One & Only BBQ — Restaurant in Memphis

Went there on Father's Days. Around 1:30 in the afternoon. For a late lunch. We were seated as soon as we walked in.The restaurant was clean and inviting. The smell of BBQ was a welcome smell after traveling from Covington. Our waiter, who's name was Cole, was thoughtful and kind. He allowed us plenty of time to enjoy our appetizer of hot delicious onion rings. Cole often came by our table asking if we needed anything. My boyfriend had the BBQ pork ribs with, coleslaw and beans. The beans had a generous amount of meat in them, that he loved, and put him in BBQ heaven. The ribs were tender and delicious. I had the beef brisket, since I'm from California and grew up on beef BBQ. The meat was tender and seasoned just right. I had the load potato salad which was outstanding. It wasn't heavy with mayonnaise, which I was grateful for. Because I'm allergic to eggs. I had fries as my other side. My boyfriend asked for a steak knife to cut his ribs apart with from one of the other works. Thought to have been a "busboy." He offered to take the ribs back and had the kitchen staff cut those ribs. I don't think those ribs were gone even 3 minutes. There was so much food, that we enough to enjoy for dinner that night. My boyfriend gave a nice tip to be shared with our waiter Cole and the "busboy." The "busboy" we found out was the manager of that location. That manager was out there with his staff making sure everything was getting done. That manager left an outstanding impression on myself and my boyfriend. Their prices were on par, given the cost of food and dining out. It was worth the money and the driver and we will be back. Or and don't forget to try their banana pudding it's...

The best way to describe this place is a spaghetti western. It's not BBQ.

Got the Ribs, Brisket, Turkey, and Sausage. Tea was great, the only Star here. Sides were mid at best. The best thing I can say about the fries is they were made of potatoes, the green beans seem to be candy disguising as a vegetable, and the mac and cheese reminded me of public school lunch.

Ribs - While they did fall off the bone, the sauce was generic. The meat was tender, but they didn't taste like they came off a grill, but were instead either baked or microwaved.

Sausage. - Tasted like a burnt hot dog. Definitely wasn't grilled, putting "Grill" Marks on meat by just burning it in stripes doesn't make it BBQ. Also, why make a German sausage as BBQ? if you want German food, go to a German restaurant.

Turkey. - Undercooked. Led to food poisioning. The worst culprit on the "Not actually BBQ" it was barely even grilled. A college student in a dorm could do better with a hot plate and pepper. You can barely tell its even cooked.

Brisket. - This was sad. It isn't brisket. Its Roast beef at best. There is a difference. They slice it this way because it isn't smoked for long periods of time. I don't believe they even own a smoker. I feel bad for Memphis because this isn't brisket at all. It is a completely different cut of meat. Do better.

Overall, if you want BBQ, this isn't the place to go. The tea was good, and the service was good, but can't recommend this...

I really wanted to give this place a glowing review, and if it were based solely on the service and atmosphere, it would easily be 5 stars. We chose One & Only BBQ for its convenient location next to the Haunted Maze, not because of any prior research or reviews.

Starting with the service, our waitress was fantastic. She was kind, funny, and ensured we had everything we needed quickly—she truly did a wonderful job. The atmosphere also hit all the right notes. From the moment we walked in, the counter staff welcomed us and directed us to a table, and the smoky, mouthwatering smell of BBQ filled the air, making it feel like a true Memphis BBQ experience.

Unfortunately, the food didn’t quite live up to the setting. The three BBQ sauces on the table were disappointing—either too bland or with an odd spicy aftertaste that didn’t complement the meal. The mac and cheese looked like something straight out of a boxed mix, with unmelted cheese thrown on top at the last minute. The fries lacked flavor, even when dipped in BBQ sauce or ranch. The pulled pork and chicken sliders were decent, but nothing memorable.

The one saving grace was the onion rings—they were the only thing we truly enjoyed. Everything else just didn’t have the flavor we were hoping for, especially compared to the warmth and energy our waitress brought to the table. We’ll be trying some other BBQ spots around town before considering a return...