The Memphis Grill — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Having read the reviews here and being recommended on Eater LA, my hopes and expectations were high that this will be one of my go-to BBQ spots in the area.

Going on the employee's recommendation, we got a 3 meat combo and a half rack of ribs for 2 people and we'd be able to try most of the meats and sides.

A few non-food related things to point out, I didn't know in advance it's pickup only and the wait would be 20 minutes and that there are no chairs of any kind while you wait even though there is space by the pickup window to at least put a bench so I'd only recommend calling and ordering in advance to avoid any kind of wait. One more thing, don't come thirsty and unprepared to wait 20 to 30 minutes, water isn't available but they'll be happy to sell you bottled water for near Disneyland prices. Sorry that last part really irked me and I had to mention it.

Back to the food, we got it and a bit under the 20 minute estimate given, naturally I'm looking forward to trying it. Before digging in, opening the 3 meat combo box, the portion of each meat isn't much, visually disappointing. I said okay let's see how it tastes and the disappointment got worse.

The pulled pork, brisket and I thínk tri-tip, all 3 were lukewarm at best and extremely bland on their own since they had no sauce on them but just basic salt was non-existent and I think it was the tri-tip, it was dry and chewy. Unless something drastically changes, I would not get any of these meats again.

The half rack of ribs though I can't fault, cooked extremely well, sauces just right and the flavor of the sauce was what I like in BBq ribs, sweet but a bit tangy too but I would highly recommend the ribs.

The sides, the stand out ones for me was first the Mac and Cheese, then the potato salad, mashed potatoes then slaw and I liked them in that order.

Not long after getting home and trying the food, I did call the restaurant, spoke with the employee who helped me to express my feelings about the food, she was very nice and offered apologies and a possible explanation as to why the 3 meats might have been cold but the reasoning didn't make a lot of sense so I question if that was really the reason the food was cold.

I wanted to write this review to let others know what to possibly expect and to minimize anyone else being disappointed with certain menu items here. Definitely get the ribs which is obviously one of the main reasons you'd go to a BBQ spot like this but the other things were hit...

Memphis can mean many different things to many different people. Whether it's the abode of good BBQ or the wellspring from which we now enjoy BBQ and the blues Memphis is a good thing. Such is true enough for The Memphis Grill. Operating take-out BBQ can mean stock if fast bought and completely depleted. We missed out on the chicken for the first of many forays. Brisket, Tri-Tip, and Baby Back Ribs were more than enough for two to feast like royalty. Tender and juicy, hinting at the hours spent smoking each was a delectable delight. The sides were less impressive but I didn't come for sides. Cornbread, pale and diminutive as it was however, may need some reworking unless their make is traditional to Memphis, as everything else certainly was. Hardly a fault and I dare not judge so hastily on what could be regionally recognized and accurate. Instead, all focus is on the smoked meats. What about the BBQ sauce? Sweet and tangy or kicked-up and spicy hot, both were delicious. Each adding its own sumptuous characteristics and flavorful notes to enhance not over power. Homemade gets sauces to that level. Homemade gets a 5 star... 'till next time and the meat sweats that come with such tasty good eats, I'll be thinking of this place first when it comes to BBQ. You...

I’m genuinely baffled by the glowing reviews for this BBQ spot. I came in hoping for authentic, flavorful barbecue, but what I got was dry, bland, and forgettable — particularly the pulled pork, which was so dry it was practically inedible.

The sides didn’t help either. The macaroni and cheese tasted like it came straight from a boxed mix — no real cheese flavor, no homemade texture, just a gloopy afterthought. For a place that prides itself on comfort food, that’s just lazy.

Based on my experience, I would seriously question the credibility of the positive reviews here. I’ve had BBQ from coast to coast, and this ranks as some of the worst I’ve tasted in Los Angeles. If you’re craving good BBQ, I’d strongly recommend looking elsewhere — you deserve better than dry meat and powdered...