We went to the main Central BBQ location which happens to be across the street from the Civil…read moreRights Museum which we visited before stopping in. This location is a large building with lots of seating options. I had to try Central as it keeps winning awards and is consistently mentioned as the top BBQ place in the Memphis area. Some of their awards were displayed at the entrance and on the walls. Lots of history. My wife ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich and had the slaw on the side so I could have it (she's not a slaw fan). I had the small order of ribs with 1/2 dry and 1/2 wet with sides of BBQ Beans and Mac n Cheese. I tried the pulled pork and it was tender and delicious. My ribs were pretty good with my favorite part being the wet ribs. The dry part was overcooked and really dry and chewy. This was a bit of a disappointment. The BBQ beans were flavorful but a bit mushy. The Mac n cheese also mushy a bit but tasted better than it looked. I love great BBQ so I like Central BBQ but may have caught them on a bad day. Oh, they were out of a lot of T Shirt options/size I wanted too. Darn. I wanted to buy one. I would return and try the brisket, pulled pork or poultry items next time.

There was a time when Central barbecue was the only place I would eat barbecue in Memphis. But food…read moreand service has ruined that. I visited the downtown location on 5/24/26 at 6:15 PM. I ordered wings and two dry slabs of ribs. When my family and I finally decided to eat the ribs on Monday, they were disgusting. They had seasoning caked all on them, and they were overly salty. We wiped off the caked-on seasoning and tried to eat around the saltiness. I was praying the 2nd slab was not the same. When I opened them on 5/27 to see, they were the same. I was trying to avoid calling because I just didn't feel like being bothered. But I called. I left a message for the manager to return my call that morning because "he is in the middle of an interview." So I called back that afternoon and was transferred to Ethan. I explained the situation to him. As I was speaking, he kept making the noise un-huh. So, I stopped talking and asked him what it meant aside from it just being rude as hell. He went on to explain that they missed a step and did not rub in the seasoning and shake it off. I don't care. It's an internal quality issue that should be handled with the prep and cook staff. Not me. He asked if I had my receipt and, in a tone that suggested he was doing me a favor, advised me that he would replace the slab. No apologies for the inconvenience or anything.   After my long workday, I went all the way downtown to get the slab replaced. In person, Ethan is just as rude. I asked if he was going to replace both slabs. He could clearly see the quality was trash. He said no and that he would only replace one. Then went on to offer me sides and a slice of cake. No, thank you. I can afford sides and cake just like I did those trash slabs of ribs. Those slabs of ribs cost $62.40 before taxes. With taxes probably being another 5 or 6 dollars. Your mistakes and poor quality should not cost me. He had a young lady bring the replacement slab back out to me. She didn't say thank you or anything. One thing I know is that a white man or woman patronizing your business would not have been treated this way. As a result, moving forward I will spend my Black woman dollars elsewhere on barbeque and smoked chicken wings. Also, I removed you all from my company's approved catering list where we spend a nice amount with you all yearly. Tell Ethan, thanks for helping me see the light and not spend money where I'm not respected and where my customer experience isn't valued.

I've enjoyed the food truck for a long time, so I was excited to have the brick and mortar opened!…read moreWe eat there frequently and I realized I haven't reviewed it! The bbq is great, I especially like the options (potato, nachos, sandwich, etc.). Breakfast is my favorite though! It is a true made to order place. We ordered, and (I'm assuming) the owner went to the back and cooked it up like it was my own dad in the kitchen making Saturday morning breakfast. The pancakes are terrific and the scrambled eggs are my fav in Memphis. It is a little pricey and sometimes there is a bit of a wait, but be patient and know that it is worth it! (And they give you enough pancakes to feed at least 2 people:). It's a cute, fun place and I really enjoy it!

Excellent meal! Can't wait to come back! Thank you so much for a delicious lunch. We had potatoes…read moreand sandwiches and the PBJ is crazzzzyyyyyy. Delicious!!

I was passing through and tried to find a place that would give me a taste of the local food scene…read more I was craving authentic Tennessee BBQ. I'm sure glad I made the choice to stop here! My sandwich was very good! $10 is pretty fair for what I got. I loved the sauce, the meat was also really good. The tater salad was AMAZING! I'd get a large of it everytime I eat there if this was a local place for me. The meal was a solid 9/10 If you're in Memphis and you want some good BBQ made with heart and soul, then you should try Elwood's. The only thing missing from my meal that would've completed it for me was some hot buttery cornbread. I'll certainly be back to try their ribs and other foods!

Man, the menu at Elwood's Shack is huge--almost overwhelming on a first visit. Thankfully, right…read morewhen I walked in, someone pointed me in the right direction and said, "If you're trying to decide, go with the Redheaded Stepchild." I took the advice, and I'm really glad I did. It was fantastic--stacked with pulled pork, smoked sausage, and beef brisket, all topped with slaw and BBQ sauce on a bun. I also tried a bite of the barbecue bologna, which is a thick-cut slice served on white bread, and that didn't disappoint either. Inside gets pretty smoky, so you'll probably prefer sitting outside. Luckily, there are plenty of picnic tables and seating areas to choose from. I didn't catch the name of the guy who helped me, but he was friendly, energetic, and made the whole experience even better. Overall, a really enjoyable visit.

great service and amazing food, the ribs are great, the food came so quick great environment and…read morelive music so nice!

Everything went well. Ribs and fish 11/10. Baked beans and slaw 10/10. Steak fries 10/10…read more Waitress 12/10. Ambiance 9/10. Could be a smidge warmer but you wont care once you pull that rib meat off da bone. 100% 5 star experience.

THIS FOOD IS DELICIOUS. And the service is great. Just eat here…read more We passed through on our way home from Storm chasing and I just picked a place on Elvis Presley Blvd. I chose wisely! The ribs are wet BBQ, not dry rub. Meat fell right off the bone. I didn't even have to pick it up - just used my fork. My friend got the BBQ chicken - we both bought barbecue sauce in the gift shop after this meal! It was so good. The potato salad - excellent. Fries - excellent. But the star was the mushrooms - they are whole and come in their own gravy. If you are from New England, get the mushrooms AND the fries, and enjoy them together just like old school fries and gravy. Pure decadence! Our server V was too fabulous. She knew the ropes and served us so well we even got a photo with her afterward. Super great tourist spot with good food - totally worth it!

4.5 First time here…read moreand the service was very friendly and attentive. The ambiance was super fun and nicely laid out with all Elvis. And let's not forget about the food. We had the ribs and brisket and the food just fell off the bone. Wow was it good. The sides were as well really good. Basically, the food was fantastic and this place is recommended to go to at least once if you're in the area.

The Fight Club of the BBQ ring, you'll navigate a short industrial looking alleyway between parking…read morelots enter under the orange marquee, down a flight of stairs into a dark, ornate with historic and kitsch memorabilia, bustling basement with several tables areas off the main bar drag, to meet your rack o rib match. Bring a sweater or ask for one of the side rooms where the icy chill won't kill those rib fighting knucks lol. We had to move into the far back Delta Map room and it was much comfier. Brisket Combo $27 comes atop bread, it was very soft in texture, oily, vs my preferred slab of smoked beef with grainy texture intact. The crispy burnt ends were delish tho accompanied by a rack with about 1/3? less ribs. Ribs $27.50 Lg order became more meaty as I made way to small end and leftovers tasted even better next day. Dry rub is excellent black pepper, onion garlic, baked beans tangy n bit sweet, while the BBQ sauce, Hot and Regular in squeeze bottles, along with a mustard yellow coleslaw in deep plastic solos, were more vinegar forward than I recall. It definitely gave me a pucker and took me to almost end of first sitting to acclimate to that level of tang. By the next day, you are almost craving it lol so it's a building up your sour puss or maybe that it tames and mellows out somewhat next day haha. Mesquite smoke permeates the air and the ribs and that's a good thing, yum! Traffic IPA 12oz draft, a local Crosstown Brewing West Coast paired well, crisp, hoppy, light head, citrus pine & mango notes, Award winning wow just $4.75?!! Mid Coast CA Parker Station is a $10-14 Pinot Noir. Good $10 pour, easy to sip, just ok 3/5 fruity vanilla spice and deep thick color akin to a merlot in taste and body. A bottled GF beer was tasty and v pleasing to our guest. Family reunion dinner for hubby, his brother, niece, & great nephews. Everyone left full and fulfilled in their nostalgia filled bites down Rendezvous lane. Robert Jr gave us excellent service, patient as our guests arrived very late and happy to take pictures, a welcome about face from a previous salty, no nonsense server ;D

I'm a sucker for any restaurant regarded as a city institution. It's obviously a very popular spot…read morefor tourists, so it should be approached and assessed with that in mind. A very old school entrance down an alley, then down the stairs. Walls and ceiling filled with all manner of bric a brac. Service was a bit slow and perfunctory. There's not much reason to entice people to return since so many are visitors. We ordered the small ribs and a brisket plate. Both were heavily seasoned. The ribs were a little dry but made better with the table BBQ sauce which was nothing memorable. We did enjoy the small tarts, both the buttermilk chess and pecan were delicious.

We only purchased nachos…read more PROS: excellent nachos, no complaints! The staff was good, especially the busboy. The entertainment was wonderful too! I really appreciate the restaurant having entertainment all day instead of only having it in the evening. CONS: none... oh yes, one, I had to leave to soon.

I really wanted to love this place. I even asked the front desk rep at my hotel and she said it was…read moregood. Let's start with the positives. My server Georgia was nice and patient with me as I couldn't really decide what to order. I loved the live blues band. They sounded great! It was walking distance to my hotel and was on Beale street where all the restaurant and bars are located. I thought pricing was fair and portions were definitely generous. I ordered Mac n cheese kids meal and a Side of coleslaw and a piece of catfish. I didn't want the full platter as it was a lot of food and cost wise I was attempting to save a bit. Coleslaw was great. Not overly sweet or overly dressed. Mac n cheese was creamy but lacked seasoning. I was underwhelmed. Most disappointing thing was the catfish. Although it was seasoned well. It was crispy on top and greasy and mushy on the bottom. There was also a discrepancy on the price of the catfish filet. I asked ahead of time how much for a singe piece to see if cost wise it would make sense to order things the way I did. She quoted me a price and it was $2 more. Not about the money. But principle. A pet peeve of mine is asking for information and server giving out wrong info rather than double checking. But. Despite food not being great. I would come back and order something different... I loved the energy and vibe.

Went to Vernon's Smokehouse in Graceland- wasn't disappointed!…read more I was craving BBQ and the ribs delivered on flavor and tenderness. They were really juicy! The Mac sauce was a creamy white cheddar cheese- yum! Great comfort food! The service was pretty standard and the vibe matched Graceland's energy.

I really enjoyed the 1/2 rack ribs! The meat fell off the bones. The sides were tasty too. For…read morebeing a "theme park" prices were very reasonable and plenty of sitting areas. I was torn about eating here after seeing the negative reviews but I'm glad I gave it a chance. It was delicious!

A great spot on Beale Street if you're looking for good BBQ!…read more My wife and I got the 1/2 rack of ribs and they were awesome! Perfectly cooked, sauced nicely and full of meat. The side of bbq beans was perfect for my meal - my wife got the fries and said they were very good. Our waitress was very friendly, attentive and timely. She kept tabs on us without overdoing it. The prices here are also reasonable considering the location. The amount of food you get is a very good deal! *We also got a side of dry rub wings. They came out piping hot, but once they cooled down they were delicious!! The next time I head back to Memphis, I'll most likely return to The Pig!!

We made it our mission to have Memphis BBQ and The Pig on Beale did not disappoint…read more There was no wait time for us to sit which was a nice surprised since the restaurant is located on Beale Street. The service was quick and our server came around to check on us often. I ordered the pulled pork with potato salad. I really enjoyed it. I think I got the kids portion and it was still a decent amount of food. I tried my husband's baked beans and they were some of the best I've had. It is a little on the pricey side since it is in a tourist spot but it is absolutely worth the money

In my opinion, some of the best barbecue in Memphis. The banana pudding is not the best skipped…read more Every time I go, I have to get the smoked wings. So amazing.

EDIT: After posting my review I received correspondence from the VP who then passed along my…read moreinformation to who i believe to be the general manager regarding my experience. They both seemed sincerely apologetic and eager to make the situation right for me. In all of their help, neither asked me to remove or change anything about my review. This says to me they truly care about the customer experience. They displayed the type of concern I had hoped for in the beginning. Mistakes happen, so I'm absolutely open to giving this restaurant another chance. The quick resolution did not go unnoticed. Thanks so much ! I purchased a feast for work on December 23, 2025, which was advertised to feed 8-10 people. I picked up the order around 4:30 p.m. Since I work nights, we didn't open the bags until later. Once everything was laid out, I realized a double order of pulled pork was missing. I called the restaurant at 9:48 p.m. to report the issue. After explaining the situation, the associate who answered placed me on hold, which was concerning since the restaurant closed at 10 p.m. When she returned, I had to explain the issue again before being transferred to a manager. The manager, whose name I unfortunately don't recall, was very kind and attentive. He acknowledged the mistake immediately and stated that he would issue a refund for the missing items. He also collected my personal information and said he would be sending a gift card for the inconvenience. To date, I have received neither the refund nor the gift card, and I haven't received any follow-up from the restaurant. While the food itself was pretty good, the lack of follow-through in customer service makes me hesitant to patronize this business again. For future reference: under-promise and over-deliver.