Leonard's Pit Barbecue

Been coming to Leonard’s for years and was excited to find that indeed hadn’t gone out of business, but had instead simply moved locations. Went last Friday evening around 6 and got catfish with fries and turnip greens. The fish was great, very large and crispy with no fishy taste at all. The turnip greens tasted like they were from a can but edible. Food came out in a timely manner and the service was fantastic. There was one young girl running the entire dining room and doing to go orders and there were several tables in there besides me. Still she was very sweet, getting me everything I needed when asked and making jokes whenever she did stop by to check on me. She apologized about the wait, and I told her that it was fine and that I understood. Her name was Alice. Prices are a little high, but you get a good bit of food for what you pay for. All in all it was a wonderful experience. 10 out of 10 will be back again!

I had an amazing time. The food was absolutely amazing. I personally ordered a BBQ sandwich plate with Greens and Baked Beans. The wait for lunch was very short and the staff was extremely helpful. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone. Will be coming back!

I don't eat here often since I live about 4 hours away. In fact, the last time I ate here was over a year before this last visit. The last time I was there was during lunch, the place was full of people, and the ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender. The ribs definitely were the highlight of the meal and some of the best I've eaten. Sadly, this most recent visit was much different. I was there right at 5pm on a Friday and only two other customers were in the place. A little concerning but I thought perhaps I was just early for the dinner rush so I decided to forge ahead. One younger female was apparently in charge of everything in terms of the dining room and later it appeared also for to go orders as well. Given the small number of patrons this probably would have worked okay except she really wasn't very good at her job. There seems to be an increasing belief that anyone can become a server without much skill but that's just not true. When the food came out the gentleman from the kitchen that brought it was very friendly. My sides (slaw and potato salad) were both good. Sadly, my ribs were tough and dried out. I did get a large portion of ribs but they just weren't well cooked and lacking in smoke flavor. It seems whoever cooked them also tried to cover up the lack of smoke flavor by covering them with more than the usual amount of seasoning which was a poor substitute for proper bbq cooking. The roll I think was probably just a frozen Sister Schubert roll so it was fine but nothing extraordinary. I gave the food 4 instead of 3 stars in hopes that this was a one time problem with the ribs but I fear it may not be.

Good service, quiet environment. Slaw was sweet and sauce was tangy it was a good combo on the sandwich but could use more sauce. The bottom bread was burned. The sides were good!

My husband used to love their BBQ when they were at the previous store years ago. This was our first time at the new place. The service was amazing. The food was ok. My husband said the slaw was the same as he remembered. I'm not big on pie, but my husband liked the ice box pie and likes frozen grocery store pecan pie better. All good, the pie was comped because I asked for sauce on the side. Mine came out with sauce not on the side. The Server felt horrible so he insisted on giving us pie. I prefer Commissary's BBQ over Leonard's. To each their own 😁

The best ribs ive ever had. Learned muddy ribs rule. Stopped in on our way through Memphis on a trip learned that leonards knows how to make ribs. Had the absolute best greens that ive ever had too and dont forget about the slaw .Mmmm Mmmm good cant wait to go back

Made us feel like the most important people there when we walked in. Menu was straight forward and easy to read. Reasonable prices. The pulled pork sandwich was very good and the bbq sauce wasn’t my favorite, but everyone has their own ideas about that. LOL! The beans were very good as well. I highly recommend this bbq joint! A+

Was excited to try new BBQ & they didn't disappoint! Sauce is a little sweet, but good. Nachos were excellent (cheese is really good!) & the pork sandwich was great! No fatty bits in the meat & their cole slaw, while very unique went well on the sandwich! Beans were excellent & wedge fries were hot! Sweet tea was also amazing! Shout out to our server Terranisha for keeping the sweet tea coming! She was very pleasant as well! We will definitely be back!

This place had the best ribs ever. We enjoyed all the food. We had the pleasure of meeting Beatrice and Loretta. Really nice people to talk to. Highly recommend it.

The ribs were delicious! Friendly staff and very clean! It was our 1st time through Memphis and wanted to try a place shown on Diners, Drive-In's and Dives. Super glad we did!

The team here are so kind and gracious!! Our server was Beatrice - it was her first day and she was fantastic. The ambiance here is what you expect of a Memphis BBQ place - comfortable seating and plenty of room. Today we had a Mr Leonard Bbq sandwich which comes with slaw on it - and the slaw is amazing, fresh and delicious and it has a mustard base - if I'd had a hot dog!! LOL - it wants delicious- also had BBQ Beans and Fries all great choices. 1/3 slab of ribs - they were hot off the heat and tastes really good. Had been wanting to try this place the last couple of visits and we finally made it - I absolutely recommend it if you're in Memphis - stop in and say hello to Beatrice!

Bbq was good. Normally I would order bbq/ravioli plate, however ravioli has been discontinued although still on the menu board.

Driving through Memphis and found this on the Internet. Decided to eat after reading the rich history. Service was good, onion rings excellent, lemon ice box pie was very nice, but the RIBS (should be the highlight of ANY BBQ place, in my opinion) were a real disappointment - quite dry and not a ton of flavor. The BBQ sauce was different - dark, not at all sweet, and almost had a "burnt" taste. Arrived at 5:30pm on a Friday and were the only ones in the restaurant (that usually says a lot). Only 2 other tables by the time we left an hour later. Probably wouldn't stop here again or recommend it.

Wow; the new location of Leonard's Pit BBQ located off South Germantown Parkway was a truly excellent choice. The location has plenty of parking options and it's in a safe location. From the time you walk through the door you notice how clean, open and friendly the staff are when you're greeted. The food is served fresh, hot and delicious. I ordered the jumbo bbq sandwich plate with beans and coleslaw. The sandwich had plenty of meat, sauce and coleslaw. The beans had plenty of meat and a great flavor. The coleslaw was fresh and just delicious. This has always been one of my top bbq restaurants in Memphis and know it's even better because they are now in my neighborhood. If you want some great bbq then Leonard's Pit BBQ is the way to go; TRUST ME..‍

Memphis BBQ history at this new location. Service was great, nice bright and clean facility. Have been eating at Leonards since Bellvue location. Food was well prepared, reasonable prices. Beans and spaghetti were great. Bbq was like I remember, authentic Memphis style hickory smoked with a sweet sauce. Their slaw is unusual texture- very fine ground with a sweet mustard and vinegar dressing.

I REALLY wanted to be a fan, but I was not. And honestly, sometimes I find myself conflicted because I like one thing, but then dislike another. So in this case, the service was GREAT! Our server was fun, attentive, and knowledgeable. I also was enamored by the decor. They had original menus and photos from when the restaurant first opened and it was fun to see how far they've come (especially in pricing). However in my very humble opinion, the BBQ was not indicative of MEMPHIS BBQ. It was not seasoned well, and I didn't enjoy it at all. But I didn't want to send anything back because the service was so good! (I hope that makes sense to others)

The food was not the Leonard's I was used to eating!! The sauce was horrible!! It was too bland. The meat didn't taste like barbecue! It tasted like oven cooked pork. I couldn't eat mine!! I took my plate home and the cats didn't eat it either!! Plus the food was cold!!! Very disappointed. Will not visit again!!

i've been eating at Leonard's since the 1950s. Last time I went, I said I would never go back, but I just happen to be in the neighborhood at lunchtime and thought I would give them another try. Big mistake. Barbecue was tasteless. Lemon icebox pie was hard as a brick ... when I told them about it did they offer me a refund on the pie? No they said oh we don't know how long it's been sitting in that case.

Dining in, the service is excellent and the restaurant is clean. The bbq sandwich was excellent with very good sauce, the beans were excellent, the onion rings a little bit soggy, and the lemon icebox pie is some the best in Memphis. The drive-through is open now.

I base my reviews on comparing this to the old Leonard's location. Who remembers the Fox Plaza or the old Bellevue McClemore locations ? Back in the day this was " the real thing" - slow cooked with pride and SMOKE. The product they put out today cannot compare. The meat has no real flavor, the slaw I had taste like Sisco out of a bag. I like the old places, that had character and we filled often filled with a bunch of memorabilia and junk. The Cordova location is nothing but an empty, sterile room with mediocre food - no fun or satisfaction ( for me ) here. I won't go back, and I suggest that whoever reads this does not go at all.

The food and service is amazing! It is very clean as well. The waiters are super welcoming and nice.

Service was great food was horrible. We had 6 people and no one enjoyed their food. Tea was excellent though.

Stopped in on my way through town. Had high hopes for this. Well, I was disappointed. The menu is pulled pork, ribs, catfish or chicken. I tried the "bbq dinner". Pulled pork with bbq beans and Cole slaw. I replaced Cole slaw with potato salad. The pulled pork came out with about 2 gallons of bbq sauce poured on it. You could have grabbed ham out of the grocery store and poured that much bbq sauce on it and it would have tasted just the same. Like BBQ SAUCE! Beans were marginal and potato salad was actually pretty good. I come through Memphis quite often. I won't make this mistake again. I did let the waitress know how bad it was. And she just handed me a check. Dang. Such high hopes.

I really wanted to like this restaurant. It was a featured DDD restaurant and our waitress was awesome! I like the various memorabilia on the walls. The food was just okay though- except, apparently, the fried bologna sandwich our waitress recommended. I don't eat fried bologna but my brother in law raved about it for days afterwards.

BBQ is awful! I had a Big Leonard, it has no tastes at all. No smoke taste nothing. Only comparison I can make is crockpot BBQ as someone else reviewed. This is not BBQ by any definition in the South. Only reason it t gets 2 stars is the staff was polite and helpful.

The new location on Germantown Pkwy is doing a soft opening: limited menu, staff in training. Staff were still learning the menu which is fine. Everyone was incredibly nice. The chopped pork sandwich wasn't anything special, it lacked flavor and the slaw was incredibly mustard forward. The ribs were good, definitely preferred wet over dry. The wedge fries were ginormous so they weren't cooked all the way through. We came here because of Triple D, but I wouldn't come back.

Great food and pleasant staff members. Everything was sparkling clean and I recommend it.

Leonard's has always been our go to place for Memphis BBQ! And they did not miss a beat when they moved to Cordova. Still the same great food and service!! Definitely worth the drive. The ribs are some of the best and I always love the slaw and beans!

Guy is right! This place was absolutely amazing! Best spaghetti sauce I've had, amazing ribs, and the sides are stellar!!!

Great DDD to experience! We loved it, especially the ribs, brisket, and beans! Thanks

The fish was good, I did get a To go box of ribs, a little tuff and dry. Service is good.

This has been authentic Memphis BBQ since 1922 and, in my opinion, has never been surpassed. Have been a customer for over 60 years. The ravioli is classic, and compliments the BBQ nicely. Servings are generous. Can also recommend sides like slaw, BBQ beans and onion rings. Consider taking a bottle of sauce home. Retro music is a nice touch. Would like to return soon and often!

The new location in Cordova is very nice and clean. Haley was my server. She was very friendly and did a Great job! I had a Big Leonard, wedge fries, side of spaghetti and lemon ice box pie. Food was fabulous! I will be back soon. Keep up the Great work!

I hate to be "that guy" but here goes: Extremely disappointing! Do the people that own these places not taste their product? Beautiful restaurant & great space. Huge portions. I had BBQ & Ravioli & wife had small BBQ sandwich w/ beans & slaw. Meat was finely chopped & must have sat in a steam pan as it was wet & tasteless, SMOTHERED in a nasty sauce- worst I've ever tasted bitter burned & dark. I've had a few hundred sauces & this is the worst. Onion rings looked good but were doughy & chewy- frozen food service stuff. Beans were terribly overcooked, dry and BLAND/no flavor. Slaw was bland/needed mustard added. Ravioli was good typical probably frozen rav and gravy/sauce was pretty good. It was much better on the bbq than their bbq sauce. Couldn't eat much of our meals. Waiter Mike L. was great. Fix the problems and put sauce on the side. I know many people posted positively early on but look at the pictures. Based on last night I probably will never go back. There over 150 BBQ restaurants around Memphis- 99.8% way better than this. You have to be top-tier to succeed here. If last night was any indication Leonard's won't last long term without refocusing. Look at the pictures. Nasty dark sauce, dry beans, mushy onion ring batter. Terrible performance. The saddest part is there are thousands of guys around town that cook way better than this BBQ at home every day. You can't make it in this town being subpar or mediocre. Worth noting there were only 4 other people in the place. Every friend who has been warned me against going (several). I used to go to the old Fox Plaza place and it was pretty good. This place really is not as good as that. Need to shape up.

I've been a Leonard's patron since the mid 1950's. My only problem is that I've stayed put, and Leonard's has moved furthet and furthet away from me. When this new location (and only) location opened, l nagged my wife to try it. Tonight was the night. The venue is classic BBQ appropriate and decorated with photos that I rember from the '50s. The staff is pleasant and attentive. The music is appropriate. AND the food is great. I had no earler meal today, so I ordered the Big Leonard BBQ sandwich. It was wonderful and so big, hungry as I was, I could hardly eat it all. We will make the effort to come back.

Bbq nachos were great!! The ribs needed more meat though. Definitely deserves more stars. Service was really good and quick as well. Very kind!

I have been a Leonard's customer since they were on Bellevue. Have always enjoyed their food. Staff at the new location are doing a good job.

Can't believe they opened with really bad Un trained employees. The sauce is not near the ole famous taste , the slaw is awful. They will crash soon if they don't close, hire new employees, train them before trying to open again.

The service was great but the bbq not so much. The beans were good. The bbq didn't have good flavor just my personal opinion. The sausage on the sausage and cheese plate was a no as well.

I am only giving 3 star because service was quick and polite... food quality was terrible... nothing as good as fox plaza location was... onion rings were more like dough rings... I had the 1/2 rib slab....ribs ok... not a lot of flavor....beans and slaw decent...

Need to try again, sandwich tasted burnt. The taste that I'm used to was no t there. I know new to Cordova. I'm going to give it a minute before I try again. SEASON the meat!!!New business, going to give another chance. This is not the world famous Leonard's. Get it right

Ordered take out, Fried Catfish plate that was okay. It lacked flavor. The hush puppies and the potato spuds were cooked just right. The cold slaws was too much mustard. The second order was spaghetti meat sauce needs more seasoning.

We Love Leonard's and have picked up bbq, slaw, beans & buns from Leonard's for years. I think it's called a 6 pack. However our first pick up from the new store was disappointing because the materials used to pack our order did not work. Beans were put in a clamshell thin plastic type container that you would take leftovers home with...as was the slaw. The barbecue was in a round metal pan type container with a foil top. So when we got home, the slaw was warm and the beans were cold. Please go back to using the Styrofoam containers shaped like large cups that you used to use. They worked great. The beans and barbecue stayed warm even through our 45 minute drive home and the slaw stayed cold. These new containers just don't work very well for transporting hot or cold food. And they are awkward to handle and store. Please go back to Styrofoam or something that will keep the hot food hot and the cold food cold. This new stuff just does not work. Ask your staff what they used to use at the old store. It worked much better. Also, the ribs were put in one of those thin plastic clamshell containers . Before the move ribs were wrapped in a foil paper that kept them warm.