Best BBQ in Memphis (2025)

A cinderblock icon since 1972, Payne’s is all about the chopped-shoulder sandwich crowned with neon-bright mustard slaw. Regularly praised by national writers and local critics, it’s a lunch-only ritual that defines Memphis barbecue at its most soulful.

Family-run since 1977, Cozy Corner turns out ribs, rib tips, and a cult-favorite smoked Cornish game hen. Frequently featured by Southern Living and Eater, and steered by Barbecue Hall of Fame honoree Desiree Robinson, it’s essential to understanding Memphis flavor.

Midtown mainstay where the Vernons serve ribs and the city’s signature barbecue spaghetti, a dish traced here by food historians. Frequently cited by Food Network and regional press, it balances smoke, nostalgia, and neighborhood warmth on every plate.

In a downtown alley since 1948, Rendezvous popularized Memphis dry-rub ribs—Greek-influenced spice, charcoal-fired snap, and a storied basement dining room. Lauded by Southern Living and travel editors, it’s the city’s most famous rib experience.

A Texas-style pit in Cooper-Young, Bain brings offset-smoked brisket, dino beef ribs, and house sausages to Memphis while nodding to local tastes. Spotlighted by the Commercial Appeal and I Love Memphis, it offers a fresh, craft-barbecue angle in town.

A South Memphis standard since the 1980s, Tom’s is beloved for smoky rib tips, sandwiches, and the show-stopping smoked bologna—familiar to fans of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. It’s unpretentious, generous, and unmistakably local.

A foundational Memphis name, Interstate still turns out ribs, pork shoulder, and its famed barbecue spaghetti—popularized by local media and road-food writers. Family-run and community-minded, it remains a rite of passage for visiting barbecue pilgrims.

Whitehaven family spot known for ribs, sandwiches, and a lively game-day crowd. Featured by local reporters and tied to the Pollard family’s NFL star, it delivers neighborhood flavor with Memphis staples like barbecue spaghetti and honey-gold wings.