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    A&R Bar-B-Que

    3.7 (156 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

    A&R Bar-B-Que Photos

    Business Info

    A&R BAR-B-QUE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Rib plate with potato salad and baked beans.
    Yolanda H.

    I love their ribs! I was in Memphis for two nights and most definitely had to stop by A&R to get their infamous ribs. I didn't go inside by daughter placed the order while I stayed in the car. I ordered the rib plate with potato salad and baked beans with extra sauce for my ribs. Everything was delicious since I'm not a "big eater" my plate held me for two days. The ribs were very tender I could use my fingers to pull the meat off the bones.

    Tiffany J.

    It has been over a decade or more since I have visited and I must say that they have maintained the quality of food and service that I loved years ago! I had a taste for a bologna sandwich with baked beans and potato salad. I must say neither disappointed. I'm glad I was in the area and was able to stop in. The ambiance is really nice, spacious, and clean. They have mad a lot of updates to bring them up to modern times. I really wish I would have gotten one of their infamous desserts. I will be returning for more soon!

    Moriah D.

    Best BBQ in Memphis and not up for debate! I was born & raised in Memphis but have lived in Texas for 10 years. When I come home, this is literally my FIRST stop every time. Everything is soooo good & always fresh. The bbq spaghetti is the delicious, sweet & tangy with a bit of heat, my favorite side. I live for the fried bologna, smoked sausage, and pulled pork sandwiches. The sauce is savory, sweet & flavorful. I purchase the bbq seasoning & sauce every time I go to make sure I'm stocked when I'm back home in Texas. Service is normally pretty quick and sometimes there is a wait, but it's worth it. Perfect for a large group or just a few. I cannot attest for the other A&R locations, because I only go to this location, the original. It is & has always been the best since I was a child.

    Pork rib sandwich (before)
    Solomon C.

    I had the pork ribs sandwich and i gotta say that was annoying. It's four pork ribs with slaw between white bread. It's not like you hold it by the bread and eat it. I had to pick apart each rib and eat the bread and slaw separate. The service is meh! The price is different from the price your asked to pay. Menu needs to be updated. Prob won't go out of my way to come back

    Outside
    Adam L.

    Brisket was chopped up and ok. A little mushy. The sauce was great. The rib tips were ok. The pork shoulder was good. No sides. People were nice. Authentic. Prices were average. It's ok.

    Rib tip sandwich with coleslaw and bbq spaghetti.
    Libby G.

    We were hoping for good barbecue and this place had the kansas city style sauce we love. Portion size was generous (see picture). We both ordered the rib tip sandwich which came with two sides. Their coleslaw was solid. It was the dirst time we had bbq spaghetti and we liked it (it was our first time) but it was a lot of bbq sauce to eat in one meal! The beans were pretty ordinary which is sad because barbecue places could easiiy throw in some sauce and miscellaneous meat trimmings for something awesome. We had never had rib tips before and these were a mix of tender and chewy, some pieces with bark. I have to say I prefer burnt ends because I pick the cartilage out of my rib tips...I guess some people just crunch them up.

    Rib tips, baked beans, seasoned fries
    Ellie F.

    This is a prime example of south Memphis barbecue! I recommend the rib tips - and show up hungry, or you'll never finish the incredible portions of food they dish out. I want to go back and try more!

    Inside area for ordering and waiting.
    Tim M.

    Stopped in while in town in search of the area's best barbecue. It looks like they recently expanded as the dining area is much larger than appearing in earlier photos. Lots of tables in the expanded dining area. There are only a handful of parking spaces out front, but plenty more space in the back. The area has a wonderful smell of smoked meats. Service was friendly and helpful. Being our first time here, we had a lot of questions and the young lady at the counter gave us some great recommendations. Ordered the 1/2 slab pork ribs with sides of barbecue spaghetti, baked beans, coleslaw, and green beans. My wife ordered the rib tips. The ribs were wonderfully smokey and tasty. We arrived later in the day, so the ribs were a little dry and may have been smoked earlier in the day. The barbecue spaghetti was delicious! Worth the trip to Memphis. The other sides were also great, and my wife loved the rib tips.

    Rib tips (4/5) with coleslaw (5/5), baked beans (4/5) and green beans (5/5).
    Randi M.

    I stopped in to try the rib tips as not every place sells them. The staff were friendly and the restaurant was clean even though you could tell they maintain a steady crowd. It looks to have been recently renovated and there was a lot of seating in a second room to the right of the main entrance. With the rib tips I ordered coleslaw, baked beans and green beans with mixed sauce (mild and hot) on the side. The tips had a good amount of meat and a wonderful smoky flavor. They were drier than some but that may have been due to ordering them later in the evening. I liked their mixed sauce over the mild, as combining them seemed to spice up the mild one and dull the heat of the hot one. The sides were all good but my favorites were the coleslaw, creamy, crunchy and slightly sweet, and the green beans, flavorful and tender with some onions. If in the area, I'd return to try the ribs.

    Jason S.

    A & R Bar-B-Que family owners (A)ndrew and (R)ose Pollard (related to the owners of Pollard's BBQ, I'm told), run a handful of old school Memphis neighborhood bbq restaurants that have been smokin' great barbecue since the early 80's. I usually try to make it to the original or at least oldest running location of any restaurant, especially a bbq joint. As I drove up to the smoke house, a few blocks north of Graceland, I had some very good vibes. All the signals were right: -the parking area outside smelled of smoking pork; -a big, happy pig was painted on the exterior wall; -and customers were walking out the front door with arms full of to-go containers. At the counter where you stand to place your order, you can hear the blissful smokehouse lullaby coming from the kitchen: chop-chop-chop on the cutting board as hickory-cooked pork gets hacked into mottled shreds and pieces for plates and sandwiches. The sandwich is the classic Memphis configuration that I have grown to love and respect: pork was lightly smoky and tender, and included some of the bits of the crust from the outer "bark" throughout the meat mixed with tangy red sauce piled high on a bun and crowned with a spill of cole slaw. The cabbage provides such nice little bits of crunch among the velvety heap of pork. Beyond pig sandwiches, the A&R menu is full. You can have ribs (wet or dry), Rib Tips, Smoked Bologna, Chicken, Smoked Turkey legs Catfish dinner, Hot tamales and that only-in-Memphis treat, barbecue spaghetti. That's a mound of soft noodles dressed not with ordinary tomato sauce, but with - of course - barbecue sauce, laced with shreds of pork. It's weird, but in this city, where restaurants also offer barbecue pizza and barbecue salad, it makes sense. The ambiance of A&R is pure BBQ parlor: quiet enough so you can hear the chopping in the kitchen while you concentrate on enjoying the meal.

    BBQ Chicken sandwich
    Nisha L.

    Ok so as a Memphis native, let me just say: Tops is not fw A&R chicken sandwich! Y'all this is the best bbq out of all the states I've lived in. The service is good lmao I mean.. it's home. The woman is quick and sweet and straight to the point, definitely a vet. They've got a few little tables you can sit at but it's definitely not a date night spot. The spicy baked beans and bbq chicken sandwich are perfect. Every time I come home I gotta have it. If the bag ain't greasy, it's not for me

    Mykie D.

    Being originally from Kansas City, I'm a bbq snob. I've been to Memphis before and never was impressed by the bbq. I came back to Memphis and one of the locals recommended this place for bbq. I'm so glad they did! The ribs were delicious! Next time I'll try other items. We fell in love with the ribs. Highly recommend. Next time I'm in Memphis, this will be my first stop! Customer service was great too!

    Smoke wings  highly recommend

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    2 months ago

    The food is awesome and amazing customer service is amazing . Great place to dine very clean environment.

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    9 months ago

    Some of the best bar-b-que in the city of Memphis, especially in Hickory Hill area. Worth the try.

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    2 years ago

    I will not return to this place. First of all the prices are ridiculous! It took 30 minutes to get some overcooked wings

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    3 years ago

    Stopped in for lunch and had some Great smoked wings! Restaurant was clean and service was quick. Thanks A&R!

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    3 years ago

    First time here-and it was soooo good!! Rib tips were my favorite, and the fried okra was also great. Loved everything we ordered!

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    Central BBQ - BBQ pork sandwich with slaw

    Central BBQ

    3.9(2.7k reviews)
    3.4 miDowntown
    $$

    We went to the main Central BBQ location which happens to be across the street from the Civil…read moreRights Museum which we visited before stopping in. This location is a large building with lots of seating options. I had to try Central as it keeps winning awards and is consistently mentioned as the top BBQ place in the Memphis area. Some of their awards were displayed at the entrance and on the walls. Lots of history. My wife ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich and had the slaw on the side so I could have it (she's not a slaw fan). I had the small order of ribs with 1/2 dry and 1/2 wet with sides of BBQ Beans and Mac n Cheese. I tried the pulled pork and it was tender and delicious. My ribs were pretty good with my favorite part being the wet ribs. The dry part was overcooked and really dry and chewy. This was a bit of a disappointment. The BBQ beans were flavorful but a bit mushy. The Mac n cheese also mushy a bit but tasted better than it looked. I love great BBQ so I like Central BBQ but may have caught them on a bad day. Oh, they were out of a lot of T Shirt options/size I wanted too. Darn. I wanted to buy one. I would return and try the brisket, pulled pork or poultry items next time.

    First timers here and the service was friendly and attentive. The area was quiet enough that we…read morecould hold a conversation with lots of seating. A nice layout for sure. We had the ribs and pulled pork. The ribs were good and tender and the pulled pork was good but a bit on the dry side. I just used more bbq sauce. All in all it was a very nice place for lunch after visiting the National Civil Rights Museum just across the way.

    Photos
    Central BBQ - View of the quasi-outdoor covered seating area

    View of the quasi-outdoor covered seating area

    Central BBQ - I am nkw aware that lean beef means different things.

    I am nkw aware that lean beef means different things.

    Central BBQ - Absolutely delicious banana pudding.

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    Absolutely delicious banana pudding.

    Blues City Cafe - Ribs

    Blues City Cafe

    4.0(2k reviews)
    3.7 miDowntown
    $$

    Muy buen servicio! 100% Recomendable! La comida muy rica y…read moreel ambiente es muy bueno!

    We had a nice little meal here at this casual spot right along the western edge of Beale Street…read more Since we visited on a weekend evening, they had the whole road blocked off, so you had to enter from the north or west side to avoid entering the walkable area which requires you to pay a $5 entry. This entire restaurant is built on a slight slope, and they did not level the foundation when building out the restaurant, so if you're sitting at your table and the table is aligned north to south, you will see a slight lean to the flooring. Also, if you have any juices on your plate of food, the juices will flow toward Beale Street. I wanted to try their tamales but will have to do it on a subsequent visit. This visit we ordered the bowl of gumbo and the Memphis strip steak which is pre-cut for you. The gumbo is slightly salty but good. The strip steak was really good, filling and cooked to order. I chose new potatoes as my one side. Service here can be a little difficult depending how busy they are and how wild your fellow patrons in the restaurant can be. It took a long time to pay the bill here due to a large party coming in right when we were wanting to pay and our server was attending to them for about 15 mins while we were trying to flag him down. Other than that, we had no other problems. I would happily return the next time I'm in the downtown area and looking for food near Beale Street.

    Photos
    Blues City Cafe - Downstairs

    Downstairs

    Blues City Cafe - Yummmmm

    Yummmmm

    Blues City Cafe - Memphis strip steak

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    Memphis strip steak

    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

    4.5(3.7k reviews)
    3.7 miDowntown
    $$

    Loved everything about Gus's! I avoid meat mostly, but I was…read morenot about to miss trying famous fried chicken! The restaurant is tucked away on a small, empty street. There is plenty of parking in a lot across the street. We went inside and found it to be pretty busy, but we got a table for 4 quickly. The place was clean and homey-feeling and I loved the fact that they used disposable plates, utensils and napkins! It is probably way easier on the crew to clean up, and it adds to the relaxed atmosphere. I had the corn nuggets to start, yum! We finished them easily, they were so good. Then the entree of my chicken tenders, beans, and Mac and cheese came out, along with my sweet tea. The sweet tea was perfect, I drank a whole one during my meal and they gave me another to go in the souvenir Gus's cup. The food was just great, chicken was juicy and perfectly crunchy on the outside. Beans and Mac and cheese, delicious! I ate all of it even though I was stuffed. I even went so far as to order a piece of pecan pie for dessert, but unfortunately our server came back out to tell us they were out of it! Guess it wasn't meant to be (this time)! Our server was really friendly during our whole meal, chatted with us a little and made sure we had a great experience! Bottom line.... Go to Gus's!

    The place was a small building in downtown Memphis. Parking was limited in front of restaurant but…read morefree. The service was good. We were seated quickly and served quickly. The waiter was nice and attentive. He made sure we had what we needed and wanted. Seven is his name. The food was not world famous. The chicken was spicy and bland. No seasoning. The Mac and cheese tasted like boxed Mac and cheese with shredded cheese on top. The greens tasted like can greens not fresh. The best thing was the souvenir cup. I will not return. I gave it 2 stars because it was free parking in front of restaurant and the good service from seven.

    Photos
    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken - View from our table

    View from our table

    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken - Up close leg

    Up close leg

    Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken - Look for the chicken!

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    Look for the chicken!

    Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous

    Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous

    3.6(2.9k reviews)
    3.8 miDowntown
    $$

    I'm a sucker for any restaurant regarded as a city institution. It's obviously a very popular spot…read morefor tourists, so it should be approached and assessed with that in mind. A very old school entrance down an alley, then down the stairs. Walls and ceiling filled with all manner of bric a brac. Service was a bit slow and perfunctory. There's not much reason to entice people to return since so many are visitors. We ordered the small ribs and a brisket plate. Both were heavily seasoned. The ribs were a little dry but made better with the table BBQ sauce which was nothing memorable. We did enjoy the small tarts, both the buttermilk chess and pecan were delicious.

    Charlie Vergo's Rendevous has a speakeasy feel to it with the main entrance in an alleyway just off…read more2nd street and BB King Drive. It's been around for over 75 years (since 1948) and has great staying power. Inside is like a museum of signs, print articles, and lots of eclectic decor but it all seems to fit just right. The Rendevous shows up as a must-try place when in Memphis so, of course, we had to try it. My wife and I really enjoyed ourselves here and for what it might lack in some areas, the character and staff more than make up for it. We had a seat at a crossroads area where two in-restaurant walkways merged and there was no shortage of ongoing activity throughout our visit. We shared the perfect sized Pork Ribs and Brisket Combo with sides of beans and coleslaw. The meats are all charcoal grilled and tasted very good. They put a LOT of dry seasoning on the ribs. I liked the baked beans and mustard vinegar slaw as well. They were a nice compliment to our meats. The ribs were a bit dry but good with the added tangy BBQ sauce that is on every table. I even bought a bottle to take home. Our server was Mark F and was very seasoned and professional. He did a great job. I love these types of old school places with an "if these walls could talk" vibes. Also love their website name: HogsFly.com. Hilarious! Everyone needs to try this place at least once.

    Photos
    Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous
    Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous
    Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous - The Sign.

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    The Sign.

    New Wing Order

    New Wing Order

    4.5(20 reviews)
    3.5 miDowntown

    Coworker had heard of it and we were all impressed when we saw all the awards this place has…read moreearned. Also, the variety and types of flavors looked awesome so I was excited to try it out. When it came to which flavors to pick, I knew I had to try their award-winning flavor, Memphis Buffalo. I'm not a big wing person, so it was just ok to me. It was good, but didn't wow me. Also, I always get boneless, so I'm not sure if the flavor is different on regular wings- so take my review with a large grain of salt if you're a big wing person. The fries were really good but the flavored versions weren't that impressive so I'd rather just stick to the regular fries. The Pineapple Habanero was really good though. I really liked the flavor and the kick. It's one of the spicier things on the menu so I feel like I could handle the spiciest. I'd come back and try more flavors! Loved: - Dipping Sauce: Ranch - Side: Fries Classic - Side: Roll Liked: - Wings (Boneless): Pineapple Habanero Ok: - Dipping Sauce: Blue Cheese - Side: Fries Premium Parmesan - Wings (Boneless): Memphis Buffalo

    Heard a million good things about this place so I had to try them out. They do a good job letting…read moreeveryone know where they will be and when. I like the face that they travel around Memphis so everyone can try the food. I ordered a couple of Buffalo Chicken Tacos, an avocado taco, and 18 wings with the flavors of honey gold, bourbon, and memphis buffalo. The tacos were great. I want to order some more. The wings are smoked with the sauce added later. The wings taste good but they are pretty expensive for what they are. People should try the wings but I prefer deep fried wings that hold the sauce better.

    Photos
    New Wing Order - Memphis Buffalo

    Memphis Buffalo

    New Wing Order - Menu. 4.20.19

    Menu. 4.20.19

    New Wing Order - Nachos!

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    Nachos!

    A&R Bar-B-Que - bbq - Updated May 2026

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