Smoky City BBQ — Restaurant in Memphis

Arrived after being stuck in long solar eclipse traffic for hours in the middle of the night where all the touristy spots were closed, this place was the only one open. The joint is extremely local, no frills, folks are super friendly, and it’s very lively inside. We ordered half a rack of ribs and some baked beans and slaw. We were gonna drive and eat but had to pull over and eat in the car when we took the first bite. It’s easily some of the best bbq ribs I’ve ever had. Mind you that I’m a Texas style fan and this is not Texas style, but I was still shook by how good this is. The pork ribs are falling off the bone tender, but not sloppy or without texture, it has a nice crust but juicy and flavorful and has a nice bite on the inside, the sauce is the perfect blend of tangy, sweet smokey but has a nice kick and cuts down the fattiness of the ribs perfectly, the most insane part is that it’s cooked so thoroughly that every bone can be chewed through all the way, and all the flavor and juice of the bone comes out. I’d never had that in any bbq ribs, at best the tips come apart but not the bone itself. We were too busy eating to take a picture and by the time we were done all that’s left are bone fragments. My husband licked all the sauce clean. That was SOME...

I was told this was the best BBQ in Memphis. We arrived right as they opened on a Monday morning, so I can understand that certain meats weren't available yet-although they should stay on top of it. I had the pulled pork nachos, and I should have asked for light sauce, as it was overwhelmed with BBQ and nacho cheese. The meat was unbelievably tender and delicious. Even though it was from the night before, it had a smokey flavor with spices I assume are secret. My husband had fresh ribs that fell right off the bone.

The atmosphere is very family oriented. I can tell they have a lot of loyal regulars and a decent nightlife with pool tournaments. The guys who served us showed us that souther hospitality we tourists always hear about.

Don't let the building fool ya. Some places, like Rendezvous, are geared towards tourists with bright lights and loud decor. When a great BBQer is a master of their craft, they focus more on the food and less on the building.

Overall, sauce was too sweet, but the meat was top-notch. Service was awesome, and the atmosphere had a...

I was somewhat in the area and was just looking for some barbecue for lunch. I got there about 2:30 to 3:00 and they were out of pork and sliced brisket. I ended up with a chopped brisket sandwich and french fries although I had ordered baked beans. I thought the meat was very lean and tender. Quite a bit of sauce on it which just may be the way Memphis serves barbecue. It would have been nice to try some other items but I just didn't have a enough room in my stomach to order more. The cook was friendly enough. It's a small place in a rough area. There were other options like fish and chicken etc but I did not try those. Perhaps with more trips I might...