Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale is a must-visit for anyone who loves authentic Delta blues. The atmosphere is funky, historic, and full of character--it feels like the real Mississippi Delta, not a polished tourist attraction. The music is excellent, and the food is just as impressive. Great Delta-style cooking, cold drinks, and live blues make for a perfect night out. A nice bonus: they serve a full food menu and accept credit cards, so it's easy to settle in and enjoy the evening. If you're in Clarksdale, Ground Zero is absolutely worth a stop--great blues, great food, and a genuine Delta experience. read more

Better service and hospitality would be nice for those who make the trek to this establishment. read more

Ground Zero Blues Club - Nobody at the bar except me, and the bartender on her phone the whole time. Terrible service. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Clarksdale, Mississippi

Stopped in Clarkdale, MS while traveling. At the hotel my husband got a brief, wonderful, history of Clarkdale, Delta Blues, and Ground Zero. We decided to go right over to Ground Zero. Went to bar ordered two Diet Cokes (dont drink). Asked about food, she said of course brought a menu. My husband slid the menu up to top of bar. The bartender walked past is at least 5 times, making eye contact with her three times and she kept going back to a man on our left, and three people on our right. We decided to leave due to her rudeness. When we put $10 on the menu, she came right up and rang us out. We have traveled all over and never treated as rudely as this woman did. No Southern Charm here. Very disappointed after being so excited to hear the band playing blues. We ended up with the blues! read more

Of course, their music was what attracted many people over from all over the world, but I can honestly say that out of the food that I have had, I thoroughly enjoyed it all in terms of taste. It was economical, too, so we had quality food while spending a reasonable amount of money. I had the catfish BLT, which was a simple catfish burger with the most basic ingredients. Yet the catfish itself was so tasty that I didn't even need ketchup or mayo for the burger. It was so seasoned that it definitely made the burger an enjoyable experience. My partner had the kingfish platter which was essentially catfish as well. But then there was a small cup of coleslaw that we both thought was the best we've had, mainly because they didn't use mayo but some kind of vinegar to supplement the taste. And then my partner had the deep fried pecan pie and I had a taste of it. Even though I am not even the biggest fan of pecan pie, I really enjoyed that one and I think it was because the deep fried aspect along with whipped cream complemented the gelatinous material in pecan pies (don't know how to call it). There was music 365 days a week in the club, and particularly we were there during the annual Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival, so it was extra special. There were visitors all over the world attending the festival and many great bands played in the club. The amount of mess on the walls in the club speaks to the historically and culturally rich aspect of this club and of this town. Definitely a 5 star experience. read more

See all

I am sad to say that despite great expectations, Ground Zero was a big disappointment. We were on a music themed roadtrip, and Clarksdale was a big part of the trip. And while we liked the general atmosphere, this place just mails it in with little effort. The pulled pork was dry and had a strange aftertaste. It pales in comparison to Abe's, located right at Crossroads. I have had better BBQ in New York! But the worst part was the service: our waitress treated us as if we were inconveniencing her. We were halfway through our meal and beers and she started nagging us to pay our check, shouting "I WANT TO GO HOME!" As to the music, it was also a real disappointment. The band also was just mailing it in, playing low energy covers like "Sweet Home Chicago." The blues at Red's and played by buskers around town was played with much more life and soul. I love Morgan Freeman, but sadly his club/restaurant needs a shakeup. Save your $$s and go elsewhere. I am being kind with two stars. read more

Ground Zero Blues Club - Great potential but poor execution, especially on the food - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Clarksdale, Mississippi

I wanted to at least like this place for my husband's sake since I'm not into blues. We arrived for lunch and I had the catfish, black eyed peas and potato salad. This was after tasting several sides and settling on potato salad. I disliked all the others. My husband had the pulled pork, baked beans, and cole slaw. He enjoyed his food but said the baked beans had an interesting taste. The catfish and potato salad were good but the black eyed peas, like the baked beans had a weird seasoning that I couldn't id but I hated it. I tried a couple of sides but they all had some weird ingredient that ruined the taste. My husband also ordered hot wings with a side of fries to start. I think the worst fries I've had in a long time. They were so dry and tasted like they had been cooked in old oil. How do you screw up fries! The wings were okay though I prefer the skin on my wings to be crispy and not soft so I didn't enjoy the 1 I had, but the seasoning was good. The paper menu we were given needed to be trashed. How hard is it to make new copies and give customers a menu that doesn't look and feel like it came out of the trash? Their attempt at making the restaurant inside/out look like a dump was successful. The bathrooms were much to be desired. The toilet tissue was questionable for not having taken a few drops on the dirty floor. I had to pray my way through a wipe. So far, so good! We left and returned that evening to hear Muddy Alexander. I'm not a blues expert but he didn't seem like he was singing blues to me. Not bad but not what we came for. What was worse is that when I attempted to sit down at a table that a couple had just gotten up from, a questionable older man shoved me and shooed me away from the table. On a positive note, our waitress, Alexis, I believe, was very sweet and hard working. She was there when we arrived in the afternoon and when we returned at 10:30 pm for the performance. read more

See all

Best catfish I ever ate! Great place for blues music too. Staff here are wonderful read more

Ground Zero Blues Club - Catfish dinner - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Clarksdale, Mississippi

Friendly staff and good food. Clarksdale MS is a great place to visit to learn about the birthplace and history of the Delta Blues.

If you are looking for live music and a good time, you are likely to find it here. Grab a cold drink and enjoy the show because you are likely to hear some great music. With that said, I do NOT recommend the food. We ordered the friend green tomatoes and the onion rings - neither came with any dipping sauce and the tomatoes were over cooked and the onion rings were greasy. Ordered the peach cobbler and it tasted that it had been microwaved so that when the ice cream was put on it, it became a huge blob of melted mess. My server I hope was new because the service was poor. I asked what beers were on draft and I was informed that they had none, he then recommended a pecan beer but since I couldn't taste it I wasn't willing to get something I didn't like and be stuck with it. There were multiple times I felt like I had to chase him down to get another beer. It was an experience to say the least. read more

See all

This was our first time to Clarksdale. I fell in love with this place. The atmosphere was just cool. The music was amazing. The food was top notch. The wait staff took great care of us. read more

See all

Let me tell y'all that this Los Angeles city girl came to this location and have the time of my life. My grandmother was born and raised in Clarksdale and we went back and I've never been to the south or a place anywhere remotely akin de Clarksdale. Best place and is a gem. And had absolutely amazing talented people playing and performing that I think the world deserves to hear. While writing this, I realize that I need to make it very clear in this review, but this is not for influencers and people hoping to capture a screen grab of a good moment. This if for people who are comfortable separating themselves from some comforts and will do so for an authentic experience. This entire place was shockingly new for me and then amazingly the place I wanted to be. After getting past the very large jumping crickets (this is for us city folks) I just wanted to be inside and listen to who was on stage. Heard the amazing talent of Danny Garwood and Emma. Was a true experience. Felt blessed to be able to experience this with my grandma and aunt. Truly. Will be a staple when I'm in the south and near clarksdale. Also the wings and food is great but have to be honest everything is heavily fried and/or breaded. Nothing complain about but. The closest thing to healthy is maybe the delicious fried okra. 10/10 recommend to anyone passing by read more

Ground Zero Blues Club - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Clarksdale, Mississippi

Going to Clarksdale and not going to Ground Zero is almost like never visiting Clarksdale at all. It is that iconic. It is gritty and beautiful. Morgan Freeman doesn't just lend his name to this venerable blues club but he walks the walk. He was actually there the weekend we were visiting Clarksdale! read more

Ground Zero Blues Club - Exterior - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Clarksdale, Mississippi

So we arrived at Ground Zero on April 8th and we checked out on the 12th. When we checked in, one of the managers, Sadie I was a little rude and was upset that we didn't put a credit card in an email. We did call before arrival with no response. The room that we had was in the back of the hotel on the street level. The door to get in was exceptionally hard to turn this knob. The code was easy, but the knob was horrible. It took five minutes every time to lock. There is only one bedroom and you could hear the band very clearly through an adjoining door in the hallway that was securely locked. The other bed was position in the foyer. It was a little strange and creepy. There was had a big walk in safe there that was a basically a small room and it was a very creepy. The first night I took a shower and I felt somebody had pushed back on me and I fell in the shower. Not once did anybody check to see if we were OK or if we liked the accomadations. OnSaturday night we tried to get something to eat and they were very rude asking us to wait in line and pay a cover even though we only wanted food to go. just to Sadie, one of the managers was again was very rude telling us we had to stand in line. It's almost as if we're privileged to be there. Paid $1000 to be there, and the accommodations were not comfortable. Two years ago my girlfriend stayed upstairs and had a great experience and this was the complete opposite for the amount. Beware and I do not recommend staying in room 8 that located in the back of Ground Zero on the street level. read more

Ground Zero is a must-stop when in Clarksdale for music. Great bands, fun setting. Good service.

On a road trip home from Mississippi, we decided to stop in for lunch. Most know that this spot is co-owned by Morgan Freeman and is an old juke joint in the middle of Clarksdale converted into a bar/restaurant. The environment is really cool and has that cool old school feel. They have live music after 5 so I will be back to experience that. I really thought it was cool how food was served on throw away dishes giving it that old school vibe as well. We were greeted and seated immediately. Brett, our server, was super chill,prompt and courteous. We started with the Fried Green Tomatoes, followed by the Jacks Blues Burger with slaw and the GZBC Cheeseburger with fries. All cooked to order and fresh. The fried green tomatoes are made the old school way with cornmeal breading, fried light and crispy. The burgers were seasoned perfect and toppings were fresh. Finally the star..Deep Fried Pecan Pie. The sweetness was cut in half by frying and the savory was there. By adding the ice cream and sauce sent it over the mark. Don't sleep on that, make it happen. The food is affordable and the service is top notch. read more

See all

The atmosphere is cool and the history is unmatched! Service was great and music was thoroughly enjoyed!

When in Rome.. Ground Zero Blue Club is a must stop when in Clarksdale. Convenient location, solid food, good enough bar menu and the requisite juke joint vibe. If this joint were anywhere else, it would seem like a well-trodden local dive. But this being Clarksdale, the live music drawing from the local talent makes it a 'can't miss' place. Don't overthink it - pay the cover, grab a drink and lose yourself in the blues. You'll have a good time - and that's what its all about. read more

Ground Zero Blues Club - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Clarksdale, Mississippi

When you look at the outside of this restaurant....you might feel compelled to turn around and get back in your car. But don't!! Ask for Sawanna and ask her for an order of fried green tomatoes! You've never seen a place like this! read more

Ground Zero Blues Club - the outside of the building - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Clarksdale, Mississippi

See all

We thoroughly enjoyed the evening we spent at the club - 6 hours of it. Good food, friendly and efficient staff, and a great band. The only disappointment was not seeing or meeting the great Morgan Freeman. The atmosphere created in this club is among the best we've experienced. If we had had more time we would have definitely gone back a second time. read more

Great couple of nights in Clarksdale at Ground Zero! The music was fabulous- Misty Blues on one night and Alex Lopez the next. I'm from Memphis and so I'm pretty picky about the Blues. These folks were top shelf. (An aside... I've been to Ground Zero 5-6 times prior to this weekend and have always felt the music was sub-par.) Not this weekend! And the food was great too! Pulled pork one night and wings the next. Killer! Efficient and friendly service as well. Well done GZ!!! read more

Wasn't that impressed with the place, the menu was very limited and service lackEd fun. read more

Ground Zero Blues Club - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Clarksdale, Mississippi

Absolutely the heart of music venues in Clarksdale, MS. No frills. Great service. The food was bomb and very reasonably priced. I've played music here fr their 21st anniversary, and the way they treat their musicians is just as swell as they treat their guest! Thank you! Love this place read more

Ground Zero Blues Club - Open at 5 pm during the week... - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Clarksdale, Mississippi

See all

Great night of Blues at Ground Zero! Paid the cover and grabbed a seat... The music was great and the dance floor was busy. Drinks were good and great night at Ground Zero! read more

See all

Five star for the music and ambience, two for the food. Very limited menu, with the food tasting more like Sysco and less like homemade. In particular, the fries were undercooked the first time, and the 2nd batch still tasteless. WHO can't do good fries? BbQ was below average given the competition in town. The fried green tomatoes were the exception -- good and crispy! It felt like Ground Zero no longer cares about the food. read more

Can I get an Amen! Love this place. Was only planning on spending one night in Clarksdale to visit this place. Drinks, music and vibe were amazing. Went to Memphis the next day but changed our plans cancelling our second night and headed back to Clarksdale for two nights. Damn was that the right decision. Dropped the bags at The Shack Up Inn and headed straight to Ground Zero for lunch. Pulled pork bbq platter, a margarita, and fried pickles. Didn't think I'd like the pickles and I didn't. I loved them. Pickles with the pulled pork were awesome and that margarita wasn't bad either. No music was playing in the afternoon but it didn't matter. read more

Ground Zero Blues Club - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Clarksdale, Mississippi

One of the greatest music clubs I have ever experienced! The nachos were smoking good too.

Awesome! Everything! Food..music..service!!! We loved it and plan on visiting again for New Yrs eve!

I was passing through Clarksdale, MS and decided to stop here for a quick lunch. I'm from the MS Delta, but quickly noticed that this is a big tourist location. Why? Probably because Morgan Freeman is one of the owners. We arrived right at opening and were the 2nd group seated. There's writing all over this place, on the walls, tables, chairs, bathroom stalls, etc. Everyone is welcomed to bring a sharpie marker and leave their mark. Our server was great and provided us with a great experience! The sweet tea was perfection! We started with the hot tamales (a MS Delta staple). Although a bit pricey, they were possibly the best I've ever had! Everyone ordered the Catfish BLT. The catfish was delicious and cooked perfectly. I took the bacon off because it didn't add anything to the sandwich and it was weird, but that's okay. It was an easy fix! Getting here was a bit of a detour from HWY 61, but the hot tamales made it worth it. I plan to stop by to get a couple dozen the next time I'm in the area. read more

See all

Woohoo! Such a terrific night with some great people, visitors from all over the world flock to this classic iconic place to listen to Blues and enjoy some soul food. Couldn't have had a better night and couldn't have had better service. read more

Ground Zero Blues Club - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Clarksdale, Mississippi

It is definitely a dive...we got there early on the way to a ballgame so we weren't able to enjoy any music. We asked for a cocktail and we're told the bartender was on the porch. Apparently she couldn't be disturbed to make a pesky drink. So we had a beer and very little hope for the upcoming dinner. We were pleasantly surprised. We had the nachos and fried green tomatoes for apps and the catfish and a burger for entrees. Everything was very good. All was served on paper plates with plastic forks. We ended the meal with the pecan pie. And not just any old pie. They seem to take a piece of regular pecan pie, batter it and deep fat fry it and serve it with ice cream. 'Nuff said. You need some. read more

See all

All I can say is this: I felt like I had been gone for years and my family welcomed me back. I'm not from Clarksdale or Mississippi, nor do I know anyone in the city or state, but people here treat you like family, and Ground Zero was no exception. It's everything you need on a day or night out: good people, good food and drinks, good music. read more

Ground Zero Blues Club - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Clarksdale, Mississippi

I want to move to Clarksdale just to move into Ground Zero. It's just the right thing to do, considering all of the deliciousness and character this spot inhabits. Okay, not really. True story: I am all about this restaurant. The sweet lady who welcomes you during lunch is half of the reason for the great experience. She makes you feel like you're at home the moment you enter the restaurant. She offered incredible menu suggestions and knew that menu through and through. The food is ruh-diculous and the ambiance is organic and perfectly imperfect. Go to Ground Zero, but be sure someone or something can peel you away. I don't think I would ever leave if I saw a band on that stage. I can't go back or I'll get sucked into their vortex of perfection. Glad I had to go to work. P.S. "Basic Burger with Cheese" for life! read more

See all

Visited on a Saturday with 6 people (5 adults and toddler) Was in the area for the day and stopped by this restaurant. I am not a pork eater so I had the basic burger, it was good but nothing I will drive back to go and get. There wasn't any live music playing but I they were setting up to play. If in the area I would come back but I wouldn't make a special trip. read more

Fun place to listen to live music with friends. Didn't taste test the food. But the ambiance and music were worth the visit. Try and sit up front to get the best view of the musicians and feel the music! read more

The service was fantastic. We went at a slower time and got such special attention! Thank you Shawanda (sp?)! I got the catfish and my husband got the burger and green beans (his favorite!)...we left none behind! So good! Will look for an excuse to get back (traveling from SC). Wish we could have stayed for the music later tonight. read more

This is a converted old cotton gin into a renovated Delta Blues club for blues bands and Morgan Freeman's southern soul food restaurant. It is really an authentic Mississippi Delta Juke Joint that is open today. The decor has a relaxed atmosphere and begins with old sofas out front on the front porch to a Ground Zero mobile that is outside in the parking lot along the side of the restaurant. It also has 7 apartments up stairs that can be rented out for the true blues fans. Across the street is the Delta Blues museum for people to learn a little more about the history of blues and how it all started. They have pool tables in here too for those who like to play. Ground Zero is co owned by actor Morgan Freeman, Attorney and present Clarksdale Mayor Bill Luckett, and Memphis executive Howard Stovall. Ground Zero has entertainment for its visitors. The Restaurant has a stage for blues bands to play and offer live entertainment to its patrons. Blue bands usually play here Wednesday through Saturday and start at 9pm but call to confirm as schedules for venues are subject to changes and cover charges as we all know. You can autograph the restaurant. However, there is literally not a enough space on the walls to even write your name. As far as the food is concerned- everything is fried. Such as fried green tomatoes, fried okra, fried catfish, fried chicken, French fries, fried pickles, fried grits, fried green beans, fried hot tamales and even off the menu items that are fried like their fried bologna sandwich. They even have fried desserts like fried chocolate delights and fried creme cake. They also have pecan pie and home made peach cobbler. read more

See all

Sorry I have to post this. BEWARE! Hours of operation, especially when they open don't match what's posted. Arrived at 5 pm, what the website says and what is posted on the door, only to be informed that they were opening later that day, 6 pm instead of the posted 5 pm opening and turned us away. Wouldn't even sell us a Tee shirt. Clarksdale doesn't have a lot to offer in the first place. I am sorry , truly disappointed Yes it happened today, Wednesday June 23. We sat in the parking lot for about 40 minutes prior to the scheduled opening. Been talking to my son and his girlfriend about going here for the last couple of months read more

Oh yeah... Big time, big time... Its a right of passage coming here.. This place is AWESOME! Awesome music, authentic... Has a lot of personality... None of the chairs are the same, very make-shift. Down-home, juke joint, all those thangs. They have a bunch of bottled beer selection, and keep a couple draft beers on rotation - good draft beers too, not schwag. Music is amazing. Sound system really good. The food was also very tasty! I had read a couple other reviews about how tasty the burgers were and they really are! Super-friendly service all around. The Mayor of Clarksdale was there and he went around and chatted with everyone. Also come to find out, they have rooms / beds upstairs that you can stay at. The night we went here was very cold, but I can imagine on a Friday or Saturday night in June, I bet this place hops. Would love to go back. read more

Ground Zero Blues Club - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Clarksdale, Mississippi

Had a great night at Ground Zero! Visiting some of my boyfriend's family in Cleveland and we made the 45 minute drive to come here for dinner on thanksgiving eve. We arrived around 7 and the place was relatively dead. We grabbed our own table near the stage. Shortly after, our waitress T introduced herself and told us about the menu and the performance that night. We ordered some appetizers - the fried hot tamales, fried green tomatoes, and nachos. We didn't know what size to get so we ordered the full, but it may have been too much for our party of 6. The fried hot tamales were good, but mostly for their novelty, and the group thought regular hot tamales were better. The fried green tomatoes were delicious with a light cornmeal breading. I highly recommend them. The nachos were good, too, with plenty of pulled pork. Onto the entrees. I ordered the catfish dinner with turnip greens and black eyed peas. The meal also came with a cornbread muffin and 2 hush puppies. I thought the catfish filet was perfect. I chose the sides more out of curiosity and would probably try other sides next time- just not my thing. The cornbread muffin was pretty dry, but the hush puppies were nice and spicy. Others at the table got the pulled pork dinner, the potato a la Morgan, the catfish salad, and a burger. I think everyone enjoyed their food but the burger was nothing special. Following dinner, we stayed for the entertainment which began at 8 and kept going well after we left around 10. We were happy to have such good seats as the place became quite crowded. We were also satisfied with the selection of local beers on tap. The entire venue had a really cool ambiance and we can tell that it's a fun place to go hang out at on the weekends. I'll definitely return the next time I'm in Mississippi. Also, quick shout out to our waitress, T. She was super friendly and hospitable and contributed greatly to our overall experience. read more

See all

I Really wanted to write a positive review so I will start with my first experience . I have been to Clarksdale twice, stayed for about 5 days in total.. The first time, it was an amazing experience. The food was great! I ordered the catfish dinner with an extra piece of catfish. My team ordered fried pickles and fried okra as our combined appetizer experience. Our waitress was Ms. D and she was awesome.. The fish arrived with a side order of fries and it was D'lish For me the size portion of catfish was schmedium - too small to be enough, but not big enough to satisfy, so a piece and a half would have been perfect... Ground Zero is known for its Blues music... The walls have handwritten messages and signatures all over it... Written mostly in black sharpie WAIT.... Did I say only on the walls? What I meant was There are handwritten messages EVERYWHERE! The black purposeful vandalism is a part of it's character and charm... I loved it... Now on to the music.... If you live in the Artist District of Clarksdale, you probably sing, play piano or know of and or may be related to someone in the blues genre... There were regulars showcasing their talent and they sounded great! Not mention an seasoned, elderly experienced ( pick your least offense term) got up and started dancing... They reminded me of wanting to be in the arms of my beloved and the understanding of being with someone for such a period of time, that you can predict their next move... Awwwww The music was great! Me? I like all kinds of music... I listen to the stories, I find the bass line, .I listen for combination of sound and silence to understand how the artist is filling up space... Did I mention I'm a dancer/choreogrpaher and I am inspired by great expressions of space and sound... It was a GREAT experience for my first trip to Clarksdale, eating all the wrong foods (but the food was sooooo GUD) all the while seeking amazing experiences... This was really really good ( in my Zoolander voice) read more