Abe's Bar-B-Q

With my uncle and my son, I just visited Abe's BBQ in Clarksdale, MS to visit the crossroads where Robert Johnson was said to have sold his soul to the devil so he could "Play a hell of a blues guitar." The restaurant was clean. Our waitress Renee, was amazing. She was well informed of the menu. She made sure our drinks stayed filled. My sweet tea was amazing. The pulled pork sandwiches were delicious. I understand why the sauce is called "Come back sauce." She was able to get my son a sample of the tamales they make. The crinkle cut fries were perfectly crispy. We hope to come back soon.❤️

I would eat at Abe's every single day if I lived in Clarksville! Amazing food is an understatement. I got the beef plate and it was to die for. The staff is great. Absolutely top notch everything. (The photo is half eaten...I started chowing and remembered to take a picture) 🤣🩷🙏

Lovely little BBQ restaurant located in front of the Crossroads sign. Lucille was our waitress and she is lovely, everyone there really makes you feel at home and welcomed. We only had fries because we had a late lunch but the fries were very good, the BBQ sauce is amazing too.

good food with history. pork sandwich is their spot but i preferred chill ! it was an awesome soup. tasted dense and thick and tasty, unlike anything similar i had.

Driving towards Memphis and we stopped in Clarksdale to check out the Delta Blues Museum. We were looking for a good lunch spot to try and we decided to come to Abe’s. Came at around 2 PM on a Wednesday and they weren’t too busy. The overall vibe of the place is pretty vintage looking which I liked. Our waitress was very nice and attentive to our table. I got the BBQ Pork Sandwich as my entree. Overall, it was decent. The sauce was pretty good, the meat was a little too fatty for my liking but otherwise it tasted pretty good! Overall, not a bad spot! If I’m back in Clarksdale, I’ll be back.

So… sometimes you just have to wait for good food. We waited! There was only one waitress in duty tonight caused people to walk out. With that said, most people were willing to wait. You could always order at the counter. Our food was delicious, my husband had a plate of sliced and pulled pork and it did not disappoint. I am not a huge pork fan (I know, I know!!!); but he lives it and enjoyed his plate. I had a fully dressed cheeseburger and onion rings. Both were very good! I recommend waiting!

We had the ribs and a pork plate. Everything was good. Listed prices are based on cash payments. Cards are accepted with processing fees passed to customer. We always come with cash! Food was worth the stop. Excellent sauce, great service and atmosphere. Very friendly folks here.

Great BBQ. Been there since 1924. They're doing something right. Had the chopped beef. Coleslaw was handmade very tasty. Server was very sweet. Nice place. Unique atmosphere. Definitely recommend.

This is the real deal: excellent "down home" pit BBQ, or as they call it: "swine dining!" Blocks away you can smell the smoke of this Clarksdale institution, which serves excellent ribs, pork (sliced or chopped), and the Mississippi favorite: hot tamales. The ribs were the perfect balance of moist but held onto the bones. Sides of slaw and beans were tasty, with the vinegar slaw a perfect foil to the sweet and tangy ribs. They have an extensive menu featuring all of the typical BBQ options and sides, and they all looked good. The team at Abe's couldn't be nicer or more helpful, providing guidance on what is particularly good that day. Just be prepared to be very full when you leave, and to have a slight smokey aroma following you for the rest of the day!

The tamales with coleslaw and crackers were delicious. My server, Lucille, was a sweetheart! The ambience was just what you would expect from this century old landmark.

Abe's is a must stop if you have never been. Food is always hot and good. Service is good Ms Lucile will take good care of you. Lots of things to look at too.

Abe's bbq on the crossroads is a must when traveling through Clarksdale. The restaurant has an old timey feel and the employees make you feel welcomed. Bbq was great and loved reading about the history of the place and area.

I have eaten here a few times. I can't say that it is not good. I think that it's just a tourist spot.

Our road trip took us through Clarksdale and we stopped for a couple of Blues Highway landmarks and lunch at Abe's. The food is solid excellent and we tried the hot tamales (the favorite of the day), pork sandwich and grilled chicken sandwich. Sides included the chili, baked beans, fries and slaw. I had the grilled chicken sandwich with the slaw on the sandwich and it was a very tasty combination. My husband thought the pork sandwich was one of the best he's had.

This Delta barbecue landmark, located at the symbolic crossroads of Highways 61 and 49, is almost 100 years young--it never gets old stopping here to dine in or takeaway. The place can get busy but you are waiting for quality. It's laid-back and you can hang out as long as you wish. No one is rushing you out--outside tables too. As for the food, my go-to is the Big Abe--juicy balance of well smoked pork, sauce and tangy cole slaw. And recommend the onion rings over the fries. But really you can't go wrong--and take some Delta tamales with you.

Don't expect a lot. Abe's is a little joint that sells bbq. Not outstanding, but okay. It's old, it's historic, the owner cares about his business. The servers are an assortment of those who care about getting it right and those who don't; no different from other places. The prices are pretty average. There aren't a lot of places to eat in Clarksdale and Abe's is almost always open. If you want good bbq, Abe's is good.

Food is amazing. Service is great. Waitress was so nice and polite. Saw this place on Somebody Feed Phil. It was as good as he said. We shared three tamales with chili and cheese and a Big Abe pork sandwich. So good!!!

So, the legends here are really quite amazing. Cash is preferred in this little down home spot. I had to try the hot tamales, very nice. The slaw is a wonderfully tart no mayo style. The sauce on the BBQ has a similar hint of tart. Yum.

Friendly delicious place. Tamales generously heaped with chili. The chopped pit BBQ pork hit the spot. Reasonable prices and open for indoor seating. (June 2021). Bring cash; credit is +3%

Stopped in here while traveling through Mississippi on our motorcycle to get some ribs... the people in the place were awesome and friendly but the beef jerky they called ribs was another story. The ribs were about as dry as the delta that day and I may have even chip a tooth I nawing on those ribs.. but the sweet tea was good.

Service was great. Had the bbq pork plate. Meat did not have a Smokey taste. Appeared that the pork was cooked on the griddle. Beans were straight from a can. No bbq taste what so ever. Kinda pricey, definitely will not be returning

Abel's is a landmark in Clarksdale located right at the world famous crossroads. We had the tamales which were very good! The BBQ sandwich was good as well. The ribs were okay and the slaw was a tangy as opposed to the normal creamy but I really liked it. The atmosphere is very old school which I live. I found the staff to be super nice as well.

Hot Tamale Trail - Stop #12/12 Tamales - Red and hand rolled (most other locations seem to be machine rolled). Good ratio of meat to masa. I came for the tamales... but I should have tried it with chili and cheese. - (4) star. Bar-B-Q Pork sandwich - Pulled pork, tender with enough BBQ sauce to taste, but not overpowering, with slaw on top. - (5) star I would keep coming back for more of this!

This burger did not disappoint. I went easy on the chili but this burger was cooked when ordered and it was very tasty. Definitely coming back soon to try something else or another burger. You can't go wrong!!

Yes yes yes!! Thank you!! We have been driving all over looking for some bbq and I'm so glad we came here to give it a try. Really really good stuff. Very satisfying!

Biggest damn half rack of ribs I'd ever had. Vinegar based sauce was great. So much fun visiting this historic establishment.

This place is kick-a$$. Tamales and BBQ. Loved it. The wait staff was very friendly and fun. The tameales with chili ... trust me... eat the crackers with it. So good. Potato salad like mamas.

Wasn't headed to Clarksdale but ended up there an was looking for a lunch spot. Always like to try BBQ places and it happened to be at the Robert Johnson Crossroads spot so that was a surprise. There were 2 of us and we ordered tamales with chili and cheese, a beef sandwich, a pork sandwich, and some fries with a sweet and unsweet tea (sweet isn't Tennessee sweet but it is close). They tamales were delicious. Perfect southern beef tamales covered in beef chili and cheese. Some of the reviews say the pork is sliced and other pulled, but I think it is more of a shaved pork but it had a good bun and the sauce/slaw ratio was also good. The beef sandwich was also good - same bun and sauce/slaw ratio. The slaw is just cabbage and and some salt/pepper/vinegar (and atiny bit of sugar we think). The crunch is good and I don't usually like the vinegar but I did it this slaw. If you need it drowned mayo/carrots/sugar and much less cabbage crunch this is not for you. Much like a review I wrote including potato salad, slaw is something that seems to be really personal when it comes to flavor preference - just ask them to keep it off the sandwich. The waitress was really nice and we had a good time eating in the restaurant. If we are ever back that way we will definitely stop in.

Wow! Friend took me here for lunch. New to MS and it was fantastic! I got the rib tip meal and the meat was flavorful and juicy. Baked beans were great too. Can not wait to bring the family. Been in business since 1924!

Abes kinda has Clarksdale trapped. There just aren't many places to eat in Clarksdale so it's almost like they don't really try. The ribs were dry and overcooked. The fries were were cold and soggy (even though I specifically asked for extra crisp fries). Slaw was rough chopped cabbage soaked in vinegar. Not a pleasant, crunchy tangy slaw. They get 2 stars because the people are nice. It seems as if they want the tourist trade.

The food was great. The server friendly . My plate was BBQ brisket. My sisters had a huge potato. Large portions .Will definitely be back here

My husband claims the tamales were excellent. But my big chopped beef sandwich was . The slaw they put on it killed any taste of what was supposed to be bbq. The portion size was ample. But the quality and taste was bland. So why the one star. Service, we went in the middle of the afternoon, not empty but not crowded either. No menu was offered no idea of what was available. Sprite in a can. So that they can charge for refills, great marketing strategy. Unfortunately we were never asked if we wanted or needed anything else. If you aren't paying for quality food, then at least offer quality service. 11 years ago when we first came to this tourist icon of all things blues it was better. Now it is just bland. Too much money for very little in return.

Did not enjoy this at all. The pulled pork appeared to have been reheated in a microwave causing it to turn very greasy. The chili suffered the same fate. The atmosphere was charming. From the price and the quality, this apparently has turned into a tourist trap like a lot of other places that gain media attention. They seem to have stopped caring about the food quality just have the attitude of bring some money and hopefully enough unsuspecting people will read about it and come along to keep them going. Was not very busy when I was there. Gas prices high. Maybe I was there at the wrong time for the locals.

Friendly staff and awesome BBQ! Sitting at the crossroads, a great view and even an outdoor seating area. Historic connections and deep roots, this is one of Clarksdale's best restaurants!

Excelent BBQ Sandwiches...and tamales to die for. My wife ended here while attending a blues festival in Clarksdale. I am glad we stopped. The place was clean and the service was good. The food was the star tough, as it should!

Visited during covid and only take away was available. Orders needed to be called in in advance. We didn't know, but the number was posted on the door. As we were in the process of calling, a staff member came out to deliver somebody else's order to their car and offered to take our order. Staff was nice. Free parking on site. There are two picnic tables for you to sit outside with a view of the famous crossroads. However, you do sit right by a busy street. The BBQ sandwiches were really tasty and came out fast. I wouldn't call it the best BBQ I ever had, but I would definitely recommend it as an authentic local place with good food.

Sorry, but not a fan of this famous barbecue joint. Hubby got the pork sandwich and believe it or not it was sliced, not pulled, pork. I got the ribs and they were tasteless and dry, dry, dry. The only barbecue sauce available is heavy on the vinegar side. The slaw is simply sliced cabbage with vinegar. Not a creamy bite in sight. Baked beans seem straight out of the can! Very disappointing as this was high on our list of places to try.

Huge portions. Good BBQ. And friendly staff. Picked up a to-go order and it was ready before I even arrived. The baked beans were some of the best I've had. Only disappointment was that they were out of pecan pie, which I assume means it too is good.

Abe's (formerly the Delta Inn) has been justifiably famous for their Mississippi Delta Hot Tamales AND barbecue pork since 1924!! Delta Tamales are made with spiced pork, spiced corn meal and then simmered in spiced water so they have more heat and more flavor than traditional Mexican tamales. The tamales at Abes have a little simmering liquid spooned over them to make them extra moist. They are amazing!!! This Texan has seen the light!! Pork rib tips are tender with crispy edges and oh, so moist!! They are dressed in a tangy barbecue sauce that enhances the meat without overpowering the flavor. This is an iconic Delta cultural heritage spot, well worth an out-of-the way pilgrimage. The food lives up to the history here. 5 sell-your-soul stars!!

Best bar b q I have ever had in the South. I have been to bbq restaurants in several states including North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, Virginia, Florida, and Mississippi. This is the best of all those states as none of them compare. I absolutely love this restaurant. I sometimes can't to visit here when I am in the area. Great customer service, delicious food, splendid atmosphere and great hospitality is what you get here when get here. Yes, I highly recommend Abes Bar B Q. The food and customer service is the best. I walked in and they acknowledged me. I sat down and looked at their menu as all menus are conveniently located on all tables. They come over and take our drink order. They come back within a couple minutes with our drinks and then take our food order. The bbq sandwich and French fries are always delicious along with a Coke. If they are busy and you need a refill, just walk over the the fountain drink machine and get a refill your self. After all, that's what is there for.

Not as well thought out with the seasoning and service is too slow waiting the decor needs cleaning and updated

I had the BBQ Pork sandwich. This was one of, if not the best BBQ Pork I have ever tasted. Coleslaw is the way I like it too! Vinegar based instead of a too saucy mayo. Yummmm! We may be back before this holiday is over in Clarksdale.

Abe's is a must stop in Clarksdale. We love their tamales with cheese and chili. Their pulled pork is delicious too, and we always get some sauce to take home to Memphis.

Abe's has by far the best bar b q in the South. I always get the bar b sandwich with a side of bar bq beans or fries. Clarksdale was where I was born and now I live in Tennessee. I have eaten at a lot of bar b q restaurants in the south like in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. However, none of them comes close to Abe's. When I go home to see my parents in Cleveland, ms I will stop by Abe's to buy their bar b q sauce. I will even go by my local bar b q restaurant and order a bar b q sandwich to pick up. When they ask what kind of sauce, I say none but when I get home, I put Abe's bar b q sauce on it, ha ha. This closely reminds me of this Abe's restaurant. They have great friendly service too as they never let you see the bottom of your drink. If you are a tourist, stop by here.

You know I'm the guy who usually passes on "local legends" as far as restaurants; too many seem to be resting on their laurels of decades ago, and I'm usually disappointed. Like Stanich's in Portland, or Dick's Hamburgers in the Seattle area. Happy to report that's not the case with Abe's Bar-B-Q in Clarksdale, MS, dishing out smoked grub and other eats for the past 90 years. Located at the famous "crossroads" immortalized in song by Eric Clapton, it's the location where blues guitarist Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil to give him history changing talent. Abe's has a relatively short menu of BBQ sandwiches, including pork, beef, and ham. A few other things like burgers and fried chicken round out the menu, with sides of beans, fries, and slaw. Sandwiches are offered in regular and large size, and usually served with a dab of sauce and a mount of cole slaw on flattened version of a hamburger bun. The slaw is a simple affair, but very tasty, with only cabbage, salt, pepper, vinegar and corn oil as ingredients, so sez the cook. I rolled through Clarksdale on a recent expedition, and was sad to note that I arrived at the restaurant an hour prior to opening. Seeing my salivating face peering in the window, though, they opened up and said they'd serve me. (Southern hospitality). Went with the large BBQ ham sandwich; my navigator grabbed a half a chicken. We both opted for a side of possibly the best baked beans on the planet, and our entrees were superb, of course. There's a ton to do and see in this part of Mississippi, including many stops if you're a blues fan, or are curious about the birthplace of Kermit the Frog. But be sure to have at least one meal at Abe's to make your trip a truly memorable experience. (Scroll down to see their menu).

We happened to meet the owner at the Clarksdale Deep Blues festival and went to eat at his place. ALL the locals highly recommend the barbecue, chili cheeseburger and chili tamales. The people in this town are amazing and are so welcoming. We can say that the chili tamales are out of this world. The chili cheeseburger with sauce and slaw is indescribably good! Our next try will be the ribs and plan to take some back home to Lewiburg TN. Sam your place is fabulous and so are all you folks! We will definitely be back whenever we visit! Thanks for the great food and hospitality!!

I read about Abe's in a book about the Mississippi Blues Trail. My Smoked Ribs have a balanced smoke flavor and savory tangy vinegar and tomato bbq sauce. A little on the tough side for my liking, but still great. The baked beans were lackluster and have room for improvement. Great atmosphere and memorabilia and will recommend it to friends.

Delicious pulled pork BBQ sandwich, fries, and baked beans!! We'd eaten, at Abe's a few years ago and loved it. Had to have it again.

This was my least favorite bbq place of 4 on my Memphis / Clarksdale road trip. There was nothing bad with my pulled pork sandwich with fries, but nothing out of the ordinary either. An adequate serving of pork with a layer of slaw for $5, fries extra. Since I was coming off a large lunch, I didn't order any of the tamales they boast about. Nor did I have any ribs or beans, items that might have swayed my rating. Serving food since 1924 is quite a remarkable achievement. I was amazed at how many hamburgers were being ordered at tables around me, maybe the locals know something they don't promote to us tourists?

I'll rate Abe's pulled pork with tangy slaw and their homemade BBQ sauce up there as one of my favorites. Going in, I didn't know what to expect, but it was VERY good. I'll be back next time I'm in the area.

Ordered a dozen tamales and only got nine. I guess they thought I didn't know how to count to twelve. They also said the tamales came with crackers and slaw-- they lie. Don't you just hate ordering twelve tamales with crackers and slaw and getting absolutely none of those things? Even if we neglect that, the barbeque sandwich was pretty weak. This is very basic barbeque that masquerades as a must-see establishment.

Right across from the crossroads, where Robert Johnson sold his soul, sits Abe's Bar-B-Q. This seems to be an icon in Clarksdale as we found it busy at 4:30p when we stopped on the way to the Juke Joint Fest and when we returned, just before 8pm, it was still busy. The place was hopping. None of us were thrilled with the BBQ sauce, but we all felt it complimented the pork sandwich. We took a consensus vote, on a scale of 1 - 5, and here are our ratings. Pork Sandwich (Big Abe) - 4 (the combination of pork, bun, and slaw works) Potato Salad - 4 (loved the flavor, could use some celery for crunch) Beans - 3 Pecan Pie - 4 (I thought it was great, but got down voted to a 4 by others) Atmosphere - 4 (very comfortable place) We all agreed that's we'd definitely return. JTP BBQ Authority

Had the rib plate at lunch. Well cooked, nice color inside, nice char on the out. Very generous portion and very tender. In terms of just grading the meat itself, it's one of the best rib plates I've been served anywhere. Good but not great sides. Good service and friendly employees. Clean establishment. The only downside to me is their sauce. It's a heavy vinegar with some other sauces mixed in - I think maybe they said Worcestershire and ketchup or something like that? It was not to my taste at all. I prefer sauces more on the spicy/sweet end of the spectrum.

Great BBQ! We visited while staying in town, super friendly staff. Food was great! Will be back.

We went to Abe's for lunch when passing through Clarksdale. I order a rib tip plate and my husband ordered a pulled pork plate. They served my plate exactly as I asked, as I have dietary restrictions. They were super friendly and the service was very good. The barbecue had a great taste although it was really greasy, the reason for only four stars. The sides we ordered were wonderful! Great potato salad and baked beans! Over all it was a great experience.

Had to check out the birthplace of the Blues and right at the crossroads, is this barbeque restaurant. My husband had the rib tip platter and Not being hungry enough for the rib plate which I initially wanted to order, ended up ordering a cheeseburger. The puke of rib tips my husband got was absolutely delicious. It was dry rub but juicy and the flavor was something like the peppered jerky and Smokey bbq. While my burger was great, I ended up picking at his.

Great service & atmosphere. Food was good! The chili cheese fries were sooooo awesome! Definitely visiting again