I polled the employees behind the counter about what their favorite dish was as I was debating between a few options. They almost unanimously announced the fried catfish was their favorite - the only person who didn't say catfish didn't eat fish. So fried catfish plate it was! I added the gumbo stew and collard greens as my side. The employees weren't kidding the catfish was delicious. Fresh, flaky fish, and a nice crispy batter. The gumbo and collard greens were also flavorful and delicious. The fresh brewed sweet tea was also the perfect drink to wash it all down. I wish the ambiance were more smokehouse restaurant and less cafeteria, but c'est la vie. This is definitely a great dining option for while you're enjoying a day at Graceland. read more

Vernon's Smokehouse - Fried catfish, gumbo stew, and collard greens. Delicious! - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

As part of the "Elvis Presley's Graceland" complex (across the street from Graceland), this is one of the main places to grab lunch as you take a respite while visiting the museums and displays in the complex and/or take the mansion tour. This would be the "husband" restaurant to Gladys' Diner. Quick side story, during the mansion tour, there is a smokehouse that Elvis's father Vernon used next to the office so it's history is not too far off. Unfortunately, the BBQ isn't too far on. I went with the chopped pork sandwich (side of beans) and it was decent. At least it was freshly chopped to order. Not sitting under a lamp drying out or assembly line produced. But definitely needed sauce to give it good flavor. Bun was very basic. Note although this is a restaurant as part of the Elvis Presley's Graceland complex, it is outside of the ticketed perimeter (so one can enter without a ticket. The menu looked reasonably diverse with a variety of meat/vegetable options that you would see at any BBQ restaurant (see Yelp photos which are more thorough than the Yelp menu; look for the recent ones). And it's a good lunch, as good as any on the grounds. But am I grading this against the curve for BBQ? Yes. It's required. Inside has plenty of rustic seating and actually what appears to be a stand alone bar room although it wasn't used during the day I was there. Hours are tight to coincide with the hours of Elvis Presley's Graceland complex (close ~5pm) so it's not much after hours, hardly seemed worth having a bar. I just grabbed a beer in the food area to accompany the BBQ. Good service, the fella cutting the BBQ wasn't going very fast but BBQ isn't supposed to be fast. So in summary, not bad, but not something to really go for and enjoy. Rather fill my stomach and move back to the exhibits. read more

I wasn't impressed with the quality of the food or the atmosphere at Vernon's Smokehouse. I found it mediocre. The Barbecue was definitely not Memphis' finest. I wanted to like it, but afterward I wished there had been healthier options such as Salads. It was just too heavy for a mid-day meal & then to tour for 4 more hours. Gladys' Diner was closed that day, so there was no alternative. Judging from the menu, choices were limited to high-calorie greasy foods, as the name "Diner" implies. read more

Honestly, we were on the fence about having lunch here today. The reviews we read were mixed and we've had A LOT of great bbq in Memphis this week, we didn't want to end our week on a downer. So glad we took a chance! The experience was excellent! Smoked sausage, ribs, sides, cornbread, was all so good. They make their own sauce which is a sweet spicy sauce, so flavorful. We each had a platter of one meat, which comes w 2 sides (plus cornbread or dinner roll) and each had an iced tea. Total was less than $40. Good value as well. The hospitality from the staff is an added bonus. Every one we interacted with was polite and friendly. No judgement on the "cafeteria style" accommodations. The King would be proud. read more

Vernon's Smokehouse - Smoked sausage plate with mashed, hush puppies and cornbread - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Over priced food, it wasn't hot, and doesn't taste like it was fresh. Not many people were here, that should be my clue not to wasted my money here read more

Vernon's Smokehouse - a plate of food and a drink - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Maybe I am just used to Texas BBQ, or maybe it was because we came in during the last hour they were open but, this was probably the worst excuse for BBQ I've ever had. I heard stories of awesome Memphis BBQ, well it isn't here at this place. Cost a group of 7 of us a little more than $150, which I don't mind if it's good food. I got the four meat plate but they were out of chicken so they gave me 1 extra rib, well, they called it a rib. The "rib" was really nothing, it was burnt, no meat, just silver skin and a lot of salt. None of the meat had any smoky flavor or even a smoke ring, I would have gotten more meat from a chicken wing from a no name buffet line. Honestly it tasted boiled and then finished in the oven and over salted. I thought maybe I was being over critical but one by one my group and another table had the same thought. You're buying the Elvis name here, not true Memphis bbq, not sure even the king would approve. The staff was super friendly and very nice. read more

I rarely expect much out of an onsite tourist dining option. BUT let me say--Vernon's smokehouse at Graceland was a pleasant experience. I had the 3 rib dinner with smothered green beans and rice and gravy. my husband had the ribs , fried okra, mashed potatoes and gravy. we loved it all. the ribs were so tasty and tender. would pay the 15$ parking fee to go eat there again. read more

" BBQ At Graceland " This BBQ is just OK. You feel when you are in Memphis Tn, you expect the BBQ to be super good everywhere. Well Vernon's Smokehouse does not meet that Memphis history of great BBQ standards. The food tasted more like a cafe style BBQ. Very disappointing especially after you are at Graceland for hours, and you just walk a few steps to the Vernon's front doors. read more

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The staff were the rudes people. I have never been treated this way. If it hadn't been for my granddaughter being hungry I would have set my tray down and walked out. Over priced. Would not recommend, we will not come back read more

We had already enjoyed some great barbecue during our stay in Memphis and didn't have the highest hopes for Vernon's of which we had read mixed reviews. However, we weren't done with our tour of Graceland and lunchtime had come and gone so we knew we needed to eat. It ended up being the best option without having to leave the campus. Wanting something light, I had the baked catfish with broccoli and sweet potatoes (which were excellent). Our kids had pulled pork sandwiches and macaroni which they enjoyed. Sure, it was a tad pricey for cafeteria-style fare and fountain drinks (bottled and mix drinks were also available) but you're paying for convenience. We found the service to be very good and appreciated one of the staff offering to both clear our table and bring refills. The restaurant itself was nice and clean, and my kids especially enjoyed the bar made out of pennies. read more

If you are on the Graceland Visitor center lot, this is a good option. Cafeteria style. Many side selections such as collards, mac&cheese, baked beans. At the carving station you can pick your meats. I got pulled pork. My dad got ribs. Both were good. Better than a standard cafeteria, for sure. The space seems new. Well lit. Clean. Friendly service. We arrived early for a noon Graceland tour, and we were able to enjoy a laid back lunch here. You catch the shuttle to Graceland just to the side of the restaurant. read more

We were starving and we're just glad to have food available, but the menu is difficult to understand ( I saw 2 people have to move back in line as they didn't understand the process. We got sandwiches--my hubby meatloaf which he said was ok, I got the chicken which was a chunk of chicken breast bones and all slapped on a bun w a cup of bbq sauce. I had to remove the bones. All the sides looked overcooked, we got the beans which were pretty good. Split a soda and wrapped it up for $24. Lots of tables left dirty. read more

Vernon's Smokehouse - Meatloaf - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

This is located in the Graceland property. My wife tried the meatloaf with a side of potatoes and gravy, and Mac n cheese. While I did the Vernon's Sampler with a side of corn, and potatoes and gravy. This is a Military friendly location!! that's was a good thing with the theme park prices. But over all The bbq sauce was tasty and the servers all friendly!!! read more

Vernon's Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Surprisingly the pulled pork, brisket, chicken, and sausage were delicious. I ordered the sampler platter with mac & cheese, tomatoes & okra with corn bread. The brisket was tender and flavorful with just the right amount of fat. The chicken was juicy as well as the pulled pork. read more

Vernon's Smokehouse - Sampler platter - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

I loved this place! Meatloaf, brisket, and ribs were all great. Sweet potatoes were like a slice of Heaven. Baked beans, mac and cheese were also delicious. I can't wait to go back next year when we visit Graceland again. read more

I am giving it one star bc the Banana Pudding was BOMB. Other than that, Everything else was very gross. We only ate here at all bc it was included with the VIP Tour. Its cafeteria style, so all the sides have just been sitting there all day. I ordered Brisket and got about 90% fat. read more

All meat was not freshly cooked with lots of fat. Hush puppies were not edible and broccoli almost edible. Everything tasted like it was cooked and sat a long time. Tea and ice was good though. read more

Ate here after a fabulous tour of Graceland. After 3 hours I was hungry and tired. I started to yelp restaurants for the area. I saw this place had 4 stars and I was tired anyway. So I thought since we were here anyways why not eat here. We were very impressed. Good down home cooking. My husband had the BBQ sampler (5meats) chicken, pulled pork, brisket, sausage & ribs. Comes with 2 sides & choice of bread. Cornbread or dinner roll. I had brisket & 2 sides & bread. It was ALL GOOD! My sides were Mac & cheese & candied yams. I was envisioning this is the way Elvis would have liked his food. My husband had Mac & cheese & beans. Both of the sides we had were great. Both meals were great! So glad we ate here. Can't beat nice atmosphere with great food & Elvis's music playing in background. If you are inside the gates make sure to eat here. read more

Cold meatloaf, bland everything else. Typical cafeteria food you can find anywhere. I won't go back.

So we were just hanging out at the Graceland Pavilion and looking for a quick bite for lunch, ahead of an early dinner this evening. So we pop into Vernons Smokehouse and were blown away with the experience. The staff were warm and welcoming. It's a self serve kinda place (like a Chipotle) and the team there were awesome. My wife and I both got the chicken sandwich. Which, by the way, is cut fresh off the breast as you wait! Great sandwich! and BBQ sauce is just right. Perfect way to kick off the day! Highly recommend!! And if you're into beer, try the Southern Pecan Brown Ale! read more

We had a wonderful meal at Vernon's Smokehouse. Some reviews complain about the food but, our experience great. Wife had the brisket, beans, Mac and cheese. All hot, tender and delicious. I had a chopped pork bar-b-que sandwich with creamy Mac and cheese and barely ate it all. Based on our experience I highly recommend. Four stars only because of the "cafeteria" style environment. Cheers read more

Greens were tough. Okra was bland, and meatloaf was mediocre. The pork sandwich was good. The cobbler was all pie crust and no filling. Whoever came up with those recipes might want to tweak them a lot. I would rather lie and serve good food than throw Elvis's family under the bus with those terrible recipes. The employees were really nice. But eat elsewhere! read more

We stopped by Vernon's Smokehouse after doing our Graceland VIP tour, after getting our free meal vouchers. The food is alright, but reminded me of cafeteria food. The food was cold by the time we got to our seats. It wasn't bad for free food, but I wouldn't pay for it. read more

This is one of the restaurant's on the Graceland property and one of the few open the day we went. We weren't that hungry so just grabbed the Chef salad. This was one of worst salads I've ever seen. The lettuce had to be at 2-3 days old and slimy. Should have asked for a refund but didn't. Based on some of the other reviews you might want to avoid eating on the property. read more

Vernon's Smokehouse - Chef salad - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

The food was inedible. This place is an embarrassment for Memphis and EPE. It tasted like it was cooked in the am and left under lights all day. The lights are way too bright and no one was at the register to pay. This is all before a world famous concert. Awful! read more

This barbecue was nothing special but for being at Graceland I thought it was pretty tasty it was a lot better than I expected I was really thinking it would be some straight out of the microwave type stuff but surprisingly it was really good plus it's nice having a restaurant in the same area as Graceland so you don't have to drive into the hood LOL read more

The aroma of the smoker was killing me while visiting Graceland. My friends and I just wanted some great Memphis BBQ while in town. Due to COVID-19, this was a difficult achievement. There was still hope because Vernon's was open while visiting Graceland. Vernon's was a huge let-down. I really just wanted a sandwich for lunch which was on the menu but for some reason was not available. The smoked chicken looked disgusting. Since sandwiches where not available, I was offered a bun to make my own sandwich. The selection of sides looked disgusting but I selected the hush puppies and mac and cheese which was ultimately all I ate. The 14-hour smoked brisket was just a slice of fat with a little cup of sauce on the side which I couldn't eat. Expensive meal ($22.47) for a bottle of water and two sides. The menu didn't have any healthy options. The restaurant is basically over-priced cafeteria food. Sorry...I can't recommend Vernon's Smokehouse at Graceland. read more

Vernon's Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Wow, this is not Memphis bbq. Please wait until you leave to have a good meal outside of Graceland. read more

Vernon's Smokehouse - Watery Mac and cheese. Terrible green. Fatty Pork. All equals yuck. - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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SAVE YOUR MONEY, you are better off going elsewhere where they care about your business as well as the customers. The staff is ruid, management is very unprofessional, the food portions are very poor it is ridiculous, here you WILL NOT get what you are reading on the menu. The meal is 100% NOT WORTH IT... RUN and RUN QUICKLY PASSED IT.... read more

We took a break from our Graceland tour to have a beer with Carlos at Vernon's. The service was amazing, Vernon's was super clean and set up for pandemic measures, and Carlos gave us all the traveling tips. Definitely stop in at Vernon's when you're on your Graceland visit! read more

Ordered the combo and it was great! The beef brisket was sooooo good. I wiLl definitely visit again when in the area.

Vernons was what I would expect at an attraction like such as Graceland, the food wasn't terrible but nothing to write home about either, service was good, it is cafeteria style dining. It was food in the belly and that's about what I expected read more

BBQ nachos! My favorite! This place is really good! Nice smoke to the meat! I have had the brisket plate also! It is awesome! Nice new addition to Graceland! Neat looking place! If your in town, Get a bbq sandwich before you leave! Get a taste of Memphis, right at Graceland! read more

Vernon's Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Aweful. Lisa Marie needs to come here undercover and try this yuk they call food. I paid for the Ultimate VIP. The tour was good but the food was disgusting. read more

We came here for dinner before seeing Pat Benatar at the Graceland Soundstage. The food was great. Margaritas are excellent. Great place to eat before a concert, because it just across the plaza. read more

I ordered the smoked premium, pick of 4 meats . $24.00 , I got a half slice of meatloaf, one rib, maybe a few fork full of chicken and thin slice of brisket. Taste was ok portion size Terrible read more

We really loved the Brisket at Vernon's. The mashed potatoes were great with skins on and the Okra and Lima beans were well seasoned. The portion size is generous.. the staff has been more than friendly! read more

We visited this place right after we toured Graceland, since there aren't many places right in the general vicinity. I haven't read any other reviews, so my review is going to be based on my experience alone. For starters it's a little on the pricier side, and top that off with what I ordered which was the brisket dinner, but if you ask me, honestly I'd say it's worth it. I haven't had the pleasure of many different ways to cook a brisket, but that brisket was amazing. I wish the portion was a little more, but with the sides it filled me up so that does pay off. Also this sounds really weird, but I absolutely LOVE the fact that they had an iced coffee machine at the restaurant. A question you may ask: so you're saying you got iced coffee with the brisket? Yes. Yes I did. And it was amazing. The vanilla flavor in fact. Overall honestly one of the more memorable meals we had while in Memphis and we're from Georgia. It would for sure be a place I'd go again. read more

Easy review, average food and way overpriced. I'd look elsewhere.

Went here because everyone was VERY hungry after the Graceland tour and we wanted barbecue. I got the barbecue sausage with cornbread, mashed potatoes and baked beans with a water which came to $16.66. Wouldn't be a bad price if the food was above average but it wasn't. I tried the meatloaf and chicken as well and it was alright, the best thing was definitely the cornbread! We should've went to a different barbecue place but you live and you learn! read more

Vernon's Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee