady stream of locals came in for their carry out, choosing the exceptional food, but not to eat in the restaurant's molded plastic booths. The pork shoulder and beef shoulder were meltingly delicious (we had the hotter sauce) and the sides, beans, okra, slaw, etc were yummy. The staff was super friendly, and after we ate, the pitmaster came out to ask about our meal and talk NC BBQ with the travelers. A delightful Memphis food experience. read more

After reading several good reviews on here I decided to give this place a try. At best I consider it mediocre. As mentioned by others, this restaurant is located in a sketchy area and is definitely what I would consider run-down. The ribs were slightly tough, had zero smoke flavor and were covered with an unimpressive sauce. My wife ordered the pulled pork nachos, which were horrible. They consisted of what tasted like stale Tostitos, canned nacho cheese sauce and flavorless pulled pork. Luckily for her she ordered some fried chicken tenders, and they were the best thing we had there. I won't be going back. read more

Great spot in South Memphis. No frills. friendly service. Delicious pork. Exactly what a bbq joint should be!! Try the rib tip sandwich

Great service! Our cashier was beyond amazing and very beautiful! She took every order with a smile. I ordered a chicken sandwich. I wasn't feeling all that well so I couldn't really enjoy my meal but the flavor was great. Everyone in party was completely satisfied! Accept for a friend who had dined there before, apparently it wasn't as tasty as the first time he visited. read more

Loved the pulled pork sandwich combo! It comes loaded so that's great & very delicious. I enjoyed the home made chocolate cake plus they have the best sweet tea. read more

dis place is off da beaten path. I came in and ordered half slab of ribs wid da sauce on da side on a fountain coke , came out 2 $13.86, which is very reasonable. da ribs were good and da sauce made it better, i would definitely come back here and try da ribs again n mayb somethin else. Da gentleman who helped me, i believe he was runnin da show was very nice and friendly and offered suggestions. its a family owned store and he takes pride on it. I engaged in a small chit chat wid him n another customer I found out dat they both served in Vietnam. when we were done i shook both men's hand n thanked them 4 their service ..... i can only imagine wut kinda hell they were thru... crawlin thru rat tunnels... killin ppl u didnt kno out of survival... not trustin any1... lookin out 4 land mines ... bcuz they did ALL dat they granted me da freedom 2 bitch bout 1st world problemz on Yelp.. Da man in charge n was stationed in da Philippines, n made me smile cuz i'm sure he loves filipino food by now, lol jk. read more

No. Ribs-terrible. String beans-you think would be good with all the seasoning and meat but totally tasteless. Beans-nice flavor. Don't go for the food but RUN for the cake! The lemon cake is absolutely devine, not too lemony, not too sweet and very moist. Very disappointed. read more

Just OK. Our only stop for memphis bbq and sad this was what we picked. Flavor behind the sauce good. Sauce sweet not spicy at all. Pretty bland. Wait for food was lengthy for a less than crowded eatery. My kids got Ticee wings...tough meat with bbq sauce. Ribs with not tender. Bring a sharp knife to cut them. Cole slaw not tasty. But BEANS pretty good. Best thing we had. but didn't knock our socks off. Previous reviews rated banana pudding high. So we ordered the pudding and paid for it but later they told us they ran out. Great disappointment. Go elsewhere if you want Memphis bbq. read more

Mediocre. My ribs were fatty, cold and I asked for spicy bbq sauce and the sauce I had was barely spicy. The baked beans and slaw was pretty tasty. I would go back and try something different off their menu. Everyone deserves a second chance, right? read more

Visiting from Dallas, TX BBQ was awesome... Food was fresh and hot.. Prices was good will return..

I made a special trip to support the bbq restaurants in the hood. This was the worst BBQ I've eaten in over 40 years. I ordered the pork rib plate on 1/16/2019, and the ribs were OLD AND DRY, i could actually see the dry brown marrow cracking. To top it off, if you pay by credit card they ask for a tip before you even get your food (TACKY). If you miss that opportunity then there is a tip jar sitting on the counter when you pick up your food. I'm from LA California, and frequent a spot of Slauson (yall know the one). I was expecting so much more from Memphis BBQ, and I am terribly disappointed. I wish I could get my $13.10 back. Shame on you A&R BBQ, I will never eat Memphis BBQ again! read more

Rib tips amazing! My husband had the turkey leg and it was overcooked and a bit disappointed

This has to be some of the best bbq in the city. When I worked at University, I would travel over there and pick up some ribs. The staff was always great to me. The building is a hole in the wall, and there isn't much parking, but damn it's amazing! read more

Wow, best brisket i've ever had. Ribs were great but Tom's has em beat there. Great atmosphere, authentic Memphis bbq joint with fantastic food. Highly recommend. read more

Leaving NOLA this morning, we decided we wanted to try real Memphis BBQ since we would be driving thru. We were very happy with our choice to stop at A&R. We all had brisket sandwiches. The beef was very tender and not at all dry. We really liked how it was cut into pieces instead of slices. Slaw was a good topping. Fries and O rings were delicious, too. I recommend stopping if you are near there. Kurt from Kansas City read more

The wings here are outstanding! The caramel cake is really good and one piece should be enough for two people (unless your me of course).

Perfection. Probably the best BBQ that I have had and I've had BBQ in NC, TX, and Kansas City. Hubby had the rib tips, which were nicely sauced and tender. I had the beef brisket, also nicely sauced. The beef had the right mix of meat and fat, with charred pieces that added a tasty smoky flavor. Prices were very reasonable and portions were generous. The stand-alone restaurant is about 10 min from the airport and there is parking in the front. There is plenty of seating and the place is clean. You order at the counter and they call you when the food is ready. Don't expect anything fancy, just yummy BBQ and very friendly people. read more

Loved this place. It was highlighted in the book "100 Places to Eat Before it's Too Late," for both the pork sandwich and the BBQ spaghetti. Loved both, particularly the latter. The rib platter was also amazing. Oh - and get the fried pickles. The neighborhood -- just a few miles from Graceland -- is a bit sketchy, though we were there mid-afternoon and it was fine. read more

About a 10 minute drive from Memphis Airport made this a convenient choice for lunch. The overall high ratings it received from others made me curious. I got a sandwich with the hot BBQ sauce. The sandwich was small and overall taste was mediocre. Service should have been better (even in NYC, they say thank you and smile when a patron orders lunch... apparently not valued here). Unfortunately, there are not many good choices for a descent place to sit and have lunch anywhere close to the airport ... this place doesn't change that. It's not bad... Just not great. read more

Great dry rubbed ribs with yummy sauce, fabulous baked beans and cole slaw and good desserts too. Cheap. Your basic rib shack - you order at the counter and either take out or eat at a table. A real find, the real deal for fine bbq in town. read more

We were so excited to try the food here because a lot of people recommended it. No. Don't do it!!! We bought ribs, rib tips w sides, and a peach pie. Every last bit of it was a huge disappointment! Ribs were so tough they weren't edible we threw it away... the whole thing!!! The rib tips were touch and go. some bits were tender but the majority was also inedible due to being so hard. I felt like I might choke on it because I couldn't chew it enough. The beans were the okay part. They weren't anything special but the only part that I liked. My fries were stale and the peach pie was just kind of gross. My boyfriend flipped out over the experience and now our entire trip has just been kind of ruined. $40 dollars wasted over food we didn't eat. So thank you A&R Bar-B-Que for ruining the end of our whole Memphis trip. I would recommend Rendezvous in place of this, its the same cost as this place and it was DELICIOUS! It's a little touristy but its good food. read more

Some of the best bar-b-que I have ever had. The pricing is slightly higher than expected but well worth it for the amount and quality of food you get. read more

Great pulled pork sandwiches with delicious BBQ sauce, perfect for lunch. Went out of our way to go to the place, read reviews that is wasn't the greatest of neighborhoods, but we thought it was fine and safe. So go and chow down! read more