Ground Zero Blues Club

Awesome atmosphere. We went in to just have a look around but we ended up spending some time here having drinks and playing pool. The staff was great and very friendly. Well worth a visit if you pass by

This place is co-owned by Morgan Freeman. The place is huge, and due to the Juke Joint Festival, it was tough to get a seat. There is SO much to look at. The building seems dirty inside, and the bathroom needs upgrades. Also, I did not enjoy the food, and I love food. I believe the fried green tomatoes are marinated, and the breading (possibly cornmeal) didn't stay on. It is affordable, though. The talent was incredibly good, and it was worth several additional cover charges for this.

This place is so cool! The band was great, the atmosphere was casual and laid back. Good food, clean bathrooms, friendly staff.

Real Blues! Good food, incredible service, and very amazing music! We went on a Thursday, and they had open mic night. As an entertainer, I signed up and hit the stage with the little trepidation about playing a new venue with people I didn't know. As it turns out, there was no need for my concern. The musicians were all season veterans with incredible sounds, and they literally busted their tail to make me sound good, although they didn't even know me! The staff was great, and we got to talk to Mandy for quite a bit since we got there early. She patiently answered the dozens of questions we peppered her with. If you want to hear some real blues, this is definitely the place!

Staff was friendly and food was good. Did not expect the walls to be filled with signatures from over the years. Even the restroom had writing all over the walls and ceiling. Was good for a quick bite to eat while traveling.

If you love Blues, or music in general, you HAVE to go to Ground Zero Blues in Clarksdale. We're from Vancouver BC and hope to return. It was incredible. Fried Green Tomatoes, Fried Pickles and the GZ Cheeseburger was to die for!

Cool place owned by Morgan Freeman. Has an amazing mural of Robert Johnson on the side of the building (probably the best thing about visiting this establishment). The music and drinks were good. The atmosphere was laidback. The bartender made us feel like we were a nuisance but, who knows, lets chalk it up to her having a bad day. It was Friday night so I expected it to be a busier. We did not eat here so I can't say whether the food is good.

We stopped in for a drink after touring the Blues Museum across the street on a Thursday afternoon in August. We sat at the bar. The bartenders were friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was laid back and easygoing. The beer and the music were good! We didn’t eat anything so I can’t review the food. Good experience - I’m glad we stopped in.

On a road trip home from Mississippi, we decided to stop in for lunch. Most know that this spot is co-owned by Morgan Freeman and is an old juke joint in the middle of Clarksdale converted into a bar/restaurant. The environment is really cool and has that cool old school feel. They have live music after 5 so I will be back to experience that. I really thought it was cool how food was served on throw away dishes giving it that old school vibe as well. We were greeted and seated immediately. Brett, our server, was super chill,prompt and courteous. We started with the Fried Green Tomatoes, followed by the Jacks Blues Burger with slaw and the GZBC Cheeseburger with fries. All cooked to order and fresh. The fried green tomatoes are made the old school way with cornmeal breading, fried light and crispy. The burgers were seasoned perfect and toppings were fresh. Finally the star..Deep Fried Pecan Pie. The sweetness was cut in half by frying and the savory was there. By adding the ice cream and sauce sent it over the mark. Don't sleep on that, make it happen. The food is affordable and the service is top notch.

I am sad to say that despite great expectations, Ground Zero was a big disappointment. We were on a music themed roadtrip, and Clarksdale was a big part of the trip. And while we liked the general atmosphere, this place just mails it in with little effort. The pulled pork was dry and had a strange aftertaste. It pales in comparison to Abe's, located right at Crossroads. I have had better BBQ in New York! But the worst part was the service: our waitress treated us as if we were inconveniencing her. We were halfway through our meal and beers and she started nagging us to pay our check, shouting "I WANT TO GO HOME!" As to the music, it was also a real disappointment. The band also was just mailing it in, playing low energy covers like "Sweet Home Chicago." The blues at Red's and played by buskers around town was played with much more life and soul. I love Morgan Freeman, but sadly his club/restaurant needs a shakeup. Save your $$s and go elsewhere. I am being kind with two stars.

If you are looking for live music and a good time, you are likely to find it here. Grab a cold drink and enjoy the show because you are likely to hear some great music. With that said, I do NOT recommend the food. We ordered the friend green tomatoes and the onion rings - neither came with any dipping sauce and the tomatoes were over cooked and the onion rings were greasy. Ordered the peach cobbler and it tasted that it had been microwaved so that when the ice cream was put on it, it became a huge blob of melted mess. My server I hope was new because the service was poor. I asked what beers were on draft and I was informed that they had none, he then recommended a pecan beer but since I couldn't taste it I wasn't willing to get something I didn't like and be stuck with it. There were multiple times I felt like I had to chase him down to get another beer. It was an experience to say the least.

The atmosphere is cool and the history is unmatched! Service was great and music was thoroughly enjoyed!

Awesome! Everything! Food..music..service!!! We loved it and plan on visiting again for New Yrs eve!

When in Rome.. Ground Zero Blue Club is a must stop when in Clarksdale. Convenient location, solid food, good enough bar menu and the requisite juke joint vibe. If this joint were anywhere else, it would seem like a well-trodden local dive. But this being Clarksdale, the live music drawing from the local talent makes it a 'can't miss' place. Don't overthink it - pay the cover, grab a drink and lose yourself in the blues. You'll have a good time - and that's what its all about.

Five star for the music and ambience, two for the food. Very limited menu, with the food tasting more like Sysco and less like homemade. In particular, the fries were undercooked the first time, and the 2nd batch still tasteless. WHO can't do good fries? BbQ was below average given the competition in town. The fried green tomatoes were the exception -- good and crispy! It felt like Ground Zero no longer cares about the food.

One of the greatest music clubs I have ever experienced! The nachos were smoking good too.

Great night of Blues at Ground Zero! Paid the cover and grabbed a seat... The music was great and the dance floor was busy. Drinks were good and great night at Ground Zero!

When you look at the outside of this restaurant....you might feel compelled to turn around and get back in your car. But don't!! Ask for Sawanna and ask her for an order of fried green tomatoes! You've never seen a place like this!

Absolutely the heart of music venues in Clarksdale, MS. No frills. Great service. The food was bomb and very reasonably priced. I've played music here fr their 21st anniversary, and the way they treat their musicians is just as swell as they treat their guest! Thank you! Love this place

Wasn't that impressed with the place, the menu was very limited and service lackEd fun.

See 60 Minutes. The State of the Blues. It featured Morgan Freeman as his hometown and the number one Blues place in the nation.

Can I get an Amen! Love this place. Was only planning on spending one night in Clarksdale to visit this place. Drinks, music and vibe were amazing. Went to Memphis the next day but changed our plans cancelling our second night and headed back to Clarksdale for two nights. Damn was that the right decision. Dropped the bags at The Shack Up Inn and headed straight to Ground Zero for lunch. Pulled pork bbq platter, a margarita, and fried pickles. Didn't think I'd like the pickles and I didn't. I loved them. Pickles with the pulled pork were awesome and that margarita wasn't bad either. No music was playing in the afternoon but it didn't matter.

The service was fantastic. We went at a slower time and got such special attention! Thank you Shawanda (sp?)! I got the catfish and my husband got the burger and green beans (his favorite!)...we left none behind! So good! Will look for an excuse to get back (traveling from SC). Wish we could have stayed for the music later tonight.

It is definitely a dive...we got there early on the way to a ballgame so we weren't able to enjoy any music. We asked for a cocktail and we're told the bartender was on the porch. Apparently she couldn't be disturbed to make a pesky drink. So we had a beer and very little hope for the upcoming dinner. We were pleasantly surprised. We had the nachos and fried green tomatoes for apps and the catfish and a burger for entrees. Everything was very good. All was served on paper plates with plastic forks. We ended the meal with the pecan pie. And not just any old pie. They seem to take a piece of regular pecan pie, batter it and deep fat fry it and serve it with ice cream. 'Nuff said. You need some.

All I can say is this: I felt like I had been gone for years and my family welcomed me back. I'm not from Clarksdale or Mississippi, nor do I know anyone in the city or state, but people here treat you like family, and Ground Zero was no exception. It's everything you need on a day or night out: good people, good food and drinks, good music.

I was passing through Clarksdale, MS and decided to stop here for a quick lunch. I'm from the MS Delta, but quickly noticed that this is a big tourist location. Why? Probably because Morgan Freeman is one of the owners. We arrived right at opening and were the 2nd group seated. There's writing all over this place, on the walls, tables, chairs, bathroom stalls, etc. Everyone is welcomed to bring a sharpie marker and leave their mark. Our server was great and provided us with a great experience! The sweet tea was perfection! We started with the hot tamales (a MS Delta staple). Although a bit pricey, they were possibly the best I've ever had! Everyone ordered the Catfish BLT. The catfish was delicious and cooked perfectly. I took the bacon off because it didn't add anything to the sandwich and it was weird, but that's okay. It was an easy fix! Getting here was a bit of a detour from HWY 61, but the hot tamales made it worth it. I plan to stop by to get a couple dozen the next time I'm in the area.

King Fish open for The Rolling Stones. He's a top notch Blues Artist; Mississippi Delta on 60 minutes

My friend's and I really enjoyed the chicken Nacho's, the sauce was amazing. The service was outstanding and the atmosphere was friendly and inviting. To top it off we really enjoyed the entertainment. AJC and the Envelope Pushers really put the icing on the cake.

Woohoo! Such a terrific night with some great people, visitors from all over the world flock to this classic iconic place to listen to Blues and enjoy some soul food. Couldn't have had a better night and couldn't have had better service.

Food is delicious and not expensive, good service and the ambiance was fitting for a true blues club! Everyone is so nice!

Fun place to listen to live music with friends. Didn't taste test the food. But the ambiance and music were worth the visit. Try and sit up front to get the best view of the musicians and feel the music!

GZBC's food is good and the service, atmosphere everything really. I don't think you'll regret visiting this place. Fried Pickles are the way to go.

I want to move to Clarksdale just to move into Ground Zero. It's just the right thing to do, considering all of the deliciousness and character this spot inhabits. Okay, not really. True story: I am all about this restaurant. The sweet lady who welcomes you during lunch is half of the reason for the great experience. She makes you feel like you're at home the moment you enter the restaurant. She offered incredible menu suggestions and knew that menu through and through. The food is ruh-diculous and the ambiance is organic and perfectly imperfect. Go to Ground Zero, but be sure someone or something can peel you away. I don't think I would ever leave if I saw a band on that stage. I can't go back or I'll get sucked into their vortex of perfection. Glad I had to go to work. P.S. "Basic Burger with Cheese" for life!

One of the coolest bars I've ever been to. I haven't been in a while, but they always have the best music like you wouldn't believe you could find in a small town. Amazing atmosphere and their "blue" drink is awesome.

As a restaurant, horrible!!! The plastic table covers are decades old and every inch sticky, even after being wiped down. The paper 6 pack holding condiments just needs to be pried off to move it... yuck! Chairs are filthy, yuck again. Totally unsustainable, plastic utensils wrapped in plastic. Plastic cups, plastic straws. The catfish is in a cheap hot dog bun with one large wilted piece of lettuce, and some tomato. It would be so much better served without the junk. Just catfish and hot sauce... what's wrong with that. Stage is great, guitar player, singer was great.

Sorry I have to post this. BEWARE! Hours of operation, especially when they open don't match what's posted. Arrived at 5 pm, what the website says and what is posted on the door, only to be informed that they were opening later that day, 6 pm instead of the posted 5 pm opening and turned us away. Wouldn't even sell us a Tee shirt. Clarksdale doesn't have a lot to offer in the first place. I am sorry , truly disappointed Yes it happened today, Wednesday June 23. We sat in the parking lot for about 40 minutes prior to the scheduled opening. Been talking to my son and his girlfriend about going here for the last couple of months

We finally came from Arkansas to meet Tee and hear some fantastic blues. My only complaint is that they didn't have any good tequila, no red wine, no olives for a dirty martini. The music was World Class. We got to see Jax Nassar and she and her band knocked us out! Going back tonight for some more awesomeness.

What a fantastic place! We we're lucky that the owner was there and let us in for pictures and to buy T-Shirts! You can feel the history as you stand there! Cool vibes!

Ground Zero Blues Club is a cool spot to sit back and experience a culture that is all but disappearing. it's not quite a juke joint, but is certainly a House of Blues. Don't let the fact that it's owned by a big name fool you, it's a no-frills establishment that offers its patron a true blues experience. Sit back at the bar and chat up the bartender, she'll tell you her life story. Shoot a game of pool and admire all the messages left by patrons past or sit back and enjoy whatever band they have on stage. Try chatting up the locals to see what the blues mean to them or take some personal time to just enjoy the moment. We got the full experience and stayed upstairs in one of the apartments which were just as cozy as it was quaint. For about $130 we got a one night's stay in a shotgun style apartment equipped with a full kitchen, seating area, and bathroom. Not to mention the fact that we were right above the blues club! We checked in downstairs at the bar, unloaded our bags upstairs and proceeded back down to the blues club. Talk about convenience! There we ordered some food, had a few drinks and enjoyed the moment! This is a must do in Clarksdale, Mississippi!

Bring a sharpie, you're going to want to sign your name on something, anything. Lord knows I did. And they allow it, hell even encourage it. I went for lunch. The service was friendly and proficient, the staff didn't have their phones out on the floor either, a modern miracle. The draft beer was cold too. The GZBC BBQ plate was very good. Make sure you add the bbq sauce to the hand pulled pork shoulder, they don't give it to you, just so you can smell it. The okra is fantastic, order it. If you opt for fries, get them seasoned. If you don't know why you're in Clarksdale, you're likely on a mission from god. Martin Luther King Jr spoke here, Muddy Waters lived here, and Bessie Smith Died here.

I surely appreciate the authenticity of the Ground Zero Blues Club, but from a total experience perspective I was not impressed. The food was served on paper plates and the plastic utensils made it feel even cheaper. The wait staff was only focussed on selling as many drinks as possible which quickly became extremely annoying. Lucious Spiller's performance was great, but he lost his enthusiasm after an hour (most likely due to the fact that there was hardly any audience that day). Too complete the experience, I had booked Morgan's apartment above the club and although we loved the retro look and feel, the bathroom was not clean and the shower curtain was moldy. Overall, my wife and I were pretty disappointed with the GZBC experience. I had expected slightly higher standards from a venue to which Mr. Freeman's name is attached.

This place was so over the top amazing! The food was some of the best southern food I've ever had. The drinks were great, staff was super nice and friendly and the blues were WOW! Kingfish, who is from Clarksdale, happened to be there and what a great show! I feel lucky to have been able to see him play in person. It was a homecoming for him and the place was packed! Can't wait to go back sometime.

Had a great night at Ground Zero! Visiting some of my boyfriend's family in Cleveland and we made the 45 minute drive to come here for dinner on thanksgiving eve. We arrived around 7 and the place was relatively dead. We grabbed our own table near the stage. Shortly after, our waitress T introduced herself and told us about the menu and the performance that night. We ordered some appetizers - the fried hot tamales, fried green tomatoes, and nachos. We didn't know what size to get so we ordered the full, but it may have been too much for our party of 6. The fried hot tamales were good, but mostly for their novelty, and the group thought regular hot tamales were better. The fried green tomatoes were delicious with a light cornmeal breading. I highly recommend them. The nachos were good, too, with plenty of pulled pork. Onto the entrees. I ordered the catfish dinner with turnip greens and black eyed peas. The meal also came with a cornbread muffin and 2 hush puppies. I thought the catfish filet was perfect. I chose the sides more out of curiosity and would probably try other sides next time- just not my thing. The cornbread muffin was pretty dry, but the hush puppies were nice and spicy. Others at the table got the pulled pork dinner, the potato a la Morgan, the catfish salad, and a burger. I think everyone enjoyed their food but the burger was nothing special. Following dinner, we stayed for the entertainment which began at 8 and kept going well after we left around 10. We were happy to have such good seats as the place became quite crowded. We were also satisfied with the selection of local beers on tap. The entire venue had a really cool ambiance and we can tell that it's a fun place to go hang out at on the weekends. I'll definitely return the next time I'm in Mississippi. Also, quick shout out to our waitress, T. She was super friendly and hospitable and contributed greatly to our overall experience.

This joint provides world-class entertainment in our small beloved Delta town. The fried chicken, fried green tomatoes and catfish are off the hook.

This place is a must see!!! The atmosphere is unlike anywhere I have ever been and the food is amazing! We got fried pickles and BBQ nachos for an appetizer and they were great! Hands down the best fried pickles I have ever had! We all got different burgers for lunch and they did not disappoint! The fries were cooked perfectly and the burgers were all juicy and packed with flavor. Even my friend that is a picky eater loved his burger. Make sure to sign your name on the wall! The service was also amazing! Our waitress Georgia treated us like family and made sure everything was perfect! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

This is a converted old cotton gin into a renovated Delta Blues club for blues bands and Morgan Freeman's southern soul food restaurant. It is really an authentic Mississippi Delta Juke Joint that is open today. The decor has a relaxed atmosphere and begins with old sofas out front on the front porch to a Ground Zero mobile that is outside in the parking lot along the side of the restaurant. It also has 7 apartments up stairs that can be rented out for the true blues fans. Across the street is the Delta Blues museum for people to learn a little more about the history of blues and how it all started. They have pool tables in here too for those who like to play. Ground Zero is co owned by actor Morgan Freeman, Attorney and present Clarksdale Mayor Bill Luckett, and Memphis executive Howard Stovall. Ground Zero has entertainment for its visitors. The Restaurant has a stage for blues bands to play and offer live entertainment to its patrons. Blue bands usually play here Wednesday through Saturday and start at 9pm but call to confirm as schedules for venues are subject to changes and cover charges as we all know. You can autograph the restaurant. However, there is literally not a enough space on the walls to even write your name. As far as the food is concerned- everything is fried. Such as fried green tomatoes, fried okra, fried catfish, fried chicken, French fries, fried pickles, fried grits, fried green beans, fried hot tamales and even off the menu items that are fried like their fried bologna sandwich. They even have fried desserts like fried chocolate delights and fried creme cake. They also have pecan pie and home made peach cobbler.

Visited on a Saturday with 6 people (5 adults and toddler) Was in the area for the day and stopped by this restaurant. I am not a pork eater so I had the basic burger, it was good but nothing I will drive back to go and get. There wasn't any live music playing but I they were setting up to play. If in the area I would come back but I wouldn't make a special trip.

Oh yeah... Big time, big time... Its a right of passage coming here.. This place is AWESOME! Awesome music, authentic... Has a lot of personality... None of the chairs are the same, very make-shift. Down-home, juke joint, all those thangs. They have a bunch of bottled beer selection, and keep a couple draft beers on rotation - good draft beers too, not schwag. Music is amazing. Sound system really good. The food was also very tasty! I had read a couple other reviews about how tasty the burgers were and they really are! Super-friendly service all around. The Mayor of Clarksdale was there and he went around and chatted with everyone. Also come to find out, they have rooms / beds upstairs that you can stay at. The night we went here was very cold, but I can imagine on a Friday or Saturday night in June, I bet this place hops. Would love to go back.

I'm only leaving two stars because our waitress and the drinks were great. My friends and I ordered the chicken tenders meal plus green tomatoes as a starter. The fries was the best part of the meal. The tenders, okra, and green tomatoes were basically tasteless. This restaurant is co owned by Morgan Freeman and he stopped by when we were there. Of course people flocked to him. I was surprised when white people were allow to say hello but when my friends approached him to say hello, they were stopped. My friends and I are well educated, well mannered, with great jobs. They expected better. At least our waitress and the drinks were good. However, I won't be returning.

While exploring what little there is to do in Clarksdale on our last day of vacation we decided to wait until 5pm (the scheduled) opening time for the bar. We were waiting since 2pm. At 5pm we started to see (what we found out were employees) and the band (by our assumption) outside and walking into the bar. We walked In and we're immediately stopped as they said they weren't open yet. Since we waiting in our parked car outside in the parking for 45 mins we asked to use the restrooms, which the young lady yet us use. After our restroom stop we asked them if we could by T-shirts. They said no again and that they weren't open. They were getting everything ready to open. Is was about 5:10pm at this time. We asked what time they opened l, they said 6pm. We simply were not going to wait another hour for the bar to open.we drove over an hour from Tennessee (we live in Chicago, and we're in Tenn. for vacation). It is upsetting that the club couldn't open on time and that their website doesn't reflect that. And we couldn't even buy shirts, which is why we were there to begin with.

Excellent, as usual!! So happy to see that the Entertainment calendar, for the entire month, is now being posted on Facebook. Looking forward to hearing Mr. Sipp, tonight!!

We love it, every time. The people, the service - pretty solid bar food and boy does the bar tenders know how to mix stuff drinks! Go for the experience and you won't regret it.

The best place to have a nice night while listening blues music ! The place is very amazing with a lot of lights and vintage decoration. There is two billards that allow to play while listening the music ! They do also restaurant and the menu is rich and the deserts : peach cobbler and pecan pie where good !

I have very mixed feelings about Ground Zero. If a Mississippi juke joint and the House of Blues had a baby this would be it. Graffiti, blues posters, banners, cotton machinery and more graffiti are everywhere. The building is very old and roughly renovated keeping it's former life as a cotton processing center alive. I went the first time when I arrived in Clarksdale mid afternoon just to take a rest and have a piece of pie and some sweet tea. I ended up meeting and having a great conversation with Steve Kolbus, the leader of the Clarksdale Blues Review. Being the leader of the house band and employee of Ground Zero, I received a good tutorial about the Clarksdale scene. I went back a second time at 8:30pm and had a beer waiting for the band - unfortunately it was not Steve's band, but a band out of Natchez. Since they were still setting up equipment I decided to go over to Red's to get a quick peek and I never returned. It is awesome that Morgan Freeman has decided to spend his money pumping up tourism in his home-town and this place is definitely a tourism magnet that drives the economic engine of blues tourism. Go there and enjoy some food and start your Clarksdale experience, but make sure you wander across the street or across the tracks for the less polished but more organic places also.

I Really wanted to write a positive review so I will start with my first experience . I have been to Clarksdale twice, stayed for about 5 days in total.. The first time, it was an amazing experience. The food was great! I ordered the catfish dinner with an extra piece of catfish. My team ordered fried pickles and fried okra as our combined appetizer experience. Our waitress was Ms. D and she was awesome.. The fish arrived with a side order of fries and it was D'lish For me the size portion of catfish was schmedium - too small to be enough, but not big enough to satisfy, so a piece and a half would have been perfect... Ground Zero is known for its Blues music... The walls have handwritten messages and signatures all over it... Written mostly in black sharpie WAIT.... Did I say only on the walls? What I meant was There are handwritten messages EVERYWHERE! The black purposeful vandalism is a part of it's character and charm... I loved it... Now on to the music.... If you live in the Artist District of Clarksdale, you probably sing, play piano or know of and or may be related to someone in the blues genre... There were regulars showcasing their talent and they sounded great! Not mention an seasoned, elderly experienced ( pick your least offense term) got up and started dancing... They reminded me of wanting to be in the arms of my beloved and the understanding of being with someone for such a period of time, that you can predict their next move... Awwwww The music was great! Me? I like all kinds of music... I listen to the stories, I find the bass line, .I listen for combination of sound and silence to understand how the artist is filling up space... Did I mention I'm a dancer/choreogrpaher and I am inspired by great expressions of space and sound... It was a GREAT experience for my first trip to Clarksdale, eating all the wrong foods (but the food was sooooo GUD) all the while seeking amazing experiences... This was really really good ( in my Zoolander voice)

My wife and I went there around 5 o'clock on a Thursday evening. Its a really cool place. The food was alright. We split an order of fried green tomatoes to start. They were juicy and succulent and whatever the sauce served with them was really good, a sort of Cajun delight. I had a mushroom and bacon cheeseburger. Nothing special. There was a band coming on at 8 but we didn't stick around. I'm kicking myself for not hanging out longer. I am really looking forward to a return visit.

ground zero has its thing. service ain't it. you may have 200 people in there with one waitress. food is good when you finally get it, just like a drink ? love the place hate the staffing... it is what it is...